NEW PR!!!

I have to thank Frank for making me go downstairs and work out tonight. I didn't want to, but he gave me "the look" and that's all I needed. It was front squat night and I got a PR of 135lb!!! How on earth I've managed to go up in my front squat, but down in everything else, I don't know. But I'm not arguing about it. We also used tonight as sort of a learning night. Frank's not used to doing front squats and it's been months since I've done them, so we watched some videos and put it to practice. We did the same thing for the SLDL. I'll link to some videos further down. Here's tonight's work:

FRONT SQUATS:

65lb x8

75lb x5

85lb x3

105lb x1

125lb x1

135lb x1

SLDL:

(135lb x6) 2x

ACCESSORIES:

Donkey Kicks / Fire Hydrants:

(10lb x10 / x10) each leg

[10lb (x1 / x5 pulse) 5x / x10] ea leg

••••••••••

Again, these aren't mammoth training sessions but I sure do end up feeling them the next day. We actually missed an entire week of training because of Thanksgiving so it was definitely needed to get back at it today. Happy that we did and as always, we never regret actually getting a session done. I'm also pleased with my PR. it's been quite some time since I hit one. 

Here are the links to the two videos that we used tonight:

How to Perform FRONT SQUATS - Killer Quads Exercise Tutorial - YouTube

Lift With Your BACK : How To Stiff Leg Deadlift - YouTube

No Snappy Title

The program had benching with chains tonight. I was excited because I finally got some old chains to use. Then I got unexcited when I realized it was 2 massive lengths and I couldn't use them. They'll get cut into proper lengths this weekend but in the meantime, I needed to switch things up. So we did max DB bench. I don't have a huge selection of dumb bells, but we made do. Here's what got done:

DB BENCH:

15lb x8

25lb x5

30lb x3

45lb x1

50lb x2

60lb FAIL

45lb x3

O.H. PRESS / PENDLAY ROWS:

(bar x12 / bar x12) 5x

RENEGADE ROWS:

(15lb x10) 3x

DIAMOND PUSHUPS:

(x6) 2x

H.K.R.

(x10) 2x

••••••••••

The diamond pushups are still a work in progress. I watched some technique videos again and tweaked my form. They're still not deep enough, but if I keep at them, they'll get there.

I'm not sure why I did 2 of the 50lb presses, I was only supposed to do 1. I tried the DB benches with the 60lb, but I couldn't get them on my legs to get them in position. I think if they were the flat-bottomed style, I could've done it, but they're the old-school kind that have a screw-on nut to hold the plates on them. It makes them super uncomfortable to rest on your thighs and then kick them up. Oh well. I'm not far off and at least I got 2 of the 50lb! 

All in all, a good night. I know tomorrow is lower body, but I'm not sure exactly what, so I'll have to have just general pre-leg day anxiety 😂.

No Skipping

I said I wouldn't skip today and I didn't. You know, I go by what this conjugate program has for leg day, but it never seems like it's enough. I hope I'm doing it correctly. I actually round up on the weights because sometimes, even though I know they're a percentage of my max, they just seem too light. Anyhow, all that being said, here's what got done:

SQUATS:

(135lb x2 ) 8x

DEADS:

(155lb x2) 4x

ACCESSORIES:

MINI BALL HAMSTRING CURLS:

(x12) 2x

DONKEY KICK / FIRE HYDRANT:

(10lb DB x10 ea leg / x10 ea leg)

••••••••••

I just don't feel like that's enough, but I'm trying to trust the program. I know my hips and hams are very weak, so while these accessories seem like fluff, they actually hit me pretty good. At least I think they do. Look, I may be fooling myself slightly on what I can and cannot do with my lower body. I'm very nervous about stressing my SI joint and horrified with what my knees sound like lately. So, I may be underestimating what I'm capable of doing and I may not be pushing enough. I'm working on that.

With Anger In My Heart

There was something hanging over today. I knew pretty early on that it was going to be an "obstacle" day. Things were going wrong, and work was aggravating and I was not in a good spot mentally. I knew I couldn't skip today because I skipped yesterday. I talked myself out of leg day (which I regret), but now we're officially back onto the proper schedule. Tonight was dynamic bench and it needed to be done but I did it with anger in my heart. I usually don't subscribe to the whole "fueled by anger" thing because it never seems to lead me to fruitful things. Anger tends to make me less focused and less efficient. Tonight, however, the anger that was inside me was a slow-burning fire that kept me chugging and grinding through. Here's what got done:

WARMUP:

65lb bench, 4 second eccentric x10

BENCH:

(105lb x3) 8x

SEATED OVERHEAD:

55lb x5

60lb x5

65lb x5

BAND FACE PULLS:

(Purple band x12) 3x

(Green band x12) 2x

DIAMOND PUSH UPS:

(x6) 5x     Diamond Push Ups For Beginners | Proper Form & Progression - YouTube

CUBAN PRESSES:

(10lb x6) 5x

•••••••••

The diamond pushups were nowhere near deep enough, but it was the first time I've ever done them and they sucked! I guess I was doing them right, but they certainly felt weird. The cuban presses are deliciously evil. 10lbs sounds light, but at the end, when your arms are already exhausted, they will finish you off good and quick. 

So, while I can't say the working out made everything miraculously better, it did allow me the chance to release some frustration. Tomorrow is dynamic leg day, and NO, I WILL NOT SKIP IT.

Up In Arms

We've gotten a little off schedule. We're a day behind. So upper body got pushed to today with close grip max bench being the programed lift. Everything felt good, no complaints, not much to say. Here's what got done:

WARM UPS:

55lb 1.5 reps x10

CLOSE GRIP BENCH:

65lb x8

80lb x5

95lb x3

115lb x1

125lb x1

105lb x3

SEATED OVERHEAD:

(45lb rear x6 / front x6) 5x

BARBELL ROWS:

(55lb x10) 5x

BENCH DIPS:

10x5

••••••••••

As with all my other max lifts, this one is 10lbs off of what I previously was able to lift. I'm not too bothered by it, those 10lbs will come back in no time. Tonight was pretty straightforward. I don't do too many barbell because I don't particularly care for them, which means I probably need to do more of them. I did light weight, but after doing them tonight and watching some more videos on them, I'd really like to get stronger in them. Here's a video from one of my favorite channels, Alan Thrall of Untamed Strength.  How To Barbell Row - YouTube

We've already had dinner. Now it's time for resting and getting ready for legs tomorrow. 

Legs. Need I say More?

     'Twas leg night tonight. I didn't want to do it. That old anxiousness crept back in and I tried to give myself every excuse not to do it. But I went downstairs and figured I'd at least attempt it. I started with the squats and wasn't feeling it at all, but I kept pushing. I'm glad I did because it was a good session. Frank did excellent and has made some simply awesome improvements. Losing that weight has made a world of difference in how he's able to move. As always, he makes me proud. Even I've seen some personal improvements. The split squats were less of a struggle than they have been in the recent past and that alone made me happy. Here's what got done tonight:

BACK SQUATS:

(115lb x2) 10x

DEADLIFTS:

(135lb x2) 5x

SPLIT SQUATS:

(30lb total x10 ea leg) 3x

FINISHER:

(squat / lunge pulse ea leg) 10x. Here's a video to show you how to do  it. In this video, she does a squat pulse, we just did a paused squat. Lunge Pulse + Squat Pulse - YouTube

••••••••••

We're already feeling it so I'm sure the next couple of days are going to be grrrrreeeeeaaat. We'll be feeling these legs for days.

Welp, the steaks are almost done, so I'm going to fuel up and rest.

Pose Like A Warrior

I skipped yesterday's training. Instead of just doing today's normal lower body session, I decided to do upper body today and we'll hit the lower body tomorrow. Then back to our normal Sunday rest day. I also added in some bodyweight movements at the end of the session as mobility / accessory work. 

Here's what we got done:

BENCH:

(95lb x3) 12x

SEATED DB PRESS:

(25lb x5) 3x

MACHINE CHEST PULLS:

60lb x12

(80lb x10) 4x

MACHINE CHEST FLYS:

20lb x12

(30lb x10) 4x

DB CURLS:

15lb hammer curls x12

15lb standard curls x12

15lb gladiator curls x12

15lb zottman curls x12

15lb reverse curls x12

BODY WEIGHT FINISHERS:

Downward dog toe tap/pushups x10 Push Up - Down Dog - Toe Touch - YouTube

Side lunge toe taps x10 (each side) Lateral Lunge + Toe Touch - YouTube

Warrior III crunches x10 each side I can't find a video of exactly what we did, but here's a video that will give you a good idea. It's basically a Warrior III yoga pose, arms outstretched, leg out behind you, and then bring arms and leg in to touch. How to do Warrior III | Virabhadrasana III Tutorial with Briohny Smyth - YouTube

Warrior III toe taps x10 each side. I couldn't find a video for this one either. But again, it's a warrior III pose, but you tap your toe on the ground, and raise your leg. 

••••••••••

I will tell you that those finishers sound so simple. I suppose they are simple but simple doesn't translate to easy. At least for us anyhow. I like them and I have more of them that I'll be adding in either to the end or the beginning to warm up. The side lunge with toe tap really should be a warmup so I'll be adding that to the beginning of leg day.

And now....I eat.