okay, got all 5 video's put together on youtube.

Today's squat sets: http://youtu.be/OqU7uhprOUc

I noticed a few things, one being that my left foot (closest to the camera) is lifting off at the heel indicating that the weight is getting pushed forward. Getting the weight more upright could help that and the amount that my knees are past my toes. The second set was pretty nasty and I noticed the "lazy" left leg while I was doing them so.....Third set I felt was my best set. I did collapse a little on a few reps and I see myself fighting off the forward tilt.

Anything else? Recommendations?

What I noticed was the guy in the background squatting MUCH less than you to barely parallel - LOL!

You GO, girl!

Awesome squats, Stef! I've never played around with dinner timing, since I'm a creature of habit but I sure did have a great workout after eating ALL THE CARBS yesterday!

Week 4 of Wendler's 5/3/1 for me, so that's de-load week. Kind of fun to be able to do more reps and other things for a change.

Squats: 4 sets of 5 reps at 65 lbs, then 1x5 at 85 lbs, then a set of 10 at 100 lbs.

Bench: 4 sets of 5 reps at 45 lbs, and I did sets of 15 push ups in between sets. Then 1x5 at 55 lbs, then a set of 15 at 65 lbs.

One-arm Dumbbell rows 3x10 with a 40 lb. DB.

Sort of A for me yesterday

Had to prepare for another stupid snow storm yesterday, so did not make it to the gym. Hubby brought some weights home though. We didn't have time to set up the stuff in the office, so the bench is in the shed for now. He spotted me and I had to do the bench on a stability ball. It was crazy and tough! I also did OHP, but no weighted Squats

Squats
3x20 BW

OHP
2x5 @ 30
5x5 @ 55, but he was spotting/helping, so I will stay at this weight next week. Also had to pick the bar up from the floor and it was tough getting it into position. I usually stay in the squat rack for OHP and start at the right level.

Bench (balanced on stability ball)

1x14 @ 30 (trying to get a feel for it)
5x5 @ 55 - he was spotting/helping on these too, but I think the addition of the stability ball made it much harder. Regardless, I will stay at this weight next time.

My SL app updated and crashed, so I lost my previous workouts. I'm super bummed about this and will have to go back through my diary/threads to find them.

Also started a cutting phase today on a keto diet. So far so good, but very thirsty and getting used to all the fats. Hopefully all goes well and I don't get the keto flu. I was trying to keep carbs at or under 45 before cutting, so hopefully it won't be too terrible.

lwoodruff - how did you learn to clean? I'm wanting to learn this and so far haven't found anyone game to teach me. A couple of the PTs at my gym deferred to one particular trainer who I'm trying to track down....

So maybe I can try these based on my own prep - studying videos etc? I'd love to hear how you figured these out!

Jenni, bench press on a ball sounds tough! WTG!

LadyDeadlift, hmmm, interesting about the laying tricep extension, I might have to try that. I've been trying to increase my OHP. One arm dumbbell press has been helping a bit.

As soon as I get my at home weight set up this spring I want to start working on cleans and other more explosive movements. I think that is great! I'm too intimidated to do it too much at the gym. :blushing:

First Workout B

Squats-5x5x50--3x5 bodyweight warm up
OHP-5x5x45 --These were sooo hard!! No warm ups, I just stayed with the bar. I need to increase upperbody strength so I will definitely be repeating these next week. Also need to work on form. I think because the bar was so heavy my elbows pointed outward instead of staying inward alongside my body.
DL-2x5x85--Did 1 as a warm up as I've never done DL before and then 1 for my set.

Looking forward to next week so I can practice more with OHP and increase strength!

I did OHP last night, Wendler's 5/3/1 Round 3, my "3" week.

Warmup Sets:
5 x 45 pounds
3 x 50 pounds

Working Sets:
3 x 55 pounds
3 x 65 pounds
3 x 70 pounds-I only got 2 reps the first time I tried, then I took a 5 min break and tried again, and got 3 reps.

Then I added in AMRAP for one set at 45 pounds, and I got 12.

Assistance Work:
Assisted Dips-3 x 10 @ 45 pounds
Assisted Chins-3 x 10 @ 45 pounds

I watched the Rippetoe videos on the OHP last week, and doing that forward hip thrust thing definitely helps get the first rep in the air, and after that, it's easier to get the next reps with the breathing techniques you ladies taught me, so thank you! I'm hoping to be able to nail this weight next round, and then move up after that, so we'll see.

Side note: I did too much hill cardio on the weekend, resulting in me mildly straining both calves, so cardio this week is going to be some nice, slow, low impact rowing

New to this group. I do modified SL--no upper body since I'm an aerialist and get plenty of upper body work. I may add bench and OHP back in once a week. Right now I just do push-ups to help counteract all the pull-ups. Actually I guess I don't do SL at all, but I started with it.

Anyway, lifting 2x a week (aerial is 3). Would like to bump it up to 3x a week.

Today's routine (not inlcuding warm up):

Good morning 5x1 @ 95 lb
Barbell lunge 5x5 @ 105 lb
Squat 5x3 @125 lb
Single leg romanian deadlift 5x2 @ 50 lb
Pull-ups, different varieties between sets. Vinyasa yesterday, so plenty of push-ups then.

Skipped today because of time but normally I do barbell glute bridges. Last set was 5x3 @ 215 lb.

I really like 5x3 or 8x3. I get bored doing 5 sets, haha.

Once I bump my sets up to 8x3, I increase the weight.

Not my best day today, but hey, can't win 'em all. I was tight something fierce (mostly due to working from home this weekend. A lot. So much sitting ) and it was Squat day, 3's.

110x3
140x3 (should've been 130 but I misloaded...)
145x7 - I was aiming for 12, But it was so heavy. Lost balance on my 8th rep and had to bail out. First time this happens to me on squats. I recon I still had 1-2 reps in me but lost focus and just. Gah! I swear, too, the thick bar I was using today was heavier than the one I'm used to! Or something

110x5x10
Those were a struggle, but not impossible. I'm dreading next week's sets though O_o

Romanian Deadlift 45x10, 95x12, 105x12, 115x8
Grip failed on the last set. Whoopsie?

Then went on to do 3 rounds of Death by barbell (45x8, 50x6, 55x4) With 15-20 knee raises on the dip bar in-between each round. Now I just need to not eat until 12 and I'll have a decent workout, my 16:8 IF schedule back on track on a decent amount of calories! So, not *SO* bad after all.

Oh, and hey, guess what?! My favorite online coach posted a Power Clean video this morning! =D
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LO90cyx-tNo

Oh, and hey, guess what?! My favorite online coach posted a Power Clean video this morning! =D
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LO90cyx-tNo

Huzzah!

Alrighty then, back to squats today WOOHOO! I felt really good on my warm ups, knocked them out fast, then 185 lbs. Didn't knock them out so fast, but I got all the reps. It was kinda ugly, though. Failed at 95 bench again, but they felt a little easier than last time. Knocked out the 105 lb rows pretty quickly and efficiently.

I'll just touch on what you want to look for.

Squat rack (NOT a smith machine aka the bar slides up and down on 2 upright poles)
barbells
barbell plates
benches

When I visit home and go with my parents to their Y, they have everything needed and yours probably does too.

And speaking of workouts, I did deadlifts at lunch today, my "3" week of 5/3/1.

Warmup Sets:
5 x 80 pounds
5 x 95 pounds
3 x 115 pounds

Working Sets:
3 x 135 pounds
3 x 155 pounds
3 x 175 pounds-I got 6, yay!

Assistance Work:
Good Mornings-3 x 12 @ 65 pounds
Hanging Leg Raise-3 x 12 using body weight

My calves are still giving me a bit of trouble, so my warmup was walking and foam rollering, but there'll be no extra cardio until they feel better, even rowing is tweaking them a bit now.

Thanks for the replies ladies,
I know the plated are usually marked with their weight, but how do I know how heavy is the bar? I know there are 45 lb , 35 lb and even 25 lb bars. How will I know how heavy is the one I'll see?
Also the plates are usually different for different equipments? Like squat vs bench press? Or usually all the plates are interchangeable with all the bars?

I'd ask if you're not sure, but typically if the bar is a standard silver Olympic bar, it's 45 pounds, and will look at lot like this:



Usually, there's one bar that looks like that at each squat rack/power cage (most Y's have more than one "setup"), and each bench press, and you can use any plates as long as they fit on the ends.

Usually, they have more than one place where the various sizes of plates are stacked, so you should be able to grab from any stack.