Foxybass Training

[Foxybass]

Cheers H. Thanks for the advice.

Sunday 25 Jan

Soft tissue work, hip & glute stretches. Walk, slight jog on treadmill (just to warm up).
Squats 55kg: 5/5/5/5/5
Bench Press 72.5kg: 4/4/3/3/2
Inverted Rows: ?
Treadmill: 10 mins. Alternate 1 min of fast running then jogging.

Squats felt great. Really feeling them in the legs.

Bench Press - I’ll get 72.5kg before a deload. It felt heavy and a little dangerous so I played it safe. I'm going to modify my homemade rack for a bench press safety net.

Inverted rows were a challenge. I didn’t count what I did I just worked on technique. I’ll do some more reading and get the form right in time. Felt much safer than barbell rows; I wasn't giving my hamstrings a workout!

Can’t believe where the time went. It took over 2 hours but I enjoyed every second. I'm noticing overall body mobility is improving. I'm definitely gaining muscle - I can feel it. Clothes I looked chubby in a few months back now fit well and I feel confident in them.

Bring on Tuesday.

[Foxybass]

Tuesday 27 Jan

I felt weird today; couldn’t focus 100%.

Soft tissue work, hip & glute stretches. Walk on treadmill (just to warm up).
Squats 57.5 kg: 5/5/5/5/5
Overhead Press 47.5kg: 4/3/3/3/2
Deadlifts 60kg: 5/5/5

Squats – Crap. Wanted to lean too far forward and felt it in lower back.
Overhead Press – Took 5 minutes in between sets. Form was good and shoulders felt great after.
Deadlifts – Form was good. I’ll increase weight on next session.

I'm a bit gutted that I struggled with 57.5kg on the squats. I was hoping to get to 70kg or so before things started to get difficult. The weight didn’t feel heavy and they didn't feel that difficult; it just felt like my body wouldn't let me do them properly. I’ll keep working on the mobility stuff etc on my days off. I’m in no rush; I’m not going to make the same mistakes I did last year.

Later

[Mouse]

I’m in no rush; I’m not going to make the same mistakes I did last year.

Good mindset Foxy.
Stick with it and get it right with the squats - it makes it sweeter when you lift your bodyweight - the first milestone.
Looking good so far though.

[holvoetn]

I’m in no rush; I’m not going to make the same mistakes I did last year.

Good mindset Foxy.
Stick with it and get it right with the squats - it makes it sweeter when you lift your bodyweight - the first milestone.
Looking good so far though.

I agree on the mindset.
I have said it before over here, I think, I will repeat:
A movie with Robert Duvall and Tom Cruise:
Tom says: Look some chicks, let's run over and grab one.
Robert says: Slow and easy, son. We walk over and take them all.



For me the daunting milestone number was triple digits in kg ... once past that your mindset changes as well

Keep on going, foxybass. We'll be here when you need moral support, the lifting you have to do yourself

[bluestreak]

Keep going strong and remember: great workouts always follow bad ones

I know you can do a 70 kg squat - don't begin to doubt yourself. And get angry - use it during your lifts. My sense of shame, in not being able to bench the 20 kg bar or squat a 20 kg bag, and all my pent up anger is what fueled me in my early days.

[Foxybass]

Cheers Mouse, H and Bluestreak.

I really appreciate you checking in on me and giving me the support. I'm looking forward to tomorrow morning to work on my squats. I've already improved my deadlift form thanks to you guys, a little patience and some practice; so if I apply that to my squats I'll be moving forward again soon.

See you in the next life brothers.

[Foxybass]

Thursday 29 Jan

Bluestreak – you were right. This was a great workout.

Soft tissue work, hip & glute stretches. No need for treadmill to warm up; I felt ready.
Squats 60kg: 5/5/5/5/5
Bench Press 72.5kg: 5/5/5
Inverted Rows: 3 sets to failure

Squats felt better. I really worked on them today. Did loads of warm up sets. Spent 30 minutes on them and it paid off. Figured that my squats need more work than my bench pressing.

Bench Press – Only did 3 sets because of time. Last rep on 3rd set was dodgy. I won’t increase the weight next time. During the press I got cramps in my hips when squeezing my glutes; got a little distracted by that.

Inverted Rows - I didn’t count what I did I just worked on technique. I tried an elevated set but it felt more comfortable with my feet on the floor and knees bent. They need practice but are coming along nicely.

I know I only did 3 sets on the bench press but my attitude towards my squats impressed me. I find squats hard; flexibility isn’t great and they need more attention. This stuff is so addictive – I feel so strong (by my own standards of course!). Gonna have a well earned rest tomorrow and have a few beers with the lads. I’ve had just one beer in 3 and a half weeks. Now that’s progress for me; I used to down at least 3 beers everyday.
Later

[Mouse]

Squats felt better. I really worked on them today. Did loads of warm up sets. Spent 30 minutes on them and it paid off. Figured that my squats need more work than my bench pressing.

Gonna have a well earned rest tomorrow and have a few beers with the lads. I’ve had just one beer in 3 and a half weeks. Now that’s progress for me; I used to down at least 3 beers everyday.
Later

Foxy - good to see a new starter with so much sense.

Enjoy your beer - you've earned it.

By the way, where abouts in England are you?

[guru]

Hey Foxy,

Great log.
Yes, the mindset is very important as Mouse & H have said. I, too am lucky to learn it quickly. Don't at all worry about the figures.

I ramped up my squat to 50 kg from the bar & was hoping to reach my BW, i.e. 57.5 kg by end of 2008. But got concerned about form & stayed @50 for couple of more workouts. Then I could get to 57.5. Again deloaded to 50, worked back to 62.5. Now I am squatting 60 kg.

Like you, I'm in no hurry. Like you, I switched to Inv. rows from BB rows - similar reasons.

Have to admit - great bench figures.

Way to go.

- Guru

[Foxybass]

Cheers Lads

@ Mouse - Got the good sense from all the years of drinking the Guinness! I live just by Birmingham Airport down in the sunny Midlands. Enjoying your training log; I'm getting a lot out of it.

@ Guru - Good on you my friend for getting your BW squat. I'm looking forward to getting there sometime in April; hopefully 2009!

Later

[Foxybass]

Sunday 1 February

Still feeling feeble after too much alcohol on Friday night. Had a great time but I ate crap yesterday. My brain took the day off as well. I took my daughter to her swimming lesson only to get there and realise I’d forgotten her swimming costume. Donkey.

Anyway, I eventually got down to it and achieved;

Soft tissue work, hip & glute stretches. I’m definitely getting more flexible.
Squats 62.5 kg: 5/5/5/5/5
Overhead Press 47.5kg: 5/5/5/3/2
Deadlifts 62.5kg: 5/5/5

Squats – Felt good. Took my time again with the warm up sets.
Overhead Press – Took 5 minutes in between sets. 2nd stall.
Deadlifts – Form is getting good. Practice makes perfect so I did 3 sets. I might be too slow though.

I wasn’t 100% focused but I’m pleased with what I did. I’ll get back in that zone on Tuesday.

[holvoetn]

Keep trying with OHP.
They are hard as hell but eventually you will make it.

Make sure to squeeze the bar real hard during the set and do not relax between reps, it'll only make it harder to get the bar up again.

[Foxybass]

Tuesday 3 Feb

Soft tissue work, hip & glute stretches.
Squats 65kg: 5/5/5/5/5
Bench Press 72.5kg: 5/5/5
Inverted Rows: 5 sets to failure to work on form

Squats felt good after putting in the extra time on them. Had a little walk around with 90kg on the bar – felt very ugly.

Bench Press – Only did 3 sets. 1st set felt harder than the 3rd – maybe didn’t warm up enough.

Inverted rows are getting better. Gave them 5 quick sets to failure to work on form.

Great workout.

[Mouse]

Had a little walk around with 90kg on the bar – felt very ugly.

That's the spirit - 90kgs is a nicer weight than 100kgs though

[guru]

Hi Foxy,

Stretches have helped your squat, they've helped mine too. As for the press & BP, do you do dynamic stretches beforehand? I do shoulder dislocations, inside out rotations & slow windmills with 1 kg dumbbells & I know they help me.

I see you're not doing the assistance exercises - short on time?

Squats will move back up in no time, given that you do them 3x week. Good luck for them, and yes - congratulations for having a great workout.

- Guru