April Progress
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Jess - I think its awesome you are seeing good changes! So happy for you!
Heathbar had a good idea - its the end of april so time for progress posts!
Although, I guess I'll wait til tonight to see what I end up doing (My session on Sat was baaaaad).0 -
Sunday workout wasn't great. I struggled with Squats at 75 lbs for the fourth time. Overhead press I upped to 45 lbs but it was tough. Deadlift I upped to 105, but I did have to rest in between the reps for it, I don't think I will up it next time.0
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Also - is there a reason why you would drop the bar/weight instead of lowering it like I was doing? Just want to make sure I'm not missing something...
As the weight gets heavier it's harder to lower the bar each time. Last time I did 220 x 21, I could maybe string together 3 lifts without dropping between lifts. It takes a lot more energy to lower that weight too.0 -
Also - is there a reason why you would drop the bar/weight instead of lowering it like I was doing? Just want to make sure I'm not missing something...
As the weight gets heavier it's harder to lower the bar each time. Last time I did 220 x 21, I could maybe string together 3 lifts without dropping between lifts. It takes a lot more energy to lower that weight too.
It's just easier to drop them. I feel like it's a waist of strength to lower them. I do things like hit my knees when I try to lower it nicely. People look at me funny and I'm sure it's considered somewhat rude but that's what the big bumper plates and the padded platform are for. I don't have access to the school gym this summer and none of the other gyms I might use have those. I'm not sure what I'll do.0 -
Also - is there a reason why you would drop the bar/weight instead of lowering it like I was doing? Just want to make sure I'm not missing something...
As the weight gets heavier it's harder to lower the bar each time. Last time I did 220 x 21, I could maybe string together 3 lifts without dropping between lifts. It takes a lot more energy to lower that weight too.
Nice!! I like you!
I think it really depends on the gym and the weights you use. I go to a "fitness club" and they have signs posted about dropping weights and yadda yadda yadda will get you suspended or your membership revoked, probably due to breaking the weights/denting the floor. They do, however, unknown to the average user, have a special room with the bumper plates that are ok to drop.
At least you work at home so it is all up to you
(or your landlord if you are renting! 
)
As for April Progress... I feel bad being part of this group because for the last few workouts I have not been doing 5x5. I'm used to super or tri sets that this program bored me
I just couldn't stand the length of waiting! I see that it is a good program, I'm just stuck in this mindset.
Plus, the gym I go to only has 3 power racks and I feel bad for taking one up with so much waiting. I always stand to the side, and I'd gladly let anybody in during rest periods, but I've been told too many times that I appear very *****y and unnaprochable so now I have a constant fear that people want to use it, but just don't ask.
I wish I had somebody to work out with, it would make it much more entertaining!
My friends aren't gym buffs, and none of them live in the area of my gym. The boyfriend has a membership to the same gym but he never goes. I've asked him several times to go and spot me, and he says yes, but then something always comes up. What a girl 0 -
Well, I don't go to a standard gym, but a crossfit one. Dropping weight is expected because we lift huge weight. there's only 3 power racks in our gym too, but the beauty of crossfit is, do your set and move out of the way. I only have plates to take me up to 165, but I plan on doing my 5x5's at the box as I run out of weights.
Was going to do day 3 workout A today, but my crossfit WOD was really tough and shoulder intensive. I would've struggled on the BP and rows. It'll have to be tomorrow.0 -
Also - is there a reason why you would drop the bar/weight instead of lowering it like I was doing? Just want to make sure I'm not missing something...
As the weight gets heavier it's harder to lower the bar each time. Last time I did 220 x 21, I could maybe string together 3 lifts without dropping between lifts. It takes a lot more energy to lower that weight too.
It's just easier to drop them. I feel like it's a waist of strength to lower them. I do things like hit my knees when I try to lower it nicely. People look at me funny and I'm sure it's considered somewhat rude but that's what the big bumper plates and the padded platform are for. I don't have access to the school gym this summer and none of the other gyms I might use have those. I'm not sure what I'll do.
just adding my perspective on the dropping vs. lowering of bar, hope it's okay to jump in.
i personally find GREAT benefit to the negative movements. i feel this way about the form for each of my lifts, not just DL - ie. a nice controlled sink into my squat, and a slow, controlled lowering of the bar to my chest in bench. i view the lowering of the bar in my DL as the same type of negative movement, and really focus on maintaining my form through this eccentric contraction.
that said, if i was trying to max out my lifts for PR or the like (vs. doing reps) i can certainly see dropping the weights on DL or power cleans, etc as the weight got heavy (of course, assuming bumper plates and padded floor!)0 -
@manda - I think those people at the gym are just intimidated by your badassery they are afraid to ask to share the rack. Probably really hard to share anyway if someone is lifting at a different weight. Screw them I say!
And I know I'm not as experienced of a lifter but I think I agree with yummy in that I really don't think it's a waste of strength to lower the weight. I don't want to say it seems like "cheating" but I just really thought the lowering of the weight was also important to actually performing the deadlift.0 -
@manda - I think those people at the gym are just intimidated by your badassery they are afraid to ask to share the rack. Probably really hard to share anyway if someone is lifting at a different weight. Screw them I say!
And I know I'm not as experienced of a lifter but I think I agree with yummy in that I really don't think it's a waste of strength to lower the weight. I don't want to say it seems like "cheating" but I just really thought the lowering of the weight was also important to actually performing the deadlift.
Lol, yes, I'm just really rough looking. I just tried to take a picture with the turtle for friendleness but he wouldn't come out of his shell... **** I agree that lifting at a diffenet weight can be difficult. As an outsider, it only takes a few seconds to unrack, but as the insider, it is totally the unwrack of shame. 0 -
Whether or not I lower the weight slowly or drop it the last few inches depends on how I feel that day - I prefer to lower it as I feel like there are strength gains to be had by resisting on the way down as well as pulling on the way up, but some days I am too tired or weak feeling and in the end the goal is to pick the weight up so if I feel like dropping the weight will let me complete my sets, I do it. I also don't have access to bumper plates or anything like that so I really can't drop it too far without it being kind of a problem.
I always do my warmup set (I usually just do 1) by putting the weight down slowly (or depending on how much weight it is/how I feel I might just do a tap on the ground at the bottom and go right back up).
Manda - my husband started going with me after he looked at the program on my phone and decided he was interested in trying it, but he really only got *motivated* to work out when I started mentioning various guys at the gym. *cough* Not in a weird way and not that he's the jealous type but I think it kind of tipped him over the edge (And he liked the way the SL program looked because it was hyper simple). On the downside it makes the workout take WAY longer when you do it with 2 people. Or at least, for us, because we're really differently height-ed and so we have to move the pins EVERY time we switch.
Just get a few people to text on your phone while you work out - I either get on MFP and chat (but I know you said you don't have a smart phone) or I text my friend during rest sets.
But re:using the power rack forever -- do it! DO IT. The people who are really dedicated to their workout will come and ask you to use the rack no matter how *****y you look (I look mean ALL the time unless I try hard at it) and the people who aren't dedicated will just wander around doing other stuff. Trust me. You are not disrupting any one else's workout by using that power rack.0 -
Interesting... I guess maybe as my deads get heavier I won't even be able to lower it! I really can't drop it though since I don't have bumper plates. It's a small workout room too. That would not be pretty...0
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Interesting... I guess maybe as my deads get heavier I won't even be able to lower it! I really can't drop it though since I don't have bumper plates. It's a small workout room too. That would not be pretty...
Maybe, maybe not. The times I see people dropping it is when I see them do cleans, or c&j. As deads, it seems close enough to the ground to be able to drop it. But maybe I'm just an annoying observer that thinks people shouldn't be loud 0 -
April stats (only 1 wk)
Squats 55#
Bench Press 50#
Pendlay Rows 70#
OH Press 45#
Dead lift 75#
I have a question about abs (or in my case lack there-of) but I am not sure how to phrase the question. I guess my concern is that I may not be engaging my abs properly or enough. There is that fear that I might God forbid make the dang thing (gut) bigger if I don't engage them properly. I don't even know if that makes any sense???? but I welcome ANY guidance.0 -
le *sigh* started w/wrong weight for squats, corrected and then failed spectacularly on the 3rd lift... crumpled too far forward and couldn't recover, tricky to escape' from. nothing hurt as far as I can tell. 3rd set did all 5 but too much crumple in danger of falling forward so think I'm calling it good for today for squats and i'll try 130 again on Wednesday.I think that may be pretty close to my lean body mass. Maybe I'll get it on Wed, or maybe this is going to be a temporary wall for me. And now my workout gets inturrupted to fetch the hubby and make dinner. drat!0
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wrong thread again. I need to stay off the internet after vodka!0
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Irridia - I think the fact that you are failing forward might mean you've got your weight balanced incorrectly or are leaning too far forward (although I guess that's kind of the same thing?) but I'm not entirely sure as I generally fail onto the pins.
Clifford - at the lighter weights you won't really feel it in your abs but eventually you will start to. As long as you're maintaining the curve or at least flat back and not hunching forward your abs should be properly engaged just by nature of the fact that putting a barbell on your shoulders/back and holding your back straight is pretty core-intensive.0 -
so my finals for April are Squats 130- fail
Bench 95 grindy
Row 95 grindy and not really pulling full reps either so these will be the start for may.
ohp 55
deads 140
didn't successfully continue workouts w/out missing any, but did get them all in last week. so partial goal in that I'm making progress, right? 0
