ishtar13 Member

This. Someone sent me this as a present when I hit 100 lbs on my squats, and it's been great for overheads and bench. Can't go up even 2.5 lbs? Well, how about 1 lb?

High Intensity Interval Training. Basically, instead of steady state cardio, you go flat out as hard you can for a short time, and then lower the intensity. Like with a run/walk. Run, fast as you can for 30 seconds. Then walk for 1-2 mins. Lather, rinse, repeat.

For the third time now, someone complimented my squats in the gym. A guy was doing rack pulls in the rack, so I started setting up on the bench. By the time I was ready to start, he was done, and I moved over there. I set up at the power rack and did a bunch of body weight squats before starting my warm ups. When I…

How vegetarian are you? If you are an ovo-lacto vegetarian, then eggs and milk can provide quite a bit of protein.

Yeah, some of the gentler yoga or pilates stuff could be good. If I do anything, I go for a walk or do yoga on off days.

And I forgot to say, the first couple of weeks, it feels like you should be doing more because it's sooo easy. By week 4 or so, though, I doubt you'd have the energy to lift on non-lift days, if you increase the weight every time.

If you are doing 5x5 as written, you should NOT do any strength training on your days off. Use your days off for cardio or flexibility work. If you want to strength train every day, then you need a different program, one with a 2 or 3 day split. 5x5 is full body, 3x/week. You need the days off for the muscle to repair and…

Put my initials on them with a sharpie.

That is completely awesome. I've been stuck at 62.5 for what seems like forever.

Yep. I keep my set in my gym bag.

I didn't lift for 17 days. Went back on Tuesday, and of course lost strength. But I was not prepared to be so sore i can't move two days later. This didn't happen when I took 10 days off. So, for the record, DOMS is back after 17 days - that's too long for me to take off. I was going to lift today, but I might go for a…

I'm ending Sept at squat: 130 lb, 4/4/3 bench: 77.5 lbs, 3x4 Row: 80 lbs 3x4

I lift alone, too. Like Tameko, I prefer it. I don't want someone talking to me to distract me out of my mental zone.

Sometimes I substitute cable rows. I feel like I get the back better with them. http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/seated-cable-rows (I do this probably 1 out of 4 times)

I started Sept at 110 lbs for 3x5. Yesterday, I did 125 lbs for 5/4/3. So, I've added 15 lbs, but not quite getting 3x5. Should get it next time, so I'll make my goal for the month.

I am in complete awe and hope to catch up to you by the end of the year!

Oh, if I have to wait for the cage (rare), I'll go on a rowing machine. It gets the whole body moving with low/no impact.

This. Depending on how stiff I am, I do some bodyweight ATG squats, then go under the bar. I do 3-4 warm up sets with lighter weights. As I get closer to my working weight, I do fewer reps. Lately, it's looked something like: Bar only - 7 reps 75 lbs - 5 reps 105 lbs - 4 reps 115 lbs - 3 reps Working sets: 125 lbs, 3x4…

I'm 5'3" and my feet reach the floor, but if they didn't, I'd put one or two big plates on each side of the bench on the floor and put my feet there. I used to do that for lat pull downs.

Thanks! Really made my day. Your weights are very impressive, and YAY on the big girl plates!!! I'm not using those on anything yet, I'm so jealous!

If I had the money for vibrams, I'd totally wear them.

Today: Squat 120 lbs, 3x5 Overhead: 62.5 lbs for 4/3/3 (first time at this weight) Deadlift: 120 for 5 reps, (only managed 4 last time) Edit to add: Random gym guy made my day. He came over very purposefully to the cage. I thought he was going to ask to work in or how much longer I had, but instead, he said, "I just had to…

She's also one of the Girls Gone Strong that I mentioned: https://www.facebook.com/GirlsGoneStrong

NROLFW, Stronglifts, and Starting Strength are all great. We have a Stronglifts for Women group here where Tameko broke down the program without all the bro-talk. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/4618-stronglifts-5x5-for-women If you want specifically woman-themed lifting, there's Stumptuous:…

I just looked at my records. My first try looked like this: Squat: 45 lb bar, 5 sets, 5 reps each Bench Press: 45 lb bar, 3 sets, 5 reps each, 1 set 4 reps, 1 set 3 reps Bent over barbell row: 30 lb bar, 5 sets, 5 reps First time on overhead press: Overhead Press - This was the first time I was trying this exercise. I…

So you are losing form on the last few reps, but you are also able to lift the weight. I'd stay at this weight for now because you can lift it. If you fail 3x, you may want to drop the weight. For dropping it, you may need to use either preset barbells, a lighter barbell or dumbbells. I bet, though, that by the 2nd or 3rd…

Today's numbers: Squat: 120 lbs 3x4 Bench: 75 lbs for 4/3 then 74 lbs for 5 reps Rows: 75 lbs for 3x5

Today: Squat: 115 lbs, 3x5 Overhead press 60 lbs, 3x5 (FINALLY) Deadlift: 120 lbs, 4 reps

Are you locking your elbows at the top? Mine don't "point" anywhere because they're straight. They are facing outside, I think. Here's a couple of Rippetoe videos to watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJFjYyA40ss http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAXPJ3PfdyY http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zm1KxY8Me3Y

i'm 42. I started in March (joined here in April, I think). I've lost ~25 lbs, and can squat with 115 lbs on my back. I'm still about 30 lbs from goal weight and have a goal of squatting 1.5x my body weight. I absolutely think it's possible.