March Check-in&Chat - Green beer to fuel your lifts!
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@jay....I also had an emergency c-section although my incision was horizontal, not vertical but I still totally get the ab thing! Have you ever tried yoga? I never thought that it would be so good for core strength but Sweet Jesus it's a gooder! I would say probably one of the most effective things you can do to improve core strength, IMO FWIW.
Re: rows.....I didn't like them either but now that I finally have the form down and pull from the floor, using stacked weights to rest on, I totally love them. Before I didn't feel bada$$ at all because I couldn't feel them working anything....just felt awkward....now I can feel it in my back and I love it!0 -
Yeah, I like rows, too. Having things at just the right height really seems to be the clicker with those.
Also thanks for all those links, fishlover. I had read some of them, will look at some of the longer ones tomorrow. I think it's bedtime for me.0 -
Soosannah- Both your pictures are v. cute, but I no longer have the desire to smoosh your face and kiss your nose.
Hahaha this made me snort0 -
Yes he was winking. Could it also be the knees caving in. I'm having that trouble now I hit 100. I feel like I'm really fighting to make sure my knees don't pronate inward as I'm coming up. Thanks for posting this now I realize everyone struggles at that one point on the way up. Also I realized watching this that maybe I'm resting the bar too high up on my shoulders.
It honestly looks fine to me - I mean I think the butt-wink thing is a little over panicked about; he gets right to the point where his hips start to tilt but he's also below parallel then and he goes back up. No big deal.
Oh and re: holding the bar - if you're comfortable where it is, your getting depth, and your form and drive are good, I wouldn't' change it. if you're having minor issues, its a good thing to look at as having the potential to fix. Nick squats with the bar pretty high up, I squat with it pretty low, we both hit depth and drive with our hips, haven't had any injury or pain issues (other than his initial flexibility issues) so, no big deal in my opinion. At some point you'll want to go low-bar to get big numbers but for now just do it and if you're making progress and it feels good, keep going!
And Janell, yet another reason I do not want to get preggo ever. Hurray! Except Nick keeps mentioning it off handedly and then saying "nah just kidding" so I am genuinely starting to worry a little. -_- I guess I should start up an adoption fund.
Benched 102.5 today. It went less good than I'd hoped. Baaaah. I needed a pre-workout snack, I think. Next week's 107.5 though so that will be a PR and I'll be happy.
Tomorrow - 165x3+ squats! Hopefully 4-5. I'd feel quite happy with that. Also, if I am still complaining in April that I need to go to a doctor someone please kick my butt. I've been putting it off for a year. I just need to get it done.0 -
Wow, this thread exploded!
@Tameko - butt-kicking request noted
C-sections etc...ugh. I'm not sure there's a good way to give birth, and while we want kids, I don't really want the giving birth part, whether I'm knocked out and cut open or not!
Today's lifting was before work (with a 5k run to follow after work) as I have way too much *kitten* to do this week to fit cardio+weights into the same session. Empty weights area. Loved it! Might have to do this again...
Hack squats - 4x5 at 60lbs, 1x5 at 65lbs cos, you know, I could
OP - 35lbs (repeat) but the form was a lot better this time around
DL - 120lbs (repeat) less hard today but my hands are killing me
Hack squats + DLs = very unhappy hands. It doesn't look like we can use chalk, so I think I'm going to dig out my cycling gloves and try that. Oh, and a mixed grip on DLs. Anything else I should think about?
ETA - two NSVs this week!
1) When I started SL I couldn't do a single sit-up unless someone held my feet. On Monday I cranked out 7 with no foot-holding before deciding I'd proved my point for the day.
2) If I flex my abs, I can actually see muscle to either side of my belly pooch, right up under my rib cage. Woohoo! There are muscles under there, if I could just drop the fat that's covering them.
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FINALLY! I've got the idea of the Pendlay Rows.
I was having so much trouble with them, so I asked my husband to watch the video a couple of times and come with me to help out.
He told me what I was doing wrong and I fixed it and tried a few reps.
Today was my regular lifting day and I did them right and it was MUCH easier than whatever I had been doing. I did 90 and feel like it was too little, but I kept that weight for today.
I was looking for another exercise to sub in, but I think I can do this. Yay me!
Squats still at 135, working on form
Bench press at 75, shaky, but not failing on the last few, so I think I can go up next time.
I always love reading what you are all up to.0 -
Sounds like you're doing great, moving right along.
C-sections. A vertical incision would really jack up your abs. Even with my low one, I really think they do change how your abs work FOREVER. I've had 4. The first was an emergency one and each subsequent baby caused a larger "window" in my uterus, so there was no way I could do normal childbirth without a huge risk of rupture.
But, my point is that my abs have never been the same. I wonder if there are specialized ab workouts for c-section people...off to google!Okay, so I was getting tired of watching form videos for awhile but now you guys guilted me back into it. I'm with whoever said that they think they're holding the bar too high on their shoulders. Will play around with the positioning of it tomorrow and see how it feels.. I should probably also do some self-videos as a form check but I HATE seeing myself on video it's a GAZILLION times worse than seeing myself in a picture.
Also I had a total brainwave tonight about why my squats are my weakest lift. I was blaming it on my lower body being weaker than I had ever realized, but I'm thinking it's my core that is my weakest link, and in particular my abs. And wondering if its a connection (at least partiallyl) to the c-section I had years back. It was an emergency one, so they did a vertical incision, so yup, right up the middle of my lower stomach like a zipper. Anyways, I'm thinking that squats are the toughest lift, and likely engage the core the most, and two and two together and there you go.
Which leads me to a couple things. I don't feel like this is an excuse or anything, but having a bit of an explanation, for me, feels like a relief. And also an encouragement to keep going, and that even though progress has been excruciatingly slow, there may be some reasons other than just that I suck. And , my lower stomach has seemed to actually shown improvement over the last 5 months, so I must be doing something right. So, I will keep at my squats, tweaking my form, and forcing myself through them. Going up in the teensiest increments possible and deloading as necessary, only to sloooooooooowly work my way up again. And I will do this because it works. It works freakin' slowly, but it works. And in the end I will be stronger and that's cool.0 -
Oh, they won't knock you out for c-sections anymore. You get to be awake for the whole thing. It caused me serious nausea to have someone rooting around in my abdomen. Of course, I was better than my husband who got up close and personal with the floor each time.
I have trouble with my hands too, if you find a solution, please share!
YAY on the situps! I've been afraid to even try, but today, I think I will!Wow, this thread exploded!
@Tameko - butt-kicking request noted
C-sections etc...ugh. I'm not sure there's a good way to give birth, and while we want kids, I don't really want the giving birth part, whether I'm knocked out and cut open or not!
Today's lifting was before work (with a 5k run to follow after work) as I have way too much *kitten* to do this week to fit cardio+weights into the same session. Empty weights area. Loved it! Might have to do this again...
Hack squats - 4x5 at 60lbs, 1x5 at 65lbs cos, you know, I could
OP - 35lbs (repeat) but the form was a lot better this time around
DL - 120lbs (repeat) less hard today but my hands are killing me
Hack squats + DLs = very unhappy hands. It doesn't look like we can use chalk, so I think I'm going to dig out my cycling gloves and try that. Oh, and a mixed grip on DLs. Anything else I should think about?
ETA - two NSVs this week!
1) When I started SL I couldn't do a single sit-up unless someone held my feet. On Monday I cranked out 7 with no foot-holding before deciding I'd proved my point for the day.
2) If I flex my abs, I can actually see muscle to either side of my belly pooch, right up under my rib cage. Woohoo! There are muscles under there, if I could just drop the fat that's covering them.0 -
So I crashed and burned after my post last night, and I have been catching up.
Y'all are kicking serious butt and taking names! I find myself SO motivated by reading everyone's posts.
I think I am going to check out the Pendlay rows. Last night's festivities caused the hubs to pay closer attention to my form, and apparently, it suffered some, as well. I used to find rows really simple, but the heavier we go, the harder it is to keep form correct. All in all, a learning curve.
Ok, have to actually do some stuff they pay me for this morning, so I'm going to get right on it so I can come back and play later. :bigsmile:0 -
Wow, I go to trivia one night, and the thread explodes. Looks like people are moving around some great weight.
I still hate rows, and I still feel like I'm doing them wrong. My legs are equally weak as my arms when I finish. (I don't use my legs, but I tense them to make them a solid lifting platform if that makes sense.) Completely don't feel them in my back. Ugh. Stupid rows.
Nothing super exciting, although @extra, after last night, only 18 beers left :laugh:0 -
Morning! Catching up on everyone's shenanigans and goings-on. I feel like I need to take notes before I reply so I remember everything.
Sodium: I have mine set at the default 2500 and track it just to keep it in check. I'd choose potato chips over a candy bar 9.5 times out of 10 (that .5 is for PMS cravings).
C-sections: No kids and am still up in the air if I want any (my picture is my nephew ). C-sections sound horrible but if you have to do it, then you have to do it. I plan to be fully drugged if/when it happens.
Tameko: go to the doctor.
Xidia: hooray on the ab-lettes (baby abs :happy: ) peeking through and the sit-ups! That's awesome!
Doozer: I hope your fish dinner was delish. And go drink some water.
Soosh: I still want to squish that puppy. Maybe pinch his rolls a little.
juliemouse: Good luck on the form tweaks for your rows.0 -
@Doozer & Soosannah - keep at it, losing weight on certain drugs is sooooo hard, so you have my sympathies..been there done that. And strangely enough I didn't need my drugs after I got divorced either...took me 8 years to figure it out, but my marriage was that bad..ugh.
@juliem wtg on the rows...even though you said you failed, that is some badass progress.
@tameko - pretty sure butt wanking doesn't mean what you think it means...<snort> I'm not even sure what you guys are talking about, my mind keeps jumping into the gutter...my bad. :noway:
@tree I never thought about the rows not feeling badass until you mentioned it..but yeah, you're rights...I feel like I'm doing good form, but that feels so lame to me...like if it were really badass I'd be slinging that **** over my head...
@jalio - I hear you on the video of myself...I actually considered asking someone to make a video of my squats...and then I thought holy hell why would I committ that **** to video...<snort>
@chubby - I do take notes now before I respond...
c-sec and pregnancy...hell yeah the c-section has an effect on your core strength...they aren't cutting through just epithelial tissue, they are cutting through your muscles tissue! Muscle tissue crisscrosses in all different ways, while it will heal it will never be as strong as it was initially because you don't have the criss crossing that you once had. That being said, you can rebuild strength and get to a happy place...it will always just be different, and a little harder in my opinion.
But I have to point out that most pregnancies do not end in c-sec...and childbirth is a lot like having a badass session at the gym. Seriously...for a lot of women there is a satisfaction on "how well" you handle it. I was a total badass, no drugs, fast etc. BOOM! and actually I'd have to say it didn't even really hurt, was just uncomfortable...but I have a really high pain threshold. And the really good thing is the stronger you are the stronger and more effective your contractions will be...so ladies who are still looking to have children, all this badassery now will help you in the delivery room...and then there is the amazing calorie burning exercise call "sitting on your butt and breastfeeding your child"...gawd I miss that...lol...600 cals a day doing nothing but feeding your baby...AWESOME!! lol
Obviously I just digressed a sh*tload...my bad.
Morning after the badassery: <--- I don't know what the heck I did..but I'm soooo incredibly sore today in every single muscle I worked last night. This is good and bad...I think it must be because I didn't get enough food in yesterday...or something like that...I don't know...could it be because I had to do my cardio first??? made the squats a lot harder but it was the same weight as Sunday...so I dunno....
Question d'jour - how are you guys getting this 1lb increments? the smallest plate I see at my gym is 2.5lbs.0 -
Question d'jour - how are you guys getting this 1lb increments? the smallest plate I see at my gym is 2.5lbs.
I think some gyms have plates in smaller increments. You can buy some smaller ones and take them to the gym if you need to. I'm thinking of doing that when I can't increase OHP and benches by 5lbs at a time anymore.0 -
Question d'jour - how are you guys getting this 1lb increments? the smallest plate I see at my gym is 2.5lbs.
I bought 1.25lb weights. There are apparently also washers at home depot type stores that have a 2 inch center hole that weight about right and are cheaper. And someone was using duct tape rolls, and someone else wrist weights...0 -
Question d'jour - how are you guys getting this 1lb increments? the smallest plate I see at my gym is 2.5lbs.
I think some gyms have plates in smaller increments. You can buy some smaller ones and take them to the gym if you need to. I'm thinking of doing that when I can't increase OHP and benches by 5lbs at a time anymore.
Yeah, my husband is handy with metal-type stuff, so he just made little 1.25 lb plates. So I go up by 2.5 lbs at my smallest increments. Amazing how heavy that 2.5 feels on OHP.0 -
Happy Wednesday all!
So excited to register for the Color Me Rad race today! Will be my first organized 5km and I'm doing it with my BFF which makes me so super duper happy!
Workout B this morning and I have decided that DL are not my friend right now. Not sure what is going on but I'm having some lower back issues when I'm doing them. Thinking I need to stay at this lighter weight for a bit :frown: Maybe make sure that my form is okay.
Otherwise my numbers are pretty decent still....working up from my deload weights, so nothing to impressive! Squat at 125 and OHP at 50....Like a boss though :laugh:
Gosh, I do think that I have to start to take notes here....there is just too much!
ETA: I used contractor rolls of masking tape for my fractionals. Each roll is 0.5lb! And they are cheap! But I also workout at home so as long as it gets the job done, I'm a happy camper!0 -
Hack squats + DLs = very unhappy hands. It doesn't look like we can use chalk, so I think I'm going to dig out my cycling gloves and try that. Oh, and a mixed grip on DLs. Anything else I should think about?
There is an ecoball chalk you can get (Tameko has mentioned this one) plus there is also liquid chalk that is okay in gyms. Maybe take a look at that....it does help a great deal!0 -
This thread moves fast! Someone asked about a replacement for rows. I think the newest version of Stronglifts actually recommends inverted rows. I tried those and can't even do body weight, so went back to pendlays. And I agree that the key with those is getting the plates higher off the floor. I used two very low steps to stack on.
Doozer: Glad you are eating! I've struggled the last 3 days trying to get calories in too, but mine is totally TOM related, so I don't think you can relate. :blushing:0 -
So excited to register for the Color Me Rad race today! Will be my first organized 5km and I'm doing it with my BFF which makes me so super duper happy!
You're going to have so much fun! I did it last year. Make sure you keep your mouth closed when running through the color stations. That stuff doesn't taste good. Also, I had a bra, compression tank, and a tshirt on, and my boobs still ended up being blue and purple for a week. :happy:
For juliemouse: http://www.skinnytaste.com/2013/03/skinnyer-shamrock-shake.html0 -
So excited to register for the Color Me Rad race today! Will be my first organized 5km and I'm doing it with my BFF which makes me so super duper happy!
You're going to have so much fun! I did it last year. Make sure you keep your mouth closed when running through the color stations. That stuff doesn't taste good. Also, I had a bra, compression tank, and a tshirt on, and my boobs still ended up being blue and purple for a week. :happy:
For juliemouse: http://www.skinnytaste.com/2013/03/skinnyer-shamrock-shake.html
Haha that's so awesome! It looks like just so much fun!0
