[quote]kmcnyc wrote:
I love how this log is so serrrirous
[/quote]
OHHH yeah!!! you give those girls the mad dog looks!! ha ha!! 
Lex: Just catching up with you. I’m sorry to hear about your knee. I sure hope it’s nothing. Ice is magic.
Cal - I think you are right about them looking at us as something alien and thinking whatever we are doing doesn’t apply to them. When I just started out I think I would have viewed me now in much the same way. I always admired athletes for their grace and for their confidence in their bodies - Gods and Goddesses amongst people - but I don’t think the majority of women view female athletes in that way.
minimal - first time I’ve ever had a knee problem, too. Hope yours sorts itself out soon.
Bird - my knee came right on Thursday 
So happy to discover I was being a hypercondriac after all. It just felt like more was wrong with it than bruising… But whatever it was is 100% okay, now, for which I am well and truly grateful. well, it is still a bit bruised, but i’m cool with that.
Pch - it is really very hard to find the helpful stuff… I think there is a lot of good in the mobilityWOD’s… But I really do just keep coming back to Oly Lifting… Work on whatever needs to be worked on for that - and no more. Any additional flexibility or mobility or whatever… Just seems to mess me up. Most of the time just trying to get the Oly positions comfortably is more than I can manage anyway.
kmc - Oly lifting is fun, heh.
people often tell me I think too much or that I’m too serious. except when I’m drunk… they are probably right…
masch - my soft tissue work is a matter of needs must. if i don’t do it well enough I don’t have the ankle / hip mobility to sit comfortably in the catch position, even less commit myself to launching into it at speed.
I guess… sometimes i enjoy peacocking a little… I don’t know… The sexualized aspect of the gym isn’t totally about others too, of course. It is partly about me changing. How I feel about myself and my body and stuff. Finding my rawr, too. Sometimes I think I get a little high / delirious from squats and deads in particular. Or heavy cleans or snatches. I’m sure that more than sometimes my perception of the atmosphere is more a projection or something… metal masturbation… heh…
nimain - I think a lot of girls feel that way about me, too. I’m mostly at peace with it. Once upon a time I would have thought I was superior in some way if someone said that they didn’t care what I thought of them because they could kick my ass. But now… I don’t care what they think of me because I could kick their ass. Heh.
Brute - Hi!
Nadia - They defrosted the freezer at some point so the ice bottle I put in it ages ago disappeared… I need to invest in some of those ice pack things… Will do… Embarrassed to admit that I didn’t ice it. Must do that in future.
Realized why I’ve lost weight even though I’ve been trying to eat to bulk… Work. Racing around on my feet all day. That’ll be where those extra calories were going.
Only three more days of work before my move!!
It really has been wrecking me. Couple of 7 hour days… Took a day off the gym on Thursday because I could literally hardly walk after work. Was planning on tearing it up on Friday. Did my usual 1 hour of soft tissue work then started snatches… No could do. Couldn’t get a comfortable bottom position at all. Did another hour of soft tissue work then was able to do some front squats and cleans with the pre-loaded bars up to 35kg.
Today…
Rolling…
- Bench (paused).
20kg 1x10
25kg 1x5
30kg 1x5
35kg 1
37.5kg 1 (PR I think)
40kg… (almost 2/3 bodyweight) Asked for a spot… Fail.
New guy working at the gym. Or at least today was the only day I’ve seen him. Gave him a bit of a lecture about not touching the bar unless I asked for help… I get a bit nervous being spotted because I’m really not used to it… Rushed my set-up a bit… Forgot to tell him that a hand-off would actually be useful… Rushed it a bit… Fail on the way up. I think I might have got a second wind if I’d have yelled a little… But I wasn’t about to scream in his face… Oh wells. Must figure how to set the safeties in the squat rack…
30kg 4x5.
too easy, really. next time 32.5kg 5x5. I do love to bench
Bodybalance for the mental deload.
Cleans up to 40kg. Need to get into my planks again because I fold forwards in the hole. I’d also like (though not really like of course) to set up the pins in the power rack and do some setting the bar on the pins on the way down and picking it up on the ascent. Break the stretch reflex. I’m relying on catching the bounce a lot for cleans… That is good so far as it goes but I must get stronger on my front squats!
Snatches up to two nice ones @ 37.5kg
I wish I could lose weight by just doing my job. When I started teaching PE I thought I would, but I didn’t. My old job involved sitting at a desk all day but I did walk a half hour to and from the tube and also took a walk at lunchtime. I don’t get to do that now - my school is close to the tube and I don’t get a long enough lunch break to walk around (plus, after standing all morning, I want to sit down!)
lol on the spotter…I am nervous about that crap too, I’m so shy and awkward sometimes Good luck with your move!!
Cal - my job is pretty full on physically. I thought it was just me… But the people who have been doing it for a while say that they have achy feet and back troubles, too. Basically running around clearing tables… Huge space, though, and people really spread themselves out, and the trays get fairly hefty to lug around once they are loaded up with dishes. I’m a wreck after 5 hours (only get 1/2 hour break every 5 hours) and a total wreck after 7. Still… Not too shabby for someone who was never meant to be able to walk without crutches, eh. Even if I only do it 4 days a week and spend the rest of the week rehabbing / prehabbing for next week…
But it is affecting my mobility / lifting in a really bad way, yeah. Definitely not sustainable. Pay sucks, too. Damn Australia for not being a tipping culture 
Coyotegal - yeah… It is awful but I’m very self conscious about shoving my head in their crotch and my set up involves thrusting my boobs out lolz. If I were more used to benching the whole thing would be automatic, I guess, and I could just focus on the weight. Just learning to bench, though, so having a bit of inconsistency in my set-up at the best of times.
TRAINING
- rolling
Oly guy turned up with his wife and their toddler while he went for his 200kg bench. He didn’t quite get it Close though… She used to lift… She suggested I take a big breath in before lifting. Doh!!! I do this for squat but never thought to do it for Oly Lifting!!! I thought my core was weak and that was why I tend to crumple / lurch forwards / corkscrew. It is more that my core is deflated. Worked really well, actually, because I was trying not to yell in case I freaked the kid… Kid was fine. Must have been 3 or something… Totally owned the 1.25kg plates just playing around lolz. She also sort of whispered ‘strong’ when I was approaching the bar once. That is something I’ve noticed, too. If I really think ‘strong’ to myself and walk around with ILS for a bit before approaching the bar it helps the lift feel lighter.
I caught 40kg okay and thought it was stable but rushed the ascent a little trying to use the bounce… And bloody lost it forwards on the rise up!!! So close!!! Really felt like a technically nice lift, too. And I didn’t even make a peep.
Some cleans… Putting off the inevitable…
Then they went away and the spotters ex-powerlifting wife turned up and did some deadlifting and benching while I did my front squats. She’s super tiny like snapper. Was telling me about how the best bench shirt she had was the one she made out of pants lolz.
- Front Squat
1x5 @15
1x5 @20
1x5 @25
1x5 @30
5x5 @35
work since I hadn’t done them for a while. Mostly technique in keeping everything tight and holding myself upright and not letting myself lean forwards to make the sticking point easier. Might do these again today, actually… Neurological gains to be had…
I feel pretty sad that I’ve just discovered this kind of gym environment (with cool, knowledgable chicks) just before I’m leaving
I think there are female lifters where I’m going to, though, so that is cool.
I’m very glad that I got this experience here… Mostly because I think it will encourage me to be more genuinely friendly and approachable in my new place instead of being totally introverted / defensive / withdrawn.
TRAINING
Public holiday so went a bit bananas. Will have tomorrow off. Work. Ugh.
Highlights:
- Snatch
I got 40kg!! Wasn’t the prettiest… Had a fair few misses before I finally got it. Balance was off in the catch. That is progress from my wussing out on the pull. Thinking ‘Strong!’ before I lift and taking a huge breath. It feels lighter. I should be able to own this soon.
-
Chin-ups. starting from tippy toes. 10x1. Not needing too much rest between. Progress.
-
Bench. I got 40kg!! PR. And then I got 42.5kg!! 45kg wouldn’t go up. Getting used to getting a spot, I think, and trust the guy (the one who I thought helped me too much before).
That is my goal of 2/3 bodyweight
New goal of bodyweight now
Cleans sucked. My front squat sucks, basically.
Well done on the PR! I hope you can maintain your progress when you move back to NZ.
Ahh yes the spotter fuckery, Im the same way, I generally train alone unless I am at my friends gym, and I have learned the hard way if you dont trust anyone to spot you right, then dont do the weight. I have had people almost throw the weight forward on me and it could of gotten hairy.
There are about 3-4 people I trust to spot, only issue is it is hit or miss if they are training when I am. Even worse are the spotters who say “it was all you” when you in know it was waaaay to easy for it to be all me…
Though on the subject of spotting people, I fucked up and sweated on a guy while he asked me for a spot, it was a slow motion single bead of sweat from my nose to his forehead…not cool.
Bench and chins are coming along way to go!
[quote]alexus wrote:
Close though… She used to lift… She suggested I take a big breath in before lifting. Doh!!! I do this for squat but never thought to do it for Oly Lifting!!! I thought my core was weak and that was why I tend to crumple / lurch forwards / corkscrew. It is more that my core is deflated. Worked really well, actually, because I was trying not to yell in case I freaked the kid… Kid was fine. Must have been 3 or something… Totally owned the 1.25kg plates just playing around lolz. She also sort of whispered ‘strong’ when I was approaching the bar once. That is something I’ve noticed, too. If I really think ‘strong’ to myself and walk around with ILS for a bit before approaching the bar it helps the lift feel lighter.
:-)[/quote]
It’s the little simple things that sometimes make the biggest impact. I’m still waiting on my eureka moment on ‘finishing the pull’ that everyone keeps on about. Finishing the pull just isn’t descriptive enough for me, blah. Hopefully this Friday I’ll get some tips from a coach who’s been doing it since 1960s.
good snatch!
I can never have a job on my feet all day again…I’d be crippled. I’ve had fast food jobs in the past and it was the pits.
Lexy-woo, back to the mother-land. I’m sure you’re getting your shit packed up. Hopefully you will have internet connection straight away once you are there.
[quote]alexus wrote:
- Bench. I got 40kg!! PR. And then I got 42.5kg!! 45kg wouldn’t go up. Getting used to getting a spot, I think, and trust the guy (the one who I thought helped me too much before).
That is my goal of 2/3 bodyweight
New goal of bodyweight now
Cleans sucked. My front squat sucks, basically.[/quote]
YAY! OLY girl is moving her bench, and liking it! WHOOT!
Good luck with your move, Lex. Sorry if I missed the discussion. Is this back to Australia for you? Or to a different part? I’m remembering that you are from New Zealand. Does this mean you have finished with grad school?
-
rolling
-
snatches…
-
front squat
3x20@20kg.
- trap bar deadlift. as explosive raise as possible.
3x10@40kg.
legs felt wobbly. that is good.
goodnight.
Hey sexy lexy,
Im officially off T-Nation duties, but I have just stopped by to see how your doing. Looks like your training well. Keep it up!
tweet
[quote]alexus wrote:
- Snatch
I got 40kg!!
-
Chin-ups. starting from tippy toes. 10x1. Not needing too much rest between. Progress.
-
Bench. I got 40kg!! PR. And then I got 42.5kg!!
That is my goal of 2/3 bodyweight
New goal of bodyweight now
[/quote]
what an awesome day!! don’t kick yourself if the last one wasn’t as stellar. your body probably still needs to recoop from the effort.
lol on finding your voice…hehe you sure do you the yell and growl 
Great on the pr and the spotter, yea some guys kinda angle themselves and I just want to close my eyes from the er um distraction.
I love that you talk away I always seem to pick something up from it, carry on!
Going a bit potty right now. Trying to fit my life into a 23kg case… And I am a last minute packer… Feeling really frazzled.
20 reps were a killer. Light weights (under 50% max) but I’ve never ever ever done 20 reps of anything before. I’m a 1-6 reps kinda person… The 10 reps of the trap bar were hard, too. Damn smoking. Feeling pretty systems failure today, so I think I’ll do some more of these. Maybe higher reps will help my legs to grow since they have never had any of that before.
Couple of days ago I worked up to a 1Rm for front squat and couldn’t get 45kg. Looks like that was simply too ambitious for me to have plugged in to the RSR. Might run it again with 42.5kg as my 1RM once I’m moved. I’m moving… It is starting to sink in. Eep.
My biggest worry… Is actually about how to get my training plates there
I wonder if they will let me carry them onto the plane?? Don’t think I’ve a hope in hell of designating 5kg of my checked in luggage allowance to them…