Hi Kimba, i am not sure what i said to deserve the nice comment…but thank you! Hope all is well with you.
So, it seems that a combination of houseguests, a work whirlwind and a road trip have caused me to miss two workouts. I still did my running though. I figured out a route from the hotel on Saturday for my 22 minute run (9:11 pace) despite a poor night’s sleep. Onwards to a 24 minute no-walking situation for the next run.
The hotel didn’t have a workout room, but gave us passes to a really nice gym. Sunday AM workout (after a delicious meal and wine the night before…alcohol is poison) was one where everything felt hard.
Squat (5s week)
Bar 1 x 5
75# 1 x 5 – high, added four risers plus step for rest of sets which is just at parallel)
85# 1 x 5 ← felt hard.
95# 1 x 3 <–money set disappointing, called it at 3 due to the beginnings of knee cave
Front squats
65# 2 x 5
I tried really hard to use just fingertips to hold the bar and think I did better with elbows up than last time.
Hanging leg raises
8 - straight leg
2 - bent leg
Decline bench
Bar 1 x 5
65# 2 x 10
My gym doesn’t have a decline bench so I like playing with this one when I come to this gym.
DB snatches
30 lbs. 1 x 2 <–each side, felt weak
Dips
BW 1 x 15
Not the greatest day, but I showed up.
Those front squats looked great!
And, OMG, you have the best…pants.
Front squats were nice and deep.
Also, what my Canadian brother said about the pants.
Man, and I thought it was only bras that were supposed to lift and separate.
Hand position looks good. I just can’t hold the bar like that without choking myself. My wrists bend back enough but I don’t seem to have an anatomy that is suited to front squatting. Good job, Ms Kimba.
git and Joe, you guys always make me smile.
Cal, you are such a funny girl…the seams of those pants are indeed strategically placed. Actually, the bar was choking me. At a heavier weight, I can really see the problem of breathing in that position.
Today is beautiful and warm but I’m really exhausted so its a rest day for me. It seems a shame to waste one of the few remaining lovely fall days sitting indoors, but there it is.
I was inside all day too, thinking just the same thing.
the sun will be out tomorrow!
Me too, a lot lately. Although I got out yesterday because I escorted some of my girls to Hampton Court on an educational visit. I’ve been very lazy about walking since summer but I am walking to the podiatrist today.
Kimba’s lulus bring ALL de Boys to the yard 
Front squats look nice, and damn those legs! Do they go on forever? No wonder squats are you nemesis. Great job on the running–and now it really starts to get good!
Betty and Cal, I waited for my run today until there was a peek or two of sunshine. Getting all I can, while I can!
Frenchie, I LOVE that song. Thanks for reminding me to buy it.
Nadia, I absolutely agree that my leverages seem all wrong for squatting. We’ll see how front squats fare when the weight gets heavier. Indeed, I am really enjoying the running. It seems that my patience with taking baby-steps and most of this year to recover from my IT band issues is beginning to pay off.
Today I had a successful run: 12 min. out and 12 min. back for a total of 24 minutes of running with no walking. I managed a 9:03 pace for 2.65 miles with which I was VERY happy. The best of the run was that I sped up from the first mile to the second and was going the fastest during the last partial mile.
It still amazes me how little I need to wear (shorts and a short-sleeved shirt) to stay warm at 58 degrees. I’d have to wear substantially more to stay warm on a bicycle ride in the same conditions. This running thing will be perfect for the winter, just as long as its not too snowy and icy.
[quote]kimbakimba wrote:
So, it seems that a combination of houseguests, a work whirlwind and a road trip have caused me to miss two workouts. I still did my running though. I figured out a route from the hotel on Saturday for my 22 minute run (9:11 pace) despite a poor night’s sleep. Onwards to a 24 minute no-walking situation for the next run.
The hotel didn’t have a workout room, but gave us passes to a really nice gym. Sunday AM workout (after a delicious meal and wine the night before…alcohol is poison) was one where everything felt hard.
Squat (5s week)
Bar 1 x 5
75# 1 x 5 – high, added four risers plus step for rest of sets which is just at parallel)
85# 1 x 5 ← felt hard.
95# 1 x 3 <–money set disappointing, called it at 3 due to the beginnings of knee cave
Front squats
65# 2 x 5
I tried really hard to use just fingertips to hold the bar and think I did better with elbows up than last time.
Hanging leg raises
8 - straight leg
2 - bent leg
Decline bench
Bar 1 x 5
65# 2 x 10
My gym doesn’t have a decline bench so I like playing with this one when I come to this gym.
DB snatches
30 lbs. 1 x 2 <–each side, felt weak
Dips
BW 1 x 15
Not the greatest day, but I showed up.[/quote]
Good looking front squats.
Butt still looks great…
Here’s the link for the Agile 8!
www.defrancostraining.com/ask_joe/archives/ask_joe_08-10-03.html#question04
Glad you are comfortable at that temp.
Under 60 I have to run in sweats. Under fifty its a hoodie and sweats.
ManFromMass, thanks for the kind words.
lula, great link! I tried some of this last night and found it difficult. Which means its good for me.
Joe, I would make a comment about thin Southern blood, but then you will mock me in the dead of winter when I whine about my snow and cold.
I had wanted to get myself on the three-day-a-week 5/3/1 training schedule and had been derailed by circumstances during the past week. Last night, I picked back up with a Military Press day:
Military press (5’s day)
45# 1 x 5
49# 1 x 5
56# 1 x 5 <–money set was hard and the same reps as a couple of weeks ago
BBB 40# 5 x 10
I still think the BBB volume is the best thing that I can do for this lift.
I supersetted the BBB with some single leg work:
Reverse Lunges
BW 2 x 10
I tried to do a front squat reverse lunge with just the bar but discovered that was WAY too advanced for me. There is enough trouble just doing them with body weight. And, the trouble is familiar: keeping my front knee from caving in and general instability. Clearly my hip strength is the limiting factor in my squats. Also, my left knee didn’t much appreciate the reverse lunge, so perhaps I’ll try a regular lunge next time.
Can I commit to doing some single leg work at every training? If I don’t, I doubt my squats will ever improve.
Bulgarian Split Squats
BW 3 x 10
I tried not holding on as much and did tip over a time or two. This will be a slow progression.
Cable Hip ad/abductions
7.5# plus a plate 3 x 10
Chinups (on the smith machine)
5/4/3
Ab rollouts (from knees with ab wheel)
1 x 5
I also need to commit to doing my ab work. The rollouts were hard, but more interesting than planks (which I hate with a burning passion).
Kimba: Why is it that beginners gains don’t seem to come with single leg work and ab work? I hate that stuff and struggle to include it consistently in my program too. But, you’re right probably will help a lot with the squat.
But your so awesome at planks!!!
If you think the single leg work will help your squat then you need to buckle down and do it.
Have you thought about doing step-ups onto a high box? I found that helped me. I’m crap at lunges too (plus, thanks to my foot problem, my toes don’t appreciate being that flexed so it’s one movement I try to avoid).
Nadia, it is so easy to do things that I like and so difficult to do what is hard. It sucks being responsible.
Betty, I guess you are right: I’m good at planks but they bore me. I actually liked the challenge of the ab roller! Score!
Joe, you are right. Feel free to nag me.
Cal, I had forgotten about step-ups. I can certainly include these, stepping up to a bench or an aerobics step. How high is your box?
Yesterday I had a good run. I ran for 26 minutes straight through, at a pace of 8:57 min/mile. I realize that this is in essence a 9 min per mile pace, but I was inordinately excited to get a number in the 8s!