Go, krok! Do them for me. I've failed for the past two days - staying in a small house packed with family, I'd have to do them in the living room and would inevitably have an audience, so I just haven't...

HHopefully will be able to get to the gym tomorrow..... Will report back! You lot are v. inspiring, as always!

Krok - Woot! Great job.

As for bracing... I dunno. I guess together. I get set up after stepping back, make sure I'm ready physical and mental, breathe and go. I don't want to wait too long after breathing to figure things out cause need air again at some point... I guess it depends on what counts as bracing. I should watch those youtube videos. *adds to list*


Today was okay. I didn't do much in morning then had to go to work. On the previous schedule, I would have Monday (tomorrow) off, but the schedules are off a bit with some issues and such, so I'm working tomorrow with just Tuesday off this week. At least, things aren't as crazy busy as they were before the holidays. I wasn't sure how lifting would go tonight though because my back bothered me a little earlier in the day. I have arthritis in my lower back so it gets achy from time to time. Just ached a bit during first part of work shift but didn't bother me by the time I was at the gym. I also did things a bit out of order (two guys were doing bicep curls in the deadlift area) and for fun I filmed my deadlifts, so didn't end up doing a couple of things I want to do, plus had to get in some cardio. Overall, a decent night. Oh, and I tried squat and deadlift without shoes. Not bad, except where I'm even shorter without shoes so the power cage pins don't go quite low enough so I struggled a tad re-racking after each set. Still kind of liked it without the shoes though.

47 - Lower Power

squat 3x4 @ 175 - tad slow but not bad
leg press 3x10 @ 230 - feel heavy but manageable
standing calf 3x10 @ 105 - I think that was the weight, it wasn't the same as last time, up a bit higher.
deadlift 2x3 @ 190, 1x3 @ 210 and for fun 1x1 @ 225 - Filmed most of it, made about 3 videos overall, but probably won't share much. I did the 225 just to make sure the max test wasn't a fluke and to show family the video one of these days.
sumo deadlift 2x5 @ 160 - okay but hands/calluses ache at this point

Then did about 20 minutes of jogging with 5 minute warm up and cool down sets of walking on the treadmill. Skipped leg curls today. Wanted to add hip thrusts and maybe try rack pulls but will do it when I'm not taking forever filming deadlifts and when I don't do cardio on lower body day. Plan is jog on upper body days, so need to get back to that in the future.

I had a successful visit to the gym. Deloaded about 10% which seemed fine....worked hard and had good form. I was very conscious of my back but no pain until I stretched in my cool down!!

SL 5x5: SQ worked up to 5x5@50kgs.
BP worked up to 5x5@32.5kgs
Row 5X5 @30kgs

Then did Nrol4w...less weight where needed but keeping form good. Actually managed to increase weight for lat pull downs. By accident, though... Didn't realise someone had added the fractional plates to the stack. But I managed without a problem so will keep it there for next time!

Intervals done on the spin bike... No pain at all there.

All in all, very encouraged. And pleased I listened to my body to give it time to recover.

@krokador - You should have seen my attempt at the 200 squat. I have video on my phone but not posted online. Basics were, step back, get ready, sink down.... that was all. I considered trying again before 2016 on that and bench but with working so much and how my days are set up, might wait. Even 1 @ 205 is awesome. And pesky bench. Good luck there. I meander on the weights with that one. 105 great one day, then back to 100 cause it's heavy the next time. 2016 goal, get .5 lb things to add to bench and OHP. *decides*

Oh and no workout for me today (since this is workout thread and not chat one, will add that in). Just going to work but tomorrow is my day off, finally. I'll do upper hypertrophy then.

For Beth's results question: I've done SL for more than a year but saw the most fat loss in the last 3 months. This is because I got serious about my deficit. Before I was probably eating at maintenance & weight went up and down the same few lbs. I saw some shoulder & arm definition within the first couple of months and that may have been partly muscle memory. I always had nicely muscled arms & shoulders when I worked (physical job). Now that I've lost fat, lbs and inches I look much more muscular but because I'm eating a deficit I haven't actually gained any muscle. Just got smaller & leaner. Ok with me

I'm doing PHUL. Here's today's upper power workout:

Well, crap. Can't seem to post the whole workout. Wish I could delete posts!