Thanks Alisa, yes, it is soooo helpful to have someone around to watch your form that very second.
Molly, that’s something to what the trainer said - he advised that I take a diaphramatic breath and brace myself as if I’m about to get punched in the stomach. But if its as easy as just taking a big breath than I’m all for that! Thanks for the tip!!
Edit: Oh, and you know how I said that today was an off day? I lied, I’m going for a run in a few minutes - wha?! I can’t help it…
love reading and following your workouts… 
A big hells yeah for your squats and deads! I predict that you will be taking off like a rocket strength-wise from here.
stoked for you Masch - looks like you should have some decents gains in the upcoming months. Looking forward to read up about them.
Cheers
N
robilyn - thanks!
kimba and N - fingers crossed on the gains (the beautiful gains?)
Today’s training day 1 of new program - Deadlift day
Started with mobility and foam rolling (need to get into the habit of logging this)
I think I underestimated my DL weight, so I kind of tweaked that up even though trainer Steve said do 3x5. I’m trying to remain conservative with my weight increase as per the program, but I just wasn’t feeling challenged.
Bulgarian Split Squat - 3x10x25 plate < used these as a warm up
Back squat - 5x 70, 90, 100, 110, 120
DL - 5x100, 3x120, 5x140, 3x145, 1,1,1x150
Pull throughs - 4x12x 30, 35, 37.5, 40 < still feeling out the weight on these, but I really felt it in the glutes. Good stuff.
Hanging leg raises - 3x12xBW < these sucked! I don’t like them at all. I don’t feel like they do anything and I’m swinging and probably using momentum. I’m going to switch these out with lying leg raises.
Lying leg raise - 2x12x1kg ball
So the squat and Dl both felt pretty good. Before I started each set I read over my cues and practiced taking my breath. Sounds ridic I know, but I think it helped. I found the squat more difficult than the DL. In fact, I think I just like the DL more than the squat in general, which is weird considering my build (T-rex).
At any rate, I think the breath is actually super helpful! And i felt sturdier on both lifts b/c of it, if that makes sense. For the squat tho, i still really need to concentrate on the slow descent. Also, I think what has helped my DL is that I tend to gingerly lower the weight which expends energy. As Steve recommended the other day, I should just go ahead and drop the weight with control. He said, “don’t be afraid to make noise, you’re lifting more weight than half the guys in here”
So that’s it. Today took me a solid 2 hrs including warm-up. So no time for any kind of “cardio”. No bother, tomorrow I’m doing sports conditioning and learning to bench - yay me!
Also just heard from the coach - first practice is March 9! More yays!
Oh! one more thing. I looked at this to see what kinds of weight I should be pulling - squat in relation to DL.
Does anyone know if this is credible info?
I can’t really say if it’s credible but that is what I used to gauge my strength. I thought the press was kind of low but only in reference to myself and compared to the other lifts.
exrx is a very credible site used as supplemental education material for college students.
T-rex…you are kidding right? haaa haa. there is a guy at work some call T-rex. let me tell you he is a 180 from your build.
sounds like you are enjoying your new program-looking forward to what you accomplish on this.
Deb and Bobbi - Coolio.
T - thanks mama!
ps. being at home really makes it hard for me to keep the food situ in check. I’m also procrastinating on doing my laundry by, um, basically logging…er…about nothing.
But wait! No, here’s something. Do you guys ever watch info mania on Current TV? Well, they just did an episode of the viral video film school on fitness - some of the clips have already been shown on the other side, but it made me laugh anyway. If you’re bored like me, watch and enjoy!
Does your trainer write up your own programs, or is this something you are following elsewhere? just curious… either way, looks challenging!
Im being lazy too, but gotta go back to the gym in a bit…go do your laundry! 
Way to crush your first day on the new program! I am breathlessly anticipating you sharing what you learn about bench pressing.
According to that strength table, I am solidly an intermediate. Which is absolutely correct. I agree with Deb that the press numbers seem low.
the t-rex thing should help ya on the bench at least! =+)
i can’t believe they let you post a exrx dot net link. they’ve deleted my posts that had a link to freakin exercise descriptions from there in them. bobbi’s too. you must be one special masch!
best of luck on the new program. ur gonna murder it.
That exrx link is cool. Never seen it before. I agree that the overhead press numbers are low. I’m definitely not an “advanced” presser, yet the table says I am. But power clean numbers seem high to me.
[quote]kimbakimba wrote:
According to that strength table, I am solidly an intermediate. Which is absolutely correct. I agree with Deb that the press numbers seem low.[/quote]
i think it’s a strict military press… and i don’t think it’s really that low. i think it’s pretty much in line with the bench press numbers. and even if you’re getting close to the next level, those damn military press numbers go up so damn slow it takes forever. curses!
i do think all the women’s numbers for “elite” are a bit low. but i think the military press is right in line with all the other numbers listed there.
nice work.
how are you doing the leg raises?
do your feet go all the way to the bar???
can you do them feet to face?
sometimes you have to practice holding your upper body still
or have someone put their hands on your back to keep you from moving as much
[quote]dejavued wrote:
i can’t believe they let you post a exrx dot net link. they’ve deleted my posts that had a link to freakin exercise descriptions from there in them. bobbi’s too. you must be one special masch!
[/quote]
I know right! I got an angry no-no PM about it too.lol
[quote]rcfromdb wrote:
[quote]dejavued wrote:
i can’t believe they let you post a exrx dot net link. they’ve deleted my posts that had a link to freakin exercise descriptions from there in them. bobbi’s too. you must be one special masch!
[/quote]
I know right! I got an angry no-no PM about it too.lol[/quote]
Hmm…must’ve been the crotch shot I sent out to the mods last week.
Sup fellas 
(and Mod Laurie)
MIM, the program is really something I devised myself by bouncing ideas of trainer Steve and our Jim - both of whom supplied me with the know-how needed to actually concoct a program. Not to mention that I read all y’alls logs, which gave me ideas re: set/rep counts.
It came about because Steve recommended I do 5x5, which would be good for me as a noob. But 5x5 is incredibly boring (remember Steve is boring but big raises eyebrows). So Jim said I could do the accessory work from 5/3/1, which might actually help me in the long run anways - esp i.e. my tight hip flexors.
I figure once I’m done with this 5x5 cycle and I see what kinds of gains I’ve made, I can switch to full on 5/3/1. But for now, just doing 5x5 might be the best way for me to keep weights relatively low, practice form, get into the swing of it, while still making some gains.
Of course, of importance to me as well is the whole soccer playing bit, so I’m really not wedded to the program, especially once footie season starts. We’ll see what develops.
Kimba - Oh, I will def share my knowledge. And you know me, good student syndrome, so I come prepared with an ass load of questions. HAHA! I’m so annoying, I annoy myself!
kmcnyc - thanks! So i’ve basically been doing these hanging from the pull-up rack. Thus all the swinging. Do you know a better way for me to do these? Also, “feet to face” - you greatly overestimate my flexibility