Do you know what the one thing wrong with T-Nation is? People don’t watch enough Glee. If everyone watched Glee, we’d all be happier people.
Researchers in Canada just published a study that shows women who watch Glee on a regular basis build muscle 72% faster than women who don’t. Fact.
[quote]Oleena wrote:
dejavued wrote:
3%???
three fucking percent???
no way.
Yep, three fucking percent. I’m going to ask her if she has any pictures of the last couple of weeks so you all can see. She stopped getting her period several months before the show.[/quote]
if she placed first, there should be plenty of pictures available. and, if you’re willing to post one, go ahead and tell us her name, so we can look it up and see for ourselves what week long organ failure looks like.
[quote]sweatnotglisten wrote:
Do you know what the one thing wrong with T-Nation is? People don’t watch enough Glee. If everyone watched Glee, we’d all be happier people.
Researchers in Canada just published a study that shows women who watch Glee on a regular basis build muscle 72% faster than women who don’t. Fact.[/quote]
very, very funny! mwahahahaha!
If y’all don’t mind, ima return the discussion to training…
Workout:
5x5 chinups w/ 27 lbs assistance (an improvement!), 2 chinups w/ 18 lbs assistance
5x5 squats @115 lbs, 1x3 squats @135 lbs
5x5 DB shoulder presses @25 lbs (getting easier, but I’m def not ready for the 30s)
5x5 single leg DB deadlifts, 35 lb DBs
5x5 ab wheel roll outs
So about the whole squat thing…we only have one squat rack at my gym - really annoying - so I switched my workout around a little bit. I was shocked to see another girl use the squat rack - I only know of one girl on the swim team who frequents the weight room. I was even more surprised to see her put 110 lbs onto the bar (155 lbs total). I was all impressed and excited…and then I saw her squat. Oy. Quarter squats, if that. I don’t feel experienced enough, especially b/c I put so much less on the bar, to criticize her form, and she clearly feels like she knows what she’s doing, but someone needs to say something: I have never seen such ugly squats!
On the subject of the bodyfat thing, I got pretty low this past summer. I’m not sure exactly what it was but at my last meet, one of the women who is a well know body builder looked at me an ball parked 7%. I was low but I don’t think it was that low. I never want to feel like that again. I was lifting heavy (squatting over 300) and it ground me down. It got to the point where I was borderline depressed, chronically tired and couldn’t think very well. Let’s have a big cheer for body fat. I have some now. I really feel for the woman that got to 3%. That would be gruelling.
I’m generally for telling people – I’ve learned a lot from random gym-goers – but what do I know.
Also, Glee. Glee will improve your lifts, I have great confidence in that.
[quote]sweatnotglisten wrote:
If y’all don’t mind, ima return the discussion to training…
Workout:
5x5 chinups w/ 27 lbs assistance (an improvement!), 2 chinups w/ 18 lbs assistance
5x5 squats @115 lbs, 1x3 squats @135 lbs
5x5 DB shoulder presses @25 lbs (getting easier, but I’m def not ready for the 30s)
5x5 single leg DB deadlifts, 35 lb DBs
5x5 ab wheel roll outs
So about the whole squat thing…we only have one squat rack at my gym - really annoying - so I switched my workout around a little bit. I was shocked to see another girl use the squat rack - I only know of one girl on the swim team who frequents the weight room. I was even more surprised to see her put 110 lbs onto the bar (155 lbs total). I was all impressed and excited…and then I saw her squat. Oy. Quarter squats, if that. I don’t feel experienced enough, especially b/c I put so much less on the bar, to criticize her form, and she clearly feels like she knows what she’s doing, but someone needs to say something: I have never seen such ugly squats!
[/quote]
unless someone is doing a w/o with timed sets, it’s usually pretty convenient to share… maybe after a few sets, u could be like, " so, i’ve heard you get a better workout when your thighs break parallel, and that its safer, because it uses more muscles… how come you don’t break parallel?" or some shit like that. I’ve started a lot of conversations that way. most people just have no clue why theyre doing what they’re doing.
how did the 3 at 155 feel?
[quote]sweatnotglisten wrote:
If y’all don’t mind, ima return the discussion to training…
Workout:
5x5 chinups w/ 27 lbs assistance (an improvement!), 2 chinups w/ 18 lbs assistance
5x5 squats @115 lbs, 1x3 squats @135 lbs
5x5 DB shoulder presses @25 lbs (getting easier, but I’m def not ready for the 30s)
5x5 single leg DB deadlifts, 35 lb DBs
5x5 ab wheel roll outs
So about the whole squat thing…we only have one squat rack at my gym - really annoying - so I switched my workout around a little bit. I was shocked to see another girl use the squat rack - I only know of one girl on the swim team who frequents the weight room. I was even more surprised to see her put 110 lbs onto the bar (155 lbs total). I was all impressed and excited…and then I saw her squat. Oy. Quarter squats, if that. I don’t feel experienced enough, especially b/c I put so much less on the bar, to criticize her form, and she clearly feels like she knows what she’s doing, but someone needs to say something: I have never seen such ugly squats!
[/quote]
Tell me that you tried at least one chin up unassisted. You are so close!!!
That exact girl-in-the-squat-rack scenario happened to me too earlier this month. I was SO disappointed.
So I’ve been remiss about writing in this thing. In my defense, between Thanksgiving and finals week, I’ve been pretty busy (btw, if any of you can give advice on lifting AND translate Aristotle’s Physics into normal English, do tell!). Naturally, I am using Tnation to avoid studying for my philosophy final.
My workouts have been pretty blah lately. It’s definitely time for a change in routine, but I figure I’ll wait until I move back home to switch things up. Haven’t really progressed on any of my lifts. I’ve been focusing on going deep enough on my squats, so I’m still at 115.
Cbear, sadly I have no idea what 155 feels like; I’m still barely eking out the 135. Wasn’t as bad as I thought, though!
Kimba - so I’ve been doing wide-grip chin ups because that’s all the assisted chin-up machine really allows for. I tried narrow grip for the first time the other day and it was soooo much easier! I can actually do 1 rep of that kind, but I still want to be able to do chin ups with a more neutral grip. Are wide grip supposed to be harder?
After this week is over, I’m leaving for my university’s annual ski trip - something like 600 students will be traveling to Winter Park, Colorado. I am so, so soooo excited! I haven’t been skiing in several years now, but I looove it. I’m highly competitive, so hopefully I’ll find some people who like a bit of a challenge (the girls I’m rooming with are beginners). Most people go on the trip for some excessive boozing and partying, but I’m equally excited for the skiing.
Question: Obviously I’ll be getting plenty of cardio, but I won’t have access to a gym. Anyone have a good bodyweight routine they do on vacation?
Yep, wide-grip are definitely harder. Each grip targets different parts of the back/arms, so doing all varieties is a good idea, IMHO.
If you have any time/energy to do bodyweight exercises on this trip, I’ll buy you a virtual round of drinks. Skiing will completely fry your legs and ass, and if you are really as competitive as you say you are, then your total body will be sore from the falling down that gets done when you push your limits.
Hit it hard when you get back.
[quote]kimbakimba wrote:
Yep, wide-grip are definitely harder. Each grip targets different parts of the back/arms, so doing all varieties is a good idea, IMHO.
If you have any time/energy to do bodyweight exercises on this trip, I’ll buy you a virtual round of drinks. Skiing will completely fry your legs and ass, and if you are really as competitive as you say you are, then your total body will be sore from the falling down that gets done when you push your limits.
Hit it hard when you get back.[/quote]
I know, I know. I just feel like I’ll go a little crazy if I don’t do anything non-cardio. But you’re right - and I’m pretty sure after this trip, I won’t have any need for drinks, virtual or otherwise. At least until my birthday!
Today’s workout was just cardio stuff. More steady state than I normally do, but SS cardio allows me to multitask: nothing better than studying on a stationary bike! Seriously, I think I focus better in the gym than in the library.
20 seconds of jump ropes (40 jumps), 10 seconds off x10
18 minutes stationary bike (and 40 pages of the Hebrew Bible, not bad!)
100 jumps jump rope x2
AHHH I’M DONE WITH COLLEGE!!!
Moving On
Today’s workout was probably my most fun ever.
Incline Bench Press: 3x9 w/ 30 lb DBs
superset w/
Deadlift: 3x9 @95lbs
Single Arm DB Row: 3x7 @35 lbs
superset w/
Bulgarian Split Squat w/ 15 lb DBs
3x30 ab-croc things w/ 35 lb plate
A couple of guys in my gym approached me and asked if I wanted to train with them for the last bit of their workout. I was so flattered! We did handstands and push-up handstands.
Handstand against wall: 2x45 seconds
Regular Handstand: 10 seconds
Handstand pushup: 1 (okay, pretty pathetic, the guys could each do 10! Something to work on over the holidays!)
I can’t even do a headstand! Nice going.
Congrats on being done with college!
I haven’t even tried a handstand against the wall in years.
[quote]kimbakimba wrote:
Congrats on being done with college!
I haven’t even tried a handstand against the wall in years.[/quote]
Thanks! It’s sort of surreal - I don’t think I’m going to feel like a “real person” until everyone else starts heading back to school and I’m not. Plus I’m the youngest person in my entire year (my 21st birthday is on New Years), so I feel like I’m too young to be an unemployed adult!
[quote]Cal Jones wrote:
I can’t even do a headstand! Nice going.[/quote]
Thanks, Cal - I hadn’t tried to do a handstand probably since elementary school gymnastics, so I didn’t think I’d be able to do one against a wall, let alone free standing. It never occurred to me to go up against the wall feet first instead of hands first…so much easier!
Workout:
2x20 incline bodyweight rows
superset w/
2x20 single leg squats w/ 8 lb DBs
2x20 pushups w/ 10 lb plate
superset w/
2x20 hip pop-ups
2x20 swiss ball crunches w/ 10 lb DB extended behind me
2x20 swiss ball pikes
2x30 seconds plank, 25 lb plate on back
and since everyone’s been doin 'em
Overhead squat 3x8 w/ 25 lb plate, 1x6 w/ 35 lb plate
These were hard, but fun! I think I’m going to do all sets w/ the 35 lb plate next time.
congratulations on being doing with college! 21…sheeshh…if only i can remember that far back! 
sorry, did i miss what your degree was in?
my jacked up left wrist does not like push-ups most of the time and i can’t even imagine a handstand…nice work!
Talenaah - I have carpal tunnel in my right wrist, so when I do push-ups I grab some light dumbells, put them on the floor and use them as handles (you can get push-up handles from some shops but dumbells do the job just as well). Saves some wrist pain anyway.
talenaah, my degree is in political science. Unfortunately, I realized late in my college career that I would hate being a lawyer (thank you, internship at a law firm!), so I doubt I’ll be pursuing anything in that vein.
Ski trip was absolutely amazing, until the second to last day. Food poisoning - the hotel fridge wasn’t working properly and I assume that’s what caused the problem. Let me tell you - hopping on a 2 hour coach bus ride, to arrive 3 hours early for a flight, only for it to be delayed for 2 hours), followed by a 45 minute delay on the ride home from the airport WITH FOOD POISONING is AWFUL! I’ve been out of the gym since Monday, and I would looove to start up again, but right now all I can think about is curling up into a ball and crying. I feel like a baby, but this is absolutely miserable.
OH my god! I’m so sorry for you! I got food poisoning last month and all I could do was lie in bed and wish I were unconscious. No one would call you a baby that who ever felt like this.
I hope you still remember the skiing when this is done. Hoping you feel better soon.
PS handstand pushups are badass. I can do negatives then fall on my head at the end. I assume it’s equivalent to a bw overhead press.