Thanks for the welcome, Stingo and realcdn. I do feel revived mentally, now it's time to resume my physical revival. I've been at the gym for a few days, "warming up" before I start NROL4W again. I started from the beginning, because at my age, deconditioning happens quickly over 4 months of not working out. I started 2 days ago.
This is Monday's workout:
Squat: 2x15 with the 45 pound bar
Only got to parallel, and I'm leaning too far forward at the bottom. I almost feel like I'm doing a combination squat and good morning. Maybe I invented the "squat-morning". I need to work on this. I'm thinking of buying a few sessions with a trainer to help me out here. This is a recurrent problem with me since I started squatting, and I need him to assess my form and fix my sticking points. It's worth the money, I guess.
supersets of Push-up: 1x15 off the bench
1x10 off the bench
I got weak on the second set, didn't go as low and my shoulders hurt Seated row: 2x15 with 45
Good. No problem with these.
supersets of Step-ups: 2x15 on the bench
Not bad. I surprized myself. But I felt I cheated a bit on the last few reps of the second set by pushing off the floor a little with my non-working leg. Prone jacknife: 2x8 on the ball
I have finally mastered the art of the prone jackknife, after months of frustration and anger. I was doing it all wrong. My son trained me correctly. I can't look in the mirror to make sure my form is good. I need to concentrate on the muscle (group) and feel it working throughout the range of motion. It helps to have a trainer position me and assess my form. I was using my posterior chain and legs instead of my core to execute the movement. It's actually quite simple to balance using my abs and obliques once I got the hang of it. I do get a bit shaky on the last few reps, though, and I got DOMS in my obliques next day.
I do step-ups and lunges in front of a mirror to make sure my knees are not turning in. Although with practice, I'm starting to feel when they do.
The gym was just about empty this morning, which is great, because I don't want people looking at my butt when I deadlift. I usually wear a top that is a bit tighter, so it doesn't hang over the bar when I bend over to grip. It doesn't cover my ass like my baggy T shirt does, but having that baggy shirt get tangled up in the bar as I pull, maybe causing an injury is a hell of a lot worse than people laughing at my ass. So there!
Here is today's workout:
Deadlift: 1x15 with 65 pounds (felt too light)
1x15 with 85 pounds (better)
I really had to work to get the last 3 reps of the second set, and started to lose form a bit, but not bad.
supersets of Dumbbell Shoulder press: 2x15 with 10lb dumbbells
I was leaning just a little too far back to push up the last few reps of the second set because I started to get weak. Wide Grip Lat pulldown: 2x15 with 45
This was good for both sets, so I'll add some weight next time.
supersets of Lunges: 2x15 with 7.5 pound dumbbells
I cheated on the last few reps of the second set with my right side, by not going down as far. I have a little twinge in my right knee that is starting to hurt a bit when it's working under some weight. But my right leg is weaker than my left. I need to work on more single leg exercise to correct this. Swiss ball crunch: 2x8
I lost balance a bit on the second set, and my used my back to help my abs on the last few crunches. Not on purpose, though.
I like this workout better than workout A. It seems easier for me to do, so I get a sense of accomplishment knowing I did it all correctly. Well, mostly correct.
The squat issues you are having seem to be a recurring issue for you. I would suggest you get the Starting Strength book by Mark Rippetoe, which goes into great detail how to squat properly. Also, there are the squat rx video series which could help a lot.
Also, my strength coach really pounded it into my head to focus on sitting back on my heels and to not roll forward onto my toes at all. To do this I concentrated on keeping my weight on my heels and I even lifted my toes so I couldn't go forward. One of the things she had me do was put the bar on the squat rack between waist and chest level. Then, she had me stand in front of it and grasp it with arms straight and then squat down....arms still stretched straight and holding the bar. Then, let go without falling. I practiced that several times before my squat sets.
Thanks for the tip, I'll try it. You've always got helpful suggestions, and I respect your advice. Your photos prove you know what you're doing, and it works!
My favourite squat video is from Dan John's Fitcast series, episode 6, I believe. He's a good coach, and entertaining, to boot.
I don't think pushing through my heels is the problem, although I could be dead wrong. It may be that I'm not firing my glutes and hamstrings, because my quads feel like they are doing the heavy work, especially coming out of the hole. (Although my "hole" depth is only parallel.) My knees tend to be all over the place if I don't concentrate on the feeling of "pushing the floor apart" as I come up. When I goblet squat or dumbbell squat, I have no trouble going ATG. These squats feel very different than back squats to me. I can get ATG on goblets, because I can tuck my pelvis under a bit to go low. On a back squat, that would be dangerous, because I lose the arch in my back by tucking my pelvis, and this happens just before I reach parallel, regardless of high or low bar placement on my back. I tried to self-diagnose my squat form using the Squat Rx videos, and reading Eric Cressey's articles. This may be a dangerous thing to do, because I'm no trainer.
That's why I need to get a professional to assess my squat in person. It just may be something that I'm doing totally wrong without realizing it. Like the swiss ball jackknives I was talking about.
x2 on the Starting Strength recommendation -- if I remember correctly, he has almost 60 pages devoted to just this exercises!! I learned a lot about what I was doing wrong.
And, congrats for getting back at it! Best wishes to you.
Thanks, lawyerjoke, that's an x2 for Jane's suggestion.
Amazon has it for 29.95, and I should get it Monday. A one hour session with a trainer will cost me $70.00. A lifetime of Rippetoe for less than half that amount.....priceless!
It was hard to get up at 5:30 this morning. I had a stomach flu yesterday, and I feel drained, but better. Nothing like 24 hours of vomiting to make a person feel happy to be alive the next day.
This morning's workout:
Squats: 2 x 15 with just the bar
Still only got to parallel, and I'm leaning forward at the bottom. But I should have Rippetoe's book read by my next squat session on Wednesday. Hopefully, his book will set my form straight!
superset Seated Row: 1 x 15 with 45
1 x 15 with 50 Push-ups: 2 x 15 off the floor
OK, these were still shallow (didn't get as low as I should) but somehow, doing them on the floor felt better than doing them off the bench? Not easier, mind you, but the movement felt better on my shoulders. I need to work on the bottom half, though. Any suggestions?
superset Step-ups: 2 x 15 with 5 lb dumbbells, off the bench
I got pretty weak on the second set, but completed the last reps in super slow motion. My right knee didn't hurt, but it's still weaker than my left. It wants to wobble and turn in when I get tired, so I have to watch myself in the mirror to keep my form.
Prone Jackknife: 2 x 8 on the ball
Not bad. I guess I'm not a total klutz, just a partial one. I still feel my obliques tugging at me, and it's a good thing.
I did feel a little dizzy after my workout, and had to lie on a bench. A day without food will do that to you. I'm glad I didn't talk myself out of going to the gym, because I feel great now.
Push-ups: 2 x 15 off the floor
OK, these were still shallow (didn't get as low as I should) but somehow, doing them on the floor felt better than doing them off the bench? Not easier, mind you, but the movement felt better on my shoulders. I need to work on the bottom half, though. Any suggestions?
Heya! I'm doing NROL4W too, in stage 4 currently. I've skimmed your log a bit and that shoulder pain that you get when doing pushups gets me a little worried. How does it feel when you do knee pushups from the ground? I'd really work on finding a horziontal pushing movement that works for you.
Or how about doing them with an even bigger incline? Say against something the height of a table?
Also, are your arms flared, i.e. elbows sticking out? It's easier to do pushups that way, but my buddy pips got horrible shoulder pains from doing them like that.
Heya! I'm doing NROL4W too, in stage 4 currently. I've skimmed your log a bit and that shoulder pain that you get when doing pushups gets me a little worried. How does it feel when you do knee pushups from the ground? I'd really work on finding a horziontal pushing movement that works for you.
I don't really do knee push-ups from the ground, because I was told they are useless for working your core. But no, my shoulders don't hurt at all if I do knee push-ups, or "girl push-ups" as we used to call them back in the day.
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Or how about doing them with an even bigger incline? Say against something the height of a table?
No problem here, either, but doing them off a table, or the back of a low sofa, I'm not pushing my whole bodyweight, so I'm using much less force to push myself up here, too.
Quote:
Also, are your arms flared, i.e. elbows sticking out? It's easier to do pushups that way, but my buddy pips got horrible shoulder pains from doing them like that.
This is a problem for me, too, so I keep my arms tucked back so that my triceps do a lot of the work, but my shoulders hurt when I push up from the floor or off anything equal to or lower than a bench.
Weird. I don't know if it's my brittle old post-menopausal bones or I'm just weak as crap. I'll just keep trying to get them right, but not at the risk of injury. Things don't happen as quickly as I would like them too with a 55 year old beat down body.
A gray Monday morning makes it tough to get out of bed, especially after a bad night of sleep. It seems like this is a common complaint with women my age. If I go 4 hours with out waking up, that's a good night.
Anyway, here'e this morning's workout:
Deadlift: 2 x 15 with 95lbs
This was a jump of 10lbs from last time. The first set was just about perfect, I was surprised how strong I felt. My grip was giving way on rep 14 of set 2, but I managed that final rep without slipping my grip.
superset: Wide grip lat pulldown: 2 x 15 with 60lbs
Still feeling strong, so I upped the weight and put the pin one plate down. First set felt good, and second set was good, needed effort to pull those last few reps.
Dumbbell shoulder press: 2 x 15 with 10lb dumbbells
Kept my weight the same, but my form was good on both sets. My arms were wobbly on the last 2 reps of the second set.
superset: Lunges: 2 x 15 with 7.5lb dumbbells
Both sets better than last time. Paid attention to my knees not turning in, and going deep. My right knee still has that twinge, but not as bad as last time. Swiss ball crunch: 2 x 8
Both sets good.
This was one of those workouts when everything went right. I really felt "In the zone" and strong. I hope this high lasts all day! If every time I went to the gym felt this good, I'd be a junkie.
This was one of those workouts when everything went right. I really felt "In the zone" and strong. I hope this high lasts all day! If every time I went to the gym felt this good, I'd be a junkie.
Glad you had a good workout. Keep going to the gym and you'll get more workouts like it. Don't go and you assure yourself of getting none.
__________________
Tom
No "happy hours" makes for a lot of miserable days. - Mahler
Another damp, gray morning, but it's always easier to get out of bed any day but Monday.
Here's this mornings workout:
Squat: 2 x 12 with the bar
I read through Rippetoe's squat analysis, but I haven't studied it enough yet to diagnose myself. However, I did adjust my stance as suggested for people with long femurs and short torso by pointing my toes outward more. Well, I didn't get ATG, BUT I felt my glutes and hamstrings working for the first time instead of my quads. This enabled me to get just a hair below parallel, and I was happy. Baby steps of progress is a huge boost for me.
superset: Seated row: 1 x 12 with 52.5 lbs
1 x 12 with 60 lbs
Both sets good, had to work hard the last few reps of the 2nd set. More newbie gains to boost my attitude.
Pushups: 2 x 12 off the bench
I had to work hard for both sets. I concentrated on keeping my elbows tucked to keep some strain off my shoulders. I think I went deeper than all previous trials, my chest seemed closer to the bench at the bottom. I touched my chest to the bench on the last rep, but it was too much for my shoulders to handle, so I didn't push myself back up.
superset: Step-ups: 2 x 12 with 10 pound dumbbells
I couldn't use the mirror to check to see if my knees were turning in, 2 people were directly in front of the dumbbell rack watching themselves doing curls. So I concentrated just by feel on keeping good form, and think I was OK. These are so hard for me, I'm glad when they're over.
Swiss ball crunch: 2 x 10
Yeah, I screwed up. It was supposed to be jackknife, but I spaced out and confused Workout B with Workout A. Just one of my many senior moments. I'll make up for it tonight by practicing the jackknife on my ball at home. Honest
Other than that mistake, I felt good about my inches of progress. It makes for a good day in spite of the weather.
Good form for step-ups usually means not pushing off the back foot to get momentum. And as for the mirror peeps, I had that happen yesterday too, while doing Turkish Getups - makes you wonder sometimes.
__________________
Tom
No "happy hours" makes for a lot of miserable days. - Mahler
Good form for step-ups usually means not pushing off the back foot to get momentum.
Yeah, I keep the toe of my non-working leg pointed so I don't cheat. That's why they're so hard for me, and I'm so wiped out when I'm through.
When all the weight and effort is on my working leg, my knee turns in to accomodate the load. Must be an imbalance somewhere in there, so I need to keep my knees in line without losing my balance as I go through the entire ROM.
Looks like I have my quads doing most of the work here, as I do feel a stretch above my knees. Same as when I squat, my quads take over. I think I am beginning to get the feel of getting my glutes and hamstrings to fire. I just need to concentrate more on all leg exercises in order to do this.
Will it ever stop raining? And it's cold, too! What happenned to summer??
At least the gym was empty this morning.
Deadlift 1 x 12 with 95 pounds
1 x 12 with 100 pounds
I broke triple digit weight on the bar! The last few reps I had to pull really hard to lockout.
superset:
Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 2 x 12 with 10 lb dumbbells
No leaning back to compensate through both sets.
Wide Grip Lat Pulldown: 1 x 12 with 60 lbs
1 x 12 with 65 lbs
I had to pull hard for the last 2 reps.
Lunges: 2 x 12 with 10lb dumbbells
I paid close attention to my knees, and making sure I was feeling the stretch in my extended leg, too, and not letting my quads do all the work. I think I am learning to engage my posterior chain here, also in deadlifts and squats. Thanks, Mark Rippetoe.
Prone Jackknife: 2 x 10
Yeah, I know it's supposed to be crunches, but since I messed up last time and did the crunches then, I just needed to balance it all out. I tried to make it more difficult by trying to balance on my toes, but I was too jiggly to balance, so back on my shins.
It's still raining, although we had a brief respite over the weekend. There's mushrooms growing all over my lawn, it's so damp. Blame it on the Alaskan volcano, the East coast is in nuclear winter this year.
Here's this morning's workout:
Squat: 1 x 12 with the bar
1 x 12 with 65 lbs.
The first set I got nice and deep, almost ATG, it felt too easy. Then, what I thought were 5lb plates turned out to be 10 lb plates. My knees got a little wobbly coming out of the hole on the last few reps of the second set. Felt my glutes and hamstrings doing the work today.
superset: Seated row: 1 x 12 with 60lbs
1 x 12 with 65 lbs
Both sets good. Kept my back straight and felt the muscles working. Pushups: 2 x 12 off the bench
I got tired on the second set, my arms were shaking as I had to grind out the last reps in slow motion.
superset: Step-ups: 2 x 12 with 10lb dumbbells
I'm getting better at keeping only my working leg doing the work, but I get so weak on the last half of the second set that I have to rest my non-working leg at the top of the step, and start the rep from there. So I sort of do the exercise backwards, if that makes any sense. Instead of starting on the floor, I start it from the bench. I was sweating profusely and felt a bit dizzy. I had to rest almost 5 minutes after the second set before I could do the jackknife.
Ball Jackknife: 2 x 10
Kept my balance, but I was wiped out from the step-ups. It was hard to isolate my core, so I was wobbly, and felt my back working instead of my abs.
Man, was I drenched in sweat afterwards. I continued to sweat, even after taking a cool shower. It lasted about 30 minutes. I drank an additional 20 oz of water driving to work. I stopped sweating, and then I felt a little nauseous and dizzy. Almost couldn't get out of the car, but this passed, too. Now I'm eating my Greek yogurt and feeling strong again. I do get vasovagal syncope from time to time, I've had it since I was a teenager. I keep myself hydrated and increase my salt intake and I'm fine. I don't like to embarass myself by passing out in public.
I know what you mean about the weather. Either it's cold or raining here (sometimes both). They keep teasing us with long term forecasts of nice weather, but I've stopped believing them. (It is pleasant this morning, but who knows how long that will last.)
Why are you squatting Ass to grass? Not that there's anything wrong with it (afaik), just curious...
Because Mark Rippetoe says Jesus kills a kitten whenever you don't go deep.
Actually, the lower you go, the more your posterior chain is engaged and the stronger you get. It is much more difficult to come out of the hole in deep squats that it is with parallel squats.
The sun has made a rare appearance this morning. I almost went blind because I haven't seen it in so long.
Here's this morning's workout:
Deadlift: 1 x 12 with 100lbs
1 x 12 with 105lbs
Why does a measly 5 pounds feel so heavy? Maybe it was just my imagination. Both sets good
superset: Dumbbell shoulder press: 2 x 12 with 10 pound dumbbells
Wide grip lat pulldown: 1 x 12 with 65 lbs
1 x 12 with 67.5 lbs
Why does a measly 2.5 pounds feel so heavy? Deja vu like the deadlifts. Gravity is having fun with me.
superset: Lunges: 2 x 12 with 10 lb dumbbells
Good form, so I decided to speed it up just a bit on the second set. I couldn't breathe and my heart was pounding. My aerobic fitness is poor because I hate cardio of any kind. I only move fast whan it's absolutely necessary. Like if the building is on fire.
Swiss ball crunches: 2 x 10
My balance is improving. I hardly wiggle at all now.
I'm enjoying the 2 sets of 12. Next pair of workouts are 3 x 10, so I'll be at the gym a little longer. I hope I last through 3 sets of everything without failing, and having to take weight off the bar. Well I know that it's not how much you can lift, it's how much you lift correctly with good form.
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