Putting my Back On Track!

Training
121

Wednesday May 16

just the 100 reps.
step class was cancelled and my legs and armpits are still too sore to take on more. I am tired of getting DOMS and interfering with my schedule. I read a long time ago that eccentric conditioning such as downhill running only needs to be done every 3 weeks in order to avoid DOMS. I know for running that is true and I am betting it is the same thing for weights. So I will try to repeat these again within the next 3 weeks. I felt my triceps today and they feel bruised as does my back. Really stunning because these pullovers weren’t even difficult- just felt like a pretty nice stretch- honestly, I felt like I could have doubled the weight so I really thought I was being conservative.

I have found a new abs exercise. I feel really vindicated that an expert like Stuart McGill is advocating what I have been doing by instinct- and that is keeping my head in line with my spine in yoga. Which is so impossible to do on moves like boat pose. It is virtually impossible to not have a forward head on boat pose. I even talked to my teacher about this last night- even his head is forward.

So anyway, I did a search on Youtube today and found Stuart McGill’s version of boat pose- not really but this is truly as close as I could come to boat without pushing my head forward. I am glad the guy in the video says the woman is really strong because I was beginning to think there is something wrong with me that I could not get up into boat without having my head forward.

I also watched a good video by Bret Contreras about how being knocked knee or operating in a knock kneed fashion is really more of a neurological issue rather than a strength one.

Here is my new abs exercise. I will also continue with the leg lifts and ball passovers but I really like this one.

the diagram at the top is of a really good boat pose- gymnastics v-sits have the same issue of forward head. It may not look forward but wrt the spine it is!

122

Thursday May 17

yoga preceded by Leg/Hips, rope/spin & new posture exercises

yay, a good day. My pits are still feeling it but my legs were fine so I did a big leg/hip workout.
I have also reconsidered my 100 row challenge and am switching it to something else.

For the legs, I broke the workout into 2 parts- one at home and one at the gym .

I started with the static lunges I did on Monday but this time used only 8# db’s. I also kept thinking about what Bret Contreras said in his video so I really watched my knees. I have known for 30 years- “knees over toes” and do that. But it is only recently that I have become really intent on keeping my hips square to the front. And what I noticed was I was doing a bit of a cheat by dropping the front knee a bit to make it easier to square the hips. So hopefully that explains what happened to my adductors. I think I will do the lunges at home from now on so I can just really focus more on keeping alignment.

I am still not doing deadlifts. I want to but just keep putting it off. I read an article here that was talking about how the vertebrae can shear and move relative to one another on this and I just- well, I don’t need that right now. I did some butt exercises today- if my glutes are sore tomorrow, then there is no rush for deadlifts.

Legs & Hips

5 sets of 10 reps of BW single leg rdl’s
3 sets of 8 reps of static lunges with 8# db’s
3 sets of 20 standing hip abductions with 1.5# ankle weights (not hard)

then at the gym

5 sets of machine quad extensions-
(20x30#, 16x45#, 12x60#, 12x60#, 12x60#)
alternated with 5 sets of machine hamstring curls-
(20x45#,16x70#,12x90#, 12x90#, 12x90#)
3 sets of single leg machine quad extensions-
3x(12x30#)
alternated with 2 sets of single leg hamstring curls
2x(12x45#)

then

6 sets of seated machine abductors-
(16x60#)(12x70#)(12x70#)(12x70#)(12x70#)(12x70#)
with about a minute break between each

then

3 sets of bench shoulder-supported “posterior pelvic hip thrusts” with a plate on my hips
3x(20x10#)
alternated with
3 sets of the Butt Blaster machine
3x(16x10#)

I also skipped rope and did some spinning- maybe 15 minutes in all.

re the 100 rep challenge, well I think it is over. I got a “duh” moment yesterday. For my back I guess I want to train both power (for pullups and bone density) and endurance (for posture). Re the endurance side, why do reps- I am not walking around all day doing reps? I think I need to train static holds instead. That is what Stuart McGill does for the lower back so why not apply it to the upper back as well…I looked it up and there are actually exercises called batwing holds- so just a bent over row (chest supported) held for as long as possible.

I also read that the muscles etc will respond better if I focus in on those muscles- ie if the exercise too complex, my neurological system has too much to deal with. I know that is true for the bent over rows- I am thinking about way way too many body parts - make sure knees are aligned, do not bend them too much, keep lumbar spine from flexing but do not arch too much, keep neck packed and up, pull with elbows not hands, rotate scapula, etc- just way too much

So from now on I am going to do static holds on T’s, Y’s, W’s (batwings) and arms by the sides while on a stability ball at a 45 degree angle. An angled bench would be better but that is all I have and it is good enough. This will also take my mid and lower back out of the equation, whose extensors I don’t think need to be worked anyway. Also, with the exception of the T’s, I can hold onto a dowel to ensure that I am aligned and doing the exercises symmetrically.

123

Friday May 18
************************8

so proud of myself for keeping at this.

Lat pulldowns today:
16x60#
30 fast calf raises
12x80#
30 fast calf raises
8x90#
30 fast calf raises
4x20 second isometric holds @ 100#
15 single foot calf raises L & R
6x90#
15 single foot calf raises L & R
4x20 second isometric holds @ 90#
15 single foot calf raises L & R
16x60# as fast as I could.
30 sec break, approx
1x20 second isometric hold @ 100#
30 sec break, approx
1x20 second isometric hold @ 100#
30 sec break, approx
1x20 second isometric hold @ 100#
30 sec break, approx
1x20 second isometric hold @ 100#

I counted as fast as possible to 20 seconds so it was probably more like 15 real seconds. Odd, I can do 90# pulldowns with no body english and without having any pressure on top of my thighs by that pad. But at 100#- no way, I had to cheat. I had to use my weight just to get it down into position. But for the iso holds, I did not use the thigh pads.

stability ball Posture Exercises for the day:
arms by side, palms up- 60 seconds
supine chin tucks 75 seconds
y’s at 11 & 1 pm- 60 seconds
supine chin tucks 75 seconds
T’s- 60 seconds
supine chin tucks 75 seconds
W’s with 8# DB’s - 60 seconds.

I did not fail at 60 seconds on any of those moves but just taking my time.

My legs are ok today. Hamstrings a little stiff near the knee. Quads are fine. Adductors are fine. Abductors are quite stiff. My piriformis is spasmed- long story. The last time it did this was this time last year after doing doggie kickbacks. Before that it would happen in ballet. I am almost positive it happens from rotation at the lumbar spine during hip extension- a really really bad habit I got into in ballet. I forgot about that during the first set of the butt blaster but remembered for the second 2 sets. I am pretty sure this is from the butt blaster machine. I also woke up with some numbness down my lateral calf- either from the spasmed piriformis or from the tight glute medius. I know the stretch to get rid of this so it is ok now. Piriformis will take a couple of days to relax though- stretching does not fix it. One physio last year thought it was the combination of irritation at the nerve root plus load on the piriformis that does this. So the nerve root irritation will not respond to stretching- maybe just anti inflammatories.

I will try the butt blaster machine again though.

124

Saturday May 19

Athletic step class followed by overhead presses and pullup bars.
Later in the day front raises and Posture exercises

Overhead Presses

—Push press with long 33.5# Crossfit bar
(8 reps) (break with pull up bars) (6 reps)
—Standing overhead press with barbell grip
2 sets x 10 reps with 10# DB’s
—Seated machine military press with barbell grip
(10x20#)(10x30#)

Front raises Later in Day:

5 sets of 10 reps of alternating front deltoid raises with 8# DB’s with no more than a 20 degree elbow angle.

Posture Isometric Holds

–arms by sides, palms down, 1.5# wrist weights–60 seconds
–supine chin tuck- 80 seconds
–Y at 11 & 1 oclock, palms down, 1.5# wrist weights–60 seconds
–supine chin tuck- 80 seconds
–T, palms down, 1.5# wrist weights–60 seconds
–supine chin tuck- 80 seconds
–batwing holds, 10# db plus wrist weights-- 60 seconds

Pullup Bars

—somewhere between 5 and 10 sets of 3 hanging hip raises
—about 3 sets of 20 second hangs
—about 5 sets of thoracic swings lasting about 5 seconds each.

During Step Class

Plyometic lunges, biceps, triceps, squats

good day!

I found the Crossfit bar standing up in a corner after step class. I couldn’t raise it without momentum but with a very slight little dip with my knees I got it up fine. It really hit that sweet spot around T6 and felt amazing. I held each rep about 5 seconds. I stopped more just from fear that from physical limitation- I was just sort of shocked I was doing it and want to be really cautious about not over doing it.

I went to the pullup bar to practice swings but tried a hip raise and my lower back felt an amazing stretch. I spent about 15 minutes in all on this. Not trying pullups, just trying to hang and swing. It is my grip that is limiting me. I am really impressed with this- if I can improve my grip strength I think this will be an amazing stretch and spinal decompression technique. Plus, I need a stronger grip for pullups.

I am changing the regular overhead presses to the barbell grip. It does not feel as good as the palms facing grip- some funkieness in around the biceptical groove area.

The overhead presses are not getting easier. The front raises are though- 5 sets at 8# was still not hard. I will increase to 10# next time.

My shoulders/scapula felt wonderful when I got home- first time maybe in my whole life where my shoulders felt naturally pulled back. I don’t know which exercise did this- could it have been the push presses?

My Lats were fine this morning. A little stiff this afternoon but just under the armpits on the sides and in a normal stiff muscle way.

My nerve root irritation is about 95% better- which is a relief- last time this happened it lasted for weeks. I looked at the butt blaster today and I can raise the height of the hip support- the higher I put it the less room there will be to hyperextend. So it is even possible to keep my hamstrings from going past horizontal if I want. I am sure my error was in over hyperextending- once the femur reached its limit, I had no choice but to rotate my lumbar spine. Too bad that causes problems but that’s the way it is. PT last year said she thought it was facet joint osteophyte rubbing the nerve root. I can rotate a bit though- I am sure of that. I rotate a bit on the single leg rdl’s and I have been fine. I am always accidentally rotating in yoga and nothing ever happens… … maybe it is just happening when I rotate under load- butt blaster, and arabesque both have weight Plus rotation plus hypextension. Yoga and srdl’s have rotation and leg weight but no hyperextension…

125

Sunday May 20

nil

Monday May 21

cardio dance followed by machine legs
later: posture isometrics, front squat prep and ball passovers

Machine Legs:

Leg Extension Machine
–(12x30# dbls) (10x30# L,R)(10x40# L,R)(8x80# dbls)(8x80# dbls)
no hamstring curls today
seated machine abductors-
–(12x60#)(12x70#)(8x80#)(8x80#)(8x80#)
bench shoulder-supported “posterior pelvic hip thrusts” with a plate on my hips
–(30x10#) (20x25#)
no butt blaster today
45 degree back extension machine
–(20xBW)(20xBW) 2x(16xBW plus rowing 2 10# plates)
Inverted TRX rows
–(6x45deg)(3x45deg)

Posture Isometric Holds

–arms by sides, palms down, 1.5# wrist weights–90 seconds
–supine chin tuck- 70 seconds
–Y at 11 & 1 oclock, palms down, 1.5# wrist weights–70 seconds
–supine chin tuck- 70 seconds
–T, palms down, 1.5# wrist weights–90 seconds
–supine chin tuck- 70 seconds
–batwing holds, 10# db plus wrist weights-- 90 seconds

Stability Ball Passovers: 3x15

Front Squat Prep:

3rd world squat holds- about 5 minutes total
wall squats- not long- quads too fatigued from leg extensions
front squats to max depth with upright back- no long!

My lats are still feeling it- under the armpit but only going down about 2 inches and normal healthy muscle stiffness. Yesterday I was getting some of that fatiguing and burning later in the day after going for a long walk, but not on Saturday. Maybe it was the walk or the desk work or maybe it was the fact that I had not done any rows whatsoever on Friday but started up again with the isomeric holds Saturday night. No fatiguing today- maybe because I did not row yesterday because I did spend a lot of time at my desk.

I am finding it quite difficult to get a birds eye view of my workouts by logging here. I am thinking of adding a summary section at the end of every post. I really want and need that overview.

I saw a new tutorial on the pull up. This man has a very interesting angle on it. He says chin ups are more difficult than pullups if you use your back properly. He also says you need crushing strength in order to do it properly- hard to explain but he had a cool exercise that really does engage my lats- (I guess the lats) but when you think of crushing, that is pecs… but he did say lats. A major progression of his is the inverted rows. I tried them today and they are very hard.

here is the video

summary
VR- vertical chest supported row
BE- 45 degree back extension machine
LR- lever prone chest supported row machine
BR- bent over rows
SL- static lunges
PO- pullovers
LP- lat pulldowns
OP- overhead press
MP- military press
PP- push press
LE- leg extension
AB- seated Abductors
HT- hip thrusts
IR- Inverted row

Wednesday May 9:
–VR-- (20@40#) + (16@60#) + 2x(12@75#) + (16@60#) + 2x(8@85#)
–BE-- (20@BW) [2.5#@(25rows)(25w’s)(25T’s)(25 skiiers)] (20@bw+10)
–LR-- 3x(12x10#) + 3x12shrugs + 3x(12x5#) + 3x12shrugs@5# + 12x15# + 3x8x#25
Monday May 14:
–BR–5x15x#15
–SL–3x8x2x15#
–PO–5x15x15#
Friday May 19:
–LP–(16x60#)+(12x80#)+(8x90#)+(4x20sec@100#)+ (6x90#)+ (4x20sec@100#)+ 4x(1x20sec@100#)
Saturday May 20:
–PP-- (8x34#) + (6x34#)
–OP-- 2x15x10#
–MP-- (10x20#+(10x30#)
Monday May 21:
–LE-- (12x30# dbls) (10x30# L,R)(10x40# L,R)(8x80# dbls)(8x80# dbls)
–AB-- (12x60#)(12x70#)(8x80#)(8x80#)(8x80#)
–HT-- (30x10#) (20x25#)
–BE-- (20xBW)(20xBW) 2x(16xBW plus rowing 2 10# plates)
–IR-- (6x45deg)(3x45deg)

126

Tuesday May 22

My lats were still a little stiff so I decided against a back workout. On the other hand I had a day off work and did 9 hours of much neglected spring cleaning during which time I must have bent over (with good form) more than 200 times. By noon I was ready to celebrate- I felt like my old self. Had lunch and then the tightness and slight burning started around 1 pm but really not that bad considering what I was doing. I was really tired and skipped yoga but not my postural endurance exercises. But I realized on these exercises that I need to periodically re-contract to keep the muscles at maximum tension. About once every 15 seconds. From now on I will just re contract, or do a rep, whenever I feel it is necessary- maybe sooner. I think I may do the same thing on the chin tucks.

Posture Isometric Holds with reps every 15 seconds

–arms by sides, palms down, 1.5# wrist weights–90 seconds
–supine chin tuck- 70 seconds
–Y at 11 & 1 oclock, palms down, 1.5# wrist weights–90 seconds
–supine chin tuck- 70 seconds
–T, palms down, 1.5# wrist weights–90 seconds
–supine chin tuck- 70 seconds
–batwing holds, 10# db plus wrist weights-- forgot!

My lateral thigh was feeling it from the adductor machine but my nerve issue was all better. I did the supine crossover stretch for the glute medius- it really needed it so I am sure that is what causes the lateral thigh issue. But today (wed) I had the nerve thing again so I am removing that stretch and will do a standing one from now on.

127

Wednesday May 23

step preceded by back followed by hangs

UN- believable!!!

Seated chest supported row machine:
12x40#
10x85#
6x95#
8x85#

Prone lever row machine:
12x(?+10#)
3x10x(?+25#)

Arm supported neutral stance bent over row
2x12x25#
16x15#

Pullup bar straight arm hangs (with scapulas depressed & retracted)
36 seconds
24 seconds
15 seconds
(failure due to hands)
3 sets of hangs with feet on rack.

I am blown away by my improvement. I went that high on the vertical row to calculate my 1RM
as per http://www.T-Nation.com/article/performance_training/whats_your_1rm

so

Set 1: 85 x 10
Set 2: 95 x 6
10 reps - 6 reps = 4 rep difference
95 - 85 = 10 pound difference
10 divided by 4 = 2.5 pounds per rep on the vertical row machine

so my 1RM is 95 + (6-1)x2.5=107.5

hmmm, not as large a difference as I thought but I am not complaining.

The prone lever row machine felt like a miracle today. 25# (plus the weight of the lever) was fine. Only a month ago 10# on this thing made me want to hurl!

The bent over rows were so easy it makes we wonder what is going on. That is why I switched to 15#- just to see what was going on. 15# was so simple.

The hangs from the pull up bar were amazing. I can really really target my scapula depressers on this- I am saying scapula depressers because I don’t know what I am feeling- the lats or the lower traps. It is the muscle directly below the scapula. I even shifted my weight more to my left side and I could really dig the stress into the muscle just below my scapula. This is the same area that often burns when I am at my desk. It felt amazing. It made me wonder if the scapula thing is a result of a really bad fall I took rollerblading a couple of years ago where I landed on my outstetched arm. I am also pretty sure this is the exercise that made my shoulders stay automatically retracted for a couple of hours on Saturday. This is an incredible fantastic exercise because it is taking my deltoids and biceps out of the equation. Just an amazing exercise!!

I need to start thinking about taking a week off to deload. Either next week or the week after. I plan to still do all the exercises but at really low load- just focus on my form. I don’t want to lose mental momentum.

128

Thursday May 24

yoga preceded by 20 minute run preceded by a free personal training session.

On the personal training session I did front squats. It ends up that I can in fact do them, and go down past parallel with my back pretty upright (less than 30 degrees). My problem was that I had been trying to do these without much weight. The more weight actually makes them easier. He had me hold only a kettlebell between my legs and focus on keeping glute medius engaged. He kept asking me if I was feeling it, but sadly I was not. I mean a bit… I was trying to feel it in my butt but it just really wasn’t doing it very well. Then I got confused over my lower back- I thought I was over arching. Plus, with the kettlebell between my legs, it was encouraging my shoulders to roll forward.

Then we switched to, I think, the 17 kg crossfit bar. I say I “think” because I could overhead press it no problem- without having to dip my knees- s maybe it was less than 17 kg. The PT has a black belt and doesn’t really lift weights that much so he didn’t know how much it weighed. He also didn’t know the difference between a front and back squat- but that is ok.

Then he got me to do the clean and jerk with this bar. Well, I just ask myself why. After I clean it to my shoulders and then pop down into the squat, wow, it didn’t hurt but that is huge compression on the knees- I imagine it is compressing the cartilege. And I just think- wow, why would I do that to my knees.

Then we went over to the Smith machine. I love this machine! He showed me a type of squat- with knees at 90 degrees but the bar behind my neck, so I sort of lean back on the bar. I still had to focus on my butt to take the load off my quads and put in on my butt, but when I did, I could really feel it. And no lower back or knee worries.

Then we farted around trying overhead presses and bent over rows on the Smith machine. Also lunges.

I am really impressed with the Smith machine. It is very popular though- was taken/busy non stop.

I did feel it in my lateral thigh when walking after this session even though none of the weight was high enough to be challenging. So that may have been from the initial front squats and arching my lower back too much or just using my glutes on the Smith machine, not sure. I was better after yoga.

129

Friday May 25

another amazing back day, followed by yoga.

Lat pulldowns:
12x60#, 10x80#, 8x90#, 3 sets of 45 secs iso hold at 100#

alternated with:

Calf raises:
BWx30 fast,(BW+20#)x30 fast, (BW+20#)x30 fast
and
Single leg Calf raises:
(BW)x20 slow, (BW+10#)x20 slow, (BW+15#)x20 slow

then

3 reps on the assisted pullup machine at 55# assistance (so almost 100#)

then

Hangs from pullup bar with lower traps engaged (tight close grip but overhand)
4 sets of 30 second holds

alternated with
3 more sets on the lat pulldown machine:
(6x100#)(5x100#)(6x100#)

a miracle.

I took breaks between the hangs and the last 3 sets on the lat pulldown, but I don’t think more than a minute, but that was the first time where I actually felt a little dazed or meditative between sets.

The hangs are amazing. As soon as I get off, I feel my shoulders being pulled back. Like putting on brace or something. Just incredible. And they stay that way for quite some time. Just amazing.

I used the close grip because I was on a different pullup bar today and the etched (non slippy) part of the bar was really too wide- I mean, my hands were too far apart. So I kept them together really tight to use just one of the etched grips, hard to explain. But I found this really close grip possibly even more effective in making my shoulder pull back after I get off. Also I could feel the back of my neck- I think it was straightening- good. I also tried the underhand grip, but that guy from the video about was right, it was much harder- I couldn’t do it.

I was just looking at today’s live coaching http://www.T-Nation.com/strength-training-topics/1826 and CT said that levers teach how to use the lats- something like that. So I guess I have stumbled upon these hangs for a reason because most of these levers are done with straight arms.

here is the lever video, I find this very inspiring!

also, I noticed that only my 3rd and 4th palm knuckles are getting calloused- not the index or baby finger. I am wondering why my index knuckle is not getting calloused. I still can’t find my cycling gloves…

130

Saturday May 26

step followed by

about 30-50 bicep curls with 10# db’s

and then

3x30 second hangs
and
3x5 hanging bent knee leg raises.

I am limited now more just by the skin on the palm knuckles of my hand shearing than grip strength per se. I haven’t looked again for my biking gloves because I don’t see gymnasts wearing gloves so I think long term I will be better off without gloves and just toughening up my hands once and for all.

Sunday May 27

I spent a lot of time at home doing hips and thighs with good alignment, really watching myself. With ample breaks between sets since I was at home.

Static Lunges-
distance from toe to heel=27", knee to ground
beginning right foot front on all sets

16xBW
16x2x10#
16x2x12#
16x2x13.5#
16x2x15#
16x2x15#
16x2x15#

Deadlifts-

30xBWxRDLS
30x2x10#xRDLs

Straight leg straight back deadlifts:

-to the ground today, inside foot edges feet 12 inches apart
16x2x10#xSLDL’s
16x2x10#xSLDL’s
16x2x10#xSLDL’s

Standing Hip Abductions- with new ankle weights that go up to 10# each in 1# increments
3x20x4#-- still not that hard. Right glute medius obviously weaker.

Reverse Hypers- off my piano bench
3x10xBW
3x10x(BW+2x4#)

Front Squats
inside foot edges 20 inches apart angled about 30-45 degrees
5x16x10#

On the lunges, I notice that the right back foot tends to sickle. Likely because of my short first metatarsal. These still are really more of a huge huge quad stretch for me. When I got to 2x15# I thought at one point my quad might rip- not really but it was I guess a huge eccentric load. I kept my knees abducted so hopefully I won’t feel it in the groin tomorrow. I did begin to feel my lower glutes/upper hamstrings on the last couple of sets- on the front leg. I try to put my weight on the front heel.

I am giving up for now on any type of deadlifts other than the straight leg straight back ones. I can now reach the floor without rounding my upper back. I just feel there are too many degrees of freedom on the other type of deadlifts and I am still confused over how to split the angles between ankles, knees, hips and back. With straight legs it is easy- ankles and hips just go as far as they can and the back remains in a normal position. I tend to feel my lower back after the regular deadlifts but am fine after the straight leg deadlift.

I am trying squats again. I realize that a lot of what I feel wrt my knees on squats is the patellar tendon and fascia stretching. Maybe even the skin. I realize that I have not really been stretching my knees in this way since doing grand plies in ballet which is sadly almost 2 years ago now.

The personal training session was very instructive- a wider stance allows me to keep my back more upright and thinking about squeezing my glutes takes the load off my quads. They also did work my glute medius today- I could feel it.

I also focused on keeping my back up and low and behold, after doing the squats my shoulders were in their pulled back mode- just like after doing hangs. So I think this exercise will also be very good for my back. I am glad I have kept trying at this.

I am thinking one last week (to this Friday) of weight lifting and then take a week off- either with really small loads or off altogether.

oh ya, my back was great all weekend, including sitting at my desk. Felt nothing until after the front squats.

131

Monday May 28

step preceded by Back, followed by Hangs

Back;

Bent over rows: 1x12x2x15#DB’s, 3x12x2x20#DB’s
Pullovers: 3x15x15#
One arm supported neutral stance BOW’s: 3x12x20#
Stability ball passovers: 3x10

Hangs:
60 secs
55 secs
41 secs
34 secs
20 secs

My quads and hamstrings and glutes are pretty sore from yesterday but ok. Adductors are fine. It’s the first time in over 2 years that my glutes have been sore and I am sure it was from the squats.

I was disappointed that 20# was enough on the BOW’s today because last week 25# was shockingly easy. I am sure it was because I did the BOW’s last week after doing the chest supported rows at really high load first so the bows felt easy in comparison. Today I started out with the bows with only 1 set of 15# to warmup. So I don’t really know what to make of this. I wonder if I am wasting my time by doing just BOW’s alone. Also, I am just plain confused over how high I should go- I could have gone higher but felt challenged as it was…

I found this inspirational video of a young woman doing levers amongst other things. She has an amazing move at 1:37 where she suspends herself with her doriflexors and does situps like that. Also a cool move at 1:52 where she is doing inverted rows in a tucked position!

here is a video of a step class that is similar to the type I do.

132

Used to love my hip hop step class. Although ^^^ I would probably get dizzy from, I can’t do twirling without getting pukey (& not the good kind of pukey).

I always liked the pushing the knees out cue for my squats, makes me feel it more in de bunz.

133

[quote]minimaltechno wrote:
Used to love my hip hop step class. Although ^^^ I would probably get dizzy from, I can’t do twirling without getting pukey (& not the good kind of pukey).

I always liked the pushing the knees out cue for my squats, makes me feel it more in de bunz.

[/quote]

Thanks for visiting MT :slight_smile: I have never seen a hip hop step class but I have watched a house style class- I think that would be awesome. Well puky has to do with spotting… but I get disoriented sometimes when the teacher reverses the patterns front to back.

Yes, I was cueing my knees over my toes. I guess squatting has some things in common with ballet- that is ingrained in my brain to turn out from the hips to keep knees over toes.
My butt is still sore today.

I am thinking that front squats (not back squats) will be really great for ballet because in ballet jumping is all about squatting (sort of) while keeping the back erect. A forward back when “squatting” in ballet is regarded as - well, not good looking at all, ha ha.

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I found the above picture from http://hnn.us/node/46062
Unesco picture of the year. Caption reads: “Boys hang from a bar for five minutes as part of a physical training exercise at the Gymnastics Hall of the Shanghai University of Sports. The photo was part of Nir Elias’s series"Pain Threshold – Sports Education in China.”

Tuesday May 29

yoga and shoulders and hangs

before yoga

shoulder warmpup:
about 3 minutes on the 45 degree back extension machine doing a variety of ywtl’s.

Seated military press machine with palms facing front
10x25#
10x30#
10x35#
8x40#
6x45#
after yoga, I tried again;
10x25#-- for warmup
1x50#— could not do it- barely even an inch.

then yoga then

a triple superset consisting of:

standing overhead dumbbell press palms front:
—3x8x2x15#DB’s
misc low load standing cable rows (as a shoulder break):
—top down (leaning over pulldowns)
—bottom up (pilates reformer style shoulder raises and upper back ext.)
—kayak rows & single arm rows with flexible handle attachment
front shoulder raises L,R
—3x8x10#DB’s

then

Oly 17kg bar overhead press
—3x8x37#

supersetted with

3x30sec hangs

I was braver on the military press today- surprised by how high I went. It must have been the warmup. So according to how to calculate the 1RM, my increment is 2.5# per rep so my 1RM should be 45+5x2.5 or 57.5#.

I did not need to bend my knees to get either the dumb bells or Oly bar up except for the last 2 reps I needed to rock onto my toes just a bit.

I find the Oly bar easier even though it is heavier- I had quite a hard time straightening my arms with the dumbbells but not so with the bar. In fact, with the bar, once it was up I could stay there and did stay because it felt so good.

I timed my hang counting today and I was counting so fast up until now, what I was saying was 60 seconds was really 30 seconds. So today I counted much more slowly on the hangs and got 30 seconds instead of 60 seconds. It was easier on my hand skin today. I really feel like my scapular depressers are getting stronger- I have much more power now to pull myself up by engaging these muscles.

oh ya, I read a good article today:Get Ready For The Workout Of Your Life!

Tip # 6 is “set your body”- ie set the scapula and the hips and neck prior to working out. I am really sold on this now. The author says stuff about C5 and C6 affecting the bicep. I have had some left bicep stuff for about 5 years. It eventually made me stop doing planks and going to power yoga but since I have been lifting weights it has hardly bothered me at all. And I think, after reading what this guy says, it is all the neck exercises I have been doing! I have not been doing the bridges but I have been flattening my head/neck against a wall about 10 times a day for about 3 months now- every time I am in or waiting for an elevator. It is like I have been doing mini neck bridges. So I think I am going to graduate to his type.

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Wednesday May 30

step followed by 3x30 secs hangs and 3x10 bent leg raises
I also did
3x60 sec plank
3x30 sec reverse plank

and something else, I forget what. The important thing about Wednesday was I woke up and my lower traps were stiff- so grateful for that- I felt them even before I got out of bed. I guess they were the lower traps. My shoulders were pulled back too. I am sure this was from the overhead presses. I feel so lucky to have tried these. I would never have tried overhead presses if not for the Oly lifting that is so popular here because I thought this exercise was for the shoulders. I had no idea it would be so effective for the back AND feel so good!

Thursday May 31

Nothing except worked at my desk, practically glued to it for 15 hours and ya, my back was tired and sore but my posture was great. My shoulders were also sore form Tuesday but nothing major.

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June 1

ok- my last workout before taking a week off. I skipped yoga and spent over 2 hrs in the gym. I felt like today was sort of a final exam prior to holidays. The gym was also very busy- I had never been there on a Friday evening- I thought it would be empty but I actually never saw the weights area that crowded before.

So I wanted to break some records tonight and I did.

45 degree back extension machine: suspended for about 3 minutes doing YWTL’s etc with 1.5# weights, really getting into it, warming up my back.

Lat Pulldown Machine: 2050 + 1080 + 48100 + 420 second holds at 110#
with:
Calf raises 230BW + 30(BW+20) + 30*(BW+25)

Prone Chest Supported Lever Rows: 1010 + 1525 + 31030
with:
Dorsiflexions: 3x50x6KG kettlebell.

Seated Cable Rows W Handle: 31070

Seated Chest supported rows: 1060 + 495 + 8*85 (tired)

Seated Military Press: 1025 + 845 + 3650 (I tried 55# but could not budge it)

Leg Extensions: 2030 + 860 + 880 + 890 + 35100

Hamstring Curls: 2045 + 880 + 38100

Seated Abductors: 2060 + 870 + 880 + 3890 + 880 + 870 + 860 + 850 + 840
(cannot open 90 fully)

Pullovers: 1215 + 310*20

Oly bar straight leg straight back deadlift: 38(37+20)
followed by
Oly bar overhead press- no English: 3837
with
Hangs: 340 second + 130 second

So there it is. I feel these numbers are very respectable and I am proud of myself for achieving them.

I may start a new log in the over 35 section next week when I start up again. I am not really sure where I should post. I have learnt so much from TNation- one article on “Neanderthol No More” or “Deconstructing Computer Guy” is worth about 20 physiotherapy sessions- I know because I spent $2000 last year seeing those people. In the end, here I am, because I feel that this site is the best bet for me. Having said that, I am putting so much energy into this journal I would feel really choked to lose it and I feel sort of isolated here. I know I need to log online because lifting weights is really such a solitary activity, I need something, at least as a crutch until I get really into the groove with this.

I found this video. The camera is shakey and the interview is not very professional but this man, Paul Stone, 76, is amazing. Between 30 seconds and 1:30 he explains how he started bodybuilding at 66 and basically his muscles are what is holding up his spine.

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That’s interesting that you feel the OHP is doing your back better than rows. I wonder why that is?

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I think because I go into a very slight extension in the thoracic spine- I can feel it and it feels great. (I keep my chin level). Also, my mid and lower traps are engaged. I have also read that pausing in the overhead position works the serratus anterior. I am not sure why I would want to work this muscle but I know it feels great to pause in that position. The straight arm hanging also seems to be helping more than rows- I think for the same reasons.

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Ok I think I know where you are coming from, I think. I did some OHP vs rows (sans any weight of course), and yes with the pressing I can feel more of an activation rather than actually working the lats/scaps. Probably talking out of my ass but the using the upper back during pressing feels more, I don’t know ‘common use’?? Anyway I might try doing that with extra concentration on the back muscles engaging in a couple of weeks, with some light weight of course.

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[quote]minimaltechno wrote:
Ok I think I know where you are coming from, I think. I did some OHP vs rows (sans any weight of course), and yes with the pressing I can feel more of an activation rather than actually working the lats/scaps. Probably talking out of my ass but the using the upper back during pressing feels more, I don’t know ‘common use’?? Anyway I might try doing that with extra concentration on the back muscles engaging in a couple of weeks, with some light weight of course.[/quote]

ha, ya, like how often during the day am I pulling stuff around but I reach up all the time.

But I also just found out that you are supposed to shrug at the top of the press- at the lockout.

I do shrug at the top, but I also keep my lower traps engaged. I am not sure if that is the right way. Maybe I should let go of my lower traps and really reach up, shoulders to ears, but that does not feel right to me.