Nutrition, Diet, and Elite Fitness: Notes, Goals, and Resources....

[leggo PE]

What's your favorite flavor? I went to REI and tried to pick the one that most people bought. lol Unfortunately, they just restocked so it was hard to tell which flavor is the popular one.

It took some getting used to, but I think it added a boost without upsetting my stomach, so it's a keeper for now.

We tend to use the sport ones the most. My favorite is lemon/lime, but we also like all of the citrus ones and the tri-berry is good! I have tried a LOT of the flavors, ha!

 

[civilrobot PE etc etc]

We tend to use the sport ones the most. My favorite is lemon/lime, but we also like all of the citrus ones and the tri-berry is good! I have tried a LOT of the flavors, ha!

Ok, I'll try lemon/lime. I think I have the tri-berry flavor. I like the berry flavor of Gu gel, so I defaulted to that Nuun flavor.

 

[pbrme]

Ok, I'll try lemon/lime. I think I have the tri-berry flavor. I like the berry flavor of Gu gel, so I defaulted to that Nuun flavor.

If you haven't tried these, you're missing out. They're pretty darn tootin good.

 

[squaretaper LIT AF PE]

Ok, I'll try lemon/lime. I think I have the tri-berry flavor. I like the berry flavor of Gu gel, so I defaulted to that Nuun flavor.

Ooh, another Nuuner! I'm partial to the Cherry Limeade and/or the Fresh Lime (both with caffeine...mmm stimulants). I'm too boring to experiment with the others.

 

[civilrobot PE etc etc]

If you haven't tried these, you're missing out. They're pretty darn tootin good.
View attachment 23192

I am deathly afraid of attempting to chew something when I'm tired, or trying to run. lol I'm afraid of choking or biting my tongue. Don't ask me why. It's not like I'm out there breaking records or anything.

 

[pbrme]

I am deathly afraid of attempting to chew something when I'm tired, or trying to run. lol I'm afraid of choking or biting my tongue. Don't ask me why. It's not like I'm out there breaking records or anything.

Just stick it between your cheek and gums and down it slowly as it dissolves. I do that with the old crusty block packs the wife leaves half used.

 

[csb]

Just stick it between your cheek and gums and down it slowly as it dissolves. I do that with the old crusty block packs the wife leaves half used.

Same

 

[csb]

So for the last three weeks, we've done the same workout on Mondays:

20 minutes to find the day's 1RM for back squat

15 barbell hip thrusts, choose your weight
2x maximum hamstring curls
3x0:45 box step up, 1:00 rest, choose your weight, max steps

Then we do a bunch of other stuff the rest of the week. I feel like Tuesdays and Wednesdays have been testing your willingness to not throw up days, but whatever.

SO! My previous 1RM for back squat was 145lbs. Last week was 147.5 lbs and today was 150 lbs! Plus I've moved up in weight or reps each week on everything else.

Next week we start a new three weeks for Monday and our coach thought it might be heading into box squats next. We then do three weeks of something else lower body to finish it all out.

I have to admit I totally doubted the process along the way. Also, I'll admit that part of my issue with going past 145 was sheer panic on my part. I got comfortable asking for a spot and trying things. I also really focused on things like jumping and whatnot being really crucial to getting back out of that squat. It's like I'm piecing this all together finally!

Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk about trying to increase my gains.

 

[Ramnares P.E.]

So for the last three weeks, we've done the same workout on Mondays:

20 minutes to find the day's 1RM for back squat

15 barbell hip thrusts, choose your weight
2x maximum hamstring curls
3x0:45 box step up, 1:00 rest, choose your weight, max steps

Then we do a bunch of other stuff the rest of the week. I feel like Tuesdays and Wednesdays have been testing your willingness to not throw up days, but whatever.

SO! My previous 1RM for back squat was 145lbs. Last week was 147.5 lbs and today was 150 lbs! Plus I've moved up in weight or reps each week on everything else.

Next week we start a new three weeks for Monday and our coach thought it might be heading into box squats next. We then do three weeks of something else lower body to finish it all out.

I have to admit I totally doubted the process along the way. Also, I'll admit that part of my issue with going past 145 was sheer panic on my part. I got comfortable asking for a spot and trying things. I also really focused on things like jumping and whatnot being really crucial to getting back out of that squat. It's like I'm piecing this all together finally!

Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk about trying to increase my gains.

I've definitely failed on back squats before without a spotter and had the rack/backward roll save me. Thankfully it happened at like 5:15AM so the embarrassment was kept to a minimum.

 

[JayKay PE]

So for the last three weeks, we've done the same workout on Mondays:

20 minutes to find the day's 1RM for back squat

15 barbell hip thrusts, choose your weight
2x maximum hamstring curls
3x0:45 box step up, 1:00 rest, choose your weight, max steps

Then we do a bunch of other stuff the rest of the week. I feel like Tuesdays and Wednesdays have been testing your willingness to not throw up days, but whatever.

SO! My previous 1RM for back squat was 145lbs. Last week was 147.5 lbs and today was 150 lbs! Plus I've moved up in weight or reps each week on everything else.

Next week we start a new three weeks for Monday and our coach thought it might be heading into box squats next. We then do three weeks of something else lower body to finish it all out.

I have to admit I totally doubted the process along the way. Also, I'll admit that part of my issue with going past 145 was sheer panic on my part. I got comfortable asking for a spot and trying things. I also really focused on things like jumping and whatnot being really crucial to getting back out of that squat. It's like I'm piecing this all together finally!

Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk about trying to increase my gains.

Got to learn how to fail! We had a back squat to failure and before we put any significant weight on, we spent like 5 minutes just practicing what we do when we fail (since we have one of those big rogue racks that multiple people are using at once). I don't think I've done a back squat in forever! You're doing amazing! SO MUCH STRONGER THAN ME.

...I need to go to the gym soon.

 

[Supe]

Spotter arms/straps are your friend. Also, if a weight worries you out of the hole but you think you'd be OK at the top of the lift, don't be afraid to try some with reverse bands to build up the confidence at the bottom. If your squats are controlled on the way down (some people flop and try to bounce at the bottom to rely on that stretch reflex to move them up), you can usually tell before you even get to parallel whether or not you'll need to bail.

 

[civilrobot PE etc etc]

Ran 7 miles yesterday. My knee was great during my run. Got very stiff as the day went on. Started limping a few hours later... the IT band was not happy with me. I'm pretty tough, but I couldn't fathom the thought of moving around once I got settled with a pillow and ice pack.

Foam rolled the hell out of it before bed.

This morning, I did a 30 minute spin workout and a 20 minute hip and core focused weight workout. Foam rolled some more and stretched... if I massage it before getting up, it doesn't give out on me. I'll be solid by Wednesday.

 

[csb]

Spotter arms/straps are your friend. Also, if a weight worries you out of the hole but you think you'd be OK at the top of the lift, don't be afraid to try some with reverse bands to build up the confidence at the bottom. If your squats are controlled on the way down (some people flop and try to bounce at the bottom to rely on that stretch reflex to move them up), you can usually tell before you even get to parallel whether or not you'll need to bail.

Our gym bought spotter arms recently, but our coach started off today with "If you need a spot, I'm here." I think it helps me because it means she's also right there yelling, "UP!" in my ear.

Definitely I want to work on a thing I saw on the Burgener Strength insta where the bar is racked to the bottom of the squat and you just work getting up. I'm very controlled getting down, but something I have to try really hard not to do is I naturally pause down low. There's no time on a heavy weight to just hang out and then try to stand up. I got to hit it and stand up. I think if I tried to bounce I might blow out my knees.

 

[csb]

Got to learn how to fail! We had a back squat to failure and before we put any significant weight on, we spent like 5 minutes just practicing what we do when we fail (since we have one of those big rogue racks that multiple people are using at once). I don't think I've done a back squat in forever! You're doing amazing! SO MUCH STRONGER THAN ME.

...I need to go to the gym soon.

We go over bail techniques every time, but my brain is terrified of failure and that takes over pretty quickly.

 

[Tiger15]

Agree with what @JayKay PE and others said, you have to know how to fail. If your gym does teach you then go to youtube and search for how to fail xxx exercise.

Nothing wrong with bouncing at the bottom per se. It's actually absolutely necessary for competitive Olympic lifters during heavy clean and jerks. If they didn't bounce they wouldn't be able to get the weight up from the bottom of the squat clean. Example video below. But you are losing some opportunity to build strength at the bottom by bouncing. I'm an advocate of constant variation. You should train every version of every exercise (standard, bounce, pause, tempo, etc). Every variation bring a different value.

 

[Supe]

There's a big difference between bouncing a back squat and utilizing stretch reflex at the bottom. If you're bouncing in the context I hear it used, it usually implies that you are not bracing on the way down (i.e. "the broken elevator") and maintaining proper back alignment, which is why you see people lurch forward and turn the squat into an ugly good morning. This is why if you get down in an ass to grass squat stance and relax, your butt will sink a bit deeper and your lower back will round over, but if you properly brace your trunk, your hips and butt will raise up a few inches. The stretch reflex can certainly help get that little bit extra, but not at the expense of proper bracing on the way down for a back squat, which is not a catching exercise.

Definitely I want to work on a thing I saw on the Burgener Strength insta where the bar is racked to the bottom of the squat and you just work getting up.

Concentric squats can certainly help build strength (I like concentric good mornings, too), but I'm not sure they will help the timing/pause issue. You may want to consider adding some box squats with the box right at parallel. Don't go to a full seated position, but rather a "touch and go" as your cue to immediately shoot up once the cheeks make contact. That also involves less screaming "UP!"

 

[csb]

I feel like I maybe used confusing language. When I was talking about jumping, I meant on other days where we do jumps, I'm realizing that's the same explosiveness as getting back up out of the squat. Also, I know HOW to fail and HAVE failed but it doesn't mean I LIKE to fail.

We think the next three weeks is box squats. I said I'm going to bring in a buzzer from a board game so I know it's time to stand up.

I really do struggle with the fact that I think I've done so many pause squats that I don't just do a fluid movement. I work with banded squats to work on speed a bit, but I should do more.