Tom, I didn't know what those were, so I googled and watched some clips on YouTube. Those look great! Thanks for the suggestion. I'm going to have to assume that the ones where the guy was staying in a stable position and not slamming or forcing the weight were the ones that use proper form.
Greg, I think I'm going to tape the towel to the bar at least for now because it's the fastest and cheapest solution. Thanks!
I was going to do a short or steady state cardio today, but it's a snow day for the kids and we've been sorting stuff from their rooms all day. I may get to it in a little bit, but not totally sure. I hadn't scheduled it, but I'd like to get it in for a little bonus if I get a chance.
You basically get into a pushup position over the dumbbells, but with your legs wider. Then do your pushup (returning to being over the dumbbells), and then do a row with one of the dumbbells. Then do another pushup, followed by a row with the other dumbbell. Lather, rinse repeat.
__________________
Tom
No "happy hours" makes for a lot of miserable days. - Mahler
Tom, I did two renegade rows per side today. I was showing my friend the suggestion you made, but the lightest dumbbell I had out was 12# and I really think it would be better to go lighter and work on form first. So, that's why only 2 for each side. But, those are great and I'm definitely adding them to my workouts !
Okay, this is a drive-by posting because I'm getting ready to leave, but here was today's workout.
Deadlifts: warm-up 1 X 10 X 60, 2 X 12 X 100
DB Shoulder Press: 2 X 10 X 40
I need some Plate-Mates to make gradual jumps. I could probably do 2 22.5# dumbbells, but I can't do 2 25# dumbbells. There's just no way.
Wide grip assisted pull-ups with medium assist band: 1 X 8 X BW (at a 3 up, 3 down count + 1 negative), 1 X 5 X BW (same as first set)
Lunge: 2 X 10 X 50
Long Arm Stability Ball Crunch: 2 X 8 X 25
Pullovers: 1 X 10 X 35, 1 X 6 X 35
Supermans: 1 X 10 X BW
up, hold 5 seconds, down
Planks: 1 set on elbows X 30 seconds, 1 set full planks X 30 seconds
Definitely going to have to go longer next time.
Tom, I did two renegade rows per side today. I was showing my friend the suggestion you made, but the lightest dumbbell I had out was 12# and I really think it would be better to go lighter and work on form first. So, that's why only 2 for each side. But, those are great and I'm definitely adding them to my workouts !
Yup you want to use lighter weights for that reason. Form problems I've encountered (when I do them, so my trainer tells me) is keeping myself in a straight line and rowing back far enough.
__________________
Tom
No "happy hours" makes for a lot of miserable days. - Mahler
Yup you want to use lighter weights for that reason. Form problems I've encountered (when I do them, so my trainer tells me) is keeping myself in a straight line and rowing back far enough.
I can understand that. I wanted to shift a little bit for better balance on the non-rowing hand. I'll definitely have to concentrate on these things.
I forgot to add that I did 40 minutes cardio today after strength training, probably about 25 minutes of it was intervals.
Squats: warm-up 2 X 10 X 60, work sets 2 X 10 X 80
Used a weighted vest with towel underneath for padding. This was so much much comfortable. Now I need a rack so I don't have to pick the darn thing up from the floor. I guess that's the next thing on the list.
Push-ups: 2 X 10 X BW feet on stability ball
Barbell rows: 1 X 10 X 60, 1 X 10 X 70
Step-ups: 2 x 10 x 10 @ 8"
This time I barely tapped the floor with the non-working foot, so I'll keep working on making progress.
Prone jackknives: 2 X 8 X BW
Less problems with the ball today, but still can't get into full pike position (trouble getting my bottom all the way up into the air), so I'll have to work on that.
Renegade rows: 2 X 2 X 5# each hand
These are HARD, but I'm looking forward to making progress here, too.
Hamstring tucks: 1 X 15 X BW per side, 1 X 15 X BW both sides
Okay, I don't really know what these are called because I'm having a brain-lapse moment, but feet are up on step and you lift your pelvis to work glute/hamstring area. Can have both feet on step to work both sides or one foot on step to work one side at a time. (Yes, I have to add them or I'm afraid my bottom will start sagging . Really I just like them and thought I'd do them.)
Planks: 2 X 60 seconds each
I'm going to do a stretchy, relaxing yoga to wrap up the day and that'll be all for the formal workout front today.
I also get stuck between weights. Have you tried split setting? Sometimes, I'll do a few at the heavier weight and then the lighter weight to finish the set.
On the jackknifes, I found that I had to really engage my shoulders to get my booty up over my head.
LOL, Diane. No, that's 40 pounds total with 2 20# dumbbells, not 2 40# dumbbells. Just wanted to clarify as it's kind of hard to decide how to note some of these things.
What i do (and works well for me) with DB work is put an s behind the DB weight
So if I use a 20 in each hand, it's indicated like this 1x15x20s
__________________ 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
Mel, I will try to focus on engaging my shoulders as apparently trying to push my bum in the air is not doing the trick, LOL. I will try split setting, too, but sometimes I just forget the obvious.
Paula, I will try to remember to note it that way due to confusion. With copying and pasting I seem to keep forgetting to change some of the rep numbers when I'm trying to just get it logged here.
Today was Workout B, #6. (I always do a dynamic and active warmup, but I don't note it because I just assume everyone knows I did it.)
Deadlifts: warm-up 1 X 10 X 60, 2 X 10 X 100
I picked the right weight here--there was no way I could have done more with good form.
DB Shoulder Press: 2 X 10 X 22.5s
This time I used adustable dumbbells.
Wide grip assisted pull-ups w/ green band: 1 X 12 X BW, 1 X 10 X BW
This time I didn't work on negatives or counts, just cranked them out.
I see no real difference except that the Feb pictures are further away, (and maybe I need some new workout bras, LOL) but here are the pics--January then February
Today was intervals again ~25 minutes and Stage 1, WO A, #6
Squats: warm-up 2 X 8 X 60, work sets 2 X 8 X 80
I'm definitely talking to DH about getting a squat rack because this is the most I can lift up from below hip height on my own.
Push-ups: 2 X 8 X BW feet on stability ball
I did them from further out this time because I was practicing ball control.
Barbell rows: 2 X 8 X 80
Step-ups: 2 X 8 X 5s @ 10"
This time I barely tapped the floor with the non-working foot, so I'll keep working on making progress.
Prone jackknives: 2 X 15 X BW
I worked on shoulder stabilization as Mel suggested, but I could only get 2 in the pike position before I couldn't keep my butt up, so I finished it as a split set, so to speak.
Thanks for the kind words/encouragement from all of you.
Today was 45 minutes high-intensity steady state cardio kickboxing. My next weight training day is either tomorrow or Thursday, depending on how much time I have tomorrow.
Food has been on track so far today as far as percentage and nutrition. I am going force myself to be smarter tonight and not go the junk food snack route.
Thanks, kfisherx and everyone else, too. I really see no changes, but I admit that's probably because I see me every day.
Yesterday I did aerobic interval training for 35 minutes and core work for 10 minutes.
Today was Stage 1, WO B, #7
Deadlifts: warm-up 1 X 8 X 60, 1 X 5 X 80, work sets 2 X 8 X 110
DB Shoulder Press: 1 X 7 X 25s + 1 X 1 X 20s, 1 X 6 X 25 + 1 X 2 X 20
I got to a point in each set with the 25-pound dumbbells that I knew I could not push them up again.
Wide grip assisted pull-ups w/ med/green band: 1 X 7 X BW + negative for 15 seconds, 1 X 6 X BW + negative for 10 seconds
These are so much harder to do when your shoulders are already tired.
Lunge: 2 X 8 X 25s
Long Arm Stability Ball Crunch: 2 X 15 X 25
This was a really great workout. My muscles were just the right amount of shaky when I was finished. My shoulders and arms were still kind of shaky when I was washing my hair in the shower afterward--gotta love that !
Food has been at the right target the last several days and I've even switched to fat-free Half & Half in my coffee as Tracey/dillytl does. It's totally not the same, but I'm going to have to suck it up to cut out the bad fats and leave in the good.
More good news is that while DH refuses to buy a squat rack, he has no problem making one for me. (He's not a welder by trade as Diane's husband is, but his friend is and DH builds houses and things for shoeing horses.) I told him that I need one because I can not get the bar up where I need it to be when it's any more than 60 pounds. Anyway, I showed him Diane's pics, but explained that I don't need one like that as I have benches, steps, etc, but just a rack that will hold ~200 pounds as I have no plans of being able to squat more than that ever.
I've been working with a lightly loaded bar (40 pounds) and positioning it so it doesn't hurt and/or pinch. In light of Lisa~'s information on pads and Manta Ray and Aoife listing her modifications, I've decided I'm going to have to toughen up and get used to the feel of the bar. And maybe wear a turtleneck if the bar keeps pinching/gouging. I'm also seriously considering the MM and I/O DVDs Lisa~ recommends because I think a lot of my problems with squats are related to inflexibility and stiff muscles.
Just some of my random thoughts about how the program is going so far . . .
Deadlifts: warm-up 1 X 8 X 60, 1 X 6 X 80, work sets 2 X 8 X 110
DB Shoulder Press: 1 X 7 X 25s, 1 X 6 X 25 + 1 X 4 X 20
Wide grip assisted pull-ups w/ med/green band: 1 X 8 X BW + negative for 15 seconds, 1 X 6 X BW + negative for 18 seconds
Lunge: 2 X 8 X 25s
Long Arm Stability Ball Crunch: 2 X 15 X 25
5-minute rest and then 21 minutes of intervals using same formula.
The good news is that I've only got the 2 special workouts of stage 1 left. The bad news is that DD has a cold and I've got a scratchy throat and sniffles. Depending on how I feel, I may take the rest of this week as the rest week and do the final 2 workouts of stage 1 next week. I'm not anticipating getting really sick so much as making a contingency plan .
__________________ 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
The bad cold seems to have skipped me--DD is coughing/sneezing, but not really bad and mine is completely gone after just two days of sneezing and sore throat.
Kara, Paula, and Tracey, hi and thanks to all of you!
Leah, I'm not sure that I'll surprise myself by being able to squat 300 pounds when I already think the bar pinches and digs in too much at 60 pounds. (Kind of wimpy, I know, but it really does .) I might tell him that to be safe though since one can never be totally sure.
Stage 1, A, last workout with AMRAP
Squats: 1 X 60 X 20s
I did these at 2 counts down, 2 counts hold, 2 counts up to make them harder, but my grip on the dumbbells was giving out at 60. I suspect that I'll be happy about that when I'm going up and down the stairs tomorrow.
Push-ups: 1 X 29 X BW
I was aiming for 30, but when I went down on number 30, I couldn't push myself back up.
Barbell rows: 1 X 32 X 20s
Step-ups: 1 X 40 X BW @ 10"
I made sure to really emphasize not using the non-working leg and barely tapped the floor with the toe.
Prone jackknives: 1 X 30 X BW
Here my arms and hips were giving out even if my abs were not.
Took 5-minute rest and did 3-minute cardio warm-up and then 7 cardio intervals at 1:2 as per the book.
!
. Really I just like them and thought I'd do them.)
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