[quote]mom-in-MD wrote:
I’m still perplexed by the wall squats…
is this for balance, knee tracking, etc? Are you doing this because you want a wider stance squat? [/quote]
It’s to try and teach herself to sit back and keep her ass back far enough so that her knees don’t shoot really far forward in her squat. Knees over the toes is alright when raw squatting (from what I’ve picked up) but trying to avoid them from putting holes in her walls during wall squats is the aim here. I think.
LWI!
lol, ok. cool…
I didn’t realize(or forgot?) that falling forward was an issue…makes sense now!!
MIM - it’s all about the sitting back, knees out and arching. When I squat without thinking my knees travel way over me feet which makes the process unstable. Hence I should not be adding poundage to my squat until I can make it stable and safe.
warning: my not be suitable for all viewers 
knees are still wobbly. need to keep those fuckers pushed out tight.
The real workout:
Millies:
55 1x3
65 1x4
70 1x6
Speed deadlifts - focus on using legs
135 4x6
Rackpulls 225 3x8 - needed to feel beastly. third peg from the bottom.
Overhead squat bar 1x5 - was not feeling this at all.
Cable pull throughs 65 3x12
sistard BB Curls
40 1x12
50 1x8
60 1x6 - check out mah pump!!
Cable tricep pushdowns 45 3x12
Decline situps
25 plate to chest 3x12
superset with
5 plate behind the head 3x8
now for teh foodz!!
get in mah belly!
Woo-hoo on the wall squat vids! Must look up Millies. Damn if I don’t learn something everyday!
Six of the BB curls at 60 is nice, very nice.
millie = barbell military press
@ the 60’s curls I had to give myself a quick rest for the last 2 reps but I got them in.
post workout food porn:
2 pieces of pecorino cheese
2 pieces of mozzerella cheese
chicken breast poached in curry with blanched spinach over whole wheat couscous
plenty of vino
3 slices of herbed salami
half a dark chocolate bar with almonds.
this has been within an hour.
I love lifting.
damn, your wall squats really are looking much better. so happy that your hard work on them seems to be paying off. i’m not sure why raising the arms seems to help. the crossfit peoples noticed that, too, but didn’t say why… careful, or you’ll turn into an Oly Lifter
mim - freakin lol!
alex - oly is a dream - I honestly think that what you guys do is an another level of HARD. maybe someday 
For those that are into my writing here’s one of the articles I wrote for my next trade magazine. I have no titles for it so pipe up if you have any suggestions…
I would like to take a moment to cover an issue that is a real beef for me; dieting. I am not referring to the type of diet when you decide to drink less soda and skip dessert. I am talking about the more extreme ones of eating only grapefruit or drinking only cayenne pepper and lemon juice in water glamorised by Hollywood starlets. The type of dieting born from our “quick fix, I need results now” society.
What people need to understand is that our bodies are extremely efficient at staying alive. If you do not feed it the vital nutrients it needs to maintain proper organ function, it will leech those minerals from less important places such as muscle and bones. I cringe when I hear these dieters say, “I’ve lost another 5 pounds”, without regards as to what they have lost exactly. It could be water retention, bone density and even muscle mass. It doesn’t matter as long as the number on the scale is smaller. Well if that’s all your concerned about just go ahead and cut your arm off. I guarantee you a 5 pound instant weight reduction. You can thank me later.
I know I sound drastic but there is something incredibly important that needs to be retained. Bones cannot heal density at 100%. For women specifically peak bone mass is achieved in the mid 20’s. From there on you can optimally maintain or start the degenerating process that leads to osteoporosis. How many diets have we followed in our teen years in the hopes of achieving a little more self confidence?
How much of our bone density potential have we really developed? Are you aware that the daily recommendation for calcium is 1300 milligrams and that a single serving glass of milk contains 300 milligrams? Worse yet not only are young women not drinking enough milk but they are drinking plenty of soda, containing phosphoric acid which impairs the body’s ability to absorb what little calcium they might have ingested.
Osteoporosis doesn’t seem that important when you are 20. We have different priorities then right? Well fast forward 30, 40 years and compile those diets. By 60 weight has been lost and gained repeatedly but bone density has never been on your mind. Until you fall and break your hip which requires rather invasive surgery.
We are talking about securing pretty massive screws in the bone structure. Not something you walk out from overnight. This very scenario has occurred to someone close to my heart and will require months of hospitalization and rehabilitation. What angers me the most is that it was all preventable.
I don’t know about you but I certainly do not plan on hip surgery at 60. I have incorporated habits in my daily life to stack the deck my way.
1- Drink milk, eat yogurt and cheeses
2- Increase intake with calcium supplements and vitamin D which is needed for proper absorption.
3- Eat canned fish such as salmons and sardines on the bone.
4- Eat plenty of leafy greens including broccoli, kale and Swiss chard. These also provide vitamin K and potassium which actually blocks calcium loss.
5- Exercise regularly including weight resistance; proven to actually increase bone density.
There are many types of calcium supplements available on the market today, even some pretty tasty chewable ones. Remember that your body functions as a whole and by respecting its needs you will reap the rewards. I plan on diving at 60, where do you want to be? Do what is in your reach to get there, focus on a varied balanced diet and exercise program and I bet you that living the dream in a healthy body will make it that much sweeter.
food for thought
Frenchie.
How 'bout 'DO or ‘DIE-it.’
“Living With Integrity”
Or something that uses LWI!
Haha.
Good write up though N, too many people are into the “I need results NOW!” category, but nobody wants to work for it.
Density Diet!
Well written Frenchie!
Food for thought indeed.
Nicely written!
Nice article Mainie.
That’s a topic I’m on the fence about, mainly because countries like China don’t have high calcium intake standards, yet they have very low cases of osteoporosis. The U.S. sucks in that department. They advise like, 1000 mg of calcium a day and bone loss is still a big issue. Other countries recommend as low as 300 mg of calcium a day and don’t have nearly as much bone problems. But that’s due to how inactive Americans are, and how active other countries are.
Funny how important exercise is, eh?
Totally agree Nikki - this isn’t just about calcium supps, it’s about a lifetime of eating overprocessed nutrient-poor foods combined with yoyo diets and desk jobs.
Here’s the rough copy of my 2nd article this month. This one might hit closer to TN’ers hearts.
Just Play
Someone asked me recently how I could find time to hit the gym 5-10 hours a week. My answer was how many hours a week do you spend in front of the TV and PC? Most adults will crash there by the time they get home from work until they go to bed say 6pm to 10pm. 4 hours a day times 5 days a week plus the weekends can quickly add up. I choose to hit the gym while you choose to watch the screen. Simple enough. But that brought us to the heart of the game; what motivates me to go to the gym after a day’s work? The same thing that motivates you to open that TV; a need to disconnect from work, relieve tension, focus my mind and provide entertainment as a reward for a day’s work well done. My reply was of course followed with disbelief. Working out is a chore, not a reward. You are missing the obvious clue Watson: state of mind.
I love lifting for the challenge, for the sweat, for how it allows me to eat and what it does to my body. Lifting focuses my mind on the present, blocks out all outside noise and makes my soul existence relevant to the barbell before me; I will lift you. I come home from my sessions properly fatigued, mentally confidant of having won another battle. And if the barbell won that day, if it all felt heavy and sluggish, then I demand a rematch. There is always tomorrow. What I am getting at here is that lifting is actually fun for me. I spend hours talking about it, learning techniques, programs, how to properly recuperate, what foods and supplements can help with my performance… It’s a hobby I fully indulge. I have friends who practice kickboxing, yoga, bike, play hockey, sprint, run; I even have a buddy who is getting ready for an iron man. And what do all these people have in common? They love what they do, not every single day, but most days. And they love it enough to get off the couch for it.
I can give you a hundred different reasons to lift but if you really do not find your passion within it than it will always be a chore. Find that activity that gets you fired up and exercise becomes what it was when we were kids: play. Once you find that which makes you move and jump for joy, learn about it; meet people who are also passionate about it. The collective energy for a similar cause always fuels the fire. Finding your play time activity will be a question of trial and error. Are you more of a social person? Try team sports or salsa dancing. Perhaps, as I do, you spend your days with people and prefer to retire to your personal bubble to re-centre yourself. In that case yoga, jogging, biking and lifting might be more your style.
As a competitive person I decided to take my lifting to the next level and entered my first power lifting competition this past March. I have broken no records but I brought my best game to the platform and met great people. I enjoyed it so much I am already planning my next one in June with the goal of beating my previous score. For runners, signing up for your city’s half-marathon, or running for a cause can be a great way to benchmark your yearly progress. My gym also hosted a strongman competition in March. Love to lift but not into the bikini oiled up bodybuilding shows? You will definitely meet similar minded people at the strongman competitions. It was so much fun to watch these descendants of Vikings and woodsmen battling it out on the gym floor with feats such as log press and ball tossing (we are talking about a 150lbs cement ball here).
Of course if you have been sedentary for a while you can expect your body to be especially sore from the new activities. Do not let this initial stage putter out your progress. Educate and arm yourself. Some symptoms might include sore knees and joints in which case you want to stock up on fish oils and glucosamine supplements. Night time muscle cramps can be treated with potassium and calcium. A few people find their sleep patterns disrupted by evening sports in which case a little melatonin goes a long way. Once you have created the habit, that your body understands that this is something you refuse to give up, providing you furnish it with the right tools to perform and recuperate, throwing on your favourite sneakers will become an automatic endorphin booster. But don’t just take my word for it. Like Mom used to say, “Go outside and play!”
F
you haven’t mentioned me in either article, Mainie.
Mebbe the next one?
I did - I mentionned vikings didn’t ya read it?
<hurry’s back to read the articles again…and again…and again…>
hint - it’s in thw 2nd one when I talk about strongmen
[quote]Edgy wrote:
<hurry’s back to read the articles…>[/quote]
That’s what’s giving you troubles, isn’t it? No pictures?