How did you set up for the kneeling squats? I see how this could be done in a power rack, but I’m stuck with only a fixed-rail squat rack and the rails would likely be too high.
Re the millies… i also totally endorse getting fractional plates. Aside from that it was once suggested to me that I look into my TECHNIQUE. Um, specifically I was told to watch a video of The Salvata Technique. Just to be clear, I did not do this. Once I heard the Salvata Technique didn’t involve vaseline I lost interest. Still, maybe we should BOTH take a peek at it if it helps get that bar overhead.
Hallowed, do you have a link for that? I tried Googling and looking on YouTube but just got a lot of unrelated foreign shite.
Kimba - power rack, yes - I started with the bar on the safeties.
I miss doing smith machine squats…I’m doing a 12 week program right now doing body weight squats and lots of lunges…thinking after this one is over I’m going back to the smith…
[quote]Cal Jones wrote:
Hallowed, do you have a link for that? I tried Googling and looking on YouTube but just got a lot of unrelated foreign shite.
Kimba - power rack, yes - I started with the bar on the safeties.[/quote]
Ha. Its valsalva maneuver. Salvata technique was close tho :rolleyes:
Ignore the pic of the guy that looks like he’s constipated:
I have been advised: “Didn’t really read the whole link. Just skimmed, but I think that about sums it up. Just be careful with it and don’t completely fill lungs up with air, leave a little space.” - C
[quote]Hallowed wrote:
Once I heard the Salvata Technique didn’t involve vaseline I lost interest.[/quote]
You so silly ;-p
Happy New Year Calsies! Eh squats, don’t talk to me about them right now.
LOL, Hallowed!
Didn’t train yesterday so I was going today whatever. I got up early (I am trying to train myself to wake up before 6am in prep for going back to school next week) and hadn’t had enough sleep so I felt groggy for much of the workout. Plus several days of low carb meant it wasn’t the intensity-fest I was going for. Should have popped a caffeine pill. Still, got some shit done.
Warm-up: hypers, reverse hypers, clams, body bar stuff, stepovers.
Superset: Millies/Squat
Bar x 10/10
25kg x 10/10
30kg x 8/10
32.5kg x 6/10
35kg x 4/10
Hip flexor’s a bit gnarly - didn’t like the squatting much. Doing light squats like this helps me keep the movement patterns even if I can’t go heavy right now. Moving on…
Superset: Body Rows/Push-up
3 x 10/10
Superset: Band Assisted Pull-ups/Bench Dips
Pull-ups: 5, 4, 4
Dips: 10, 10, 10
Haven’t done bench dips in a while and the step I was using wasn’t really high enough - I just wanted to keep some superset intensity going. However, there was a handy 15kg plate next to me, so I dumped it on my lap. Feet were on the floor so it wasn’t too challenging but I made it harder by trying to keep my scaps retracted.
Bench Press
I have not done these in an age (must be a couple of years) but the bench was calling me so I thought I’d have a go and see if my shoulder would cooperate. To my surprise, keeping a shoulder width grip trying to pull the bar apart helped a lot.
Bar x 10
30kg x 10
40kg x 7
50kg x 3
I remember when I was able to get 10 reps at 50 so not even managing it at 40 was a bit of an eye opener. It was all down to muscle fatigue - I guess it would help if I trained them first but on the other hand, it’s nice to have my shoulders warmed-up plenty.
I guess I will add this back into the rotation for now and focus on technique rather than just going for weight and fucking myself up again.
Hang Power Clean
Bar x 10
30kg x 6
35kg x 3
There were quite long rests between sets because I was talking to people. And tired. Heh.
I find these harder than pulling off the ground, actually.
Close-Grip Pulldown
55kg x 8
60kg x 6
Straight-Arm Pulldown
20kg x 12
25kg x 10
Feeling very fatigued now, particularly around the forearms and wrists.
When was the last time you had a carb load day…I know for me, I can only go about 8 days then I need a carb load…great workout even without the energy!!
I started my diet on Jan 1st, so I’m on day 5 now. I still feel mostly OK, actually - just tired but I’ve not had enough sleep. Must-stop-playing-Skyrim-and-go-to-bed-earlier [/mantra]
Good work keeping the movement on the squats even if you can’t add on. Do you get the dizzy feeling at lighter weights?
I’ve got to google skyrim as well, I’m so out of the loop it turns out.
Holy total body workout! Bench, squats, AND Millie’s?! * faints* yous a superstar.
With low carb you don’t switch into ketosis until around day five… give it a couple more days and your energy should pick right back up… AND you’ll be dipping into the fat stores for fuel so double win. Great news on the bench and um, maybe my kg to lbs is rusty but I’m pretty sure your bench is stronger than mine!
I went to bed earlier last night and passed out!! Slept like the dead!!! Love it when that happens!!
You bench pressed?!?! That’s wonderful! Perhaps going at old nemeses with new approaches might be a good 2012 intention.
Yes I did! I reckon I should be OK to go again if I am cautious and use proper form.
OK, so yesterday I was lazy (actually, I was sore). This morning I was bone tired (slept less than 6 hours) and didn’t feel like going, even with the rest day yesterday. Then I checked my calendar and realised that I’m on day 17 of my cycle. It tends to vary from 25-28 days so I’m in PMS territory. My boobs are a bit sore and yesterday I ate like a horse (even though I’m supposed to be dieting). Plus, my bowel is backed up like a slaughterhouse drain. All typical signs for me, along with the lethargy and lack of motivation. I reckon I’m getting a short cycle this month. But anyway, I decided that was no excuse so I kicked my arse out the door and went to the gym.
Warm-up: hypers, reverse hypers, clams
Next thing was supposed to be a warm-up of sorts but turned into a workout of its own because after, I was too frigging tired to do much else.
Row 250m (1:44.9 500m/split)
20 overhead squats (5kg body bar)
Row 500m (2:04.8 500m/split)
20 overhead squats (5kg body bar)
Row 1000m (2:08.2 500m/split)
20 overhead squats (5kg body bar)
There was no rest between except to reset the rower and take a quick swig of water. The squats were my “rest”. My breathing sounded like someone sawing planks and I winded myself enough that my teeth ached and I was coughing for the next hour. My trachea still feels burny.
Anyway, I had no energy to do anything after that lot but I had promised myself I’d have a go at squatting again. So I did. I noticed the woozy feeling was worse, possibly because I’d winded myself so hard (and was tired anyway). But I pushed on.
Squats:
Bar x 10
30kg x 10
40kg x 5
Even on the bar-only set I was a little giddy, but I found it I pause very slightly just after a start to go down, I can go the rest of the way. Anyway, I wasn’t happy with 5 reps at 40, so I told myself, Cal, I’m not standing for this crap. You’re going to do 10 reps with this weight. This is your dragon, now go slay it. (Can you tell I’ve been playing Skyrim?)
40kg x 12
So yes, I got 10, and then did two more for good measure. I did have to pause slightly between reps but I got 'er done.
45kg x 5
I was just knackered by this point.
50kg x 5
55kg x 3
OK so not a gold medal effort, but at least I’m squatting again and at least I got up to 55kg (121lbs) again. I want to get back up to 60 but I’ll just take it slowly, I guess.
I am unsure whether the woozy feeling is oxygen related, or psychological. Or due to fatigue of some sort. I know I feel that way after getting off a transatlantic flight where I’ve not been able to sleep. I’ve been like this since I got sick in November. It could just be some sort of fatigue thing. I do get it a bit with other exercises but with things like deadlift, I’m only pulling a weight off the floor - if I don’t get it, I can drop it. Squatting is rather more scary for me (as an inexperienced squatter). Perhaps I need to dump one so I know I’m not going to get hurt if I fuck up.
Anyway, that was that. I called it there and am now at home feeling knackered. Hiten’s crazy circuit class tomorrow. I hope my achilles isn’t a massive bitch again, although I suspect it will be.
Have you had your ears checked for fluid build up??
slaughterhouse drain…ew. LOL!
Back in 2007 when I had a similar thing (I wasn’t squatting back then but I did overtrain and ran down my immune system to the point where I was constantly sick for about 8 months. I had some vertigo episodes and felt a bit out of my body most of the time, like I was drunnk but minus the euphoria). Ears were clear as a bell. Doctors actually couldn’t find anything wrong with me at all, aside from a slight depressed white cell count.
I’m tired just from reading about row/squat supersets. Way to kick your own ass!
[quote]Cal Jones wrote:
Doctors actually couldn’t find anything wrong with me at all, aside from a slight depressed white cell count.[/quote]
I have this as well as the knack for getting dizzy/woozy. I wonder if there is some connection??
That row/OH squat warm up looks awesome, way to push on mama.
Edit: Thank you google. Check it out. I wonder if this is the culprit.
**Signs and symptoms of leukopenia can include weakness, shortness of breath, fatigue, increased heart rate, dizziness and light-headedness.
Yeah I had all those last time. This time not so much - I think my immune system is just a bit low from the cold and then being exposed to kiddie germs a lot. Little sods. I’m mostly fine.