Vixen's Battle Log!

[Vixen68]

Monday 26/08/13

 

5min Treadmill warmup

5min Stretching

 

Squats

BW x 10

20kg x 5/5

30kg x 5

35kg x 5

40kg x 5/5/5/5/5

35kg x 5

 

Trying to work on the new form cues after my coaching session, particularly pushing my knees out and descending slower. Still getting used to the wider stance.

 

Bench

20kg x 5/5

25kg x 5

27.5 x 5/5/5/5/5

30kg x 5 - New PR for reps. Last time i did 30kg by myself i didn't feel comfortable doing more than 2 without a spotter.

 

Also trying to concentrate on form here. have to keep my back tight and i find it really hard to do so after a couple of hard reps

 

Rows

25kg x 5/5/5/5/5

 

Barbell Curls

15kg x 5/5/5/5/5

 

Farmer's Walk (12.5kg)

First attempt at these because my grip started to slip on my PR deadlift last workout.

 

10m x 2

25m x 2

10m x 2

 

I think next time i will go with a higher weight for less time.

 

Planks

1min x 5

[Cort]

Nice progress Vixen! I see you're losing your grip on deadlifts. Are you using a reverse grip for those? 

[Vixen68]

Nice progress Vixen! I see you're losing your grip on deadlifts. Are you using a reverse grip for those? 

 

I have been using a double overhand grip - I have only started to lose grip on my 72.5kg single but haven't tried it again yet. I have heard that you should wait to use an alternating grip till you get into heavier weights and max attempts. Will probably see what my new coach has to say about it when i start training at my new gym

[Cort]

Oh I see, makes sense. Yeah I had to switch to the alternating grip pretty early on. But once I did, I found I was able to lift a lot more weight.

[Vixen68]

Wednesday 28/8/13

 

Went to my old gym - Snap. and cancelled my membership while i was there. Membership ends on 25/9/13

Was really exhausted but not going wasnt even an option!

 

Warmup: 3min Treadmill @ 7.5km/h

Stretching and Foam rolling 5min

 

Squats

20kg x 5

30kg x 5

35kg x 5

40kg x 5

42.5kg x 5/5/5/5/5 - New PR for reps.

35kg x 5

 

Wasn't sure if i was going to do 42.5kg for my working sets as the way i squat has significantly changed since my coaching session and i really want to work on form! but they felt good - tough but not so much i was going to fail. I also did my set at 40kg and it felt really heavy so I was thinking that would be enough ... until i told myself that 1.25kg plates on each side were really nothing and i could do it! I did!

I also felt like my warmup made bigger jumps - usually i would have done a set at 37.5kg or something but didn't feel i needed it.

 

Deadlifts

40kg x 5

50kg x 5

60kg x 5

70kg x 2

 

Thought about putting the weight up again but i was really wiped out by this point

 

OHP

20kg x 5/5/5/5/5 First time with the Oly bar!

First time I've been able to get out more then one set at 20kg. Was tough but felt great and was even more of a challenge with the big bar stabilizing myself then it has been with the small pre-weighted bars. This is a big indication of how far i have come because there is no way i could have done this 2 months ago.

 

 

By this point I was starving hungry, completely exhausted and decided that any accessories could wait until another day. I went and did what i had to and that in itself is a lot better then i would have done before starting all this.

[pro§pect]

Doing great, keep it up

[Cort]

Nice job!  And good onya for that 70kg deadlift - I'm playing catch up to you. I hear ya on the "too tired for accessories" as I was the same way today. That's the nice thing about SL programs - just do the main lifts and everything else is extra.  Keep it up!  

[Vixen68]

Friday 30/08/2013

 

Was tired and not feeling well so smashed a banana and red bull just before heading to the gym and continued to absolutely nail my workout. Was so happy with my lifts it made my whole night.

 

3min Treadmill Warmup

10min Stretching & Foam rolling

 

Squats

• BW x 10
• 20kg x 5/5 
• 30kg x 5
• 35kg x 5
• 40kg x 5
• 42.5kg x 5
• 45kg x 5/5/5/5/5 - New PR for reps!! (99lbs) had considered just sticking at 42.5kg again and working on form, but told myself i could do it. And did
• 47.5kg x 1 - my sets felt good and i wanted to see how well i did with this. Went up easily
• 50kg x 5 - New PR for reps!!!!! (110lbs) - since 47.5 felt so easy i went for 50kg again. I got this weight up once in my coaching session last week but it was terrible - only just got it as my chest fell forward and it was messy. I did one here and it felt so great i continued to do 5reps. This was a huge moment for me!
• 35kg x 5

So much volume today!

 

Bench 

• 20kg x 5/5
• 27.5kg x 5
• 30kg x 5/5/5/5/5 - first time at this weight for all my working sets.

 

Rows

• 20kg x 5
• 25kg x 5/5/5/5/5

All with the proper oly bar, rather then preweighted small bars

 

Barbell Curls

• 15kg x 5/5/5/5/5

Lat Pulldowns

• 30kg x 5
• 40kg x 5/5/5/5
• 50kg x 1

[Cort]

Omg,  I just watched the bitchy resting face video.  That's ME!  Haha.

 

Keep it up Vixen, you're pretty much the only person I know right now that's doing a program pretty similar to mine since Alice broke her arm.  So I'm relying on you for motivation.  No pressure!  

[Vixen68]

Monday 2/9/13

 

5min treadmill warmup

10min stretching & foam rolling

 

Squats

BW x 10

20kg x 5/5

30kg x 5

35kg x 5

40kg x 5

45kg x 5

47.5kg x 5/5/5/5/5 - New weight for all my reps (5x5)

40kg x 5

 

 

Deadlifts

40kg x 5 

50kg x 5

60kg x 5

65kg x 2 - Grip was slipping so had to stop the set. switched to mix grip to continue next set.

65kg x 5 - New PR for 5 reps. Mixed grip was much better.

70kg x 2

72.5kg x 1

75kg x 1 (165lbs) - New PR

 

OHP

20kg x 5/5/5/5/5  - Was easier then last time.

 

 

The volume of my workouts seems to be getting huge ... im loving it.

 

Finally submitted my form for the new gym tonight after putting it off for over a week. That means i start paying for it this Thursday. Gotta suck it up and start training there!

[Vixen68]

Omg,  I just watched the bitchy resting face video.  That's ME!  Haha.

 

Keep it up Vixen, you're pretty much the only person I know right now that's doing a program pretty similar to mine since Alice broke her arm.  So I'm relying on you for motivation.  No pressure!  

 

Thanks I have definitely been following you and am so jealous of some of your lifts! i fully intend to keep this up though - im addicted.

Off to watch the Bf compete in a powerlifting comp on the weekend and cant wait to see some of the girls there lift again, i really enjoy going to them and seeing the potential ...

[ohnonebraska]

You appear to be kicking ass!

 

I was also told to widen my stance for the squat when I started at the PL gym - and they told me to do sumo deadlift.  It's really weird at first, isn't it?!?

 

They also told me to do mixed grip on the deadlifts pretty much all the time, but yesterday I used normal grip for some light Romanian deadlifts, and my grip was giving out way before the rest of me - so I think I really need to work on that.  Interested to see how the farmer's walks and so on help you!

[Vixen68]

In my coaching session he had me try the sumo deadlift but it felt so awkward and my conventional looked way better so we are sticking with that! It definitely does feel weird to begin with but I have found it does work much better for me, and i am throwing much more weight around lol but find I am getting DOMS again... Not entirely a bad thing!

Mixed grip definitely felt way better for my heavy sets last time but I really want to improve my grip too!

Workout last night went ok - will post details soon when I'm on a computer

[Vixen68]

Wednesday 4/9/13

 

So i REALLY REALLY REALLY didnt want to go to the gym today. I had been having a completely off day - hadnt had any sleep and left work at midday because i just couldnt be bothered! But i made myself go anyway (after much procrastination). Was also still really sore from Monday's workout so that didnt help things!

 

5min Treadmill warmup

10min Foam rolling

10min stretching

 

Squats

BW x 10

20kg x 5/5

30kg x 3

35kg x 3

40kg x 4

45kg x 3

47.5kg x 5/5/5/5/5

 

The plan had been to increase weight to 50kg for 5x5 today but my hip was bothering me, i didnt have the energy and it just hurt!! haha but i got through it at 47.5 which i am happy about. Made sure my form was good throughout the sets, and dialed back the warmup sets because it was getting to be huge volume the way i was doing it (which is great for days when i feel i can conquer the world - just not this day)

 

Bench

20kg x 5

25kg x 5

27.5kg x 5

30kg x 5/5/5/5/5 - same weight for work reps as last time

32.5kg x 3 - New PR for reps. I actually felt like i probably could have gone to 5, but without a spotter i didnt want to push it. During my coaching session 2 weeks ago i could only get this weight for 1 rep.

 

Rows

20kg x 15/10 - Technically a new PR for reps! I totally cheated here - i just wanted to get out of there an go be lazy so instead of doing sets of 5, I just did as many as i could in one set until i had done 25. I am sticking around this weight for now, instead of increasing each workout because my coach told me i should stick here for awhile

 

 

The creepy guy who wouldnt leave me alone a few weeks ago and 'spotted me' was there again - serves me right for going early i guess! - He kept trying to talk to me again, but thankfully not in the middle of sets and didnt ask me if i wanted a spot.

 

Since i was squattting when he first talked to me he was like "so are you just doing legs today?". He had to ask twice before i responded because i was trying to ignore him, or pretend i hadnt heard ... When i said 'everything' he went on to say "Oh yeah, Girls can do full body workouts, because they don't lift much weight". REALLY? REALLY? arrrrghhh so annoyed. I had 45kg on the bar at the time and i looked at him and said "No, i dont agree with that at all. I squat more than a lot of the guys at this gym". He didnt expect that answer and tried to take it back but i just went back to my workout.

 

So glad i wont be at this gym much longer!

[AliceM]

What an idiot!! Glad you had a lot on the bar at the time! 

 

And well done for going to the gym when you really didn't want to!

[Cort]

Classic attempt by a goon to flirt with a girl who is out of his league on, I'm sure, so many levels.  Glad you won't have to deal with him much longer.

[ohnonebraska]

What a knob.

[tizzini]

That guy is a tool. The guys and I both do full body workouts and believe me the whole gym stops to watch one of the guys lift..... he moves a scary amount and makes it look easy. Judgmental people suck

[Vixen68]

What an idiot!! Glad you had a lot on the bar at the time! 

 

And well done for going to the gym when you really didn't want to!

Classic attempt by a goon to flirt with a girl who is out of his league on, I'm sure, so many levels.  Glad you won't have to deal with him much longer.

What a knob.

That guy is a tool. The guys and I both do full body workouts and believe me the whole gym stops to watch one of the guys lift..... he moves a scary amount and makes it look easy. Judgmental people suck

 

Idiot/Goon/Knob/tool - you are all right! haha He was just trying to look intelligent and really put his foot in it!

[Terra]

Thanks for the great inspiration - with the weights and putting the "idiot/goon/knob/tool" in his place.    

[AliceM]

What a knob.

 

 

'knob' is such a great insult, really need to start using that more often

[ohnonebraska]

I don't actually usually use it, either.  Ha, something to strive for in the next challenge!

[Vixen68]

Friday 6/9/13

 

Was feeling absolutely awful - bad migraine, nausea. Didn't really want to go at all. took some pre-workout beforehand and went to the new gym.

 

Squats

BW x 10

20kg x 5/5

30kg x 5

35kg x 3

40kg x 3

45kg x 3/5/5/5/5/5

 

Deadlifts

Bumper plates - pretty much just messed around with weight and reps this time.

 

30kg x 5/5

40kg x 5/5

50kg x 5

60kg x 5/3

 

Press

20kg x 6/5/5/5/4 - New PR for reps (x6).

 

Didnt push the weights too much because i was in the new gym and getting used to all the new equipment, on top of not feeling well.

[Vixen68]

Monday 9/9/13

New gym - all by myself Talked to my coach - he is going to worlds for his powerlifting federation so will be away for about 2 weeks. After he gets back, we will be testing my maxes and then he will start me on a personalized program.

 

Spent the night really trying to focus on my form, rather then stacking the weight on. There are definitely things to work on - like I seem to do a little unbalanced wriggle at the bottom of a heavy squat for some reason and need to work out why - could be because of my hip. But it is all improving with time and effort ....

 

Squats

BW x 10

20kg x 10/5

30kg x 5

35kg x 3

40kg x 3

45kg x 3

50kg x 3/5/5/5/5/5 - First time i have done 5x5 at this weight. Coach told me that I should do 50 tonight, even if that meant 5x3. So i did the first 3, decided i could do the full 5 so continued on to do that 5 times. In some of the middle sets I wasnt quite hitting depth as i got really fatigued. I really concentrated on this in my last 2 sets and got them out at a legal depth.

35kg x 5

 

Bench

20kg x 5/5/5

25kg x 5

30kg x 5/5/5/5/5 - I am finding with bench that some sets/reps are amazing and i can tell my form was spot on, but then i will lose it and the next will be really sloppy! Have to try and work on consistency with this!

 

Rows

20kg x 5/5/5/5/5

 

 

Also watched the coach deadlift a new pb @ 277kg (609lbs) - testing his maxes before worlds!

[Cort]

Way to stick with it!  I HATE migraines... I get them myself.  Had to head one off tonight before my own lifts but my meds make me sleepy.  So I countered it with half a pre-workout cocktail to get through it.  Surprised I hit my weights at all because I was not "feeling it" today.

 

But rock on with your progress! Jealous you have a coach... how'd you find one?  Is it someone you already knew or did you seek one out?