These may be an alternative to kroc rows. I’ll just stick a bar in the corner and either do them straddling the bar, or you can stand perpendicular and do one arm at a time. Something different at the very least.
try as i might, i can’t think of much to say about push up dreams :)–however i do support the lovin on the push up and the think-session.
For row variations, I like cholulalula’s suggestion about the one handed “ghetto t-bars”. I forgot about those.
I like what I call incline rows (I think they’re the same as the chest supported rows with DBs you mentioned, but we have a CSR machine so I don’t call them that.) where you use dumbbells and lay face down in on the incline bench. I try to really squeeze and hold it at the top and focus on keeping my scapulae down.
You could also do a dead stop db row where you start every rep from the floor.
What about BB rows? Have you been doing any of those?
Kimba: Glad to read that the running is going so well for you and that you are enjoying it. Have fun figuring out your training plans for the summer. I’m a sucker for a think session. I love planning. So exciting.
Mmm…pastrami! So yummy! Also, so salty!
I like how the running is coming along, Kimba! And I’d be curious to feel how running is with the vibrams too. I like walking around barefoot, I think I’d like running barefoot too!
Your poor toe! Hope that’s feeling better!
Good job getting those BW squats with minimal knee cave! And those OH squats didn’t look bad at all. You have great flexibility! And damn, you’re cute! And lean! Looking good 
I agree with the bear - I think you can indeed adapt to lifting and doing your other athletic pursuits. It won’t be over night, but it will happen, especially if you can keep at it over the winter. Frankly, I’m bit surprised to hear you say that, Cbear! But if you say it, then I’m happy to agree.
YAY! I also love planning! So much fun to put together a new training regime! Can’t wait to see what you cook up.
Do you like front squats?
bad neck juju is keeping me from squatting so I have been front squatting for a few months
they make a nice change.
for OH squats - something I used to do allot and need to work back in
I squeeze allot- just like a squat.
I take as wide a grip as needed, for me that’s past the rings.
and I set the bar as far back as possible
and I press the bar as high as possible and squeeze both it and my traps/upper back
as high and tight as I can you would feel it allot in your serratus and rhomboids
this active pushing lends stability
just like a squat you can really initiate ass back knees out
doing OH squats to a box is awesome too.
they are my number one assessment tool
on any lower training day
why surprised?
i think vibrams were initially invented for kayaking and stuff. a shoe that wouldn’t fill up with water that would help a little with grip on slippy rocks. then the barefoot people got hold of them and the whole thing took off…
your overhead squats looked pretty good, yeah. a little buttwink - but you might find that the balance issue sorts itself out with a bit of weight. i find OH squatting the bar smoothly a bit harder than OH squatting a bit more weight. not quite sure why… think it might be because some weight wants to move up and down in a straight line over my traps and i can manouver myself around it a bit better when it is more solid. whereas with just the bar it feels like it just wants to wobble all over the place.
a stork. yeah. thats exactly how i feel when i’m squatting. all legs and arms
your back looks great btw.
Joe, I will look into this Sheiko of which you speak. It sounds hardcore.
cholulalula, I really like your idea on the rows! Next time there aren’t a million boys crowding the weight room, I’m trying those.
BG, barbell rows still confuse me. In particular, whether to go with the bodybuilding style or the Pendlay style. I’m easily confused.
Nadia, the running is good for awhile and then it sucks for awhile. Still learning the ropes on that one.
Maschy, I’m coming over to check on you right this instant!
kmc, I’ve been thinking about trying front squats for awhile. It seems like giving up on my nemesis back squats, though. That is what’s stopping me – so not a quitter.
alexus, thanks for commiserating with me on the stork feeling. As for using more weight on OH squats, let me try upping it a little bit. I’m still too weak to OH squat the oly bar, so I use a little bar.
Time has been short these days. Training is as normal, but my on-line time is being eaten up by work. Highlights of recent training:
Improving slowly on the military press…I got 57.5# up for 5, which is one more rep than the week before.
Pulled 195# off of a step on each side (no risers!) for 2 reps. The most I’ve ever pulled from the floor is 190# x 1, so I feel I’m making some gains with this one.
Yesterday I put up 89# on the bench press for 3 ugly reps, but they went up. Also, I did my heaviest BBB which was 68# 5 x 10 reps. Again, slow but steady improvement.
My big toe, on which I stupidly dropped a cutting board, is mostly healed up. I am hugely thankful I didn’t break it.
Today’s run had some good points – I discovered I could eat 1/2 a banana without getting a side stitch and I really need that energy to run any distance. However, I’d been off running for a week. I figured I needed to scale back my workout to compensate for the layoff, but I didn’t scale back enough and twanged my IT Band YET AGAIN. I had to abandon the run/walk intervals I had planned and was reduced to walking slowly home. I’ve been slacking on the stretching this past week, so that didn’t help any.
This running situation is really kicking my ass and teaching me patience. I fucking HATE having to learn patience.
others gave you some good suggestions.
I’ve been working on my pushups/pull-ups a lot. Either as a warm-up or ‘finisher.’
Great deadlifting! Sorry to hear about the ITB though. Roll that shit.
You’ve been plenty patient Kimba. That recurring IT shit is bullshit. Maybe start back up on the treadmill again? You had better luck there. Concrete and asphalt are not forgiving. Also, until you tell me to shut the fuck up, I’m going to tell you to check your shoes. You’ve spent most of your life not running, you can’t expect to start out running like the Tarahumara.
I have to agree with Nadia. But with the little amount of running that you’re doing, it doesn’t seem like you should be suffering so many aches and pains. I’m a bit baffled. Maybe it’s just not the right exercise for you? Dirt trails would be a forgiving surface if you have any available. I do so love your perseverance, though.
I want to echo what Nadia and Snap are saying…if you look at the picture at the start of this log, your knees kind of angle in, and I suspect this is the root of the problem with the running. It’s obviously impossible to tell simply from pictures, but you probably have an increased hip angle (and consequently puts extra strain on the knees) which already puts extra stress on the IT band, and that can cause the knee pain too. If you’re running in the Nike Frees, I would check out a more supportive shoe-which may help some. And while I’m raining on your parade, the Vibrams probably aren’t helping because they just accentuate that bad hip/knee angle even during normal walking (although I know it sounds like you aren’t wearing them heaps). Yes, I love the perseverance and understand the desire to keep at the running. There’s not much else like being alone with the world as it wakes up.
I went to get ‘real,’ shoes a few months ago and the man who owns the store is a physical therapist. He really took the time to watch my gate, how my feet fall, etc…he also said the same thing about my knees(greater than average Q-angle) And I got fitted in one of the most supportive shoe they had.
I am feeling like a complete little Miss Crankypants this morning.
Yeah, I know. Shoes. Supportive. I’m curious enough about the potential for a “cure” that the next time I have a spare couple of hours and $150 bucks (mostly the time) I’ll stop by the local well-regarded running store and buy something.
My concern with this is that my ARTist wants me to mid-foot/forefoot strike because in her opinion heel striking is death for the IT band. Her advice to speed up my pace doing strides (more of a forefoot landing) and to do walk intervals has largely been successful. A big-ass supportive shoe might straighten me out, but at what cost? Worth a try, but I’m not hopeful.
I have been fighting with my IT band since oh…2006. Way before running, cycling originally fucked it up. I am unsurprised running fucks it up too. If you want to read the sad, sad scenarios of folks battling this chronic problem and trying literally everything, check out the Runner’s World forum.
My one goal at the moment is to figure out how to manage the running so that I’m always below the threshold of irritation. I guess I really don’t expect the root cause of the problem to ever go away.
Cho, the Q angle observation is right on. You are clearly in the right business, my dear. I have knock knees and bowed lower legs. When I stand with my feet pointed straight ahead, my knees turn in. Not awesome.
My body isn’t built to run or cycle or lift weights. That hasn’t stopped me yet.
I’ve spent alot of time on the bicycle this week. And have sore bits and pieces to show for it. So I took it a bit easy in the weight room last evening.
Overhead squats
28# bar 3 x 5
33# 1 x 5
Broomstick 2 x 5
I rather like the challenge of these. Honestly, I’ve got no idea what I’m doing. Here I was working on not letting my knees come way forward over my toes and not going so low that I got bad butt wink.
supersetted with
Chinups
5/5/4/4/3 = 21 total
Ghetto T-Bar Rows
25 lb. plate plus V handle plus light oly bar: 2 x 10
30 lbs. of plate: 1 x 10
I rather like this exercise. If I’m not doing it right, let me know.
Thats exactly how they should be done.
Form looked just right on the T-Bar rows.
As you know, I share your history of knee pain and IT Band issues, and I haven’t found a definitive cure yet. If you do, let me know! I do second the concern about the vibrams - if your foot doesn’t fall correctly, you really need a supportive shoe, or even better, orthotics, to correct the angle and take the stress off the knees and the IT band.
I took my daughter to the mall this weekend, and I saw a store that made me think of you - it appeared to be wall-to-wall yoga. It was called something-lemon. Given your love of yoga pants, I’m sure you know them already.
My knees used to angle in quite a bit. Everytime I did a step up with NO weight I would have “knee cave”. As soon as I got my glutes to activate and fixed my anterior pelvic tilt, my knee pain and foot pain went away. Working out/walking in minimalist shoes helped a bit to strengthen my feet. But I didn’t ever run. Now, that I have my mechanics fixed, when I do run, which is not often, it is completely pain free and I’m faster than when I used to run on a regular bases.
I know this sounds extreme, but if you’re having IT band problems, I would take a long hard look at your hip mobility and glute strength and ditch ANY running no matter what shoes you wear until you get it taken care of.
form looks great as do YOU!!
Your form looks good on both OHS and T-Bar row. The guy squatting behind you, however is a different story. He needs to leave.
The vibrams look nice. Are you finding them good to work in? I’m almost tempted to get a pair but not quite there yet.