Overhead press 46lb 5, 4, 4, 4, 4
This was upsetting as I'd managed 5x5 last time. I really struggled, my form was all over the place. I reckon next time I'll go down to 40.5lb.

Personally, I'd go for 46 lbs. again next time. If you were able to do it before, and got almost every rep this time, give it another go! Don't forget -- you will be stronger Wednesday that were today.

Did my first workout B yesterday. I posted in kg last time as that is what everything is marked up in at our gym, but I'll convert to pounds as that what you are all using. So...
Squats - stayed with just the bar as my form isn't that good - I've watched videos, but I'm struggling to get as low as they do. At least I realised I had been using the squat rack backwards on my first go - D'oh!
So that was 44lb 5x5

Overhead press 22lb 5x5
Deadlifts 33lb 1x5 - tried balancing the small barbell on some plates, but it wasn't a great setup - I'm sure I'll work out something.

Workout A - another disastrous day :frown:

Squats 90lb 5x5
Bench press complete mess
Barbell rows 57lb 5x5

I deloaded the squats to work on form and still struggled to break parallel, felt really tight in the groin.

Bench press - that's it. I'm going back to the empty 45lb barbell next time. Am off to search for advice on improving this move.

Sunday ain't no rest day for me! It was deadlift 3s and I think I did pretty well!
155x3
175x3
197.5x10
155x15

Last 2 sets were done mixed grip. I had originally intended to go double overhand on the first set last, but forgot about it and was already at 8 reps when I realized it. Kinda too late haha. It was fun to feel all dizzy after pulling that 15th rep! xD

So far my lower body lifts especially are a good bit underestimated. Squats is normal since I scaled back, but I didn't expect to have that much juice on deadlifts, especially since that 235 max was ROUGH when I pulled it! But I think I'll stick to the 5lbs increase per cycle so as to not overshoot and be disappointed. I'll still progress OHP is still being the worst lift. I am not losing hope at being able to hit 100lbs within the next 2-3 months!

The additional work included KB strict presses (which my left arm really sucks at. Maybe that's why my OHP is crappy xD), offset front squats, rows, more squats with a KB and the death by burpee set-up which, well, I don't think I've gotten any better at lol. 6, 8, 10, 10 in 4 minutes. The exact same total as last week, actually. Ah well... Ima go do an additional one after I post this just for the sake of it! Then shower :P

Hey ladies...sorry still haven't had a chance to get caught up with what everyone is doing..busy time of the year for me and seems extra busy for some reason...

Week 3 Wendler BP day warmups @ 52.5, 67.5@5 and then 80@3
working weight 100x5, 112.5x3, 125x3 making 1RM@ 137...

acc pushups 20,15,10,8,7 and chinups (sucky today) 5x1...not enough good food today (totally forgot to eat until 2pm...dumb assed move eh) and then did my pushups first....and it's 32 degrees here today....

@logge here is a video to watch that helped me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34XRmd3a8_0

or go to youtube to check out so you think you can bench series...

There is some contradicting form suggestions on both but I asked about it and SaraUK2SF told me to choose which one suited me best as they were both right.

still think of myself as in some kind of in-between state . . . confused about which sl workout to do since i've been doing such a mashup of different things recently. but i guess what i did today could be called workout b. kind of.

squats: 4x5@45, warming up. then 5x6@65. i'm deloaded from my last weight of 70 or 75 or whatever it was, and officially just getting comfortable with the low bar, which is why the big warmup. but that went so well i went ahead and did the whole sl schmear. still felt like i had a lot in the tank afterwards, in fact these weren't really a challenge at all. hip drive ftw? but officially right now it's all about letting my back set the pace, not my legs. so that's all i did in the squatting today. worked in with a guy i had actual conversation with, between sets. he said he'd 'seen you in here doing deadlifts and squats . . . are you training for something?' </proud>

deadlifts: 6x1@100. i deadlifted just a few days ago, so you guys didn't really see me doing this one it doesn't count, and besides, it was only 100 pounds.

ohp: messy. i got a few sets of 5 at 30, a few more at 40 and 45, then i think i did two sets at 50. then i quit because my upper body is still dealing with all the pulldowns and shoulder work that i did on friday, and i wasn't really remembering what good form looks like, so it's not surprising i wasn't using good form.

planks. i do planks these days just to listen to my individual vertebrae doing little pop/crackle releasing noises after i've held the position a while. starting to crunch and flex my abs while i'm up, just to get a little more mileage on that. so i guess i'm getting stronger than i used to be when it comes to this one.

strange workout. the squats were good, i think. the rest was just kind of faffing around.

logge - how long have you been lifting for? are you due for a rest week? I find that when my workouts start to go to *kitten* then I need to back off for a bit and take a rest

I am new, about week 7 and lifting 3 times every week. Would you say that's rest week time? I suggested it to my boyfriend when I got back from the gym and he felt the same as you. As it is, I'm going to end up with three rest days this week due to work (no cardio, no weights, no yoga).

logge - how long have you been lifting for? are you due for a rest week? I find that when my workouts start to go to *kitten* then I need to back off for a bit and take a rest

I am new, about week 7 and lifting 3 times every week. Would you say that's rest week time? I suggested it to my boyfriend when I got back from the gym and he felt the same as you. As it is, I'm going to end up with three rest days this week due to work (no cardio, no weights, no yoga).

Lifting can be very taxing, I try to take a rest week every 6 weeks or so. I think even Mehdi recommends a rest week every 6-8 weeks. You might want to give it a try? If your workouts are sucking then you're at risk of getting injured.

Thanks Psych. What are your thoughts on taking a break from cardio? I normally try to get two sessions in per week (45 minutes spin). This week, due to work, it would mean no weights and no cardio (and not even my beloved yoga session).

Hmm I'm probably not the best to ask as I don't really do any!! Other than getting my 10000 steps a day and chasing my two year old lol

Right, that didn't work out at all today. Two nights of extremely bad sleep and (as I noticed when doing deadlifts) some lower back problems from rolling through the bed for two nights are taking their toll. Most weights were a bit lower today and I could not do deadlifts at all. Ok, last exercise day today for 2.5 weeks as I'll be away on business and on a short vacation. Afterwards I'll start again.

I am happy to report I lifted last night. For those considering whether they should do a scheduled rest week- do it. I didn't, because I didn't realize I was supposed to and I was wondering why I was not progressing and not feeling the benefits of lifting as I had up to that point (more energy, stronger). I ended up just feeling done- and rested (ha ha) for 6 weeks! Let your body recover and it will feel better to get back to it. So last night I just got back into it and I am so happy I did! I varied from the SL program schedule last night because I wanted to ease back in. Squat 60lb, 3x12. OHP: 40lb, 3x10. DL: 110lb, 1x5 + 1 more. To everyone who has been posting their workouts- I've kept up with this group and I am inspired. So glad to have you ladies to look to and to join back with when I was ready. And it could have been a lot longer break if I didn't have this group to look to for motivation- so thanks!

Got home and realized I have not been warming up on DL. Do you guys?? Maybe I didn't notice until this weight because it wasn't as hard, but this is the 3rd workout that I should have increased to 155lbs and have failed, so dropped back to 145lbs and been ok.

Also...just been reading previous posts about rest weeks. I am now on week 8, maybe its time??

I warm-up for EVERYTHING. Sometimes it's just one set or even just 1-2 reps at a lighter weight or without weight at all, but i never go in at work weight cold and/or without first repeating the movement pattern a few times. It's a bit of a mental thing. But at 155 you should at least do a warm-up set at 95 and 135. erhaps just 3 reps of each. But ramp it up a bit!

Decided today to go in and only do the basics of the GBB program (Day 5 #2), so no barbell work. I checked the timer and my warm-up routine takes about 15 minutes... Yikes! lol.

Started with EMOTM x 6 of Goblet bulgarian split squats x5 per side (20lbs KB)

Then 5 rounds of double 30lbs KB
- Squat clean x 5
- Swings x 5
- Deadlift x 5
- push-ups on the bells x 10

And finished up with 4 rounds of 30/30/15 seconds
- TRX Squat row
- Plank cross body knee tucks
- rest

I'm playing soccer tonight so I need to keep some energy in the tank! lol. Looking forward the the 5/3/1 week ahead and progressing over to days 6-10 of the Garage Built Body

Then I'm going to have a deload week where I'll focus on testing some bodyweight stuff, finishing that 6 week running program I started 3 month ago (lol) and getting in a lil more mobility work through yoga or something.

High work weeks re important.
Deload weeks are importanter

Where's the missing buck then?

Seriously, that's given me a lot to think about. I was definitely thinking along the lines of "use it or lose it" and you've made me realise I need to think otherwise. I'm definitely going to google rest weeks right this minute...

Squatted 110 5x5 which was fine but my hip flexors, especially right side, were tight and I could feel it on the return. Going to stretch and ice and probably repeat 110 if still feeling it Wednesday.

Oh oh oh, what's "ice"ing?

you know what i'd like to have? a t-shaped bar, like the traditional broomstick but with a . . . well, okay, basically i'd like my own personal crucifix. was trying to avoid the connotations of that, but that's basically it.

why? so i can practice the training/muscle idea of keeping the barbell in the right place on my shoulders WITH the correct head-to-bum alignment as well, through the full range of the squat. just holding the broomstick against my back only gives me my spine. putting it over my shoulders only gives me the bar. put them together and i fall apart. i want both.

i may even go hang out at the hardware store, because copper/pvc piping and those screw-in joint thingies are the only way i can think of that might allow me to build such a thing.

i wonder if i'm getting too into this whole lifting schtick.