April Check in & Chat - Spring into the Squat Rack
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Nexus - woah, 6 days? Do you only do 4 big lifts or do you do more? Wendler is the routine that helped me break through my OHP stall - I made great gains there.
I have done two or three full cycles of the normal 5/3/1 last year (broke through bench and OHP stalls) and wanted to try the 24 workouts in a month programme, so 6 days per week for me, spread out, so I can up my calories somewhat, as the last few weeks at a larger deficit have been tiring. It is the main four split over the 6 days with accessory lifts to fill the time. (ab, back, arm and rotator cuff work, no barbell rows of course) I still want to lose fat and gain strength. I was doing three full body workouts (all five lifts, not far off my previous max weights) per week and feeling drained Sunday just gone...we shall see how I feel on a few weeks of this. Early days yet, but my energy is up for now... : )0 -
So, did your husband suggest you squat all the way or a bit less than full?
My depth is fine. I've been so focused on going lower, that I didn't let my abs/lower back catch up. Our bodies work as a system, and if something is weak or loose then the rest will try to compensate. So I need to just be happy with my depth as-is and focus on tightening things up before I go down, and maintain the same form all the way. For some strange reason I was doing some bounce on the bottom instead of keeping things tight. Also I wasn't engaging my hips soon enough on the way up. Silliness.
Squats are very technical, and it's amazing how your form can go to crap from just a couple little things. They're usually pretty easily corrected once you know what to focus on though.
And after watching some girls do olympic lifts, I think I'm just going to put that on the back burner and focus on strengthening myself, along with not hurting myself (anymore, hopefully :laugh: ... mama is not in her 20s anymore ... which I keep forgetting until my body reminds me).0 -
A workout tonight, squats increased to 42.5kg (93.5lb) not bad but will stick at this next time as one hip seemed a bit wobbly. Had a chat after to one of the girls on reception and asked her to video me some time. Benched 30kg (66lb) again felt pretty solid although was a bit weedy by the end!
Pendlay rows are rapidly becoming my least favourite lift, 30kg again, used the smaller bar so I could put 15kg on each side but that is still slightly low, counting it as 55544 as didn't get right to my chest by the end.
Walked out feeling pretty awesome though! :-)0 -
Workout A
Squats: 150lbs
Bench: 92.5lbs
Rows: 100lbs---I made sure this was correct.
lwoodroff: Rows are, by far, my least favorite, and I don't really know why. Maybe it's the set-up. Stacking plates to prop up the barbell gets annoying (I'm horribly lazy about stuff like this), so maybe that's it. I don't know.0 -
I find rows my most awkward lift, really. I'd much prefer being able to sit upright and, you know, row for real. I'm not a fan doing a whole bunch of them, for sure, just because of that awkward stance. But you can't deny their effectiveness, so there ya go.
Back to my 3x5 today and loved it!! So much !!! Was going to do a full reset, but as it turned out my squats form is way better with some weight on the bar (filmed all my sets just to be sure), so went up to 70 lbs today, which felt pretty great, and am going to increment from that, moving forward. Scooched my DL back up to 90 lbs and bench press at 60. So not a full reset, and am definitely looking forward to weight progression again! Looks like upping my reps for a few weeks didn't turn me into a wet noodle after all. Whew. :drinker:
Great numbers Chubby and Mrs. Woodroff!! :flowerforyou:0 -
I find rows my most awkward lift, really. I'd much prefer being able to sit upright and, you know, row for real. I'm not a fan doing a whole bunch of them, for sure, just because of that awkward stance. But you can't deny their effectiveness, so there ya go.
All of this. I hate them. My husband hates them. But its a great movement. Seriously. So much more effective on the mid back than a regular barbell row.0 -
Chubby awesome numbers, making me feel puny again! Slow and steady though I'd rather go carefully and with decent form :-) I know I've got more in me on the squats, the bar alone on the first warm-up sets felt like nothing. Yay!0
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Pendlay rows are rapidly becoming my least favourite lift, 30kg again, used the smaller bar so I could put 15kg on each side but that is still slightly low, counting it as 55544 as didn't get right to my chest by the end.
Sorry... what bar are you using if you're putting 15kg on each side? because mens oly bar is 20kg and womens oly bar is 15kg, so if you're putting 15kg on each side you're adding 30kg to the bar weight and therefore not doing your lifts at 30kg but possible 45 or even 50?
I don't know if you're gym is different or it was a typo? But i've never come across a bar that weight 0kg
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I find rows my most awkward lift, really. I'd much prefer being able to sit upright and, you know, row for real. I'm not a fan doing a whole bunch of them, for sure, just because of that awkward stance. But you can't deny their effectiveness, so there ya go.
Definitely agree. I still have the back fat rolls, but everything is a lot firmer back there. My fiance made a comment about how my back felt harder. I'll take it! :drinker:0 -
Hi everyone, I've been lurking and wanted to just say hey. I have been lifting since 2008 with a couple of layoffs here and there, but my main focus is martial arts, specifically, Danzan Ryu Jujutsu, Aikido and Japanese sword (Toyama Ryu Battodo). I got on MFP in January of this year because I injured myself while warming up my deadlifts and decided that while I was rehabbing I'd lose a little weight. I am not back to my old squat and deadlift PRs, but have been able to keep adding weight to my upper body lifts. I currently train a four-day split, done over a nine day period instead of a seven day period. I started with Starting Strength and after my novice progression ended, moved to the Texas Method.
TM worked for a while, but it was just too much volume with the added training stress of MA, plus me being over 40 :-)
So right now I do one main lift each time I train, and I train three days a week.
For April (and May) my goal is to lose some more fat without killing my training. I'm down 12 pounds (was 170, now 158, at 5' 9") and want about 8 more lost, but have made a pact with myself that I will stop cutting at the end of May, wherever I am.
Today I did Squats (low bar) @ 165x3x5 and DL @ 230x5. Sunday I was very pleased to put 135 on the bar and bench it for singles, my first time ever benching the big plates :-). Next time I train I have to wrestle with OHP - last month I put up three singles at 98 pounds but this month I failed to do 100 even once, so I've got some thinking/planning to do there.
Cheers everyone!0 -
Pendlay rows are rapidly becoming my least favourite lift, 30kg again, used the smaller bar so I could put 15kg on each side but that is still slightly low, counting it as 55544 as didn't get right to my chest by the end.
Sorry... what bar are you using if you're putting 15kg on each side? because mens oly bar is 20kg and womens oly bar is 15kg, so if you're putting 15kg on each side you're adding 30kg to the bar weight and therefore not doing your lifts at 30kg but possible 45 or even 50?
I don't know if you're gym is different or it was a typo? But i've never come across a bar that weight 0kg
Ooh that is interesting I was told it weighed 10kg!! Will check... Maybe I'm more BAMF than I realised lol!
edited to say.. phoned the gym, yes the short bar is 15kg not 10 - I think the one I used in that hotel a few weeks ago was 10, which in my head was the same as the short one at the gym. d'oh! guess it's time to amend my Pendlay rows figures then.. 45kg not 40, 99lb!! wasn't atrocious so will stick at that next time and see if I can get it better. deary me!0 -
Pendlay rows are rapidly becoming my least favourite lift, 30kg again, used the smaller bar so I could put 15kg on each side but that is still slightly low, counting it as 55544 as didn't get right to my chest by the end.
Sorry... what bar are you using if you're putting 15kg on each side? because mens oly bar is 20kg and womens oly bar is 15kg, so if you're putting 15kg on each side you're adding 30kg to the bar weight and therefore not doing your lifts at 30kg but possible 45 or even 50?
I don't know if you're gym is different or it was a typo? But i've never come across a bar that weight 0kg
Ooh that is interesting I was told it weighed 10kg!! Will check... Maybe I'm more BAMF than I realised lol!
edited to say.. phoned the gym, yes the short bar is 15kg not 10 - I think the one I used in that hotel a few weeks ago was 10, which in my head was the same as the short one at the gym. d'oh! guess it's time to amend my Pendlay rows figures then.. 45kg not 40, 99lb!! wasn't atrocious so will stick at that next time and see if I can get it better. deary me!
I'm glad I didn't come off as snarky as I re-read it and thought oh no that could be read as though I'm being a b****!!
But hey... 45kg!!! Nice one I'm at 42.5 today and I don't know how I'm going to do it! 0 -
ah, no, didn't read as snarky, but then I'm one of those Pollyanna, glass-half-full, assume the best unless proved wrong, people are in here to support me types, (also was reading on my phone in the car with the kids waiting for holiday club to open!).
I appreciate you putting me on the right path to BAMFishness
and when I get some video of me squatting I will appreciate you pulling no punches too!0 -
ah, no, didn't read as snarky, but then I'm one of those Pollyanna, glass-half-full, assume the best unless proved wrong, people are in here to support me types, (also was reading on my phone in the car with the kids waiting for holiday club to open!).
I appreciate you putting me on the right path to BAMFishness
and when I get some video of me squatting I will appreciate you pulling no punches too!
That is total BAMF! I wish I was lifting more than I realised haha!! But to me all the upper body stuff is such a struggle so I'm sure I'd notice any amount of extra weight!
I'm still yet to post a squat video, but my boyf is also doing a 5x5 programme and he's pretty well equipped to judge me which he does on a regular basis (at my request - i think i ask him every session.......) so unless his eyes fall out I probably wont post but I am not nearly well equipped enough to judge on form! haha!0 -
Cheers everyone!
Cheers yourself! Sounds like you're very active doing fun things! The awesome thing about lifting is that you can fit it around your life and still reap the benefits. I really love that.0 -
Hi Gwyn, welcome! Glad you shared what you are up to. You inspired me.
Happy belated birthday fisherlassie!!
Congrats on all the BAMF-ing you all are doing!
I looked over my records and It's been a month of lifting every other day and I am feeling it throughout my body. So I decided to take two days off, do two sessions at 75%, take another two days off, then resume progressing.0 -
First failure today since I started! 75lbs OHP - 5-5-5-4-5. After the set of 4, I took a full 5 minutes rest before the last set. The last couple reps probably weren't too pretty, but I made it. I think I'll probably be able to make it through next time, but I'll probably need to get some fastenal washers for OHP from here on out.
And I'm so glad there's only one set of deadlifts. I officially lifted more than my body weight today (155)!0 -
that is amazing! a way to go before I deadlift bodyweight lol!0
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cleo that OHP is amazing!!! Congratulations! and Congratulations on your deadliest!! Wow!! more than body weight!!! Incredible!
iwood, 99lb!! You are awesome!
Gwyn, you are STRONG!!! I do aikido too!0 -
Hi
I'm a newbie to SL. I started yesterday. I had been following NROL4W, but decided to stop for a few reasons. My husband is doing SL and loves it, he has great results. I didn't feel I was getting that much stronger with NROL4W, plus the workouts were too long to fit into my life.
So, even though I have only done this once, I loved it. I know I am going to become stronger and hopefully lose some of the fat thats hiding my growing muscles.
I'm looking forward to my next workout tomorrow, although I know I am going to hurt after the squats!!!!!0
