The KimbaLog

Training
81

[quote]kimbakimba wrote:
ouroboro_s wrote:

There are various schools of thought on this. All of them are really boring. On Sundays I train all three big lifts. My rationale is that I will be doing them that way at a meet. I also train them in the order of competition; squat, bench, deads. Then I do miscellaneous other stuff.

Try is and see if you like it.

I’m there. Sunday.
[/quote]

Yeah, I do the three lift days when prepping for a meet. I find it is great mental training to make meet day easy. I don’t do it every week, maybe 8-6 weeks before a meet, with the last two off from three-lift days.

82

[quote]kimbakimba wrote:

I did not even know there were muscles there TO rip, so its impossible to dumb down anatomy too much in this here log. The rehab on that must’ve been a real bitch.

As for back-to-back leg days, I weight train 3 days per week full-body workouts. 2 squat days, 1 deadlift day, plus random upper body stuff. Do people train squats and deads on the same day? Inquiring minds want to know![/quote]

Fuck rehab. that was cake. It was the first two days when I had NO IDEA what i’d done, and had no idea what to do do alleviate it, that sticks in my memory. all in all, it was 3 months out of the gym, and another 3 months before deadlifting/squattting, and easing back into it, with a lot of NMT work in the middle.

Lots of people train squats and deads on the same day, its just that whatever you train first seems to make the most improvement, in my experience.

seems like doing the same thing the same way all the time is a bad idea no matter WHAT it is.

did you figure out your pull throughs?

83

[quote]CBear84 wrote:

Fuck rehab. that was cake. It was the first two days when I had NO IDEA what i’d done, and had no idea what to do do alleviate it, that sticks in my memory. all in all, it was 3 months out of the gym, and another 3 months before deadlifting/squattting, and easing back into it, with a lot of NMT work in the middle. [/quote]

Months out of the gym would be my nightmare.

[quote]Lots of people train squats and deads on the same day, its just that whatever you train first seems to make the most improvement, in my experience.

seems like doing the same thing the same way all the time is a bad idea no matter WHAT it is.[/quote]

Agreed. Knowing when to switch things up is the trick.

I’m gonna try pull-throughs much like this tonight:

Yesterday’s workout: 1 hr. 45 min. flat, moderate effort ride.

Tonight’s workout plan: first up, another try at improving my deadlift form. Weight on heels, pull back, hips through…chanted like a mantra.

84

kimbakimba

I just read through this , nice work.

You’re “lanky” for being so petite- pulling and squatting takes time to find what works best for your body- with good form and technique.

I found feet angle is as important as feet width- where the toes are pointing helps me push the knees out while squatting but really I learned it all from Ouroboro_s

kmc

85

[quote]kmcnyc wrote:
kimbakimba

I just read through this , nice work.

You’re “lanky” for being so petite- pulling and squatting takes time to find what works best for your body- with good form and technique.

I found feet angle is as important as feet width- where the toes are pointing helps me push the knees out while squatting but really I learned it all from Ouroboro_s

kmc[/quote]

You are such a kiss ass. I wish there were more like you out there :slight_smile: btw, I wasn’t wearing booty shorts, they were denim cutoffs.

86

[quote]ouroboro_s wrote:
kmcnyc wrote:
kimbakimba

I just read through this , nice work.

You’re “lanky” for being so petite- pulling and squatting takes time to find what works best for your body- with good form and technique.

I found feet angle is as important as feet width- where the toes are pointing helps me push the knees out while squatting but really I learned it all from Ouroboro_s

kmc

You are such a kiss ass. I wish there were more like you out there :slight_smile: btw, I wasn’t wearing booty shorts, they were denim cutoffs.[/quote]

Thanks kmc. It is indeed taking some time for me to figure out what works for me. I really appreciate everyone’s suggestions.

And, they totally were booty shorts, but ouroboro rocked them so it was all good.

87

Tonight’s workout:

Before heading to the gym on my chinup bar at home:

1 neutral grip pullup
5 chinups x 2 sets
1 pull-up
0 wide grip pull-ups (I’ve never accomplished this: about halfway up)

No assistance, but I did these reps over a long period of time – an hour maybe? It takes me a long time to recover between tries at this, so I do work in between and try a set whenever I happen to walk by the bar.

Deadlift - with 25# plates up on two step risers.
95# 1 x 5 (conv.) This was better than last week, but its hard to get the bar around my legs/knees
95# 1 x 5 (sumo)
95# 1 x 10 (sumo) Doing a better job of staying back on my heels: practically fell over backwards on a rep
105# 1 x 10 (sumo)
110# 1 x 10 (sumo) This weight came up pretty darn easy!

The sumo deads felt more natural this week, complete with not leaning my shoulders over the bar, pulling back, bringing my hips through quickly and staying on my heels. Not perfect, but definitely better. I’ve still got the 2.5# plates under my toes – that helps cue me. Also, I took the suggestion to raise up the bar to roughly the level of what it would be with 45# plates on it. Not having to stoop down so much did help my form.

As for my grip, it seems that I can grab the knurlings (with index finger on the inside edge) with only the slightest outward tilt of my arms from my shoulders. It doesn’t look too different from PMPM’s picture, so I’m going with it. Damned if I don’t have a more secure grip on the bar now.

Bench Press
65# 2 x 5 reps
65# 1 x 6

I’m working on getting more reps at this weight.

Cable Rope Pullthrough
27.5# 1 x 10
38.5# 1 x 10
49.6# 1 x 10 I’ll start at this weight next time.

Bent Over Rows
30# 3 x 10

Push Press with Barbell
bar 1 x 5 reps
plus, one extra when I cleaned the bar off the floor (after taking off my deadlift plates) then push-pressed it up just to see if I could. And I could!

Now, I’ve never been able to get the bar over my head. Ever. I’m very happy.

V-ups
3 sets x 20

88

[quote]kimbakimba wrote:

Push Press with Barbell
bar 1 x 5 reps
plus, one extra when I cleaned the bar off the floor (after taking off my deadlift plates) then push-pressed it up just to see if I could. And I could!

Now, I’ve never been able to get the bar over my head. Ever. I’m very happy.[/quote]

Congrats!

I really, really fucking wondered when you said that you hoped to get the bar over your head someday.

p.s. love the look on peoples faces when i do lunges with 25’s on the bar, pick it up off the floor, throw it over my head, and lower it onto my back.

actually, they look at me weird no matter what i do. sometimes I wonder if I go over and do some curls 3.5 inches away from the db rack, i may blend in. but, im pretty sure they’re on to me.

89

[quote]kimbakimba wrote:

plus, one extra when I cleaned the bar off the floor (after taking off my deadlift plates) then push-pressed it up just to see if I could. And I could!

Now, I’ve never been able to get the bar over my head. Ever. I’m very happy.
[/quote]

awesome!! now u know u can throw it at somebody if needs be. ;+)

90

[quote]CBear84 wrote:

Congrats!

I really, really fucking wondered when you said that you hoped to get the bar over your head someday. [/quote]

Apparently I am highly suggestible. And, I really really hate saying “I can’t”.

[quote]p.s. love the look on peoples faces when i do lunges with 25’s on the bar, pick it up off the floor, throw it over my head, and lower it onto my back.

actually, they look at me weird no matter what i do. sometimes I wonder if I go over and do some curls 3.5 inches away from the db rack, i may blend in. but, im pretty sure they’re on to me. [/quote]

CBear, I’ve seen your pictures. Someone as hot as you will never “blend in”. Its awesome that you give 'em something to REALLY look at!

91

[quote]dejavued wrote:

awesome!! now u know u can throw it at somebody if needs be. ;+)

[/quote]

Rrrrrwar! Watch out world, she’s dangerous.

:wink:

92

[quote]kimbakimba wrote:
Its awesome that you give 'em something to REALLY look at! [/quote]

Most of the time it’s plain old workout pants and a loose t-shirt. as far as they’re concerned im probably a patch of facial hair away from a man.

im ok with that. Im not trying to pick up anyone at the gym. :slight_smile:

but you can feel free to kiss my ass anytime.

93

[quote]CBear84 wrote:
kimbakimba wrote:

Push Press with Barbell
bar 1 x 5 reps
plus, one extra when I cleaned the bar off the floor (after taking off my deadlift plates) then push-pressed it up just to see if I could. And I could!

Now, I’ve never been able to get the bar over my head. Ever. I’m very happy.

Congrats!

I really, really fucking wondered when you said that you hoped to get the bar over your head someday.

p.s. love the look on peoples faces when i do lunges with 25’s on the bar, pick it up off the floor, throw it over my head, and lower it onto my back.

actually, they look at me weird no matter what i do. sometimes I wonder if I go over and do some curls 3.5 inches away from the db rack, i may blend in. but, im pretty sure they’re on to me. [/quote]

Hey ladies!! I just had to let you know I laughed so hard when I read this!!! I get the same thing!!! The looks can be sooo rude at times… great work kimba!!! you keep it up…btw, i love the pull throughs once i was doing them right i could really feel it where i wanted to…hope you have a great day!

94

Today’s workout was both very good and very bad.

First the good. I had planned to first work on squats, then bench then deadlifts. However, when I got to the weight room, the ONE squat rack was being used by some guy curling a 10# plate on each side of the bar.

Impressive.

So, I set up for some deadlifts.
95# 2 x 5 reps
115# 1 x 5 reps
125# 1 x 5 reps (PR)
135# 1 x 5 reps (PR!)

Today all the cues I’d been working on just came together, and the weight just kept going up easy. Here is a video of the 135# PR lift for your amusement and commentary. Since I started off with 25#s, I set up on some step risers, and just kept adding plates. I was too lazy to strip the bar and put on 45#s for this last set. BTW, sometimes the hardest part of the lift is muscling the plates on and off the bar. Is there a trick to this I am missing?

95

The bad of today’s workout was the squats.

Ugh. These were all ug-ly.
85# 1 x 10 reps (box squats to bench, but the bench was a bit higher than parallel a/k/a the depth I usually get
85# 1 x 10 reps. Not low enough and lots of forward lean
65# 1 x 10 reps Still not low enough
65# 1 x 5 reps Trying with everything I have to get low enough and not lean forward. Pretty tired at this point.

The last set is what is in the video. That was also the set I used the widest stance. Perhaps I need to go wider? I’m really up for suggestions on this one.

96

Deadlift: Hell yeah on the pr!! Feels good, doesnt it?

I see a couple things: you could keep your chest up/shoulders back more.

                   I see that your back is still a little rounded, and this is doing a couple things... you're still not bringing your hips forward as quickly (but its definitely getting better!), and you're using your arms a bit to pull the bar up. imo, your arms should be taut on the bar before you begin your movement. Keeping your chest up should help with this.

Squat: You hit parallel for the first 3 reps. personally, I hate wider stance squats, unless theres a box underneath me (resisting the urge for pun). Wider may be better for you, but it’s harder for me to hit parallel bc I feel unstable and that 200lbs plus my body weight is gonna come crashing straight through my pelvis and shatter on the floor. It’s something I need to work on. Your form won’t click overnight, and thats ok. Keep tweaking until you find whats comfortable for you, and legal in a meet.

I do see that your right side comes up first, making you wobble a little bit. After some pull throughs, add some one legged glute bridges, maybe add weight for the left leg and none for the right, to make it catch up. really really focus on squeezing your ass and spreading the floor apart with your feet to make everything happen at the same time.

p.s. you’re really skinny. glad its muscle under there!

97

Good job on the PR!

98

PS I just realized you’re flexing your arms when you dead so it’s gotta feel light to you. Still, doing that opens you up for bicep strains big time with mixed grip so try to keep them strait. Setting back on those boxes has got to be akward. It would probably be easier if you stripped and reloaded with 45s to get it at height and negate that distraction. Good work!

99

[quote]CBear84 wrote:
Deadlift: Hell yeah on the pr!! Feels good, doesnt it? [/quote]

Indeed! I feel so much more comfortable sumo.

[quote]I see a couple things: you could keep your chest up/shoulders back more.

                   I see that your back is still a little rounded, and this is doing a couple things... you're still not bringing your hips forward as quickly (but its definitely getting better!), and you're using your arms a bit to pull the bar up. imo, your arms should be taut on the bar before you begin your movement. Keeping your chest up should help with this. [/quote]

Got it. I was really surprised to see my arm flexing the weight up! I had no idea that was happening.

Luckily, I have no deadline to figure this stuff out. I think squat form will take awhile for me. I foresee some significant time at light weight.

You are SO right about my weak left side, and I am so bagged. Months ago a great PT diagnosed me with a massively weak left glute, and I religiously did my exercises to strengthen it. That is, until the last month or so. Time to get back on that (one legged glute bridges/one legged wall squats/work on the cable machine with an ankle strap). The idea of weighted left glute raises is a great one.

I’m happy for my muscle too. Never having had any, its still kind of surprising when I look into a mirror.

100

[quote]rcfromdb wrote:
PS I just realized you’re flexing your arms when you dead so it’s gotta feel light to you. Still, doing that opens you up for bicep strains big time with mixed grip so try to keep them strait. Setting back on those boxes has got to be akward. It would probably be easier if you stripped and reloaded with 45s to get it at height and negate that distraction. Good work![/quote]

I totally did not know my arm was flexing, but I totally agree that is not good. Next time I’ll focus on NOT doing that.

Frankly, I was not expecting to go up to 135# at that session. Next time I’ll load on the 45#s right after my warmup. Those risers were a pain in the ass, but better than starting my lift from the floor with 25#s.