Well, I managed to completely ignore the huge breakfast spread at work today and my food was mostly back on track. I think the blues are more work related than anything...just some changes happening but nothing too serious.
I need to get to the gym tomorrow - I think that might help and I need to feel that spring is coming!! The forecast for the next week is not great but it will be March soon so I know it's coming eventually.
Welcome, mamma louie! glad you found us, and that the whole family is on board. It helps to have all that support, in addition to what 3fc can provide.
BTW, my son (the infant in the picture on Krista's site) doesn't lift. He sometimes hangs out with me while I'm lifting at home, but he usually spends his "gym time" playing with the Swiss ball. Remember the strips with Calvin (of Calvin & Hobbes fame) in his sandbox? Picture this, but with a giant ball for knocking over block structures. Way fun.
New PR on bench in the gym this morning. I'm basically an oversized rubber washer away from benching the big girl plates (45s). Coincidentally would be an oversized rubber washer away from 100% of BW. Maybe next week!
But it's a cute story and perhaps you named yourself after one!
Hmmm, Fran. Do you know any cute water rats? My name came from those kids' rhyming games. My friend was Helen, Helen, Watermelon!
Had a good cardio workout today. We're leaving 5 weeks from tomorrow (Tues) so I'm hitting the cardio harder than the weights from now on. I need to be in good shape to keep up on this hiking trip. I'll never keep up with DH, but perhaps with some of the other women. I'm still doing my knee strengthing stuff though. Hate to blow one out on the trip. I'm taking the brace too....
Kaw - that is so awesome! I've been working hard at my bench but now no working on the pr's for some time. Sweat a couple reps for me!
Today was cardio - really struggled keeping my breathing under control & had to shut it down early (I try not to use my inhaler unless absolutely needed).
Watch out for your elbows- I stopped playing that game last year due to excruciating tendonitis from big girl weights. I tried again last week after a year off- and my elbows are sore at 30 pounds less than my max lift a year ago
I remember you were having problems with some exercises and endonitis- how are you doing?
Count me in as impressed too, Kim! I'll never set the world on fire with bench press due to my repaired shoulder -- shoulders and chest are my weakest muscle groups. Alas.
OK, here's the report on Overhead Squats, Round Two. Last week I really struggled with the form, came home and watched the video again, and concluded I was doing them all wrong. So this week I racked the bar in the highest setting in the squat rack so I could just step under and lift straight up -- that worked out well. 45# bar again. I lifted the bar (hands wide) and took what I would call a plié stance, like I would use with a plié squat holding one DB, with my toes pointing out. And that felt far more natural than trying to use classic squat form. My knees headed out for the sides rather than straight ahead but they tracked over my feet since my feet were turned out (does that make sense?) I could get my butt down to the level of my knees, which is pretty good since I have knees that don't like to bend.
I did three sets with the bar: 12/11/9. The weak link clearly is my shoulders, though I can feel the amount of stabilization required from my core.
I'm still entranced with this exercise and plan to keep working on it, though there's no way that I'll ever get close to bodyweight! I'm wondering if I would do better starting with these when I'm fresh? Today they were fourth in the lineup after squats, one-leg leg press s/s calf raises, and track lunges, so my legs were beat. Finished with one-leg extensions and curls, per doctor's orders. Wonder what he'd think of overhead squats? Must ask at my next appointment!
Mel -- The elbow is better, thanks for asking. I still feel it the day after pullups, so I've cut back on those to 1 day a week (from every workout ... because I could! ). YTWLs have really helped my shoulders -- I wish there were an elbow equivalent! I'm also trying to be better about taking my glucosamine and MSM, to see if that helps. And, my Arizona trip (T-14 days) will entail nearly two weeks without lifting.
Tuesdays are my busy day at work, so must run. It'll just be a short day at the gym: HIIT, methinks!
Update: Meg -- the 45 lb. bar is nothing to scoff at w/ OH squats, especially at the tail end of a leg day. It's not an easy exercise to get the hang of, vis a vis balance, positioning, etc.
My PR for bench press (on a smith machine though, I never wanted a spotter and I would never try it on my own) was somewhere around 135. Of course I'm no where near there now.
I'm still considering joining the gym. Although I'm still wishy washy. I talk myself into it and out of it on a moment by moment basis. Would be nice to have access to all that equipment again and it'd be nice to try some classes...
Nelie, can you sign up for a short period of time so you can see how much you'd use the gym? Or would you have to sign a contract for a year (or more), like at Ballys?
Actually the price for month to month and a contract are the same with the discount I can get. Which makes me feel a bit more comfortable.
The plan in my mind is to put my pup in doggie day care twice a week (she is going once a week now) and go to the gym those 2 days, possibly in the morning. Then to go on Saturdays and Sundays.
I guess I should stop being wishy washy I also want to try rock climbing this summer so that is part of my motivation. I'm also going home in a little over a month so now may be a good time.
Gyms are fun Nelie! Imagine how many fans you will attract with your insane kettleball routine!
Kim, congrats on the bench press!! I've never even tried that with the bar--I always use DBs and consequently have never come even close to my body weight (or anyone else's for that matter).
Meg, I've been working on my squat form generally, and it seems to me that to drop down below parallel the body does seem to demand a slight plie stance and more so with the OH thing. The woman in the video is definitely working with her feet and knees slightly out.
I'm ready to start the next stage of the NRLW plan this week. Today is gym day but I'm going to go after work rather than before in order to have plenty of time to figure out all these new exercises. There's all kinds of crazy stuff--including these YTWLS that everyone likes, and a single-arm OH squat. (Meg, the book says to keep toes pointed straight ahead, but it also says to only go as low as parallel. Do you think this is the issue?)
Oh, and I had a perfectly on-plan food day yesterday!!! I'm very, very pleased. Now I can start to undo the quitting-smoking damage. Ticker to come after I've weighed.
Depalma - thanks for your info on the DB vs BB excercises. I'll stick to the DB routines in the exercises that are indicated. I actually have differences between my arms : right is stronger, even tough I have RSI on that side.
Meg - thans for the OH squat info. I'll keep using to the broomstick for the time being
Baff, I just went and grabbed my book to check out their OH squat. Mind you, I'm completely a novice when it comes to OH squats, so I'm just guessing here! (I've never seen anyone in my gym do them)
The NROLW version is using two DBs, one heavy and one light, and the heavy one is always below the waist. So I think the balance issues are different than when you're holding a weight with both arms over your head. I see that the model is leaning forward a bit, like in a traditional squat, though her knees are definitely moving out instead of straight ahead in the second photo. I've never tried those and will the next time to compare the two exercises. Got to say, the OH squat feels different than any other exercise that I've ever done (which is probably why I'm so intrigued with it!)
I found this video Overhead Squat on Exrx.net and it calls for a wide stance with toes pointed out. However, the model is holding the BB behind the head, which I don't think I was doing -- I need to check in the side mirror. So I may still be doing them all wrong.
Here's a YouTube video Overhead Squats showing BB behind the head and the guy says to pinch your shoulder blades together.
Here's Krista and she agrees with slightly behind the head, with a wider stance and more toe turnout:
Quote:
DIVA: OVERHEAD SQUAT
This is a fun exercise, but I don't recommend trying it until you've mistressed the squat. You'll need every ounce of balance you own. However, this exercise is great for challenging hip flexibility and strength, upper body strength, and torso stability. Start light. I mean real light. Don't try it with the 45 lb. bar. Just trust me on this one. I, I mean a friend of mine, wiped out on her first attempt at the overhead squat because she tried it with the full-sized bar. Luckily my friend was in the power cage so no real harm was done, just a big embarrassing clang. A broomstick is a better way to begin. Then try with a light bar such as an E-Z curl bar or a light preloaded barbell.
The key to success in this exercise is holding the bar slightly behind, not directly above, your head. Think about stretching the bar outward as you hold it, like a piece of taffy. Your hands won't actually move, of course (I hope), but trying to stretch the bar outward will keep the tension in your upper body and provide a solid foundation for the bar.
Again, this should be done in the power cage if possible. Raise your arms overhead and note how high your hands reach on the cage. Set the bar on the pins just under this point, at about the level of mid-forearm or wrist. Set the safety bars at about the level of the base of your ribcage. Approach the bar and grab it with an overhand snatch grip. A snatch grip is a very wide grip. Your shoulder flexibility and individual body mechanics will determine exactly what feels most comfortable. Take the bar off the pins and step back. Get it into position overhead, and remember, slightly behind your head. Stretch the bar taut and keep it tight. Note also that the back must have a bit of an arch.
Descend into a squat as normal. You may find that the overhead squat stance is somewhat wider, with more toe turn-out, than your regular squat stance. The rest of this movement is pretty much like a regular squat. The difference, obviously, is the position of the weight, which demands much greater attention to balance and form.
Really focus while you're doing this movement. Unlike many other movements, the slightest lapse in concentration can result in a wipeout. It's a great exercise, but you have to pay attention and concentrate hard while you're doing it.
Oh yeah, and this exercise isn't often done except in Olympic weightlifting gyms, so expect people to give you "What the ****?" looks as they continue with their sets of one thousand leg lifts
On OH squats: I have long wings, and it always seems like the most comfortable grip is the one that involves putting my hands EXACTLY where the bar rests on the pins. Murphy's law?
Cardio accomplished. 1/2 of meetings accomplished. Let's hope the forecasted 7-10" of snow don't materialize before the other 1/2 are out of the way.
Come to think of it, 7-10" of snow would be a great excuse to cancel the afternoon's meetings. Hmmm..... Go snow, go snow, go snow, whoop whoop whoop!
Mamma Louie!
My name came from those kids' rhyming games. My friend was Helen, Helen, Watermelon! 
I'm still doing my knee strengthing stuff though. Hate to blow one out on the trip. 
I'm taking the brace too....
kaw! Those are definitely big girl weights!!!!
