Great work on the DL’s! glad you are feeling better and GL tomorrow! 
RE: barbell hip thrusts, I’ve tried randomly with different weight amounts, and I can definitely feel it more with less weight/higher reps…the move that always gets me is the single leg dl’s…I stand near something if I need to reach out for balance. But you feel it right in the kisser the next day! 
Hey girl, lovely training as usual - great pulling on the DLs.
I also need to try these hip thrusters. I think they’ll be super helpful for me (might tag them onto DL day next cycle).
I hear ya on the psitol squats, I actually used to do them that way too. I think its equally effective.
Also, Rach, just wanted to tell you that thanks to you I went for the 2ft box and totally killed that shit! You were right, once you get passed the inital fear, its cake. Did 20 box jumps 2x. Now I’m wondering how to make it harder or more effective for my training. YAY!!! Gracias quacha
Regarding the box . . . where are your arms when you jump? I used to do these by starting in a deep squat and keeping my heads behind my head so I couldn’t use the momentum of my arms. I would just tap the box and drop back down into a deep squat. Is that how you guys do these?
MiM - Yeah, I know what you mean regarding lighter weight and higher reps on the hip thrusters. When the weight got heavy last workout, I had to focus REALLY hard to squeeze my glutes, and not let other muscles take over the hard work!
Masch - AWESOME that you got the box jumps!! And 20 reps is impressive. I’m so glad I was able to help you out with that. Maybe you can try doing them like Snapper does to make them harder (if you don’t already do them like that).
Snapper - when I do the box jumps, I use my arms to help with the jump, and don’t get into a very deep squat. I do it from more of a 1/2 squat. I’ll have to try them your way though, I bet they’re way tougher!
Interview today!!
I feel pretty good about it - I think I was way more loose and more ‘myself’ at this interview then at my McGill interview. Had a few rough patches, but I also got the interviewers laughing several times with my stories, and I think I ended on a strong note. Now it’s out of my hands, so fingers crossed (I won’t find out if I get accepted till July though)!
The campus of UWO was beautiful (especially today, which was a gorgeous, sunny, warm spring day), and the dental school facilities seem really great. Plus, all the students I spoke to seemed to love it, so I’m excited about the possibility of studying there!
Another nice thing today - I met a really nice fellow interviewee who kept telling me I look like Jennifer Garner. I like flattery. Haha!
Listening to some led zeppelin…
Robert Plant has got to be one of the greatest rock and roll vocalists of all time.
Had a 2.5 hour drive to and from the interview today, so by the time I got home the gym was just closing. OHP day is pushed back again till tomorrow. Instead I went out for some more hill sprints (x10), in my cleats this time. Had WAY better purchase on the grass, and felt it in my hammies and glutes even more than last time.
Currently, my glutes (on the left side in particular) are seizing up. Nice. I’m also halfway through a bottle of Chateau des Charmes Estate Bottled Brut Sparkling Wine to celebrate completing my interview (I think I sound like somewhat of an alcoholic… but if you all only knew of my earlier days…)
Feelin’ good, and no work till the afternoon tomorrow!
Congrats on the interview Blue! I’m sure you killed it - I’m crossing fingers for you.
And you do look kinda like Garner, but I actually think you look more like Patricia Arquette - who INHO is waaaaaay hotter.
Thanks re: the box jumps! And no, I was def using my arms and was probably not getting into a deep squat either. But YES! I am so going to try out the Snapper method of box jumping
Have a good training today!!!
Edit: OH! And Zep is my favorite band of all time - I would still do Robert Plant to this day!
Maybe I should try out my own jump squat method. It’s been a long time. They will seriously kick my ass.
Yeah, you’re hot RBlue. I have thought that many a time when watching your vid clips. Maybe I’ll remember to wash my hair and primp a bit next time I record my own lifts!
hey dont apologize for sounding like an alcoholic. at least, not while im in the room.
jealous you got in your cleats before i did.
Masch - I welcome any comparisons to hot celebrities. Haha. And yep, Robert Plant = damn sexy. Love those long blond curls and his swagger. I should have lived through the 70s.
Snapper - Don’t sell yourself short, you look damn hot in your most recent vids! Pre-gym hair washing & primping is overrated.
Bear - Oh, I’ll never apologize for that. I had a head start with the cleats, I already owned a pair, so don’t feel too bad.
Today’s training: Got in to the gym late, just before closing, so had to rush it a little.
(1) OHP 3x5
65% = 55 lbs x5
75% = 60 lbs x5
85% = 70 lbs x5
=> These felt heavy today. Meh. I think I’m a long way from that 100 lb OHP.
(2) Chin-ups 1xAMRAP: 3
(3a) Green-band assisted narrow-grip pull-ups 3x8
(3b) DB Push Press 3x6: 40 lbs
(4a) T-bar row 3x6: 60/70/70 lbs
(4b) DB incline bench 3x6: 35 lbs
=> Both these exercises felt pretty ‘easy’ tonight. I’m definitely gonna up the weight next week.
(5a) Alternating DB lateral raise 3x10: 25/27.5/27.5 lbs
(5b) Alternating DB bent-over lateral raise 3x10: 20 lbs
=> Weight increased on both of these, and my form felt great (and my shoulders were on fire)!
For shits and giggles, I did 2 sets of 8 reps of hanging leg raises (knees to chest) - forgot how hard these are!
Now I’m hoping I wind down soon to get some sleep; work early in the am tomorrow.
Are you using your “whole body” or strictly shoulders on the OHP Blue?
The hanging leg raise makes me feel awkward at the gym. One more reason why I should do them rather than skip.
How did the interview go?
N - Strictly shoulders. As in, I don’t do it as a push-press; no momentum involved.
MiM - Look 9 posts up.
^ o rite, I knew that!! 
Today’s training: 5/3/1 Wave IV, Week 2
Had another MAT assessment with Big M prior to training. I have many ongoing issues with my left hamstring activation and strength. He did some palpating and isometrics with me, and it’s amazing how quickly they can get a previously comatose muscle firing!
But it’s tricky stuff: we’d get the hammie strong and firing in one plane of motion, test another plane and it would be weak; fix that, go back to test the original plane of motion, and it would be weak again. So, we ended up doing a LOT of isometrics, and my left hammie actually felt pretty tired at the end of it all. Or maybe tired is the wrong word - it felt like it had actually been WORKED. It was good!
Workout:
(1) Squat 3x3
70% = 120 lbs x3
80% = 140 lbs x3
90% = 160 lbs x7
(2) Zercher Squat 6x3: 95/120/135/145/150/155 lbs
=> Still loving these - they force you to keep your back nice and tight, and your chest up. The second your chest starts fall even a tad, it becomes really difficult to keep your elbows and the bar in tight, and it starts rolling around = OUCH! You tend to try your damnedest to avoid that!
(3) DB RDL 4x10: 50/55 lbs x3 sets
(4) Band leg curls 6x10: Blue band; 3 sets both legs, 3 sets left leg only.
Then I did 3 sets of:
Up and overs on bench x40
Explosive push-ups with hands on bench x10
Now I need FOOOOOOOOD!
Holy shit, you. Those Zerchers are awesome…you’ve given me something to do next strength cycle…
Squat-alicious.
Oh yeah!
The thing about Zerchers is that I can’t adjust my rails on the squat rack. So to do them, I have to exit the rack completely. That freaks me out, but I need to get over it.
Skye & Kimba - You should both definitely try the Zerchers out, and let me know how it goes!
GLEE is back!! Anyone else love this show? Or am I the only nerd here?
The first season of GLEE is currnetly showing the UK.
I must admit I’ve not watched it but it seems to be popular.