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  • DawnEmbers
    DawnEmbers Posts: 2,451 Member
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    Did not want to get up this morning and it wasn't even that early of an alarm, but I laid in bed extra long which meant a have less time before work now. Tomorrow and Sunday will be rough. May have to sleep in my jogging clothes or work clothes, lol. I have to get up early for 4 mile jog tomorrow and Sunday I get the 6 am work shift, oh goodie.

    Workout A

    high bar squat 3x5 @ 155 - decided to increase this time and it went pretty well

    bench 1x3 @ 100, 2x5 @ 95 and for sun 1x8 @ 75 - was going to de-load, tried 100 instead and had to use the "oh sh!+" rack spot on the 4th rep attempt. Barely got through 95 again, so yeah probably de-load. I have issues with bench, don't quite get leg drive and I struggle to unrack the bar every set cause my arms are short (pretty much all of me is short, lol).

    bent over row 3x5 @ 85 - Decided to do this instead of p-row as I was near a good spot. 85 is actually higher than I got on the 3 rep sets in NROLFW so not bad.

    lat pull down 3x10 @ 70 - eh, arms were getting tired but made it through

    Then I decided to just leave cause had the long drive home. Needed enough time to shower and eat before driving all the way to work. I need to check a gym's start up fee and how to close my current account as I think I need to switch to one closer to home. Using up way too much gas between work, gym and long jog at the park.
  • jo_marnes
    jo_marnes Posts: 1,601 Member
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    Dawn - I didn't feel like I was getting leg drive until I changed my back position. Now I don't have my lower back on the bench when I do it - like this http://getthisstrength.com/bench-press-tips

    I couldn't even get my feet on the floor properly without arching like this.

    Leg day for me today - keen to workout as spent entire day sat down yesterday and it has made me stir crazy!
  • Julieboolieaz
    Julieboolieaz Posts: 643 Member
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    Dawn-for a short girl, you are sure getting really strong really fast! I sometimes blame my lack of strength gains on being in a deficit, but you're in a deficit (and actually losing weight which I'm not!) and making good strength gains. Makes me wonder if I'm just not pushing myself enough? I feel like I am, and I've made modest gains this year, but not nearly as strong as you are!
    Hope the early mornings aren't too much of a drag! You're doing great!

    Jo-thanks for that link. My bench is pathetic...but I'm hoping it'll improve if it's separated out from compound lifts more. That's part of why I'm liking the split...I feel like my lifts have been stagnant...hoping to be stronger with more consistency.

    Leg day (B) today for me too. It went well, lowered my squat weight a bit (so I'd have somewhere to go) and paid attention to my form...not sure I'll be progressing with my resistance too much...but I would like to! I'll be adding little bits of weight each week, but suspect I'll plateau soon enough. Hopefully repetition and slowly increasing my reps will get me higher :)

    Super happy to be back in the zone and looking forward to 4 lifting days next week!
  • janiep81
    janiep81 Posts: 248 Member
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    Hey guys!

    I think you're all awesome and super strong. Since I'm just beginning (and repeating stage 1!), I have no idea what some of the abbreviations mean, but I know it's heavier than I could manage, that's for sure! :smile:

    I got to triple digits in squats and deadlifts last night. I've been doing both regardless of the day because it feels good and I want to get stronger.

    DL: 2x15 @110;
    Squat: 2x15 @ 100;
    Shoulder Press: 2x15 @ 55;
    Lat Pull: 2x15 @ 80;
    Lunges: 2x10 @ 30;
    Swiss Ball Crunches: 30

    I keep forgetting to decrease my reps. :/

    I've decided to repeat stage 1 because I am a beginner and I didn't read/follow the instructions closely until I had a physical copy of the book.

    I do a Body Pump/Group Power Class once or twice a week, too, and I like how it uses different muscles and how I can see how strong I've gotten since I started!
  • jo_marnes
    jo_marnes Posts: 1,601 Member
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    Just got back in from leg day, a run and 90 mins of hill walking - LOVE IT.

    I weighed myself at the gym - up 1.5kg.... that's now up 4kg (11lbs) since Feb.... looking forward to losing some of that but not looking forward to eating less, lol. Will have to increase cardio also. am going to give myself until Sept to continue gaining, then start cutting.... hopefully will reveal some muscle gain! On the plus side, despite gaining weight, my clothes still fit and I'm only just starting to notice it in the mirror (I swear it's all on my thighs :/ )

    Don't even want to think what my body fat % is right now..... I am going out for wine an cheese tonight :D
  • Beeps2011
    Beeps2011 Posts: 11,986 Member
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    Austria! (In the Alps!)

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  • Beeps2011
    Beeps2011 Posts: 11,986 Member
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    Signed up for a diner en blanc in three weeks, lol!

    Not much time to work off my holiday food/booze....oh well. I can buy a white dress one size up -there will be an end-of-summer sale somewhere, I am sure!

    Three more nights until "home"....i will return to the gym on wednesday.
  • DawnEmbers
    DawnEmbers Posts: 2,451 Member
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    Very nice.

    This morning I jogged 4 miles.
  • DawnEmbers
    DawnEmbers Posts: 2,451 Member
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    Julie - Aww, thanks. Sometimes it feels like I'm not progressing much and the weight can be slow at times. I had a fair amount to lose since just recently got to overweight instead of obese. Easier when I don't have to be super exact but I will have to be more precise soon to see progress on that continue. I also have to lift stuff at work and have for years, so I think that helped some. With cases of water, tea, totes of random products and when I had to work the milk shipment, having to pull a stack of milk crates taller than me to get it where I needed did help a little with strength aspects. Though I'm stalling on some lifts, mostly upper body but deadlift is challenging still too. Everyone is doing awesome, just by pushing themselves and lifting, even if we don't always see progress in the numbers.


    Went to the gym before work this time as I only have a 4.5 hour work shift today. Reason for that is the scheduler was nice to not have me close tonight because tomorrow morning I work the 6 am shift to hang up sales tags. No jog tomorrow and my schedule will be different this week with the random morning shift and having my next 5k on Saturday. I also probably should have eaten more than an almond milk coffee drink before going but oh well.

    Workout B

    back extension 3x8 @ 25 - waiting for the squat racks.

    low bar squat 3x5 @ 135 - kept same and it was okay.

    overhead press 1x3 @ 75 and 3x5 @ 70 - third fail at 75, barely making the reps at 70, de-load time.

    deadlift 1x5 warm up @ 135 and 1x5 @ 180 - oof, felt so much heavier than 175.

    incline dumbbell bench press 3x8 @ 27.5 - kind of like these, more than incline barbell bench

    clean then front squat 3x8 @ 40 - did an easy weight and tried to combine instead of one set then the other.


    Now I'm eating lunch then time to get ready for work cause shower is important, lol.
  • Julieboolieaz
    Julieboolieaz Posts: 643 Member
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    Janie-thats super strong (to me!). Go girl! Kutgw!

    Jo-that's quite a workout I've gained the same this year :( but not fitting in my clothes as well :(. A month of vacation and indulging and whammo! And it's not leaving as quickly as it came :(. Hope you continue getting stronger and your cut goes smashingly!! Strong lady!

    Beeps-I'll even be sad when you have to come home, hope you're enjoying the end of your amazing trip!!

    I'm doing well, resting this weekend. Back to the gym tomorrow, planning to lift 4 times. Actually looking forward to it!
  • Julieboolieaz
    Julieboolieaz Posts: 643 Member
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    Dawn-whatever your secret, you're doing great! Glad you got off a bit earlier so you could sleep a bit before going back!
  • Beeps2011
    Beeps2011 Posts: 11,986 Member
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    Amsterdam!

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  • Beeps2011
    Beeps2011 Posts: 11,986 Member
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    Today is a long travel day home. Greatest vacation EVER! (Also the longest holiday I have ever had!)

    Once-in-a-lifetime.

    Back to reality tomorrow.....and likely jet-lag. Will re-boot my gym membership on wednesday.

    BOOM!
  • samntha14
    samntha14 Posts: 2,084 Member
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    You're killing me Beeps. My cousin just came home from a three week tour. Ugh, I WISH!!. Off to my first workout with new trainer. Wish me luck.
  • samntha14
    samntha14 Posts: 2,084 Member
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    So this wasn't your typical training session. It wasn't one of my paid sessions so she gave me workout, showed me the moves and I was on my own. She has me doing body splits too. Different. I said I wanted to work on my glutes, so I did a helleva lot of curtsey squats of different types and every leg move had an added kick. Needless to say, driving home was tough as I drive a manual. We'll see how this goes.
  • Beeps2011
    Beeps2011 Posts: 11,986 Member
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    Jet-lag is hard...too tired for a workout. I hope tomorrow.
  • Julieboolieaz
    Julieboolieaz Posts: 643 Member
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    Welcome home Beeps! Beautiful pictures and I'm sure you'll take a while to adjust to normal life again!

    Sam-those curtsy lunges are tough! But effective! I need to add them in more often myself, saddle bags stink! Hope the new routine works out well!

    Lifted last night at 8pm. I hate lifting at night :(. Dh went with me which was nice, but it's crowded and I hate waiting for equipment (I'm spoiled!) worked on my bench press form...watched a few videos. Changing it should help me improve, I'm so weak still! ...but it's so different! Whole body tight, arched back, shoulder blades down into the bench, tucked elbows.. Good though. My abs are even a bit sore even today. :) wish I trusted a traine at my gym....I'm sure I could use form advice!

  • jo_marnes
    jo_marnes Posts: 1,601 Member
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    Lifted yesterday - DLs still shite. Ugh. Videoed my form - every first rep stinks (round middle back). After that the reps are perfect which makes it really hard to fix! I managed one good one out of about 40.... and that was the first one! Grrrrrr

    Combat today - at a new gym. Current place has cut it from the timetable so it's only twice a week (and one instructor is terrible so it's only really once per week). Going to be gym slut this week and shop around!
  • samntha14
    samntha14 Posts: 2,084 Member
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    Way to work on form ladies. I, however, could barely walk today. Doing all of that leg work after 6 weeks off was helleva thing. Like someone said before, at least with body spilt I won't have to do legs again for a week.
  • DawnEmbers
    DawnEmbers Posts: 2,451 Member
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    Been slacking lately, sleeping in instead of jogging or other things, but I did manage to go the gym tonight after work. Some parts were better than others and we'll see how waking up to jog goes. At least I don't have work tomorrow.

    And before I forget, as for the bench press. I try to have my feet in a spot so that I can't push my butt up off the bench (watched some videos about it, one in particular from Train Untamed), my lower back isn't on the bench and a try to get my shoulders set but then my arms are barely long enough to un-rack the bar. Maybe some time I'll get someone to check my form on bench.

    Workout A

    high bar squat 3x5 @ 160 - these were tough. I got up each time but it was a challenge.

    bench 3x5 @ 80 - de-load so went okay.

    bent-over row 1x3 @ 90 and 3x5 @ 85 - things were not so good, me and rows aren't getting along.

    Accessories:
    leg press 3x8 @ 200 - heavy but okay, same as last time worked legs/glutes

    good morning 3x10 @ 60 - fine as usual

    rdl 3x10 @ 90 - still heavy
    hip thrust 3x10 @ 80 - still heavy


    Schedule is going to be a bit off with the 5k on Saturday but will get worked out next week. Looking forward to the bubble color run.