A week off and still in pain

I took last week off and even got a massage on Thursday.  The massage helped my muscles relax, but the hip issue is still there. It was feeling a bit better, so I tried lifting again.  No go.  I got through my foam rolling and mobility work, but the front squats did me in.  I did manage a big PR (105#), but after that my hip was screaming and I called the workout off.  Ouch.

I did some internet self-diagnosing and my guess is my sacroiliac joint is out of whack.  I made an appointment with my doctor.  I'm hoping for a referral to a physical therapist.

End of Phase 3

My hip was still feeling a little tweaky today, but since it was a upper-body day, I decided to lift anyway.  No problems!

Thanks to the decreased rep volume, I was able to increase some weights.  Maybe I wasn't supposed to do that, but I did.

Show and Go, Phase 3, Week 4
~0:50
Foam rolling and mobility work
Close-grip DB bench press - 3x6 @35# ea
1-arm DB rows - 3x8/side @50#
DB pullovers - 2x8 @30#
DB Cuban press - 12 @10#ea, 12 @15#ea
1-leg supine bridges - 2x8/side
Wall lat stretch w/stabilization - 2x20s/side
Kneeling heel to butt stretch - 2x30s/side

Taking it easy on the DLs

The plan today called for "easy" deadlifts.  Considering my hip/lower back on the right side is a little sore right now, I decided that was a good idea anyway.  I wouldn't have been able to set any records, so why try when I'm not feeling 100%?

Since it was a lower-body day, I threw in some chin-ups and pull-ups between sets.

I guess it's about time to start peeking at Phase 4!  One more month and I'll be looking for the next program.  I don't know if I've mentioned it, but I've thought about doing a strength program (like Starting Strength) mixed with Turbulence Training for a while.  I don't know if those fit well together.  I'll have to see.  Then I might repeat Show and Go, since I like it so much!

Show and Go, Phase 3, Week 4

1:05
Foam rolling and mobility
Conventional deadlifts (not elevated) - (warm-up 3 @135#) 2x3 @170#, 3 @155#
Side lying internal-external rotation - 2x8/side
DB Bulgarian split squats from deficit - 2x8/side @10#ea
Doorway slides - 2x10
Tall kneeling cable lift - 2x10 @25#
Leg raise thingies (subbed for natural glute ham raise) - 2x6
Adductor stretch and calf stretch - 2x30s/side

Yay for pull-ups!

After the encouragement I received from friends on my chin-up and pull-ups this past weekend, I decided to try to attempt them as much as possible when called for.  So, for this workout, I did the first rep as called for before continuing the set with cable pull-downs.  Wow!  Actual pull-ups are amazingly satisfying!  Of course, I've had my sights on them for so long, they make me a little giddy :)


Show and Go, Phase 3, Week 4
1:09
Foam rolling and mobility work
Close-Grip floor press - (warm up 3 @45#) 3 @85#, 3 @90#, 3 @95#, 2 @100# (failed 3rd rep... thank you safeties!)
Neutral grip pull-ups with Lynx grips - 4 sets of (1x neutral-grip pull-up plus 2x neutral-grip cable pull-downs @115#)
1-arm cable rotational row - 3x8/side @45#
1-arm DB bench press - 2x8/side @36.25# (hard!!)
Stir the pot -2x 6/direction on toes
Cable external rotation at 90 degrees - scapular plane - 10/side @2.5#, 10/side @5#
Elbow flexors stretch - 2x30/side
Stability ball adductor stretch on wall - 2x30s

Need to set new goals!

This weekend, I met with several other gals who enjoy weightlifting.  It was a blast.  I don't know if it was the peer pressure or what, but I mostly made two of my goals for the year.  I wanted to be able to complete multiple chin-ups and one pull-up from a dead hang.  I did two chin-ups (mostly) and one pull-up (mostly).  I say mostly because I would like to get a tad more height on them before I call them done.  But, I never thought I could even get that close this early!  I might even make the height I want by the end of the month.  Wow!

This morning, I got my lift in that was scheduled for yesterday.  I realized that, for the last couple weeks, I had performed the wrong number of sets for the barbell lunges.  Oh, well.  I did the correct number of sets this time, which is the same number of sets that I did the other weeks.  It amazes me that I could get it wrong three times in a row!

Show and Go, Phase 3, Week 4
~1:13
Foam rolling and mobility
Barbell OH squat - (warm-up 3 @BW, 3 @10#), 6 @20#, 2x6 @25# (using the junior bar instead of the broomstick... not wide enough!)
Quadruped chin tucks - 3x5
Barbell forward lunge - (warm-up 3/side @BW, 3/side @45#, 3/side @65#) 3x6/side @80#
Reach, roll, & lift - 3x6/side
1-arm, 1-leg DB RDLs - 2x8/side @45#
Cable woodchops - mostly chest height - 2x8/side @40#
Corner pec minor stretch - 2x30s
Seated 90/90 strech - 2x30s/side

Update:  I actually found the goals I had stated back in December.  I think there is still plenty of work left to do on my other goals, so I'll just focus on those rather than make new ones!

200 Again!!!

Wel, I finally did it. I got my conventional deadlifts to 200#, as I did for my sumo deadlifts. I was surprised that there was such a difference between the two. I wonder if some of it is my weak left glute. It seems that I feel my glutes more with conventional deadlifts, so maybe that was hindering me a little... or maybe it was just the thought of it! The first time I got set to pull, I didn't make it off the ground. I told myself it was all in my mind then set up again and the bar went up! Very mental. That was the highlight of the day! Oh, except, I'm down another pound! Yesterday, I was down 2, but today is weight in day.

Show and Go, Phase 3, Week 3

1:26
Foam rolling and mobility
Conventional deadlifts (not elevated) - (warm-up 3@135#, 3@155#, 3@170#) 3@175#, 3@185#, 3@195#, 3@200# (PR!), 2x3@185#
Side lying internal-external rotation - 3x8/side
DB Bulgarian split squats from deficit - 8/side@8#, 2x8/side@10#ea
Doorway slides - 2x10
Tall kneeling cable lift - 10@25#, 10@30#
Leg raise thingies (subbed for natural glute ham raise) - 2x6
Adductor stretch and calf stretch - 2x30s/side

Upper body day

Not a whole lot to say today.  Not a whole lot of progress on weights.  I even stepped back the cable external rotations to see if my form would change.  It didn't much.  I went from doing the stir the pots on knees to on my toes.  That was a nicer difficulty.  They were too easy before. I need more air in my ball, though.  I've needed that for a while!  Technically the floor presses should have had some of the sets be warm-ups.  But, I was searching for the right weight and didn't want it to drag on forever.  Now that I added up the pounds, I realize I made it a lot heavier than I had thought at the time!


Show and Go, Phase 3, Week 3
1:07
Foam rolling and mobility work
Close-Grip floor press - (warm up 3 @45#) 3 @65#, 3 @75#, 3 @80#, 3 @85#, 3 @90#, 3 @95#
Neutral grip pull-downs with Lynx grips - 6x3 @115#
1-arm cable rotational row - 3x8/side @40#
1-arm DB bench press - 2x8/side @35#
Stir the pot -2x 6/direction on toes
Cable external rotation at 90 degrees - scapular plane - 10/side @5#, 10/side @2.5#
Elbow flexors stretch - 2x30/side
Stability ball adductor stretch on wall - 2x30s

Still no Oly bar overhead

Overhead squats were on the menu today.  I went up  5 pounds, but could make the 45# Oly bar.  I could get the bar up, no problem.  But, I was too wobbly to actually squat.  I've heard people swoon over the difficulty of overhead squats and I know why.  It's so much more than pure strength, it's also stability.  In a big way.

I think I need to add a warm-up set for the barbell lunges.  I felt like my body wasn't ready for the movement and it wanted to know how to move before loading 75# on my back! 

Show and Go, Phase 3, Week 3
1:15
Foam rolling and mobility
Barbell OH squat - (warm-up 6 @BW, 6 @20#), 6 @25#, 6 @30#, 6 @35# (tried 40# for 1 rep)
Quadruped chin tucks - 3x5
Barbell forward lunge - 6/side @75#, 2x6/side @80# (Maybe need a warm-up set?)
Reach, roll, & lift - 3x6/side
1-arm, 1-leg DB RDLs - 3x8/side @45#
Cable woodchops - mostly chest height - 2x8/side @40#
Corner pec minor stretch - 2x30s
Seated 90/90 strech - 2x30s/side

The DB plate switcheroo

Yesterday turning into mostly a day of rest since I had gotten to bed so late the night before.  Also, I felt like I needed one.  In the evening, hubby and I played with my parents' new xBox360 Kinect.  We actually did get our heart rate up for a while.  So, at least I wasn't totally sedentary :)

This morning was the next Phase 3 Show and Go workout.  Wonderful as usuall.  This is the workout with all the dumbbells, and since my standard dumbbells only go up to 25# and some of the exercises require more than that, I had to move the plates around a lot on my plate-loaded dumbbells.  It worked, though.  It made a built-in rest period that I might not have done otherwise.  I managed to arrange the plates for the close-grip DB bench press so that the DBs wouldn't slip and squish my fingers.  Much nicer.

It is soooo obvious from the supine bridges that I need to work on my left glute activation.  Ugggh.

Show and Go, Phase 3, Week 2

1:10
Foam rolling and mobility work
Clap push-ups - 4x4
Close-grip DB bench press - 5x8 @32.5# ea
1-arm DB rows - 4x8/side @40#, 8/side @42.5#
DB pullovers - 2x8 @25#, 8 @27.5#
DB Cuban press - 3x12 @10#ea
1-leg supine bridges - 2x8/side
Wall lat streth w/stabilization - 2x20s/side
Kneeling heel to butt stretch - 2x30s/side

A little DL progress

I realized after last week that I didn't try a mixed grip on when I had issues with a slipping grip effecting lockout.  This time, I remembered and had a much easier time of it.  Still, although I added another 5 pounds onto my conventional DL, I'm not up to sumo DL weight.  What I pulled today was pretty close to my max, I think.  There wasn't much left.  I hope my back doesn't get too sore.  I felt like a couple times, I let my lower back get lax.  I corrected that for the heavier lifts, though.  After my PR, I dropped back 20 pounds for the last two sets.  It's amazing how much easier that felt!

Show and Go, Phase 3, Week 2

1:23
Foam rolling and mobility
Conventional deadlifts (not elevated) - (warm-up 3@135#) 3@155#, 3@175, 2x3@180#, 3@185#, 3@190# (PR!), 2x3@170#
Side lying internal-external rotation - 4x8/side
DB Bulgarian split squats from deficit - 8/side@5#, 8/side@8#ea, 8/side@10#ea
Doorway slides - 2x10
Tall kneeling cable lift - 2x10@25#
Leg raise thingies (subbed for natural glute ham raise) - 2x6
Adductor stretch and calf stretch - 2x30s/side

Yoga and lifting

Yesterday I did a program I bought from YogaDownload.com called Gentle Hatha Yoga #2, the 60 minute version.  It was great. It is audio with a slide show for the poses.  I think I like that better than the pure video kind.  I don't like to have to look at the screen much.  With this, I can just glance at the picture when I'm unsure.  Now, if I can make sure I start early enough next so that the elephants aren't running around during srivasana....

Today was another Show and Go workout.  I am soooo loving this program.  I've been doing the foam rolling and mobility work to warm up and I think I finally understand the importance of this.  My prior programs had warm-ups, but nothing this effective.

No big weight increases today, but overall volume did increase.  Felt good!

Show and Go, Phase 3, Week 2
1:15
Foam rolling and mobility work
Push press - 3x3@75#, 2x3@80#, 3x3@85#
Neutral grip pull-downs with Lynx grips - 2x3@110#, 3@112.5#, 5x3@115#
1-arm cable rotational row - 3x8/side@40#
1-arm DB bench press - 2x8/side@35#
Stir the pot -2x 6/direction
Cable external rotation at 90 degrees - scapular plane - 2x10/side@5#
Elbow flexors stretch - 2x30/side
Stability ball adductor stretch on wall - 2x30s

Figured out the overhead squats

I feel pretty silly.  I had read the tempo for the OH squats (30x0) as 30s down.  I knew it sounded odd, but couldn't figure it out otherwise.  Of course, it's really 3s down, no pause, explosive up, no pause before next rep.  Duh!!  That's what I did this morning.  This time I used a wooden broomstick.  It is better than the wimpy hollow metal one, but I still don't trust it a lot.  I'll be glad when I'm up to 45# so I can use the Oly bar!

I hit the limit of my dumbbell handles today.  45# is all they can do without making changes.  I'm thinking of hanging weights on them or trying the Oly weights on them.  Not sure how that will work.

I pulled something in my right adductor during the lunges.  I rolled it and it's feeling a bit better.  I'm sure it will be gone soon.

Show and Go, Phase 3, Week 2

1:15
Foam rolling and mobility
Barbell OH squat - (warm-up 6@BW) 6@20#, 6@25#, 6@30#
Quadruped chin tucks - 3x5
Barbell forward lunge - 6/side@70#, 6/side@75#, 6/side@80#
Reach, roll, & lift - 3x6/side
1-arm, 1-leg DB RDLs - 8/side@42.5#, 2x8/side@45#
Cable woodchops - chest height - 8/side@35#, 8/side@40#
Corner pec minor stretch - 2x30s
Seated 90/90 strech - 2x30s/side

On the road again

It has been about a month and a half since I had run.  Not any more!  I wanted to prove to myself that I still could and that the cold wouldn't stop me.  So, I bundled up and ran a mile and a half.  It was a chilly 10F with 10mph winds.  But, I was prepared.  I did get a little asthmatic, but it was manageable.  I did have to dodge some ice. One time, I came very close to falling, but it wasn't due to ice.  I just tripped.  That's always my danger point.  I will try to get out once a week this winter.  I'm not willing to go out when it's crazy cold or when it's icy, though, so the next few weeks might be slim.

Lots of DBs

Four of the exercises today required dumbbells.  That made for a lot of monkeying around with the  adjustable DBs, since I needed over 25# for three of them.  Still, it worked out fine.  The close-grip DB presses were odd, since the DBs kept wanting to slip and bang together on my hands.  I adjusted one of them to different plates and that helped.  Not my favorite hand hold for those, though, hence the lower weights.

Good workout for a New Year's Day!

Show and Go, Phase 3, Week 1
1:09
Foam rolling and mobility work
Clap push-ups - 4x4
Close-grip DB bench press - 4x8 @30# ea
1-arm DB rows - 4x8/side @40#
DB pullovers - 8 @20#, 8 @22.5#, 8 @25#
DB Cuban press - 12 @8#ea, 2x12 @10#ea
1-leg supine bridges - 2x8/side
Wall lat streth w/stabilization - 2x20s/side
Kneeling heel to butt stretch - 2x30s/side