Vixens' Heavy Lifts

Yes that is what I meant by speed pulls… just dynamic work with about 50-70% of your 1RM for like 8-10 sets of 2-3 reps as fast as you can (with great form)
Basically exactly what you described! =D

You did Farmer’s Walk with 115 lbs PER HAND??? You are my new role model! I felt like I badass with 60 lbs in each hand! Haha… mine is a modified version I know… I just use dumbbells and run as fast as I can down a hallway at my gym that is about 25-30 yds, then I turn around and run back the other direction… it’s ends up being a 40-45 yd “jog” … (I leave a bit of “wiggle room” at the ends of the hallway… don’t want to crash into the wall…)

I then rest like 60 seconds and do this 8-10 times… (totally know what you mean about your shoulder feeling like it was going to separate…)

But I am majorly impressed with you and your lifts! You workout seems great! Do you ever de-load? How long have you been training like this? Have you competed?

[quote]mmgalb727 wrote:
Yes that is what I meant by speed pulls… just dynamic work with about 50-70% of your 1RM for like 8-10 sets of 2-3 reps as fast as you can (with great form)
Basically exactly what you described! =D

You did Farmer’s Walk with 115 lbs PER HAND??? You are my new role model! I felt like I badass with 60 lbs in each hand! Haha… mine is a modified version I know… I just use dumbbells and run as fast as I can down a hallway at my gym that is about 25-30 yds, then I turn around and run back the other direction… it’s ends up being a 40-45 yd “jog” … (I leave a bit of “wiggle room” at the ends of the hallway… don’t want to crash into the wall…)

I then rest like 60 seconds and do this 8-10 times… (totally know what you mean about your shoulder feeling like it was going to separate…)

But I am majorly impressed with you and your lifts! You workout seems great! Do you ever de-load? How long have you been training like this? Have you competed?[/quote]

We did the farmers walk in the parking lot at the gym. The trainer I was working with is a competitive strongman. I’ve since lost him. He had to go to another location. I’m trying to find someone else to work with. I don’t need it for motivation. I have plenty of that. He was a great source of information. I didn’t know anything about m.e. and d.e. until he told me. Also about cycling lifts.

I haven’t competed yet but would like to. I was hoping to do a strongman competition this August. However, now that I’ve lost my guy, I’m not sure what direction to go in. He had all the equipment (tires etc). I’m a bit of a wussy that way in that I would prefer to do it with someone else. At one point it looked like a small group of us would do it but that has fallen apart. I’m trying to work something out with a friend of his. I’d love to find a group to train with in this area.

That’s awesome that you had such a great resource at your fingertips for a while… sorry he is gone now…=(
I know what you mean though… I am constantly picking my friends’ brains about ways to improve… I definitely have a good amount of knowledge… but I have friends who have “been in the game” for 10-20 years… LOVE learning from them.

Aww man! You doing the strongman would have been awesome! Have you thought about doing a powerlifting meet instead? I feel like there is more information available about that than strongman stuff… (just a guess…)

I KNOW that plenty of experienced people on here would chime in and help you with your workouts…

Having a date set and getting ready for a meet would be SO EXCITING! What are some dates for some meets in your area?

MMG pulled an easy 315 tonight. Needs to work on her tec some. I’d say she is good for an easy 365 right now … I will have the video up toomm

Nice work :wink:

[quote]squat1000b700 wrote:
MMG pulled an easy 315 tonight. Needs to work on her tec some. I’d say she is good for an easy 365 right now … I will have the video up toomm

Nice work :wink: [/quote]

Wow. That’s really impressive. Good for her.

[quote]ouroboro_s wrote:
squat1000b700 wrote:
MMG pulled an easy 315 tonight. Needs to work on her tec some. I’d say she is good for an easy 365 right now … I will have the video up toomm

Nice work :wink:

Wow. That’s really impressive. Good for her.[/quote]

Thanks! It was SO fun! I can’t wait to get back in the gym and lift more! =D

I definitely think that if I work on my technique I can do A LOT more… I felt like I had another 20-30 lbs in the tank TONIGHT… but my friends wouldn’t let me try… they didn’t want me to burn out or fry my CNS too much! =D

I concur regarding how heavy deads can really beat you up. There’s a saying out there that the worst thing you can do for your deadlift is train it.

I usually stick to rack pulls (315 to 325) at just below the knee, or multiple sets of ten at 225. I find the latter really makes me feel wiped out about an hour later, but then I am a wee bit older than you.

While I appreciate the fact that you are motivated, keep that motivation under control and don’t let it (or your ego) lead you to an injury. A hamstring pull can nag you for quit a while. Being as tall as you are, you may be built for deadlifting, however tall also folks tend to have weak hamstrings, so make sure you train your posterior chain well.

There’s no rush, you’ve got the rest of your life to train. You want to still be doing this in twenty years.
That’s when it really pays off.

[quote]mmgalb727 wrote:
ouroboro_s wrote:
squat1000b700 wrote:
MMG pulled an easy 315 tonight. Needs to work on her tec some. I’d say she is good for an easy 365 right now … I will have the video up toomm

Nice work :wink:

Wow. That’s really impressive. Good for her.

Thanks! It was SO fun! I can’t wait to get back in the gym and lift more! =D

I definitely think that if I work on my technique I can do A LOT more… I felt like I had another 20-30 lbs in the tank TONIGHT… but my friends wouldn’t let me try… they didn’t want me to burn out or fry my CNS too much! =D[/quote]

Is that not an amazing feeling? It makes me want to push it even harder. I’m on a strong upswing at the moment. My strength goes in cycles with a definate upward trend. I did a D.E. night last night. I was feeling stronger on bench which is really weak and ass sucky for me. I did 10 sets at 95 and 2 sets at 105. My max to date for bench is 110 so I think I will push past that this weekend. Pretty weak numbers for most people but I felt so good afterward.

[quote]gojira wrote:
I concur regarding how heavy deads can really beat you up. There’s a saying out there that the worst thing you can do for your deadlift is train it.

I usually stick to rack pulls (315 to 325) at just below the knee, or multiple sets of ten at 225. I find the latter really makes me feel wiped out about an hour later, but then I am a wee bit older than you.

While I appreciate the fact that you are motivated, keep that motivation under control and don’t let it (or your ego) lead you to an injury. A hamstring pull can nag you for quit a while. Being as tall as you are, you may be built for deadlifting, however tall also folks tend to have weak hamstrings, so make sure you train your posterior chain well.

There’s no rush, you’ve got the rest of your life to train. You want to still be doing this in twenty years.
That’s when it really pays off.[/quote]

Molly has been training hard for quite some time and has a nice base she is too smart to let her ego get the best of her. Thanks for the reminder

[quote]gojira wrote:
I concur regarding how heavy deads can really beat you up. There’s a saying out there that the worst thing you can do for your deadlift is train it.

I usually stick to rack pulls (315 to 325) at just below the knee, or multiple sets of ten at 225. I find the latter really makes me feel wiped out about an hour later, but then I am a wee bit older than you.

While I appreciate the fact that you are motivated, keep that motivation under control and don’t let it (or your ego) lead you to an injury. A hamstring pull can nag you for quit a while. Being as tall as you are, you may be built for deadlifting, however tall also folks tend to have weak hamstrings, so make sure you train your posterior chain well.

There’s no rush, you’ve got the rest of your life to train. You want to still be doing this in twenty years.
That’s when it really pays off.[/quote]

I know! Deads CAN beat you up! my lower back HATES me today! =D This was actually the first time I have gone for a ONE rep Max in almost 3 years! =D

I usually stick to the 4-8 rep range and I switch it up ALL the time. I might go 2-3 months without training a conventional DL. I will pull sumo, do romanian DL with my toes elevated, trap bar DL’s, rack pulls from all different heights, good mornings, Heck… I even went 6 weeks without training lower body with weights AT ALL! I just did spring training twice a week…etc.

I am definitely built for deadlifting… I have a 6’1" wingspan =) Lucky for me, Big Jim (squat1000b700) told me 4 1/2 years ago when I started training that hamstrings and upper back were what I needed to focus on and they quickly became my favorite muscle groups to train. Now I do RDL’s with 135+ lbs for sets of 8, Glute Ham Raises for sets of 10 with a 45 lb plate, and 8 neutral grip pullups =D (6 overhand grip pullups)

Haha… didn’t mean to go on a bragging spree…
I REALLY appreciate your input… and if I didn’t have Squat1000b700 to rein me back in when I got overly excited about training… there is a good chance I would train like an idiot! =D Please feel free to chime in anytime! I would love to hear more of what you have to say!

OK Guys… here is the link to my video! Now one disclaimer: DON’T TRY THIS AT HOME!

My form went to CRAP on this lift and my butt flew up in the air! I basically “stiff-legged” the weight up… I needed to sit back, pull my heels into the floor and bring my hips and pull the weight into me…OH WELL… what’s done is done and stiff-leggin’ 315 ain’t bad either! =D
Oh yeah, and I weight 158-159 right now…

I am thinking with proper technique I could pull in the 350’s pretty easily…

Hope you like it!

[quote]mmgalb727 wrote:
OK Guys… here is the link to my video! Now one disclaimer: DON’T TRY THIS AT HOME!

My form went to CRAP on this lift and my butt flew up in the air! I basically “stiff-legged” the weight up… I needed to sit back, pull my heels into the floor and bring my hips and pull the weight into me…OH WELL… what’s done is done and stiff-leggin’ 315 ain’t bad either! =D
Oh yeah, and I weight 158-159 right now…

I am thinking with proper technique I could pull in the 350’s pretty easily…

Hope you like it!
[/quote]

That was awesome, even if the form was a little off. Went up FAST!

[quote]buckeye girl wrote:
mmgalb727 wrote:
OK Guys… here is the link to my video! Now one disclaimer: DON’T TRY THIS AT HOME!

My form went to CRAP on this lift and my butt flew up in the air! I basically “stiff-legged” the weight up… I needed to sit back, pull my heels into the floor and bring my hips and pull the weight into me…OH WELL… what’s done is done and stiff-leggin’ 315 ain’t bad either! =D
Oh yeah, and I weight 158-159 right now…

I am thinking with proper technique I could pull in the 350’s pretty easily…

Hope you like it!

That was awesome, even if the form was a little off. Went up FAST![/quote]

Thank you Buckeye Girl! Yeah I just have to focus on form and technique I guess =P as you can probably imagine… my lower back (spinal erectors) are KILLING me! haha

[quote]mmgalb727 wrote:
buckeye girl wrote:
mmgalb727 wrote:
OK Guys… here is the link to my video! Now one disclaimer: DON’T TRY THIS AT HOME!

My form went to CRAP on this lift and my butt flew up in the air! I basically “stiff-legged” the weight up… I needed to sit back, pull my heels into the floor and bring my hips and pull the weight into me…OH WELL… what’s done is done and stiff-leggin’ 315 ain’t bad either! =D
Oh yeah, and I weight 158-159 right now…

I am thinking with proper technique I could pull in the 350’s pretty easily…

Hope you like it!

That was awesome, even if the form was a little off. Went up FAST!

Thank you Buckeye Girl! Yeah I just have to focus on form and technique I guess =P as you can probably imagine… my lower back (spinal erectors) are KILLING me! haha[/quote]

I can imagine! I always end up walking around like a crippled old woman after deads, GMs, etc.

Keeping your hips down is tough sometimes. I know that’s the one thing I’m constantly getting yelled at for.

Haha… yeah I felt like I was 110 yrs old when I got out of bed this morning “OHHH… my aching back!!!” haha

Here is another cool video…

Glute ham raise for a set of 10 with a 45 lb plate! =D

‘727’, that’s great that you pulled your big DL last week. I was interested in your discussion earlier re: rack pulls. Since I only started lifting 5-6 months ago, I was not super thrilled when el coacho had me try 210 lb. rack pulls (from just above the knee) a coupla months ago.

He told me I’d pull 200 from the floor in about 8 weeks…darned if he wasn’t right. Sooo, last week I did 250 rack pulls, and my traps are still whining (not a lot, they’re just sucks). El coacho says I have 210 from the floor in me now, but has the brakes on.

It sounds like we have the same kind of build, only, you’re, like, about 7" taller! Must be nice to be tall and willowy/strong as opposed to closer to 5’, and 100ish lbs. I don’t like pointing out the 100ish lbs, as I know many women want to be lighter (just don’t go through bulmarexia like I did for 20 years!!), BUT since the weight you pull/lift is compared to your bodyweight…

I find my ‘apelike’ haha arms are great for DL, but I sure curse them when it comes to BP; that dratted wingspan plus my relatively close grip makes BP a whole lotta work. As a fellow long-arm-er, do you do BP…and how does that work for you?

With DL, I find I have developed a strrr-ong back, as well as abs (assisted by ‘weight-on-chest’ sit-ups). A few years ago after a fall from a racehorse-i.e. “…when I regained consciousness…”-I busted myself up pretty nicely. Oopsey! After I swore off the racetrack and did rehab, I found my back going out or whatever if I even picked up a toothpick!

A chiro (not to criticize chiros esp.) told me I just didn’t have much muscle, implying I’d just have to carry 1 oz. at a time?! NOT an option when you’ve got bales of hay and straw and pails of water to haul! So I did some back exercises, and was amazed with the results. A few years later, and I’d like that chiro to watch me pull 200-ha! Maybe I’d just say “catch”, instead of putting it down!

Anyhoo, it IS a kick being strong, even shorty-strong. I took a bit of convincing (“No! I’m happy with body-by-pony!”), but I’m glad I came over to the Heavy Side. It’s great to have so many women getting so strong, and encouraging each other.

I Know! I LOVE watching/helping/encouraging/inspiring other women to lift heavy!!!

Deadlifting 200 @ 100 lbs is AWESOME! I think it’s a bit silly when women focus too much on a SPECIFIC number… I mean, I pay attention to my scale weight, but I know what weight I am comfortable at… the actual NUMBER doesn’t bother me…

I just don’t like to deviate too much from where I feel good about myself. Make sense? Like if I weighed 190 lbs and looked AWESOME, I wouldn’t give a sh*t if I weighed 190! But I know I look best between 155-160… so I try to stay there.

Anyway, Bench Press is my arch-nemesis!! The 6’1" wingspan doesn’t help! (clearly helps my DL though! =D) I have a hard time going really heavy on bench… I would be THRILLED if I could bench my bodyweight… but I have never maxed on bench and the most I think I have ever benched was 135 for a set of 3.

Pullups also used to be my enemy… but I have worked on them a lot and now I can do 8 when I am fresh!

Haha it would be nice to show that chiro a video of you deadlifting double your BW! AWESOME!!! =D I LOVE LOVE LOVE training back… I feel like so many injuries occur because people don’t strengthen their backs, or any muscle they can’t see, for that matter!

Anyway, best of luck to you with your lifting! Please keep me updated! And keep up the rack pulls! They are awesome!

Thanks, ‘727’, for the input/feedback re: ‘sorta birds of a feather’, in a wingspan way?! Glad to know I’m not the only one whose DL body advantages make the BP tougher. I like to think that the BP is character-building i.e. have to fight for every pound, as opposed to snapping up the DL…

Over my brief lifting career-ha!-so far I’ve had good days and not so fabulous days, like everyone I’m sure. But today my DL left me pretty wasted for the first time. Boohoo. Usually I’m pirouetting (well, maybe not QUITE) around between sets, all impatient for the timer to signal the end of rest time.

However, today I was totally cool with resting my wobbly?! legs. El Coacho was video-ing, and post-workout kinda figured out that my still sore [from rack pulls] traps affected my imperfect-to-start-off DL form. Also, I was doing pretty high reps at a decent weight…El Coacho is still figuring out how to train his psychobabe!

I’m not so good at being in tune with my body-too many concussions!-so I tend to just do the workout, without pausing to check how the ol’ bod is actually feeling. Hanging out with horses who often (not always!) have more heart than um, brains, has perhaps affected me?

'Nuff said…‘OUROBORO’ (sorry if I got your name wrong), I’m wondering what part of Ont. you’re in? Sorry to hear about the boyfriend/trainer situation, but good for you for blasting ahead. If we’re anywhere close in Ont., ya never know. I guess there are quite a few power lifting clubs, especially across S. Ont. affiliated with the Ontario Powerlifting Assoc.

And I share your slight frustration with rack pulls and hanging on; my hands get pretty sore, depending on the amount of reps. I even looked up some info on toughening hands (not that mine are exactly lilywhite and soft), but didn’t find any real ideas…at least none I’d wanna repeat on here! Aiyiyi.

[quote]treacle wrote:
Thanks, ‘727’, for the input/feedback re: ‘sorta birds of a feather’, in a wingspan way?! Glad to know I’m not the only one whose DL body advantages make the BP tougher. I like to think that the BP is character-building i.e. have to fight for every pound, as opposed to snapping up the DL…

Over my brief lifting career-ha!-so far I’ve had good days and not so fabulous days, like everyone I’m sure. But today my DL left me pretty wasted for the first time. Boohoo. Usually I’m pirouetting (well, maybe not QUITE) around between sets, all impatient for the timer to signal the end of rest time.

However, today I was totally cool with resting my wobbly?! legs. El Coacho was video-ing, and post-workout kinda figured out that my still sore [from rack pulls] traps affected my imperfect-to-start-off DL form. Also, I was doing pretty high reps at a decent weight…El Coacho is still figuring out how to train his psychobabe!

I’m not so good at being in tune with my body-too many concussions!-so I tend to just do the workout, without pausing to check how the ol’ bod is actually feeling. Hanging out with horses who often (not always!) have more heart than um, brains, has perhaps affected me?

'Nuff said…‘OUROBORO’ (sorry if I got your name wrong), I’m wondering what part of Ont. you’re in? Sorry to hear about the boyfriend/trainer situation, but good for you for blasting ahead. If we’re anywhere close in Ont., ya never know. I guess there are quite a few power lifting clubs, especially across S. Ont. affiliated with the Ontario Powerlifting Assoc.

And I share your slight frustration with rack pulls and hanging on; my hands get pretty sore, depending on the amount of reps. I even looked up some info on toughening hands (not that mine are exactly lilywhite and soft), but didn’t find any real ideas…at least none I’d wanna repeat on here! Aiyiyi.[/quote]

I’m in Hamilton. What about you?

The situation was with my trainer. Certainly not my boyfriend. He’s (trainer) 24 years old. Just the thought is enough to make me feel like a big fat cougar :slight_smile: Yikes. But then again…

I’m still trying to make some inroads on finding a group to do strength training with but to be honest, I haven’t had tons of time to devote lately with all the end of year stuff with my kids.

Molly turned me on to rack pulls actually(thanks Moll!)
The thing is, is that I don’t think I’m feeling it where I should be…I really focus on using my back only and pulling the bar straight up my legs…
I’ve seen this posted before:

http://www.lynxpt.com/performancegrips.php