Kara's Lifting Adventure

[dillytl]

Congrats on reaching your mini-goal for your deads!!!! AND on finishing stage 4!!! You are rockin right on!!!

[nutbar]

Originally Posted by Littlemermaidklb

Great workout today! I reached my mini-goal of being able to deadlift 95lbs!

Very cool! Congrats!

[Littlemermaidklb]

The evil bodyweight matrix is back to haunt me!
I kept the same weights for this workout as the last time I did Stage 3. I can probably go up in most of them next time.

A: 1-arm DB snatch:
3x4(e) with a 25lb DB
*form on these was just eh, I need to get "comfortable" with the move again

B1: DB 1-leg RDL:
3x4(e) with 30s

B2: BB bent row:
3x4 with 70lbs

C1: DB overhead squat:
3x3 with 12.5/25
*I still HATE this one! Anyone know of a good substitute, cuz I truly feel this is pointless and odd

C2: DB incline bench:
3x4 with 25s

D1: Planks
3x120sec

D2: Side crunch off back ext:
1x4(e) with 15lbs
2x4(e) with 25lbs

Matrix:
Set 1: 3:15
Set 2: didn't happen

OMG I HATE THAT MATRIX!!!! Goal next time is to actually do it twice. Ugh!

[missjane]

Kara, I am wondering why you are having problems with the DB O/H squat. You should really be feeling this one, especially with the weights you are using. What part of it is feeling wrong? Maybe we can help.

[Littlemermaidklb]

I'm really not sure what the problem is with it... it's just awkward... that's the best I can describe it. My overhead arm feels like it's really behind my head, but if I move it forward I feel like I lean too much, and it's very odd having that big (as in wide) DB between my legs. I know my form is probably off, but I just can't get the hang of this thing. What exactly is the purpose of having our arm over our head anyway?

[stingo]

Originally Posted by Littlemermaidklb

I'm really not sure what the problem is with it... it's just awkward... that's the best I can describe it. My overhead arm feels like it's really behind my head, but if I move it forward I feel like I lean too much, and it's very odd having that big (as in wide) DB between my legs. I know my form is probably off, but I just can't get the hang of this thing. What exactly is the purpose of having our arm over our head anyway?

My guess would be to give your core/stabilizers a workout too, as well as burning more calories.

[Littlemermaidklb]

Originally Posted by stingo

My guess would be to give your core/stabilizers a workout too, as well as burning more calories.

Eh, I think my core gets enough of a workout with the 6 minutes of planks, lol.

Well, this the B workout I didn't like last time around. I don't know what it is about this stage, but I love the A workout and hate the B. This one is just not at all taxing metabolocally for me. I was able to do the HIIT at the end (which I neglected to do yesterday cuz I was a lazy bum) since I almost didn't feel like I worked hard enough by the time this was over. Oh well, I only have to do this workout 3 more times.

A: BB RDL/row:
3x4 with 80lbs

B1: 1-leg partial squat:
3x4(e) with 5s
(lowered the weight to work on form and getting a little lower in the squat)

B2: WG Lat pulldown:
1x4 @ 80lbs
2x4 @ 90lbs (last reps of the 3rd set weren't great, I couldn't pull the bar as far down as I should have)

C1: Back Ext:
1x4 with 25lbs
1x4 with 30lbs
1x4 with 25lbs
*the 30 was do-able but the hard part was holding the 25lb plate and the 5lb plate together... so I dropped the 5lbs for the last set

C2: YTWL:
3x4 with 5s
*still HATE these, but I feel like I'm getting a little better

D1: Ball crunches:
3x4 with 15lb DB

D2: Jack-knife:
3x4 with BW, couple seconds hold at the top of the movement

D3: Side crunch on ball:
3x4(e) with 15lb DB

HIIT:
4 intervals of 1minute hard, 1.5minute walk.
2 intervals at 8
2 at 8.5

I don't like the new protein I bought so I had soy nuggets and string cheese post workout.. is that good enough protein-wise?

[Littlemermaidklb]

First of all.. Happy 54th Birthday to my daddy!!!
This morning's workout went pretty well, nothing too exciting to speak of. I've been lax about tracking yesterday and today, but i know my choices have been good, so I'm not concerned.

A: 1-arm DB snatch:
2x4(e) with 25lb DB
2x4(e) with 30lb DB
*form on the last few was awful...but I did it!

B1: DB 1-leg RDL:
3x4(e) with 30s

B2: BB bent row:
3x4 with 80lb BB

C1: DB OH squat:
3x4(e) with 12.5/25
*form felt a little better on these... not much though, still fels awkward

C2: DB incline chest press:
3x4 with 25s
*I tried 30s on the last set.... definitely not strong enough for those yet.. couldn't get them even half-way up.

D1: Planks:
3x120sec

D2: Side crunch off back ext:
3x4(e) with 25lb plate to chest

Needed to get home for dad's b-day so I skipped the matrix today (so sad... not!)

I'm glad my bf will be visiting me for an extended period (of a week) at the beginning of next month. That's right around the time I'll be starting stage 6 and I will need some serious help figuring out that negative chin-up. As I posted in another thread at some point, we tried this move when i was still in stage one... he hoisted me up to the bar so my chin was over it and I was completely unable to slow my very rapid descent to a "dead hanging fish" position. So hopefully I will have improved somewhat since then, but I'll be VERY glad to have him along so I don't look like a complete tool!

[kfisherx]

Well you ought to be able to do the negatives better now since you are doing an 80lb barbell row. That translates pretty directly for you. I am amazed at how all of us are growing stronger and stronger throughout this challenge as we move through the phases. Very cool stuff.

With respect to the protein, anything is better than nothing but a fast acting whey is about the best thing you can do post workout because it doesn't have to digest first like food.

[Littlemermaidklb]

Thanks for the vote of confidence karla, I'm gonna need it! And regarding the protein, I just ordered Nitrean at MissJane's recommendation. So once that comes in, I'll be back to my protein shakes (and I can't wait! hehe)

[Lisa~]

Originally Posted by Littlemermaidklb

C1: DB overhead squat:
3x3 with 12.5/25
*I still HATE this one! Anyone know of a good substitute, cuz I truly feel this is pointless and odd

I have to admit that I found this exercise strange too. Unbalanced loads are usually used to create an instability that has to be controlled by the core, a "resisting twist" movement. But this exercise is placed in the program as the bilateral quad-dominant movement for a heavy 4 reps. Because it's unevenly balanced, the biggest challenge will be to the core, not to the legs/hips. I wish I could ask what his primary objective is with this exercise.

Personally, I feel some twisting through my lumbar area that I can't control. I've gotten sore in my QL on one side, and I know that's not desirable. My shoulders don't have a fantastic, Olympic-lifter's kind of flexibility and I believe that's the reason I can't keep my upper arm back far enough at the bottom of this squat. So, I've substituted barbell OH squats. Those are hard for me too, but I can do them. They're good for my posture. But I don't know if that's really a great substitution or not because the challenge is mainly in my thoracic area, keeping the bar back at the bottom of the squat so that it is still centered over my feet. My legs aren't being challenged that much by this. It's mostly a core/posture movement. (You mentioned that you felt like your upper arm was behind your head in the bottom of the squat, well, it's supposed to be.) Anyway, I'm rambling and I don't have a great suggestion for a substitute, but I can sympathize with your comments.

Originally Posted by Littlemermaidklb

Well, this the B workout I didn't like last time around. I don't know what it is about this stage, but I love the A workout and hate the B. This one is just not at all taxing metabolocally for me.

It's within your power to make it more metabolically challenging if that's what you need. Change the pistols to the hardest variation you can do (from that pistols article I linked you to in the other thread). You can do the band-assisted version without a band even. Just use a rope or towel or anything you can hold onto (you'll have to grasp it lower at the start if it's not a stretchy material). Then change the ball crunch to hanging leg raises--that'll keep your heart rate up! Do the hardest jack-knife version you can do--pikes if you can. It's only 4 reps so go for the hard stuff. Side flexion could be done on a back extension machine (allowing you to hold more weight) or you could do a DB windmill or a Saxon side bend, either of which would take you off a support, therefore make the movement more metabolically challenging.

C1: Back Ext:
1x4 with 25lbs
1x4 with 30lbs
1x4 with 25lbs
*the 30 was do-able but the hard part was holding the 25lb plate and the 5lb plate together... so I dropped the 5lbs for the last set

C2: YTWL:
3x4 with 5s
*still HATE these, but I feel like I'm getting a little better

On the back extension, it might be more comfortable to hold a DB instead of two plates. Grip it underhand by the bells and keep it high on your chest, up close to your chin.

I dislike YTWL's too, but they're good for us, so I encourage you to keep doing them! Focus on scapular retraction before every rep of every letter. The purpose is to learn to control the position of your scapulae on your ribcage and to strengthen the muscles that control scapular movements. If you've never watched Mark Verstegen's videos of YTWL's, then I encourage you to watch and listen to his descriptions. He explains them very well. I linked those up in the injury forum somewhere.

Originally Posted by Littlemermaidklb

C2: DB incline chest press:
3x4 with 25s
*I tried 30s on the last set.... definitely not strong enough for those yet.. couldn't get them even half-way up.

D2: Side crunch off back ext:
3x4(e) with 25lb plate to chest

I'm glad my bf will be visiting me for an extended period (of a week) at the beginning of next month. That's right around the time I'll be starting stage 6 and I will need some serious help figuring out that negative chin-up. As I posted in another thread at some point, we tried this move when i was still in stage one... he hoisted me up to the bar so my chin was over it and I was completely unable to slow my very rapid descent to a "dead hanging fish" position. So hopefully I will have improved somewhat since then, but I'll be VERY glad to have him along so I don't look like a complete tool!

Can you get a spot for those 30's on the bench press? It's so fun to get the bigger DB's up! Good for you.

I see you've substituted side crunch for woodchops, so if you use this move in workout B you need a different one here. This movement is supposed to be rotation, not really side flexion, so a band woodchop would great (go ahead and buy those bands!) or a declined Russian twist or a full contact twist (the way Mike Boyle does them), anything rotational.

A partner-assisted chin-up is one of the best assists you can get. As long as your boyfriend is around, use him as your assist. You just need to still have some assist during your negative. He can't totally let go of your feet. Instead, you attempt to lift your feet our of his hands while you control your descent. This assist is variable to exactly how much help you need through every angle of the descent, which is great. Bands offer variable assist, but you can't choose the amount. A machine assist is constant, which is the worse choice, and it take out the need for core control too. Good luck with these!

[Littlemermaidklb]

Thanks so much for all your comments Lisa~, they're most welcome!
I had been thinking of trying the overhead BB squats as a replacement for the weird DB ones and I wasn't sure if that was acceptable or not, maybe I will try that next time.
As for workout B, I already do pikes for the JKs and I added a pause at top to make those harder. I aldo so the side crunches off the back extension. I'll put the hanging leg raises in, should I add a pause at the top of that movement too since it's only 4 reps? I will try to figure out what to use at my gym to help with my pistol squats until I can get a band. Also I watched the videos on the YWTLs and concentrated more on my scapular movement last time, which I think helped a lot.

And DUH on the DB's instead of plates when I do the back extention! Why the heck didn't I think of that?!? I'm such a dunce sometimes, hehe thanks!

[Lisa~]

Before you add a pause at the top of your hanging leg raise, take a look at some of these core training options and simply choose the most challenging version you can perform with good technique. There are lots to choose from!

Core Exercises That Really Work « All Around Strength and Conditioning

Deconstructing Hanging Windshield Wipers | Straight to the Bar - all things strength

[Littlemermaidklb]

I already can't wait for this stage to be over so I can start stage 6... I'm getting bored of these exercises already!

A: BB RDL/row:
1x4 with 80lb BB
2x4 with 85lbs in squat rack

B1: 1-leg squat:
Since I can't quite do pistols yet, and I don't have bands as Lisa~ suggested, I've been doing these with small weights and trying to get as low as possible, I'm getting better but my balance isn't teh best...
3x4 with 5s, getting closer to parallel

B2: WG Lat pulldown:
1x8 with 80lbs
1x4 with 90lbs
1x4 with 85lbs

C1: Back extention:
3x5 with a 30lb DB to chest
*still awkward to hald on to, but better than two plates.

C2: YTWL:
2x4 with 5s
1x4 with 7.5s (form not quite the best on these ones)

D1: Hanging leg raises (subbed for ball crunches)
3x4 with a hold at the top
*I like these

D2: Jack-knives:
3x4 with hold at the top

D3: Side crunch on Back ext:
1x4(e) with 25lb Plate (after that some guy kept hogging it and I didn't feel like working in with him and his buddy, so I just let it go)

HIIT:
pathetic today... did 2 intervals, 1 at 8, and 1 at 8.5... then called it a day

Today is sooo dreary and disgusting outside... it's POURING rain! Ugh, hopefully my mood and the weather improves as the day goes along.

[dillytl]

Hi Kara! Looks like you are kickin' butt and takin' names! AWESOME job on the workouts! And lots of great stuff from Lisa~ too! She's such a wealth of info!



Rain, rain, go away!!!