Good luck with midterms.
Thanks Nadia. 4 day, 1 to go this week.
Snuck in some training–
BB Complex
2x45
2x65
DL
95x8
115x6x2
145x4x2
155x1
145x4
95x8
These fucking pissed me off. I was feeling ok with everything so tried adding weight but every time I stood up the bar rolled out of my hands. I didn’t realize my grip was le shit. Frustration.
Pull throughs
72x10x4
Hip Pops
BWx10x4
Pull ups
6x4
Spin bike tabata
Foam
Feeling frustrated after today and the need for goals and a program are becoming more and more clear. I have been low on cals the past few weeks and am definitely feeling it—just felt TIRED today. This is not normal. Looking forward to having a good day on Friday.
Whoops-
That video is of the 145s. Some guy commented to me on not using the 45s instead of piling on the 25s, but I feel like I can’t get low enough with those–
Lula: Are you using a mixed grip on your heavier dl sets–one hand over, one hand under? You can hold alot more weight with a mixed grip.
I’m not using mixed grip, but I am going to try that next time-thanks for the suggestion. This bar rolled separately of the weights—I guess I never noticed other bars doing that before, but maybe I never put enough weight on there to notice. However, I don’t feel like this should be an issue at 160 pounds!?
Even though I’ve been in the weight room for some time, I feel like such a beginner lately. Once I get a break from school I really need to read up on programs and stuff to feel better about what I’m doing.
Today was a quick run before my exam and then foam rolling midday. My morning route is taking too short so I think it’s time to widen it up.
now i have the “my baby’s got sauce… yo baby aint sweet like mine…” song in mah head!
Deja: I’m excited you’re back around! I’ve enjoyed following your log in the past. She got sauce she got sauce she got sauce…G.love’s in town next week so I’ve listening up on my white boy rap.
I checked out the bars today (see above: spinny bar) and turns out I’m a whiny little bitch and they’re all that way-alas, it is apparently time to work on my weak ass grip. boo hiss.
Training:
Plate warm up
25x8x4
Pull ups:
6
6
5
5
4
4
**Had 30 in my head and was determined to get it. Plan is to do this weekly and cut down on the sets it takes to do.
MP
Barx10
65x8
85x2x3 +1 rep pr!
75x4
**Felt really good about the 85 reps/sets. Goal is to get to 100# by years end (realistic? dunno!)
Plate front raise
25x10x3
Lateral raise
7.5x10x3
ITY raises
5x8x3
High Pull down-unilateral
48x10x4
Tricep OH Extension
24x10x4
Tabata bike (apparently obsessed with this lately)
Felt really good about today-upper body days tend to have that effect I suppose. I’m learning my lower body is my weakest link, which I’ve always taken for granted as being relatively strong. Gotta learn train what you hate—bubble booty, here I come.
[quote]cholulalula wrote:
**Felt really good about the 85 reps/sets. Goal is to get to 100# by years end (realistic? dunno!)
[/quote]
reach for it Lula
my grip lesson:
mixed grip
rack pulls
plate flips
chalk
reps at heavy weight
learning to cue in legs and butt…
Thanks mainy, I plan on it. I’ll have to consult google for plate flips-I imagine it’s forearm work?
Here’s what i’m thinking:
By 2012:
MP: 100#
Front squat: 150#
Pull ups: 10
DL: 200#
Look at me–I have goals! And direction (ish)! 4 projects and 1 more midterm this week then I can let my mind think of something other than the hip…or gait…or wounds.
There’s a Strongman Comp down at the beach today, which I’m pretty excited to check out (see above, projects/midterm/getting my stuff together. summer school really just isn’t meant to happen). I’ll check back later with pics and perhaps a workout 
nice looking deads!
sometimes people say to save the mixed grip for max sets. some controversy over whether the mixed grip may result in imbalances. some people switch which way they mix things to try and even things out and other people hook their thumb under their fingers until their max sets.
with the deadlift… try and lower it the same way you raise it. so hip extension and then knee extension again to get it back to the floor. horizontal back can fatigue under load. but i’m all about saving fatigue to the lower back in ways that other people probably don’t need to be, so maybe don’t worry about it unless you feel your lower back fatiguing.
hope your midterms went / are going well.
I tend to use a mixed grip over 70kg (154lbs). Chalk really does help. If your gym is pissy about chalk, you can get liquid chalk which is less messy.
You’re also using smaller diameter plates - if you can move to the big wheels, you’ll find it a bit easier as you’re not starting as low to the ground. It’s only a matter of inches but they do make a difference.
Good luck with your goals. Your MP is impressive and 100lbs would be sensational.
Awesome goals. And your MP is really strong!
Before I forget, I totally love the shrugs that fella’s doing in the background of your deadlift video. I needed that laugh when I got home from work. 
On the deadlifts themselves, I think you should give the plates a try (45# plates, more specifically). It looks like on reps 1 and 3 (a little on 2) a lot of your energy goes into lifting your hips first instead of breaking the weight off the floor. If you started with your hips a little higher you could just sit back a titch and tighten up to pull the slack out of the bar then break and pull. My amateur observation (my usual disclaimer).
When I pull I use double overhand until I can’t; no reason not to get ‘free’ grip training in. The improvement in ability to hold the weight is tremendous with the mixed grip, so once you get to heavier weights you can focus on other cues and not worry about the bar rolling out of your paws.
Your MP goal is perfectly doable. ~2 pounds a month will get you there in fact. Goals are the shit, in general and in lifting especially. Glad you set a few. nod
I empathize with your summer class woes- head down and one foot in front of the other! (and/or enjoy the hell out of your summer, whichever you prefer. Do one or the other though, says I.)
Edit: Final nitpick- it looks like you might be pulling straight up vs. up and back. Keep the bar along your leg all the way up and it should be easier on your low back (and let you pull a little more weight to boot). Hope that wasn’t more input than you wanted.
wow. i didn’t realize they were smaller than usual plates. that is some flexibility to pull so well from there!
If you can’t go up in weight, try to put plates underneath the weight on the bar to raise it up a bit. I agree with everyone, those extra inches are HUGE!
Also, try to keep that bar close, pulling it into your hips!
Its good to have goals!!
Rippetoe had this thing about ‘dragging the bar up your legs’ so i learned to deadlift like that. still got the scars up my shins to prove it (under trackies + compression tights), so i’m not sure i recommend it :-/
Training:
DB Push-Up/Row/Burpee stuff
17.5x5
22.5x5x2
**Some guy took one of my DBs in the middle of my sets when I walked away so he could do some douchey partial range curls. This is why I hate afternoon training!
DB Flat Bench
20x10
30x8x2
40x5x4
**must have forgotten I have a chest because I hadn’t worked it in a while. My shoulder felt achy afterwards, as it always does after chest stuff. old injuries can suck it!
Front Squats
Barx8
95x6x2
115x4x4
Barx25x2 (speed)
**Stuck at 115 today and really focused on sitting back, back, way back. I really felt the glutes firing so I was happy to stay there today. These felt good—and I’m finding myself looking forward to squat days. (gasp)
Big sets: 10x3
Band Chest Press
Band Fly
Explosive Push-Ups
ss:
Speed air squats-20
Box Jumps-10
Bike Tabata
Alexus-Great advice, thank you! I definitely see that I’m lowering the weight differently than I am lifting it-and my back is making sure I know it too. My back is sore every time after I DL and I am positive that’s not meant to be. Bloody shins—that will be the goal next time
Cal-I’ll have to just suck it up and move up to the big plates. I have no reason not to. I suppose I wasn’t sure how deep I was supposed to sit into the lift first, but from the sounds of it I need not worry about it.
Nadia-Thanks!
Kristoph-That is the perfect amount of input! I really do appreciate it—Yes, the shrugs are great! I can totally see a mind bubble above him…“must work traps…girls dig traps…traps sexy…” I work out at the University and there is a lot of that around there. Today the racks were taken by a guy doing heel raises, another guy doing behind the back wrist curls, and another doing good morningy squats with the safety bars about at his ribcage. I permanently bite my tongue when i’m in that gym.
I will give the 45 plates a go next time and focus on the up and back. That makes a lot of sense.
One foot in front of the other is my favorite mantra. It’s just so much harder to live by when there is finally beautiful weather! Sigh, ok I’ll go do my homework.
And yes, goals are the shit
sbmart: will do, mama!! thanks!
MIM: you’re right, goals are good! and in other aspects of my life I am almost obsessive about them. That’s why I was so hesitant to make them right away because if I set them, then by hell, they will be met…one of my biggest aims in life is to do what I say, rather than run my mouth and never accomplish anything. I probably should try to ‘bend’ a bit more, but whatever
**Strongman Sunday was awesome!! I knew I liked guys with some beef on them, but nom. There is another comp next weekend that I plan on going to. Strongman groupie…what!? I better watch “Almost Famous” to study up.
On a side note-my year of the comedy of errors continues. I awoke yesterday morning to a bat (a bat! the kind that carry rabies and suck blood and turn you into a vampire, bat) flying around my bedroom. I live in the city!! My landlord never found it and isn’t nearly as concerned as I am about it–I’m thinking of getting a tent or mosquito netting to go over my bed. Ha!
And last story of the day-today at the gym, I noticed a guy watching me squat, and he came over to me and started predicting my future. Apparently after I graduate I will get married and have only one child, a son. And I’ll be a good soccer mom (his words, not mine). Strange little day i’ve had.
strongman groupie, LOL!
and uh, a bat and creepy guy at the gym…is it almost a full moon??