That's hilarious! I think if I wore those in certain parts of downtown I would draw a LOT of . . . um . . . unwarranted attention. (How do you ladies walk in those things, anyway? Never understood it, but they sure look great!!)
Paula,
I keep meaning to get some walking shoes up to the office. Problem is, I just don't think guys can pull off that whole tennis shoes / business formal thing the way girls can.
Squats (front with proper grip): 5 x 5 @ 72 (+ 7 lbs)
Overhead press: 5 x 5 @ 77 (+ 7 lbs)
Deadlift (sumo): 1 x 5 @ 165 (+ 12 lbs)
Pullups: 3 sets of negatives
Prone Bridges: 40 sec, 40 sec, 50 sec
Still light weights, but making steady progress with little to no pain in right elbow and rib cage. Trying to really focus on glute activation in squats and deads.
Standard grip on pullups causing sharp pain in right elbow, though -- switched to grip that was perpendicular to my shoulders. Could feel the pull more in my back, and no pain in my elbow. I'll try to stick with this from here on out -- my "perfect pull up" bar is an old metal ladder laid face down between two tree branches. Oh yeah, and its rusty. Old school, baby.
Mobility and warm-up with focus on squeezer activation, then:
Squats (front - with proper grip): 5 x 5 @ 89 (+14 lbs)
Bench press: 5 x 5 @ 89 (+ 14 lbs)
King DLs: 3 x 8 @ bw
Inverted row (bent knee): 10, 5, 3
Suspension push-ups (blast straps): 8, 5, 4
Notes:
I know weights are still incredibly light from where I was, but I'm adding more weight each time to progress upward steadily. Much faster than the StrongLifts recommendation, but I'll keep going up till it becomes much more difficult.
Added the King DL's because I feel like I'm lacking in single leg work and don't want to lose the benefits I remember from that.
Inverted rows were done with knees bent first, then gradually straightening out through the 2nd and 3rd sets. These are still really difficult for me. I lack strength.
Blast strap pushups were better this time -- more reps.
I've dropped the reverse crunches for now. Even with focusing on form, I still feel like they're not safe for my lower back. I may just start doing bridge variations with each workout.
Meanwhile, my Sansa is on the fritz, so I'm sorely lacking for workout music.
Mobility and warm-up with focus on squeezer activation, then:
Squats (front - with proper grip): 5 x 5 @ 111 (+11 lbs)
Bench press:
1 x 3 @ 89 (warmup)
5 x 5 @ 99 (+ 10 lbs)
King DLs: 3 x 10 @ bw
Inverted row (bent knee): 7, 4, 4
Suspension push-ups (blast straps): 8, 4, 3
YWTL's: 3 x 8
Notes:
Slow progress here, but still progress.
Still feeling my way through inverted rows, working on less "knee-bendth".
Suspension pushups are fewer this time, but deeper I think.
Added YWTL's to work on my thoracic mobility -- I had forgotten about that.
Hips felt very stiff this morning -- spent a lot of time trying to loosen up with bw squats, etc. beforehand.
Still really struggling with the inverted rows -- did lots of negative holds on the way down to try and improve...
Also, I've been forgetting to eat something before starting in the morning -- running out of juice partway through. Got to change that.
Pullups (subbed inverted rows on straps):
10, 5 (really just playing with these to get the feel, very soft angle here)
****
I was talking with a Crossfit friend about my weak upper body pulling strength -- he suggested seated rope pulls with a weighted tire. So, yesterday I tied a thick rope to an old tire and loaded it with a big chunk of hackberry stump -- I'm going to work on doing seated pulls with these as often as I can to "grease the groove" and see if I can get some improvement going without aggravating the elbow.
After being off for so long, I had to really dial back the weight amounts to get back into it. Squats didn't feel as weak as I expected. Push presses feel very weak.
I really enjoy doing the inverted rows with the straps -- it's going to take a while to work my way up (or down, as the case may be) to a good angle. But, I can now really focus on squeezing my scapulae (sp?) together during the pull, whereas I could never feel that doing inverted rows under a bar or attempting real pullups. Hopefully, this will help me develop faster in the move.
Spent the better part of this afternoon studying chapter 1 of Starting Strength and working on my back squat form without and with a bar. Then, the following workout:
Thansk, Bytsi! I always appreciate your encouragement!
More time spent in Starting Strength chapter 1 today. It's amazing that such a looong chapter can be devoted to squatting, when I thought I had learned all I needed to learn from watching a few Youtube videos!
Did some "grease the groove" work:
Suspension pushups on straps: 3 x 5
Suspension pullups: 3-ish
Seated hand-over-hand sled drags (old tire, a log, chunk of concrete, and a thick rope).
Single leg deadlifts at bodyweight
Working on squat depth with proper back extension (I need to wear the right shorts doing this -- I split the middle out of these!!)
You and Mrs LJ might be the recipients of some jalepenos and cherry/grape tomatos when they start coming in. I counted 20 peppers on one plant with more blooms on both plants.... and I can't tell you how many grape and cherry tomatoes I saw.
__________________ It all starts with the mind, but the thoughts, the intention aren't enough. Action needs to come next. Dream it, believe it, plan it, execute it, celebrate it. - Wendy
You and Mrs LJ might be the recipients of some jalepenos and cherry/grape tomatos when they start coming in. I counted 20 peppers on one plant with more blooms on both plants.... and I can't tell you how many grape and cherry tomatoes I saw.
Ooooh yeaaahhhh!!
We'll be delighted to help you with the harvest if you've got more than you can handle!
Nothing better than home grown 'maters! (Insert an appropriate Guy Clark voice here).
It's been almost a MONTH since you posted a workout in here. Nice job - now let's work on posting them more often, k?
Wow, you got scolded and I didn't! Haha!!! (I just did about the same thing--we'll both keep our butts in gear now, right?!)
Quote:
Originally Posted by SpacecityPaula
You and Mrs LJ might be the recipients of some jalepenos and cherry/grape tomatos when they start coming in. I counted 20 peppers on one plant with more blooms on both plants.... and I can't tell you how many grape and cherry tomatoes I saw.
Kin I have some? Pweez? My garden is still in little pots in my basement!
__________________ It all starts with the mind, but the thoughts, the intention aren't enough. Action needs to come next. Dream it, believe it, plan it, execute it, celebrate it. - Wendy
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