kirabob Member

Much improved, my dear. The thing that really sticks out to me is that your movement seems to be starting in your knees, not your hips. As a result, you are not sitting back so much as bending over. I can tell that you've been working on your flexibility - keep that up so that you can hit parallel. But maybe also really…

You are so far awaaaaaaaaaaaaay! Tee-hee. As far as I can tell, you've got the wiggle initiated. I found that I couldn't really translate it into power unless I had some weight on the bar. Does it feel like it is providing you with any power?

Gwyn - that's completely awesome! Dani - WTG for increased capacity - strength AND stamina -everything you need for the zombie apocalypse! Intensity day for me: Squats 180 1x5 - NEW PR!!!! I got a bit sparkly on the last one, but took a deep breath and kept good form. OHP 77.5 1x3 - Another new PR!!! I was only supposed to…

Update? How do you feel?

Great progress, everyone! Funny how that core stuff works, huh, Dani? :smile: Active recovery day for me, which usually I love, but I don't think I ate and/or slept enough after Monday's killer volume workout, so I was a wee bit off my game. Squats 2x5 @ 125 - After 5x5's on Monday, I am sooooo happy to have this break!…

Yes, that sounds like you are starting to hit everything, instead of being quad dominant. Does your gym have any boxes or benches that you could put behind you? It might create a nice mental safety net if you know that you aren't going to fall backwards as you go down and work on that core strength. The worst that happens…

There is no reason to not switch to 3x5. Maybe you could do that on Monday, then on Fridays do 3 sets, but increase each one by 10 pounds up to your working weight? Squats +lunges is pretty killer - no wonder you are dreading it!

I eat 2300, at 5'4" and 160 pounds. I am still losing. but slowly. I don't mind the slow, though.

You might look in to Nia Shank's Beautiful Badass programs - I know she has several dumbbell workouts, as well as lots of other stuff that would be plenty challenging and not include the racks. . .

Look at all this beautiful strength! Way to rip it up, ladies!

Well, if you are still lifting, you are still burning calories - so fat loss can happen there (and is more likely, since you are doing resistance exercise). Your muscles retain glycogen and water even after the initial loading occurs - they can't function properly without it. I instantaneously lose about 5 pounds every…

It has been my experience that the best way to work out DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) is to lift again. But there is a difference between soreness and injury, and you need to be sure that you are just sore, not injured! You might try soaking in an epsom salts bath - that helps quite a bit. And give yourself a good…

I didn't start losing lots of inches until my 3rd month of lifting - but every one will be different. I stopped being too concerned about it once I discovered how completely badass lifting makes me feel - but I do remember a moment, about 4 months in, where I pulled on a shirt that had never fit - and it was too big!!!!…

Well, I should qualify a bit - I've dropped that many sizes on bottom. On the top I've gone from an 18 to a 12 - so I guess still great fat loss, but I'm pretty busty, so I don't know that I'll get too much smaller up top. . .but yes, it totally can happen. I eat the food, and do very little cardio - but I also have a very…

Yep. I've been the same weight for the last few months, but I've gone from a 14/16 to an 8/10. Measurement, pictures and 'hallmark clothes' as I call them (things you used to not fit in to, then all of a sudden you do) are much better indicators of fat loss than the scale will be. And getting stronger tends to make you not…

I'm loving it! I've got the basic Rippetoe plan, but I am customizing the accessory stuff. I'm definitely recovering better, and with the weight increases being slower, I feel like I'm not going to stall for a looooong time. I also deloaded 90% across the board when I switched. I don't know that that was necessary, but I…

You can add me too. My story is the same as Cleotherio's, except that I have one 3 year old. I used to be a teacher (college), but now only teach every once in a while. Like jstout, I eat all the foods - my goal is to be able to eat intuitively and without feeling the urge to control and/or binge what goes in my mouth.…

Everybody is ripping it up! Roxy - I have a fairly wide stance for squats, given my height (5'4") - but it's what makes my hip flexor happiest. Deadlifts, I do as CC suggests, plus I turn my toes out a bit. glwerth - I am so angry for you - what a dolt. I'm not good at snappy comebacks, but I wish I was - this guy needs…

I'm in Charlotte, so only 2 hours away or so. . .Happy to cheer you on from a (near) distance!

Benched 112.5 for a 1x3 Squatted 175 for a 1x5 And taught myself power cleans. It's been a good week. :smile:

OHP is a beast, that's for sure. On my way out the door to take baby girl to the doctor for a fever that just won't go away - but - Intensity day in my first week of the Texas Method: Squats 1x5 175 - fairly easy, as I have done 3x5 at this weight before. Bench - 1x3 112.5 - I was only supposed to do 1, but 3 felt good,…

I liked most of the article. Especially the 'strength is a human right' claim - but the assumption that men (or women) cannot be mentally (and therefore emotionally) strong without being physically strong is a faulty one. I have a few other thoughts rolling around, but I need to sit with them for a while before sharing.…

Cheryl - I'm glad you are feeling better. Why don't you try working up in 10 pound increments towards where you were? That way if you hit a weight that feels heavy, you can do a set or two there. I would also stick to no more than 3x5 - no sense in overdoing it and being too sore or sick to do the next workout! Sugar -…

Sorry Roxy - should have fleshed out my response a bit more. I also have uneven hips, and I have found that the more I focused on strengthening my core, the more I was able to control my twist during squats - given, I discovered this in the process of a major deload to fix other form issues. . .

Hello and welcome! You don't have to start with the bar on any of the lifts - and you don't want to if you can't do the lifts with the bar AND good form! For your rows - does your gym have fixed barbells in lower weights? And did you stack up plates so that you were pulling it from about 8.5" off the floor? Try stacking…

Roxy - if you are twisting, just back off a little bit, like maybe 15-20%, and add in some core work - that very much sounds like a core issue to me. Jo - I have to remind myself that I'm not 23 anymore every time I go to the gym! :smile: Texas, day 2: Squats 2x5 120 Yep, you read that right. Texas is set up so that you…

jogirl - Have you look up glute bridges/hip thrusts? Those'll strengthen those glutes and hammies right up!

You can also try doing 5x6 on your bench before moving up - this is another good way to progress if you don't have fractionals. But yes, Jstout is right - form is SO important in bench. Until I figured out how to use my legs (I know - I never thought legs would be important to benching!), I couldn't get past 75. Now I am…

I found that there was a period of about 2 months where nothing changed for me - no scale movement, no measurement movement. All while just lifting and very little cardio, maybe 10-15 minutes after lifting. But then I hit the 3 month mark, and inches started falling off everywhere. Clothes and pictures are your best…

My dad's parents lived in New Carlisle, on Spence Road! My aunts run the Herbs and Lace Bed and Breakfast in Clifton - the Gorge is pretty fantastic!