Long day. Had a morning work shift, came home to spend time online while also studying and didn't go to the gym until after 9pm. Made it through chapter 2 in the tech book, which was a little easier to get through compared to chapter 1. Wanted to see what this gym was like later in the evening instead of mid-day or the after work type hours. It wasn't bad but still had to wait for the squat racks. I also tried to film some lifts just for fun using the very tiny vivitar camera I have to see how it would turn out and I might put some of the clips in a video soon.

The workout:

push press - 2x10 @ 45, 1x8 @ 65, 3x5 @ 75
front squat - 2x10 @ 45, 1x8 @ 65, 3x8 @ 95
deadlift - 1x8 @ 135, 1x5 @ 175, 3x5 @ 195
cleans - 1x8 @ 45, 2x6 @ 65


And after a bunch of computer struggles and such, I have managed to get a video up for my youtube channel. It's just me trying a protein powder and rambling about novel genres but still, it's something.

So after I was off with Kaitlyn the lurgy then came to me and Nick!!

Started feeling better last Tuesday, but still struggled to get anything done, so decided to give myself some time off to get better.

Today I did lower heavy and I should have deloaded much more.

Squats: 3x6 @ 70kg - this was bad. My form was very bad
Deadlifts: 2 x 6 @ 80kg - these were fine
Sumo deads: 1 x 6 @ 60kg - never done sumo deads before, thought I would give it a go to see what they were like. I felt much more unsteady than when doing conventionals - on lockout I felt like I was wobbling about.

I suspect I would be stronger pulling sumo so we will see, I'll keep having a go and see what happens.

Should be back at the gym tomorrow for upper heavy - my back is sore from squats but I'm hoping to do some yoga tonight to loosen up a bit.

Will catch up on posts now

Stephie - glad you are feeling better! I tried sumo I think once but my shoes were slipping and it was not good. I do have short arms so I wonder if it would be better for me, though.

Jo - sorry to hear about the stress and hope the wrist wraps help!

Bench day today:
Incline bench - 1x5@38 lbs, 2x5@55 lbs, 3x3@60 lbs. Felt pretty strong through these.
Decline bench - 5x6@40 lbs
Narrow grip DB bench - 5x6@17.5 lbs dbs
DB flys - 4x8@8 lbs dbs
Overhead tricep extension - 4x12@10 lbs
Then on the treadmill for a 30 minute run.

Hope you all have a great Valentine's Day!

Aigre - Thanks. I've done them before, more so the push press than cleans. Plus push press isn't that far off from the usual military press or overhead press, whatever term the program uses. I just like them now cause using the legs for a little momentum means can lift just a little more weight. You've got some nice lifts there and a little variety too.

Jo - hope the wrist wraps help.

Stephie - Nice work. I do sumo as more of an accessory. First tried it just out of curiosity and it was interesting enough that I like to do it on my squat focused days. Still lift more conventional than sumo but I have done it far longer and focus more on increasing the 1rm with conventional.


Today I went to work a little earlier than usual at the other store instead of the mid-shift that I would have had at my main location. Needed to get an order in so I can put it all away on Thursday when we get the shipment. This should help with all of the empty spots on the sales floor. Since I was over there, went to the gym after work for upper body and a little cardio. I ended up trying the decline bench there but I'm too short for that particular one and trying to un-rack when it was that far from a comfortable starting position just didn't work out well. Also, had an older lady trainer correct my form on tricep pushdowns. It was short and to the point, not trying to push anything, so I didn't mind as on occasion my elbows do flair out with that one and sometimes need to work on keeping them more at my sides.

band pulls - 3x12
bench - 2x10 @ 45,1x8 @ 65, 3x5 @ 95
pause bench - 2x6 @ 65 at a 5 count
decline bench - 1x8 @ 45, 1x8 @ 65
tricep pushdown - 4x10 @ 60
overhead tricep ext - 3x8 @ 30

Treadmill at a 2 incline, 3.2 speed for 30 minutes


Not bad and I have tomorrow off from work. I may have ice cream for dinner because I can (even though it could lead to regret but eh, occasionally I ignore my little allergies).

Unfortunately, I didn't eat the ice cream for dinner. Have a slight cold and just wasn't feeling up for it plus had planned to do it for part of a video and filming wasn't working out either. So, I had a lenny & larry cookie and a reese's heart for dinner instead.

Yay for squat day. I never do ab work though should probably do something or other.

Dawn - sorry about your cold. Glad it's not an awful one though and you are able to work through it! As always, impressive squats and deadlifts!

30 min run on the treadmill doing intervals today. 15s sprints followed by 3 min easy run. Different, at least, but still looking forward to all this snow melting so I can run outside again. I have some good glute/ham/ab DOMS going on, so I guess I hit them hard enough yesterday. Onwards!

OHP day today for me. Technically supposed to be deadlifts but that workout takes longer and I didn't get up in time. Will do tomorrow.
OHP - 1x5@33 lbs, 1x5@40 lbs, 1x5@45 lbs, 3x3@50 lbs. Few of the third reps of 50 lbs were a bit grindy, but I got them up.
Lateral raise - 4x10@8 lbs dbs
Scrape the rack press - 4x8@35 lbs
Reverse curl - 5x10@20 lbs
Rear lateral raise - 4x12@7.5 lbs dbs
Incline hammer curls - 4x10@10 lbs dbs
Front raise - 4x10@7.5 lbs dbs

Got my belt in the mail yesterday. Tried it out on the OHPs. Glad I am working out at home wearing this giant thick belt doing 50 lb presses, lol! I think I may need to get it a little tighter as it wasn't giving me much to push on. I also hope it breaks in a bit. The belt is round and I am oval, so I ended up with a big gap at my back. Is this the way it is supposed to work? How do you guys with belts decide when to use them and how tight to put them? Looking forward to seeing how it feels with deadlifts tomorrow.

Saturday did my deadlifts with my new belt. Went well!
Deadlifts - 1x5@53 lbs, 1x5@83 lbs, 1x5@103 lbs, 1x5@115 lbs, 1x5@120 lbs, 3x3@130 lbs. Definitely the smoothest that 130 has felt.
Inverted row - 5x8
Chin ups w assistance band - 10x4, first time I've been able to get 4 reps on all the sets with my lightest band
Meadow row - 5x12 with bar
cable row - 4x12 with resistance band
Bent over row - 4x12@17.5 lbs db
15 minute treadmill walk at max incline

Then yesterday the weather was gorgeous so we went to the zoo, then I went for a 6 mile run afterwards. Bring on spring!

Today is usually a rest day, but it's a holiday so I may do my bench day today and a short run tomorrow. We will see on the timing though.

Upper heavy day

Bench press: 3 x 6 @ 40kg
DB rows: 3 x 6 each side @ 17.5kg DB's
OHP: 1 x 6 @ 30kg
Lat pulldown: 1 x 6 @ 57kg
Tricep pushdowns: 3 x 10 @ 15kg
Lateral raises: 10, 6, 6 @ 7.5kg dumbbells

Arms are shot!!! Time for some lunch

The standing on small plates thing looks like genius if I'm honest. Forces you to keep it mid foot. I asked on Reddit too and they suggested I need stronger abs to brace better to keep everything more together.

We had an offer accepted on the house we liked, I don't know how the house thing works in the US but it's an absolute pain in the *kitten* in the UK! There are 4 people in our "chain": our buyers, us, our sellers and the house that they are buying. We all have to sign contacts on the same day (which hasn't happened yet) and until that point anyone can pull out. Generally it can take 8 - 12 weeks until "exchange" and we're only about 5 weeks in so far.

A chain of 4 isn't even a lot - I've known people in chains of 11 which I'm sure you can imagine is a catastrophe if someone pulls out.

Enjoy your squatting with the belt - I'm sure it will feel great