Alisa's Training Log

Training
81

[quote]AlisaV wrote:
squats 1x5 bar, 1x5@135, 1x5@155, 2x5@165, 3x5@155, 3x5@135
The 165’s weren’t to parallel, the 155’s were close but not there, but I think I was getting the 135’s.
Bench 1x5 bar, 1x5@65, 1x5@85, 3x5@95, 1x3@105 (PR!)
Deadlift 6x5@135
40 hanging leg raises
3x10 dips
1 chinup and 10 negatives

This was embarrassing. A guy told me my form was bad; my back was rounding and I wasn’t going to lockout. I can’t really go to lockout above 155. So I’m a lot weaker than I thought. Still, I’m just going to be humble and work up from 135. I really am sorry.[/quote]

Hey AlisaV - you are doing great work here! Just a suggestion - but video those dead lifts and post them here or on youtube with a link. You’ll get better critique than from some random guy in a public gym…

82

Hmm… all I have is a laptop camera, but maybe if I put it on a bench. I’ll see. Thanks for the offer, and the encouragement.
The thing is, I don’t feel anything in my butt or hamstrings, and my back hurts (just strain, not injury, thankfully) so I think I must not be pulling with the right muscles.

I really wish I could get someone to stay with me until I get it right, but I can’t interrupt other people’s workouts like that. I do know one or two guys who go to the gym … maybe I’ll ask one for a favor.

83

[quote]soldog wrote:
AlisaV wrote:
squats 1x5 bar, 1x5@135, 1x5@155, 2x5@165, 3x5@155, 3x5@135
The 165’s weren’t to parallel, the 155’s were close but not there, but I think I was getting the 135’s.
Bench 1x5 bar, 1x5@65, 1x5@85, 3x5@95, 1x3@105 (PR!)
Deadlift 6x5@135
40 hanging leg raises
3x10 dips
1 chinup and 10 negatives

This was embarrassing. A guy told me my form was bad; my back was rounding and I wasn’t going to lockout. I can’t really go to lockout above 155. So I’m a lot weaker than I thought. Still, I’m just going to be humble and work up from 135. I really am sorry.

Hey AlisaV - you are doing great work here! Just a suggestion - but video those dead lifts and post them here or on youtube with a link. You’ll get better critique than from some random guy in a public gym…[/quote]

If you have a bit of extra cash, invest in a digital camera. I got mine for about $80.

Don’t get discouraged. I’ve been doing it for a while and MM’s feedback on my squat felt like a teacher giving me back a paper full of red pen.

However, I’ve begun implementing his suggestions and the impact is phenomenal. We are always fine tuning and making changes; even the people who compete at a fairly high level. If I were you, I’d take advice and instruction from people who have demonstrated ability rather than some jojo at the gym. He may be correct but some of the people here can you you specific information on how to fix it.

84

Wow, that’s cheaper than I thought – I’ll look into that!
Thanks for the advice, and (maybe with your help) I’ll lick this thing.

85

That’s the cool thing about lifting Alisa…there is ALWAYS room for improvement and learning new things, no matter how long you’ve been at it! :slight_smile:

86

Thanks!
Sprints today:
20x30 seconds, 30 seconds rest.
3x10 burpees, 40 walking lunges.

I think the shorter distance is better for me; this felt like very hard work, but I wasn’t crapping out in the middle of the sprints like last time.

87

box squats 2x5@45, 1x5@95, 1x5@115
(Never did these before; I lose momentum at the bottom when I sit down, which makes it harder)
squats 1x5@115, 1x5@135, 3x5@155, 1x5@135
(I think I went to depth on all those.)
press 1x5@45, 1x5@65, 3x5@75 (PR!)
leg press 3x10@315

Tried to fix deadlift form; I turned so I could see myself in the mirror, and I was all hunched over. (I’ll post approximate pics in a little bit.) Unweighted, sure, I can mimic the motion with a straight back, but if I have to pick something up off the ground, muscle memory kicks in and I round my back.

I don’t even think this is just a matter of lowering the weight. I did 135 and it was easy as pie – but I couldn’t figure out how to pick it up with a straight back. 95, same deal. And I’ve always felt it in my back and never anything in my butt or legs.

What worries me is, I know there’s no substitute for the deadlift. So what the heck do I do?

  1. Take at least another workout or two to try to get the form.
    2.) Keep doing bad deadlifts – it may not be correct, but it’s still exercise, right?
    3.) Do some variation or auxiliary thing that might help me. (Are there other legitimate glute/hamstring exercises?)

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

88


These are approximate pictures in my room, since I don’t have a camera, but it should give you an idea.

How (I think) it’s supposed to look:

89

How it actually looks:

90

[quote]AlisaV wrote:
box squats 2x5@45, 1x5@95, 1x5@115
(Never did these before; I lose momentum at the bottom when I sit down, which makes it harder)
squats 1x5@115, 1x5@135, 3x5@155, 1x5@135
(I think I went to depth on all those.)
press 1x5@45, 1x5@65, 3x5@75 (PR!)
leg press 3x10@315

Tried to fix deadlift form; I turned so I could see myself in the mirror, and I was all hunched over. (I’ll post approximate pics in a little bit.) Unweighted, sure, I can mimic the motion with a straight back, but if I have to pick something up off the ground, muscle memory kicks in and I round my back.

I don’t even think this is just a matter of lowering the weight. I did 135 and it was easy as pie – but I couldn’t figure out how to pick it up with a straight back. 95, same deal. And I’ve always felt it in my back and never anything in my butt or legs.

What worries me is, I know there’s no substitute for the deadlift. So what the heck do I do?

  1. Take at least another workout or two to try to get the form.
    2.) Keep doing bad deadlifts – it may not be correct, but it’s still exercise, right?
    3.) Do some variation or auxiliary thing that might help me. (Are there other legitimate glute/hamstring exercises?)

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks![/quote]

Your pictures made me laugh. Sorry it’s not funny but I’m glad you posted them. Definately don’t do them with bad form. Everyone who ever says that deadlifts are bad for your back have run into people who’ve done them with a rounded back :slight_smile:

Judging by the first picture, you clearly know what they are supposed to look like. I’ll have to give it a bit of thought of the best way to break the habit. It’s tough to retrain a bad habit. I know, I’m always doing it. The only thing I can think of off the top of my head to get rid of the rounding is to retract your shoulder blades. Pinch them together and keep your head up. I don’t think it’s physically possible to round your back with your shoulder blades retracted.

There are a ton of other things to think about like push back through your heels, drive with your hips etc. but that should help with the immediate back rounding problem. Keep doing it with low weight and check your form.

Based on the picture, the gym jojo was right to bring it to your attention.

I have no doubt you are very strong. You’ll find once your form is good, you’re even stronger than you think.

91

ya, the first pic is definitely the way to go!

I’m definitely not a dl’ing expert…only started last fall myself…but I studied the videos FOREVER before I attempted it…that’s what helped me the mostest… :stuck_out_tongue:

Cause no one ever physically showed me…

Why not ask that guy who mentioned your form was bad…obviously if he thinks your form is bad, he should know what and how to do it with GOOD form! There’s a ton of articles on this site about it…matter of fact there was a three parter that I can’t seem to find now…in the meantime,have you seen this?
- YouTube

And here is a big nice article for you!

92

Thank you guys!

I’m definitely going to give this another try. New cues: shoulderblades back, head up, bend your knees until your shins touch the bar, chest up, and pull.

The big article is great; I also have trouble with lockout so I may do some of those glute exercises.

93

Those are fabulous, fabulous tips. Do you keep the bar close to your body? When I deadlift, I do all of those things, plus I keep the bar as close to my body as I can. This is especially important on the way up.

I actually have to wear shin guards and soccer socks to protect my shins and knees, but I am MUCH stronger when I do this as when I don’t. As for the lockout problem, squeezing your glutes on the way up may remedy the glutes not activating at the lockout point.

*Also, am I crazy, or did that crossfit guy not have his shoulderblades back?

Edit: And I realize the soccer socks and shin guards make me look slightly odd, but hey, it’s better than bruised scraped shins!

94

About the box squats…I would encourage you to keep doing them, especially if you know you’re having trouble at the bottom. I have yet to squat heavy without a box because I am using it to train myself to explode up.

The last thing you want to do is squat heavier and lower than you’re quite ready for with no box, no spotter, and get squashed! =)

With your deadlift, you’re getting lots of great tips. One mentioned by ouroboro works well for me, that is to think about driving your hips forward fast and hard as you come up. You might want to look up videos of cable pull-throughs and kettlebell swings as other exercises that can get you used to “bringing your hips.”

Hope this helps, deadlifting with good form is great…deadlifting with less-than-good form is a killer =( You’ll get it, hang in there!

95

Thank you for all the tips. Cherry, you’re right, I probably wasn’t keeping it close enough to the body; I’ll concentrate on that. Shandwill: yes, I’m on it with the box squats and the hip stuff (assuming a dumbbell can stand in for a kettlebell.) This is great – I really appreciate it.

96

Inexplicably puny today.
1 mile run.
squats: 1x5@45, 1x5@95, 3x5@135, 1x5@155, 1x5@160, 1x8@135
bench press: 1x5@45, 1x5@65, 3x5@85
practiced deadlifts at 95 lbs (I know) and pulling back my shoulder blades really helps. I got some of them right – and whoa, suddenly it’s a glute exercise! I think I’ll have a few more “practice” workouts before I go up to serious weights; I want to be able to do a good one consistently.
40 hanging leg raises
3x5 dips
kroc rows 3x10@45

97

7 miles.

98

squats 1x5@45, 1x5@65, 1x5@135, 2x5@155, 3x5@165, decent depth
box squats 1x5@45, 1x5@65, 1x5@95, 1x5@115, 3x5@125
db press 3x5@30’s (plus some barbell press warmups)
40 hanging leg raises
deadlift 6x5@110 AND I GOT THE FORM!
Even the guy who originally corrected me noticed and said it was looking much better. So I can do it. Now I just have to increase the weight slow and steady (and resist the temptation to load it up all the way right now and lose form)
dips 3x10
kroc rows 3x10@45
those medicine ball ab things where you pass it from hands to feet – 20 or so.

99

WooHoo! Good job on the deadlift! :smiley:

100

Thanks!
Today: 10x30s sprints
3 chinups and 6x5 negatives
an attempt at a circuit:

20 dumbbell swings
20 burpees
20 bulgarian split squats
20 dips
15 hanging leg raises
repeat the whole thing three times without rest

I couldn’t remember any actual circuits so I just made this up – don’t know if it’s any good. It was tiring, though.