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.

First training since the vein shots

On the after-care sheet they give you, highlighted and bold at the bottom it says, "Your legs will look worse before they look better." Today was a worse day, I noticed while showering. I began with 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, 1 x 3 x 115, 1 x 3 x 125, 1 x 3 x 135- YAY, 2 x 1 x 135, wussed out. Pissed, I took 10 pounds off, 3 x 3 x 125, 3 x 5 x 115. Moved on the bench press 1 x 10 x 45, 1 x 5 x 65, 1 x 3 x 85, 1 x 3 x 95, 2 x 2 x 100, couldn't find a spotter and the second rep of each of those sets was slow going up. 2 x 1 x 100, took 5 pounds off 1 x 2 x 95, 2 x 3 x 95- found a spotter and even went for a fourth on both of these sets cause i knew he would help with the failed reps. 3x 12 hyperextensions and then into the showers to inspect as closely as i could the back of my legs.

Catching up

Wednesday am I went to yoga, having completely forgetting to go at 4pm Tuesday. I was busy working. Then, Wednesday I did not train a with weights. Thursday was Thanksgiving, and making that turkey was exhausting. Today, I lifted.

The plan was to squat, bench and deadlift as heavy as possible and then have a couple of back-off sets, but I did not get the memo that bench=pressing, bicep curling and all of its variants are of VITAL IMPORTANCE to do on Black Firday, as so did not have access to the weights and benches necessary. Warm-up was 2 x 12 x hyperextensions, 2 x 12 x push-ups. 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 115, 3 x 3 x 125, tough but okay, 5 x 3 x 115, these started to feel good and go up nicely during the final two sets. Did one set each of dumbbell bench and one-armed dumbbell benchss 1 x 8 x 20, 1 x 5 x 20 as a warm-up, then did not have any more weights to use so after standing around waiting for some guys to finish warming up with the 25 and 30 lb dumbbells (long enough to realize that they were not in fact warming up but were doing their work-sets) I gave up on that.

So I deadlifted, 1 x 3 x 135, 1 x 2 x 155, 4 x 1 x 165, yucky form breakdown in the last rep, 1 x 2 x 155. Overhead squats 1 x 5 x 45, 3 x 5 x 65, and one last set each of push-ups and hyperextensions.

Then it was the time I was waiting for, shower, brow wax and long pedicure. So nice. I hit the grocery store for a slab of salmon for lunch, had that with half of a ripe avacodo and am starting to feel normal again.

Almost forgot to add the period report. Hey, some other peri-menopause ladies who lift may find it informative. Anyway, today my period started and the session was fine. For me, it is the week preceeding that has the most issues as far as relative weakness and uncoordination. PMS for the win! Not really.

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.

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.

Good squat day

Today I squatted 3x5x100 no problem. Do you have any idea how much enjoyment I get out of typing that? A lot. So, next time I am going for 105. Then, bench 3x4x75, single arm dumbbell bench 3x5x25. Deadlift 2x5x135, two sets of back extensions. I repped out the deads as it has been a sticking point for me, I think it has to be a back strength issue as I never feel it in my glutes and legs. The plan is that power cleans will make my back stronger too. Monday will be jump squats at 55lbs, overhead press 60 lbs, power cleans at 75lbs, so the only weight increase is for overhead press and I will work on reps for the cleans as well as making that lift technically better. I'll probably Spin beforehand. Side note, the gym had its annual Spin-o-rama today which is when people spin for up to three hours for charity. Never have I seen more unhappy looking folks!

Finally back into training

Yesterday was the first day I ventured into the gym since getting the Plague. Its a good thing I took it easy as I am feeling muscle soreness today, that said, its better to feel sore after actually doing something rather then being ill. I warmed up on the ellipitcal for ten minutes and did 15 back extensions. When I started lifting I warmed up on the rowing machine but the elliptical works better for an all-around warm up I find. Then, onto the squat rack. My issues with form and adding weight to the bar prompted the decision to completely reset on squats. I did three sets/ ten reps or bar-only squats and, am feeling it in my quads today. Then onto bench where I gradually added weight to the bar to three work sets of 65 lbs. So, lighter then usual. I did two sets of bar presses on the upright bench while waiting for the rack to reopen up, then one set, five reps of 95 lb deads, one set five reps of 115. Finished it off with another set of back extensions and called it a day. Today my muscles are letting me know they did something, which I love. Next training session, Friday.