Laser Focus

[VO2Maxima]

V02, I would never steal your squat shoes. (Wait. What size are your feet? I'm an 8...) Actually, I just squat in regular old shoes, and never understood the point of squat shoes. The heels are elevated, no? Why does that improve form, don't you want flat heels?

Artificially lengthens tibia (if you have proportionately long femurs, this makes hitting depth much easier, and also allows you to stay more upright). Also helps if you have limited ankle flexibility. And the platform is generally really firm/stable.
Some articles on the subject:
http://www.powerliftingtowin.com/powerlifting-shoes/
https://www.t-nation.com/training/ol...cks-for-squats
http://stronglifts.com/weight-liftin...ats-deadlifts/
FWIW, I squat with a relatively narrow-stance, but placement is low-bar.

Not sure what weight to start with hip thrusts. Are you doing them with the bar or with the leg extension machine? If the bar, you might want to start with 135 just so you can comfortably slide under the bar.

[-Lucifer]

Went okay, but now I'm lying in bed after work still feeling bleh. Will go relatively easy tomorrow but try hip thrusts, like I said. What weight to start?

Start with the bar and then add 10s. You should be able to go up in weight fast, as the glutes are very powerful muscles. Still, I recommend that you do proper sets with the bar even if it's too light. This will develop good MMC. So your sets should look something like this:

#1: 45x10
#2: 65x10
#3: 75x10

I don't think that looks too heavy, but stop adding weight if the 65x10 felt challenging enough. You'll know which weight was right for you. Make sure you push with your heels and you should feel an awesome contraction.

So you'll need a gym buddy to help you with those sets because the plates are too small to roll the bar over yourself. Either that or elevate the bar using blocks or plates underneath it.

[shesprints]

@Vo2, interesting notes on the squat stance. I tend to vary mine depending on how I feel that day--sometimes wider, sometimes narrower. Also interesting note on shoes. I do think that I have long femurs, so maybe I'll look into it if I'm still being consistent with lifting in June and have the $$.

@Lucifer, I actually figured it out! My gym has very light bumper plates so I started out the hip thrust by loading it up with those. But tbh I could've started at 135... it felt super easy even though I was conservative with weight due to it being a new exercise.



Did less cardio today though I DID go for a mile walk before the gym to pick up a muffin (because it's the weekend and I let myself eat sugar on weekends, and wanted to have this vegan muffin thing post-workout... mm simple carbs after a workout).


10 min elliptical
10 min RUN! Treadmill set to 1.0 incline, started off at 6 mph worked up to 8.5 mph. 2 minutes of a 7:00/mile pace should not feel that hard >< I'm out of running shape, rawr. But actually, it didn't feel as bad as I thought it would.

warmup: Frankenstein walks, knee to chest tucks, pulse squats, wide stance pulse squats, pulse split squats, hip thrusts, single leg hip thrusts

BB glute bridge:
66lb x 20
99lb x 12
149lb x 10 x 3

low bar back squat:
bar x 10
65lb x 10
85lb x 8
95lb x 8 x 2 (pause squats)
115lb x 6 x 4

deadlifts:
149lb x 8 x 5 (focus on lockout)

DB OHP:
17.5lb x 12 x 2, 20lb x 8 x 2

DB bicep curl:
17.5lb x 10 x 2, 20lb x 7, 7, 6

tricep pushdowns 35lb x 10 x 4

scapula pushups x 20 done in sets of 3, scattered throughout to loosen up shoulders

weighted plank (~45lb?) x :30

ass't chinups:
40lb x 3 x 5


I got this done pretty fast, was in and out of the gym in 90 minutes and lo and behold I don't feel as depleted. I also got a whole bunch of sleep last night--9 hours--so I feel a little less sick and run down. This was a good solid workout, form was great. Only awkward part was... this trainer at the gym who sent me weird awkward sexual texts was there; I haven't seen him in months but today he was training people in the squat rack next to me. I put in headphones and ignored. Blah. That was a bad situation. Awk.

I think pause squats will help me with tightness. Those felt really good today.

[phoenix4444]

Only awkward part was... this trainer at the gym who sent me weird awkward sexual texts was there; I haven't seen him in months but today he was training people in the squat rack next to me. I put in headphones and ignored. Blah. That was a bad situation. Awk.

So frickin rude. I am glad on the daily That I have a home gym. I don't know how you deal kind of nonsense

Paused squats are the bomb diggity.

[VO2Maxima]

@Vo2, interesting notes on the squat stance. I tend to vary mine depending on how I feel that day--sometimes wider, sometimes narrower. Also interesting note on shoes. I do think that I have long femurs, so maybe I'll look into it if I'm still being consistent with lifting in June and have the $$.

If you do, make sure you post which ones you're looking at. The cheaper Adidas ones (Powerlift?) have a rubber heel that's a little compressible. The two expensive ones (Adidas AdiPower and Nike Romaleos) are great, but expensive. There are a few cheaper ones that are still very good (Pendlay, Rogue, Do-Win)...basically you either want a plastic or wooden heel.

Very weird on the trainer. Extremely unprofessional. I'd ignore him for now, and report him if he's creepy again.

[shesprints]

Thanks for the tips on shoes, V02! Super helpful.

The situation with the trainer is odd, to say the least. He's a bit unstable, I guess? Anger issues that he talked about with me. The thing is, he trained me for a little bit last year, which is how he got my #. I guess he admired my work ethic or something, and I tend to be a friendly person, so we'd chat about this or that duringn sessions; I showed him my comedy video. But then, randomly, he sent me a text saying he thought I was 'hot' or 'sexy' and that he just wanted me to know that. I said thanks but no thanks and obviously didn't train with him again. Then, MONTHS later, I get another text along those lines, and not only that--but right after he had said hi, how are you, and I'd said 'not so good, my grandfather just died.' Who hits on someone after their grandfather just died?

Anyway... then I told him no, again, and that it was weird. Then I saw him in the gym one day and the very next day I get a text saying 'you looked so sexy with your red lipstick.' I said 'dude, stop.' He texted me back that it was accidental and meant for someone else. But I texted him back that I straight up did not believe him. He'd JUST seen me. A text the very next day? Come on. I told him no more texts, delete me from messages, and I won't tell the gym but this is his last chance. After that, I didn't see or hear from him for months, like 4 months at least. But I saw him today and ignored. Hopefully won't see him much, but it was a really lousy situation and frankly is part of why my lifting was so inconsistent last year. I do NOT want to switch my gym membership, because the gym where I work out now has the best swimming pool in the city and is 3 blocks from my house. Also, I don't see him around as much lately. Hopefully that will continue to be the case. But it is super awkward squatting or doing hip thrusts or whatnot when he is there. Why are lifts so apparently suggestive?

This is all made worse because he is a very large man--like 275--and a powerlifter and has admitted psychological issues.

[-Lucifer]

You're an easy target if you are emotional, which is why he was hitting on you. Dude sounds like a legit psychopath. Good that you decided to stay and didn't let him control you.

How did the glute bridge feel? Was the MMC good?

[shesprints]

You're an easy target if you are emotional, which is why he was hitting on you. Dude sounds like a legit psychopath. Good that you decided to stay and didn't let him control you.

How did the glute bridge feel? Was the MMC good?

I don't think I was that emotional, though? I don't think I acted like an easy target--unless you mean that when I told him my grandfather died, that was showing emotion. Either way, I don't think I was 'asking for it' I treated him pretty matter-of-factly.

Glute bridge felt mostly good. I'm not sure I pushed up high enough. I did better when I kept my legs a bit closer together (activating inner quads?) and focused on pushing up off of my heels.

[-Lucifer]

Glute bridge felt mostly good. I'm not sure I pushed up high enough. I did better when I kept my legs a bit closer together (activating inner quads?) and focused on pushing up off of my heels.

That's one thing I forgot to tell you - keep your heels close to your glutes as that allows you to be in a stronger position and you'll end up pushing more weight. Glute activation will also be better. When I started doing the glute bridge, I kept my heels away from my glutes and that worked my hams hard, which took some focus off the glutes. I also would get cramps after every rep and had to stretch my legs often. That looked so lame.

Don't worry about going 'high enough'. You could hyperextend your back if you try to force it. Only worry about feeling it in the glutes.

[shesprints]

@Lucifer--cool, I intuited as much about the glute bridge. Will keep in mind.

Today I still felt a bit under the weather congestion-wise (allergies, maybe? Though my stomach's off, too). But yesterday was a day off so my muscles were fresh. I took slightly long rests but got some good lifting in.


10 min elliptical
10 min run (1.2 miles, treadmill at 1.5 then 1.0 incline, worked speed down every 2 min so that I ran the first 2 min at 9:50/mi pace and the last 2 min at 6:58/mi pace) good news is legs feel strong on the run, bad news is lungs are yucky


warmup: pulse squats wide + narrow stance, split squats, glute bridge, single leg glute bridge

squats:
bar x 12
65lb x 12
95lb x 8 x 2
115lb x 5 x 3
135lb x 3 x 5 (I'll be really happy when I can do 135, 5 x 5--so close! I feel like I have a lot of untapped potential for squats; I did these narrow stance which made it sooo much easier)

deadlifts:
135lb x 10 x 2
155lb x 7, 7, 6

pushups x 5 x 2

bench:
bar x 15
65lb x 10 x 2
75lb x 5 x 4
85lb x 2 x 3 (sometimes on bench I feel gradually stronger and more locked in as I go through sets... idk)

ass't chinups:
30lb x 2, 2, 3, 3

hanging leg raises:
10 x 4

10 min row to cool down, 2150 m


Have I mentioned lately how EXCITED I am that they're rebooting Xena: Warrior Princess? I've never done a cosplay before--I'm nerdy, but not that nerdy--but I am SO cosplaying Xena and Gabrielle with a small blonde friend of mine sometime this spring at one of the NYC Comicon events. That is 100% of my fitspo right now. I'm serious here. Don't laugh at me.

[phoenix4444]

Girl you get your nerd on! Wear it proud.

I expect pics.

[VO2Maxima]

In for Xena pictures. I also fall into the "big nerd but haven't done cosplay" category. I did try to do Borderlands psycho for Halloween last year, but the mask fell apart before I made it out of the house haha. If I were blonde, I would do Power Girl for sure, even though I have like no boobs, but between dark hair and no boobs, she wouldn't even be recognizable, so guess that won't be happening lol.

Oh so where I am in your novel right now...THAT escalated quickly lol. Enjoying it so far.

Very nice job on the squats, those seem to be going up quickly for you (as I suspected they would). My squat stance is pretty narrow too. I guess it's just hip shape.

Bench may just be a matter of your body getting used to the motion, and waking up your nervous system. Occasionally I need to do a couple extra squat singles to get everything tight and locked in the way it should be.

[shesprints]

I will definitely post pictures of the cosplay, which I suppose means I really need to follow through on it. Accountability. V02, you could do Powergirl. Racebending is a thing in cosplay. But you could also do Wonder Woman. I keep forgetting, perhaps wilfully, that you're DC and I'm Marvel... I'm less familiar with DC. Speaking of nerd things, I just had the pleasure of explaining Steve/Bucky shipping to a thread of Miscers, wonder how they'll react.


AHAHAHA re the novel, there are a NUMBER of things that escalate quickly. Do you mean the, uh, scene where a particular bit of Misc lingo makes an appearance? Anyway, I'm just glad you're enjoying it. Please don't feel compelled to read if at some point you're not, and I value any and all feedback. <3

Yeah, my legs are clearly stronger than my current squat; it's the rest of my body that isn't quite. Just doing the movement and hitting up some extra abs stuff and strengthening my back are easing me along. We'll see! I'd love to get a 1.5 bodyweight squat, that was the holy grail for sprinter strength standards. And re: bench it probably is just the ol' CNS. Throwing in random pushups here and there seem to help.

Thanks as always. You are awesome.

[VO2Maxima]

I will definitely post pictures of the cosplay, which I suppose means I really need to follow through on it. Accountability. V02, you could do Powergirl. Racebending is a thing in cosplay. But you could also do Wonder Woman. I keep forgetting, perhaps wilfully, that you're DC and I'm Marvel... I'm less familiar with DC. Speaking of nerd things, I just had the pleasure of explaining Steve/Bucky shipping to a thread of Miscers, wonder how they'll react.


AHAHAHA re the novel, there are a NUMBER of things that escalate quickly. Do you mean the, uh, scene where a particular bit of Misc lingo makes an appearance? Anyway, I'm just glad you're enjoying it. Please don't feel compelled to read if at some point you're not, and I value any and all feedback. <3

Yeah, my legs are clearly stronger than my current squat; it's the rest of my body that isn't quite. Just doing the movement and hitting up some extra abs stuff and strengthening my back are easing me along. We'll see! I'd love to get a 1.5 bodyweight squat, that was the holy grail for sprinter strength standards. And re: bench it probably is just the ol' CNS. Throwing in random pushups here and there seem to help.

Thanks as always. You are awesome.

I have no problem with Marvel...Marvel gave us Deadpool, Wolverine, probably other characters but right now all I can think about is Batman vs Superman. I guess I could cosplay X-23, she's pretty cool. Not as cool as Power Girl though. LOOK AT HER, she's freaking jacked:

I guess I could do Wonder Woman (or Cassandra Cain), though I have to admit that I was always more drawn to the Superman family (which I think is part of the Power Girl thing...she's the more mature and badass version of Supergirl).

Bucky and Captain America shipping? I did not even know that was a thing. I mean, I guess if I were Bucky, I'd go for Chris Evans too.

Um, it's the part with the coach. That's not a very good description but I'm not going to ruin it on anyone else in here.

You'll get to the 1.5xBW squat. You probably have close to, if not already have, the leg strength for it now actually, just need to get your nervous system to figure out the motion. Give it a few months, you'll progress fast.

[shesprints]

OHO the part with the coach eh? Yeaaah that was fun. I'm an evil, twisted person.

Whoa, she is totally jacked. I am impressed. I mean, you won't win me over to DC that easily... 'Wolverine and some others'????? Hahaha I'll let that go for now, but come on, Captain America, okay? Did you even SEE The Winter Soldier? Whatever. Fine. Maybe I'll go and see BvS but you have to see Civil War.

A few months! Ooh. Maybe by June I'll be able to attempt 175 and you can help me in person. You are basically my lodestar, the light by which I navigate this transition from running to lifting. I'll be your sidekick.

But Marvel > DC kthxbye.

[VO2Maxima]

I got bored with all the Avengers spin-offs so I stopped hahaha. Will Civil War not make sense if I skipped a bunch of movies? I'll probably go see X-Men Apocalypse though...but it's on my "I'm less excited about this than BvS and Suicide Squad" list. I'm excited for the next Wolverine movie that's supposedly going to be Old Man Logan...do I get points for that? You know, I had really high hopes for Days of Future Past, and it wasn't bad, but wasn't what I was expecting either. I think that (and all the other bad X-Men movies...Dark Phoenix wtf) put a damper on my excitement for Marvel movies. And yes I realize Superman Returns and Batman and Robin were also terrible, but I have selective memory, okay?

Sidekick, huh? You're welcome to be my lifting equal, as long as we're the Justice Lifters and not the A-benchers.

[latverian41]

Awesome! keep up the good work.

[shesprints]

I got bored with all the Avengers spin-offs so I stopped hahaha. Will Civil War not make sense if I skipped a bunch of movies?

You'd probably have to see The Winter Soldier, but frankly I haven't seen any of the Thor sequels. You don't really need to have seen Age of Ultron, either, and imho no one should--that movie was a travesty. Joss Whedon fukked up the franchise. He actually instructed Elizabeth Olsen 'not to make unappealing facial expressions' while she was fighting because 'it's not pretty.' BRB punching Joss Whedon in his unappealing face. I dislike how he is okay with empowered females as long as they're physically waiflike.

... anyway, though, Winter Soldier is without question the greatest superhero movie I've seen since Iron Man 1 or, I will grudgingly admit, the rather overly broody Dark Knight. So at least see that.

I'll probably go see X-Men Apocalypse though...but it's on my "I'm less excited about this than BvS and Suicide Squad" list. I'm excited for the next Wolverine movie that's supposedly going to be Old Man Logan...do I get points for that? You know, I had really high hopes for Days of Future Past, and it wasn't bad, but wasn't what I was expecting either. I think that (and all the other bad X-Men movies...Dark Phoenix wtf) put a damper on my excitement for Marvel movies. And yes I realize Superman Returns and Batman and Robin were also terrible, but I have selective memory, okay?

Sidekick, huh? You're welcome to be my lifting equal, as long as we're the Justice Lifters and not the A-benchers.

You totally get points for being excited for Wolverine. I'm actually not even that into the X-Men movies currently... they don't seem right tonally? IDK. Deadpool was great, but I don't have high hopes for Apocalypse. It seems overblown. Literally, figuratively, every which way.

I'd be offended that we have to be the Justice Lifters instead of the A-benchers, but your pun game is TOO STRONG right now and my bench is not that strong, so OK. We can be the Justice Lifters. It is true that I wore my Wonder Woman costume more often than I wore any other single item of clothing when I was a child.

Lady in my gym has a Wonder Woman bathing suit. I may need to get one for swims. Just 'cause.

Awesome! keep up the good work.

Why thank you! Thanks for stopping by... however you found this thread.

[VO2Maxima]

Because you admitted that you wear a Wonder woman costume, I will concede that I own a Deadpool shirt: https://www.instagram.com/p/BA5BmZwIrXP/

I don't know why I keep giving X-Men movies more and more chances. I think it's because I really liked X-Men growing up...I had a few of those big black and white collections of old comics (Dark Phoenix and Days of Future Past included, which is why I was *so* excited for those movies and then they let me down), and I basically learned to draw by copying Jim Lee's drawings during the Claremont run.

In Whedon's defense, women in action movies are almost always waiflike. Gal Gadot is not big either. Even the ones that are supposed to come off as kind of manly are pretty skinny...look at Vasquez from Aliens. She's not a waif, but she doesn't have a build appropriate for the kind of character she's trying to portray either. I'm pretty sure my arms are bigger than hers, and I am definitely not a Marine who is showing up the guys and being asked if I've ever been mistaken for a man.

Winter Soldier is not on Netflix, nor is it on Amazon Prime. I guess I'll have to find a RedBox?

I also realized I missed the chance to call us the JustLift League, which is another shirt by the same people who made that Deadpool shirt I'm wearing in that picture. I would also be okay with calling the workout the Suicide Squat.

[-Lucifer]

Deadpool is just a modified Deathstroke. Deathstroke is more badass, in my evil opinion and his quotes are epic. Deadpool acts like a fairy and his jokes are lame (at least the ones in the movie were).

[shesprints]

@V02, between you and ChristmasFnatic on the misc, you're going to make a DC fan of me yet. Actually, I am tempted to watch The Flash--I've heard they show him having blood sugar issues from glycogen depletion. And Marvel (spoiler alert) KILLED QUICKSILVER, so I do want to be a fan of some superhero with what is obviously the best power ever (running). I've heard the show sort of lags, though. [But seriously... I wrote an entire fanfic about Captain America racing Jesse Owens, based on Cap's supposed 100 yard dash time of 9.38--I was like, okay, Owens ran a 9.3 wind-aided so who would really win?].

I'm sorry Winter Soldier isn't on Netflix. I bought it on Amazon myself, because I do things like that. Is there a way to 'lend' Amazon videos? Also, X-Men comics vs. X-Men movies are... completely different, well, depending on the comics run. (My favorite thing to do with Marvel is compare the chitshow that is Ultimates with 616. Ultimates Cap is awful. Ultimates Maximoffs are openly incestuous, which is.... interesting?).

I'm okay with calling the workout Suicide Squat. Actually, that's perfect. You're extremely good at puns, you know that? We may need to have a pun-off. I guess I'll need to buy some superhero t-shirts to work out in.

@Lucifer, IDK anything about Deathstroke TBH but Deadpool in comics definitely isn't original in many senses. The name is vintage Liefield idiocy. I love the way he talks to the 'little yellow boxes,' though, and when he pops up in other characters' storylines he is a lot of fun (thinking of Spiderman and Hawkeye in particular, and ofc Cable & Deadpool, which I need to read more of). As you know, I have no problem with gayness, though I think calling him a 'fairy' is harsh. He is canon pansexual though. TBH I really liked Ryan Reynolds's version of him. If he gets another movie or two, I think he'll hit a groove and the jokes will be fresher.


OKAY enough nerding. Today was an easy swim day. Yesterday I was too wiped out to do much after that workout. When will I LEARN not to leave more than 5 hours between meals? I feel okay in the moment but crash later and feel logy and unable to focus on writing, which is no good. Oh well. Doing better today so far.

Swim was a challenge! A LOT of stroke work/I.M. swimming. My butterfly has improved a TON. I'm so proud of myself for that. My backstroke is still really, really bad and slow; breaststroke is okay. (Incidentally, I'd love it if there could be a lesbian band named 'Breaststroke in the Fast Lane'). Freestyle is still by far my fastest stroke, which I suppose isn't surprising as I've done that about 900% more than any others.

I do notice that my shoulders are basically constantly sore. I don't know if rowing and swimming help or hurt me there... they're pulling, not pushing, which we're supposed to do more of, but idk, it's still stress, right?

Anyway, swim:

2200 yards

3 x 100 free
4 x 100 as 50 free/50 stroke
10 x 50 odds as single arm per 25 (R, L), evens free on 1:00
5 x 100 I.M. on 2:00
4 x 125 I.M. on 2:30 (rotating 50 of each stroke and 25 of each other, so 50 fly/25 back/25 breast/25 free, then 25 fly/50 back/25 breast/25 free, etc.)* I did all of this except only 25 back on that set because my backstroke sucks

and that's all, folks!

[VO2Maxima]

Deadpool is just a modified Deathstroke. Deathstroke is more badass, in my evil opinion and his quotes are epic. Deadpool acts like a fairy and his jokes are lame (at least the ones in the movie were).

I'm assuming that's the angle they must have been going for initially, since Wade/Slade Wilson and all. Although really Deadpool feels more to me like Harley Quinn (at least the Palmiotti/Connor take on her) than Deathstroke to me.

@V02, between you and ChristmasFnatic on the misc, you're going to make a DC fan of me yet. Actually, I am tempted to watch The Flash--I've heard they show him having blood sugar issues from glycogen depletion. And Marvel (spoiler alert) KILLED QUICKSILVER, so I do want to be a fan of some superhero with what is obviously the best power ever (running). I've heard the show sort of lags, though. [But seriously... I wrote an entire fanfic about Captain America racing Jesse Owens, based on Cap's supposed 100 yard dash time of 9.38--I was like, okay, Owens ran a 9.3 wind-aided so who would really win?].

I'm sorry Winter Soldier isn't on Netflix. I bought it on Amazon myself, because I do things like that. Is there a way to 'lend' Amazon videos? Also, X-Men comics vs. X-Men movies are... completely different, well, depending on the comics run. (My favorite thing to do with Marvel is compare the chitshow that is Ultimates with 616. Ultimates Cap is awful. Ultimates Maximoffs are openly incestuous, which is.... interesting?).

I'm okay with calling the workout Suicide Squat. Actually, that's perfect. You're extremely good at puns, you know that? We may need to have a pun-off. I guess I'll need to buy some superhero t-shirts to work out in.

@Lucifer, IDK anything about Deathstroke TBH but Deadpool in comics definitely isn't original in many senses. The name is vintage Liefield idiocy. I love the way he talks to the 'little yellow boxes,' though, and when he pops up in other characters' storylines he is a lot of fun (thinking of Spiderman and Hawkeye in particular, and ofc Cable & Deadpool, which I need to read more of). As you know, I have no problem with gayness, though I think calling him a 'fairy' is harsh. He is canon pansexual though. TBH I really liked Ryan Reynolds's version of him. If he gets another movie or two, I think he'll hit a groove and the jokes will be fresher.


OKAY enough nerding. Today was an easy swim day. Yesterday I was too wiped out to do much after that workout. When will I LEARN not to leave more than 5 hours between meals? I feel okay in the moment but crash later and feel logy and unable to focus on writing, which is no good. Oh well. Doing better today so far.

Swim was a challenge! A LOT of stroke work/I.M. swimming. My butterfly has improved a TON. I'm so proud of myself for that. My backstroke is still really, really bad and slow; breaststroke is okay. (Incidentally, I'd love it if there could be a lesbian band named 'Breaststroke in the Fast Lane'). Freestyle is still by far my fastest stroke, which I suppose isn't surprising as I've done that about 900% more than any others.

I do notice that my shoulders are basically constantly sore. I don't know if rowing and swimming help or hurt me there... they're pulling, not pushing, which we're supposed to do more of, but idk, it's still stress, right?

Anyway, swim:

2200 yards

3 x 100 free
4 x 100 as 50 free/50 stroke
10 x 50 odds as single arm per 25 (R, L), evens free on 1:00
5 x 100 I.M. on 2:00
4 x 125 I.M. on 2:30 (rotating 50 of each stroke and 25 of each other, so 50 fly/25 back/25 breast/25 free, then 25 fly/50 back/25 breast/25 free, etc.)* I did all of this except only 25 back on that set because my backstroke sucks

and that's all, folks!

The Flash is alright. I like Arrow better, honestly. Both are better than Legends of Tomorrow though, which has massive cast but only two interesting characters (Captain Cold and Canary). They killed Quicksilver? That's okay, there are a bunch of DC characters who run fast...come to the dark side, we have super speed.

If there is a way to share videos on Amazon, I don't know it.

Lol sorry, turned your log into a nerd fest. I just drew up a fairly nerdy picture, I'll post that in my log tomorrow so we don't have to overload yours with geekiness. Okay, workouts. Yeah, pulling hits rear delts...well, rowing does, I'm not super familiar with the mechanics of swimming, but logic tells me that you're pushing and pulling due to water resistance, and that's pretty shoulder-heavy anyway.

[shesprints]

@V02, there's no need to apologize for nerdifying my log. I think I started it, and I enjoy hearing your POV on this stuff. Too bad about the lousy reviews BvS is getting, eh? I mean, I think DC is too grimdark and Marvel is a little too silly at times. I wish they could meld. Maybe in a hundred years Disney will just own everything.

But as for workout stuff... yeah, my shoulder has just been really yucky, all the time, and so today I took a bit of an upper body break and just trained legs. I also went a bit harder on my run.


elliptical 15 minutes
run 10 minutes but with 3:30 at 7:00 pace (so .5 miles), and 1 minute at 6:40 pace; 1.25 miles total

usual warmup (pulse squats, split squats, bw glute bridge/single leg glute bridge)

bb glute bridge:
135lb x 15 x 2
185lb x 10 x 3

front squats:
bar x 12
65lb x 10
85lb x 8 x 2
95lb x 6 x 4

good mornings:
bar x 15
65lb x 10
95lb x 8 x 3

snatch grip deadlifts:
125lb x 10 x 4

adductors and abductors:
110lb x 10 x 4 each

leg extension:
50lb x 10 x 4

calf raise:
200lb x 25 x 4

5 min elliptical to cool down



Leg day! Hurrah! The funny thing is how easy BB glute bridge is. I kept my heels closer to my butt and felt the contraction in glutes, but even 185 felt pretty easy. Form on front squats was probably best it's been. Good day.

[VO2Maxima]

Wtf is it getting bad reviews??? I've been avoiding them (to try to avoid spoilers because I had Star Wars ruined on me by reading "spoiler-free" reviews. Spoiler-free, my ass).

It's kind of funny that the movies end up being that way because the TV shows are the opposite. Even Arrow, which is decidedly darker than Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, and Supergirl, is still way cheerier than Daredevil and Jessica Jones. Have not watched Gotham, Agents of Shield, or Peggy Carter, so only have those couple to compare.

I wish I could show you what I just figured out today with my traps/lats and squatting, to prevent bad habits early on before you end up where I am now, with bad movement patterns that are ingrained that you're trying to break. I wonder, since we're both noticing the same thing, if it's a runner thing with being so used to using our legs, and just not really paying attention to what our upper body is doing. Although I guess maybe with short distance stuff, armswing is a lot more important than the stupid flailing around distance runners do. June, then?

[shesprints]

Good point about the TV shows. Jessica Jones was some of the darkest stuff I've seen on TV. It was intriguingly feminist, but also closer to a horror show than a superhero show. SO gory. I don't think it fits with the MCU at all. o_0 I really should see Supergirl and Flash.

Yes! June, definitely. I just began figuring out how I'd get up there. Where is the gym, exactly? Transportation will be the issue for me, but I'm really into doing it. Then you can help me figure out this traps thing.

I do feel like running involves my upper body and improves posture and core strength, but I wasn't exactly a pure sprinter. Maybe I'd have a better upper body had I done the 100m. But the 800 and the mile are not THAT demanding, upper-body-wise.

[VO2Maxima]

Good point about the TV shows. Jessica Jones was some of the darkest stuff I've seen on TV. It was intriguingly feminist, but also closer to a horror show than a superhero show. SO gory. I don't think it fits with the MCU at all. o_0 I really should see Supergirl and Flash.

Yes! June, definitely. I just began figuring out how I'd get up there. Where is the gym, exactly? Transportation will be the issue for me, but I'm really into doing it. Then you can help me figure out this traps thing.

I do feel like running involves my upper body and improves posture and core strength, but I wasn't exactly a pure sprinter. Maybe I'd have a better upper body had I done the 100m. But the 800 and the mile are not THAT demanding, upper-body-wise.

Supergirl is...insanely cheery. I mean I still watch it because Superman family, but it's even cheerier than the comics. Supposedly it's supposed to draw influence from the Sterling Gates run, but while that wasn't a dark comic by any means, the show is even lighter than that.

http://herculesgym.net/ <--Gym.

Wouldn't know about 800 and mile, as far as I'm concerned, they were both supposed to be much faster than I could run them, and I'm pretty sure my 800 time would be my 1600 time divided by two lol.

[-Lucifer]

I kept my heels closer to my butt and felt the contraction in glutes, but even 185 felt pretty easy.

That's good to hear. Also good job with the front squat. How'd the good morning feel?

[shesprints]

@V02, Syracuse is unfortunately really far for me. That's a 4-hour trip one way. IDK if it's going to work, though I really want it to. You want to come visit ME? *blinkblinks* I'll have to think about how to make it work if I do go.

Re: running, it's interesting... my times at every distance are very consistent with those running calculators (Jack Daniels or McMillan). I'd probably drop off in the marathon, but a 2:31 800m --> 5:38 mile --> 19:25 5k ---> 1:30 half marathon pretty exactly. My 100 may be a bit faster-13.3--and my 400 is 64 so also maybe slightly better.


@Lucifer, the good morning felt good? IDK, I felt it engaged my core and posterior chain well, and the last couple reps were hard but not so hard that I felt I lost tension. Keeping tension on those was challenging and I think carries over to squat.


I finally got a good night's sleep last night, which I think was much-needed. And I swam relatively easy today--lots of pulling in the workout, which I appreciated. My IM (which is butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, free in that order) is improving!

Swim--2200 yard

4 x 100 free
5 x 100 as 50 free/50 kick
4 x 75/25 as (ez/fast, fast/ez, repeat)
fast 75s in 1:05, fast 25s in 17, 16
200 pull on 3:30
100 IM on 2:00
200 pull on 3:30
100 IM on 2:00
200 pull on 3:30
100 IM on 2:00
200 pull cooldown

Was in and out of the water in 45 minutes. Busy day tomorrow so going to try to keep that workout short, too, and then this weekend I'm going to Canyon Ranch, so I want to take it easy 'til then. I'll be there Sunday/Monday and doing a bunch of classes there, like always, plus likely some outdoor runs.

[VO2Maxima]

Aw damn, didn't realize NYC was that far. I'm kind of afraid to drive in the city, srs. I get pretty stressed out driving around downtown Boston and Philly (Boston worse than Philly, IMO), so I feel like I wouldn't be able to handle NYC at all. Maybe we can make this work though this summer...could see if you could make it to Hercules, and if not, how far are you from Bev's? I understand that is one hell of a gym. And I understand that there are some big RPS meets in Newark, that's pretty close to you, right?

How many days per week are you doing cardio?

[shesprints]

Newark might work! I'll look into it.

I swim or do just cardio 3 x per week for 40 minutes. I lift and do 20-30 min cardio 3 x per week. This feels good to me mostly. I like to use cardio to warm up to lift, and the gentle cardio I do between lift days, like swimming, helps me recover. But I'd welcome any thoughts you have. I also don't want to change this balance right now while on this cut.