The Third Quarter - Time to Kick ***

[LisaS]

Thanks Tina - chin up and all that!

[mel]

Glad to hear the burns are healing. It interests me to see the substitutions you make. I'm fascinated when people know enough and are intuitive enough with their own body to make those kinds of changes and keep the integrity of the program. I'm not ever confident going outside the box. Occasionally Chris will help me with a variation, but I'm not good at it myself.

mel

[LisaS]

ROL4W stage 1 A4 - set/rep 2x12, core 2x10

Squats............: 65/3 45/3 - see notes

Lat Pulldowns.....: 70/6 (oops, realized wrong wo)
Seated Rows.......: 60/12, 60/12
Push Ups..........: BW/12, BW/12

Step Ups.........: BW/12 BW/12
Ball Jackknives..: sub'd rev crunches BW/10 BW/10

Notes:
On the squats - my form was really off. Lots of forward lean. I finally bagged on using the bar and did a bunch of goblet with 25#, 15#, potato sack, BW facing a wall, sitting at the bottom in good form, etc. until my legs were feeling pretty dead. Probably spent 15-20 minutes on squat variations all together.

By that time, my head was so empty (all the blood in my legs I think) that I set up for the wrong supersets - but corrected it. Then I changed how I was sitting for the seated rows and apparently changed the leverage enough that I had to drop to 60#. I kept the pushups on #7 on the rack. By the time stepups came around I opted for the outside planter to keep good form (no back foot help) - but at least it wasn't raining. But I just did the step ups and rev crunches as straight sets since I was outside for the step ups. Then I finished with some planks because I'm still no good at them.

Pretty disappointing work out all around, especially about the squats. I think I'm going to spend the rest of stage 1 working on form and depth and mobility and forget about moving any weight to speak of.

[DanceDiva]

Originally Posted by LisaS

Pretty disappointing work out all around, especially about the squats. I think I'm going to spend the rest of stage 1 working on form and depth and mobility and forget about moving any weight to speak of.

You know, I think the squats set the mood for this workout, which is probably why you are so bummed. It's going to get better. I think your strategy for mastering the squats is good.

Remember we are the hormonal ones; some days are just going to be out of whack automatically.

[stingo]

I think I'd agree - it's all about progression and it sounds like you're putting in the kind of work that will make it happen.

[LisaS]

NROL4W stage 1 #B4 - set/rep 2x12

DL.............: 95/4,65/12, 65/12

DB Mil Press:..: 15/12, 15/12
Lat Pulldown:..: 60/12, 60/12

Lunges.........: BW/12, BW/12
Ball Crunch....: BW/12, BW/12

Notes: worked out in the afternoon today rather than after dinner. It was quite different. On the DL, I didn't think I could do all the reps continuously with that weight so I swapped the 25s for 10s. Probably too light, but it was fine. I changed position on the Lat pulldowns and so dropped the weight a little, but it still was challenging so I think I did right. Still hate lunges.

Worked on squat depth afterwards. Found a drill from Gray Cook when looking at the "excerpts" of his book on Amazon. Basically you elevate your heels a little and place a small box in front of you (like 4" tall). Then from standing you stretch upwards and then bend to do a "toe touch" motion, putting your palms flat on the box. Then, keeping pressure on your palms on the box you squat down, deep, keeping your elbows inside of your knees. You keep the position while making your torso erect and then stand up. Repeat for 10-15 reps. I found it quite useful and will probably order his book.

[dillytl]

Worked on squat depth afterwards. Found a drill from Gray Cook when looking at the "excerpts" of his book on Amazon. Basically you elevate your heels a little and place a small box in front of you (like 4" tall). Then from standing you stretch upwards and then bend to do a "toe touch" motion, putting your palms flat on the box. Then, keeping pressure on your palms on the box you squat down, deep, keeping your elbows inside of your knees. You keep the position while making your torso erect and then stand up. Repeat for 10-15 reps. I found it quite useful and will probably order his book.

Sounds interesting - I'm going to go check out the link! I've just recently started going beyond parallel - now working on mastering ATG squats!

[LisaS]

unfortunately the page with the drill came up on the "surprise me" link - it may not come up for you -

[nutbar]

Originally Posted by LisaS

Worked on squat depth afterwards. Found a drill from Gray Cook when looking at the "excerpts" of his book on Amazon.

I am such a bookaholic and you're such an enabler.

[stingo]

Originally Posted by nutbar

I am such a bookaholic and you're such an enabler.

I thought you were saving up ffor MM/IO?

[ToniL]

You have such determination! Glad to see your fingers are healing and inspired to see your workouts and clean eats!

Toni

[nutbar]

Originally Posted by stingo

I thought you were saving up ffor MM/IO?

I yam, I yam. Sheesh. So much stuff to buy, so few street corners to work.

[gregl515]

I screw up order of exercises and number of reps all the time and I don't even have hormones to blame!

[Chris-STL]

Originally Posted by LisaS

Worked on squat depth afterwards. Found a drill from Gray Cook when looking at the "excerpts" of his book on Amazon. Basically you elevate your heels a little and place a small box in front of you (like 4" tall). Then from standing you stretch upwards and then bend to do a "toe touch" motion, putting your palms flat on the box. Then, keeping pressure on your palms on the box you squat down, deep, keeping your elbows inside of your knees. You keep the position while making your torso erect and then stand up. Repeat for 10-15 reps. I found it quite useful and will probably order his book.

I think that this is a great idea. Squats are so often done wrong, but provide amazing benefits when done properly. I am impressed that you noticed enough to not let yourself get caught up on how much weight you can do and circle back to correct your form.

I know when I first started doing deep squats, I was only able to do about 85 lbs.

[LisaS]

thanks Chris - we'll see how it goes tonight - supposed to be 3x10 squats - not sure what I'm gonna do.

[LisaS]

NROL4W - stage 1 - wo #A5 - 3x10

Squats..........: BW/10, BW OHS/10, 10#/10, 45#/5 -- heels on plates

Pushups.......: BW/10, BW/10, BW/10 -- used #6 on rack (down 10
Rows.............: 60/10, 60/10, 60/10

Stepups........: 10#/10, 10#/10, 10#/10 - used 10" planter
Rev Crunch..: 12, 12, 12

Notes:
On squats I used the Gray Cook exercise. One set, no weight. Second set, I held a broomstick and then in the bottom put it overhead for a rising OHS. On the third set I took a 10# db down and then rose up with it. These were harder than it reads because each rising rep was from a full-stop down position where I was doing the stretching. Then I finished with just the bar regular squat, heels on plates with the stretch-pause at the bottom. Only 5 of those though.

[LisaS]

NROL4W - stage 1 - #B5 - 3x10

Deadlifts....................: 85/10, 95/10, 95/10

DB military press............: 17.5/10, 17.5/10, 17.5/10
Lat Pulldown.................: 60/10, 60/10, 60/10

Alt Lunges...................: BW/10, BW/10, BW/10
Ball Crunch (sub'd planks)...: BW/20s, BW/20s, BW/20s

Notes:
Left shoulder (the bad one) weakness was really apparent at 17.5# and it wasn't showing at all at 15#.
The lat pulldowns were "tall kneeling" again.
Alt lunges when pretty well - balance was better. 1st set was quite breathless by the end but the 2nd two were better. Sub'd planks for ball crunch 'cause I still suck at them.