SUPER EXCITED

I FINALLY did my OHP @ 95 pounds 5x5. Triple digit OHP here I come! I have a competition in November that includes presses for time. Really wanting to work up to 105 5x5 by then

Squats 205 5x5. I stayed the same weight because I ran an hour before lifting. I usually space that out a little bit better. In any case, only one rep was a little iffy so thats good.

Deadlift 255 1x5

Hey ladies...Bench day for me

52.5, 67.5 both x5 and 80x3 for warmup sets
working sets were 85, 100, 112.5

Extra work

Chinups 2,1,1,1,1 and push ups (not on my knees) 20, 15, 10,10,10

still gimping around from the leg lifts and curls...surprises me but I think it has more to do with my quads being tight (have been for a while) and needing a good roll...did a "little" one today but gonna have to really work it out tomorrow.

Holy **** I'm impressed by you ladies and your lifts!! This week was my first week back at it from a flu related break. Feeling good and strong! Feel like my form is better each time I deload.

Squat 5x5 @ 57.5kgs
OHP 5x5 @ 25kgs
DL 1x5 @ 65 kgs

So still lower than i was but I'm coming back up! Couldn't be bothered converting to lbs so just imagine 2.2 x the above weights to get the pound equivalent!

:drinker:

Workout A (Day 11)

Squats - Still a no-go with my shoulder / arm issues. Did more incline leg press -- but really wish I could do the real thing!
5x5 @ 350 lbs

Bench Press - Egads! Fail fail fail fail. I kind of expected it given last time was pretty darn hard. Will try this weight again on Wednesday.
1x5, 1x1, 2x3, 1x2 @ 70 lbs. (that's sets X reps -- not sure what the heck happened on the second set!)

Barbell Row -- Did a few warm up sets to get my form right. Just like with DL, found this immensely helpful.
5x5 @ 80 lbs.

Also got my first comment from a stranger tonight. Some dude was apparently looking at what I was doing with the barbell row and my trainer/friend said something along the lines of "She's getting there." Then the other dude said, "Everyone's got to start somewhere." It wasn't a slam, but it wasn't exactly a compliment either. Meh. Whatever.

squats: 3x5@45, 1x5@50, 8x8x70. got more tired, but stronger as well, as it went on. weird. still tweaking form throughout the whole thing.
ohp: big fail. no rack. 4x5@30, 1x5@35, then only 1x5@50. the rest were all 1x3, 1x4, no more 5 sets. a few of them were really pretty ugly too. i'll try it again next time when i'm not squatting 8x8 on the same day. also and at-least: i could get 50lb up from the floor without too much trouble, per set. that's progress, i'm pretty sure.
deadlift: 1x5@120. heavy, but doable. i don't trust my core. need some form cleanup and some accessory work before i go any further with this.

couple of planks for however long 10 very slow breaths was, some *very slow* deficit assisted pullups with 55lbs assist, some bw glute bridges just because my bum has gone numb recently . . . and done

i may start breaking up these 8x8 days into two circuits: 5x8, then go back and do the leftover sets after completing the rest of my lifts. didn't do it today and not sorry, since i got a lucky window before the rack got mobbed by the late crowd.

SL Day 11 (Saturday 9/13):
Squat - warm up + 65 lbs. Fail on the 5th set; hip flexors hurting since last week and range of motion stiff. Getting to parallel but not below like I had been. Think I need more stretching and/or cardio beforehand to warm up muscles. Will stay at 65 lbs. next time to make sure form is good.
Bench press - 65 lbs. @ 5x5
Barbell row - 75 lbs. @ 5x5 - Starting to get heavy.

Did not report my squats because I was a good bit down on myself on Friday... I'm struggling with that mojo right now and I'm not too sure what it is but I get frustrated more than anything. I might've come to expect more out of myself than I really should. Set those expectations too high and you're bound to get burned, right?

Today was OHP 5/3/1 and I kinda had a big *sigh* moment during my + set too. Had set myself a target of 6, thought I could do it, but rep got stuck, I tried to grind it out for what felt like FOREVER but it never got up. I considered hinging at the hips and finishing it at least push press style, but by the time I got there I had nothing left in the tank xD

62.5x5
70x3
77.5x5
65x10

I haven't been feeling like I get enough volume in, so I'ma start adding in the First set last variant. You go back to the first working set weight (well, I was lazy in the plate switching here lol) and knock out another AMRAP set.

Then moved on to pendlay rows @ 110 and got 5/5/4/5/4 but a LOT of those reps were forced/using momentum. Was supersetting with wall walk-ups but my shoulders were already shot so I didn,t get many xD

Then went on to do this shiny lil grinder: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4 reps of each
- Sumo deadlift @ 135lbs
- Push press @ 75lbs
- OH Squat @ 65lbs

For time (16:40 I think is what I got?)
I only broke up sets on the push press, which would figure because my shoulders were already quite tired. That was actually kinda fun! (I had 2 bars, one on the ground and one on the rack lol)

And decided to stop on the machine incline press to get some pec work in, now thinking maybe some triceps would've been nice to hit too though. Ah well. I'm going back in tomorrow

Workout A (Sun)

Overhand bicep curls - 5 x 5 - 140

Reverse curls - 5 x 5 - 100

Bench Press - 5 x 2 - 100

Bench press - 5 x 5 - 105

deadlifts 5 X 1 - 165

squats 5 X 5 - 200

Flat Dumbbell Flys - 10 x 5 - 40

Today was first lifting since I was given Obgyn orders of no more SLs-does not want me focusing on strength gains or pushing weight that I can only do for 5 reps. Wants me to work on my endurance. For now, Dr prefers me to work in the 10-12 rep range. Later on, as I get bigger, if I'm still able to lift, Dr prefers the 15 rep range. We devised a 3/wk "preggo lift" schedule, based around compound lifts that I have been doing with SLs, and adding in very minor accessories that will help prepare for birth. I love the fact that my Dr is a woman, a lifter, and also a mother. I'm having my 2nd at 37. She had her first in her late 30s, so I really trust her and will be following her advice.

Anyway, today was Preggo Lift A
Squat 95lbs, 3x10
Bench 75lbs, 3x10
Row 75 lbs, 3x10
Accesory was laying pelvic thrust. (Basically a glute bridge w/o weights) 2x20

How great that she is on board with the lifting!! :happy:

B day
squat 135 5x5 was thinking about doing just 3x5 but once i got going felt good. Grunted more on the last 2 reps of set 5 but over all very happy.
OHP 60 4,5,4,4,5 2nd attempt at this weight. I know I will get it next time. Shoulder was giving issues the last few days but usually when i reach behind me, like into the back seat of van.
DL :happy: 160 1x5 YEAH!!

SC DL 120 3x8
Hip thrust 75 3x20 and called it good for today.
Loving the gains I am making when eating at tdee!

We'll see how dedicated I remain as I get bigger! Hopefully I won't feel too awful. I am already envious of everyone's lifts. I find it so empowering to see so many women lifting heavy.

Hubby was on vacation last week, and we ate a lot of delicious food. My diet was crap, and I didn't exercise because I was so exhausted all the time. I feel better this week, and I'm going to get back on track or die trying! I decided to start the whole program back from the beginning in order to work on my form. I finally downloaded the 5x5 app for my phone, so hopefully I'll be better with timing my rests instead of just resting for random amounts of time.

Workout A.

I had workout A today:

Squat: 115lbs 5x5 - I've decided to only increase 5 lb per week instead of per workout since my deload. The weights get too heavy and I end up stuffing my face and destroying my deficit.

Row: 75lb 5x5 - I freaking hate rows. I was supposed to be at 80 lb today, but didn't attempt it because (see below)

Bench: 85lb (5,5,5,4,5). See that fourth set? I failed on the last rep. How did I fail? Gloriously. I managed to trap myself under the bar (couldn't get to the lowest pin). Did I do something awesome like get trapped with the bar on my boobs? No, I managed to rest the bar on my face. Specifically, my left eye socket. I have a bit of swelling there now, but my Spiderman boo boo buddy helped with the majority of it. After 5 min of rest, which was mostly lying on the bench snorting, I managed the last set. Plus one extra revenge rep.

I'll be sticking at 85 next workout, and hopefully I can get one of the guys there to take off his headphones long enough to ask for a spot. I was very lucky that one of them was nearby and saw me fail and was able to help. I need to get over being nervous about asking for a spot.

Good idea on adding per week instead of per workout. I'm getting to the point where I'm making the 5x5 but struggling so adding weight is a no go. When I stay at the same weight for a few workouts, I'll try and add the next weight to the final set just to see how I do/prove to myself I can do it.

P.S. Way to rebound after your glorious bench failure!

I had workout A today:

Squat: 115lbs 5x5 - I've decided to only increase 5 lb per week instead of per workout since my deload. The weights get too heavy and I end up stuffing my face and destroying my deficit.

Row: 75lb 5x5 - I freaking hate rows. I was supposed to be at 80 lb today, but didn't attempt it because (see below)

Bench: 85lb (5,5,5,4,5). See that fourth set? I failed on the last rep. How did I fail? Gloriously. I managed to trap myself under the bar (couldn't get to the lowest pin). Did I do something awesome like get trapped with the bar on my boobs? No, I managed to rest the bar on my face. Specifically, my left eye socket. I have a bit of swelling there now, but my Spiderman boo boo buddy helped with the majority of it. After 5 min of rest, which was mostly lying on the bench snorting, I managed the last set. Plus one extra revenge rep.

I'll be sticking at 85 next workout, and hopefully I can get one of the guys there to take off his headphones long enough to ask for a spot. I was very lucky that one of them was nearby and saw me fail and was able to help. I need to get over being nervous about asking for a spot.

Good idea on adding per week instead of per workout. I'm getting to the point where I'm making the 5x5 but struggling so adding weight is a no go. When I stay at the same weight for a few workouts, I'll try and add the next weight to the final set just to see how I do/prove to myself I can do it.

P.S. Way to rebound after your glorious bench failure!

Someone smart told me, and by someone smart I mean someone who didn't have a barbell on their face today, that if you decide to stay at the same weight, it can be beneficial to increase reps before moving up in weight. I think they said do 5x5, then 5x8, then 5x12, then increase weight. I haven't tried it yet but I may give it a shot this week, as my next weight progression on squats would take me up to 120 lb and that's where my form went to crap the last time.

This was from Saturday, but I did Workout B (Day 14)

Squats - Still at body weight holding a 10lb plate due to messed up knee :-( Completed 30
also added 30 per leg of lunges

OHP 5x5 @ 50lbs

DL 1x1 @ 155lbs FAILED! :-(
1x5 @ 135lbs = GOOD! Except then when I got home I realized I should have only gone back to 145lbs like the previous day so I was kinda bummed about that.

Form crappy at 120? I'm there, too. Squatted 130 this morning and I can tell I need to keep my chest up. I think I'm good with the knees out and weight on the heels.

I switched from 55# dumbbells to 45# bar for the OHP today. I'm still coming back from a shoulder injury and my chiro recommended I do dumbbells instead of the barbell. The dumbbells go up to 30# in 2.5# increments (22.5#, 25#, 27.5#...) and then after 30, just go up by 5's. Using the 27.5# dumbbells last week was rough, though, so I figured if I dropped down to 45 with the barbell, I have a better chance of getting past 60# when I get there.

Other than the deload on OHP, I still haven't stalled out since starting at the beginning of August. I feel it coming on every lift, though. This stuff is getting heavy. The struggle is REAL.