Deadlifts and the deal of the day!

Since I haven't lifted yet, I'll start with the deal: all Bug Guard products are on sale now, just in time before mosquitoes start chowing down on all of us. Avon Bug Guard products on sale This is the one I'm getting, the jumbo size to keep on the front porch. I think the wipes will be good to have on hand in my purse too.

In happy somewhat lifting-related news, I stopped traffic today while walking the dog. A nice man decided that I should have the right of way despite the stop sign right in front of me and the cars behind him. So, confusing all the other cars, I got the cross the street with my little dog without waiting at all and a minimum of embarrassment, because I mostly thought it was funny. Yay weightlifting for lifting my butt!

For some reason I cannot wait to get in the gym this evening to dead lift. Will update on volume dead lift day as soon as its finished. The standing presses I did and sucked at yesterday left me with an interesting case of upper back and shoulders DOMS, which probably means I should be doing them more often. Bench presses are ore fun though, but I bet strengthening that part of my back will help both my bench and dead.

Update: well that pretty much sucked. I had to use a power cage rather than the fixed squat rack, I don't card for that clear of a view in the mirror while lifting but its not such a big deal. Warmed up with 6 minutes on the Arc Trainer, then quick squats 1 x 10 x air, 1 x 8 x 45, 1 x 5 x 65, 1 x 3 x 95, 1 x 3 x 115, 1 x 3 x 125, 1 x 3 x 135, 1 x 3 x 140. 140 is the most I've squatted since the most recent back tweak, so I was pleased with these. On to dead lifts, which were the main lift I was training, 1 x 3 x 135, 1 x 3 x 155, 1 x 5 x 155, planned to do 2 x 5 x 175, no way. 2 x 2 x 175, tried a double underhand grip I saw a girl dead lifting on youtube using, that did not work at all, dropped 20 pounds down, 1 x 3 x 155, 1 x 5 x 155, and stopped lifting, dejected. Going for the 2 x 5 x 175 next time for dead lifts. Taking Thursday and Friday off from the gym, Saturday squats 1 x 10 x air, 1 x 8 x 45, 1 x 5 x 65, 1 x 3 x 95, 1 x 3 x 115, 1 x 3 x 125, 1 x 3 x 135, 3 x 3 x 140.

Decent deadlifts today

Work was pretty slow, and the day was strange in general. Both one of the cats and the dog got sick, so cleaning up pet vomit was the name of the game today. I'm glad neither one was on my lap at the time. My sister came over and moped around until I told her I was going to the gym. On top of it all, my gym outfit of black trainer capris and white knee socks for dead lifts loked very weird. The session, however, was decent. While I am concentrating on deads I am maintaining on the other main lifts. Today squats were 1 x 10 x air, 1 x 8 x 45, 1 x 5 x 65, 1 x 5 x 95, 1 x 3 x 115, 3 x 3 x 125. I've started praticing paused bench presses, sheesh- hard, but necessary in case I ever want to do a meet. Bench press was 1 x 8 x 45, 1 x 5 x 65, 1 x 3 x 85, 3 x 3 x 90, then I got a guy standing nearby with his friends to give me the "Press" command after a second, and got 1 x 5 x 90. So, good, all paused presses.

On to deadliest. My plan was to ramp up to 3 x 3 x 175. Instead i got 1 x 3 x 135, 1 x 3 x 145, 1 x 3 x 155, 1 x 3 x 175, 4 x 2 x 175. I couldn't seem to hold it together for the triples, and the bar kept sliding way diagonal across the floor, so I don't know if the floor is crooked or the bar was bent. It was awkward, but I feel like it was a decent session.

Also, a friend of mine is very excited about belonging to the Mom Ambassador site, where she gets samples of products and invites my sisters and myself over with the kids to try them out. I thought it would be fun to join too, and signed up last night. Well, after taking a long survey and giving a lot of information, the site still hasn't gotten back to me. I didn't even get some kind of verification email. Nothing. Pretty disappointing.

Knocking on wood

So, new programming for squat progress has been going well as well as the change to high-bar. I squat twice a week, when the weight is increased by 5 pounds, the first session of the week is 3 x 3 at the new weight. On the second I do 5 sets of three. Next session, increase by another five pounds and do 3 x 3 and so on. Yesterday, 3 x 3 x 130, Sunday, 5 x 3 x 130. Weds 3 x 3 x 135, yay!! Forcing myself to take two days recovery between sessions has helped too. It is extremely hard sometimes to stay out of the weight room, but as long as this is working it is the plan.

Bench press has stalled at 95, so whenever I have a good spotter available I'll go for heavier weights. 100 Sunday (with spotter) 95 if no one is around. I've been approaching deadlifts with caution since the last back breakdown. Monday topped them out with a set of 3 at 165, then one of 2 also at 165. Sunday I'll go for 3 x 3 x 165 to see how that feels. Adjusted if its very light or something is off. Sleeping, eating and yoga in the meantime.

In just over three weeks I'll be on my skiing vacation- cannot wait. Actually its more like ski-camp. I have ten lift tickets and six lessons so, yeah. Lots of time on the slopes. I absolutely love it.

Almost forgot, on non-deadlift days I've continued to do the lat pulldowns and cable rows. Am using 100lbs after warmup sets for these. The plate jump is huge, I went from 85 last week to 100 last night, because I tried it and could. So when I get to 8 manageable reps with 100 on both I'll go heavier with this. The extra back work has made me feel more balanced and comfortable.

I've really had to try a lot of things beyond the basic Starting Strength program to progress. It may work for a woman like me, age and fitness level, with an SS coach standing there watching everything. When you are on your own, the game is completely different. I'm glad I found it to get ne started though, if I'd had to start with the New Rules of Lifting for Women, also highly recommended but so freaking complicated you need a spreadsheet for the exercises, I'd probably have given up long ago.

Fasted AM cardio

So far so good, the cats woke me up early enough that I made it to 6am Spin class, which is extra good because my feet were feeling beat up last night from yesterday's treadmill intervals and deadlifts. I had planned to row and use the elliptical but this was better, good music at least. Also, I can see a difference in the body! Granted, it is the top half of me- of course! But, losing fat from the top down is a lot more interesting when there is visible muscle structure underneath a lesser layer of fat. I deadlifted last night, and realized I skipped 180lbs completelyin the previous progression, so did that as my top weight, and I bet I can do that for decent doubles next time. Tonight is a bench press and accessory night, but its been since Monday that I squatted, so I'll start with back squats and then do the pressing. My messed-up hand responded well to incline bench press last time so I may stick with that for now.

Update

I am 45, going to be 46 in a couple of months, and my body is driving me crazy! Granted, I'm still getting used to tracking my food intake. Funny how such a minor change has me internally pouting and stamping my feet. I don't wanna! But, I know that the last time fat effectively peeled off of me was due to keeping track of what goes in my mouth. So there have been internal arguments without even getting to the part where I restrict calories yet! The main goal at the moment is to get enough protein grams and keep alcohol intake low enough that it doesn't look like a whole food-group on the pie chart of my foods.

Just in time for this, my female parts have decided to become completely unpredictable, climbing the walls with sexual desire one week, then a sudden deluge period for one- or two! fucking weeks, sometimes both happening at once. Cramps, bloating, headaches, you name it. This also tends to be when I catch sloppy colds too. See why I haven't been posting? Who wants to read a litany of complaints.

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Coping. I went online to make sure that expelling the Red Sea wasn't killing me, yes I am aware i could have gone to a doctor, waited all day in an uncomfortable office after filling out my life's story, then waited more while naked except for a paper gown on an even more uncomfortable examining table, but since I feel okay considering I decided to go online instead. Found out that it's called 'flooding' and it happens.

So I've been chowing down on fresh fruit and veggies, usually I make spinach juice in a blender and gulp it down for ease. I'm also making a point to eat more red meat for iron. When I feel too much like shit to do everything, yoga, cardio, lift weights, I choose lifting weights as my priority, yoga or just rest for rest days. This week has been a double-whammy week, cold and period. I've done squat day on Tuesday, bench-press and other upper-body lifts on Wednesday, and am going in to deadlift today. The hopeful goal is doubles at 185 lbs. Had rounded back pulls on this last time, so if it feels rounded on singles, singles it will be.

As far as the body recomp has gone, I don't have really high hopes for this week on the scale, however the upper-body day seems to be making a difference. My chest and shoulders look more defined, kind of more muscular yet slimmer at the same time. So that is good.

Back from the gym, pretty weak. One deadlift at 185, could barely get it up, 3 singles at 175, 3 x 3 x 155, 2 x 5 x 135 and out.

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.

I did it again.

Tweaked my back, this time on the right lower side. I can, however, look all the way to the left now, so at least only one part of me breaks at a time<- silver lining! Yesterday was a long boring day, so I wrapped up work early and went to the gym. Squats, 1 x 12 x air, 1 x 10 x 45, 1 x 5 x 65, 1 x 5 x 95, 1 x 5 x 115, 1 x 3 x 125, 3 x 3 x 130 fine, felt good so added another set, 1 x 2 x 130 and this is where I crunched the back. Lost tightness at a crucial moment I guess. That was pretty early in the session so I moved on to bench presses even though getting down on the bench was uncomfortable. 1 x 10 x 45, 1 x 5 x 65, 1 x 5 x 85, 2 x 4 x 90, 4 x 3 x 90. Not too bad, esp considering the gimpiness of me at this time. My notes on the log say, "So pissed I could cry."

Then, my niece turned up all red from running and said she needed to do something to perk up her butt and boobs. Of course I showed her how to squat, she used the 35 lb bar. I decided to see how deadlifts went, 2 x 5 x 135, 1 x 3 x 135, back acted up again and ended that session for me. Also, after benching I went to the front desk and got two of those instant ice packs and stuck them in the waistband of my yoga pants. That helped a little. Hardcore is me, yes.

More changes

I got to the gym late due to life interfering, started with squats 1 x 12 x air, 1 x 10 x 45, 1 x 5 x 65, 1 x 5 x 95, 1 x 5 x 115, 3 x 5 x 125, lower back started complaining during the last two reps of the third set, I wanted to do 3 x 5 x 115, but my lower back felt like it was collasping so did 1 x 3 x 115. Bench press 1 x 10 x 45, 1 x 5 x 65, 1 x 5 x 85, 1 x 1 x 95, 1 x 1 x 100, 2 x 2 x 95, 1 x 3 x 95, 3 x 5 x 85. I had just over a half hour left of the gym being open, and decided to use the treadmill and move deadlifts to tomorrow rather then rush through them. So, I walked on the treadmill, 4.0-4.2 miles per hour, playing with the incline from 0 to 2 for 2 miles, and wrapped it up just as the gym closed. Clearly my lower back is limiting my progress in squats, so moving deads to a different session and making it a 'back day' hopefully will help. Tomorrow, yoga, deads, back accessory work, walking.

Bench Press Personal Record!

To get this up to date, Friday took a Spin class, easy recovery day. Today, Saturday, heavy lift day. I started with squats, 1 x 12 x air, 1 x 8 x 45, 1 x 5 x 65, 1 x 5 x 95, 1 x 5 x 105, 1 x 3 x 115, 1 x 3 x 125, 1 x 2 x 135, 1 x 1 x 135, failed the second rep to the rails, totally mental fail. Singled the rest out 5 x 1 x 135. I have to get my brain in line with squatting the big plates.

Bench press 1 x 8 x 45, 1 x 5 x 65, 1 x 5 x 85, 3 x 3 x 95 oh yeah! I will have 100 lb bench presses in time for my 45th birthday. Deadlifts, 1 x 3 x 135, 1 x 2 x 155, lost grip, 1 x 3 x 155 alternate grip, 1 x 2 x 165. Good deadlifts. Overhead press 3 x 10 x 45, bicep curls 3 x 8 x 45.

Amusingly, (or alarmingly if you asked my mom) I am actually 'swole' after this session. In other news, the puppy put himself in his crate for a nap. I am in love with this little dog. Video soon of my awesome accomplishment and the cutie.

Ass-slapped and my hardcore disappeared

It is hard to jump-squat convincingly after that and while laughing. However, I got it together, and after abs class did jump squats, 1x10xbar, 3x10x55 and the one interrupted set. Then, the standard benches all appreared occupied (Wednesday evening and it was busy as hell the whole time) so I did dumbbell bench press. Warm-ups, then 4x5x30, 3x5x25 one-handed presses. After that, there was an empty bench but my presses were for shit, 2x3x75, 1x3x75. I dropped down to 70lbs but it still was heavy as hell. I really need to learn how to concentrate when the gym is busy.

Took a video of deadlifts and dumbbell presses and you can see a kid running by me in the pressing one. The deadlift one is on my Facebook if you are one of my friends, I only put real friends on there. Plus Dan John, as I had to have one celebrity friend right? Deads were okay though, 1x5x135, 1x5x145, then another 1x5x135 cuz I was feeling frisky like that. Or maybe it was due to the new Chuck Taylors I was wearing, yes, finally gave in and bought really flat shoes.

A better deadlift

First this, for one thing my dyslexia has been going through the roof, it is seriously easier for me to type the inverse of words so if you are reading the first draft of this I apologize. Also, woke up with a closed shut throat this morning. I am not even surprised, after the emotional and financial stress of the past two weeks it was inevitable that my body reacted somehow, first with bloat and now this. It wasn't so bad to keep me in bed all day and I went to the gym

Good warmup on the elliptical, 12 bodyweight back extensions, 3x8xsled hack squats. Starting Strength refuses to acknowledge the existence of this exercise as a good thing, but it feels like a good and decent barbell squat stand-in and really targets my glutes. I'm keeping it unless I read some compelling evidence that hack squats are physically bad. Dumbell bech press, 1x8x15, 1x5x20, 1x5x25, 2x5x30, 1x4x30, oh yeah.Bench worked up to 3x5x65. Back extensions 1x12x5lb plate. Deadlifts, 1x3x95, 1x3x115, 1x3x135! Got the big wheels back on it. Last set of back extensions 1x12x10 and I was done. Came home, had 2 Reeses peanut butter cups, refridgerated, the best way to have them, and a tuna sandwich. Then I tried to sleep through this cold but woke up with the damn thing still there.

Napping may ease DOMS

Yesterday was squat, clean, press and straight-leg deadlift day, and today I am refreshingly not sore. One reason I took two rest days between training this week was due to the delayed onset muscle soreness experienced after deadlifting Monday. Normally, I would have said the hell with it just go lift, but I came across an article (will link when I find it) that said DOMS is related to rhabdo which scared me into waiting until fully recovered. In brief, rhabdo is a horrible result of dehydration and over-exercising which can be fatal. I didn't expect anything so extreme (one never does) but as I was coming off a week lay-off from lifting and there is relatively little information out there about 43 y/o women beginning to lift and the effects of that, decided to proceed with caution.
Squatted 65 lbs, nice form, cleans were at 55 lbs, presses 50 lbs, straight-leg deads 85 lbs. So either the same or a bit lower after the week off and I was so done after the session. Later that day I indulged in a good nap as well as sleeping in this morning and now feel good. The straight-legged deads really pushed my hamstrings to the point of concern but today is fine. I think the sleep made a positive difference.