December Workout Check-IN: The Kettlebells Rock Edition!

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  • klrenn
    klrenn Posts: 245 Member
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    getting back into the swing of things...We got our christmas tree today (yeah, really late...the kids weren't all that happy with me) but I was strong and didn't start drinking hot toddies while decorating the tree...

    I went to the gym first. Squat 3x5 120lbs - bench 5x5 75lbs (deload week, felt so easy with nice short rests!) - bent over rows 5x5 95lbs

    I threw in a few sets of pull-ups and some sets on the leg press.

    I'm definitely enjoying my drink now :smiley:
  • andylllI
    andylllI Posts: 379 Member
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    Lower power
    Back squats 125 2x5, 115 1x5
    Split squats 25 DB 3x8
    GM 65 3x8
    Deadlift 150 3x5
    Hip thrust 135 3x10
    One leg v-snaps 3x10 ea
    Side crunches 3x10
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
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    squats 85 (and that was heavy), rows 70 (also heavy but not deadly), deadlift 110. i'm making myself hold out for good form, which means i'm not pushing the weight aspect at all.

    then i went and sat in the hot tub to see if it'll help my hypertonicity any. dknow if it did yet, but it was nice to be warm. pool access is part of my membership, but it's such a pain in the *kitten* getting dressed and undressed and then toting a wet bathing suit around that i use it about twice a year.
  • christch
    christch Posts: 238 Member
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    The hottest day of summer so far and just about too hot to lift but as I'm going to miss 4 days over Xmas needed to go.
    Leg press 3x8 20kg single leg
    Deadlift 1x5 50,60,65,60 kg struggled tonight just seemed to heavy
    Front squat 5x5 30,1x5 35, 3x5 40 and I did couch stretch before starting and seemed to have better mobility.
    Bench 1x5 30, 3x5 32.5, 2x5 35kg followed by
    Db bench 2x10 12kg nice and slow working on form
    Lat pulldown 3x8 33+ kg
    Seated row 3x8 33+kg
    Db flyes 3x12 8kg
    Triceps pushdown 3x10 15kg

    Had enough by then. Not sure if I want to keep going with hypertrophy work or go back to 5x5.
  • kimiuzzell
    kimiuzzell Posts: 611 Member
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    I've got a niggle (ok, it bloomin hurts, but I'm telling myself it is just a niggle) in my lower back. Not sure how I did it but during the course of yesterday it got stronger, and when I went skiing last night I could definitely feel the warnings.

    So, today I should probably have stayed in bed and not gone to the gym before work, but because one of my goals is not to make excuses, I got up at 5.30 and went to work out. Was fairly sensible - skipped SL and lowered weights for NR stage 2 workout. Still did my full hour, including 15 mins intervals on the spin bike to end (hoping to ease it up!) but then couldn't manage to walk from the gym to work (about 20 mins) so brought the car in :(

    I've not planned to lift again until Christmas eve pm so have a couple of days to rest, (although am working all week) so hopefully that will do the trick, Certainly, I won't be trying to "beat the pain"....
    I shall just get my fix by reading all your reports, instead!
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
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    kimiuzzell wrote: »
    I've got a niggle (ok, it bloomin hurts, but I'm telling myself it is just a niggle) in my lower back.

    oy vey, be careful with that. not that i'm one to talk though.

    unrelated to sl but related to strength: my couple of months-long campaign to use only those spring clips for my weights has been paying off well. when i made the rule for myself, i'd fight for five or ten minutes per side when i was using both hands. now i can whip them on and off one-handed, no problems at all.

    only thing is: i made the extra rule that it had to be my left hand. being right-dominant, my left hand is quite-much weaker. or was . . . i found out today that given the choice, my entire body wants me to use my left hand. i'm going to have to balance it up a little, because my left-handed grip is now stronger than right.
  • Ariadnula
    Ariadnula Posts: 435 Member
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    Aargh, sorry to hear it, @kimiuzzell. Sounds like you're doing the right thing in resting.

    And ha, you must have been doing some serious work on your left side, @canadianlbs! I've never tried using the clips left handed - I doubt I could do it.
  • christch
    christch Posts: 238 Member
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    Definitely rest up and take it easy for a few days @kimiuzzell. Here's hoping you have a speedy recovery.
  • kimiuzzell
    kimiuzzell Posts: 611 Member
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    Thanks, ladies. I'm in rather more pain than I would like so will take note and be careful and sensible for once!
  • dcresider
    dcresider Posts: 1,272 Member
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    Happy Monday everyone. It's a holiday week for which means I'll be traveling on Wednesday but I'm hoping to sneak to the gym before we drive for 8 hours.

    Gym challenge of the month: Wall Sits - I beat Friday's time from 4 min:15 sec. to 8:01. Yay me!!

    Squats: 5x5@135 lbs.
    Overhead Presses: 5,4,5,4,3 @ 60 lbs. Yup. These were hard.
    Deadlifts: 5x5@ 175 lbs. These are pretty darn hard but finished in very bad form. I'll be staying here for a while.

    Hungarian Deadlifts: 3 x 12 @ 45lbs.
  • kimiuzzell
    kimiuzzell Posts: 611 Member
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    Good work @dcresider !! My last DL session was also pretty messy..... I will be sticking with 70kg for a bit!!
  • Ariadnula
    Ariadnula Posts: 435 Member
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    Another low-weight workout... hospital tomorrow, though!

    Squats: 5x5 @ 50kg
    Deadlift: 1x5 @ 50kg
    OHP: 5x5 @ 2x8kg dumbbells

    10 pull ups
    10 dips
    30 x manmakers
    2x10 leg raises
    2x10 glute bridges

    Good fun! If less challenging than normal.
  • christch
    christch Posts: 238 Member
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    Tonight's session
    DL 1x5 50,55,60,65kg
    Leg extensions 3x10 17.5kg didn't get
    Hammy curls done as the machine was always in use
    Goblet squats 3x10 20kg
    Plie squat 3x10 20kg
    Bench 1x5 30,32.5 kg,5x4 35kg
    Db bench 3x10 12kg
    Lat pulldown 3x5 40kg
    Seated row 3x10 33+
    Skullcrusher 3x12 8kg
    Db flyes 3x10 12kg

    Another OK session at least the temperature was half that of last night.
  • BethAnnieT
    BethAnnieT Posts: 263 Member
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    I am thrilled to report that even though I'm on vacation, and my family is in town, and we are seemingly eating nonstop... I am still working out daily and have not gained any weight. :)

    I did a C25K workout yesterday morning, outside in the 35deg weather just as the sun came up (awesome) and then drove to the gym to do my SL5x5 workout du jour.

    Squat: tried for 90 but form went south so scaled back to 85 for the rest of the set. Read this morning somewhere that I should have kept 90 on and just done as many with good form as possible per set, rather than scaling back. So tomorrow I will go back to 90 and do that and see what happens.

    BP: Plateau at 55, but they are not nearing impossible. It would be majorly handy to have the 1 lb weights to add at this point. But I think I'm just going to start doing 5x7 or so until I can for sure go up to 60.

    Rows: 5x5 @ 60. I think my form is not the best, I need to watch some form videos on this one before next session.

    I will be able to get one more workout in tomorrow before my gym shuts for the holidays (LAME).

    Question for All :
    How long was it before you started seeing results? I'm not planning to expect the exact same timeline, but if everyone says 6 months or 9 or 12, at least I'll know that 1 month might be a little soon to start hoping for visible change... know what I mean?

  • Ariadnula
    Ariadnula Posts: 435 Member
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    Quick 30x hero manmakers on the living room rug. That's all I've managed today, but I feel good for doing it!

    And @BethAnnieT, I think I started to see a difference after two months. It'll depends on what you've been doing before starting, I suppose, and how much body fat is covering your muscles. I certainly could feel the difference quickly - I quickly felt great, really solid and strong.
  • dcresider
    dcresider Posts: 1,272 Member
    edited December 2015
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    "Question for All :
    How long was it before you started seeing results? I'm not planning to expect the exact same timeline, but if everyone says 6 months or 9 or 12, at least I'll know that 1 month might be a little soon to start hoping for visible change... know what I mean?"


    I started in April and am still waiting to see visible changes although I have noticed my arms slightly firmer and my thighs too. I think my problem is my eating habits and once I start cutting some calories and eating a bit cleaner, I would see results. That's my new year's resolution.

  • dcresider
    dcresider Posts: 1,272 Member
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    Workout of the day: 7 mile long run scheduled. I ran 7.5 miles.
  • Jennifer_Lynn_1982
    Jennifer_Lynn_1982 Posts: 567 Member
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    Last Night's Workout - PHUL Upper Power
    Bench Press - 95# 3x5, 100# 1x5 (PR)
    Dumbbell Incline Bench Press - 30# (each arm) 3x10
    Barbell Bent Over Row - 90# 4x5
    Lat Pull Down - 50# (each arm) 1x5, 1x6, 2x8 (PR)
    OHP - 50# 2x6, 1x5
    Barbell Curl - 45# 4x5
    Skullcrushers - 35# 3x8
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
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    BethAnnieT wrote: »

    Question for All :
    How long was it before you started seeing results?

    i can't remember, tbh. i think a lot of it kind of crept up on me. i'd get hyperfocused on looking for differences in some specific zone . . . and in the meantime some other area would be changing and growing a lot more defined. in my case most of the shifts have been so organic that i don't notice them. they're just the new 'normal' to me.

    you also don't see a lot of the change when you just stand still and look at yourself. muscles tend to show up when you move :p
  • Jennifer_Lynn_1982
    Jennifer_Lynn_1982 Posts: 567 Member
    edited December 2015
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    dcresider wrote: »

    "Question for All :
    How long was it before you started seeing results?

    For me I started seeing more results when I started focusing on upping my weights each week. To get there I started trying to go 5x6 or 5x7 at my current weight and then trying a higher weight (5lbs for upper body, 10 lbs for lower body) and do 5x3 or 5x4 and then work up to 5x5 for a week or 2 before trying to increase again. Those progressive increases in weights helped keep me focused and encouraged.

    I also measure myself every week to track improvements on my measurements too and that keeps me motivated. Especially when you look back and compare to previous measurements at different weights. I weigh 10 lbs more then my measurements reflect from the last time I was actively trying to lose weight. Back then I was doing mostly circuit training rather than weight lifting. I much prefer lifting weights and being able to eat more and look like I weigh less! Plus I'm so much stronger!

    Hope that helps :blush: