Squat camp, or, No wonder I have Quads of Doom

I hoped that at squat camp the instructor would tweak my form and I would squat 135lbs with ease. Hahahahaha! Instead, I was BY FAR the weakest one there, managing to lift less than a young woman literally half my size. My form was tweaked all right, so much that I have to go back to 95 lb squats and do them the exact opposite way I've been squatting for two years now. When my knees slide forward it forces my quads to lift the weight, when hamstrings are supposed to handle most of it. On the bright side, I did get a lot of attention, being the most in need of help. It was worth it.

The bad part was attempting to lift in a freezing cold warehouse after being told to wear stretchy shorts and a cotton T-shirt. My skin turned into white flakes, it was gross! In hindsight I would have brought warmer clothes, being from Fl i'm so used to being overly warm while training that being uncomfortably cool didn't occur to me. Also, I made the bad decision to basically dehydrate myself on the drive up, which meant I had to play catch-up the day of the camp just to be normal again and was rather light-headed. Next road trip, I'm drinking more water then usual and just pulling into every rest stop necessary. And bringing warm clothes!

Yoga tomorrow morning, squats 3 x 5 x 95.

Yikes! Back twinge

That is what I felt shortly after waking up, so new plan for the week. No lifting. I'm taking the week off leading up to squat camp because I'd rather be a little weak than injured. I suppose last month there was almost a week off when the gym had short holiday hours, and hope this doesn't drive me insane. Yoga and cardio will have to do, maybe I'll revisit some Spin classes or take some boot-camp stuff. That might make me want to lift real weights though. And do I want to be out of practice when I get there, or is it better to start kind of fresh? I'm completely confused.

Modified Westside

A Fitocracy member linked to an interesting article about lifting and running, and the author, a super-built guy who also runs Ironmans, recomended using Westside programming. My lifts are so low that 55% for the dynamic effort days would be embarassing- sorry but I'm vain, so I already broke the rules. The first workout! I started with dynamic deadlift day, which is supposed to be 8 x 3 x 55% of your 1 rep max. Thinking my 1 rep max was 185 I did the math and came up with under 102 lbs. So I loaded it up with 135 and did the 8 x 3. I did not do any accessory work.

Tomorrow, Monday will be bench and squat day maxing up to singles. This is a normal heavy bench and squat day for me anyway, and will be the last heavy squat day for me before squat camp this weekend. On Saturday I took two yoga classes, the regular long one and the kids class right afterward. It was fun, definitely not relaxing but how relaxed do you need to be on a Saturday morning? I'm looking forward to taking it with my niece.

yoga, squats and bench press

This morning I slept-walked thru 6am yoga but it was still worth going. Trying to explain how much better regular yoga makes me feel is difficult, basically it makes me comfortable in my body. Lifting, on the other hand, instill confidence and swagger which I love. Tonight I went in a squatted, topping out at 3 x 3 x 130 when my lower back started to feel it. Next heavy squat day going for 3 x 5 x 130, and I may try it with one of the loaner belts at the gym then too. My sister was working out too, and going through the circuit of machines, so when it was time to bench I went over there and dragged her off of that silly shit to bench with me. She did well, topping out at 3 x 5 x 60. My benched topped out at 3 x 3 x 95, 3 x 5 x 85. Tomorrow is Saturday morning yoga, the long class, Sunday deadlift day.

My cat still isn't right, I'm going to get a second opinion.

Poor kitty. He woke me up at 5:30 this morning so I went to yoga at 6am, nice class. Then worked out this evening. Deadlifts were the main event, so warmed up with alternating 3 x 12 x push-ups and hyperextensions. power cleans 2 x 5 x 45, power snatch, got to see my belly bouncing in the mirror and cut these off. 1 x 3 x 45. Wear longer shirts on power snatch day! Overhead squat 1 x 5 x 45, 1 x 8 x 45, 2 x 8 x 55, 1 x 5 x 65. Ready for deads. 1x3x 135, 1 x 3 x 155, 1 x 1 x 165, 2 x 1 x 175, 2 x 1 x 185! 2 x 3 x 165, 1 x 3 x 155, 1 x 5 x 135. And done.

As a nice contrast to the belly embarrassment, today while walking the dog in short shorts I stopped traffic twice! That was a bit of an ego boost, esp since one of them was a guy we know, who didn't recognize me from the back, hooted, had to slow down for a speed-bump and realized it was me so backed up to chat. Of course I gave him a hard time for the mating call.

remind me why I have pets

My main cat has been acting sick for a couple of weeks, $200 later the vet says there is nothing wrong with him other then some dehydration. My little dog is infested with fleas in spite of being treated with Pet Armor, so I dosed him again and am waiting for Comfortis (another $100). I love the little buggers but damn!

My period started yesterday, nice and heavy along with vigorous nighttime cramps. No one alerted me to this as one of the things getting older would bring. I did not train last night. Today, the tentative schedule is yoga at 4, various warmups and deadlifts. I want to correctly and safely pull 185.

While I'm here, may as well post

I am finally adding my Fitocracy link as I update that more quickly than this blog a lot of the time. I finally dragged my ass in the gym today for bench and squats. Bench press 1 x 10 x 45, 1 x 8 x 65, 1 x 3 x 75, 1 x 3 x 85, 1 x 3 x 90, 1 x 3 x 95, got Eddie to spot me, 1 x 5 x 95 (I love the way he recites my rules back to me, "No helping unless I am specifically asked for help...") 1 x 5 x 95, 3 x 2 x 100 DAMMIT wanted 3 x 3 x 100 of fucking well, 3 x 3 x 95. Squats, 1 x 10 x air, 1 x 10 x 45, 1 x 5 x 65, 1 x 3 x 95, 1 x 3 x 115, 3 x 5 x 125, yes sets across of 5 people! There may be hope for me yet. One backoff set of 1 x 5 x 115 and out. Tomorrow morning yoga, and deadlifts sometime.

Tuesday's Bench press and squats

It's Resolutioner Season, so I waited until late to go to the gym. Even so, no squat rack available so i benched first. 1 x 10 x 45, 1 x 8 x 65, 1 x 5 x 85, 1 x 5 x 90, 2 x 3 x 95 sorta pissed at this. Bench is so freaking hard to progress steadily on. But so are all of the lifts I guess. 1 x 2 x 95, 3 x 5 x 85. Squats 1 x 12 x air, 1 x 10 x 45, the gym still had a lot going on and I was wondering if I would be able to get my head in it. For example, right behind me a couple of gym-goers and an attendent had a long, lively discussion about Justin Bieber's music, which culminated in his song coming on Sirius, and them singing along to it. I dare anyone to get their fierce lifting face on while that is happening. Edited to add, except T-Bone, who apparently does this on a regular basis and is much stronger than me.

Resuming squats, 1 x 5 x 65, 1 x 5 x 95, 1 x 5 x 105, put 115 on the bar, and made a conscious effort to squat as if SS coaches were watching and critiquing everything, 1 x 5 x 115, 3 x 3 x 125, 2 x 5 x 115. Tough, but okay. I focused on getting a good deep breath for each squat and driving it up, as well as trying not to let my knees slide forward. What do you know, it helped. The thing about good form is, it's hard to do but it makes the exercise easier if that makes sense.

Tonight will be focused on deadlifts. Warm-up 3 x 12 x hyperextensions alternated w 3 x 12 x push-ups. Power snatch with the bar, turn that into overhead squats, then deads.

Holy crap I am dead tired. Had to rush the workout to get to my nephew's birthday party, then when I got home needed to walk and take care of the pets. Tonight I alternated push-ups and hyper extensions, 3 x 12 of each. Power clean 2 x 5 x 45 to warm up shoulders more, power snatch 2 x 5 x 45. Overhead squat 2 x 5 x 45, 2 x 5 x 55, 1 x 4 x 65 and I felt ready to deadlift. Deads were 1 x 3 x 135, 1 x 3 x 145, 1 x 3 x 155, 1 x 1 x 165, 2 x 1 x 175, back felt rounded, another rep at 165, 2 x 3 x 155 and out.

quick and dirty workout

Recovery day, mostly to stretch out soreness. First, warm-up by alternate sets of 12 hyperextensions and push-ups. Hypers 3 x 12, push-ups 3 x 12. Then, overhead press 1 x 8 x 45, 3 x 5 x 65. Squats 1 x 12 x air, 1 x 10 x 45, 1 x 5 x 65, 6 x 5 x 95.

getting caught up

I found the training log from last Saturday, located on the back of the one I used last night, how convenient! Saturday 12/29 one and a half hour of yoga, bench press 1 x 10 x 45, 1 x 5 x 65, 1 x 5 x 85, 3 x 4 x 95, 1 x 5 x 95. Deadlift 2 x 3 x 135, 1 x 3 x 145, 1 x 3 x 155, 1 x 1 x 165, adjusted to mixed grip, 1 x 2 x 165, 1 x 5 x 145. Fast forward to yesterday, yoga in the am. The day devolved into a rainy icky mess and I really didn't want to go out in it, but I realized that it was only 6pm and it would be a long boring night if I just stayed home so I went.

Squats 1 x 12 x air, 1 x 10 x 45, 1 x 5 x 65, 1 x 5 x 95, 1 x 3 x 105, 2 x 3 x 115, 1 x 3 x 125, 1 x 2 x 135, 1 x 1 x 135, 1 x 4 x 125 (Thanks Blondie and Atomic) 3 x 3 x 125, 1 x 5 x 115. Hyperextensions 2 x 10, then 2 x 12 later. Bench press 1 x 10 x 45, 1 x 5 x 65, 1 x 5 x 85, 1 x 3 x 95, 1 x 2 x 95, 3 x 5 x 85.

Deadlifts 1 x 3 x 135, 1 x 3 x 145, 1 x 3 x 155, 1 x 2 x 165, 1 x 1 x 170, 1 x 3 x 155, 1 x 5 x 135.