Noddy's Grinding log for Awesomeness

[godjira1]

Ok lemme try: 

 

re OHP: if u bend at knee and re-extend to get the bar up to say, your eyes before pressing, this is a Push press. A lot of people do it in lieu of OHP so its fine. Just do Push press all the way, but be aware it is a different exercise. 

 

Re Failure: it is better NOT to do a rep that u know will be a failure. Ie if no.2 was already really hard, don't bother with 3. I personally found failing on reps "fried my body" a little. Not sure if u get what I mean, I am struggling to express it too. 

 

Re Weights Progression. If u are getting the 3x3 i would increase weights. If it felt really hard maybe 2.5kg on DL and Sqt. On OHP and BP I regret never trying microprogressions but I have heard it works so u can give it a go. Bottomline: no need to pause progression while u are successful. 

[Jord]

The app should automatically tell you when to change your rep scheme or deload. 

 

OHP, Bench, and Power Cleans are going to be a lot harder to progress than DL and Squat. 

 

The app SHOULD let you change at what rate you add weight to the bar. So for example instead of adding 2.5kg, it should let you change it to add 1 or even 0.5 kg if you make a lift. What app are you using? I use the app "Strong" and I can set the additions to whatever I want. But my gym didn't have the smaller plates so I had to purchase micro plates, in pounds I got a set that goes down to 0.25# per plate, so I can add as little as 0.5# to a lift a time. 

 

You will eventually get to where even adding 2.5Kg to DL is going to be too much. 

How long have you been doing SL or SS? 

[Nadoriel]

@godjira1 well if it's a different exercise then there's no point. I thought it would work the same way as negatives for chin ups. I followed your advice and de-loaded squats. I'll also deload OHP and probably keep the same DL until I'm sure I do it with good form, before I move up. 

I was still counting squats even if I wasn't going as deeper as before, but I'm gonna stop that. I seriously doubt I'll ever be able to truly let myself fail a squat. It scares me too much. So I'll just count as a failure when I "protect" myself and go less deep.

 

Regarding the microplates, that's gonna be my next me-gift then. @Taddea Zhaan The app (Starting Strenght) allows for microplates. I just don't have them available... yet. Never thought of buying them until now, to be honest. But I'll give them a try and hope they work for me ^^

 

Anyways I started SS since the 1st of August. I was doing SL before (maybe 1 month as well), but had a 2 week holidays or something in between so I deloaded quite a lot when I started SS.

[Nadoriel]

So, log in exercise today:

 

 

So basically, I deloaded squats to make sure I was going deep enough. Which I believe I was this time.

Bench still going good.

I was incredibly surprised at my power clean! But I managed the 32.5kg xD I think that now that I've got the hang of it it became easier! And by that, I don't mean that I'm gonna be super strong and hit a 40kg next week... but at least today I felt pretty okay lifting that barbell up. A bit tired at the end, but otherwise ok.

 

I also bought a new laptop!!! Should arrive tomorrow *.* I'll take nice pictures of it! Basically, I can't even watch a series on the laptop without it breaking in the middle of them. So annoying!

 

And now I think I broke my bloody washing machine... smells like burned rubber and it said to clean the pump. I've cleaned that filter 3 times now but still doesn't seem to make a difference. It wasn't draining and now it just makes soo much noise when the drain time comes. So I shut it down. But now I've also got a pool of water to clean... Gosh... I'm really mad at this.

 

I also finally managed to get my car servicing booked for free. I tried several times in the past with no straight answer because I bought it as an approved used car. It was supposed to be all done the year!! I bought it on February... So they better pay this -.-

 

And that's it... I wish I was good with gifs O.o I totally think my log is missing something. 

[Machete]

On 8/23/2017 at 4:34 PM, Nadoriel said:

Today I especially struggled with Presses and Deadlifts. So instead of adding 5kg every time to deadlifts, I'm gonna do only 2.5kg at a time. With the presses... well. I dunno. It's my doom and I know it. I can do it if I do an impulse with my legs. @Machete is it still an overhead press if I "assist" a little with my legs to give the impulse? It's that initial impulse that I really can't do. I already struggle with 25kg, and with 27.5kg I already lean backwards a lot (which almost makes it an inclined bench press).

 

Yeah, the Press is tricky. You can extend the thoracic spine, as long as you keep the lumbar neutral. Rip teaches it with an initiation at the hips. As long as your knees remain locked it isn't really considered a Push Press (a different exercise altogether, and not part of SS).

 

 

Personally I just brace and Press. To be honest I probably wouldn't be the person to ask about this; I held the number 1 spot on the Press Leaderboard here only because I have advantageous leverages (i.e. short, stubby arms) and the exercise was just easy for me. @Urgan, I saw you've been Pressing some weight lately, what are your thoughts on this?

 

Re: Power Cleans. If you're really not comfortable with Power Clans, you can probably do Hang Cleans or Muscle Cleans. It's counterintuitive to train yourself to be afraid of an exercise.

 

Also, when in doubt, go lighter on the bar. You should be leaving the gym feeling better than when you came in. You can always get a few extra reps/sets in if you're feeling particularly strong, but trying to salvage a rep that's too heavy just makes you practice the wrong mechanics, and failing a lift makes you practice, well, failing a lift. Never fail lifts unless you're in a competition.

[Urgan]

2 hours ago, Machete said:

Yeah, the Press is tricky. You can extend the thoracic spine, as long as you keep the lumbar neutral. Rip teaches it with an initiation at the hips. As long as your knees remain locked it isn't really considered a Push Press (a different exercise altogether, and not part of SS).

 

Personally I just brace and Press. To be honest I probably wouldn't be the person to ask about this; I held the number 1 spot on the Press Leaderboard here only because I have advantageous leverages (i.e. short, stubby arms) and the exercise was just easy for me. @Urgan, I saw you've been Pressing some weight lately, what are your thoughts on this?

 

Hai~ 

 

First of all, you found a solid video for teaching the press (cut to not explode teh BL). Second, here is my favorite press instructional:

 

To answer the question pointblank, yes you can involve your lower body without turning it into another exercise, however you are correct the knees can, must, and in fact SHOULD be locked to turn your quads into a springboard for pressing the weight overhead legitly and safely. Any dipping of the knees or vertical movement of the body (not the bar) is a push press for sure. That's an assistance exercise that might be useful later~

 

Just today I pressed a close-to-limit weight for a single and posted it on the Insta, if you want yet another example of what this looks like inside of a training progression, it may be beneficial to have yet another example, I dunno. Definitely from the school of layback. The press is a slow lift to progress, don't be discouraged if you find yourself struggling to maintain linear progression on it vs your squat and/or deadlift. Fractionals are particularly critical for female lifters to continue to move the weight up, all the way to .25lb plates so you can load the bar by half lb jumps per session. You might be surprised that this light a weight would be recommended, but believe me I have made many, many jumps this small on OHP to keep it going. Helps with bench press as well.....

[Urgan]

I just read a bit of your log and noted you were taking diet suggestions, particularly for protein (team 1g/lb bodyweight, represent). You don't wanna have sugar or chocolate. Well, this beef protein powder @shaar clued me into has 0 sugar and you are not limited to chocolate flavor, but that's the kind I use so can't vouch for the other flavors. A Godsend for those of us with Issues dealing with milk. It's also on amazon if that is more convenient for you. It is a wonderful stopgap in the event you are falling way short (like <100g short). Only downside is mixing it is a little fussy, but I actually like the taste better than whey, FWIW. 

[Nadoriel]

@Machete Thanks for the video! Yeah, I was in the middle of the OHP and then I quickly glanced at how to do them on the SS app and read about the hip thing. That's what kinda prompt me to lean backwards... but it might've been too much! I'll make sure I'm not push pressing. That's not my goal then.

On 26/08/2017 at 3:14 AM, Machete said:

Also, when in doubt, go lighter on the bar. You should be leaving the gym feeling better than when you came in. You can always get a few extra reps/sets in if you're feeling particularly strong, but trying to salvage a rep that's too heavy just makes you practice the wrong mechanics, and failing a lift makes you practice, well, failing a lift. Never fail lifts unless you're in a competition.

 

This goes pretty much with what @godjira1 was saying and I totally appreciate it. I really thought that failing could be good... potentially. But I know my form won't be great if I'm forcing something I know I can't do.

 

@Urgan thank you so much! LOL it really seems Ripptoe is the best at teaching OHP. 

 

Quote

Fractionals are particularly critical for female lifters to continue to move the weight up, all the way to .25lb plates so you can load the bar by half lb jumps per session. You might be surprised that this light a weight would be recommended, but believe me I have made many, many jumps this small on OHP to keep it going. Helps with bench press as well...

1

 

I'll be getting a set for myself. They're around 45 pounds I think... a pair of each. *.* Hopefully that'll be the trick!

 

Quote

I just read a bit of your log and noted you were taking diet suggestions, particularly for protein (team 1g/lb bodyweight, represent). You don't wanna have sugar or chocolate. Well, this beef protein powder @shaar clued me into has 0 sugar and you are not limited to chocolate flavor, but that's the kind I use so can't vouch for the other flavors. A Godsend for those of us with Issues dealing with milk. It's also on amazon if that is more convenient for you. It is a wonderful stopgap in the event you are falling way short (like <100g short). Only downside is mixing it is a little fussy, but I actually like the taste better than whey, FWIW. 

3

 

Ahaha you know what? Ever since I started eating around 1600 calories a day, getting more than 125g hasn't been much of an issue. I'm really loving it! It's a pity that I'm actually trying to lose a bit more weight/fat, because that means that I'll have to decrease my calories as well... At least while I'm not maintaining.

I'd never seen a beef protein powder! I might get it, but then I'm afraid of getting too much protein. I'm pretty sure I've seen a couple of bodybuilders with kidney problems due to too much protein, back in the hospital.

 

But you know what... About the flour and sugar. And even chocolate. Maybe I'm making a terrible mistake... but since I'm counting calories... I couldn't resist. My boyfriend keeps eating his muffins and cookies and for the last few weeks, I was just dreaming about something sweet! So I had a couple of bites of a chocolate on 2 days last week. Which definitely stopped my cravings of chocolate. And I bought gluten-free (I can't have gluten) oat cookies at lidl. Really tiny, they actually taste very good, very home like cookies. I'm eating 1 or 2 per day, obviously counting them in my calories. And so far that has kept my cravings away...

[Nadoriel]

So Sunday update! Just because I can't really let go of my new laptop ^^

 

Measurements:

Weight: 69.9kg

Thigh: 62cm

Waist: 75cm

Hips: 95cm

Body fat: supposedly 29%

 

OMG!!! I lost like 0.6kg in one week!! That hasn't happened for ages... Is it a coincidence that I started eating 1600+ calories a day on the last few days? I don't think so!

 

I also seem to have lost on my hips and body fat. Although I'm not really good with the caliper so I'll hold my celebration on that one.

 

That, unfortunately, means that I'll have to start eating slightly less to meet the -15% necessary to lose weight. It's supposed to be 1580 calories a day now. It's only a bit less... I can do it!

 

I'm pretty much eating the same every day on my off days at least:

• my breakfast is quark with cacao nibs, cashews, an apple, and coffee;
• lunch is hamburger with cheese, ham, salami and a fried egg, and a salad/coleslaw. I might add baked sweet potatoes/fries/baked beans every now and then;
• dinner is the omelet with ham, garlic sausage, cheese, and salami, usually topped with pesto, sometimes I throw spinach inside. I side it with salad/coleslaw.

I am using big batches of salad or at least trying to. At least half my dish is full of salad, almost falling over, but usually, it's more like 3/4 of the dish.

 

My desserts of choice are:

• cottage cheese with fruit/cashews/cacao nibs;
• banana-strawberry ice-cream (3 ingredients only, homemade);
• fruit;
• 2 digestive cookies and coffee;
• a bit of chocolate.

 

For work, I kinda take different stuff depending on what batch cooking I've done. Usually some sort of slow cooked meat with veggies and coleslaw for long days or tuna, egg and veggies for night shifts.

 

I think this sounds healthy enough... no?

[Machete]

1 hour ago, Nadoriel said:

@Machete Thanks for the video! Yeah, I was in the middle of the OHP and then I quickly glanced at how to do them on the SS app and read about the hip thing. That's what kinda prompt me to lean backwards... but it might've been too much! I'll make sure I'm not push pressing. That's not my goal then.

 

This goes pretty much with what @godjira1 was saying and I totally appreciate it. I really thought that failing could be good... potentially. But I know my form won't be great if I'm forcing something I know I can't do.

 

@Urgan thank you so much! LOL it really seems Ripptoe is the best at teaching OHP.

 

The Press doesn't really have standardized rules, since it's no longer contested. (The subjectiveness in the allowed degree of back lean probably contributed to this.) One could probably classify it as an accessory lift, grouped with Front Squats, Rows, and Close Grip Bench Presses, where the weight does matter but as long as you are doing them safely you're fine.

 

 

Here's an article on the NF Blog about the Press: https://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/strength-training-101-the-overhead-press/

 

Failure lifting has its place, usually for isolation lifts, when aiming for hypertrophy. But don't be a hero in the gym. Save the to Valhalla! lifts for when it matters. Remember that we go to the gym to be stronger for something else, not necessarily just to be really good at gymming. (Usually at least. I don't know. Maybe some people's ambitions end with being the biggest stud in their local gym.)

 

SS is Rip's program, so the appropriate Press method for it would probably be his.

[Nadoriel]

@Machetethat guy is leaning back a lot more than I did xD that's definitely an inclined bench press! 

 

I reckon it's because I read a book from a guy... Body by science or something. Basically the idea was to lift to failure every time. But the exercises were done in the machines so it was safer I guess. 

 

I totally loved the to Valhalla expression! XD

 

Thank you so much Machete! 

[Jord]

19 hours ago, Nadoriel said:

 

 

Measurements:

Weight: 69.9kg

Thigh: 62cm

Waist: 75cm

Hips: 95cm

Body fat: supposedly 29%

 

OMG!!! I lost like 0.6kg in one week!! That hasn't happened for ages... Is it a coincidence that I started eating 1600+ calories a day on the last few days? I don't think so!

 

I also seem to have lost on my hips and body fat. Although I'm not really good with the caliper so I'll hold my celebration on that one.

 

That, unfortunately, means that I'll have to start eating slightly less to meet the -15% necessary to lose weight. It's supposed to be 1580 calories a day now. It's only a bit less... I can do it!

 

If you lost weight why do you need to drop your calories? I'm a big fan of keeping calories stable if you are losing the weight you are trying to lose. Just because the internet says you need to drop to -15% doesn't mean you actually have to if you are losing weight in reality. The internet calculators are theoretical postulations. 

[Urgan]

1 hour ago, Taddea Zhaan said:

 

If you lost weight why do you need to drop your calories? I'm a big fan of keeping calories stable if you are losing the weight you are trying to lose. Just because the internet says you need to drop to -15% doesn't mean you actually have to if you are losing weight in reality. The internet calculators are theoretical postulations. 

 

There is a powerful argument for the minimum effective dose and it is you are on a strength training program that demands way more out of you than just staying alive. Steepening the cut prematurely wouldn't do your training any favors. Think of it this way, every session raises your caloric "baseline" by a little bit, because you are expending ever more energy as the poundage increases. You can therefore enter cutting status accidentally by keeping calories stable and running a linear progression. 

[Nadoriel]

@Taddea Zhaan, @Urganthose are probably the best news I've heard *. * makes me so happy! I never thought about that o. O I guess that what you see on my fitnesspal and so on is directed to people who only restrict calories and do not do strength training. 

 

Also, because the closer I get to my goal weight (which for now is 64kg), I also start getting this frenzy and rush to get there. Thing is, and I can totally see that happening, even when I get there my body still won't be as thin and defined like I want it to be. Because I still need to do a lot in terms of body recomposition. But I really don't want to drop my weight too much... Cause that means eating less. Supposedly. Also because I don't remember weighing less than that. 

 

But I really need to start thinking of this as a long term plan rather than a "get to your weight fast so you can show it off and then get fat again". It's hard as hell to think otherwise though. 

 

I'll.. Follow your advice. I'll see what happens next Sunday and make the necessary changes... If needed. Otherwise I'll keep eating around 1600 and don't think much about it! Thank you! 

[Urgan]

9 minutes ago, Nadoriel said:

I guess that what you see on my fitnesspal and so on is directed to people who only restrict calories and do not do strength training. 

 

This. Learning to filter advice based on whether it applies to your lifestyle is key. Personal experience will be your guide.

 

19 minutes ago, Nadoriel said:

Also, because the closer I get to my goal weight (which for now is 64kg), I also start getting this frenzy and rush to get there. Thing is, and I can totally see that happening, even when I get there my body still won't be as thin and defined like I want it to be. Because I still need to do a lot in terms of body recomposition. But I really don't want to drop my weight too much... Cause that means eating less. Supposedly. Also because I don't remember weighing less than that. 

 

But I really need to start thinking of this as a long term plan rather than a "get to your weight fast so you can show it off and then get fat again". It's hard as hell to think otherwise though. 

 

As long as you understand that happiness isn't a jean size, you'll be okay. It is a profound thing to go from chasing the number on your scale to other tangible AND intangible goals. Who knows where you'll go or what you'll do that will be so much more fulfilling than cutting down once you feel you have mastery of your body comp destiny. I hear you, it's hard to imagine a world where your bodyweight is less meaningful than your abilities, but is a damn fine place to live once you mentally "get" there. 

[Nadoriel]

1 hour ago, Urgan said:

 

This. Learning to filter advice based on whether it applies to your lifestyle is key. Personal experience will be your guide.

 

 

As long as you understand that happiness isn't a jean size, you'll be okay. It is a profound thing to go from chasing the number on your scale to other tangible AND intangible goals. Who knows where you'll go or what you'll do that will be so much more fulfilling than cutting down once you feel you have mastery of your body comp destiny. I hear you, it's hard to imagine a world where your bodyweight is less meaningful than your abilities, but is a damn fine place to live once you mentally "get" there. 

I really appreciate this. And sometimes I feel it. I like when I have a good session at the gym, it makes me feel awesome! And on that day I'm like... I really wanna eat to fuel this, to get stronger, fitter and do more of these amazing things! 

 

But so far that's it.. And then on the next day I look at the mirror and well. That's it. Wish I could put some sense on my head and control this xD it's irrational and doesn't make any sense. It doesn't even change my health anymore, just the fact of me exercising makes me healthier and my blood work is excellent, I'm almost never sick... It's just an irrational need to be thin.

 

Well rant is over xD I've had a pleasant lazy day today and hopefully gonna have a good workout tomorrow! 

[Urgan]

It isn't strange at all that it's hard for you to shift perspectives. Time and Doing the Thing will help.

[Nadoriel]

Ok! I'm back from the gym and today it was weird... Anyways I feel super lazy to actually have the job of putting the SS pic in here so it goes by hand:

 

Squats: 3x3x3x3x3 57.5kg, good form but hard. I'm probably gonna start using the microplates in here.

 

OHP: 3x3x3x3x3 25kg, good form with a hip start but locked knees. Last ones were hard. But last time I had to jump to get these done, so I'm good! 

 

Then things went south... See I get a dull lower back ache easily. I spend a lot of time on my feet.. Pretty much anything gives me that. Ok. But then... While I was picking up weights for the deadlift, sometimes I'd get this shooting pain on the back around my hip area. And that got me scared as hell. 

 

Funny enough, it didn't really happen when I was deadlifting... But I went as carefully as I allowed myself. So instead of trying 70kg, I went for the 65kg that I had already done before 2 weeks ago. So:

 

Deadlifts: 3x3x3 65kg

 

As usual, I also used the chin up and dip assisted machine. I did those until I got tired. Using 33kg at the moment. 

 

Basically this reminds me that I need stronger abs. There's no point in a strong back if my abs suck. And not matter what people say, I might be exercising my abs slightly with squats and wtv, but if you get me to do any abs exercise, I'm f***d. So I need stronger abs to balance my back. 

 

Also, I think that while my form with deadlifts is probably OK, I need to improve my posture while picking up heavy stuff from the floor. 

 

Hopefully, all that will help with my back pain and that I never feel that weird shooting pain on my back. Cause that was scary... 

 

@Machete, sorry to ask you, but what kind of abs exercises do you recommend? I only know the basics.. Like being on the floor and lifting either my legs up, or my head to the knees lol. And the last one usually hurts my neck. 

[dayzee84]

Hi there! Just popping in to say that I can commiserate - I also have a weak core. I'm going to lurk here to see what advice you get.

[Nadoriel]

9 hours ago, dayzee84 said:

Hi there! Just popping in to say that I can commiserate - I also have a weak core. I'm going to lurk here to see what advice you get.

I hope to get you a good answer xD I only learned how to do crunches. Wait is that a word or I'm too sleepy? Anyways, laying down and then raise my upper body to the knees. 

 

Something tells me there's better out there! Same way no one taught me chin ups or dips back at school. Why does no one teaches you the good stuff anyway? 

[godjira1]

Use as good form as u can picking up things off the floor - proper hip hinge, tension in lats if it is an irregular shape and u have to round the back and initiate the pickup with the legs/hams/glutes and not with a good morning. Many people I know have tweaked their backs after a heavy deadlift WHILE reracking the weights. 

 

Core - do the L sit progressions (youtube is your friend here). I reckon those are pretty much the best. If u have hip flexor issues, an ab wheel rollout is great too, u can use the progressions to advance. 

[Machete]

On 8/29/2017 at 9:10 AM, Nadoriel said:

Ok! I'm back from the gym and today it was weird... Anyways I feel super lazy to actually have the job of putting the SS pic in here so it goes by hand:

 

Squats: 3x3x3x3x3 57.5kg, good form but hard. I'm probably gonna start using the microplates in here.

 

OHP: 3x3x3x3x3 25kg, good form with a hip start but locked knees. Last ones were hard. But last time I had to jump to get these done, so I'm good! 

 

Then things went south... See I get a dull lower back ache easily. I spend a lot of time on my feet.. Pretty much anything gives me that. Ok. But then... While I was picking up weights for the deadlift, sometimes I'd get this shooting pain on the back around my hip area. And that got me scared as hell. 

 

Funny enough, it didn't really happen when I was deadlifting... But I went as carefully as I allowed myself. So instead of trying 70kg, I went for the 65kg that I had already done before 2 weeks ago. So:

 

Deadlifts: 3x3x3 65kg

 

As usual, I also used the chin up and dip assisted machine. I did those until I got tired. Using 33kg at the moment. 

 

Basically this reminds me that I need stronger abs. There's no point in a strong back if my abs suck. And not matter what people say, I might be exercising my abs slightly with squats and wtv, but if you get me to do any abs exercise, I'm f***d. So I need stronger abs to balance my back. 

 

Also, I think that while my form with deadlifts is probably OK, I need to improve my posture while picking up heavy stuff from the floor. 

 

Hopefully, all that will help with my back pain and that I never feel that weird shooting pain on my back. Cause that was scary... 

 

@Machete, sorry to ask you, but what kind of abs exercises do you recommend? I only know the basics.. Like being on the floor and lifting either my legs up, or my head to the knees lol. And the last one usually hurts my neck. 

 

Did you get that looked at? Injuries seem to happen more often than not doing stupid stuff, because we're not really paying attention, actively setting-up and bracing for a lift. I believe professional wrestler Randy Orton injured his shoulder taking out the trash. Haha

 

I'd go with the very basic Hollow Hold, and progress when you're doing multiple sets of 60 seconds, maintaining that flat back and pelvis tucked forward (PPT). Mastering this allows you to exponentially improve the effectiveness of other ab exercises.

 

 

[Nadoriel]

9 hours ago, godjira1 said:

Use as good form as u can picking up things off the floor - proper hip hinge, tension in lats if it is an irregular shape and u have to round the back and initiate the pickup with the legs/hams/glutes and not with a good morning. Many people I know have tweaked their backs after a heavy deadlift WHILE reracking the weights. 

 

Core - do the L sit progressions (youtube is your friend here). I reckon those are pretty much the best. If u have hip flexor issues, an ab wheel rollout is great too, u can use the progressions to advance. 

Yeah, I tend to pick stuff up with just one arm. I really think that might have been it since I've never felt anything of the sort while actually deadlifting. Deadlifts make my lower back tired, but I was told by my old PT that would be normal. Heck, anything makes my lower back tired and dull pain. The other pain was new tho.

 

I'll check those progressions xD I'll have to start from scratch  probably xD

[Nadoriel]

@MacheteNo need to have it looked at. At least, for now, ^^ I feel better today. I actually didn't feel that any other time since yesterday on the gym. And it was mostly when lifting random stuff from the floor. I really have to consider using a good form everywhere in life. But yeah, should be okay for next week!

 

I'll start trying that one!!! It looks harder than it seems I think xD Thank you so much!!

[Urgan]

Re: back pain, agree with @Machete most injuries occur either outside of the gym or with light weights, because people be messing around not minding their lifting form. Respect the weight. Hope your back quiets down completely soon. Also, this would be a really good time to not do crunches lol.