Happy July - Progress and Chat Thread
tameko2
Posts: 31,634 Member
Howdy - Its July 1st, which I hear is a holiday for some kind of imaginary country I don't believe is real but Happy "Canada" Day to those of you that believe in it.
I had the most awful workout EVER yesterday. We helped a friend move in the morning and then did some shopping and then I tried to squeeze in a workout at 4:30 after having been on my feet most of the day and probably only eating about 1000 gross calories at that point. It did NOT go well.
I had the most awful workout EVER yesterday. We helped a friend move in the morning and then did some shopping and then I tried to squeeze in a workout at 4:30 after having been on my feet most of the day and probably only eating about 1000 gross calories at that point. It did NOT go well.
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July?!? What happened to June, or May, or 2011?0
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*busts in the door and yells HOWDY YALL!!!!* :bigsmile:
My husband and I finished setting up our little home gym today! Tomorrow is day 1 of SL 5x5 for us :drinker: We got the power cage, bench press and weights all good to go!! This should be ....interesting. lol
Nice to be here with you all. I'm sure I'll have a lot of silly questions and hope you can bear with the newb here :laugh:0 -
HI! I've just gotten back to heavy lifting and I'm about 3 weeks into it. I love SL 5x5.
I've decided to slow down the weight progression since I'm getting to the point now where it's becoming pretty challenging to me. I'm going to be lifting the same weight for 3 sessions and then increasing to the next level.
I know it's not going to increase my strength as quickly as it's intended, but I'm okay with that but I'm also keeping a close eye on my form.
Anyone else doing something similar? Is this approach more harmful than upping the weights and then failing the reps and deloading as necessary?
Thanks!0 -
*busts in the door and yells HOWDY YALL!!!!* :bigsmile:
My husband and I finished setting up our little home gym today! Tomorrow is day 1 of SL 5x5 for us :drinker: We got the power cage, bench press and weights all good to go!! This should be ....interesting. lol
Nice to be here with you all. I'm sure I'll have a lot of silly questions and hope you can bear with the newb here :laugh:
Welcome! It is very awesome that you have a home power cage. I am very jealous! I hope you enjoy it, and ask as many questions as you want, it is the way you learn
@JustJen, I'm doing the same thing, but for 2 sessions instead of 3. Mostly because I workout alone so failing sucks. Though since I've re-started, I've only had one fail so far.0 -
@mandasimba Whew! That's good to know. I work out alone in my garage too. I suppose I could dump the bar on the ground since my bumper plates are rubber but I hate the noise! I also don't want to risk breaking my barbell. That sucker cost too much money!! lol0
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I'm all over the board on weights these days, I pretty much go by feeling (sometimes I just do a totally deloaded squat day - yesterday I did 3x8 at 115 - the second set MIGHT have been 9 but I lost count - even though my previous work weight was 150 because I was exhausted and having a crap day energy wise).
Otherwise I do a mixed ramp up - so I'll do like 2-3 sets at the "next" weight, and then the other 3 sets at the previous weight, or even do them at 5lbs less than the previous weight depending on how tired I am from the first 2 sets. Then next time I might try for the whole 5x5 at that weight or not. Varies greatly.
So I kind of spend 2-3 days at the same weight but in a mixed way, and right now the plan is to have one deloaded squat day every 6 workouts or so. (Depending on how we feel - my husband is just a WIMP, frankly, and he's all waaaah its haaard now and I am genuinely hitting my upper limits and can't possibly progress as fast as in the beginning. I started about a month ahead of him and he's now surpassing me in weights, but WHINING about it even though he's 8 inches taller than me and 60 lbs heavier. And a guy.).0 -
Hi guys. I just joined a week or so ago. I did 3 workouts so far but haven't been back to the gym in a few days. I'm not as consistent as I could be but I am working on it. Good to meet you all.
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I've kinda fallen a bit. The last couple of weeks, I've only managed two sessions a week, and I am feeling sluggish. I need to get back to my every other day thing.0
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I've kinda fallen a bit. The last couple of weeks, I've only managed two sessions a week, and I am feeling sluggish. I need to get back to my every other day thing.
I had the same, only managed two a week, this week I will try and get back on track. I plan Monday, Wednesday Friday this week. Fingers crossed.
I'm really enjoying this program so far! Bring it on! :happy:0 -
Hi all! I'm relatively new, too - I'll be doing my 8th session today after work. I just started c25k two weeks ago, and have been doing that on my off days of SL (except sunday - sunday is the rest day haven haha).
Since May, I've been trying to eat better and was doing split routines and elliptical-ing a lot before starting this program, but I did that all school year and didn't see too many gains (or losses for that matter), and so I decided to try something new (though admittedly my intake at school wasn't all that healthy). I also signed up for a color run 5k on a whim, and I want to do really well, hence the c25k start up.
Today's workout is (supposed to) be:
Squats - 90lbs
Bench - 70lbs (not really expecting this to happen though - i had to spend an extra session on 60lbs before i actually did 65lb)
Barbell Row - 50lbs0 -
I have SO fallen off... :sad:0
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I began in June and I'm starting July with:
Squat 115
Deadlift 132
Dumbbell bench press 52
Overhead dumbbell press 39
(The weights are odd because I use kilos, but I see most people use pounds so I've converted them).
I'm actually doing a version of Starting Strength, rather than Stronglifts, so I'm not doing the rows.0 -
I started SL 5x5 this morning. Felt great to be back in the gym again lifting. But gah has my form slipped, gotta work on that. Squats especially, but I'm back at it so that counts. 0
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I started in June and I'm starting July with:
Squat: 100
Deadlift: 125
Bench: 65
OHP: 55 (i suck at these)
Row: 70
i've been super sluggish and fatigued lately (from not sleeping well) and my morning SL workouts have been suffering. i think i've managed 3 workouts in the last 2 weeks. i need to get my *kitten* together.0 -
Yes, I did actually go to the gym today! Woot!
Squat: 110 lbs for 5/4/4/3/3
Overhead: 55 lbs for 5/4/4/4/4 (yay!!! Last time, after trying one set at 55 lbs, I had to drop it to 53 lbs. This time, I said, "Screw it, I'm just gonna do what I can at 55)
Deadlift: 110 lbs for 2 sets of 5
I keep intending to add assisted pull ups, but when I'm done, I'm DONE.
But since pull ups are a goal, I have to figure out a way to work it in.0 -
OHP: 55 (i suck at these)
I just OHP'd the bar alone on friday - it was a huge victory for me. OHP is hard!0 -
OHP: 55 (i suck at these)
I just OHP'd the bar alone on friday - it was a huge victory for me. OHP is hard!
Why do you think that is? I find it very difficult too, and I haven't even got on to doing the bar on its own yet! (I've only built up to 39 lb over the past month).0 -
I don't even know if you could call what I do "Stronglifts" anymore. I've switched to 3x5 and just move up when and if I feel like it. I've also added core rotation, and calf raises to A, and negative chin-ups and bench tricep dips to B.0
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an unassisted pull up is my goal, too.Yes, I did actually go to the gym today! Woot!
Squat: 110 lbs for 5/4/4/3/3
Overhead: 55 lbs for 5/4/4/4/4 (yay!!! Last time, after trying one set at 55 lbs, I had to drop it to 53 lbs. This time, I said, "Screw it, I'm just gonna do what I can at 55)
Deadlift: 110 lbs for 2 sets of 5
I keep intending to add assisted pull ups, but when I'm done, I'm DONE.
But since pull ups are a goal, I have to figure out a way to work it in.
i have a pull up bar in my door and i use a resistance band for assistance. it kinda obstructs the doorway, so i try to do a few whenever i walk through the door. lol. obviously, it doesn't happen that way. lol. i usually do about 3 at a time for a total of maybe 15 a day.
i've been doing this only for a few days, so hopefully it helps in the long run in getting to my goal of doing an unassisted pull up.
i totally recommend getting a pull up bar at home. you can do assisted pull ups with a resistance band or using a chair.0 -
Why do you think that is? I find it very difficult too, and I haven't even got on to doing the bar on its own yet! (I've only built up to 39 lb over the past month).
For me, I've always had a weaker upper body comapred to my lower body, and I feel like the same could be said for a lot of other people, considering we use our legs more. My shoulders are one of my weakest points (sometimes I'll do shoulder flies, but I can still only handle using 5lb dumbells before it gets really, really hard after 2 sets of 8 reps), and I can only imagine that all the smaller muscles interwoven around the larger, main ones are weaker, too.0 -
I'm about to go work out in my garage.....in 100 degree weather. YUM.
My goal for today is:
75 Squat
45 Bench press
50 Pendlay row - I've been working on my form. I started out doing hang cleans but I've decided to do the rows for now.
I'm also going to attemp 5x5 pullups on my green assist band. I'm probably going to do this to warm up since it'll suck once I'm done with the barbell.
On a side note: I've ended up with a pretty nasty bruise on my right arm just where it meets my armpit. I thought it may have been from resting the bar there last week from OHP and was totally excited about it. I now think it's from my Krav Maga class instead.....which is still cool....but not quite as cool.
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one thing you can do on the overhead press is try to make sure you're not moving the bar horizontally at all (as minimally as possible). In theory the bar goes more or less STRAIGHT up, and the thing that moves is YOU to get your head out of the way.
The other thing that sort of helps is to inflate your chest with air and THEN push up. IT makes it a lot easier BUT I say "sort of" because taking the time to do that makes the whole thing take longer (because you have to set up the breath in between reps) and your arms tend to get tired just from holdign the bar in that position. So that CAN help, but alternately it can help to try and go as fast as you can - sometimes I mix those so I blast out the first 3 reps fast and then the last two I use the inflation to help.0 -
Okay, now that I'm not on my iPad, I can actually type a response. I was taking June off, since husband and I started Insanity--which I have a love/hate relationship with. I *could* do Insanity and lift, but since it's summer and we're both teachers we A.) don't have daycare access and B.) try to cram a year's worth of home improvement projects into 2 months. Time is a bit of an issue. We've also taken almost 2 weeks off of Insanity (see home improvement projects, lol) but I've been shoveling sand, hauling rock, etc. It's crazy how much easier that stuff is this summer!!
I can't wait for August to get here so I can get back to lifting...it will be interesting to see how far back I've gone. Keep up the awesome progress, ladies!!0 -
I began in June and I'm starting July with:
Squat 115
Deadlift 132
Dumbbell bench press 52
Overhead dumbbell press 39
(The weights are odd because I use kilos, but I see most people use pounds so I've converted them).
I'm actually doing a version of Starting Strength, rather than Stronglifts, so I'm not doing the rows.
I am also doing Starting Strength, and I am doing the rows as I cannot do the power clean in my gym...and in Starting Strength rows are the substitution for power cleans if your gym is not equipped. So, are you doing the power cleans or subbing something else?
BTW, that was nice of you to do the conversion to pounds!0 -
Happy July everyone! Summer's here)
Starting July with:
Squat 35kg (77#) - don't seem to be going as low so staying on same weight for 2/3 sessions at a time
OHP: 25kg (55#)
Deadliift: 50kg (110#)
BP:30kg (66#)
Row: 30kg (66#)
I've also put on 4lb on in weight and it's not budging!! (no inches lost either - and a 1/2" gain on my calves!!) is this normal?0 -
I've also put on 4lb on in weight and it's not budging!! (no inches lost either - and a 1/2" gain on my calves!!) is this normal?
yep very normal. 3-5 lb water/glycogen gain is normal while on a lifting program. Some people eventually see a drop, some people don't really see a drop until they take a rest week or a deload week. Inches gain is actually normal too - ever notice that for about 12-24 hours after you lift, the muscles you worked look kind of firm and pumped up? That's the glycogen and water that your muscles are holding onto.
You may not realize it but squats actually do work your calves so if that's not an area you've done much for in the past you might see change there. (my husband has super skinny legs -the jerk - and his calves look very nice now despite nothing like calf raises or jumping stuff in his workouts)0 -
I've also put on 4lb on in weight and it's not budging!! (no inches lost either - and a 1/2" gain on my calves!!) is this normal?
yep very normal. 3-5 lb water/glycogen gain is normal while on a lifting program. Some people eventually see a drop, some people don't really see a drop until they take a rest week or a deload week. Inches gain is actually normal too - ever notice that for about 12-24 hours after you lift, the muscles you worked look kind of firm and pumped up? That's the glycogen and water that your muscles are holding onto.
You may not realize it but squats actually do work your calves so if that's not an area you've done much for in the past you might see change there. (my husband has super skinny legs -the jerk - and his calves look very nice now despite nothing like calf raises or jumping stuff in his workouts)
Thank you! (for this and all the other questions you've helped me with over the last few weeks) I thought it was normal, but just wanted some reassurance 0 -
Still trying to figure out how to fit this into my workout schedule without cutting back on other stuff. I had a lot of hectic BS going on the last couple of weeks, so I really slacked off on Stronglifts. I'm back at it though, did 3 SL workouts in the last week. Loving my new (used) squat rack/weights, even though they're set up in my garage which is plagued by mosquitoes.
My stats haven't changed much because I backtracked a little, but here they are:
Squat 95
Bench 70
Row 85
OH Press 55
Deadlift 1050 -
Back after 2 weeks off: One for my daughter's wedding and one to recover from my daughter's wedding. I felt really tired and I didn't have enough to eat before my workout . I repeated prior weight on my squats , failed on my BP and, although I did go up on my deadlift, I did 5 singles rather than a full set of 5.
Squats 115
Bench press 83 attempted, failed on set 4 on rep 4
DL 1620 -
Well here we are. I was ready to post in June again!!
I ended up going to the gym yesterday and .....
squats 155- same weight as last time, as I felt that I was definitely not going as low as I probably should, and I still am not sure if I am going as low as i 'should' but I will probably progress next time
benchpress 90x2 sets (5/3)then deload to 85
rows 90 or 95, can remember where I was, but I know for sure my form is horrible. I may deload and start over here.
I think it has now been a good 6 weeks since I started!! I plan to continue indefinately since i can only do 2 days per week for the summer, and then in the fall get back to 3 days per week and take it from there.0
