Liz's Log

[LizzyLifts]

Liz's Log

I came across the Stronglifts site in Feb., after reading New Rules of Lifting for Women and I knew I wanted/needed to lift heavy stuff. I'm totally new to lifting weights of any kind, other than myself or the kids etc.

So, I’ve joined a gym and have been working with a trainer for a couple of weeks…learning and transitioning to free weights (from workingout at home on a TotalGym). As soon as I make some headway with OHP I’ll be starting the 5x5 program in earnest.


Personal STATS
46 yrs. old, female
height: 5’ 4’’
weight: 118 lbs.
bodyfat: 28.5%


Strength STATS
Squat- 45/45/45/55/55 lbs.
Bench- 55/55/55/55/60 lbs. (so many things to think about here!)
InvRow- 9/7/7/12/9
Pushups- 14/9/10/6/8
OHP- just learning (this over-head motion is the worrisome one re my shoulder)
Deadlift- just learning
Pullups- just horrible...the trainers at the gym have me using the assisted machine now…thinking about getting an assistance band
Rev.crunches- v-ups w/bench 14/11/13/12/16

Body weight: steady, to date

Nutrition: the gym trainer set this out: I’m eating clean about 1750 cal/day (by my calculations), six meals/day, trying for 1 gallon of water/day…six days/week…seventh day I eat whatever I want as much as I want.

Schedule: I’ve been lifting 3 days/wk and doing light cardio at home the other days


Goals
* build overall body strength and lower body fat (don’t want to lose weight,
not averse to gaining some more if need be)
* commit to Stronglifts 5x5 for 6months and see how I look and feel
* drop bodyfat from 28.5% to 20%
* strengthen upperbody, particularly right shoulder which has always been
weak from dislocating it in competitive swimming as a kid, and
periodic dislocations over the years since then.
* an unassisted pullup/chinup!!

Any comments on learning OHP would be greatly appreciated!

[Buffalo150]

Liz-

OHP is a bear, as you will find out. Read Mehdi's posts on the Press and persevere. There is no "magic" to performing the Press, just a lot of work. But once you get the hang of putting the bar over your head you'll be hooked.

Go get 'em...

-Bflo

[excylist]

In six months you will be amazed by the transformation. Just follow the program and give it time. Advice on OHP: get micro-plates and/or chains- the smaller increases have helped me tremendously. Good luck!

[LizzyLifts]

But once you get the hang of putting the bar over your head you'll be hooked.

Hey Buffalo, thanks for reading thru my log...and for the encouragement...i have been truely hooked it seems...i'm surprised at how good it feels to exercise this way...you have to think/focus and work hard, then eat like crazy, sleep well, and the body does change...well, i know it's early on and i'm a novice and all, but this is my impression so far gotta love it!

Just follow the program and give it time. Advice on OHP: get micro-plates and/or chains- the smaller increases have helped me tremendously.

Hi Excylist, Thanks much for this advice/reminder...i really have to hold the line with the trainers at the gym...they keep wanting to add more weight on, and i keep explaining that i'm in no hurry and want to follow this program etc., focus on form while the weight is light etc. I think they wanted to find my 5RM (and i was kind of curious myself)...this is not my understanding reading thru the SL5x5 program though, right?
I'm looking forward to going in tomorrow to work on OHP and Deadlifts. Thanks again!
liz

[LizzyLifts]

Tuesday-Workout B

Squat- 55lbs. 5x5, felt good, next time 60lbs!

OHP- 35lbs. 5x5, first time w/these, took it slow 'cause of the shoulder-no troubles, did them seated w/an empty bar, next time will try standing and possibly a bit more weight.

Deadlift- 30lbs., conventional style, ??? ok, i thought i was going to enjoy these, but i just wasn't "getting it"...still unclear about coordinating the lower body and back movements. I think i was approaching it like a squat. I'll read/watch Mehdi's instructions again. Next time, i'll try more weight and perhaps sumo style. Also, tried stiff-legged deadlifts today, and that made more sense...i could feel my hamstrings/glutes working.

Pull-ups- assisted machine @55lbs. 21/16/12 Next time reduce the assist

Plank- 3x30sec Next time increase intesnsity

all in all a good training session!
-made a start on OHP
-i feel good about racking and unracking the bar for squats, so i'm good to go
-by the time i got home i was pretty tired and could really feel it in my shoulders! stuck w/ eating every 3 hours and drinking lots of water...felt better later

did push-ups at home 14/11/11

[LizzyLifts]

Current Diet
This meal plan was given to me by the trainer at the gym...I've been eating this, the same thing pretty much everyday 6 days/week for the past three weeks. The seventh day is a free for all...i'm supposed to eat anything i want, and as much as i want. So far so good, i actually like eating the same thing every day...takes all the thought and planning out of the equation...that's a relief. Still have to come up with delicious and nutritious stuff for everyone else though.

My weight is steady. I can feel my energy level dip if i've missed one of the meals, especially on a workout day. As soon as I eat, i bounce right back. So, i'm watching to see if i need to eat more.

0) first thing in morning 1 scoop whey in water
1) breakfast 4 eggwhites scrambled, 1 tbsp. flax, 2 slices whole grain bread
2) post workout 1.5 scoops whey in skim milk, 1 banana
3) 3 oz. lean meat or fish, 1 cup of brown rice, veggies or a salad
4) 1 apple, 2 big tbsp. unsweetened peanut butter, 1/2 cup cottage cheese
5) 3 oz. lean meat or fish, 1/2 cup of brown rice, veggies or a salad
6) before bed 1/2 cup cottage cheese

and trying to drink a gallon of water a day

[gargoyle]

For the dead lifts, as a very general rule of thumb, it is not advised to move away from a lift style just because you are having difficulty mastering it. I would recommend sticking with the traditional deadlift.

I found breaking it into three setup steps and two motions helped me a lot.

1) Center your feet under the bar
2) Bend at the waist and grip the bar
3) Bend your knees/lower your butt until your shins touch the bar

Then
1) Keeping your back tight, shoulders back, push with your legs.
2) Once the bar clears your knees, thrust your hips forward to finish getting upright. Don't 'pull' up with your back. As someone told me once 'hump the bar'.

Also, for 30 lbs on deads, how did you manage that? Do you mean 30 in addition to the 45 lb bar i.e. 75 lbs or were you using a light empty bar? In either case did you have the bar stacked on something to give you the proper starting height?

Oh, and welcome aboard and Lift Strong.

[LizzyLifts]

Gargoyle, Hi, and many thanks for reading thru my log and for the feedback.

ok, you're rigth about not muddying the waters trying other dl styles now...i'll stick to conventional till i get it. Your breakdown of the setup and motions for the dl is great. i look forward to trying again.

and yes, for the 30lbs., it was a 30lb. light empty bar.
and no, i didn't have the bar stacked on anything, just pulled it up from the floor. Maybe that is one of the reasons i feel like i'm sinking into doing a 'squat' in the setup. What is the right starting height for the bar? mid-shin level?

thanks again, i really appreciate it

[LizzyLifts]

My time at the gym today was limited, had to drop off and pick up my 4 yr. old before and after. Managed everything but the push-ups which i'll do tonight.

Squats- 60lbs. 5x5 I warmed up w/empty bar couple sets of 8, the 60lbs.felt good
Bench- 60lbs. 5x5 I was a little nervous about this for some reason, but it went well, by the last set i felt like i could do another. the trainer who spotted me said not to stop or pause too long at the top, just to keep the reps going (not fast though). This seemed to help.
Rev.Crunches-21/16/12 v-ups on bench
Inv.Row- 6/8/8 evil things

[gargoyle]

The height is 1/2 of a 45 lbs plate. I think that is around 12". More mid-tibia I think. Yeah, if you were going from the ground, no wonder it felt odd. And you may find you can do a lot more than you think. 88 lbs rings a bell as the suggested starting weight for a dead lift. Females may be lighter. You need some weight there to actually pull against, but at the same time, it isn't much more than 'just standing up' without bending your back.

Good job on the rest.

Yeah, those inv rows are harder than they look, aren't they. Are you doing them straight legged on a bench or bent legged?

Keep at it!

[LizzyLifts]

Hey Gargoyle...thanks!...as for the inverted rows, i'm doing them straight legged, heels on the floor, using the bar on the Smiths machine...body straight, like an upside down push-up i guess...trying to get a good range of motion with my arms, and trying to touch my chest to the dang bar each time, but it is difficult...have to try different hand placements and how far under the bar i am etc.

[gargoyle]

IR - yeah, they are tough. Just wait until you get to the 'real' ones where your feet are elevated onto a bench or chair and you body is parallel when you chest touches the bar.

And not to take away from what you ARE doing, if you chest doesn't touch the bar - doesn't count. Don't let that stop you though. Currently I do 3x10 and only count the ones where my chest touches.

Keep at it!

[greasygemo]

WOW! Good job on the inverted rows and pull ups.. God I suck at those. I can barely do enough for it to even count!

[LizzyLifts]

@Gargoyle ha! those blasted IRs, just figures...well, i'll modify my log notation to reflect my 'complete' (and incomplete) rows...and of course! keep plugging away...looking for small victories of any kind

@Gemos Thanks!...gotta a ways to go yet!

[LizzyLifts]

Saturday 3/28

postponed my lifting day to Monday so I could work on some ABS/Core exercises today. I've been wanting to shore up my lower back since i sometimes notice some small 'twinges' there after a workout (it's not pain and is always gone by next morning). I'm thinking i can work on some of these in between lift days.

Back Extensions- 2x25
Side Crunches-on back ext. bench- 2x20 (L-R)
Cable Core Twist- 5lbs. 2x30 (L-R)
Rotational V-sits w/swiss ball 1x100

cardio-22min w/5 intervals (sprint 1min/walk 2min), max. heart rate 150

back to Workout B Monday