August workout check-in thread - August one more rep!
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I need to try to check in here daily. This thread moves really fast!
Today I finished my 3rd week of SLs :drinker:
whooo! look at you!
@you and @massage97 (and anyone else) . . . i really feel you on the scheduling thing. sooner or later (sooner! even sooner than sooner, really) i'm going to have to go find a new contract. basically i ought to take the first one that comes at me next, and i ought to be looking as well - which i'm not.
anyway, i'm free atm but juggling logistical stuff all the time now in the back of my head, trying to figure out how that's all going to work when these happy days end. i've realised i probably need to do the crack-of-dawn thing as well, in order to get the thing done. except that i won't. i just know that i won't. i know it. i LIKE the idea, but there's all kinds of ideas that i like.
anyway. workout b. in retrospect i probably should have made yesterday/today my two-days-off days, especially with the long ride yesterday after being semi-disabled last week. but i didn't, so it serves me right. I Will Not Lift Again Until Friday, this week.
squats: oy gevalt. these were messy. i made some form tweaks and i'm really trying to keep myself honest this time, with every rep. atm it's looking awful because i'm trying not to let myself cheat, and i'm using muscles that have had a pretty free ride until now. i kept bouncing up and down across a range of around 20lb, looking for something that's heavy enough that i can really feel my own form, but not so heavy i can't do it right. warmup was 3x5@45, no real problems, then 1x5@65, also just fine . . . so i tried the progressed weight of 80 that i 'should' have been at, and i got 5 without technically going too far off track, but it was just uggerly. so i started dialing back down by 5 pounds per set, and i think it went 1x5@75, then 3x5@70 after that. and then i reckoned that was enough. no horrible knee-stuff events. think i'll try 75 my next time.
ohp: hum. 50 was the 'right' weight today, so i did 1x5@45, kind of hesitated, and went for it.
3x5@50, just fine. felt exactly right: challenging in that this-feels-great way.
4x5@50 . . . . just fine. right up to halfway through the last rep, and then my left shoulder just quit. no pain, but the bar simply wasn't going to go up, so i stopped. this has happened before, and the only way i would have been able to get it all the way up would have been with a monstrous kip to the right to get that left side away from the weight. so i backed way way way off, breathed myself all the way down, tried again . . . same fail at the same point of the same rep in the set, in the same way. everything perfect until rep #5 . . . . finally after even more resting, i went back and got it. it was messy but i legal, i think. so i'm going to say 50 lb.
this is another area where i'm intentionally trying really hard to clean up my form and not let myself cheat, because i know that left shoulder is weak and my body would cut corners if i let it. i can already see a back issue ready to happen if i give in, the way my body wants to kip to the right halfway through, and i'm mostly interested in not letting it. i'm also making a lot more of a point now to press up from my core, and to keep the bar under control on the way down as well, instead of just dropping it. i'll stay at 50 next time, which will be just fine by me.
deadlift: was supposed to be my 100lb day but i don't know if it was since i'm not sure of the weight of the bar that i used. it was either 90 or 95 pounds, and with 35-lb plates i was lifting from pretty low to the ground and had to put more leg-bend into it than i like to stay level. it felt really good though, and i'll take 100 next time. i'm trying to teach myself to just do the number of reps/sets that they say, and go home.
still using up gyoza filling :explode: so i took a ride to the store for more wrappers . . . again. i'm trying out mark rippetoe's claim that a person can keep progressing while in a deficit by emphasizing carbs on lift days and protein for rest, so instead of the usual protein/fruit shake i bought the biggest watermelon i could fit in my pannier, brought it home and ate half of it.
ETA: as a prelude to dinner, of course.
feeling good
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Ugh. I didn't do my third workout last week, and I'm kind of in a funk right now. I decided to do over the week, although I had to deload my bench and row.
whoa. your deload is my dream. 70lb bench? i'll need the big girl panties to try out 60 next time.
so frustrating to be kept out of an entire thing because of just one little toe, but you're making a good investment by giving it the space that it needs for healing.
for me . . . DOMS on the glute muscles hit me, i swear, in the grocery store . . . somewhere between the fresh cherries and the meat department. halfway through the return trip from my bike ride, five or six miles still to go, and my bum quits on me.
that'll learn me to go around sulking all day because i 'couldn't feel' any effect from those 120lb bridges last night.
Well, I've been working up to that since... May or June, LOL. I think I'm getting close to my stall point, though. My 16 year old son likes to work in with me, but I think he just likes to show off as he tosses the weights up and down. Also, I haven't even started bridges yet, because I can't figure out how to do them without getting trapped. :laugh:
Hopefully the DOMS goes away soon!0 -
@Bruerin. I am the opposite of a morning person. For a brief 4 or 5 month period I had to go to the gym before work.Everything feels way heavier in the morning that it does later in the day. I personally can't weight train fasted (cardio seems fine) so if that is the case you then you might have to experiment with different breakfasts to find something tolerable.
Yeah, I obviously didn't think this plan through yet...I didn't even think about having NOT eaten for the hours I'm sleeping. I will have to try it out fasted, and with something small to eat to see how it goes.0 -
Good job on everything ladies!!!
Workout A for me today. I had a date with bench press. He can be a d*ck sometimes so.. But today he was nice
Goblet Squats 5x8 with a 25lbs dumbell
Bench 5x8 at 65lbs so next time I get the dreaded 70lbs again. I failed miserably last time so I'm looking forward to that.
Rows 5x5 at 65lbs also. I'm going to do the same as I did with bench and keep 65lbs and do 6, 7 and 8 reps next workouts. I hate rows.
:flowerforyou: :glasses: :drinker:0 -
I haven't even started bridges yet, because I can't figure out how to do them without getting trapped. :laugh:
big honkin' 45-lb plates with a pad round the bar, is how i did it. my bum fit under those, but at the top of the bridge i started wondering if i was going to give myself a whole new bald spot in places most people don't see. and i have hip bruises to go with the shoulder ones from the squats.Rows 5x5 at 65lbs also. I'm going to do the same as I did with bench and keep 65lbs and do 6, 7 and 8 reps next workouts.
i missed when you did whatever you did with benching. did the 6-7-8 break you out of a stall or something? i'm interested.
and ambitious.0 -
Rows 5x5 at 65lbs also. I'm going to do the same as I did with bench and keep 65lbs and do 6, 7 and 8 reps next workouts.
i missed when you did whatever you did with benching. did the 6-7-8 break you out of a stall or something? i'm interested.
and ambitious.
Well I can let you know on Monday, that is when I try the bench again Backstory: I benched fine 5x5 until I hit 70lbs. I just couldnt do it. For 3 workouts i failed miserably!! So I have read on here that sometimes to break through a stall you could do 5 sets of 6 reps at a lower weight, then 5x7 then 5x8 at that same weight (in this case 65lbs for my bench) so when you go to 70lbs again at 5x5 it should have helped a LOT. I just finished the 5x8 workout today so next Monday I am going to try 5x5 with 70lbs :bigsmile: 0 -
Workout B today. I wonder if I'm starting to stall because of eating in a calorie deficit or if I need more protein. I know I need more protein, so I'll try focusing on getting more of that before I start fiddling with anything else.
Squats - warmup + 5x5x90. My form was not good, so I'm going to stay at this weight until I can do this without my knees turning in.
OHP - warmup + 4x5x60, 1x4x60. I almost had 5x5 this time, so I think I'm going to get it next time.
DL - 1x8x115. I need to get more weights, but until then, I'm just increasing my rep each time.
I don't think I'm going to meet my bench and OHP goals this month, but I think I'll hit my squat goal. I may have been way too ambitious with the upper body, LOL.0 -
@Bruerin. I am the opposite of a morning person. For a brief 4 or 5 month period I had to go to the gym before work.Everything feels way heavier in the morning that it does later in the day. I personally can't weight train fasted (cardio seems fine) so if that is the case you then you might have to experiment with different breakfasts to find something tolerable.
Yeah, I obviously didn't think this plan through yet...I didn't even think about having NOT eaten for the hours I'm sleeping. I will have to try it out fasted, and with something small to eat to see how it goes.
I lift fasted most mornings, with the exception of coffee. Occasionally I wake up with a gnawing feeling and I eat some carbs and get on my merry way. The key for me is VERY light. So a banana, a little protein granola bar (I make them at home, SO GOOD), or some kind of bread maybe.0 -
Workout B this morning:
Squats - 5x5x140
OHP - 5x5x65 (I was supposed to be at 70 lbs today, but Im going to stay at 65 lbs for two more workouts and then go buy some of those washer weights)
Deadlift - 1x5x165
Adductors - 3x10x120
Stair master speed intervals for 15 mins, 5 mins for warm up and 10 mins for cool down.
Gonna do some FitnessBlender cardio tonight at some point. Overall, pretty proud of how Im progressing.0 -
I was actually thinking we should start a recipe thread, so I'll kick one off. 0 -
Workout B (Wed) ...arms are so very tired, but I did it anyway, go me!
Dumbbell side bend - 5 x 20 - 40
dumbbell skier swings - 5 x 25 - 40
hot potato squat 5 x 15 - 20
squats 5 X 5 - 165
overhead press 5 x 5 - 65
barbell rows 5 X 5 - 90
flys 5 x 10 - 40
reverse curls 5 x 5 - 80
underhand bicep curls 5 x 5 - 1200 -
Didn't want to leave my girlfriend's house to go workout, especially getting up at 6am...buuuut I did it. Wah. Got to the gym a little stiff, so I did foam rolling before getting into my squats.
Squats: 5x5 @160lbs! Man, the weights are getting heavy, but I'm handling it, so it's really exciting.
Bench: 5x5 @100lbs Also pretty easy to handle, so hopefully when I get to 110lbs I don't stall again.
Row: 5/5/5/4/2 @105lbs Bleh, these weren't terrible until the very end. Funny how 95lbs is easy and 105lbs is
Then, after reading krokador's status I decided this 100 burpee challenge would be "fun". It wasn't, but I'm glad I did it, because it made me realize I can get through 100 non-stop burpees and so next time on Saturday we have 50 straight burpees I don't get to take any breaks. Then there was an additional 30 BW squats thing, which first I was like "I can't do that, my butt hurts from 160lb squats" and then I realized it would make me frustrated to hear someone else make excuses...so I did those too. Now my butt REALLY hurts. Swim lessons from 3-6 today.0 -
Workout B for me.
Squats: warm up + 2x5@100, 3x5@103
OHP: warm up + 5x5@52
DL: warm up, 1x5@120
Finally moving up in weight again! I've been stuck at the same weights for a while lately. I'm trying really hard to focus on form during my squats, since I feel that I might be leaning forward too much. I'm not really feeling it in my hamstrings :grumble:
Maybe I'll try out that 100 burpee challenge one day, if I'm feeling crazy enough hehe0 -
Frustrated with my workout today. Never feel like I'm doing things correctly and I'm getting some pain in my right shoulder during my assisted dips and bench press.
Split Squats (A change from barbell back squats) - 5 x 5 x BW
Barbell Bench Press - 5 x 5 x 60
Barbell Rows - 5 x 5 x 60
Assisted Dips - 5 x 5 x -155
Woodchopper, each side, 5 x 5 x 25
Planks, 40 seconds held, 2 times each
I also messed around with cleans today using a 30# barbell. That was kind of fun.0 -
So workout A today.
Squat 3x5 150lbs
Bench 5/5/5/5/3 with a roll of shame to end it off, mah arms just kind of said eff this crap and wouldn't work
Row 5x5 75 lbs
flies 3x8 20 lbs
negative pull ups 3x8
And then the burpee challenge of oh so awfulness 100 in 9:02. I think I need to learn how to breath better doing these things because I had such a terrible headache afterwards.
Next week I am changing over to Wendlers 5/3/1 and I am going to eat at maintenance for the first cycle of that. Between work, school, working out, the kids, the fact I have been cutting for more than a year and this cold I can't seem to get rid of, I think I need some time not at a deficit.
I have also given up on my August running goals, this cold doesn't really impact my lifting, but running is just not something I am able to do very well right now as disappointing as that is.0 -
today's a rest day for me.
everyone, please observe: i'm resting. :bigsmile:
pleased with myself. didn't even go near the gym. not even for 'just one little deadlift' or 'just to foam roll.'
i can handle this lifting thing. i can rest any time.0 -
Testing my OHP max this morning. I am somewhat proud to say I got 90lbs rather easily! But I bombed out my attempt at 92.5 which was my goal. Kind of hesitated/waited too long to try to press the bar up, gave it a hip drive which made me stop because this was supposed to be strict press and then I didn't have the strength left to push it even an inch off my shoulders. Ended with an AMRAP set of 9 and a half at 65lbs
Dropped the deadlifts out of my workout (still a bit bothered by my left leg) and replaced them with Wide grip lat pulldowns. 5x5 at 125lbs. Went pretty well. No fails, not that much rest really. I think I was done within like 12-13 minutes and that's counting 2 warm-up sets and a trip to the bathroom...
Then decided to leave the accessory work for after the burpee challenge (and I ended up dropping it all together). 100 burpees for time, and every time I stopped to catch my breath I had to do 5 bent over rows with 2 35lbs DBs. Reps went a bit like 20/10/10/11/13/10/9/9/8 so I did 9 sets of rows (threw in an extra set at the end). 14:05
Color me humbled by all of you... My legs would just simply give out on me around the 10 rep mark. I crawled up a few "last reps" on there...
30 BW squats after that were like a warm-up though ha!
I'm beat. I need more sleep. And food. I didn't bring enough food with me to work. I think I'll go buy a chocolate milk carton and mix it with some protein powder. I keep a shaker here just for those kind of emergencies, haha.0 -
I guess I cheated with my burpees, I didn't do anything when I stopped for a little to catch my breath. I really need to learn how to pace myself with those. I did 5 sets of 20 and next time I am shooting for 4 sets of 25Testing my OHP max this morning. I am somewhat proud to say I got 90lbs rather easily! But I bombed out my attempt at 92.5 which was my goal. Kind of hesitated/waited too long to try to press the bar up, gave it a hip drive which made me stop because this was supposed to be strict press and then I didn't have the strength left to push it even an inch off my shoulders. Ended with an AMRAP set of 9 and a half at 65lbs
Dropped the deadlifts out of my workout (still a bit bothered by my left leg) and replaced them with Wide grip lat pulldowns. 5x5 at 125lbs. Went pretty well. No fails, not that much rest really. I think I was done within like 12-13 minutes and that's counting 2 warm-up sets and a trip to the bathroom...
Then decided to leave the accessory work for after the burpee challenge (and I ended up dropping it all together). 100 burpees for time, and every time I stopped to catch my breath I had to do 5 bent over rows with 2 35lbs DBs. Reps went a bit like 20/10/10/11/13/10/9/9/8 so I did 9 sets of rows (threw in an extra set at the end). 14:05
Color me humbled by all of you... My legs would just simply give out on me around the 10 rep mark. I crawled up a few "last reps" on there...
30 BW squats after that were like a warm-up though ha!
I'm beat. I need more sleep. And food. I didn't bring enough food with me to work. I think I'll go buy a chocolate milk carton and mix it with some protein powder. I keep a shaker here just for those kind of emergencies, haha.0
