well I am VERY excited about a video I just watched on the Front Squat- THIS is the exercise I have been looking for!
Tuesday April 3- some weights/rope skipping followed by yoga
I placed the rope skipping after every 2 sets, cycling through these 3 exercises
–Single Leg RDL’s with a pivot
3x8
–Front Bar Squats
3x8x17# bar
–Straight legged dumbells Deadlifts
3x8x40#
the 17# bar was the heaviest there. I either need to go back to dummbells or use real barbells. I am going to go back to dumbbells.
the weights/rope skipping took 30 minutes
Wednesday April 4- machine legs followed by step class
Group 1:
Quad extensions
1x8x35#, 1x8x40#
Single leg Hamstring curls
1x8x40#, 1x8x45#
Group 2:
Seated hip Abduction
1x8x70#; 1x8x80#
Low unweighted side lunges
really more of a stretch
I have reconsidered the hamstring curl machine. I am happy that I no longer feel the strain of the lower hamstring I got the last time I used that machine. I am better. I strained it because I increased the weight too much too fast. There is someone in the Over-35 forum here that uses this machine and he lifts 120# (with 2 legs). he is stronger than I am for sure but he is not that much larger- lever wise etc. He is an experienced lifter and participates in competitions. I doubt he is arching his back and feeling weird on this machine. I now think I was feeling weird on this machine because I was using too much weight. Also, the fact that I strained my hamstring on this machine sort of tells me that maybe I need it? Anyway, it is an easy, mindless machine so I think I will keep on using it for awhile yet.
I am still experimenting with ways to attack the muscles:
-from all angles,
-with high loads,
-with high frequency, (maximize stimulation doses)
-with low repetitions (or rest-inserted loading- to allow bones to get re-juiced between loadings)
-with adequate recovery days.
That is what builds bones the best.
I think the best way to achieve that is shorter workouts more days of the week.
Thursday April 5
pm- jump rope and yoga
lunchtime, some bodyweight exercises
–single leg rdl
–wall sit
–standing hip abductions
–single leg calf raises
–double leg calf raises
–tree pose with vacuum and chin tuck
–standing hip extensions
I also organized my storage locker which involved a lot of lifting and some overhead pressing. I used good form throughout. I am feeling a lot stronger. Not back to how I was but almost.
Friday April 6
yoga, walking with weights
the other thing that builds bone the best is fast loading- like, moving the weight very quickly. I am very happy to read that this is also what builds muscle strength the best:
move the weight as if launching a rocket. This person’s ideas seem to be the most in line with what I have read on experiments on bone formation. Jumping sequences too build bone much better than running.
Gosh I have been so bad about reporting in here. I have been exercising but I have to admit I am a little jumbled up from the new idea of doing less weight lifting in one session etc. Also gym had reduced hours so I did some stuff at home. I have been doing the weights very willy nilly and disorganized.
Saturday April 7
- step class
this class also included a quick weight series. At one point we did standing Military presses with 10# weights and my back immediately tightened up- sort of in a good way- it didn’t hurt- I think it was my lower traps tightening, which I love. Anyway, this was really shocking as I am up to 35# on the seated military press machine so it makes me realize that I should also be doing free standing presses.
Sunday April 8-
a bunch of willy nilly exercises at home. The largest dumb bell I used was 12# because that is the largest I have at home
–military press
–front squat with dumb bells held on shoulders
–good mornings with dumb bell held behind neck
–lying straight leg raise
–wytl’s
I can’t remember the rest except for the:
– single leg rdls-
I am almost addicted to these. I am up to 14 without having to lower the non-supporting leg and I go all the way to the ground. Then, with the variation of srdl, with hips square, then pivot hips only to an external rotation, then square up again, then retract and stand up straight with hip flexed- like in the skiier video I posted. I am finding these really hard and am only up to 4 without losing balance. I will add weight at some point I guess but I am wondering if maybe they are more difficult without weight- it seems like added weight would be stabilizing. Though I haven’t tried with weight yet.
Monday April 10-
step class preceded by jump rope and many many single leg rdls. I will not jump rope and do step class on the same day again. My knees are fine but they really did feel it too much.
Tuesday April 11-
yoga preceded by a bunch of weights- again sort of disorganized. A new idea I have is to alternate back and chest in the same workout. But I really don’t want to make my chest stronger than my back (it already is probably) for postural issues so I am not using as heavy weights as I could on the chest stuff.
Bent over 2 arm rows
–2x8x40#
Single leg rdls- plain
–11 each leg before losing balance
Single leg rdls with pivot and kickthough
–4 each leg before losing balance (really burns too)
Bench Press
–2x8x20# ( I could go much higher, haha 20# is embarassing at this forum)
Straight leg deadlifts
–2x8x40#
Supine flies
–2x8x15#
Front box squate
–3x8x30#
Standing hip abuctions
–1x20xbw
Calf raises with head turn at the top
– 1x25xbw
Single leg calf raises
– 2x8xbw (hard!!!)
Pelvic trusts
– 1x25xbw on 12" step (I need to make these harder)
Front lunges with dumb bells on shoulders
–2x8x30#
Good Mornings with dumb bell behind neck
– 2x8-20#
Supine lat pullovers
–2x8x15#
the yoga on Tuesdays has a lot of raised planks and these seem to be affecting me more than anything. My shoulders or biceps are my weakest link on all exercises.
I really like this woman’s back!
well I think I have finally found a body builders body that I like. No veins. Not rake skinny. She also seems really nice. Her shoulders look pretty good when she is not flexing them- not too too big.
But here is her arm workout. I just wonder how on earth she got so sculpted using such small weights. I would really like to know what her real workout is like.
I am also very happy because she and I are the same height and weight! Now, she is way more muscular and I am way more blubbier, but still. I just gained 20 pounds in the last 2 years from my whole back/feet fiasco. And based on what I am reading about osteoporosis you have to be very very careful about losing weight because it can also lead to more bone loss. So I haven’t known what to do about this- lose weight or not? I hate being the size I am - I feel much better at 135 pounds, but I am really afraid of going on a diet. I saw a video where she weighed herself right before Christmas and she was 156 pounds! I am 155 pounds now. I feel huge but migod, if I can look like that at 156 it would be a miracle. So maybe I will give myself a break and forget about losing weight and just focus on gaining more muscle. I feel very fortunate that I have finally stumbled upon such a fabulous role model for me- same age, height, weight and sort of remotely similar personality!
That is Lenda Murray, 8 time winner of Ms Olympia. No wonder I think she has a good body!
Wednesday- April 11
step class. and just btw, this is a heavily choreographed class with non stop turns and changes of directions and a fair bit of plyometrics. I think this is one of the best exercises for bone density because of all the changes in direction. Studies have shown that sports with changes in direction such as soccer or tennis have a more positive effect on bone than more linear sports such as running. Plus it is highly aerobic in an interval fashion- and intervals are better for bone than steady state loading such as 10k’s. I would likely have to run at about 7-8mph to get the same level of cardio workout. And step is a lot more fun.
Thursday April 12-
a bunch of weights at home-late afternoon
intervals on the treadmill followed by yoga in the evening.
This was my first time running in months. The last time I did it I could feel my back tightening and tonite, I felt like my old self, except wiser!
weights as follows-
Lenda Murray’s Arm Routine:
(3 sets of 15 reps with 12 pound dumbbells)
–standing dumbbell bicep curls
–supine stability ball dumbbell tricep presses
–seated stability ball dumbbell bicep curls
–supine stability ball dumbbell skull crushers
–seated stability ball preacher curls
–bent over dumbbell tricep kickbacks.
The 12# was surprisingly easy on the biceps but I couldn’t complete 15 reps on the supine tricep exercises- only about 11. She said to do 5 sets but I am just not up to that mentally. I could do it physically. I really like the stability ball to work my hamstrings, core and back at the same time. I think this routine is a keeper.
Deisel Crew’s YTWL’s
I did the first time around with 5 pounds. But that is really too much. Even he doesn’t use very much weight in his video. Second set I decreased to 2 pound wrist bands. There is actually more than YTWL’s in this routine. It is really:
R- retractions
Y
W
T
L
L with external rotation
Sc- scarecrow
Sk- skier
PF- posterior flies
or (R-Y-W-T-L-Le-Sc-Sk-Pf)'s
More Single leg RDL’s
2 sets of 10
and then I finally added weight today- 10 pound dumbbells. It really wasn’t any more difficult. And I did feel slightly more stable with the weight as I expected.
2 sets of 8
I also toyed with single leg good mornings. I am not sure there is any added benefit to these. I began to feel it in my lower back so I stopped.
[quote]Reconstruction wrote:
or (R-Y-W-T-L-Le-Sc-Sk-Pf)'s
[/quote]
Not quite as catchy at YTWLI, is it?
and fwiw, I usually use 2.5# or nothing for these.
Looking like good work in here, keep it up!
[quote]cholulalula wrote:
and fwiw, I usually use 2.5# or nothing for these.[/quote]
Me too!
[quote]cholulalula wrote:
[quote]Reconstruction wrote:
or (R-Y-W-T-L-Le-Sc-Sk-Pf)'s
[/quote]
Not quite as catchy at YTWLI, is it?
and fwiw, I usually use 2.5# or nothing for these.
Looking like good work in here, keep it up![/quote]
Haha, ya it’s a mouthful but I do love that video. I want to do the routine while suspended from a 45 degree back extension machine. Stuart McGill claims back health/strength is more about endurance than strength so propped on that machine for the whole routine might be great. (I am probably misquoting him). I have to admit I already do these just bent way over without a bench. I don’t like laying prone on benches. But come to think of it, there must be a reason why Diesel (if that is his name) chose to do these on a bench?
Thank you for visiting cholulalula! I checked your journal and I see we are the same height and you are the weight I used to be and want to be again!
[quote]Patch2 wrote:
[quote]cholulalula wrote:
and fwiw, I usually use 2.5# or nothing for these.[/quote]
Me too![/quote]
Hey Patch2! Yes, I also have a pair of 1# wrist weights. I think I will use them. In fact, most mornings I just stand up and retract my shoulder blades as hard as I can a few times and I can make crunching sounds with them- it feels good. (I asked a physiotherapist about this and she said not to worry that shoulders are naturally “crunchy”. !) (I guess I should say scapula rather than shoulders…)
Friday April 13
yoga preceded by a leg experiment.
Leg experiment:
QE=Quad Extension Machine
HC-Hamstring curl machine
1 set QE of 30 reps at 30#
…1 set HC of 30 reps at 45#
1 set QE of 20 reps at 45#
1 set QE of 20 reps at 60#
…1 set HC of 20 reps at 75#
1 set QE of 15 reps at 75#
…1 set HC of 15 reps at 90#
1 set QE of 11(failure) reps at 105#
…1 set HC of 11(failure) reps at 105#
and neither “failures” were blow-a-gasket, protruding vein type failures, just very prudent, cautious failures.
So I am really amazed by this. I have been making sure I am warmed up aerobically prior to lifting weights but I haven’t been doing warm-up sets because I was just sort of confused on the difference etc.
Thing is, this really helped me lift more on the quads but it did not improve hamstring performance, so it will be interesting to see if it helps me on the lat pulldown machine.
Saturday April 14
I met someone knowlegable at the gym who said if I am strengthening my back for postural reasons I should be aiming for higher reps to strengthen endurance. I didn’t tell him about the OP though- so I still think I need real strengthening as well. Ultimately, I think as long as I am challenging myself, it may not matter so much.
Anyway, so I came up with a great compromise that I think really works for me and suits my personality. I guess they would be called high-rep drop sets. So start with smaller weight, higher reps and then add weight and decrease reps, repeat for about 3-5 sets. This way the first set will double as a really good warmup. And it really is not reducing the maximum weight I can lift-( it is not increasing it either on most exercises)
So here is what I did today (I am deliberately not strengthening my adductors because they are already stronger than my abductors which is not good- as told to me by a physiotherapist last year)
machine seated abductors (30@30#)(20@40#)(20@60#)(15@70#)(8@80#)(8@80#)(8@80#)
alternate with:
machine seated adductors (30@30#)(30@40#)(30@40#)(30@40#)(30@40#)(30@40#)
seated cable row (20@60#)(15@70#)(12@80#)
alternated with:
45 degree hyperextensions (20@10# plate at chest)(20@10# plate behind head)
seated machine posterior flies (20@25#)(10@40#)(10@40#)
alternated with:
seated machine peck deck (20@25#)(20@40#)
incline prone supported rows {10@(?+15#)}{10@(?+15#)}{10@(?+15#)}
alternated with:
45 degree hyperextensions (static while doing 20@dumbbell rows= 10# each arm)
45 degree hyperextensions (bending all the way to the ground 20@10# at chest)
(I did not start small enough on the incline rows and burnt out at 10 reps)
finally the lat pulldown machine became available!
lat pulldown (20@60#)(20@60# alternating front and back)(12@70#)(8@80#)
I did not dare leave that machine lest someone else take it. Next time I will alternate with standing military presses ( maybe)
Then I moved to a different area and did some
cable pulldowns
leaning foreward cable rows
spiders (they work the rhomboids- using both cables but they didn’t feel as good as I hoped
chest supported seated rows
seated bench presses
I am not putting the weights down for the latter exercises because I started low but did not have a chance to finish more than one set each.
Sunday April 15
spin class
preceded by a ton of supine chin tucks
followed by another quad experiment. I did the Friday workout at a different gym so I want to repeat the experiment at my home gym but my quads were too worn out from the spin class/ I am still in awe that I got up to 105# so I am now wondering if maybe one of the machines is miscalibrated.
then at home I did a lower leg workout. I want to do some sort of strength work every day just to keep my mental ball rolling, but without doing too much. So I figure making a “lower leg day” will be good because it really does not affect any other body part…
25 calf raises
50 theraband dorsi-flexions
25 plantar flexed theraband inversions
25 plantar flexed theraband eversions
25 dorsi-flexed theraband inversions
25 dorsi-flexed theraband eversions
50 theraband dorsi-flexions
12 single-leg calf raises (with hands on wall to stabilize)(much easier than last time)
I tie 2 therabands to the legs of a bar table and lie down underneath it and then on the dorsi-flexions I push away with the table legs by my head. Hard to explain but I am pretty proud of the setup I devised because I was so tired on doing one foot at a time. I hadn’t done these exercises since before Christmas and I am in awe over how much stronger I am.
Monday April 16
single leg rdls at lunchtime
14 regulars each leg before losing balance, I am starting to do these at quite a clip
11 regulars each leg with 10 pound dumbbells- it was easy
14 unweighted each leg with kick through
4 each leg with external pivot, return and kickthough- still hard.
step class followed by weights
I was all geared up to do a free weights back workout. I did 20 straight leg deadlifts with just 10 pounds as a warmup and something in my heart was telling me to stop. I just felt tired. I know how to be hard on myself but I just really want to play it safe. Nothing hurt but my back was a little tired and I just was not enthused.
I did a bunch of leg raises instead. The hard part of doing these is making sure I keep my rib cage contracted and not arch my back- that activates my core.
double leg raises
scissors high
scissors low
double hip flexions
and then a bunch of chin tucks.
oh and a bunch of glute bridges. I need to find a way of making these more challenging. I think I will start doing ball rollouts instead. I tried them today with my feet on a weight lifting bench and they were really no more difficult. I have tried them with a barbell weight on my hips but it is quite awkward and I would have to go up to at least 50# to feel anything and the gym just really isn’t set up for that sort of thing. I have done them one leg at a time and they are ok. I guess I will do them one legged from now on. Really, the 45 degree back extension machine works my glutes the best. And it is more fun to do. I have been thinking of doing it one-legged. I should use that machine more often. It is my favorite machine.
My anterior shoulder are still quite sore. I have decided to start devoting some time to my shoulders as I feel they are holding back my back on moves like the lat pulldown.
Well I took Friday, Saturday and Sunday completely off. I think I did the right thing.
I either overdid it with the leg workout on Wednesday or it was the pigeon pose in Yoga on Thursday but starting Friday morning I was getting the old familiar stinging of my lower illiotibeal band. That is a whole story in itself and I have never really determined what it is- I assume now, after seeing physios and nerve conduction doctor that it is myofascial. I only mention it here for future reference. It happens in conjunction with sore outer calf and lateral ankle muscles.
So I need to back track and put in my workouts…
TUESDAY April 17
Free Back & Shoulders followed by Yoga
afternoon:
–4 sets of 8 bent over rows with 10#DB’s
–4 sets of 8 military presses - 2 sets with 10#DB’s and 2 sets with 3# double wrist weights
–2 sets at 10 front delt raises with 3# each arm
evening at gym before yoga:
–about 5 minutes jump rope
–2 sets military presses against wall with 5# weights
–3 sets bent over rows Pendley style 10,15,15# 8 reps each
–2 sets of 5# raises. 8 reps per set. Not hard at all but want to start low.
–15 mins intervals on treadmill: 3/4.5/3/5/3/6/3/6.5 about 2 minutes each
I read that Pendley rows are really the best exercise for the upper back and I
have to agree. With only 10 pounds each hand my back really tightened up and yet I am
up to 80# on seated rows and don’t feel too much. The Pendlays are really
working my upper erectors as well. Also notes say to lead with the elbows to take
load off biceps and it really works- these rows did not work my biceps.
Here is the video for Pendley rows
Wednesday April 18
Machine Legs and Step class
yay, managed to go to gym in the morning to do leg machines and then step class in the evening.
Also Lenda Murray posted a new video on back exercises!
This exactly the day after I decide I love bent over rows the most, her video is on bent over rows and she talks a lot about how to actually use the back and not the arms. I really feel now that I am on the right track wrt my back. So happy. And my back is in fact feeling light years better.
My back is not sore from yesterday, which is good news as it means I can go higher and more often. My shoulders also are fine except for the typical post-poweryoga tenderness that has been going on for years. (from the raised planks)
Machine Legs today:
–alternated extensions and curls
extensions-(20x30#)(20x40#)(15x50#)(12x60#)(9x70#)(8x80#)(6x90#)
curls-(20x40#)(20x50#)(15x60#)(15x70#)(12x80#)(8x90#)(8x90#)
I am still really amazed at the difference the previous sets make.
What is so odd is even the set with 90# on the extensions is easier than the first 8 reps with 30#- hard to explain but the first 8 reps at 30# is almost a sickening feeling- it is very hard to push past the 8th rep but once I do it is very hard to about rep 15 and then gets easier after than. At 90#, it is obviously very difficult but not in the same sickening way as the
first 8 at 30#. It is diffuclt in a blow a gasket type of way, not in a sickening way.
–Abductors:(20x40#)(12x50#)(12x60#)(12x70#)(8x80#)(8x80#)(8x80#)
I alternated those with sets of 20 reps at 50# on the adductor machine set to #9 opening.
80# is really too difficult as I cannot fully open my legs and feels really like it is too much, but how else to get better? I have been looking in someone else’s journal and see that they will drop to one set of 20 for a week prior to increasing the weight. I think I will try that next time- focus on doing many more reps at only 70# for awhile, then move back up to 80#
because I do feel I am taking too great a risk at 80# right now.
I have to walk down a fight of stairs to exit the gym and I noticed that my legs were really quite shakey. It was pretty shocking.