September check-in and chat.. lift like septimus prime!
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still think of myself as in some kind of in-between state . . . confused about which sl workout to do since i've been doing such a mashup of different things recently. but i guess what i did today could be called workout b. kind of.
squats: 4x5@45, warming up. then 5x6@65. i'm deloaded from my last weight of 70 or 75 or whatever it was, and officially just getting comfortable with the low bar, which is why the big warmup. but that went so well i went ahead and did the whole sl schmear. still felt like i had a lot in the tank afterwards, in fact these weren't really a challenge at all. hip drive ftw? but officially right now it's all about letting my back set the pace, not my legs. so that's all i did in the squatting today. worked in with a guy i had actual conversation with, between sets. he said he'd 'seen you in here doing deadlifts and squats . . . are you training for something?' </proud>
deadlifts: 6x1@100. i deadlifted just a few days ago, so you guys didn't really see me doing this one
it doesn't count, and besides, it was only 100 pounds.
ohp: messy. i got a few sets of 5 at 30, a few more at 40 and 45, then i think i did two sets at 50. then i quit because my upper body is still dealing with all the pulldowns and shoulder work that i did on friday, and i wasn't really remembering what good form looks like, so it's not surprising i wasn't using good form.
planks. i do planks these days just to listen to my individual vertebrae doing little pop/crackle releasing noises after i've held the position a while. starting to crunch and flex my abs while i'm up, just to get a little more mileage on that. so i guess i'm getting stronger than i used to be when it comes to this one.
strange workout. the squats were good, i think. the rest was just kind of faffing around.0 -
@logge here is a video to watch that helped me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34XRmd3a8_0
or go to youtube to check out so you think you can bench series...
There is some contradicting form suggestions on both but I asked about it and SaraUK2SF told me to choose which one suited me best as they were both right.
Thanks Steph, I'll check those out. I actually spent more of my time yesterday researching flexibility in the hip. Apparently "asian squats" are the answer. My family keep walking in to a room to find me hidden behind a table or somesuch.
What's that in your photo, and is it as painful as it looks?0 -
logge - how long have you been lifting for? are you due for a rest week? I find that when my workouts start to go to *kitten* then I need to back off for a bit and take a rest
I am new, about week 7 and lifting 3 times every week. Would you say that's rest week time? I suggested it to my boyfriend when I got back from the gym and he felt the same as you. As it is, I'm going to end up with three rest days this week due to work (no cardio, no weights, no yoga).0 -
It was really helpful to read your post canadianlbs, makes me realise I can slow down and take things a bit more steady. I was jealous about this bit,planks. i do planks these days just to listen to my individual vertebrae doing little pop/crackle releasing noises after i've held the position a while. starting to crunch and flex my abs while i'm up, just to get a little more mileage on that. so i guess i'm getting stronger than i used to be when it comes to this one.
I wish my body did pop noises.0 -
logge - how long have you been lifting for? are you due for a rest week? I find that when my workouts start to go to *kitten* then I need to back off for a bit and take a rest
I am new, about week 7 and lifting 3 times every week. Would you say that's rest week time? I suggested it to my boyfriend when I got back from the gym and he felt the same as you. As it is, I'm going to end up with three rest days this week due to work (no cardio, no weights, no yoga).
Lifting can be very taxing, I try to take a rest week every 6 weeks or so. I think even Mehdi recommends a rest week every 6-8 weeks. You might want to give it a try? If your workouts are sucking then you're at risk of getting injured.0 -
Thanks Psych. What are your thoughts on taking a break from cardio? I normally try to get two sessions in per week (45 minutes spin). This week, due to work, it would mean no weights and no cardio (and not even my beloved yoga session).0
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Thanks Psych. What are your thoughts on taking a break from cardio? I normally try to get two sessions in per week (45 minutes spin). This week, due to work, it would mean no weights and no cardio (and not even my beloved yoga session).
Hmm I'm probably not the best to ask as I don't really do any!! Other than getting my 10000 steps a day and chasing my two year old lol0 -
Well, I have today to think it through, read up etc and I'll make my final decision in the morning. I'm surprised at how hesitant I am to take a week off! Many thanks and happy toddler-wrangling today psych.0
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Right, that didn't work out at all today. Two nights of extremely bad sleep and (as I noticed when doing deadlifts) some lower back problems from rolling through the bed for two nights are taking their toll. Most weights were a bit lower today and I could not do deadlifts at all. Ok, last exercise day today for 2.5 weeks as I'll be away on business and on a short vacation. Afterwards I'll start again.0
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Had a crazy week with work parties every night and other things and ended up at the gym this morning after a full 7 days off. Last time I went, the squats were ridiculously hard, so I decided to bump them back 10% and work up again. I had already done something similar with OHP, so I just kept going with that and deadlifts.
Squat: 130# (doable on 2 min rest, glad I bumped back a bit)
OHP: 55#
DL: 155#0 -
I am happy to report I lifted last night. For those considering whether they should do a scheduled rest week- do it. I didn't, because I didn't realize I was supposed to and I was wondering why I was not progressing and not feeling the benefits of lifting as I had up to that point (more energy, stronger). I ended up just feeling done- and rested (ha ha) for 6 weeks! Let your body recover and it will feel better to get back to it. So last night I just got back into it and I am so happy I did! I varied from the SL program schedule last night because I wanted to ease back in. Squat 60lb, 3x12. OHP: 40lb, 3x10. DL: 110lb, 1x5 + 1 more. To everyone who has been posting their workouts- I've kept up with this group and I am inspired. So glad to have you ladies to look to and to join back with when I was ready. And it could have been a lot longer break if I didn't have this group to look to for motivation- so thanks!0
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Morning! I tend to not post on the boards on weekends (I use work time for that...HA!)
So this is from Saturday
SQ - Warm up + 5x5 @ 80lbs
OHP - 4x5 @ 50lbs, 1x3 @ 45lbs
DL - FAILED @ 155lbs again! Barely made it through 1x5 @ 145lbs.
Got home and realized I have not been warming up on DL. Do you guys?? Maybe I didn't notice until this weight because it wasn't as hard, but this is the 3rd workout that I should have increased to 155lbs and have failed, so dropped back to 145lbs and been ok.
Also...just been reading previous posts about rest weeks. I am now on week 8, maybe its time??0 -
Got home and realized I have not been warming up on DL. Do you guys?? Maybe I didn't notice until this weight because it wasn't as hard, but this is the 3rd workout that I should have increased to 155lbs and have failed, so dropped back to 145lbs and been ok.
Also...just been reading previous posts about rest weeks. I am now on week 8, maybe its time??
I warm-up for EVERYTHING. Sometimes it's just one set or even just 1-2 reps at a lighter weight or without weight at all, but i never go in at work weight cold and/or without first repeating the movement pattern a few times. It's a bit of a mental thing. But at 155 you should at least do a warm-up set at 95 and 135. erhaps just 3 reps of each. But ramp it up a bit!
Decided today to go in and only do the basics of the GBB program (Day 5 #2), so no barbell work. I checked the timer and my warm-up routine takes about 15 minutes... Yikes! lol.
Started with EMOTM x 6 of Goblet bulgarian split squats x5 per side (20lbs KB)
Then 5 rounds of double 30lbs KB
- Squat clean x 5
- Swings x 5
- Deadlift x 5
- push-ups on the bells x 10
And finished up with 4 rounds of 30/30/15 seconds
- TRX Squat row
- Plank cross body knee tucks
- rest
I'm playing soccer tonight so I need to keep some energy in the tank! lol. Looking forward the the 5/3/1 week ahead and progressing over to days 6-10 of the Garage Built Body
Then I'm going to have a deload week where I'll focus on testing some bodyweight stuff, finishing that 6 week running program I started 3 month ago (lol) and getting in a lil more mobility work through yoga or something.
High work weeks re important.
Deload weeks are importanter
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I wish my body did pop noises.
well . . . just to tie it all in together, planks and such-like are the little chore-things i do during weeks when i'm either healing from something or just plain not motivated to go out and lift.
i relate to the hesitation. what i'm trying to teach myself to do is to stop looking at the whole motivation/energy thing like something i'm earning/creating by doing it. seeing it that way makes me nervous about resting when i'm depleted because then i feel like i'm not 'earning' more to fill in the deficit i've been feeling. so then my mind concludes that i'll have even 'less' when i go back.
i'm trying to work my way round to looking at it like this: say your actual strength is like capital in the bank, and 'energy' from day to day is the interest that it earns. what i'm trying to tell myself is that when i do my workouts, i should only be 'funding' those workouts from the interest, without touching the capital. when my pacing and progression is right, it's like i'm getting 5 bucks a day in interest, and a workout costs 8. so in theory that leaves me 2 bucks over every time, which goes into the capital. so the next day, i'll be getting a little bit more than 5 bucks a day in interest . . . etcetera.
the problem is that the cost of the workouts rises faster than the interest. so when you reach a point where your available income from interest can't cover the cost of your workout, you either keep on working out anyway - except now you'll be dipping into capital to get yourself through, and that means you'll be making yourself poorer every time.
or you rest for a week, let seven-times-five-bucks build up once again, and THEN you go back. you'll be rich :laugh:0 -
Where's the missing buck then?
Seriously, that's given me a lot to think about. I was definitely thinking along the lines of "use it or lose it" and you've made me realise I need to think otherwise. I'm definitely going to google rest weeks right this minute...0 -
Squatted 110 5x5 which was fine but my hip flexors, especially right side, were tight and I could feel it on the return. Going to stretch and ice and probably repeat 110 if still feeling it Wendesday.
Benched 75 5x5. It was hard but I did it. I might repeat 75 next workout because I had trouble touching the bar to my chest on the last set or two.
Row, like OHP, is banned for a while. Did face pulls, skull crushers, and prison dips to make up for it.
So to recap, I have arthritus in my big toe, clicky knees, shoulder pain, and now tight hips. I need an oil can! :laugh:0 -
Squatted 110 5x5 which was fine but my hip flexors, especially right side, were tight and I could feel it on the return. Going to stretch and ice and probably repeat 110 if still feeling it Wednesday.
Oh oh oh, what's "ice"ing?0 -
Squatted 110 5x5 which was fine but my hip flexors, especially right side, were tight and I could feel it on the return. Going to stretch and ice and probably repeat 110 if still feeling it Wednesday.
Oh oh oh, what's "ice"ing?
Put ice on it.0 -
you know what i'd like to have? a t-shaped bar, like the traditional broomstick but with a . . . well, okay, basically i'd like my own personal crucifix. was trying to avoid the connotations of that, but that's basically it.
why? so i can practice the training/muscle idea of keeping the barbell in the right place on my shoulders WITH the correct head-to-bum alignment as well, through the full range of the squat. just holding the broomstick against my back only gives me my spine. putting it over my shoulders only gives me the bar. put them together and i fall apart. i want both.
i may even go hang out at the hardware store, because copper/pvc piping and those screw-in joint thingies are the only way i can think of that might allow me to build such a thing.
i wonder if i'm getting too into this whole lifting schtick.0 -
I did my workout earlier than usual today, so here's the lowdown:
Workout B / Day 18
Squats - 5x5 @ 50 lbs.
- I'm still kind of delirious about finally being able to do real squats! The bar looked hilarious with dinky little 2.5 lbs. plates on either side, but I don't care. Form felt natural and easy (aside from t-rex arms), and I pushed myself to get as low as I could. Felt in in my glutes for sure, especially as I pressed out of the pocket. LOVE that feeling.
- May stay at this weight for a bit simply because of my arms / shoulders. Also considering doing each weight 2x rather than moving up 5 lbs. every session. Thoughts?
Overhead Press - 5x5 @ 30 lbs.
- I'll definitely go up to the 40 lbs. barbell next time. I'd planned to today, but it was MIA and I didn't feel like spending an hour looking for it. No arch in my back and was able to press these up with good tempo.
I HEART DEADLIFTS - 1x5 @ 135 lbs. (i.e. BIG GIRL PLATES!!!)
- I hadn't planned to move up on these, but figured what the hell. And low and behold, a bar with two 45 lbs. plates was just sitting there, all ready for me so I went for it. These were so freaking awesome. Concentrated on pressing through my legs, rather than pulling with my arms / back. Paid attention to drawing my shoulders together at the top and controlled the weight on the way down. Was panting like crazy by the end. OMG I love deadlifts!
- Am planning on staying at 135 lbs. for the next couple of workouts to concentrate on form and just enjoy them.
Had a huge smile on my face the whole way home.
Hope everyone's workouts are going well!
xox
Courtney0
