Hermy G's Super Fantastic Between Challenge Workout Log of Silliness!

[Strawberry Squatcake]

Mir, you should be all, "Bro, I'm on a cut! You better back the eff off!" 

 

Also, when I used to go to the gym, I noticed there was a lot of standing around. What's that about? I wonder what percent of my workout I stand around. When I get to my working set of squats, I generally rest about 3-4 minutes between sets, and the sets themselves probably take, what, 20 seconds? So maybe they're resting adn don't know what to do with their eyes? This is why all gyms should be playing reruns of the original 90210. No? OK then. 

 

[PrincessHeather]

Men in crop tops... oy. LOL

[Max Power]

 

 

 

I'm with PH huzzah for self experimentation!!!  

[Hermione Gainser]

Mir, you should be all, "Bro, I'm on a cut! You better back the eff off!" 

 

Also, when I used to go to the gym, I noticed there was a lot of standing around. What's that about? I wonder what percent of my workout I stand around. When I get to my working set of squats, I generally rest about 3-4 minutes between sets, and the sets themselves probably take, what, 20 seconds? So maybe they're resting adn don't know what to do with their eyes? This is why all gyms should be playing reruns of the original 90210. No? OK then. 

 

 

Oh my god, I totally forgot that guy was on 90210.  Annnnnd I need to watch some reruns. I believe Melrose Place is on instant view on Netflix.... another good one.

 

Yeah, I hate that. I got some looks from some guy while I was standing around in the rack the other day. I'm like, listen bro... rest takes time... I'm not aiming for pump here so there will not be 15 reps and minimal rest. kthanx.   but yeah, the rest time is really what's making my workouts lonnnng.  Ah well.

 

 

 

 

I'm with PH huzzah for self experimentation!!!  

 

Ha! Yes.

[Morrigainz]

I need that on one of my workout shirts.

[weirdquark]

When I lift at the gym sometimes I watch people doing their sets to see if they're using good form. Usually they are not. I saw a dude who put on a belt to squat 225 and then didn't even get to parallel. I was so sad. (I mean, did he think he was going low enough? He was close on a couple of reps...) And then he added weight and I didn't want to watch anymore.

 

When they have bad form I kind of want them to catch me staring and call me on it because I really want to say something but don't want to offer unsolicited advice. But if they're all 'what are you looking at?' then I can tell them.

[PrincessHeather]

When I lift at the gym sometimes I watch people doing their sets to see if they're using good form. Usually they are not. I saw a dude who put on a belt to squat 225 and then didn't even get to parallel. I was so sad. (I mean, did he think he was going low enough? He was close on a couple of reps...) And then he added weight and I didn't want to watch anymore.

 

When they have bad form I kind of want them to catch me staring and call me on it because I really want to say something but don't want to offer unsolicited advice. But if they're all 'what are you looking at?' then I can tell them.

 

But we all assume you aren't creepy since we all know you are awesome. 

 

I guess I do notice bad form, and it's almost always people in the squat rack. Mainly I think because I don't often see people using the racks for actual squats, and I get excited, and then like you, I get disappointed. I saw a girl with her boyfriend the other day, and was all pumped to be impressed cause she had something like 150ish on the bar and a belt so I though she must know what she's doing. She proceeded to do maybe quarter squats and her bf had to help at the bottom of a few reps.... it was so saddening. Unload the bar and do it right dammit!

[Strawberry Squatcake]

I think the problem is people:

 

1. genuinely don't know they're doing it wrong

2. aren't trying to be creepy

3. probably wonder why you'd waste your time going sooo low (since, you know, #1, where they don't think you're supposed to)

 

I know when I learned to squat back in HS, no one ever told us to go low. The cue we were given was to protect our knees. So when I got on NF and found out that knees get stronger, aren't compromised in a full form squat, mind was blown. And when I changed my cue to "go as low as your mobility will allow" from "watch the knees" it changed my perspective and approach.

 

I suspect more people grew up in "my world" when they learned to squat, and dn't realize the benefits of squatting lower, that they're doing it wrong, or that it's actually BETTER to squat lower as opposed to "being careful for safety's sake."

For what it's worth, I do remember times where guys would be working n their 1RM and a coach would come in and tell them, "Nope, not low enough." But they had some weird competition going on during FB season. So the girls weren't involved in that, anyway. And not all of the guys were. It was this handful of guys that one coach woudl come in and critique. But I NEVER thought anything of it. 

[Morrigainz]

Yeah. See, I think I've crossed that line. Like super overweight dude doing triceps kickbacks? Are you kidding? I've tried giving him some pointers, but he doesn't listen...but that's his business. I told him that if he ever wants help to let me know.

 

And then he loads the bar up and does like 250# squats when he weighs over 300. And he has his weight more on the ball of his foot. And he doesn't get down to parallel. And he even said to me one day, "I can't even do bodyweight squats." Then stop using the f'ing barbell and do BW squats until you can do it right! And he's started doing step-ups onto like....a 2.5' tall box. If he's trying to really work, shouldn't he be using a lower step and maybe even jumping if he can? I think he does it because he saw this other dude (who's constantly in there doing DUs and banded deadlifts and things) doing box jumps onto it.

[Strawberry Squatcake]

As an overweight woman of the world, I can relate to this guy. He's probably getting conflicting messages from everyone. Some people say, "You weigh more, so you can squat more." But I don't actually think that's true, especially as a beginner. And especially learning form. I feel like some people are prone to squat (or DL or whatever) more because of genetics or what their natural weight WOULD be if they lost weight. In the meantime, he's failing to see that by squatting his body weight (300lbs) he's already squatting more than most people. So get in there on those BW squats, and own them! There's no shame in that game.

I want a shirt that says, "Squat between your legs" on the front and "Spread the floor" on the back. Can this be a thing? It'll go a long way to educate everyone without words. (Jdanger gets 90% of the profits.) Just make eye contact, point at the shirt, and walk off. If you're dealing with mirrors, maybe get the reverse lettering.

Re: jump ups. My friend told me, "The appropriate way to do a jump up is to jump up onto the box, then stand up fully. Otherwise you're wasting your time." If that's true, I've always, always, always done it wrong. Ignorance. It's sorta bliss. Sorta counter-productive. (As an aside, even if I'm doing it wrong, they got my heart rate up, so I don't think it's a TOTAL waste of time. )

[Hermione Gainser]

I need that on one of my workout shirts.

 

I was totally thinking that!

When I lift at the gym sometimes I watch people doing their sets to see if they're using good form. Usually they are not. I saw a dude who put on a belt to squat 225 and then didn't even get to parallel. I was so sad. (I mean, did he think he was going low enough? He was close on a couple of reps...) And then he added weight and I didn't want to watch anymore.

 

When they have bad form I kind of want them to catch me staring and call me on it because I really want to say something but don't want to offer unsolicited advice. But if they're all 'what are you looking at?' then I can tell them.

 

But we all assume you aren't creepy since we all know you are awesome. 

 

I guess I do notice bad form, and it's almost always people in the squat rack. Mainly I think because I don't often see people using the racks for actual squats, and I get excited, and then like you, I get disappointed. I saw a girl with her boyfriend the other day, and was all pumped to be impressed cause she had something like 150ish on the bar and a belt so I though she must know what she's doing. She proceeded to do maybe quarter squats and her bf had to help at the bottom of a few reps.... it was so saddening. Unload the bar and do it right dammit!

 

Yes! I do that, too. Especially if one of the people I know can squat well and squat big comes in... I watch. I also watched and complimented the guy I call Seth's Doppleganger on his squats the other day.  So pretty.  I smile like a creep b/c good squats make me so happy.

 

I think the problem is people:

 

1. genuinely don't know they're doing it wrong

2. aren't trying to be creepy

3. probably wonder why you'd waste your time going sooo low (since, you know, #1, where they don't think you're supposed to)

 

I know when I learned to squat back in HS, no one ever told us to go low. The cue we were given was to protect our knees. So when I got on NF and found out that knees get stronger, aren't compromised in a full form squat, mind was blown. And when I changed my cue to "go as low as your mobility will allow" from "watch the knees" it changed my perspective and approach.

 

I suspect more people grew up in "my world" when they learned to squat, and dn't realize the benefits of squatting lower, that they're doing it wrong, or that it's actually BETTER to squat lower as opposed to "being careful for safety's sake."

For what it's worth, I do remember times where guys would be working n their 1RM and a coach would come in and tell them, "Nope, not low enough." But they had some weird competition going on during FB season. So the girls weren't involved in that, anyway. And not all of the guys were. It was this handful of guys that one coach woudl come in and critique. But I NEVER thought anything of it. 

 

1. Definitely

2. Lols, creepy intentions shine through when it's creepy (like the guy I recently mentioned--definitely NOT creepy but I've had plenty of those).

3. I would bet that's right.

 

Yeah. See, I think I've crossed that line. Like super overweight dude doing triceps kickbacks? Are you kidding? I've tried giving him some pointers, but he doesn't listen...but that's his business. I told him that if he ever wants help to let me know.

 

And then he loads the bar up and does like 250# squats when he weighs over 300. And he has his weight more on the ball of his foot. And he doesn't get down to parallel. And he even said to me one day, "I can't even do bodyweight squats." Then stop using the f'ing barbell and do BW squats until you can do it right! And he's started doing step-ups onto like....a 2.5' tall box. If he's trying to really work, shouldn't he be using a lower step and maybe even jumping if he can? I think he does it because he saw this other dude (who's constantly in there doing DUs and banded deadlifts and things) doing box jumps onto it.

 

 

As an overweight woman of the world, I can relate to this guy. He's probably getting conflicting messages from everyone. Some people say, "You weigh more, so you can squat more." But I don't actually think that's true, especially as a beginner. And especially learning form. I feel like some people are prone to squat (or DL or whatever) more because of genetics or what their natural weight WOULD be if they lost weight. In the meantime, he's failing to see that by squatting his body weight (300lbs) he's already squatting more than most people. So get in there on those BW squats, and own them! There's no shame in that game.

I want a shirt that says, "Squat between your legs" on the front and "Spread the floor" on the back. Can this be a thing? It'll go a long way to educate everyone without words. (Jdanger gets 90% of the profits.) Just make eye contact, point at the shirt, and walk off. If you're dealing with mirrors, maybe get the reverse lettering.

Re: jump ups. My friend told me, "The appropriate way to do a jump up is to jump up onto the box, then stand up fully. Otherwise you're wasting your time." If that's true, I've always, always, always done it wrong. Ignorance. It's sorta bliss. Sorta counter-productive. (As an aside, even if I'm doing it wrong, they got my heart rate up, so I don't think it's a TOTAL waste of time. )

 

You know, there's an overweight (like not just a little overweight) guy who trains at my gym. He used to do squats (he may still and I just don't see that training day anymore) and I felt like he had really good form but that his body was impeding his progress.  Like, he literally could not get his body to go any lower b/c his stomach was hitting his legs.  So, I mean, he definitely went as far as mobility allows but he didn't break parallel. I think he would have if he could, though.  So yeah, I always wondered what to do in a situation like that.

 

oh man, I never stand all the way up.  That is a good question... is it better to jump up, stand up and jump back down (taking as much time as needed to do all those things if you can't do them fluidly) or is it better to just keep jumping up and down as best you can? 

 

Where's J?!

 

annnd that also reminds me:

 

 

Which further reminds me that hte other day I was adding to my Hey Girl board on pinterest (yeah, that exists) and realized I should put a couple of those created by some hilarious nerds I know.... I added one and pinterest showed me that someone else had added a bunch of the others!  I squee'd... this must be what it's like for bloggers... kinda... anyhow... hehe yay

[weirdquark]

Yeah, so I think you can totally watch someone doing their sets without being creepy because there's the "checking out their form" watching and the "what the hell are they even doing" watching and then there's the "nice ass" watching which is kind of where things cross over the line. I'm okay with people checking out my ass if they feel like it as long as they at least try to be subtle and aren't staring or taking video because inappropriate! Leering on the other hand is right out.

[Strawberry Squatcake]

Hahahahah! Taking a video of your ass. I'm sure this happens, so it's not funny, but I have NEVER seen someone randomly videoing someone else. Although I'm sure it happens.

As for the gut getting in the way of squatting, that's why I went with a wider stance. I think it partially helps with mobility issues. But I really feel like it gives you the wiggle room you need. (Some people tell me my stance is too wide, but I FINALLY realized, this is where I feel most comfortable and solid, so meh. Specifically traditional squat form, who needs ya?)

[Hermione Gainser]

Hahahahah! Taking a video of your ass. I'm sure this happens, so it's not funny, but I have NEVER seen someone randomly videoing someone else. Although I'm sure it happens.

As for the gut getting in the way of squatting, that's why I went with a wider stance. I think it partially helps with mobility issues. But I really feel like it gives you the wiggle room you need. (Some people tell me my stance is too wide, but I FINALLY realized, this is where I feel most comfortable and solid, so meh. Specifically traditional squat form, who needs ya?)

 

oh lord, I hope I've never been taped. I doubt it.  I know other people have been in my taping and have not realized it.. or, when they did, were all ahhhh, and I assured them they'd be either cut out, blurred or I wouldn't be showing it to anyone..

 

that reminds me I need to put up my newest bench checks....

[Morrigainz]

Re: jump ups. My friend told me, "The appropriate way to do a jump up is to jump up onto the box, then stand up fully. Otherwise you're wasting your time." If that's true, I've always, always, always done it wrong. Ignorance. It's sorta bliss. Sorta counter-productive. (As an aside, even if I'm doing it wrong, they got my heart rate up, so I don't think it's a TOTAL waste of time. )

AAAahhhhhh!!! Really?!?!?!?! 

 

Well, good thing I don't do them then

 

 

You know, there's an overweight (like not just a little overweight) guy who trains at my gym. He used to do squats (he may still and I just don't see that training day anymore) and I felt like he had really good form but that his body was impeding his progress.  Like, he literally could not get his body to go any lower b/c his stomach was hitting his legs.  So, I mean, he definitely went as far as mobility allows but he didn't break parallel. I think he would have if he could, though.  So yeah, I always wondered what to do in a situation like that.

 

oh man, I never stand all the way up.  That is a good question... is it better to jump up, stand up and jump back down (taking as much time as needed to do all those things if you can't do them fluidly) or is it better to just keep jumping up and down as best you can? 

 

Where's J?!

 

annnd that also reminds me:

 

 

 

OMG RG...and yes to all the rest of that. His weight definitely gets in the way...which is another reason I think he probs doesn't need to be adding weight to the bar...

 

(also I didn't know that. is that why my back hurts after jump ups and jumproping and jumping jacks? and kriss kross?)

 

Yeah, so I think you can totally watch someone doing their sets without being creepy because there's the "checking out their form" watching and the "what the hell are they even doing" watching and then there's the "nice ass" watching which is kind of where things cross over the line. I'm okay with people checking out my ass if they feel like it as long as they at least try to be subtle and aren't staring or taking video because inappropriate! Leering on the other hand is right out.

The bolded part. And all the rest too. But yeah.

 

Hahahahah! Taking a video of your ass. I'm sure this happens, so it's not funny, but I have NEVER seen someone randomly videoing someone else. Although I'm sure it happens.

As for the gut getting in the way of squatting, that's why I went with a wider stance. I think it partially helps with mobility issues. But I really feel like it gives you the wiggle room you need. (Some people tell me my stance is too wide, but I FINALLY realized, this is where I feel most comfortable and solid, so meh. Specifically traditional squat form, who needs ya?)

Yep! And who knows, maybe things will change down the road.

 

oh lord, I hope I've never been taped. I doubt it.  I know other people have been in my taping and have not realized it.. or, when they did, were all ahhhh, and I assured them they'd be either cut out, blurred or I wouldn't be showing it to anyone..

 

that reminds me I need to put up my newest bench checks....

I've never had anyone notice/care about being taped. Guess I've just been lucky that way. Of course it also leads to some funny backgrounds...

[weirdquark]

Hahahahah! Taking a video of your ass. I'm sure this happens, so it's not funny, but I have NEVER seen someone randomly videoing someone else. Although I'm sure it happens.

As for the gut getting in the way of squatting, that's why I went with a wider stance. I think it partially helps with mobility issues. But I really feel like it gives you the wiggle room you need. (Some people tell me my stance is too wide, but I FINALLY realized, this is where I feel most comfortable and solid, so meh. Specifically traditional squat form, who needs ya?)

 

I haven't seen it either but I know at cons there are those who think people in costume owe them photos and either don't ask or get pissy if you don't want to pose. Especially if you're a girl in a sexy outfit. "If you didn't want people to harass admire you, why did you wear that?" Oh hai, victim blaming!

[PrincessHeather]

Seems relevant to the creepyness discussion:

 

[Hermione Gainser]

Seems relevant to the creepyness discussion:

 

 

LMAO.. this is amazing.

 

I haven't seen it either but I know at cons there are those who think people in costume owe them photos and either don't ask or get pissy if you don't want to pose. Especially if you're a girl in a sexy outfit. "If you didn't want people to harass admire you, why did you wear that?" Oh hai, victim blaming!

 

I've been thinking about victim blaming a lot lately... funny you bring it up.  More specifically, where is the fine line between accepting responsibility for your actions and victim blaming.

 

What brings this up (for me) is this local radio show.  The situation was Cohost A found out someone was pretending to be him and convinced this Girl he's friends with that Cohost A would go out with Girl if Girl sent boob shot to Friend.  Cohost A was not part of this disgusting plan at all, it was just a pathetic ploy by Friend to get to see Girl's boobs. 

 

So anyway, Girl did it and then was upset when she didn't get her date with Cohost A... and that's how the nefarious plot was discovered.  A LOT of people were calling in and messaging the show via social networks to say that she shouldn't have sent the photo... or things like, "if she's dumb enough to send a boob photo she deserves what she gets"

 

Female Host got pretty annoyed with this line of commentary and brought up the fact that Girl was manipulated by a very trusted and long term friend (like 15 years or something) and to STOP BLAMING THE VICTIM.

 

So, ya know, where is that line? (that's rhetorical but feel free to discuss)

 

Related: the more that girl spoke the more it became painfully clear she lacks self esteem and that makes me really sad.

 

**

Doctor update:

 

My doc <3. He's cool.  So, he thinks it's some nerve stuff (he was more specific) and ordered x-rays (which I got today).  We're going to see what's going on in my neck so we know how to proceed.

 

Workout update:

 

5/2/13

 

I'm not allowed to do anything that really works the neck/shoulders/etc until we figure out what's going on so deadlifts were cancelled.  I was also in a really bad mood yesterday so this gym session just sucked.

 

leg press:

i have no idea how to gauge the weight on this so here's my derp version

180 added to machine x5

270 added to machine 3x5

 

that sucked. that machine is the worst... should have known taking advice from a bro would yield such results.

 

DB BSS:

25x8

weight per hand, reps per leg

only did one set b/c I really wasn't supposed to be holding those..

 

Walking Lunges:

18

 

Bodyweight Squats:

6/6/8

I don't really recall...but probably more than what I have listed

 

Bike:

15 minutes, varying intensity

[Hermione Gainser]

Oh and more bench form (also will be posted in my bench form thread)

 

set 1:

http://youtu.be/pf2x-v70YGU

 

set 2:

http://youtu.be/zT7v_K7VPOQ

 

set 3 was better but my phone decided to shut off at some point after I hit record so I lost the video. jerk phone.

 

Important to note that this was with the nerve stuff I have going on and my right side definitely felt weaker (which is when you'll notice me struggling).

 

also, though I did a lot of mobility I had trouble getting a good shoulder set up (possibly b/c of hte nervy nerves? dunno)

 

and in set 1 I think I was a little too foward on the bench.

[Max Power]

Female Host got pretty annoyed with this line of commentary and brought up the fact that Girl was manipulated by a very trusted and long term friend (like 15 years or something) and to STOP BLAMING THE VICTIM.

 

So, ya know, where is that line? (that's rhetorical but feel free to discuss)

 

Related: the more that girl spoke the more it became painfully clear she lacks self esteem and that makes me really sad.

 

**

Doctor update:

 

My doc <3. He's cool.  So, he thinks it's some nerve stuff (he was more specific) and ordered x-rays (which I got today).  We're going to see what's going on in my neck so we know how to proceed.

 

Workout update:

 

5/2/13

 

I'm not allowed to do anything that really works the neck/shoulders/etc until we figure out what's going on so deadlifts were cancelled.  I was also in a really bad mood yesterday so this gym session just sucked.

 

leg press:

i have no idea how to gauge the weight on this so here's my derp version

180 added to machine x5

270 added to machine 3x5

 

that sucked. that machine is the worst... should have known taking advice from a bro would yield such results.

 

DB BSS:

25x8

weight per hand, reps per leg

only did one set b/c I really wasn't supposed to be holding those..

 

Walking Lunges:

18

 

Bodyweight Squats:

6/6/8

I don't really recall...but probably more than what I have listed

 

Bike:

15 minutes, varying intensity

 

 

Sorry that you're on restrictive lifts for now, no DL would make me sad... Hopefully superdoc can get it figured out pretty quick and get you back in the game!  

 

Yeah the leg press machine kind of freaks me out, I don't even know how to use the machine, it's got levers and brakes, no idea...

 

As for the bench stuff, plant your feet flat on the ground so you can push through your heels, unless you have a reason not to, in which case keep doing what you're doing.  

[Morrigainz]

I can't watch the vids with any kind of discernment because I'm outside and it's bright, but yeah, I always do better on bench if I focus on pushing through my feet.

 

No deadlifts make sad Mir sad.

 

Leg press - when I was doing them last summer (with a squat around 140?) I was pressing 270. LEG pressing 270. haha. not OHP.

[Hermione Gainser]

lols, yeah, it made me sad, too.

 

The foot positioning is a new thing, actually.  I believe it was via diesel crew (I'm going to go try to find the article) but it offered that as an alternate foot position to help maintain the arch. 

[Rob__]

Those leg press machines are freaking weird. When I did use them, I counted just the weight that was on them.

I agree with what MP said. You should have your feet planned on the ground when you bench. You get a lot more power and stability if you push through your feet when you press up...

Hope things feel better/get fixed soon!

[Morrigainz]

I've been trying to get the arch but it always ends up a lower back arch so no bueno. I'll have to do more research

[weirdquark]

Another vote for getting into a position where you can keep your feet flat on the floor for pushing -- I've gotten decent support with pushing through just my toes, but pushing through the heels is more solid.