great day.
DL
95 x 10
105 x 9
110 x 7
115 x 5!!!
bench
70 x 10
75 x 5
75 x 4
80 x 3!!! no one around to help me rack- did it on my own!
abs on a decline w/ 25 lb plate on my chest
4 sets of 10
bent over dumbell row
30 x 10
30 x 10
35 x 8
40 x 7!!!
got halfway up on my pull ups!
short work out, I had very little time in a crowded gym, stayed in the squat rack.
DL
95 x 5
105 x 5
115 x 5
120 x 5!!!
military barbell press
45 x 5
50 x 5
55 x 5
55 x 5
squat- yes, squat and DL on the same day.
95 x 5
115 x 5 3 sets. couldn’t get down as far, stayed at the same weight.
my weight is till 135- 136. I feel ready for that weight training class which starts on Monday.
Nothing like a B/F that makes you feel like you can lift anything.
Short workout yesterday, took my 12 year old son with me to a very crowded gym. Just DL.
95 x 5
105 x 5
115 x 5
125 x 5!!!
125 x 5.
Weight is up to 137, feeling very bloated and headachy.
Yoga class went well, a lot of people made a point to compliment me on the class. Go figure!
The weight training class at school may not run… I have no idea how I’ll incorporate training into my schedule if it doesn’t. Wish me luck, ladies, and kudos to all of you!
What’s up with the weight training class? It might not be a bad thing if it doesn’t run. Sometimes those classes teach some rather archaic ideas about lifting. As long as you can still find time to squeeze your training in, it might not be that bad to go it on your own.
Missed a week of lifting due to organizing my new school schedule.
Friday 1/25
increasing to 5 sets, keeping reps at 5.
DL
90 x 5
110 x 5
115 x 5
120 x 5
125 x 4
Bench
65 x 5
70 x 5
75 x 5
B/F put 90 on, I got pinned. Disappointing.
Dumbell row
30 x 5
35 x 5
35 x 5
40 x 5
tried a goblet squat with 40 lbs, loved it.
Hi Sic, and thanks so much for your interest:
The weight training class did NOT run, so I will be continuing with the following program.
M-W-F:
DL
row
goblet squat
bench
pull up attempts
I may not DL every workout- what do you think I could substitute?
Today went well.
DL
90 x 5
110 x 5
120 x 5
120 x 5
125 x 5. Improvement.
Bench
65 x 5
70 x 5
70 x 5
75 x 4
80 x 2. Can’t tell if there’s improvement.
Dumbell row
35 x 5
35 x 5
40 x 5. Did not do a 5th set. (don’t know why!)
New(for me)goblet squat (No 5th set, why???)
40 x 4 x 5. went nice and deep, but used a very wide stance to get there. Deeper than I ever got with a bar on my back. I think I may be unable to perform a back squat properly due to an ankle problem- I’m gonna avoid it for now.
If you are going to train the same for M, W, F make sure you are changing the focus of your training. You will kill your CNS (central nervous system) if you keep the same taxing lifts in the same order.
Monday is DL day. So here is how you arrange everything:
DL 5 sets of 5 reps
row (seated) 3 sets of 10
goblet squats 3 sets of 10
bench (dumbbell) 3 sets of 10
pullup attempts (or lat pulldowns)
Wednesday is bench day.
Bench (barbell) 5 sets of 5
DL (stiff legged dl) 3 sets of 10
Goblet (or back) squats 3 sets of 10
Row (bent over dumbbell) 3 sets of 10
Pullups or pulldowns 3 sets of 10
Friday is Squat day.
Goblet (or front) squats 5 sets of 5
DL 3 sets of 10
Bench (incline dumbbell) 3 sets of 10
Row (barbell) 3 sets of 10
pullups (pulldowns) 3 sets of 10
This way you alternate your focus and allow yourself to kick ass on the three main lifts at different times of the week. You’ll see more even progress.
wow- thanks! I would have to keep a written log of that. I haven’t done dumbell bench or an incline bench, I’ll have to look into that. What weight increments would you recommend for improvement?
Thanks again.
Today I have some shoulder pain- rows stayed the same and bench stalled.
DL
100 x 5
110 x 5
120 x 5
125 x 5
130 x 5 PR!!!
bench
70 x 5
70 x 5
75 x 3
75 x 3
80 x 1
dumbell row
35 x 5 x 5
goblet squat
40 x 5
40 x 5
45 x 5
45 x 5
40 x 5- my shoulder hurt.
Do you ever do rotator cuff work for your shoulders? It’ll certainly help prevent strain/injury as you start getting stronger with bench and shoulder exercises.
As far as weight increases go, that depends on the lift and how much of your body it involves. While you are still making newbie gains you’ll be able to add a lot more weight quickly. I say newbie gains because you hit a DL PR of 130 but were able to lift it for 5 reps. That means that 130 is certainly not your max weight and that you can go even heavier than you realize.
Anyway, If I am attempting to lift a certain amount of weight for say 5 sets of 5 and I get all 25 of those reps, it is certainly time to add more weight. Try going up by 5 lbs at a time. If you are still getting all the reps, you need to add even more weight. Sometimes it is just a case of underestimating your ability.
You’ll know when you really hit your max and just can’t get out another rep with good form. Then you stick with that weight until you can get all the reps. Once it feels relatively easy, add another 5 pounds and start over. Sometimes adding that extra weight means that you’ll have to do 5 sets of 3 reps or 5 sets of 4, that’s fine, it just gives you more incentive to work hard at getting back up to 5 sets of 5.
That’s just basic progression.
[quote]aeromom wrote:
goblet squat
40 x 5
40 x 5
45 x 5
45 x 5
40 x 5- my shoulder hurt.[/quote]
Are you holding the Dumb bell away from you? If you are holding it in front of you by the end of the weight w/ your elbows bent I can’t see how it would put stress on your shoulder. You can cheat a little bit with the exercise as far as holding the weight by leaning it slightly on your chest, that might help.
Hi ladies, and thanks:
Ronda, yes I was holding the weight out, and leaning it on my chest helped. It was the goblets that caused the pain, I believe. Sic, I haven’t done any accessory work in a few months. Could be a problem.
For Monday I am starting a program similar to Sic’s suggestions. Still putting it together.
Two errors on my part:
Wednesday, I only got DL 130 lbs for 2.
Also, I calculated the weight wrong for DL all this time. I assumed the bar plus 2 25lb. plates was 90 Lbs. I have been 5 lbs under on every log. What I lack in intelligence, at least I make up for in strength (5 lbs more!)
Friday, lifted with my B/F. He joined my gym!!!
DL
95 x 5
115 x 5
125 x 5
135 x 5!
shoulder barbell press
45 x 5
50 x 5
50 x 3
50 x 3
barbell row
65 x 5
70 x 5
75 x 5
80- stalled, bad form.
75 x 5
still putting together the new program for monday.
New program:
A day
goblet squat
bench
barbell row
B day
goblet squat
military barbell press
deadlift
2 warm up sets of 5, 3 working sets of 5. Going up 5 lb increments for lower body and 2 1/2 lb increments for upper.
Today:
goblet squat
bw x 2 x 5
30 x 3 x 5
bench
bar x 2 x 5
60 x 3 x 5
barbell row
bar x 2 x 5
55 x 3 x 5
Starting lighter, and anticipating good improvement for this 10 week program.
Trying to keep it very short and simple at first.
My concern with goblet squats vs. front or back squats is a tendency to allow your upper body to lean too far forward. Do you notice this, or are you able to keep your chest up and out and your shoulders back?
Hi Sic, and thanks:
I tried to contribute to your thread about the wasting time article, hope it wasn’t to extraneous!
I feel at this time I am unable to perform front or back squats, due to decreased ROM in my right ankle. I simply can’t get to parallel without my heel lifting.
with goblet squats, I can get below parallel by widening my stance. I feel I am not leaning, but I will have my B/F watch me on Friday.
Thanks so much for your input, I really value it.
Michele
I do both front and back squats with a really wide stance myself, partly because I feel more stable and partly because of the same sort of mobility issues. If you watch any powerlifter squat they use a very wide stance as well… nothing wrong with it if that is what you feel comfortable with.
[quote]sic wrote:
I do both front and back squats with a really wide stance myself, partly because I feel more stable and partly because of the same sort of mobility issues. If you watch any powerlifter squat they use a very wide stance as well… nothing wrong with it if that is what you feel comfortable with.[/quote]
Hi sic, and congrats btw, keep us posted on any upcoming events!
I may try a back squat with a wide stance, and see…
Today was B day. Once again, starting low weight.
Warmed up with a “body shaping” class I’m taking at school, so I cut out one warm up set.
Then hit the gym.
Goblet squat
BW x 5
35 x 3 x 5
military press
10 lb DB x 5
bar x 3 x 5
deadlift
95 x 5
115 x 3 x 5
Gonna try a pull up on Friday. my weight is still 138.
OMG, got the 2nd half of a pull up! Jumped up, stopped, and got the rest of the way by myself!
Friday
Goblet squat
5 x 2 x 5
40 x 3 x 5
bench
50 x 2 x 5
62 1/2 x 3 x 5
used chain links to go up 2 1/2 lbs.
barbell row
50 x 2 x 5
57 1/2 x 3 x 5
Great job on the pull up.
Diana
I miscalculated my DL weights again. I don’t know what’s going on.
Body shaping class- skipped 1 warm up set.
B Day
Goblet squat
10 x 5
40 x 3 x 5
Military press
DB 16 x 5
barbell 47 1/2 x 3 x 5 used chain links
DL
50 x 5
115 x 5- meant to do 100. (idgit!)
135 x 5-meant to do 120. (" ")
120 x 2 x 5.
The important thing is when I discovered the screw ups, I went right back to the program without trying to “make up for the mistake.”
The other important thing is I pulled 135 for 5, thinking it was 120. Not bad for this old housewife.