katja's training log

[Barry06GT]

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Yahoo! One of the biggest achievements. The ability to pull oneself up without help. Congratulations.
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[saukkis]

Whats this, another Finn? Not that many of us here.

And grats on your chin-up, I wish I could do one.

[katja]

Thanks Barry! Just a little more practice, and I can save myself if I'm about to fall from a roof...

Hei Saukkis I noticed you at some point, you're the only other Finn I've encountered here. Too shy to comment on your log though, as usual. I'm sure the lack of chinups is just a weight issue in your case. (And it's not like I can do a 'clean' chinup yet anyway, I have to start with my arms tight and slightly bent or it just won't happen.)

I think I'm going to try and see if I can learn the kipping technique that is used in crossfit. I don't mind cheating a little if it helps me to haul myself up more than once...

[Kathy]

Hooray for your first chinup! I'm sure there are many more in your future Katja! You've had a great week, enjoy.

[katja]

Thanks Kathy.

Heh, I couldn't have hauled myself up to save my life in yesterday's workout, but maybe I ws just burnt out from Saturday

[XCouchPotato]

Congrats Katja, doing a chinup is really great! Sounds like you have had a great week, keep it up.

[atypical1]

Congrats on the pull up!

james

[katja]

Status update. Best deadlift is now 2x70kg. No squat progress though My intention is to try 47,5 kg before Christmas but I just couldn't make it last week. And no barbell bench progress either, largely due to wrist problems. But I bench pressed 13,6kg dumbbells for the first time and managed 3x6. I guess that's my "working weight" from now on.

Winter has arrived in Helsinki, Finland. I can't believe that -11C can feel so cold these days. I'm originally from 600 km north and -11 was nothing back then! I guess I'm getting old.

Oh, and I've turned into a redhead.

[saukkis]

If you are experiencing wrist problems you might want to get wrist wraps. Some say that using wraps inhibits your forearm progress but so does breaking them.

-11°C seems almost pleasant compared to what we have Up here in Rovaniemi.-25°C at the moment and they say it's going to reach -30°C tomorrow. Only thing we now need for an authentic winter is more snow.

[katja]

Yeaaah good old -30. Can't say that's something I miss. We're coming North for Christmas, used to be so that every year it got to -30 when we were there. One year it got to -34 I think. Not lately, though...

I'm not sure I want to possibly mask problems with wraps. On a good day I can bench press without any pain, but on a bad day I'm not sure I'd even want to try. Usually I can tell from benching with just the bar if I can do it or not. If not, I just go to dumbbells because they never give me any grief. And I sort of like dumbells better anyway.

Strengthening my forearms has helped. I used to not be able to bench press with the bar at all but doing prone grip bicep curls (as suggested by a sports masseuse I go to) has helped so that now I can do it maybe 2 times a month.

Ultimately my problem probably is that my upper body hasn't been used much at all for over 30 years and now its complaining as I try to convince it that lifting something more than a book is a good thing. Also I think that as a teenager I landed on my wrists a couple of times too many... sigh.

[XCouchPotato]

Hi Katja:

Sorry to hear about your wrist pain. How did you fall on wrists so many times?

Just remember, the body is an extremely adaptable machine. If you ask it to do something you haven't asked for before, it will complain at first, then it will adapt and ask for more.

[Ghost]

Yeah, finally winter! First day this year that it's been -15C plus we got snow!

You could also try using a powerball for the wrist pain. I know those things look more like a toy but it worked extremely well on strengthening my wrist after I broke it riding a dirt bike.

Btw, I know exactly what you mean about Dragon age in your other log. Don't think I stepped outside at all during the weekend.

[katja]

@X: too much beer, bad balance, puny wrists.

@Ghost: I haven't played since Sunday and I've been to the gym twice... But I swear that game's calling to me all the time...

Finally squatted 47,5 kg yesterday, but only 3x4. Hopefully the reps will go up fast and I can try for 5x5. Also a leg press PR. I know it's not kosher but... 130 kg, yay. Finished with 20x100 kg and 40x75 kg. Could barely walk after that. I'm trying to overtrain a bit this week because I'm having next week off.

[XCouchPotato]

Hi Katja:

Congrats on squatting the bar! I know how good that can feel the first time you make it. Also congrats on the leg press PR!

[atypical1]

@X: too much beer, bad balance, puny wrists.

That's as good of a reason as any

Good work on the squats and the leg press is cheating but we're not that strict around here.

If I were you I would do some bodyweight squats while taking time off of the gym just so that you don't come back to the most incredible bout of doms you've ever had. I learned that lesson so that you don't have to.

And you did say -30 right? Brrrrrrr

james