Squats and snatches

That didn't go too badly. My squats are back to 125 lbs, which is where they were before the squat camp reset. I do feel my knees want to slide forward in order to get depth, and plan to get a video soon to see what is going on there. As overhead squats seem to demand a power snatch, I've been working on those. Getting under the bar is a little scary but I'll get there. Trained on coffee, cream and protein powder and was a burping fool for a while, but I had to get it done as I have a funeral to go to today and couldn't take my time. I am worn-out right now, and hungry. Where is my wife to feed me and clean the kitchen?

Squats are coming back.

This is all about me, as it should be, but I must brag about a friend for a moment. Older even than me, and she had lost over 100 lbs which you may or may not know leaves one as weak as a kitten. She found Stronglifts (which I hate because he stole everything but whatever) and on Friday morning squatted 135 x4. Oh yeah- lets hear it for the old ladies!! So proud of her, and she does full deep squats too.

Okay, Friday morning I slept through the regular yoga guru's class and took a later one, expecting it to be easy. Wrong! Holy crap it was like she had ESP and was zeroing in on my tight hips and hamstrings from the Romanian deadlifts in the last training session. At first I couldn't even get comfortable in Child's Pose, after 40 mins or so of intense stuff I was loosened up and human again. Taking her class next week too. Sometimes, change is good.

Lifts at night. I warmed up with 1 x 12 hyperextensions, real slow. Squats, 1 x 10 x air, 1 x 10 x 45, 2 x 5 x 95- needed extra warm-ups today. 1 x 3 x 105, 2 x 3 x 115, 1 x 3 x 125, 2 x 2 x 130, 1 x 5 x 115. Clean and press 1 x 5 x 50, I put the little plates on instead of using the empty bar as I've dropped the bar on my foot a couple of times and that sucks. 1 x 3 x 60, 1 x 3 x 65, 1 x 2 x 70, failed the third, went to power cleans. 1 x 3 x 75, 1 x 2 x 80, that second one was ugly, 1 x 1 x 80, 1 x 1 x 75. Not every day is a good power clean day. Overhead squats, 2 x 5 x 45, 1 x 5 x 55, 1 x 3 x 65, 2 x 3 x 70, 2 x 4 x 70, 1 x 3 x 70 and done.

This morning I took the long yoga class and the instructor decided to help me by making everything harder, including coming over during Warrior pose and loudly saying, "Spread your legs!" which was pretty hilarious and unexpected in yoga.

Working out a plan

Yesterday I took the whole day off from the gym, worked, paid bills and then worked around the house. Today I slept in, it was wonderful. So, it's alternative lift day which needs to be both organized and played by strength.

I can either keep the warm-up as light squats, push-ups and overhead presses or do volume squats to 115 5 x 5. This is tricky because the light warm-up is better for strong presses and therefore strong shoulders but squats in general are my weak point so should I keep the focus on them even on light day? I also consider that many of the other women's logs show their squats far heavier than mine, while I easily bench and press more then them. That leads to the question,am I weird and should make up the disparity, or just go with the difference? When my arms are down by my side and relaxed they aren't crazy muscular or anything, so that part isn't important yet.

My back feels good today, so I'll start with back squats and work up to 5 x 5 x 115 for volume, then move on to clean and press until those get too heavy, hopefully around 80 lbs, then morph into 5 x 3 power cleans, still working on getting 5 x 3 x 80. Then play with overhead squats being careful with the knees. After all that, walk 2.5 miles on the treadmill.

Reminder to myself, Artwalk and Duos downtown tonight.

Very good session today but I lost my log- poo! Back squats 1 x 12 x air, 1 x 10 x 45, 1 x 5 x 65, 1 x 5 x 95, 5 x 5 x 115. Clean and press 1 x 5 x 45, 1 x 3 x 55, 1 x 3 x 65, 2 x 2 x 75. Power cleans 2 x 1 x 75, x 3 x 75, 5 x 3 x 80, 1 x 2 x 80( this was an ugly set with a miss in the middle). I was dreading overhead squats at this point but actually had fun doing them. 1 x 5 x 45, 1 x 3 x 55, 1 x 3 x 65, 1 x 1 x 70, 2 x 2 x 70, struggled with these, then I think I got 5 x 5 x 65 damn where did that piece of paper go? Also, saw one of my former advice givers squatting next to me. This was the first time I paid attention to what he was doing, he had 315 loaded up, tampon on the bar, 1/8 squats with a spotter. Glad I ignored his advice. Home at 2pm feeling totally relaxed and glad I made the lifts.

Finally lifted again

I hate going so long without doing so. Also, a discovery has been made: sex really does make me weak! It has to be amazing, but then the next day's lifts just suck. That's one myth that I now believe. Now that the excuse of the day has been registered, the lifts. Squats, 1 x 12 x air, 1 x 10 x 45, 1 x 5 x 65, 1 x 5 x 95, 5 x 5 x 115. Sadly tough. Power cleans 1 x 5 x 45, 1 x 3 x 65, 1 x 3 x 75, 2 x 3 x 80- hoorible fail on the last one. 2 x 3 x 75, 1 x 2 x 75, got pissed and did 1 x 2 x 75 clean and press.

Front squats 1 x 5 x 45, 1 x 3 x 55, 1 x 3 x 60, 1 x 3 x 65, 1 x 3 x 70. Overhead squats 2 x 5 x 45, 1 x 3 x 55, 1 fail to even get the bar overhead at 65, then regrouped and did 5 x 3 x 65. Romanian deadlifts 5 x 5 x 95. Home for food and sleep, 6am yoga tomorrow.

Unmotivated day

Sunday I didn't train, went to my sister's house and hung out with my crazy nieces for a while. Grilled chicken and then decided to burn the shred pile which was much more fun then sitting there shredding for half an hour. Today I got up for yoga, during class my right shoulder felt wonky when lifting it up and down but now it seems okay. This is a thing because tonights lifts will be clean and press and overhead squats, so i don't know if I should put that off until tomorrow and just walk tonight or what. Walking around waving my arms like a giant bird doesn't hurt so maybe I just slept awarkwardly. Work is slow so I cleaned the kitchen, now I could do the rest of the house or take a nap. Leaning towards the nap.

No nap, continued to work and my 800 number went out halfway through a consultation. This was the Monday curse for sure. Training; warm-up with 12 air squats, 1 x 10 x 45 back squat, 3 x 8 x 45 front squats, 3 x 10 push-ups, 3 x 8 x 45 overhead pressin a little circuit. Clean and front squat 2 x 3 x 45, clean and press 1 x 3 x 65, went for 75 and couldn't make the second rep so singled them out 7 x 1 x 75. Power cleans 1 x 3 x 80, just to see if i could, next time I have this session (Saturday) I'm going for 5 x 3 x 80. Tried to snatch the bar and failed, so power snatch 1 x 3 x 45. Just so unco-ordinated today. Overhead squat 1 x 5 x 45, 1 x 3 x 65, 1 sort of at 75, dropped it, 1 x 4 x 70 I was surprised, 1 x 3 x 70. Clean and press 1 x 2 x 70, 2 x 1 x 70.

I thought squats would make it all better- wrong! 1x5x95, 1 x 3 x 115 and my back started getting cranky, so I did a set of 15 hyperextensions and finished with 2 miles on the treadmill at 4.0 mph. Nothing about this day was easy, it was all a slog.

Tight left shoulder

I'm not sure what I did but my left shoulder and neck don't want to turn and twist like normal, which makes driving challenging amoung other things. I took yoga yesterday morning and today but so far its the same. I hope it feels better tonight so I can lift, today would be an Oly-style training day with a lot of overhead work. If I have to put it off it kind of screws up the weekend lifting schedule, but when it hurts to shrug thats probably a sign. Dammit.

Forgot to log this, well it is logged on Fitocracy so I could toggle between the sites or just wing it. My shoulder and upper back mobility were okay so I decided to go for an abbreviated lifting session. Warmed up w 12 air squats, 1 x 10 x 45 back squats, then 3 rounds of 3 x 8 x 45 front squats, 3 x 10 push-ups, 3 x 8 x 45 overhead presses. Power cleans 2 x 5 x 45, 1 x 5 x 65, clean and press 1 x 1 x 75, 5 x 1 x 70, 1 x 5 x 65. Back to power cleans 5 x 3 x 75. Overhead squats 5 x 5 x 45. Walked on the treadmill for 2 miles, working slowly up to this repetitive cardio again to avoid shinsplints this time.

Tomorrow squats 3 x 5 x 125, just going to grind them out, haven't decided whether to rep bench press at 95 going for 3 x 5 x 95, or lift heavier at lower reps. I'll play that by ear depending on how it goes. Then deadlifts 2 x 3 x 165 as I had to single out at 175 last time and could tell my form wasn't good. Just need to be aggro and strong. Walk another two miles.

All better and lifting again.

I took the long yoga class today, as I feel such releif from tight muscles as long as I keep up the yoga classes. Seriously, parts of the class are incredibly uncomfortable but it is worth it to be effortlessly flexible for the rest of the time. I may as well take them, the gym membership includes them so I'm paying whether they are taken or not. After that, I lifted. Yes, it would be ideal to do those things the other way around but I am not getting up at 6am to do that.
Warm-up with 12 air squats, 1 x 10 x 45 back squat, 1 x 8 x 45 front squat, 10 push-ups, 1 x 8 x 45 front squats, 10 push-ups, 1 x 5 x 55 front squats, 10 push-ups, 1 x 5 x 65 front squats, 1 x 5 x 70 front squats.

Overhead squats, 2 x 8 x 45, 1 x 5 x 55, 3 x 5 x 65, 1 x 2 x 70 interspersed with overhead press 2 x 5 x 45. Power cleans, 2 x 5 x 45, 1 x 3 x 55, clean and press 1 x 3 x 65, 5 x 1 x 75, power cleans 5 x 3 x 75. Back squats 1 x 5 x 95, 1 x 5 x 105, 1 x 3 x 115, 1 x 3 x 120, 1 x 4 x 120, 1 x 4 x 115 and done. Home, ate lunch and looking forward to an afternoon nap.