My lats were still a little stiff so I decided against a back workout. On the other hand I had a day off work and did 9 hours of much neglected spring cleaning during which time I must have bent over (with good form) more than 200 times. By noon I was ready to celebrate- I felt like my old self. Had lunch and then the tightness and slight burning started around 1 pm but really not that bad considering what I was doing. I was really tired and skipped yoga but not my postural endurance exercises. But I realized on these exercises that I need to periodically re-contract to keep the muscles at maximum tension. About once every 15 seconds. From now on I will just re contract, or do a rep, whenever I feel it is necessary- maybe sooner. I think I may do the same thing on the chin tucks.
Posture Isometric Holds with reps every 15 seconds
*****************************************************
--arms by sides, palms down, 1.5# wrist weights--90 seconds
--supine chin tuck- 70 seconds
--Y at 11 & 1 oclock, palms down, 1.5# wrist weights--90 seconds
--supine chin tuck- 70 seconds
--T, palms down, 1.5# wrist weights--90 seconds
--supine chin tuck- 70 seconds
--batwing holds, 10# db plus wrist weights-- forgot!
My lateral thigh was feeling it from the adductor machine but my nerve issue was all better. I did the supine crossover stretch for the glute medius- it really needed it so I am sure that is what causes the lateral thigh issue. But today (wed) I had the nerve thing again so I am removing that stretch and will do a standing one from now on.
Arm supported neutral stance bent over row
2x12x25#
16x15#
Pullup bar straight arm hangs (with scapulas depressed & retracted)
36 seconds
24 seconds
15 seconds
(failure due to hands)
3 sets of hangs with feet on rack.
Set 1: 85 x 10
Set 2: 95 x 6
10 reps - 6 reps = 4 rep difference
95 - 85 = 10 pound difference
10 divided by 4 = 2.5 pounds per rep on the vertical row machine
so my 1RM is 95 + (6-1)x2.5=107.5
hmmm, not as large a difference as I thought but I am not complaining.
The prone lever row machine felt like a miracle today. 25# (plus the weight of the lever) was fine. Only a month ago 10# on this thing made me want to hurl!
The bent over rows were so easy it makes we wonder what is going on. That is why I switched to 15#- just to see what was going on. 15# was so simple.
The hangs from the pull up bar were amazing. I can really really target my scapula depressers on this- I am saying scapula depressers because I don't know what I am feeling- the lats or the lower traps. It is the muscle directly below the scapula. I even shifted my weight more to my left side and I could really dig the stress into the muscle just below my scapula. This is the same area that often burns when I am at my desk. It felt amazing. It made me wonder if the scapula thing is a result of a really bad fall I took rollerblading a couple of years ago where I landed on my outstetched arm. I am also pretty sure this is the exercise that made my shoulders stay automatically retracted for a couple of hours on Saturday. This is an incredible fantastic exercise because it is taking my deltoids and biceps out of the equation. Just an amazing exercise!!
I need to start thinking about taking a week off to deload. Either next week or the week after. I plan to still do all the exercises but at really low load- just focus on my form. I don't want to lose mental momentum.
yoga preceded by 20 minute run preceded by a free personal training session.
On the personal training session I did front squats. It ends up that I can in fact do them, and go down past parallel with my back pretty upright (less than 30 degrees). My problem was that I had been trying to do these without much weight. The more weight actually makes them easier. He had me hold only a kettlebell between my legs and focus on keeping glute medius engaged. He kept asking me if I was feeling it, but sadly I was not. I mean a bit....... I was trying to feel it in my butt but it just really wasn't doing it very well. Then I got confused over my lower back- I thought I was over arching. Plus, with the kettlebell between my legs, it was encouraging my shoulders to roll forward.
Then we switched to, I think, the 17 kg crossfit bar. I say I "think" because I could overhead press it no problem- without having to dip my knees- s maybe it was less than 17 kg. The PT has a black belt and doesn't really lift weights that much so he didn't know how much it weighed. He also didn't know the difference between a front and back squat- but that is ok.
Then he got me to do the clean and jerk with this bar. Well, I just ask myself why. After I clean it to my shoulders and then pop down into the squat, wow, it didn't hurt but that is huge compression on the knees- I imagine it is compressing the cartilege. And I just think- wow, why would I do that to my knees.
Then we went over to the Smith machine. I love this machine! He showed me a type of squat- with knees at 90 degrees but the bar behind my neck, so I sort of lean back on the bar. I still had to focus on my butt to take the load off my quads and put in on my butt, but when I did, I could really feel it. And no lower back or knee worries.
Then we farted around trying overhead presses and bent over rows on the Smith machine. Also lunges.
I am really impressed with the Smith machine. It is very popular though- was taken/busy non stop.
I did feel it in my lateral thigh when walking after this session even though none of the weight was high enough to be challenging. So that may have been from the initial front squats and arching my lower back too much or just using my glutes on the Smith machine, not sure. I was better after yoga.
Lat pulldowns:
12x60#, 10x80#, 8x90#, 3 sets of 45 secs iso hold at 100#
alternated with:
Calf raises:
BWx30 fast,(BW+20#)x30 fast, (BW+20#)x30 fast
and
Single leg Calf raises:
(BW)x20 slow, (BW+10#)x20 slow, (BW+15#)x20 slow
then
3 reps on the assisted pullup machine at 55# assistance (so almost 100#)
then
Hangs from pullup bar with lower traps engaged (tight close grip but overhand)
4 sets of 30 second holds
alternated with
3 more sets on the lat pulldown machine:
(6x100#)(5x100#)(6x100#)
a miracle.
I took breaks between the hangs and the last 3 sets on the lat pulldown, but I don't think more than a minute, but that was the first time where I actually felt a little dazed or meditative between sets.
The hangs are amazing. As soon as I get off, I feel my shoulders being pulled back. Like putting on brace or something. Just incredible. And they stay that way for quite some time. Just amazing.
I used the close grip because I was on a different pullup bar today and the etched (non slippy) part of the bar was really too wide- I mean, my hands were too far apart. So I kept them together really tight to use just one of the etched grips, hard to explain. But I found this really close grip possibly even more effective in making my shoulder pull back after I get off. Also I could feel the back of my neck- I think it was straightening- good. I also tried the underhand grip, but that guy from the video about was right, it was much harder- I couldn't do it.
I was just looking at today's live coaching http://www.T-Nation.com/...ing-topics/1826 and CT said that levers teach how to use the lats- something like that. So I guess I have stumbled upon these hangs for a reason because most of these levers are done with straight arms.
here is the lever video, I find this very inspiring!
also, I noticed that only my 3rd and 4th palm knuckles are getting calloused- not the index or baby finger. I am wondering why my index knuckle is not getting calloused. I still can't find my cycling gloves...
3x30 second hangs
and
3x5 hanging bent knee leg raises.
I am limited now more just by the skin on the palm knuckles of my hand shearing than grip strength per se. I haven't looked again for my biking gloves because I don't see gymnasts wearing gloves so I think long term I will be better off without gloves and just toughening up my hands once and for all.
Sunday May 27
********************
I spent a lot of time at home doing hips and thighs with good alignment, really watching myself. With ample breaks between sets since I was at home.
Static Lunges-
distance from toe to heel=27", knee to ground
beginning right foot front on all sets
Standing Hip Abductions- with new ankle weights that go up to 10# each in 1# increments
3x20x4#-- still not that hard. Right glute medius obviously weaker.
Reverse Hypers- off my piano bench
3x10xBW
3x10x(BW+2x4#)
Front Squats
inside foot edges 20 inches apart angled about 30-45 degrees
5x16x10#
On the lunges, I notice that the right back foot tends to sickle. Likely because of my short first metatarsal. These still are really more of a huge huge quad stretch for me. When I got to 2x15# I thought at one point my quad might rip- not really but it was I guess a huge eccentric load. I kept my knees abducted so hopefully I won't feel it in the groin tomorrow. I did begin to feel my lower glutes/upper hamstrings on the last couple of sets- on the front leg. I try to put my weight on the front heel.
I am giving up for now on any type of deadlifts other than the straight leg straight back ones. I can now reach the floor without rounding my upper back. I just feel there are too many degrees of freedom on the other type of deadlifts and I am still confused over how to split the angles between ankles, knees, hips and back. With straight legs it is easy- ankles and hips just go as far as they can and the back remains in a normal position. I tend to feel my lower back after the regular deadlifts but am fine after the straight leg deadlift.
I am trying squats again. I realize that a lot of what I feel wrt my knees on squats is the patellar tendon and fascia stretching. Maybe even the skin. I realize that I have not really been stretching my knees in this way since doing grand plies in ballet which is sadly almost 2 years ago now.
The personal training session was very instructive- a wider stance allows me to keep my back more upright and thinking about squeezing my glutes takes the load off my quads. They also did work my glute medius today- I could feel it.
I also focused on keeping my back up and low and behold, after doing the squats my shoulders were in their pulled back mode- just like after doing hangs. So I think this exercise will also be very good for my back. I am glad I have kept trying at this.
I am thinking one last week (to this Friday) of weight lifting and then take a week off- either with really small loads or off altogether.
oh ya, my back was great all weekend, including sitting at my desk. Felt nothing until after the front squats.
Bent over rows: 1x12x2x15#DB's, 3x12x2x20#DB's
Pullovers: 3x15x15#
One arm supported neutral stance BOW's: 3x12x20#
Stability ball passovers: 3x10
Hangs:
60 secs
55 secs
41 secs
34 secs
20 secs
My quads and hamstrings and glutes are pretty sore from yesterday but ok. Adductors are fine. It's the first time in over 2 years that my glutes have been sore and I am sure it was from the squats.
I was disappointed that 20# was enough on the BOW's today because last week 25# was shockingly easy. I am sure it was because I did the BOW's last week after doing the chest supported rows at really high load first so the bows felt easy in comparison. Today I started out with the bows with only 1 set of 15# to warmup. So I don't really know what to make of this. I wonder if I am wasting my time by doing just BOW's alone. Also, I am just plain confused over how high I should go- I could have gone higher but felt challenged as it was..
I found this inspirational video of a young woman doing levers amongst other things. She has an amazing move at 1:37 where she suspends herself with her doriflexors and does situps like that. Also a cool move at 1:52 where she is doing inverted rows in a tucked position!
here is a video of a step class that is similar to the type I do.
Used to love my hip hop step class. Although ^^^ I would probably get dizzy from, I can't do twirling without getting pukey (& not the good kind of pukey).
I always liked the pushing the knees out cue for my squats, makes me feel it more in de bunz.
minimaltechno wrote:
Used to love my hip hop step class. Although ^^^ I would probably get dizzy from, I can't do twirling without getting pukey (& not the good kind of pukey).
I always liked the pushing the knees out cue for my squats, makes me feel it more in de bunz.
Thanks for visiting MT :) I have never seen a hip hop step class but I have watched a house style class- I think that would be awesome. Well puky has to do with spotting... but I get disoriented sometimes when the teacher reverses the patterns front to back.
Yes, I was cueing my knees over my toes. I guess squatting has some things in common with ballet- that is ingrained in my brain to turn out from the hips to keep knees over toes.
My butt is still sore today.
I am thinking that front squats (not back squats) will be really great for ballet because in ballet jumping is all about squatting (sort of) while keeping the back erect. A forward back when "squatting" in ballet is regarded as - well, not good looking at all, ha ha.
I found the above picture from http://hnn.us/node/46062
Unesco picture of the year. Caption reads: "Boys hang from a bar for five minutes as part of a physical training exercise at the Gymnastics Hall of the Shanghai University of Sports. The photo was part of Nir Elias's series"Pain Threshold -- Sports Education in China."
Tuesday May 29
********************
yoga and shoulders and hangs
before yoga
shoulder warmpup:
about 3 minutes on the 45 degree back extension machine doing a variety of ywtl's.
Seated military press machine with palms facing front
10x25#
10x30#
10x35#
8x40#
6x45#
after yoga, I tried again;
10x25#-- for warmup
1x50#--- could not do it- barely even an inch.
then yoga then
a triple superset consisting of:
standing overhead dumbbell press palms front:
---3x8x2x15#DB's
misc low load standing cable rows (as a shoulder break):
---top down (leaning over pulldowns)
---bottom up (pilates reformer style shoulder raises and upper back ext.)
---kayak rows & single arm rows with flexible handle attachment
front shoulder raises L,R
---3x8x10#DB's
then
Oly 17kg bar overhead press
---3x8x37#
supersetted with
3x30sec hangs
I was braver on the military press today- surprised by how high I went. It must have been the warmup. So according to how to calculate the 1RM, my increment is 2.5# per rep so my 1RM should be 45+5x2.5 or 57.5#.
I did not need to bend my knees to get either the dumb bells or Oly bar up except for the last 2 reps I needed to rock onto my toes just a bit.
I find the Oly bar easier even though it is heavier- I had quite a hard time straightening my arms with the dumbbells but not so with the bar. In fact, with the bar, once it was up I could stay there and did stay because it felt so good.
I timed my hang counting today and I was counting so fast up until now, what I was saying was 60 seconds was really 30 seconds. So today I counted much more slowly on the hangs and got 30 seconds instead of 60 seconds. It was easier on my hand skin today. I really feel like my scapular depressers are getting stronger- I have much more power now to pull myself up by engaging these muscles.
Tip # 6 is "set your body"- ie set the scapula and the hips and neck prior to working out. I am really sold on this now. The author says stuff about C5 and C6 affecting the bicep. I have had some left bicep stuff for about 5 years. It eventually made me stop doing planks and going to power yoga but since I have been lifting weights it has hardly bothered me at all. And I think, after reading what this guy says, it is all the neck exercises I have been doing! I have not been doing the bridges but I have been flattening my head/neck against a wall about 10 times a day for about 3 months now- every time I am in or waiting for an elevator. It is like I have been doing mini neck bridges. So I think I am going to graduate to his type.
step followed by 3x30 secs hangs and 3x10 bent leg raises
I also did
3x60 sec plank
3x30 sec reverse plank
and something else, I forget what. The important thing about Wednesday was I woke up and my lower traps were stiff- so grateful for that- I felt them even before I got out of bed. I guess they were the lower traps. My shoulders were pulled back too. I am sure this was from the overhead presses. I feel so lucky to have tried these. I would never have tried overhead presses if not for the Oly lifting that is so popular here because I thought this exercise was for the shoulders. I had no idea it would be so effective for the back AND feel so good!
Thursday May 31
*********************
Nothing except worked at my desk, practically glued to it for 15 hours and ya, my back was tired and sore but my posture was great. My shoulders were also sore form Tuesday but nothing major.
ok- my last workout before taking a week off. I skipped yoga and spent over 2 hrs in the gym. I felt like today was sort of a final exam prior to holidays. The gym was also very busy- I had never been there on a Friday evening- I thought it would be empty but I actually never saw the weights area that crowded before.
So I wanted to break some records tonight and I did.
45 degree back extension machine: suspended for about 3 minutes doing YWTL's etc with 1.5# weights, really getting into it, warming up my back.
Lat Pulldown Machine: 20*50 + 10*80 + 4*8*100 + 4*20 second holds at 110#
with:
Calf raises 2*30*BW + 30*(BW+20) + 30*(BW+25)
So there it is. I feel these numbers are very respectable and I am proud of myself for achieving them.
I may start a new log in the over 35 section next week when I start up again. I am not really sure where I should post. I have learnt so much from TNation- one article on "Neanderthol No More" or "Deconstructing Computer Guy" is worth about 20 physiotherapy sessions- I know because I spent $2000 last year seeing those people. In the end, here I am, because I feel that this site is the best bet for me. Having said that, I am putting so much energy into this journal I would feel really choked to lose it and I feel sort of isolated here. I know I need to log online because lifting weights is really such a solitary activity, I need something, at least as a crutch until I get really into the groove with this.
I found this video. The camera is shakey and the interview is not very professional but this man, Paul Stone, 76, is amazing. Between 30 seconds and 1:30 he explains how he started bodybuilding at 66 and basically his muscles are what is holding up his spine.
I think because I go into a very slight extension in the thoracic spine- I can feel it and it feels great. (I keep my chin level). Also, my mid and lower traps are engaged. I have also read that pausing in the overhead position works the serratus anterior. I am not sure why I would want to work this muscle but I know it feels great to pause in that position. The straight arm hanging also seems to be helping more than rows- I think for the same reasons.
Ok I think I know where you are coming from, I think. I did some OHP vs rows (sans any weight of course), and yes with the pressing I can feel more of an activation rather than actually working the lats/scaps. Probably talking out of my ass but the using the upper back during pressing feels more, I don't know 'common use'?? Anyway I might try doing that with extra concentration on the back muscles engaging in a couple of weeks, with some light weight of course.
minimaltechno wrote:
Ok I think I know where you are coming from, I think. I did some OHP vs rows (sans any weight of course), and yes with the pressing I can feel more of an activation rather than actually working the lats/scaps. Probably talking out of my ass but the using the upper back during pressing feels more, I don't know 'common use'?? Anyway I might try doing that with extra concentration on the back muscles engaging in a couple of weeks, with some light weight of course.
ha, ya, like how often during the day am I pulling stuff around but I reach up all the time.
But I also just found out that you are supposed to shrug at the top of the press- at the lockout.
I do shrug at the top, but I also keep my lower traps engaged. I am not sure if that is the right way. Maybe I should let go of my lower traps and really reach up, shoulders to ears, but that does not feel right to me.
Well I took the week off and went back at it. I am still doing at least one back workout a week, sometimes 2. I am up to 110# on the lat pulldown and 105# on the chest supported vertical rows. 50# on the prone lever rows, doing dumbbell Pendlay rows too- they are oddly easier than the prone rows. I have read some stuff about "muscle tonus"- and am happy to read that it results more from pure strength than endurance loading. This is what I want in my back so it is looking like for both bones and posture, strength is the way to go.
I am still doing some barbell complexes. I really like them because as you said, I get all set up with it and don't need to move around switching machines etc. They really give me DOMS in the legs and butt too. I like squats with the Oly bar now too because I can see my legs in the mirror- I was really shocked I was not squatting down symmetrically! So I am now thinking that keeping an eye on symmetry when squatting will be really good for balancing my body.
I have also begun to work on my triceps. I was considering them to be just cosmetic at this point so was focusing more on strength but I think the triceps are more important than I ever knew. Plus they are an embarrassment for me lol, time to fix them.
I am still doing the leg & hip machines. I have started using the leg press but I'm not sure what to think of it yet.
Still loving step class.
I am not getting as many leg/hip workouts as I would like but I am really proud of the way I have stuck with my back routines. I feel I am in a bit of a groove with it all.
So now that I am more or less settled in with weight lifting, I really want to lose weight. I want to go back to at least 138, preferably back to 132. I just don't feel good about myself at this weight and none of my clothes fit.
But the more I read, it seems like bones and muscles respond the same way so I want to lose weight in a really smart way so as not to lose any more bone or this hard earned strength.
Here is a photo of Lu-Xiaojun- he is an Olympic Lifter. I am in awe over his back. This is another reason why I really want to continue with the barbell complexes.
So when are we (or actually you) going to start oly lifting? You can't be a tease and just leave me hanging with that. I actually looked over some of my old videos when I was starting out, and I can see a glaringly obvious technique error.
minimaltechno wrote:
So when are we (or actually you) going to start oly lifting? You can't be a tease and just leave me hanging with that. I actually looked over some of my old videos when I was starting out, and I can see a glaringly obvious technique error.
haha! Gee, I don't know what is wrong but I am not getting any email notification to subscribed threads, so sorry haven't been here.
ya, that picture is quite a tease, I think if I had a back like that, lol, nothing could stop me.
Well I actually did some overhead presses last night.
As for "real" Oly lifting, my gym does not have the real Oly plates- just regular gym plates that then get held onto the barbell with these spring-type fasteners etc. But it is still an Oly bar and I am still lifting it!
I am going to look at your journal now- I am not at home and my laptop battery is about to die, I hope I get there in time.
well I have been really busy and stopping lifting weights altogether, hahah- geesh, it didn't take much but it also has felt really good to get some mental distance from it- I didn't realize how much of my head space it was taking up. Though I do need to get started up again. I guess the last time I lifted weights was July 7th- oops, almost a month, wow time flies, it will be interesting to see how much, if any, strength I have lost.
