mimsy, the study focused on strength. I haven’t seen any evidence that strength building requires different reps for women vs men, it’s only if you have different goals that you would change the reps. The weird thing about this study is it used 8 sets to failure, which almost no one recommends. I have been doing 8 sets of 3-5 reps.
gotcha.
I’m not really going for strength. Although I know in order for the body to change and grow you have to increase weight once you get the prescribed reps with the weight you started…stuff like that. So in essence I am getting stronger!
So guys, guess what?? Squat PR. This adds up to new PRs in military, squat, deadlift, and bench since teh BEGINNING OF THE YEAR! Can you believe it?
I am 48 years old. I weigh 113 lbs, and my maxes are: MP 75, Bench 100, Deadlift 210, and Squat 135. My body feels healthy and strong. I have no injuries. I am not depressed.
I went in there determined to do something good after reading about Lula’s outstanding bench PR. But I can never tell how it’s going to go until I actually get under the bar for the warmup. I felt really really good, so I knew I would try for it. I spent the weekend in Taos drinking red wine so I wasn’t sure I was at my best but all my lifts have felt very… controlled.
Squat
3x45
3x65
1x85
1x95
1x105
1x115
1x125
1x135 All good depth, I’m sure of it. Also this is not the end of it. I think I’ve got more in me.
ATG squats
5x3 95
3x3 85
Lunges
2x10 45 working on the imbalance these were all hella deep and firmly controlled.
Deadlift 10x115
DONE. 
I guess I have to do some fuckingcardio later. I hope I can find some more enjoyable way to control the blues but I guess I should be grateful for what works.
It is because I think of you PW that I continue to get stronger. Thanks for being here!
Spider, all the PRs in here are so inspiring! Congratulations! Your hard work is paying off, for sure.
Good job on the bench PR! Triple digits is always good to get.
Great job on the squat! Looks like you’ve had a fabulous run with PRs lately. Glad your programming is working better for you.
YAY arachne!
chants<
big plates! big plates!
Thanks Kimba!
Cal, bw bench is my goal. I will get there. I will.
Snap, this combo of higher volume and heavy singles seems to be working for me much better than my initial attempts at 5/3/1 and my flirtation with single sets. I’ll keep y’all informed.
Lula! I totally forgot to use the big plates for the squat PR, dammit! Missed chance. I’ll do it next week so I can claim them.
I’m working on a refinement of my cardio manifesto. It seems like sprint conditioning with jumprope, running, prowlers, etc, may work, but only if the total work time is long… like 20 minutes of raised heart rate. Is it possible that what is necessary is to keep the heart rate in the “cardio zone” for at least ten, preferrably 20 minutes? I will try to find ways to study this. Meanwhile, I’m on such a high I could steal the rat from a cobra and then eat the damn cobra.
Later, powerful women!
.
[quote]arachne12 wrote:
Is it possible that what is necessary is to keep the heart rate in the “cardio zone” for at least ten, preferrably 20 minutes? I will try to find ways to study this.[/quote]
You mentioned somewhere a “fat burning zone” as well as a “cardio zone.” I don’t believe such a thing as a fat burning zone exists. I’ve always thought that the best compliment to powerlifting is HIIT, short bursts of intense anaerobic activity followed by recovery. Rinse, repeat. Rather than steady-state.
Thanks mims!
Snap, don’t misunderstand me. I think HIIT is best for conditioning and cardio fitness, and to complement lifting. But as I’ve said, I seemed to be missing something when I did quick bouts of HIIT with lifting only, and I’m combing the research to figure out what it is. I’m thinking that HIIT for a minimum of 20 minutes may be effective at keeping me healthy and happy, perhaps more than ss. Maybe the duration of conditioning work, or total volume thereof is the key.
So my question is, why is it not enough to do 1x or 2x 4-minute tabata drills a day to complement lifting? Because I breathe heavy and my heart pounds when I do it.
YAY BIG WHEEEEELZ! Way to kill girl and gawd youre a sweet lil thing! I am the hyoojest girl in the world YAY! lol.
pic unrelated
Are you saying it’s NOT enough and you are trying to figure out why??
Weasel pics ftw!
Yes mim, I’m trying to figure out why lifting alone is not enough for me, and what I need to stay healthy and happy.
Lifting= pushing/pulling stuff around feeling strong.
HIIT= hard puke inducing work
SS= repeptive, gives time to think/reflect
A little bit of everything is good!
mim I’m sure you’re right! Although mostly during ss cardio, I’m thinking “when the hell is this going to be over, god I’m bored.” 
Begin: 12:40 PM
Military Press
Flushed with success (literally) over my recent squat and bench victories, small though they may be, I went in determined to test my millie pr.
3x45
1x55
1x65
77.5 failed half way up. Oh well. 1RM remains at 75.
6x4 60
2x3 60 for a total of 33 reps
Conditioning in between by jumping rope 6x50 kept my heart rate up the whole time.
Accessories
Cable overhead extension 10x40
Pallof 10x40
Light bench press full pause 2 + 2 + 11 at 60. I kept getting a ridiculous cramp in my back on the right side. That has never happened to me before but I worked it out.
That was enough for today.
End 1:25 PM
I’m wishing you all beautiful thoughts today. Peace and long life(s), darlings!
I find I am not happy if I am just lifting and having my walks to/from the gym and the grocery store count as my cardio. Why?
I feel guilty.
I can’t be happy if I feel guilty. People always say (Wendler included) to do the conditioning, suck it up, etc…
So I feel I HAVE too. BUT, what I have started doing is jogy/sprint type things for my walk home. I see a hill so I run it. I see a shovelled sidewalk so I run until the fire hydrant.
It takes me about 17 minutes to get home now instead of 22 and I no longer have feelings of guilt.
I think that’s all I really need.
I don’t think I can stomach much else. I just hate it so damn much, ha-ha.
Oh hell spock, that fits in perfectly with what I think I need for my health. I always thought conditioning was for your heart and not to get fat. I’m starting to think it’s for a whole lot more, and 17 minutes of intermittent sprinting sounds just great!
My theory on why time spent doing cardio is important is perhaps your body needs time for endorphin production. I usually feel at my best on a run at the end of the time, say 30 minutes into it.
Not a scientist, nor do I play one on TV.
I just read Lula’s log and got super jelly over her PR’s only to come in here and have it get worse. I may actually be green right now.
If I don’t spin twice a week I don’t feel normal, I’ve never looked into why though. It just does something that lifting doesn’t do for me. Let me know if you figure it out.
I did just read a paper saying that people who don’t drink enough water PWO make poor decisions during the day. So, that can be my science contribution since I’m not helpful for answering any of your actual questions.