February Check-n-chat: Bada$$ B!tches do it with barbells

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  • Will_Thrust_For_Candy
    Will_Thrust_For_Candy Posts: 6,109 Member
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    @Graelwyn.....I can't say for sure that you won't see an increase in measurements in your thighs and butt....but what I can say is that if you do see it, it means that it's sexy *kitten* muscle and everything is getting firmer and perkier (my *kitten* is still huge but i can totally tell that it is WAY perkier then it was before!). Keep going....it really will pay off :happy:

    @juliet and julie.....thank you so much :bigsmile:
  • Will_Thrust_For_Candy
    Will_Thrust_For_Candy Posts: 6,109 Member
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    Hey RunDoozer....are you finally gonna stop creeping on our chat thread and take part???!!! :tongue: Welcome to the show! :happy:
  • juliemouse83
    juliemouse83 Posts: 6,663 Member
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    Hola, RunDoozer!
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
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    Today's badassery report:

    I got pissed tonight. I cussed the plates, and decided that barbell was going to be my b!tch if it freaking killed me. I was so mad I was almost in tears...at myself...for being "weak." HA!

    So what REALLY happened was that I actually had to bust my tail to pull off my bench presses. This is really the first time that I struggled. Second workout of the second week, so that would be my fifth lifting session. I knew it was coming, but I love the bench press and it's been ridiculously easy for me until tonight.

    Summary:

    Squats: 2x5 @ 15lbs and 1x5 @ 30lbs to warm up. 5x5 @ 40lbs.

    Bench Press: 2x5 @ 30 lbs and 1x5 @ 40 lbs to warm up. 5x5 @ 45 lbs. Tough as hell, but 40 was easy peasy.

    Rows: 2x5 @ 30 lbs and 1x5 @ 40 to warm up. 5x5 @ 45 lbs. Piece of cake.

    Was uber tired afterward, tho.

    Now, for my question du jour: I am burning fewer calories (per my hrm) in roughly the same amount of workout time now than when I started. Is this because I am getting more used to using these muscles, or because my heart rate isn't going as high because I'm getting used to actually moving like this, or...?

    At least now I know I'm actually WORKING out, and not just working out. LOL...

    HRMs aren't accurate for lifting, so it's probably just being stupid :) Congrats on your lifts. For your bench are you using dumbells or barbell? People say that lifting a barbell is easier for things like bench because it's easier to stabilize. So maybe if you're using dumbells you're starting to see differences between the two arms?

    And good to see that we have another photographer in the group! Although I'm not all cool with wireless triggers. Still do mirror shots, just mine are with a dSLR :laugh:
  • Will_Thrust_For_Candy
    Will_Thrust_For_Candy Posts: 6,109 Member
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    So here's the thing.....you should be super happy that you struggled and/or failed....because THAT is when the magic starts :bigsmile: Next time you go to do that weight you will smash through it and be like YEAH *****ES I DID THAT!!!!

    It's a good thing....you wanna fail....honestly :wink:
  • juliemouse83
    juliemouse83 Posts: 6,663 Member
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    Thanks, you two. :)

    @auddii - you shoot? Yay! My weapon of choice is a Canon 5-D. I was doing green screen portraits, and got a few commercial gigs and love doing them so much more! I'm going to be working on a film set this summer/fall, and I am so stoked!!! And it frees up more time to play with weights. I am using a bar. Granted, it's a ten pound standard, but the hubs absolutely KNOWS that an Oly set is #1 on my b-day list for the end of June. *squeeeeee*

    @Vegas - I can get it up (as it were) and knock out the first 3 reps no problem, and then by five I feel like I have pure run out of gas. I was actually worried I was going to not lift it all the way back up on the 5th of 5. It was like there was nothing there. The hubs told me to suck it up and get used to having to work for it. It's just gonna be heavier from here. Glad he was in there. I figured if I needed help, he'd be there to help.

    ETA - if the HRM isn't all that and a bag of chips for lifting, what's the best way to figure calories burned in the log?
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
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    Thanks, you two. :)

    @auddii - you shoot? Yay! My weapon of choice is a Canon 5-D. I was doing green screen portraits, and got a few commercial gigs and love doing them so much more! I'm going to be working on a film set this summer/fall, and I am so stoked!!! And it frees up more time to play with weights. I am using a bar. Granted, it's a ten pound standard, but the hubs absolutely KNOWS that an Oly set is #1 on my b-day list for the end of June. *squeeeeee*


    ETA - if the HRM isn't all that and a bag of chips for lifting, what's the best way to figure calories burned in the log?

    Yeah, I'm mostly a hobbyist with my own gear, so I just have an xsi. But, I'm loving my 24-105; I currently would rather spend money on better glass than a better body. I also work on the weekends second shooting for a wedding photographer, but I use all her gear (and I almost always forget that Nikon lenses attach in the opposite direction as Canon; takes me forever to change lenses). It's a fun gig since I basically just show up and shoot while enjoying everyone having a good time. :smile:

    As for the calories for lifting, some people use weight lifting (there's a exercise under cardio) or circuit training, but those are going to be guesses. I personally use Heybale's spreadsheet, so I don't have to worry about those things; I just assume he's right :laugh:
  • Will_Thrust_For_Candy
    Will_Thrust_For_Candy Posts: 6,109 Member
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    Thanks, you two. :)

    @auddii - you shoot? Yay! My weapon of choice is a Canon 5-D. I was doing green screen portraits, and got a few commercial gigs and love doing them so much more! I'm going to be working on a film set this summer/fall, and I am so stoked!!! And it frees up more time to play with weights. I am using a bar. Granted, it's a ten pound standard, but the hubs absolutely KNOWS that an Oly set is #1 on my b-day list for the end of June. *squeeeeee*

    @Vegas - I can get it up (as it were) and knock out the first 3 reps no problem, and then by five I feel like I have pure run out of gas. I was actually worried I was going to not lift it all the way back up on the 5th of 5. It was like there was nothing there. The hubs told me to suck it up and get used to having to work for it. It's just gonna be heavier from here. Glad he was in there. I figured if I needed help, he'd be there to help.

    ETA - if the HRM isn't all that and a bag of chips for lifting, what's the best way to figure calories burned in the log?

    Yup....welcome to the wonderful world of failure :wink: I had to use the safety chains on my power rack for the first time last workout a because I just couldn't push the 5th rep of the 5th set up. Thank God I workout in my basement :laugh:
  • jayliospecky
    jayliospecky Posts: 25,022 Member
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    Hey, all! Finally had a decent workout tonight! I stalled on squats and will have to deload, but I'm okay with that. PR'd bench press, woo-hoo! (I guess that made up for it.) I didn't hit any new records on rows, but I felt like my form was great and I felt strong. I like that.
  • extraordinary_machine
    extraordinary_machine Posts: 3,028 Member
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    Doooooooooooooozer. Welcome, dude. Just don't fck up our space with broscience or such. :laugh:

    Vegas, damn, girl! Hawt!!

    I swear, the universe is conspiring against me. I missed a gym sesh...again. I did about at 15 minute HIIT workout (Tabata style, yo) in my bedroom while my 4 year old kept me company. She was so cute, through. She wanted her "exercise clothes" on--a tank top and shorts--and rocked burpees and stuff with me. I did some yoga too, but not much.
  • Will_Thrust_For_Candy
    Will_Thrust_For_Candy Posts: 6,109 Member
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    Doooooooooooooozer. Welcome, dude. Just don't fck up our space with broscience or such. :laugh:

    Vegas, damn, girl! Hawt!!

    I swear, the universe is conspiring against me. I missed a gym sesh...again. I did about at 15 minute HIIT workout (Tabata style, yo) in my bedroom while my 4 year old kept me company. She was so cute, through. She wanted her "exercise clothes" on--a tank top and shorts--and rocked burpees and stuff with me. I did some yoga too, but not much.

    Good call....def no broscience allowed!

    Thank you :)

    My daughter used to do JM workouts with me....it was so funny although I think she was just more concerned with watching me do it then actually doing it herself lol She came down on Saturday morning and did some yoga too though....it's so cute when they wanna be just like us. Sucks no lifting though! :frown:
  • RunDoozer
    RunDoozer Posts: 1,699 Member
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    Hey RunDoozer....are you finally gonna stop creeping on our chat thread and take part???!!! :tongue: Welcome to the show! :happy:

    Yea figured I should stop leering and being creepy and actually say something for once .

    As for the broscience... pretty sure I failed science in HS so I probably couldn't figure it out anyways. (Not really)
  • jayliospecky
    jayliospecky Posts: 25,022 Member
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    Vegas, I love the pic!

    There was something else I was gonna' say here...

    Shoot. Now all I can remember is someone said something about a bag of chips. Now I want some.
  • Will_Thrust_For_Candy
    Will_Thrust_For_Candy Posts: 6,109 Member
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    Bahaha this is the best group ever!

    I :heart: you guys!
  • Fittreelol
    Fittreelol Posts: 2,535 Member
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    Hi Friends!

    Happy Monday.

    Vegas. You are, as they say in mexico, MUIS CALIENTE! :love:

    I think it's funny (but not in a making fun way) that people are concerned with bigger legs and butt. (I've also seen this elsewhere on these forums.) I'm not sure if it's regional, or generational, or what, but I'm used to big thighs and *kitten* being a good thing! If I could magically get rid of the pudge around my middle tomorrow I'd be pretty dang happy with my body, and I have 26/27" thighs! Not good at measuring them though- I always get a different answer. :laugh: In fact I was reading some Rachel Cosgrove thing on T-Nation earlier linked from somewhere earlier and there's a chick with a caption "body built by cosgrove" and while her physique is nice I kept thinking, "Omg she has no butt." http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/the_final_nail_in_the_cardio_coffin for the curious. Page 3 of the article.

    Your legs will probably get smaller eventually, but they usually get bigger before they get smaller. Typically* (*best word ever. Especially in sales amirite vegas?) when you first start lifting your muscles start retaining more water in response to the stimulus and the chance you'll do it again. This makes them bigger as well. It's why you look all ripped right after a workout. So when you first start lifting your muscles swell, and you still have fat on top of them. This makes your measurements go up. Then when you start losing fat in the area (which make take a while for legs if you're a pair shape.) your legs eventually get smaller and look super hot. Even though they probably looked super hot anyway, and your brian is being a jerk. He does that sometimes.

    It's cute some of you ladies have your kids working out with you. My mom used to teach aerobics in the 80s, and when I was little I would do them with her.

    Oh I worked out today!

    Squat-105 5x5
    Bench-95 5x5
    Row-95 and more like 5x4.75 Kept having trouble on those last few inches of the last rep of the set. I don't want to go back to smaller plates tho so I WILL GET THIS NEXT TIME. :laugh:
  • hsnider29
    hsnider29 Posts: 394 Member
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    Hi ladies! I haven't checked in on this post but have posted a few questions. I just finished my 12th session. I have been only averaging twice a week but need to get that 3rd day in because I'm seeing a huge difference in my body.

    Squats 105lb 5x5
    Bench 75lb 5x5
    Row 65 5x5

    Am I supposed to be arching my back a little when doing squats? I tried looking up tonight but it made me dizzy and unsteady.
  • tameko2
    tameko2 Posts: 31,634 Member
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    Grael - I think, given that your legs are very small and, if I recall correctly, not very muscular currently, you should expect SOME leg and hip growth as you progress. They're not gonna get that huge, but I think you should prepare yourself for the possibility. Like, lets say right now that you actually did gain a quarter inch on each thigh. What does that mean to you? Why is it so important that your thighs are a particular number of inches around?

    PS the rest of this is to everyone, not just you.

    Re size, weight, anything -
    Without going for an actual fitness goal, like strength or an endurance sport, you can only do a few things with your body. You can get fatter, in which case your body will gain fat wherever your genetics say you gain, or you can lose fat, in which case your body will get skinnier wherever your genetics say you lose (and both of these methods tend to lead to someone feeling like they look "too" fat or "too" thin in an area they don't like, or else they end up unhealthily under/overweight). You can try to build some muscle, but really, without strength (or steroids) you won't be all that successful at it (well, steroids also work...).

    Or, you can pick a goal, running marathons faster, or getting stronger, or whatever. You can eat to fuel your performance, maybe take a small cut to drop a little body fat or a small bulk to gain some fat and muscle, but not eat TOO much. And the body you get will be the body you get, and you will be doing whatever you do faster/stronger/better every year, and you will not give a single fuck how many inches any particular body part is (unless you are a guy, in which case I have it on authority that you will never stop caring about how many inches your di[url]ck is) or how many pounds you weigh except in how that size or weight affects your ability to perform your best.

    I don't necessarily think either approach is wrong. Some people just want to be thin or small or eat a lot and don't care how fat they get and I firmly believe its your body and your choice (provided you understand that its a choice you've made and its not something you do because you think you don't have other options). But I think that the vast majority of people find better personal happiness and acceptance of their bodies in choosing to accept the body they've earned and celebrate the success of their goals, not the success of the size, weight, or shape of their whatever. You can make what you have stronger and leaner, but you can't change what genetics gives you to work with.

    And fittree - I totally agree. Where is her butt? I DEMAND MORE BUTT.

    sexy-margret-gnarr-13.jpg

    There we go. Hello Margret. :flowerforyou: (also, good god her hamstrings are ridiculous)

    *edited to add*

    PS - what tree said is true - MOST of this size gain we are all talking about is purely water weight. Even with the amount of muscle I know I've put on, I haven't seen any size gains due to that - when I'm NOT pumped full of water and glycogen, everything is still the normal size - actually I've lost inches, however in my case that's because I lost some fat.[/url]
  • tameko2
    tameko2 Posts: 31,634 Member
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    Hi ladies! I haven't checked in on this post but have posted a few questions. I just finished my 12th session. I have been only averaging twice a week but need to get that 3rd day in because I'm seeing a huge difference in my body.

    Squats 105lb 5x5
    Bench 75lb 5x5
    Row 65 5x5

    Am I supposed to be arching my back a little when doing squats? I tried looking up tonight but it made me dizzy and unsteady.

    Arching your lower back yes, but not your neck/upper back. Keep a neutral neck, or look down, whatever you find most natural and comfortable.
  • Fittreelol
    Fittreelol Posts: 2,535 Member
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    Sometimes I wonder if I ever get to be that hot if I'll forget how pants work. It seems an epidemic of hot athletic women are always doing exercise with their booty cheeks hanging out. I can't say I wouldn't be tempted if that was my booty!

    ETA: I'd be afraid of accidentally Britneying working out in shorts like that. Even if I had on 2 pairs of unders.
  • hsnider29
    hsnider29 Posts: 394 Member
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    Hi ladies! I haven't checked in on this post but have posted a few questions. I just finished my 12th session. I have been only averaging twice a week but need to get that 3rd day in because I'm seeing a huge difference in my body.

    Squats 105lb 5x5
    Bench 75lb 5x5
    Row 65 5x5

    Am I supposed to be arching my back a little when doing squats? I tried looking up tonight but it made me dizzy and unsteady.
    Ok thanks, I thought I was. It seems much easier for me to look straight ahead or look down. I have serious envy of her butt :/