January workout check in thread
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I can't do the toe shoes......just can't do the look, but I agree that barefoot shoes are great for lifting. I wear Merrell Barefoot and they have the traditional toe box so it looks like a regular shoe. It has taken some time to work on mobility and flexibility, but worth it.0
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I just use regular sneakers. I ain't got time to be getting different shoes for different things.0
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Well, I don't have a problem with my heels coming up..............0
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LOL @ skeletoes! I've heard them called many things, but I think I like that one the best.
I love wearing my Vibram 5 finger shoes for all of my lifts. I found that between dynamic stretching and foam rolling before my squats, it eliminated any issues I had with my heels coming up.
These are the ones I wear:
Skeletoes are a thing. They're actually cheaper than the vibram which I guess is why the name came to mind first (but I was never able to find them in my size).
I have bought some Nike Free shoes recently and it's madea huge difference with my stability all over the place. So while not absolutely necessary, I wouldn't go back to lifting in running shoes. However, they're horrible for running (probably because I had to get them a bit bigger than my typical shoe size cuz of how tight they were)0 -
Oh my bad, I thought they were a nickname for Vibrams! Sorry!0
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A lot of people use chucks (whatever they are, I think that means basketball type shoes??) which do have a flat sole but aren't full of all the springy stuff running trainers have.
Bought my Chuck Taylor's the same day I got gloves for lifting - used my Sports Authority rebate that came a couple of weeks ago. I like them so much more than my running shoes.
Here's Mehdi's take on footwear: http://stronglifts.com/weight-lifting-shoes-squats-deadlifts/0 -
So who has the Chuck Taylor's, and where did you get them?0
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So who has the Chuck Taylor's, and where did you get them?
I have chuck's and I bought mine at Academy Sport's and Outdoors. I think I paid $45 for them, but I wear them quite often, not just for lifting.0 -
Okie dokie....today's workout:
Squats: 145 lbs 5x5 Pleasantly surprised that this weight was not as hard as I expected it to be and it's my TOM, too :huh: weird
Bench: 85 lbs 5-5-5-5-4 :grumble: I stayed here because it was a really tough weight and try as I might, I couldn't get that last rep! Nice old man in the weight room watching me commented "You're strong, sweetheart!" :blushing:
Rows: 90 lbs 5-5-5-5-4 :grumble: My left arm fails me. I guess I may have to add an accessory for that arm to get it even with my right.0 -
Krokador I just bought some Nike Free's two weeks ago...I thought my foot was getting bigger, because I also needed to go up a size...glad it is just the shoe!
I went skating yesterday and some kid rammed me. I fell on my elbow and hip..it didn't seem like it did much, but wow did the weights feel heavy today!
Workout B
Squat:
Warm up: 2x5 45lbs
Work: 5x5 65lbs
OHP:
Warm up: 2x5 45lbs
Work: 5,5,5,3! (rested 3 min. after that fail),5 60lbs.
Deadlift:
1x5 125lbs.0 -
This is starting to get a bit scary! Hit all my lifts..
Squat 75kg 3x5 but I'm a bit folded up concertina style at times. Maybe I'm just psyching myself out but wondering if I should be working on form at all rather than powering through to higher weights? Sorry to fill this with video but your wisdom is appreciated everyone!
http://youtu.be/9QTnTxSKz1Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPEHuGnPqqg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbLCgO7N46M
Press 32.5kg (again..) 3x5
Deadlift 95kg hit all 5, no belt (it's just irritated/squished me before although I think my core would appreciate it). Definite rounding on the last rep. Desperate to hit 100kg but that was h-a-r-d..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOBpz5UPgKo
Exceedingly happy though!0 -
well I'm no expert by any means, but I noticed when you go down your knees kind of curve/round out then when you go up they do it again the opposite way. It kind of looks like your knees/thighs are going around a ball? I also think you should work on keeping your chest up some. Don't people always say "boobs up?" Just what I noticed...so if its nothing then awesome job!0
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yes, thanks - chest up!
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Lydia I noticed the same thing with the chest...but at the weight you are squatting that's bound to happen a bit.
That being said impressive lifts none the less.
For me I am at 155 tonight debated staying at 150 for form but decided to go up but like you wondering if I should stay lower and do form work...I have decided to stay here and do form work (if I get them all in that is)0 -
So today was workout A for me...
Suffering a bit with some DOMS from last night HIIT due to the toe touching crunches and 1min plank....and the workout was only 14mins.
So Squats 5x5 @ 155...staying here on Friday for form check...might try to get some videos of mine as well for critiquing.
BP @ 105 due to delaod last week from 110...got the 100 in great last week....not expecting too much difficulty with these tonight or at least I hope not.....
So got those out...down to touch (acutally squish a bit) the girls slight pause then back up 5x5....maybe weighted collars for next increase...
Best song to do bench press to...Push it... Salt n Peppa
Rows blah I don't want to do these...should be 3rd failure...deload....
Is it one of those days I just don't want to do them cause they are hard, Im gonna get 3rd failure...and Im cold. Self defeating attitude right...
1x4, 1x3, 3x2(tried to get 3 in just didn't happen...
I think i just rushed these to get them done and over with...2:45rest period...should have been 3 probably due to heaviness.
now for my bath which is all I wanted tonight but my sister brought me over some hand me downs that she used to wear and they fit so don't want to stop now...they were a size 8 fit over my workout pants and I started at a tight 16....0 -
HIIT session in. It was lackluster at best. I punched myself in the face with a medecine ball (twice! WTF) and my back and knee are bothering me, probably from the lack of mobility work the past couple days. I shall remedy that after a good hot bath!This is starting to get a bit scary! Hit all my lifts..
Squat 75kg 3x5 but I'm a bit folded up concertina style at times. Maybe I'm just psyching myself out but wondering if I should be working on form at all rather than powering through to higher weights? Sorry to fill this with video but your wisdom is appreciated everyone!http://youtu.be/9QTnTxSKz1Qhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPEHuGnPqqghttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbLCgO7N46M
Press 32.5kg (again..) 3x5
Deadlift 95kg hit all 5, no belt (it's just irritated/squished me before although I think my core would appreciate it). Definite rounding on the last rep. Desperate to hit 100kg but that was h-a-r-d..http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOBpz5UPgKo
Exceedingly happy though!
Hm, these look pretty okay to me. Depth on the first set could've been a little better. Also noticed, like hwillmott said, that your knees tend to go in a bit when you push up. Something you might wanna think about? Aaand I'm ready to duck a shoe here (don,t chuck chucks at me!) but. esp that 2nd set, you're taking reaaalllyyy long pauses at the top. Almost to the point where I would call these rest-pauses. So, you may want to try to set yourself a limit (maybe 3-4 breaths MAX) and while it's okay to finish the set if you go over (still building some strength there), maybe consider it a failure to hit 5 reps if you go over?
Deads looked pretty good. That bar looks heavy tho! Haha. Awesome job!
@SezxyStef do you do pendlay or bent over rows? (from the floor or not?) I find I get a better contraction and can move more weight doing bent over, but I want explosive ability more (trying to learn oly lifts) so I'm doing pendlay and they ARE much harder. Only pointer I have that may or may not help is that I try to pull myself towards the bar rather than the bar to my chest (while keeping the core tight, back straight, so technically only my arms are moving anyway). It feels more stable to me that way? (I have a bunch of weird counter-intuitive pointers like that for a bunch of lifts, lol)0 -
Lydia I noticed the same thing with the chest...but at the weight you are squatting that's bound to happen a bit.
That being said impressive lifts none the less.
For me I am at 155 tonight debated staying at 150 for form but decided to go up but like you wondering if I should stay lower and do form work...I have decided to stay here and do form work (if I get them all in that is)
Steph, I'm staying on the gainzzz train as long as I can! the form isn't atrocious, the bar is still straight, so I'm not going to psych myself out any more and just doooo eeeeet... 0 -
HIIT session in. It was lackluster at best. I punched myself in the face with a medecine ball (twice! WTF) and my back and knee are bothering me, probably from the lack of mobility work the past couple days. I shall remedy that after a good hot bath!
lol. sorry but that is a funny image! hope you are ok.. it's the kind of thing I would do!Hm, these look pretty okay to me. Depth on the first set could've been a little better. Also noticed, like hwillmott said, that your knees tend to go in a bit when you push up. Something you might wanna think about? Aaand I'm ready to duck a shoe here (don,t chuck chucks at me!) but. esp that 2nd set, you're taking reaaalllyyy long pauses at the top. Almost to the point where I would call these rest-pauses. So, you may want to try to set yourself a limit (maybe 3-4 breaths MAX) and while it's okay to finish the set if you go over (still building some strength there), maybe consider it a failure to hit 5 reps if you go over?
Deads looked pretty good. That bar looks heavy tho! Haha. Awesome job!
thanks. the bar was frickin' heavy (95kg = 209lbs!) and *ahem* I should have gone to the loo first. that last rep was -really- heavy!
re the pauses - I've always taken the view that if the bar isn't racked, it's a set. I'll have a think about that one!
will definitely try and keep an eye on the knees 'knees out!' too.0 -
Hey ladies! Love seeing what you're all doing. Today was SL 5x5 Day 2. Whew! That OHP seemed fine with just the bar, but I'm going to keep pushing. I still can't seem to get below parallel. I've been practicing bodyweight on off days. Maybe I will have to pull out the yoga DVDS. Did 30 minutes of walk/jog intervals after that. My concern? The scale! Is it possible to keep losing weight while doing this?0
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Hey ladies! Love seeing what you're all doing. Today was SL 5x5 Day 2. Whew! That OHP seemed fine with just the bar, but I'm going to keep pushing. I still can't seem to get below parallel. I've been practicing bodyweight on off days. Maybe I will have to pull out the yoga DVDS. Did 30 minutes of walk/jog intervals after that. My concern? The scale! Is it possible to keep losing weight while doing this?
You lose body fat which is more important.0 -
lol. sorry but that is a funny image! hope you are ok.. it's the kind of thing I would do!
Harumph! Yeah, it's my kind of thing to do. There's a reason I've been nicknamed the Krash. Nearly knocked myself out setting up for Bench Press today!
Anywhoos, fought through the lower back discomfort (used to it by now, I know what I have to do to fix it. Squatting actually helps) and went for workout A
Squats 130x5x5
it was a bit of a struggle, I'm a good bit tired and wanted to stay in bed this AM. But it went smoothly enough.
Bench 105x5x5
Weight was heavy as hell. Those 5th reps were a lil shaky, but I'm gonna up to 110 anyway. I might fail 3 weeks in a row, but there will be strength gainz!
Row 90x5x5
Those were actually easy. I got the form and bracing down. Pretty sure I'll rock the 95 in 1 session =D
DB upright rows 25x3x8
because traps
BB skullcrushers supahset with BB curls
40x8
45x8
45x8 but 7 on the curls
KB Swings 40x20, 40x25 (if there had been a 50 I woulda used that)
Hanging knee raises 10, 11, 7 (Grip faaaaail)
All in all a good workout for being slightly sleep deprived. 2nd in a row that I hit all my main sets! Uzzah!Hey ladies! Love seeing what you're all doing. Today was SL 5x5 Day 2. Whew! That OHP seemed fine with just the bar, but I'm going to keep pushing. I still can't seem to get below parallel. I've been practicing bodyweight on off days. Maybe I will have to pull out the yoga DVDS. Did 30 minutes of walk/jog intervals after that. My concern? The scale! Is it possible to keep losing weight while doing this?
Depth on squats comes from both hip mobility and your stance. Try maybe widening your stance, point your toes out and make sure to keep your knees out as you go down, see if that helps? Also, it's very possible to lose weight! You don't want to be going into too big a caloric deficit, though. Otherwise you won't be gaining strength!0 -
I still can't seem to get below parallel.
Hip mobility has been mentioned - consider also ankle mobility. Can't remember exactly where I just read about this - but here's a link to google search results on the topic: https://www.google.com/#q=ankle+mobility+and+squats
Adding weight to the bar helps me get down, too. If my warm up reps are super light I don't get quite as deep.
Edited to add - how about this: http://www.mobilitywod.com/2012/08/squat-quick-test-is-it-your-ankles-or-hips/0 -
My concern? The scale! Is it possible to keep losing weight while doing this?
This was my concern as well. I have only done 9 sessions so far, but the answer is YES! I have continued to lose weight doing this program. The only cardio I have done since starting is family skate night 2 times...so it was not a cardio class...just skating for fun with the kids.0 -
I still can't seem to get below parallel.
Hip mobility has been mentioned - consider also ankle mobility. Can't remember exactly where I just read about this - but here's a link to google search results on the topic: https://www.google.com/#q=ankle+mobility+and+squats
Adding weight to the bar helps me get down, too. If my warm up reps are super light I don't get quite as deep.
Edited to add - how about this: http://www.mobilitywod.com/2012/08/squat-quick-test-is-it-your-ankles-or-hips/
Also think of opening your pelvis and dropping your torso through the hole. Weird but helps me! Knees OUT too..0 -
Hey ladies! Love seeing what you're all doing. Today was SL 5x5 Day 2. Whew! That OHP seemed fine with just the bar, but I'm going to keep pushing. I still can't seem to get below parallel. I've been practicing bodyweight on off days. Maybe I will have to pull out the yoga DVDS. Did 30 minutes of walk/jog intervals after that. My concern? The scale! Is it possible to keep losing weight while doing this?
You lose body fat which is more important.
^^this^^
And what helped me with hitting parallel, was widening my stance with toes out.0 -
SL B for me this morning:
squat 5x5 110lbs
ohp 5x5 60 lbs <-- :laugh:
deadlift 1x2 175lbs. (2nd attempt at this weight)0 -
Hey ladies! Love seeing what you're all doing. Today was SL 5x5 Day 2. Whew! That OHP seemed fine with just the bar, but I'm going to keep pushing. I still can't seem to get below parallel. I've been practicing bodyweight on off days. Maybe I will have to pull out the yoga DVDS. Did 30 minutes of walk/jog intervals after that. My concern? The scale! Is it possible to keep losing weight while doing this?
Work on getting parallel, before moving up too much in weight. I knew I wasn't consistent in getting down as far as I needed too and once I got to 80lbs, I knew my form needed to be cleaned up, before I even thought about going heavier. One exercise you can do, is to get your feet in position and squat down, then put your elbows inside your knees, your hands together and push your knees out. Stay in that position for several seconds, then work on coming up by pushing your knees out and driving your hips up. I do this several time a day and it really has helped. I also do it as part of my warm-up before my workout.
Welcome!0 -
Wow! Thanks for all the help. I'm going to try the elbow-knee stretch and widening my stance..
My husband. An drop right down and he has never done squats (he's naturally muscular though). I guess I've always done them wrong. Since some said that weight on the Helsinki is there a weight I should stay with if I haven't reached a parallel? Thanks!0 -
My concern? The scale! Is it possible to keep losing weight while doing this?
This was my concern as well. I have only done 9 sessions so far, but the answer is YES! I have continued to lose weight doing this program. The only cardio I have done since starting is family skate night 2 times...so it was not a cardio class...just skating for fun with the kids.
You'll have to tell me your secret..I've put on nearly 7 pounds since starting this program in early December!! :sad: But, trying really hard to ignore the scale because I really like the whole bad-*kitten* getting stronger part.
Deloaded everything this week and went back to some form basics, but got back to workout A tonight.
Squats: 60 lbs 5x5
BP: 60 lbs 5x5
Rows: 65 lbs 5x5
Then 3 miles of intervals on the treadmill...tough one tonight because I feel the faint hint of a cold maybe coming on. Here's hoping that Emergen-C stuff actually works!!
I have to say that rows are my least favorite lift! Would love to replace them with something else...does anyone do anything else in their place, or is that breaking the rules too much? :laugh:0 -
I do rows on both the A and B workouts. Love them! (I'm also trying to get good at pull-ups as i've mentioned already, so they,re a must!).
I do however switch it up on workout B between lat pulldowns, DB 1 Arm rows, T-Bar rows (that one's a favorite =D), seated rows, bodyweight inverted row, etc.
There ARE a lot of good back exercises out there. Reason why the normal row is in the program though IS because it's the best at building muscle and strength at the same time.
Now if you don't like an exercise, see it that way:
- If it's because it's challenging, then you're getting better at something tough! That,s something to be proud of!
- If it's cuz it feels awkward or even painful, check your form
- If it's because it makes you sore, learn to embrace DOMS ;P
Now I'm gonna skiddadle out of here before I give you all my cough! Will be lurking to get my dose of the working out vibes, tho!0
