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.

Yoga and lifting part 2

I am sold on the combination of yoga and weightlifting. Before I started practicing yoga regularly I was constantly sore, to the point of always rubbing my legs and top of my back. Foam rolling was good but the results didn't last and I can't afford regular massages. It's been three months that I've been attending at least three yoga classes a week and the difference is wonderful. My legs are simply not stiff and sore anymore. Sometimes, in the yoga class the day after training with weights I feel inflexible, and foot cramps happen, but I let the body ease into the position without always trying to compete with myself in the last class or the person next to me, and invariably I am much more flexible and feel amazing by the end of the class.

At first it was like eating raw broccoli, detestable but you know its good for you. Now I'm hooked. If weightlifting is making you feel beat-up and older than you were before you started, I implore you to find a beginner or restorative yoga class before giving up on the weightroom.

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.

Yoga and bench press

Up early for yoga, always challenging but I'm improving at the postures. Then bench press, still tough to attack weights after reaching Zen. 12 push-ups, Bench press 1 x 10 x 45, 1 x 5 x 65, 1 x 5 x 85, 1 x 1 x 95, 1 x 2 x 95, got a spotter for lift off and encouragement, 3 x 3 x 95- Thank-you Gary! 1 x 10 x 75. One arm dumbell presses, 1 x 5 x 20, 1 x 5 x 25, 1 x 5 x 30, done. I need to catch up on sleep this weekend, also noticing that Olympic lifts require more recovery for my shoulders and upper back. I have got to start running if I am still going to do that trail run in March which is already paid for. Love this cool weather, it really seems like the Christmas season this year, much more then it did last year.

First power lifts since the back tweak

Took 8am yoga class first, then 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 95, 3 x 3 x 105. Hyperextensions 3 x 12. Clean and press 1 x 5 x 45, 1 x 5 x 55, 2 x 3 x 65, 2 x 1 x 70, 1 x 1 x 75. Power cleans 3 x 3 x 75, the last one of these was a sloppy mess. Overhead squats 3 x 5 x 45, 2 x 3 x 55, back muscles started to feel sore but not in a bad pulled way, more in the worked-out kind of way. Power snatch 1 x 3 x 35, 1 x 3 x 45- these were actually done before the overhead squats. Deadlifts 2 x 3 x 135 and done. That went okay, its been six hours now and my back doesn't feel bad. Tomorrow yoga is at 4pm so I need to log off work early, then walk 2 miles, in fact I may add some running in there now.

Weds will be squats, 3 x 5 x 105, bench press (need to see what last weeks weight was), one-arm dumbbell press 30lbs, deadlifts 1 x 3 x 135, 2 x 3 x 145. Tonight I should take a 2 mile walk but I really feel like sleeping instead.

The day after

the clunky, uncoordinated, weak workout that was last night, I got up slowly at 530 and went to yoga. I am not a morning person according to everyone who has been exposed to me fore 11am, so doing this on a regular basis means I am convinced it helps. Not joining the Cirque du Soliel anythime soon, but it is such a huge relief to be able to scratch between my shoulder blades with my hand instead of the back of a chair. Not only that, days of longing for someone to rub my tight legs have given way to normalcy. Not that I will say no to a good leg rub.

Tomorrow will be squat, bench deadlift day. Squat 3 x 5 x 125, yes it is a do-over. Bench press 3 x 5 x 90. I've been stuck at 3s for 95 lbs for a while and want to see how this goes. Deadlifts, 1 x 5 x 135, 2 x 5 x 145. Not as heavy as I want heavy day to be, conservative here. Also, I should walk today if I have time as two different social things are on the agenda for the day. But no sex! Lifting 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.

Dog barking in one ear, cat meowing in the other.

Good thing I spent the morning at the gym and am too loose to feel annoyed. Started with yoga, 1.5 hours. Then lifts. Lifting after yoga makes it a tough warm-up but I managed. Warmed up with air squats, 1 x 12, back squats, 1 x 10 x 45, front squats, 1 x 8 x 45, 10 push-ups, front squats, 1 x 8 x 45, push-ups 10, front squats 1 x 5 x 65, Power cleans 1 x 5 x 45, clean and press 1 x 5 x 45, clean, front squat press 1 x 5 x 45. Power clean 1 x 3 x 65, clean and press 1 x 3 x 65, clean front squat and press 1 x 3 x 65, 1 x 1 x 70, 3 x 1 x 75.

Overhead squat 1 x 5 x 45, power snatch 1 x 5 x 45, snatch 1 x 5 x 45, overhead squat 1 x 3 x 55, power snatch 1 x 3 x 55, snatch 1 x 3 x 55. My snatch is in slow motion. Overhead squat 2 x 3 x 65, 2 x 3 x 75, 1 x 3 x 70, 3 x 5 x 65. Clean and press 3 x 3 x 65 and I was so done.

Driving on the way home I felt all the exercise endorphins floating around my head, it was great. If anyone had asked a question at that time the answer would have been yes regardless. That is fading away with my various animals being annoying and the fact that my "Lift More Suck Less" bumper sticker came all folded and mesed up and may need to be returned. I contacted Cafepress and requested they just send a new one, will see how that goes.

Perspective

This morning the regular internal battle of why I should or shouldn't get up for yoga happened, and somehow I got up and went. About halfway thru class Beth, a woman I took Spinning classes with for at least a year during my cardiobunny days came in. She has been fighting cancer for the past year, her hair is gone and she is nowhere near the shape she was in back then, but she made it to class even though she was late. Late would have been on the top of my list not to go.

So, yeah, my piddly problems of a bloated tummy and wanting to sleep in til 8 are damn trivial. We talked, she is doing well and done with traveling for chemo treatments. I don't know anything about cancer, I guess after chemo they give the body a break for a while to get back to health and then test or scan you again. I hope its gone.

My snatch needs work.

I made it to yoga on Monday morning! Being able to move my arms and legs around is addicting I tell you. Then, at 7:30pm, I lifted. Warmed up with 12 air squats, 1 x 10 x 45, 10 push-ups, 1 x 8 x 45 front squats, 10 more push-ups, 1 x 8 x 45 front squats, clean and front squat 1 x 5 x 55, 3 x 5 x 65. Then, clean squat and press 3 x 3 x 65.

Snatch stuff, power snatch 2 x 3 x 45, full snatch 1 x 3 x 45. Overhead squat 1 x 3 x 55, 3 x 3 x 65, one more set of clean and press 1 x 3 x 65. Back squats 1 x5 x 95, 3 x 5 x 115. And done.

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.

The rest of the week

Tuesday I took a yoga class that was perfect for a stiff like me. Wednesday the lower back still felt a little funny so I took a Spin class instead of lifting. That was fun and the extra blood flow probably helped my back recover, so while I'm concentrating on lifting the plan is to shelve the long distance running and keep cardio to spin class and some interval treadmill work. Today, I lifted weights.

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 105,(this is more warm-up sets then usual to test out the back) 1 x 5 x 115, 1 x 3 x 125, 1 x 1 x 135, 1 x 2 x 135, decided not to push it while the going was good, 135# squats next week! I vow not to do anything stupid to mess up my training until I make 225# squats. Not that I plan to do something dumb immediately after that. 2 x 10 x push-ups, 1 x 3 x 125, 2 x 5 x 115 and done. First heavy squat set since the diving incident.

Bench press 1 x 10 x 45, 1 x 5 x 65, 1 x 5 x 85, 1 x 5 x 90 with a good spotter who gave me a lift-off. Love you Eddie! 3 x 3 x 90, no spot for these. I will have that 100# bench press soon.

Deadlifts 3 x 3 x 135, still taking care of the lower back.I bet once that is no longer a weak spot my lifts will fly up in weight. Bicep curls 2 x 8 x 45. Then Yoga class. Tomorrow I may take a day off or hit Spin.

Reason 1 not to ignore your cat

She was nuzzling her little heart out on me, and the lamp, early this morning and I ignored her long enough to sleep thru 6am Spin darn it! So, I took the 7:45 yoga class instead. When the instructor asked me if it was my first class I didn't want to explain that I typically take a yoga class once a year so I just said the first in a long time. Other then the seemingly endless round of Sun Salutations (bleh) it was pretty good and my muscles feel loosened up. Lifting sure makes me eat eat eat though sheesh although part of that may also be due to my weaning off birth control pills. I want to see what it is like not to have all that extra estrogen running through my body and know from experience that just stopping them completely is a bad idea. As in, a feeling of non-stop PMS.