Nutrition, Diet, and Exercise: Notes, Goals, and Resources (these people just keep talking about crossfit)

[JayKay PE]

Did Friday and Saturday workout (yay) and planning on not missing and MWFSat workouts until the end of the month, because I paid for them!  

Friday was Zercher squats, which I'd never done before.  Got to around 10kg each side (so total of 35kg lift, I think)?  I believe I could have gone heavier, but it was also my first time doing the movement, so I wanted to err on the side of caution.  My inner elbow did hurt a bunch right after, but I think that's just because of how this squat is.

Saturday was more bench press, but we were doing not normal reps.  I know there is a specific term for how we did the reps, but it was 2.2.2 x 4 instead of 6x4 for the reps.  I usually tap out at 20lbs per side for the bench press, but I was able to get up to 27.5lbs on each side.  Granted, I almost thought I was going to die, and needed the coaches help, but afterwards he said he wasn't really 'lifting' anything (he 'helped' by using three fingers to guide it up, but it did make me feel better about getting a higher weight).  We also did a bunch of pull ups/dips, but I used the TRX and did modified versions and wanted to die.  The guys, on the other hands, were adding chains around their neck to increase weight.  

Also my new goal, or an additional goal for next year, is to learn how to lift up the 100lb heavy ball.  I can pop the 60lb up super easy but something about the 100lb kills me.  It's like I have to ultra deep squat to get it and I just can't pop it the final way up.  It prob doesn't help that I always attempt this after we've finished the work out and I'm dead inside.  

 

[JayKay PE]

*cries all alone in the thread because everyone else triggered chatt*

Last night was front squat!  I'm slowly starting to like the movement, not that I've done it more than twice and I've figured out where to put my hands.  Didn't match weights with the other girl, but I did get to around 45kg total weight front squat.  Again, slow and steady.  I did want to die on the goblet squat work we were doing.  Not sure, but I think I was just doing them too fast, which was unnecessary. 

A new trainer started last night, and he has a B-name too.  Bryce.  Blake.  Bruce.  Whhhhyyyyyy?  I am hoping that a new trainer does potentially mean Tuesday/Thursday evening classes soon?

 

[Road Guy]

I hated the front squat when we first were introdcued to them, but now I dig them - on a heavy one a few weeks ago I was able to learn the importance of elbows up, as the weight slowly, then quickly rolled down my arms and too the floor

Hope they do add some extra spots for you 

general gym related : we changed gyms and the programming is just a tad different, im either going too heavy or too light on stuff, be glad when I can get it dialed back in...

 

[csb]

I like front squat because it feels like an easier bail than then barbell crushing me from behind. I also gotta squeze cheeks and engage that core and all that jazz to make it happen, so it's a good movement. I don't think I'll go much above the 105-lbs I'm doing now. 

 

[JayKay PE]

much above the 105-lbs I'm doing now. 

we're front squat weight buddies

*squeals in joy of being like csb in any way shape or form*

 

[csb]

We can share a spot on the rig! We won't even have to pretend like maybe we want to put a couple of 5s on just to see. We'll get to that in a a few months. Maybe. 

 

[Tiger15]

My front rack form is bad. I was actually working on that a lot pre quarantine. A lot of lat stretching and wrist flexibility. I often start in a front rack and then have to switch to the cheaty crossed arms because my wrists are killing me.

 

[csb]

My front rack form is bad. I was actually working on that a lot pre quarantine. A lot of lat stretching and wrist flexibility. I often start in a front rack and then have to switch to the cheaty crossed arms because my wrists are killing me.

Wait, what? Like you cross your arms in front of you? 

I have to do a lot of PVC warm-up and then I tend to roll my triceps on the bar before I really get into it. 

 

[Tiger15]

Wait, what? Like you cross your arms in front of you? 

I have to do a lot of PVC warm-up and then I tend to roll my triceps on the bar before I really get into it. 

yeah. I don't have the flexibility to keep good front rack form. (I'm working on it.) After a few minutes it gets painful, so I often switch to this... (image swiped from google search below)

Gotta put your thumbs under the bar to keep it from rolling forward.

From what I understand, it's an acceptable variation. But using this position is often seen as "giving up" at getting a proper front rack. The trainer usually shakes his head at me, but he also knows that I'm working on it.

 

[Tiger15]

I thought it was wrist flexibility at first and was working on that. But then the trainer assessed me and he thinks it's lat flexibility preventing me from getting my elbows up. So my wrists end up bending further and hurting.

 

[Supe]

Not everyone is built to be able to front rack with high elbows.  My forearms are two inches longer than my humerus.  Even if I could bend my wrists 90 degrees (which I can't), my hands would have to be a full 5 inches out on either side of my shoulder to get the bar to the top of my chest, and that's with elbows up MAYBE 30 degrees.  If I were to "front rack" with my elbows nearing 90 degrees, the bar would be about an inch away from the BACK of my neck.

 

[JayKay PE]

If I try and do my front rack the "right" way, with my hands right at my shoulders, I def can't get under and my wrists hurt.  The last trainer we did a front rack round was like "Your hands shouldn't be holding the rack in place.  Your position should, and it should be resting on your shoulders/clavicle area."  I now space my hands out more on the bar when I front rack (I think to the first line vs. where the grip just starts) and I also allow my pinky/ring fingers sometime to get in front of the bar so I can keep a better squat form vs. curling forward/rounding my back to keep my hands firmly on the bar.  

I'm not competing.  Just adding weight.

 

[csb]

Who has a 90-lb push press? This kid. 

 

[Road Guy]

cool beans!

 

[JayKay PE]

Yay!  We did push presses last night!  A very weird rep set (8, 8, 6, 4, 4, 2, 2) every 2 min.  Accidentally did a strict press halfway through my set of 6 for bar + 35lbs and thoroughly confused myself.  Was chasing Lindsey the whole time (we had to share a rack and I was getting frustrated I had to keep rearranging the weights.  Finally got to 95lbs push press!  The weight management was horrible (we had 3x10lb on each side with mini weights).  I think this is a PR, but I'm super happy I was able to hit it for the 2 rep.  Def think I could have done a couple more...but then we had to do rowing.

The third 'round' of exercises have slowly been taking longer/them giving us more time.  We're all confused.  This round was 6 rows each side, 6 split lunges each side, and 10 pushups.  I am sooooooo bad at pushups, but I like the modification one of the trainers told me to do.  It's like a negative/resistance pushup? Like I lower myself in regular pushup position for around 3-seconds, maintaining form to the floor, and then when I 'push' myself back up I'm allowed to be on my knees/go normal speed.  I def feel it since we did 4 rounds.  Working towards those 2021 goals!!!

 

[csb]

Yay!  We did push presses last night!  A very weird rep set (8, 8, 6, 4, 4, 2, 2) every 2 min.  Accidentally did a strict press halfway through my set of 6 for bar + 35lbs and thoroughly confused myself.  Was chasing Lindsey the whole time (we had to share a rack and I was getting frustrated I had to keep rearranging the weights.  Finally got to 95lbs push press!  The weight management was horrible (we had 3x10lb on each side with mini weights).  I think this is a PR, but I'm super happy I was able to hit it for the 2 rep.  Def think I could have done a couple more...but then we had to do rowing.

The third 'round' of exercises have slowly been taking longer/them giving us more time.  We're all confused.  This round was 6 rows each side, 6 split lunges each side, and 10 pushups.  I am sooooooo bad at pushups, but I like the modification one of the trainers told me to do.  It's like a negative/resistance pushup? Like I lower myself in regular pushup position for around 3-seconds, maintaining form to the floor, and then when I 'push' myself back up I'm allowed to be on my knees/go normal speed.  I def feel it since we did 4 rounds.  Working towards those 2021 goals!!!

NICE!

(psst- we're talking about lifting in our very secret XF thread)

 

[JayKay PE]

NICE!

(psst- we're talking about lifting in our very secret XF thread)

But am I allowed to be in the super secret thread since I’m not a XF’er?

Tonight was super fun! Finally got to deadlift after a while (normal deadlift not sumo). Reps were 3x6 for warmup followed by 4x3 then 2x2.  I deadlifted bar (15kg) + 60kg + 40lb for the last set of 3 and the sets of 2s. So close to 100kg lift! Want to try and get it by the end of the year. 40lb = around 18kg. A total lift of around 93kg. Only 7kg more!!! The trainer for the group said I could prob hit 100kg by the end of the year if I keep at it. It’s all about making sure my grip stays tight and lifting with the legs!

 

[JayKay PE]

*continues to use thread as a jaykay journal of exercise*

Saturday was bench press!  It was super quick rounds (1 min/round) and I was sharing a rack with someone, so I felt like I had no down time because we were swapping weights around.  Got to 32.5lb on each side, so with the bar I got to 98lb!  I'm hoping I can keep working and get more consistent lifts (that's one of my 2021 goals: to actually record the workouts for the fitness class and my lift weights so I know where to 'start').

 

[Orchid PE]

I just remembered summer sausage would be something good to bring for lunch, too. 

I just cleared a spot in the garage to setup the squat rack. So assuming everything goes ok with the storm I'll run up to the storage unit and pickup my equipment to start working out again. 

 

[csb]

But am I allowed to be in the super secret thread since I’m not a XF’er?

Tonight was super fun! Finally got to deadlift after a while (normal deadlift not sumo). Reps were 3x6 for warmup followed by 4x3 then 2x2.  I deadlifted bar (15kg) + 60kg + 40lb for the last set of 3 and the sets of 2s. So close to 100kg lift! Want to try and get it by the end of the year. 40lb = around 18kg. A total lift of around 93kg. Only 7kg more!!! The trainer for the group said I could prob hit 100kg by the end of the year if I keep at it. It’s all about making sure my grip stays tight and lifting with the legs!

You lift heavy things like a lot a lot. You can totally come over.