Kathy's Training Log

[Kathy]

Hello everyone. I have been doing the Stronglifts routine for about 6 weeks now and really enjoy it.

About myself: I am a 41 y.o. former accountant/current stay at home mom to 3 boys under 6. I have enjoyed various forms of exercise over the years beginning in college. I I stopped formal exercise once my husband and I bought a home which required a lot of renovation. The house was finally in shape and the kids came along. So about a year and a half ago, I decided that I was tired of being tired and began seeing a personal trainer. The trainer introduced me to foam rolling, perfect form and the importance of a strong core. I got confident enough to go the local YMCA on a regular basis and my plan is to stop the personal training sessions by the end of the year and continue on my own. I have only worked with dumbbells and cable columns so the SL program was a completely new experience.

Why Stronglifts?
I need strength for my day to day routine. My 3 balls of energy (that would be my kids) are non-stop.
I am more confident when I am strong.
I want to be a good example for my boys. They have been watching the YouTube videos along with me and now know the proper form for a squat. It’s hilarious to see them all in a squat position! I want to instill in them a life long love of fitness.

My Stats:
Female
41 y.o. (Ugh…I don’t feel that old)
Height: 5’8” / 173 cm
Weight: 190 lbs / 86 kg (Even in metric that is SUCH an ugly number-Yuck)
Bodyfat: 33% - Omron handheld (Yet another ugly number)


Goals: Squat my BW
Bodyfat around 25%
One lousy pull-up

Last Week's Sessions:
4/1 Wed -
Squat
45 lbs x 5
95 lbs x 5
115 x 5
145 5x5

OHP
45 x 6
55 x 5
65 x 5
70 5/4/5/4/2
This is the second try for 70 lbs and will probably be my first stall

DL
65 x 5
95 x 5
120 3x5

Negative Chin Ups 7

Prone Bridge
3 x 30 secs w/feet on medicine ball


4/3, Friday
Squat
45 x 5
95 x 5
115 x 5
135 x 5
150 5x5 These were tough but doable. I certainly wasn't setting any speed records on the way up!

BP
45 x 8
65 x 5
85 x 5
105 5/3/4/4/5 with too much of a spot.

BB Rows
45 x 5
55 x 5
65 x 5
75 5/5/5/4/5

Push Ups on stability ball - 3 x 10

Reverse Crunch 3 x 15

I have decided to run a 5k in early May so I need to get training for that as well. My plan is to run about an hour after my workouts, gradually increasing the running distance by a quarter mile each time. I have found that the hour of recovery is necessary for my legs to stop feeling like bricks from the squats.

It will be interesting to see what tomorrow's workout will be

[LizzyLifts]

Well Hi Kathy!

Great to find your training log here! My name is Liz and i've been doing SL for about 2 weeks now. Love it. My story is similar to yours, i'm 46 and my two girls are under the age of 8...and keep me running.

Your training sessions look great. Love those prone bridges with the medicine ball, may have to give it a try. i too am using a trainer now and am looking forward to being "on my own" at some point. Lot's to learn before then tho'.

Best to you...and welcome. As you probably already know, this is quite a community of friendly, knowledgable, and helpful folks.

enjoy,

liz

[Kathy]

Hi Liz,

Thanks for the greetings and I'll check out your log. It is nice to see other women following the program as I have not seen any women at the gym go near the squat rack.

This barbell stuff is quite fun and the philosophy of compound movements to train mulitple muscle groups as a unit is consistent with what the trainer has me doing. Yes, the prone bridges on the med ball is tough. I have been trying one legged on the ball but I can't stay up for long, yet!

[Kathy]

4/6, Monday

Squats -
65lbs x 8
95lbs x 6
115 x 5
135 x 5
155 5 x 5

OHP
55 x 5
65 x 5
70 4x5, 4

DL
125 lbs 3 x 5

Prone Bridge
3 x 30 secs w/feet on medicine ball
One legged prone bridge 15 secs each leg

Neg Chin Ups 6 I REALLY do not enjoy these!

Squat were SO hard. Will probably keep the same weight next time as my form was not perfect.

This was my 3rd try for 70lbs on OHP and I didn't get it My left shoulder was doing something strange at the shrug part - felt very stiff and just not in the right place. Will reduce the weight next time and work my way back up. SO frustrating.

I think I have gotten spoiled. Up until the last few workouts, the additional weight has not been a big deal but now it is different. I really need to concentrate on breathing and my form to complete the sets. May also have to get some fractional plates to continue progressing. I don't think I can keeping adding 5lbs to the OHP and the bench press. Really wish I had a stronger upper body.

[greasygemo]

Squat
45 lbs x 5
95 lbs x 5
115 x 5
145 5x5

You, madame, are strong! I salute you!

Neg Chin Ups 6 I REALLY do not enjoy these!

I share your pain, that's about where I am too.

This was my 3rd try for 70lbs on OHP and I didn't get it My left shoulder was doing something strange at the shrug part - felt very stiff and just not in the right place. Will reduce the weight next time and work my way back up. SO frustrating.

I just stalled on this too, at 65lbs. Its a hard one.

[pagangoddess]

Welcome to the forum Kathy. Impressive squats!

[greasygemo]

I feel for your struggle with food, binging and great love of cookies. I have a similar situation (most especially home made cookies ) so I sympathize. But like previous posters suggest, one day at a time - change little by little.

I recently started making homemade protein cookies. I make a single serve batch when I want cookies, and it works pretty good. And its fast. Sometimes I make them for breakfast

I'll share the recipes with you as I perfect them If you would like! I've almost got oatmeal down.. I'll work on PB next

[guru]

Hi Kathy,

Nice to see your log going on. The strongglifts fever is catching on - especially with 40+ people recently. It was indeed very nice of you to add that special personal touch in your response to our welcome messages - you took the time to glance through our logs. My program with Mehdi is still in the early stage, but I expect to get it going well soon.

I know how you feel about being strong for your three energy balls. I have only two, but they are enough. I too want to be a strong dad for them - hopefully they will take strength training seriously in a few years.

Beautiful lift numbers there.

Keep lifting - get stronger.

[somebody]

Some stuff to try, and some questions:

Squats -
65lbs x 8
95lbs x 6
115 x 5
135 x 5
155 5 x 5

To start with, these are good numbers. That said, I think you're warming up too much. Try something more like 45x5, 75x3, 95x1, 115x1, 135x1, 155x5x5. Also, what are your rest times looking like?

[BTW, do *not* attempt it yet, but if you can squat 155 5x5 after all that unnecessary warmup, I'm pretty sure you could lift your bodyweight for a single, or damn close, with proper coaching and a spot. Point being you're squats are going great. Now you need to get your DL going up!]

OHP
55 x 5
65 x 5
70 4x5, 4

Again, looks to me like way too much work before you get to your work sets. Try 45x5, 55x3, 65x1. Or less.

DL
125 lbs 3 x 5

Rx is *one* heavy set of five. This is probably at least part of why your DL is still way behind your squat numbers, which are excellent. Next time, just pull a single set of five with the big plates. If you have lighter weights of the correct circumference to warm up with, warm yourself up with those. If not, some light RDLs if you know how or, well, whatever.

[herf]

Heh Somebody beat me to it. I was going to recommend toning down your warm ups. You might be getting tired/fatigued even before your lifting weight. From what I've seen, most people only do 3 sets of warm ups...5 reps each. This is only when the weights are heavy. I would recommend trying what Somebody said. For me, what is still working, is, I've been warming up with 3-4 reps with just the bar for squats and then putting on the weight. I don't tired out or get too much in DOMS yet. I'm only doing 165lbs though, others are doing 3x's as much as me!

[Kathy]

@somebody & herf:
Thanks for suggestion on the warm-up reduction, I think it might have helped today. I kept the squat weight the same but was much more in control on the descent than I was on Monday. Don't worry, I will not be racking up any bodyweight squats anytime soon - I would be too terrified of getting squashed !!

I know the SL program calls for 1x5 for deadlifts but I had absolutely no experience with this lift so I've been progressing really slowly. I have a hard time making sure my knees unbend first, then the hips and keeping my back tight. I figure, the more practice the better, at least until the weight is really heavy.

[Kathy]

4/8, Wed

Squats
45lbs x 8
115lbs x 5
135lbs x 5
150 lbs 5x5

BP
45lbs x 10
95lbs x 5
105lbs 4,4,4,2,3,3

Inv Rows, bent knees
5,5,5

Bent Over DB Rows
20lbs 2 x 10 each side

Push Ups
8, 5, 5, push ups from bench 10

Roman Chair Leg Raises (alt bent knee/straight leg)
2 x 12

Form on the squats was better today - thanks somebody and herf for the suggestions. Will progress to 155lbs on Friday-scary!

Second attempt at 105lbs on bench press and no go. My grip was off on the 4th set a felt a quick pain in my hand so did an extra set.

Just felt like DB rows for fun. Still don't enjoy inverted rows - really not improving on these, haven't figured out why yet. The whole movement just feels uncomfortable and I can barely touch the bar.

Wanted a change for abs so just did leg raises - was happy to discover I can do them with straight legs

[Kathy]

Wooooo...a weekend of eating Cadburry mini eggs, jelly beans and all other sorts of sweets has me thinking about tomorrow's workout and I just realized I forgot to log Fridays...so here it is. Oh...the weight room was SO packed due to the holiday, that I know I did these all out of order but there is only one squat rack

4/10, Fri

OHP
45lbs x 8
65lbs 5,5,5,5,2 UGH!!!!! I lowered the weight and my left shoulder just refused on the last set. What is that?! I am hoping it is because I was doing these in a seated military press rack and the bar rack was uncomfortably behind my shoulders. It was a lot of effort just to get it into position and stand up. Again...only one squat rack so had to make do. Annoyed w/myself though.

To check shoulder, did 3 x 5 25lbs dumbbell overhead press standing on upside down BOSU and all felt good. Maybe shoulders need some mobility work-will have to research what to do.

Squats
45lbs x 8
115lbs x 5
135lbs x 5
155 5x5

Deadlift
135lbs 3x5

Neg Chin Ups
3 x 5

Prone Bridge
3 x 30 secs w/feet on medicine ball
One legged prone bridge 15 secs each leg

Inverted Rows, bent knee
3, 3, 3 I am still trying to get the hang of these so I practiced a few. So frustrating.

On a positive note, I am definitely stronger. Putting sheets on a twin bed tonight and I just picked up the end of the mattress with one hand and held it while putting the sheet on with the other hand! Before, I would struggle to pick up the mattress with two hands and balance it so definite improvement. It's the little things...

Looking forward to tomorrow.

[herf]

Don't worry, I will not be racking up any bodyweight squats anytime soon - I would be too terrified of getting squashed !!

You're almost there anyways! No need to set records IMO. I have not set a record and I'm still progressing nicely. That is great that your noticeably stronger! Even real life situations like lifting the mattress with 1 hand instead of 2.

I would switch your OHP to a non military style. At least try to stand up when you do them. This will help with core strength as your whole body has to keep balance. When you're sitting, your upper body is the only thing that has to keep balance. It all really is up to you and what you like best.

[ksizemore]

On a positive note, I am definitely stronger. Putting sheets on a twin bed tonight and I just picked up the end of the mattress with one hand and held it while putting the sheet on with the other hand!

This is awesome! I hope I get to this soon too, but it might take me a bit since I'd have to lift a queen-sized mattress.