Liz's Log

[gargoyle]

Those twinges most likely are just the muscles being used. As long as there is no pain, it's good. I suspect once you get your Deads down, extra exercises won't even come into your thinking. It's all I could do to drag myself over from prone bridges after my DL session today. They are major back exercise.

Keep it up.

[LizzyLifts]

Monday 3/30

warm up with 12 min light cardio
Squats- 1x10 45lbs.
5x5 65lbs.
OHP- 5x5 40lbs.
Deadlift- 3x10 45lbs.
Pull-ups- @40lbs.assist 8/7/5
Planks- 64sec/60/60
cardio- 16min, 5 int. (1min sprint, 2min jog)

ok, i'm starting to settle into the feel of the 5x5 a bit more. Really enjoying this. I feel like it goes by so quickly tho'...like i only get 25 chances to lift the weight and lift it correctly and always at a new weight.

Squats went well, not easy but not too hard. This is the second session, however, where my right shoulder felt quite stiff at the outset. Again, not exactly painful, but distracting, like i'm thinking about whether i've got a good hold on the bar etc....i'd like to include some some kind of mobility work and/or warm-up sets prior to starting squats. Shoulder dislocations and warm-up squats with low weights is what i'm thinking.

Presses are coming along better than i expected. Did them standing today and the trainer spotting me. Doing them alone, i guess i'll use the long bar (45lbs.) and lift from the squat rack?

Deadlifts were still a bit puzzling! Guess it is just a movement i'll get used to over time. I pulled from the floor again today, and noted my starting position as mid-tibia. Just not sure what i'm supposed to be feeling here, perhaps the weight needs to go up some...after all those reps with a trainer watching, i did start to feel it in my hamstrings a bit and then upper back. Still felt like i could do another set. Next time will try 55lbs.

[atypical1]

Good work and congrats on doing SL. I don't see enough people doing the "big 4" lifts and it's good to read a beginner starting with them. Deads are something that you will get used to over time. Practice, practice, practice until your form gets better. The weight will come over time and as you add weight it will all make sense.

james

[LizzyLifts]

@Gargoyle I really appreciate your feedback on the 'twinges'...it was good to get it before i went in for my next squat session, helped to relax a bit...although, i then experienced the other, shoulder stuff...sigh. No doubt its just this old frame of mine talking to me a bit...asking me "what's up"

@James Hi James! Thanks much...glad you stopped by my log.

Just a question for either of you, or anyone...so, is there any downside to repeating a workout without increasing the weight in order to practice form and get more comfortable before adding another plate? I may not be increasing my strength as quickly, but i may feel physically and mentally more "ready" to proceed. The trainers at the gym (the head trainer is a PL) all tend to want to add the weight more quickly and even in greater increments. Just curious as to your thoughts.

best,

liz

[atypical1]

OK, so I would add weight but just add it really, really slowly. Do you have 2.5lb (1.13kg) weights where you work out? Maybe it's just adding the collars to the bar. The key though is to get your form correct but you can do that while adding weight slooooooooowly.

james

[Ghost]

I don't see a problem with that, though I'd do it only if I felt my form wasn't good enough and the weight's already heavy. Otherwise feel free to add more.

[gargoyle]

At the beginning like this, I don't see an issue with not adding weight, just keep in mind not to make it a habit. Same with adding 2.5 lbs. Whatever works. IMO, don't concede to adding more weight (over 5 lbs) as more weight is not in of itself the goal. Progression is, and if you add it too fast, you just stall faster and have to step back.

As for the deads, go look at working in the power rack. You can get the bar up to the right height that way by setting it on the catch bars. I think possibly the reason you are not 'getting them' is they are just too light. When a dead is real light, you don't have to use the appropriate muscles. I would look at 65 lbs. If you can squat that, you can deadlift that.

[LizzyLifts]

James, Ghost and Gargoyle, thank you much for your comments. It looks like you all have a similar perspective...as long as the form holds keep making some kind of forward progress, even if small. And Gargoyle, i hear what you're saying and very much agree that "hesitation" should'nt become a habit. I guess as much of this is in the head as it's in the body. Don't know how you all deal with the "suspense" of lifting...you do what you can to prepare for your workouts, but you never really know if you'll pull it off till you actually do it!

Anyway, thanks again, liz



Monday 4/1

warm-up 12 min, elliptical
mobility exercises-need to include a better thought out warm-up
-hamstring kicks 2/10 L-R (hamstrings have been tight since last wkout, those deadlifts i think)
-supine bridge 1x10
-neck rolls, shoulder rolls
-birddogs 1x10
-squats 12lb. bar 2x10

Squats
bar 1x5
55 lbs. 1x5
70 lbs. 5x5

Rev.Crunches 19/12/14

Bench- 65 lbs. 5x5 no issues, felt good, heavy, but good

Inv. Rows- 3/4/3

Push-ups- 9/8/9

Squats were toughest. I went ahead and added the 5lbs. Since i worked alone today, i'm not sure if i was deep enough or how well my form actually held up. The first couple of sets seem to be the toughest for me, the last sets actually went better...went deeper and started to trust myself a bit more...overall, quite tough tho', had a couple of fleeting thoughts of not being able to come up! i may stay at this weight one more workout and video tape it.

Bench was really good. Again, the first two sets were a bit wobbly, but then i got a rythm and finished strong. i can visualize lifting 70lbs. in a couple of days, yepper.

And no problems with the shoulder or lower back...

[gargoyle]

You actually have a pretty good idea if you can lift something next time. 2.5-5 lbs isn't like jumping 10-20 lbs. If you made 5x5 reasonably well, you can be pretty well certain you will make it next time. If it was marginal, don't forget that the workout you did WILL make you stronger and that the next workout will generally be easier. Sure you may have down days, (like my last bench), but overall it should not be a big surprise. OTOH, for instance, my last deadlift at 275 took damn near everything I had. 280 may or may not happen next time. I think it probably will. I am certainly sore enough that changes are happening. The last time I thought this, I actually just blew through it.

You may also find that your shoulder and back issues go away. I had some real issues with my lower back when my Dl crested my BW, but a little rest really helped and it's been great and strong since.

Keep it up.

[atypical1]

Definitely good work! I would definitely utilize the small plates. Heck, I use the 2.5 lb plates still when I squat and am a firm believer in them.

My first couple of sets used to be my toughest too until my hips warmed up. Now I do some mobility drills before and they seem to have really helped. I'm 40 so I'm not as limber as I used to be (and I was never very limber). Pre-workout I do treadmill, jump rope, or bike. Then I do leg swings and lateral squats. The lateral squats really, really help warm up and make a huge difference in how I feel before my sets.

james

[greasygemo]

I, personally, make love to my body with a tennis ball.
That is, I never felt better and more limber before I started soft tissue work.

[pagangoddess]

Hey LIz. I just found your log. I haven't read through it yet but I will soon.

Good to see you here.

[LizzyLifts]

@Gargoyle, Thanks much, an interesting response...i guess, like anything else the more experience you have with something the better you're able to predict an outcome. I know i really like squats, why exactly i'm not sure. But, of all the big lifts it feels like i'm internalizing the movements of the squat most. Now, whether i'm doing them strictly correctly, i'm not sure. The trainers at the gym like my form. But, squats are tricky aren't they. I lift tomorrow.


@James, Thanks! ok, my plan is to work on my squat form tomorrow, adding weight in the smallest amt. possible I believe the gym has a plate smaller than 2.5lbs., i never remember to really check...think i remember seeing 1.1? whatever it is i'll try it. I've been doing mobility exercises last couple of days...i really needed to...it's been really helpful.

@Gemos, Well you speak the truth! My two new best friends...the foam roller and the tennis ball...fantastic!! Who knew...

@Pagangoddes, glad you found the log and thanks in advance for any/all comments!

best,
liz

[LizzyLifts]

Saturday 4/4

Warm-up
elliptical 6min
leg swings, side lunges
(wanted to do more but was running late)

Squats
12lb. bar 1x15
45lb. bar 1x12
70/75/75/75/75/75

OHP
40lbs. (short bar+10)

Deadlifts
65lbs. 10x/8x/10x/7x

Pull-ups (@40lbs. assist) 7/5/4.5

Push-ups 9/7/6

foam roller upper and lower body, hip-flexor stretch

wonderful workout today
Squats: I went for adding the whole 5lbs. today. My confidence was up because 1) had a someone checking my form and kind of there as a spot and 2) felt better after utilizing a better warm-up. I can see going for 80lbs! Although i have to say Monday sounds like it'll be here a tad too soon. Again the first set at 75lbs. was tough, but the later sets got better. Right shoulder stills feels bad, especially the first couple of sets.

The trainer actually had me try some front squats (holding the bar at shoulder height w/arms crossed)...took all the right shoulder twinge/pain out of the equation. I'm going forward with back squats, but it sure felt great to squat without that shoulder distraction.

OHP: Absolutely could not progress beyond 40lbs. The right shoulder wouldn't allow it. Too fatigued.

Deadlift: Interesting. I'm "getting it" a little more now. Using higher weight helped. Plus, a couple of trainers happened to be around at that time and they had two different approaches. The one i'd been working with was having me do more of a straight-leg lift...not much squat, not much hip movement forward/up. The other trainer used a much lower position and hip thrust up/forward, thus invoving the glutes much more. Made more "body sense" to me this way. Also, i saw that i was crunching my shoulders up at the top of the lift, gotta keep them down and squeeze/tighten my shoulders blades back i think. Anyway, some progress there.

Overall, i think that the weakest places on my body have made themselves known. No surprise, it's the right shoulder. Also, the mental challenge is interesting. I tend to feel good physically while working out, then over the next day or so, when whatever muscle fatigue/soreness/tightness ensues i start to wonder if i'll be able to lift the next workout. Then, when the day actually comes i seem reved up enough to do it.

That's all i can think of for now. I've got to ring handbells tonight and i hope i'll be able to hoist them!

[atypical1]

Good for you. It sounds like things are coming along and I can see that having a fresh perspective helped out some. That is a problem with trainers sometimes, the lack of consistency. It sounds like the second trainer is a bit "better" with regard to form. Are they someone you could keep asking for help?
It'll be interesting comparing this log in a year to what it is now.

james