April Check in & Chat - Spring into the Squat Rack
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Have you used any of the strength calculators to figure out where you fall? That might be a good indicator of where to head next - I'm heading up on the end of my first cycle, and need to figure it out too, so I'll be interested in your answers!
I used http://www.strstd.com/
I don't quite know how to read this, but I'm around Novice on most my lifts, as far as I can tell. I'm kicking around the idea of doing something along the lines of 3x8 and go more for endurance right now. I'm not good at making decisions.
ETA: I think I'm going to post something in the Eat Train Progress group and see if someone more experienced can steer me in the right direction.
Why endurance? I mean, there are no 'right' answers, just directions that are more-right for you. Do you not like the heavy work?0 -
Oh yeah and!
Last 2 days of April. Go look at your goals in the sticky. How did you do?0 -
Oh yeah and!
Last 2 days of April. Go look at your goals in the sticky. How did you do?
Squat my body weight 145 lbs (current 105)
Bench 90 (current 75)
Rows 110 (current 95, but may not increase for a session or two to work on form)
OHP 85 (current 70)
DL 175 (current 145)
30 min of Cardio 2-3 times a week consistently; yoga once a week
Drink more water
^^goals
What actually happened:
Squats: I got up to 135 but didn't feel like I was going all the way parallel, so I went back down to 105 a couple weeks ago. This morning I was back up to 120 and felt much better.
Bench: completed 5x5 at 95lbs last week. I'll stay with 95 for at least the next workout.
Rows: I feel strong at 95. I've tried to go up to 100 a few times and I feel like my form falls apart.
OHP: I've been at 80 for the past two sessions. First time: 55544. this morning: 55344
Deadlift: I went back down to 155 last week; this morning I was back up to 165. It was freaking heavy, and I think I'll stay there for the next session.
Cardio - I have been doing some sort of moderate cardio a couple times a week. Need to do yoga more often.
Water - so so.0 -
1. Reduce my waist measurement from 38 to 36.
2. Cut my added sugars down to 20g a day (this will be the hardest - I love my chocolate).
3. Squat 125 (currently @80)
4. Bench 85 (currently @60
5. Deadlift 145 (currently @115)
6. OHP 75 (currently @55) - this may be too ambitious
7. Row 105 (currently @80)
8. Get 8 hours of sleep every night.
9. Get at least 2 hours of cardio in every week - I've fallen off quite a bit since I started lifting, but I still have a lot of fat to get rid of, so I need to find my way back.
1. I got to 37, so positive progress! I hold all my weight in my middle, so I know I need to be patient.
2. Bwahahahahaaa. We have had mega family stress this month. So I kinda just chucked this goal out the window, and figured that as long as I was still lifting I didn't need to worry about it.
3. Got up to 115 (probably 120 by Wednesday) - I deloaded for form in the middle of the month, so I count this as a win.
4. Bench - at 86.25 now, so I got this one, at least!
5. Deadlift - 175 this morning, so booyah.
6 OHP - Mini-stalled at 65, but I think I nailed it this morning, so I'll start working up again.
7. Rows - 96.5 - again, ministall and working up.
8. I really did try. But my toddler decided to start waking up at 2 every morning, and my husband is almost entirely deaf, so. . . but I did get to bed before 10 most nights!
9. Cut my cardio down to an hour a week, LOL. But that's what I've got the energy for.
This was an interesting experiment for me - I can already see that my goals for May will be far more abstract and focused on digging in for the long haul.0 -
April goals for me:Get 7 hours of sleep at a minimum per night.
Leave the scale in the closet.
Eat over TDEE in a one month trial "bulk". Would like to see +5-10 lbs.
As for weights:
Squat: 150 (currently @ 125)
Bench: 115 (currently @ 95)
Row: 125 (currently @ 100)
OHP: 75 (currently @ 65/70)
Deadlift: 175 (currently @ 135)
I'm going to keep up with moderate cardio at least twice a week, but no more than 20-30 min per day.
Hmmm..
Didn't always get 7 hours of sleep, but did get that amount more often than I had been.
The scale came out of the closet a few times.
I did eat over TDEE and gained 5-7 lbs (I have to look at my notes). I don't think there are any clear LBM gains, but since it was only a month, I wouldn't expect there to be.
Squat - had problems with hip flexor and am now back to 115.
Bench - getting 115 for 3+ sets
Row - still at 105
OHP - 75 first attempt at 80 is tomorrow!
Deadlift - hit 175 once, but working on form at 165.
And I did maintain at least 2 days of cardio for 20-25 minute sessions.
So overall, I don't think I did too bad.0 -
I can't find my April goal.
It was just to "start SL 5X5 last week"...and I did.
it was a small goal this month. gotta start with a success, right?!0 -
So, this is my favorite new thread. I'm really just starting (on session 5, but didn't realize that my first and second sessions were so far apart so haven't progressed much) and it is SO amazing to see how strong you all are!!
Anyway, I hope to keep getting stronger and would love to follow you all along here and eventually post my own progress once I get in the swing of things a bit better. I feel like I'm still figuring out form and weights that are heavy but do-able.
Keep up the great work- you all rock!0 -
I can't find my April goal.
It was just to "start SL 5X5 last week"...and I did.
it was a small goal this month. gotta start with a success, right?!
^^ yes! I actually personally feel that goals should ALWAYS be something you can achieve - mine are usually to lift X times a week or month, rather than to hit any particular numbers. I can't control what my numbers become but I can control the path to getting them to go up.0 -
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Yes, it is a wonderful pic you have there!
Last night I did
Squats 122.5
OHP 51 (over 50 pounds yay!)
DL 165
It was a good workout, I feel like I am not close to stalling on any of these lifts. It was just hard and it took 50 minutes to do.
I need to change up how I do things at the gym now. I was doing: lift, cycle, have shake waiting in locker. Now I need to do: lift, go get shake, cycle. I was having a blood sugar crash while I was cycling. I will try having my shake before cycling and see if that doesn't fix things. I also need to just resign myself to spending 90 minutes at the gym. That way I can get some remedial abwork & stretching in again. I guess the fact that I am doing 3X5 and it's taking 50 minutes means that I have graduated to some sort of new level. I mostly need two minutes rest between sets now, and I need more warmup sets as well.0 -
April Goals ahahahahhaaaaa! Yeah. So, with a two week total break and a week getting back to where I had been before I stopped, I managed:
OHP: 45 for 3x5 if not 5x5 (currently bouncing between 35&40) - nope, but I did get 40lb for 3x5
Bench: 65 (currently 50) - dropped 60lb on my chest and haven't had Workout A again since
Squat: 130 (currently 88) - this was rather ambitious. Currently on 93.5
Row: 75 (currently 60) - 65
Deadlift: 145 (currently 132) - back to 132
Do Pilates x1hr once a week - fail
Do Sun Salutations 4x week before breakfast - sometimes
Lose some weight (2lb?) and/or drop 1.5% body fat - 1% BF gone, and some amount of weight depending on day
Run twice a week and make it fun, not a chore - not started
So what did I learn? Squats as over ambitious. Deads too - I think I might be ready to switch to Texas on these. Bench, Row & OHP would likely have been a lot closer to goal if I'd had the extra three weeks training.
The rest of it? I got no excuses
In other news, I've booked in with a powerlifting PT for a consultation next week to see if we can come up with a proper programme for my back. I'll see what she says about nutrition too, and about formally periodizing the DL progressions. Should be interesting!0 -
Woke up with a toothache so no lifting today; dentist appointment instead. Boo.
More lifting to report on Thursday, I'm hoping!0 -
You needed the break. Don't worry about not making the month's goals.In other news, I've booked in with a powerlifting PT for a consultation next week to see if we can come up with a proper programme for my back. I'll see what she says about nutrition too, and about formally periodizing the DL progressions. Should be interesting!
That's sooo exciting!! I will look forward to hearing how that goes! I am going to try to get some coaching when I am on vacation in Santa Fe in a couple of weeks.
I did my goal update in the goal thread. Basically I did really well overall, but I didn't make most of my working weight increase goals, but that's fine, bring on May and let's get at it!0 -
Woke up with a toothache so no lifting today; dentist appointment instead. Boo.
More lifting to report on Thursday, I'm hoping!
you could do ..both?0 -
Dani - I hope you were able to get some help from the dentist.
Xida - Sounds like you did pretty good for the month despite the setbacks. That's cool that you have access to a Power lifting PT!! I'm actually trying to get my PT to start SL since she teaches a lot of Les Mill's classes and feels she has neglected her strength.
Workout B today and it was AWESOME if I do say so myself :laugh:
Squat: Sill making progress with the staggered lift. Did 1x5 @ 80, 90, 100, 110, and 120
OHP: First time at 80 lbs and I NAILED ALL 5x5!!!! Form was a little weak at the end, but I got them all. Staying at 80 next time for form's sake.
Deadlift: 1x5 @ 135, 165, 180!! So I get to update and say I hit my April DL goal! My grip held with the alternate grip and chalk. I think watching the Ripptoe videos on form really helped me here. I hadn't been starting with the bar against my shins so I was pulling the bar too far from my body. Amazing what proper form can do!
I did some plyometrics yesterday and realized that my endurance has gone down quite a bit. I was doing my second set of 15 burpees and almost falling back to the mat after 10, as in my legs decided to revolt and stop catching me. They also felt like lead bars after that. So I will start to add back some endurance body weight work on non-SL days. I know my SL progress will probably be affected by this, but I'm okay with a slower progress at this point.
Happy last day of April to everyone! Time to start thinking about how much Awesome we can all do in May!0 -
Day 4. SL-B session.
I deadlifted 106#!!!
My wimpy 30# squats, for my scoliosis muscle pain, were FINE! I can go UP next time!
And I did the same OHP as last time because they were so hard last week, but they wee easy this week, and no .scoliosis back muscle pain from then either!0 -
Day 4. SL-B session.
I deadlifted 106#!!!
My wimpy 30# squats, for my scoliosis muscle pain, were FINE! I can go UP next time!
And I did the same OHP as last time because they were so hard last week, but they wee easy this week, and no .scoliosis back muscle pain from then either!
Sounds like your body is getting used to the motions - as long as you keep listening to how you feel, you are going to do great!0 -
you could do ..both?
Not with an abscess and a fever. Even I'm not that hardcore. :laugh:
All fixed now, and might just train tomorrow instead of waiting till Thursday. :drinker:0 -
Dani, I love your new picture. :happy:
Just wanted to check in super quick before bed and the end of the month. I'm officially done with round 1 of Stronglifts! :drinker: :happy:
Workout A
Squats: 165lbs 5x5
Bench: 95lbs 5x5
Row: 100lbs 5x5
Final #s: Squat: 165lbs, Bench: 95lbs, Rows: 100lbs, OHP: 75lbs, and Deadlifts: 185lbs
I'm going to take two weeks, deload, really focus on form, and jump in for round 2.0 -
Dani, I love your new picture. :happy:
Just wanted to check in super quick before bed and the end of the month. I'm officially done with round 1 of Stronglifts! :drinker: :happy:
Thanks!! I want to see if I can get a shirt made with it.
Congrats on finishing your first SL cycle!!!!0 -
sneaking in here as the Yanks aren't up yet to create the May chat thread!
so... weighed in this morning, intend to not weigh until 1 June!
I've put on probably 4 or 5 lb since starting stronglifts, and my question is this:
Should I adjust my cals down from 2000 to say 1800, and increase on lift days, or should I just try to stick to the darn target for a few weeks and see what happens?! lol..0 -
Finished session 10 last night. I have not really increased my weight on anything but deadlift. I have been concentrating on form. I was struggling with squats until I watched a video on girlsgonestong.com. It was so helpful, I am now much more confident and will be increasing the weight.
I have to do a seated OHP as our celing is too low. I am so weak at these, I managed 45lb - 3,4,4,5,5 last night. This willnot defeat me, I will win!!!!
iwoodroff - I have no advice for you on calories, I question mine everyday, I do not think I am where I should be yet. Good luck.0 -
I have to do a seated OHP as our celing is too low. I am so weak at these, I managed 45lb - 3,4,4,5,5 last night.
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Do you do any warmup sets? Since you managed the 5 reps at the end, you may need to add some (more) warmups in there and see if that helps.
lwoodroff: Be consistent with your calorie intake for awhile before making changes. I only had minor, minor changes in weight and measurements, but my eating was erratic. See what consistency does for you for a few weeks before tweaking.0 -
thanks girls, I will try to be strong! just get so hungry now with the lifting..0
