Laststand: I agree; hanging on the bar also yields a great back stretch especially on DL days!
Arachne: Thanks. I really enjoy the process of learning new skills–not that it isn’t frustrating at times!
Thanks Alexus. Those aren’t easy for me either. I was tired working through them and have a good bit of control that I still need to come by. I also need to figure out how to get my hips back up–so I can get back in to the handstand. That’s gonna take some doing I’m afraid. I still have a long way to go to where I want to be.
Kimba: I’m trying really hard to draw a positive connection from my improved diet to my performance and/or some general sense of well being. But so far, it is a made up a line. In fact, this has been a really tough workout week for me. While I haven’t been sore or overly fatigued, I also haven’t been strong. Perhaps my body was made to eat chocolate chip cookies?
Thanks Lanels!
Cal: I’ve seen your handstands. You judge yourself t0o harshly. On the handstand, the power comes from the force of the back leg driving to the ceiling–it’s all the momentum you need–a good strong kick.
Nikki: I love your questions too–very honest and insightful. THere was a fitness competitor at my last gymnastics class. She was doing some pretty cool stuff and clearly had a gymnastics background. But, I don’t really think it’s for me. I’d probably need to be drunk.
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Training 5-5-5 squats and 5-5-5 Mps
My squats are in the shitter. And my MP is tapped out. I’m probably going to need to reset both of these after my 5-3-1 week.
Squat
barx5x2
65x5
85x5
95x5
105x5 (Hello hardness, fancy meeting you at 105lbs. Fuck me. I hate squats.)
MP
barx5
55x5
60x5
70x4 (This is my PR at this weight. I couldn’t best it today. I’m going to see if I can’t set a new 1 rep max on my 5-3-1 day and then after that I will be resetting).
Deck squats to low box jump 2 sets of 5
Deck squats to high box jump 2 sets of 5
Single leg deck squats 2 sets of 5. See video. Okay. While I suck at deck squats. I’m now obsessed with them and can’t wait to master them.
[quote]Nadia Comeandeat wrote:
Perhaps my body was made to eat chocolate chip cookies?
[/quote]
Lol! Well…maybe not that, but it could be that you function well on carbs, or tolerate them well. I know that my body likes carbs and they dont really mess with me too much, aside from aesthetics, and even still. I have to eat like A LOT of carbs to get a serious bloat on.
[quote]Nadia Comeandeat wrote:
I’d probably need to be drunk.
[/quote]
Oh man, i’d love to see that! Cirque du soleil!!
Beautiful gymnastics vid Nadia!! I swoon…
When squats feel heavy, that fucking sucks. Do you have any ideas as to why they might be feeling harder than usual?
Deck squats vid isn’t up yet, but i can’t wait to see them! (plus now i don’t have to google what they are! lazy mofo I am)
edit: ooh! vid is up. Super cool. Looks killer! I do ‘roll like a ball’ in pilates and thats hard enough…this might kill me! Good work hooker!
I just had chocolate chip cookies myself… best I’ve ever made. But that’s beside the point lol
Thanks for appreciating my questions lol
That’s cool about the fitness competitor. But competing is like modeling IMO; not every graceful and beautifully-shaped woman (i.e you) needs to compete.
Congrats on the MP PR.
Don’t be discouraged about the squats, they can be frustrating. Some days, weights feel heavier than they should.
You hate squats yet you can do those crazy roll-up pistol things? I actually can’t do those with two legs, let alone one (not unless the floor where my feet go is a couple of inches lower than where my body is). I don’t know why, really - I have been trying to do them since September but I just can’t shift my fat arse off the floor. Ugh.
Good that your hip is behaving. Just don’t push it too hard too soon and you’ll be fine.
I just hung for 1:36 before I got bored and lost mental focus. Thanks for the idea!
Some days the weight feels heavy with no rational explanation. Some days the weights feel light with no rational explanation. I run into the same thing on the bicycle, and I’m sure you do too out on the open road.
BTW, you totally made me laugh with the “hello hardness” comment. So well phrased!
On a straddle sit, are your hands parallel to one another or splayed out? I just tried a straddle sit off off a big ole law book and couldn’t get my hands comfortable before my butt collapsed on the ground a few seconds later.
[quote]kimbakimba wrote:
I just hung for 1:36 before I got bored and lost mental focus. Thanks for the idea!
Some days the weight feels heavy with no rational explanation. Some days the weights feel light with no rational explanation. I run into the same thing on the bicycle, and I’m sure you do too out on the open road.
BTW, you totally made me laugh with the “hello hardness” comment. So well phrased!
On a straddle sit, are your hands parallel to one another or splayed out? I just tried a straddle sit off off a big ole law book and couldn’t get my hands comfortable before my butt collapsed on the ground a few seconds later.[/quote]
heh, roll up pistol, thats what i thought. so the balancing on the hands with the legs out is called an ‘L-sit’? hmm. kinda makes sense.
do you guys have licorice logs? they have a chocolate center with soft licorice wrapped round the outside. i know this sounds odd… but if you slice them pretty fine you can substitute them for chocolate chips in cookies or muffins. the licorice develops a milder slightly aniseed flavor when baked which distributed through the cookie / muffin and is FUCKING DELICIOUS. and there is still chocolate in there too, of course. not that i’m advocating cookies… but just sayin… You can get balls of soft licorice, too (maybe half the size of a golf ball) with chocolate in the middle… i got a muffin once that had one baked into the center. yummmmmmmmm.
Thanks Masch: I don’t have a problem with carbs either. In fact, I love everything about them. I did a high protein low carb diet last year when I was trying to cut weight for the pullups and it nearly killed me. I had no energy and a “leave me here to die” attitude when trying to condition. Never again.
I’m not sure why I’m struggling with the weights this week. I’m still eating enough. But, I think I’m feeling a little timid with my hip and looking for an excuse to drop the weights. Don’t tell anyone, but I’m kind of a chicken shit head case.
Nikki: I’m trying to take this week as it comes and not over think it. You’re absolutely right–some days are just harder than others. But I think that everyday that involves chocolate chip cookies is a good day!
Cal: I have no chance of doing pistols without my friend momentum assisting me. It seems wrong that it is so hard to just stand up. That’s probably why I’m obsessed with these deck squats now–they feel like something I should be able to do easily.
CBear: My husband has supported my strength training efforts with lots of tshirts and sweatshirts from elitefts. I’m lucky.
Bre: Yep that’s me-big boobs, no butt. And I do MPs standing. You?
Kimba: On the straddle sit, I keep my hands parallel and shoulder width apart. You can put your hands however you like. You should also try seated leg raises. Your butt never needs to leave the floor. Sit in a straddle, but both hands out in front of you between your legs. Now just try to lift your heels up and off the ground. Surprisingly hard–yes?
Soldog: Law books are pretty useless. Glad I sold all of mine back.
Alexus: I’m not sure about licorice logs… sounds tasty though and worth further investigation! Thanks for the tip.
Frenchie: food and rest sounds like a plan. I’d join you, but I just came off a deload. I think I need to get my head back in the game.
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Training:
Back to Tuesday: I finished out my day by adding in an extra gymnastics class. After squatting and running I didn’t have much left, but I did what I could. This was dumb.
Wed: More gymnastics. This was dumber. Back and hip hurt. I left discouraged and frustrated. I want to practice because it’s the only way I know how to get better. But, I can’t. I hate being so fucking limited. Patience is not one of my strengths.
Thursday: Hip feels like it has been set back a little bit. I ran today anyway. 3 miles. Slow.
Personal question - are you pre-menstrual? I always feel tired and struggle with workouts the week before Flo arrives. I think that’s pretty common. If that’s not the case then you likely need more rest or more food to help recovery.
And I’m with you on the gymnastics. I’m pretty sure I shouldn’t be practising my handstands with this bum elbow but I’m afraid if I don’t, I’ll forget how to do it (since this is a brand new skill for me). Bodies are frustrating, aren’t they?!
[quote]Nadia Comeandeat wrote:
You should also try seated leg raises. Your butt never needs to leave the floor. Sit in a straddle, but both hands out in front of you between your legs. Now just try to lift your heels up and off the ground. Surprisingly hard–yes?[/quote]
Um…HARD! But in a good way.
So, seeing as I took your advice and am now boring myself silly doing C25K, you need to listen to me.
Back off. Back off now, before you injure your hip further. Doing extra shit at this moment is just stupid. How about just doing a regular week’s workout, but take OUT one thing instead of adding one thing? The hip will get better, but not the way you are treating it.
Lol at the “Leave me here to die” attitude. Ha! I hate low carb diets. Not that I’ve ever made it past a week anyway…
If chocolate chip cookies were high protein, low carb, then yes, I can successfully do a low carb diet =D
I uh, gotta say Kim brings up a good point about the hip. But I’m as stubborn as you so to avoid being hypocritical, I’ll just end this by saying that the pic of the sad puppy is so cute!
Cal: No, I’m not premenstrual. I’m a whiney bitch every day of the month. Ha! Actually, this is the happy time of my month. Can’t blame that. More likely work stress. Came home feeling raw. Really needed a run. And that outlet wasn’t really there for me.
And yes, I have a use it or lose mentality with the gymnastics skills too. And cheers. Bodies are frustrating.
Print: Aw print. YOu’re a nice boy.
Kimba: I know I’m being child like. Defiant. Stubborn. Unreasonable. Sometimes though, these are my best qualities. When I’m in a more reasonable frame of mind, I think about giving up on the gymnastics. My body can not seem tolerate the comparatively little amount of gymnastics that I do. Even basic elements hurt me. I know I need to be more patient with myself. I’m just ranting a little. Thanks for listening, and for the advice.
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5-3-1 DLS BW 122
I hit a 2x BW Deadlift today. I’ve added 25lbs to my DL in 6 months. Thank you 5-3-1.
barx10
135x5x2
185x3
210x6 (Default pr because I’ve never pulled reps at this weight).
