Crazins!

These pomegranate dried cranberries are delish, too bad they appear to have no nutritional value at all. Today wasn't my strongest, and I got a good video of my feet but nothing else but I repped it out anyway. So, in detail: Warm-up, 10 minutes on the arc trainer, 22 back extensions (my legs and ass felt so heavy).

Squats, 10 with no weight or bar, 8 with just the bar. Then 1x4x55, 1x3x65, 1x3x75, 1x3x85, 1x3x95, 1x3x105. Water and pee break, then 4x3x107.5, 1x4x107.5, 1x5x105, 1x5x95.

Overhead press, concentrating on the shrup at the top, 1x5xbar, 1x4x55, 5x3x65. Deadlifts; 1x4x115, 1x5x135, 1x4x137.5, 1x3x135. Felt weak. Barbell curls 1x10xbar, 1x6xbar. Home and had a roast beef sub and dried cranberries. What I really want is 10 beers!

Monday will be front squats, bench press and power cleans after Spin or combat class which is really a pumped up type of Tae-bo.

Deadlifting tomorrow

Squats, 107.5; overhead press 67.5, deads 1x5x135, 1x5x137.5. I will record these lifts if possible. Today was in between heavy lift days so I did steady state cardio in the form of fast walking on the treadmill for 40 mins and bumped it up to a jog/run for the last 15. Talk about a red face. I was really into the carbs after that, and totally gave in, but my depleted legs feel great now (a few hours later). I hope the carbs dissapated into stored glucose in my muscles just waiting for tomorrow to come in handy.

RDLs

Did my first real sets of Romanian deadlifts today, my fear that they would be too easy was unfounded. At 5:15am I got up and ready for the 6am Spin class, which would have been a lot better if the damn fans were on in the room. But, for all I know some of the people in there may have wanted conditioning to ride bikes outside in the miserably hot weather, so I dealt with it. Good thing I brought a full-size bath towel to mop the sweat off with.
Lifting fasted and after cardio was new. Having read several articles lately that say we are capable of more then we know, I decided to do it and see. Squats, 3x5x105, then 2x5x95. These were tough but okay, next I need to woman up and put those new micro-plates on the bar for 107.5. Dumbbell bench presses weren't as good, maxing out at 2x5x30 both hands, 1x5x30 one handed. I just ran out of gas with my arms/ chest.

Not wanting to completely wuss out, I went back to the rack and did a set of RDLs with just the bar, then 2x5x95 working with the form tips on the video posted below. They were rough but okay. Finished the workout with 1x10xbar overhead press, and bicep curls 1x10xbar. Home and ate.

Barbell complex after-effects

Sore hamstrings! That is actually a relief, I'd rather deal with soreness then uncertainty that a workout actually, worked. Regular deadlifts, as hard as they are, always just seem to work my back muscles no matter how I try to concentrate on pulling with legs and glutes. I hope Romanian deads will focus on the hamstrings more. It was suggested that my lower back was stronger then glutes, which sounded a bit wrong. One expects their ass to be stronger then the back. But, I attempt to be open-minded when the suggestor has some sense about them and will do the RDLs between standard deadlift sessions.

Oh the neighbor redid an animal shelter website and I wish I didn't look. So many sweet cats that need a house with a couch by the window. My boy cat is sitting right here, and I almost think he read that last sentence as he rewarded me with a stinky kitty fart. He still hasn't gotten over the addition of the other cat. Okay dear, the two of you are enough for now.

Tonight didn't start out great; my least favorite Spin instructor was subbing so I left and tried to get into the Combat class but it was full, which resulted in treadmill time. The later combo-class was good though, and we did upper back work which I need. If the cats get me up early I will take the 6am Spin class tomorrow and then lift later when the gym should be empty.

The jury is out

Not that jury (bunch of damn fools on Casey Anthony's jury, I hope she never has another child), the imaginary one on the Bloody Barbell Complex Mel and I did tonight. It was different, basically high rep low weight, the front squats were tough. I discovered I haven't a clue how to do overhead squats and that showing someone how to do a hang clean is harder then one might think. I don't really buy the muscle confusion theory, on the other hand Crossfit chicks are strong and look great. My understanding of Crossfit is that they mix up exercises all the time. Feeling vaguely beat-up in an unfamiliar way, like I cheated by not doing my regular session or something. Overhead squats, I should have watched this first.

Okay, was also doing the Romanian Deadlifts wrong today. It seemed odd that the bar was so far away from my body, need to pull it back in. The good thing is that we only went up to 55 lbs as this was a completely new workout. Here is Rippetoe showing how one is supposed to do an RDL.
http://startingstrength.com/index.php/site/platform_the_rdl
Tomorrow I will do Coralette's Pump class, and possibly take Spin beforehand, then Thursday will be squats, 3x5x110, bench press 3x5x 77.5, Romanian Deadlift work up to 3x5x 95lbs. This will be my first session incorporating real RDLs as opposed to the practice sets at 55lbs today, so will be conservative on weight.

Thinking about Tuesday's session

I'll Spin first, then either do the barbell workout I posted about here if Mel is joining me, or squats, bench press and Romanian deadlift? I need to visit Youtube and check those out again. I think it's basically use less weight and don't touch the ground, go to one's mid-shin and come back up. After the clusterfuck of Sunday's session I am seriously thinking about that other gym again.

The alternative barbell workout is, overhead squat 10 reps, hang clean 10 reps, standing press 10 reps, bentover row 10 reps, lunge 10 reps per leg, Romanian deadlift 10 reps, front squat 10 reps. For the first time we will use the bar only, then the next two go-rounds 55 lbs. Not being even sure I can do an overhead squat with the bar, we will decide whether to use a lighter bar or do back squats instead.


These are the squats from yesterday, I do flop down a bit when concentration is lost. That guy next to me loading the calf raise machine (stupidest machine in the gym) did it but it is up to me to remain focused.

These helpful people are killing me!

Now I have another one. The way we met is, I took the squat rack he was using, because I saw how high the loaded bar was on the prongy-things, looked around the gym and the only guy over 6feet tall was leaving, and I thought he just abandoned the rack without clearing the bar which is a normal thing at the gym. Turned out, a guy who is an inch taller then me was using it, he just sets the bar to high for his height. I apologized and that was that. Well now we tend to run into each other on weekends and he has lots of unhelpful and long-winded tips.

Interesting how a cute guy can become not cute when they are giving one bad advice. I pulled the trainer card as soon as he started talking about the Smith machine (thanks Kyle) and he chilled out a little. Who knew lifting would bring on etiquette difficulties? I can't just say, "Shut up, you're doing it wrong."

Today I did squats, work sets 3x5x105, struggling and slow. I read somewhere that one should do the sets as quickly as possible, which was a jeez moment. I think I will continue grinding them out for now. After the three tough sets I did a 1x5x95 to top it off, also the gym was, as mentioned, distracting today. Overhead press, 3x5x60. Cleans, backed way off on weight to work on form, 5x3x65.

Enjoying a little break

Took Friday and today off from training of any kind. Luckily the gym will be open Sunday and I have no idea what I will do for the Fourth. Heavy squats next, will see how I feel with 115, go to that weight if possible, if not stay at 110 and add reps or a set. Still waiting for the 1.25 plates to get here, with the holiday it is taking even longer. grrr. Overhead press 65lbs, didn't get 3x5 last time so going for that now. Power cleans 80lbs, skipped them last session. I'll try to film the cleans this time.

Weirdly distended belly

I didn't post the deadlift video because my belly looks like it is about to burst forth with Alien triplets. Having not left Earth lately, literally and metaphorically, pregnancy probably isn't an issue, and the boobs aren't any bigger (Thank GOD) which is usually the first sign. So we have a mystery.

Normally, if its fat, there is also fat added on my hips and upper back. Nope, hips okay, back even better then usual and in the morning the belly looks normal. Not flat, but not balloon either. Google gave me lots of possibilities from cancer! to PCOS, to bloating. Then, lots of tips from cutting all carbs, to eating more potatoes and bananas- no I didn't make that one up, and hate bananas anyway. It was like a Bing commercial so I decided to utilize my brain and figure out what the hell I am doing differently.

Coffee. More specifically, coffee creamer. This organic, non-processed, fresh food lover and cook has a secret. I love powered coffee creamer in coffee, lots of it. Thinking that disregarding the alarming label was okay due to the rest of my healthy diet was a mistake, and the giant belly does happen right after drinking a huge cup of coffee with loads of powdered creamer in it. As of today the creamer is hitting the trash and green tea is next up.

Here is the clip, hopefully the last one including Alien fetuses.

That set is the second of two sets of five, and it was hard. My back does want to curve up at the end too. Second verse, same as the first, next deadlift session I will repeat this weight. Warm-up 1x5x115, then 2x5x135 and work on chest up, pinch shoulder blades together cues. Heh, at the end of the set you can see a woman doing the 'drinking bird' behind me. She is the best Spin instructor there but only teaches at 6am so I hardly ever make that class.

Backwards on deadlifts

Tonight's session wiAGGRH cats do not care what one is trying to do!

Ok. So, tonight will be jump squats, 1x10xbar, 4x10x55, then bench press with the standard bar to as much weight for reps as possible. I will record it after. Deadlifts, down to 135 2x5 and video-record them for form check.

Here is what sucks. Resigned to lowering the deadlift weight, again, I then see a video someone posted of a knock-kneed 15 year-old girl pulling 200 lbs. Not a 15 y/o gymnast or sporty-looking girl, a totally thin little Bambi. WTF.

Home from the gym, today I tried something new: writing down my sets as completed while in the gym. Novel idea, right? After a ten minute warm-up on the Arc-Trainer and 25 back extensions, jump squats. 1x10xbar, 4x10x55, then 1x7x55, I had to stop due to lost form. Basically, I loosened up my upper back and the bar was smooshing down.
Standard bench press, 2x8xbar, 1x5x55, 1x5x65, 4x5x75. Best bench press sets ever. This was either because I was just doing it wrong before- press up from my feet too and get down below the uprights so they are out of the way? Who knew? Lots of people apparently, and now me too. Or the improvement came about from the dumbbell bench pressing I have been doing for the last three weeks. That is cool.
Deadlift, 1x5x115, 2x5x135, I'll upload the clip.

Bloody barbell complex and other workouts to try LINK

This better improve

As it is taking too long for the microplates I ordered to get here, I went to find some of the 2" washers that are often recommended for that purpose. Neither Lowe's nor Home Depot has ever heard of such things, in spite of much forum myth to the contrary. Considering how vast the merchandise selection is at both places, I would be unsurprised if they both have what I want and the guys I spoke to just had no idea. Looks like I am stuck waiting for the ordered pair and increasing reps when possible until then.

Happily, it is raining and if it keeps up the gym may be emptier then usual for Wednesday and I'll get into the new class tonight. That will be interesting, one of the trainers who is awesome, and the only one who knows Oly lifting is an instructor- and one of the trainers who is annoying as hell and insists on making up new whacked out Bosu exercises is the other. Guess where I want to be? If there are Bosu balls in combat class I am so out of there.

Update: No balls, but lots of punching. I loved it and can happily throw punches and kicks all night. Even better if they have somewhere to land. It is a fast-paced cardio-type class. Normally annoying trainer was pretty cute too, the class is tightly choreographed so no made-up stuff and she looked like she was having a blast. It was fun, I can do this a couple of times a week.

Spin, squat and overhead press

Finally had a lifting partner today, my gym buddy who takes all sort of classes was up for it. She squatted up to 65 lbs- first day! I wasn't too surprised as she is pretty strong. In bad news, we attracted one of those 'former powerlifters' (skinny old man) who has all kinds of fucked up suggestions to keep the ladies from hurting ourselves. There was a lot of nodding and smiling going on. I don't have the heart to tell someone off when I know we will see each other on a consistent basis, and he was trying to help, obnoxious as it was. So, my squats were 3x5x110, overhead press 3x4x65. We are taking a new Body Combat class tomorrow if we can get in, it's been hyped to death so may be full. The update on that will be tomorrow.
In the interest of fitness, I present to you Rammstein including amazing glitter-suit treadmill keyboardist.

I don't want to lower the deadlift weight!

Mr. Personal Trainer, so I'll do the planks suggested and next deadlift day (Thursday) go for 2 sets of three at 150 instead of one set of five. My core may look unstable but I can actually feel ab and core muscles in there, which were previously thought non-existent, so something is happening, it just needs to improve. It looks like it will be over a week before the micro-weight plates get here, so I'll muddle through until then and go for 70 lb overhead presses Tuesday, as well as 80 lb cleans. The form DVD helped on presses already and I'm expecting better results on power cleans as well. So, today Spin in the evening, tomorrow Spin then lifting, Weds probably that funny abs class. Still deciding whether to go back to Zumba as easy cardio, Spinning all the time gets old and its too hot and muggy to do outside cardio.

Good heavy day

It rained, so the gym was unusually packed for Sunday but I was able to get through training without having to wait around for power racks and what-not. Squats, 3x5x110, a little sloppy at the end but made it up. I'll stick with this weight next session to clean up the form. Dumbbell bench, 3x5x30 lbs per hand, then 3x5x 30 one handed, there were tough. Deadlift, warmup 1x5x115, 1x5x135, 1x5x150. Goals met, feeling too weak right now to even eat anything but did have almost a cup of organic skim milk. I'll probably just take a Spin class Monday, then Tues is squats, 3x5x110, Overhead press, need to look back at the previous workout, I don't remember if i got 65 lbs that time. I ordered micro plates, 1.25 each, should come in next week and help with the overhead press. Power cleans 5x3x80, will review form on the DVD a couple of times first. Here I am lifting, will try a more sideways view next time.
Did I mention the the Starting Strength DVD is amazing? It is comphrehensive and goes over the form plenty of times with a wide range of lifters, some even older then me! My squat form needs work, got to get out of the habit of looking forward while coming back up, and get the bar lower on my back, but at least the DVD makes one clearly aware of the correct way to do all the lifts. Implementing and breaking bad habits is another challenge.

Jumping!

Last night i took a mixed cardio/ weights class mostly as a chance to socialize with one of my gym buddies who hasn't been around in a while. Being aware of the idea that training with weights, especially barbells, makes one heavy and slow, I didn't know what to expect. Well, I did have an idea, so for the weights part of the class I choose the heaviest dumbbells offered, 7 and 8 lbs (the 7 lb ones were purple too!) and our multi-rep sets were not a problem. The surprise was during cardio. I was jumping, effortlessly and high, it seriously felt like i could do that all day, and this was after taking a Spin class immediately before. Love using Spin as a warmup. It was amazing. There was even the little exercise girl in the front doing everything just so, who ended up gassing out ha-ha-ha. To give an idea, I sport D-cups, so not the body type one expects to have an easy time leaping about but there you go.

Next training session tonight or tomorrow will be jump squats (my new best friend) 1x10xbar, 2x8x55, 2x8x60. Overhead press, going for 65lbs here, 3x5x65. Power cleans 3x5x80.

Form check

The Starting Strength DVD came yesterday, and I have been working my way through it, much to the dismay of my man who isn't as interested in weightlifting form. I did a modified volume day in the gym to implement the form tips. One thing I noticed is that I did get a lot out of the book after ordering it nine months ago, and changed my form as it got harder. As far as squats go that meant raising the bar higher on my back and changing neck position from looking down to up. Today was all about going back to the original form with the bar lower on my back and eyes on a point five feet ahead looking at the floor. Squat work sets were good, 5x5x95. (90% of regular 5 rep weight) Overhead press, more form which I had forgotten about most notably the shrug at the top was ok, 5x5x55. Then deadlifts which still need work but tightening my lats helped. 1x5x145. Next plan is to increase squat weight to 110lbs and order 1.25lb weight plates as soon as all the bills are paid. Work has been brutally slow lately so I can't justify another gym membership right now.

Changing my mind

I was going to do jump squats today (I usually alternate heavy and jump squats to relieve the grind of heavy squats every time) But today I am curious if the advice given me on staying strong during squats as well as not wimping out at the end will see me to a successful range of work sets. The new plan is squats at 3x5x105 lbs, overhead press 60 lbs 3x5, and power cleans 5x3x80. Recording them is probably a good idea too, I imagine the gym will be pretty empty today considering it is Father's Day. My dad's spirit would approve of a training session today in his honor.

Coffee is brewing. As skinny boys are encouraged to take advantage of the growth hormones found in a gallon of milk a day, so unskinny ladies of a certain age should be allowed the energizing effects of caffeine. Half an hour after that is consumed will be gym time. I am not sure if I will be able to get to the gym tomorrow as I am on niece watch duty until an unspecified time, but if making the 7pm Spin class is possible I will go.

Setting in my mind that my Dad was there helping the lifts helped along with Kyle's voice in my ear saying I could do it - I made every rep of every set. Awesome training session today.

discovered inner wussness

Friday eve session, started off warming up on the arc trainer, 10 mins, then 20 back extensions. Squats, 2x4x105. I filmed one set and have been informed that stopping out of fear I won't make the last rep is not failing, it is being a sucktard (not in those words, but you know what I mean). So man up woman! After that I did 1x5x95. Went on the bench presses, and found a spotter who is pleasant and strong yet does not cause me to have sudden sexual fantasies in the middle of the exercise thus compromising my concentration, and did 3x4x75, the last rep of the last tow sets assisted. We also learned that 'help' may be the agreed upon safe word but the actual word that comes out of my mouth before being pinned is 'fuck!'.

I went on to dumbbell presses and did 3x5x30 regular and one-handed. Then deadlifts, feeling weak and yucky so I did 2x5x135, another set of back extensions and called it a night. tomorrow, Sunday, will do jump squats, 1x10xbar, 4x10x55, then overhead press 3x6x60, then power cleans 5x3x80.

Thinking about deadlifts

Today will make two dead sessions this week, and Monday's was rough on my back, but the stiffness went away by Weds. So, the plan is to do 1x5x135, then try 2x5x145 but rest for a longer time between the two heavy sets. This will be after squatting 3x5x105, success in that means 5 more pounds on the bar next time Whoohoo!! Also dumbbell bench presses3x5x35, one handed 3x4x30, and I may reverse the order of that to prioritize the one-handed, will decide at the gym.

I'm also going to record myself squatting and deadlifting, if the clips are decent (at least, if I think they are) I'll upload them to youtube and send a couple of trusted people the link. If they want to look at that and give me feedback, that will be great. I'm still too weird about Internet privacy to post them here tho, esp when I see where some of my views came from yikes! There are some disappointed porn searchers out there when all they get is my training log.

First workout at the new gym

The plan is to join the new gym today and go over my current workout plan, a slightly re-arranged Starting Strength, with the owner Steve. Today's workout would normally be, jump squats, 1x10xbar, 3x12x55, overhead press 3x5x60lbs, hang cleans, 5x3x80 if possible, I had to drop down to 75 last week after failing them alot. Now, they have a lot of success with powerlifters at this gym, so the thing will be if I let go of the workout plan I have been doing and go with something else or not, not too sure about that.


Oops, change of plan. This is what happens when posting at four am. I forgot that today is Weds and it is abs class day. Now, yes one can work abs on one's own, but this class is not to be missed. In a regular Pilates-type abs class it is mostly silent women and very boring, but this one has a good 50-50 split. The guys in the class make these dramatic moans and groans whenever it gets difficult which cracks me up, and thus a must attend in spite of the fact that it is an annoyingly busy night to train. In other news, I did not sleep well last night at all, as the four am post should demonstrate, Ugh!

Update: The abs class did not disappoint, fun yet hard at the same time. Once in the weight room, I started w jump squats, 1x10xbar, 5x8x55. Next overhead press 3x5x60, I must go to Lowe's or somewhere for those washers to microload this, can't wait to get stronger. On that note, I forgot to see if they even had little plates at the new gym. Those guys who train there are awfully big so I don't know. Hopefully the 2.5 lb plates are standard in gyms. Then, power cleans 5x3x75- and this time they were real cleans. I figured out that four of those step risers equals the distance of a 45lb plate from the floor, and a guy was using the power rack, so i improvised. Pretty sure my form is still crappy when it comes to the squat at the end, I need to get Rip's dvd. What do you know, it's only $20! It is on the way, with shipping it still came to under $23.