Renae's Battle Log

[Rosiesan]

Alright starting this out

 

Age: 26

Height: 5' 5"

Weight: 175lbs

 

This past week was my first week attempting to do some weight lifting

 

Starting Stats:

Squats: Bodyweight

Over Head Press: bar (45)

Deadlift: 60

Bench: bar

 

Current Goals:

Deadlift: 1.5x bodyweight

Correctly complete 15 pushups

Complete a pullup

 

[Rosiesan]

Week two and I'm already starting to feel a bit discouraged. I think it's partly due to trying to do inverted rows, but failing. I think I need to take a step back and do bent over DB rows. I was able to get 20min of interval running in on Friday and took the weekend to rest, although between my 9month old and her 5 year old cousin I don't know how much rest I got.

 

It was also difficult to eat healthy because my MIL was very adamant about taking us out to eat for every meal. Luckily it's only one weekend. She did bring us a whole carton of peaches that are just starting to get ripe! They are so delicious!

 

I'm finding that I want to keep working at the lifts or moves until I've got them right and don't like waiting days between attempting them again, but I know that I should to give my muscles a rest.

 

It was encouraging seeing other girls doing squats and dead lifts at my gym, but now I'm even more self-conscious that I'm doing things wrong.

 

Need to really work on pushing myself harder with these exercises. I think that Friday I'll actually add weight to my squats and really try going as low as possible with my push ups.

 

Also need to weigh myself and take a before picture.

[Rosiesan]

So yesterday's cardio was a bust. I started out strong but started getting really bad side cramps so I walked for about 20 min. I barely got over 1.5 miles

 

Today was good though. I was able to go up to 70lbs in dead lifts and felt like I was doing everything correctly.

 

I wasn't able to add more weight to the bar for the standing press, but I felt like my form was a lot better. Last week I kept going around my head when pushing, but today I lifted my head and felt like  Iwas pushing straighter. I also held the bar a little longer above me. I did start to "feel the burn".

 

Lat pulls, I tried going to 105 but I couldn't pull down enough so I set it to 95 and could do 5 somehwat easily, but going up to 8 reps was very difficult.

 

Finally back extensions. These were very difficult today. Once I got to my last set it was very difficult to get all the way through. So sad how weak my lower back is.

 

Overall I felt it was a good workout. I've found I'm much more excited to go to the gym when it's a weightlifting day verses a cardio day, but I know that I need to let my muscles rest.

 

I've also been attempting to do planks after my workout during my cooldown session. I seem to be stuck at 45 seconds. I really need to push myself on those.

[Rosiesan]

Walk/Ran 3.2 miles in 41 minutes. Really need to bring those minutes down!

[Rosiesan]

Today was a quick workout. I attempted bent over single dumbell rows at 20 lbs. Much easier than the inverted row, but I know I can up my weight next time. I know that I did body weight squats correctly today (all the way down!), so I'm excited to add the bar next week. I also could tell I could go further down with pushups. It's cool to see progress. It may be little, but it's there.

 

Going to rest for the weekend and focus on the diet side of things. Today was mostly bad but I plan on eating a bag of steam veggies and some shrimp for dinner tonight.

 

I've also noticed that I have been brushing my teeth more often and just taking overall better care of my body these past two weeks. It's amazing how the changes kind of influence our other daily decisions.

[Balthazar]

 I think it's partly due to trying to do inverted rows, but failing. I think I need to take a step back and do bent over DB rows

Bent over rows are a great way to start!

 

Or if your gym has a Smith Machine like mine use the bar on that for your inverted rows, you can set it really high to start off with so that you are nearly vertical, then as you master it, keep dropping the bar a peg lower!

 

 

I'm finding that I want to keep working at the lifts or moves until I've got them right and don't like waiting days between attempting them again, but I know that I should to give my muscles a rest.

 

It was encouraging seeing other girls doing squats and dead lifts at my gym, but now I'm even more self-conscious that I'm doing things wrong.

 

Need to really work on pushing myself harder with these exercises. I think that Friday I'll actually add weight to my squats and really try going as low as possible with my push ups.

 

Also need to weigh myself and take a before picture.

 

When I started out with weights I went with a lower weight then I thought I could handle, but performed more workouts per weeks.

 

By not going too heavy, I wasn't damaging my muscles as much so I didn't need to rest as much. I spent a good few weeks getting my form perfect.

 

Especially with squats, deadlifts and over head press because when you start adding weight you can have problems if your form isn't perfect.

 

So maybe lower weight and up workouts until form is perfect? If you aren't sure on form video it and post on here so the nice folks can check.

 

For squats, if you aren't already, I would start out with just the unweighted bar across my shoulders to get used to the movement

[Balthazar]

 

So yesterday's cardio was a bust. I started out strong but started getting really bad side cramps so I walked for about 20 min. I barely got over 1.5 miles

 

Today was good though. I was able to go up to 70lbs in dead lifts and felt like I was doing everything correctly.

 

I wasn't able to add more weight to the bar for the standing press, but I felt like my form was a lot better. Last week I kept going around my head when pushing, but today I lifted my head and felt like  Iwas pushing straighter. I also held the bar a little longer above me. I did start to "feel the burn".

 

Lat pulls, I tried going to 105 but I couldn't pull down enough so I set it to 95 and could do 5 somehwat easily, but going up to 8 reps was very difficult.

 

Finally back extensions. These were very difficult today. Once I got to my last set it was very difficult to get all the way through. So sad how weak my lower back is.

 

Overall I felt it was a good workout. I've found I'm much more excited to go to the gym when it's a weightlifting day verses a cardio day, but I know that I need to let my muscles rest.

 

I've also been attempting to do planks after my workout during my cooldown session. I seem to be stuck at 45 seconds. I really need to push myself on those.

 

I love the non cardio days the most to.

 

Is your lower back is slowing you down, and you plank is stuck, have you thought about taking up yoga? you can do it on your rest days and it works a treat for strengthening your core and lower back

[Balthazar]

I've also noticed that I have been brushing my teeth more often and just taking overall better care of my body these past two weeks. It's amazing how the changes kind of influence our other daily decisions.

I noticed that to! 

 

brushing my teeth, cleaning finger nails, ensuring I'd had a shave and my shirts were all perfectly ironed. Weird isn't it?

[Sloth the Enduring]

It sounds like you are having a great start with your weight lifting. If you want to progress your planks you might try putting them at the front of your workout.

[Rosiesan]

Today went pretty well. 

 

Dead Lifts: Moved to 80 lbs. Could really feel it in my upper legs. Still felt relatively easy though.

 

Standing Press: First set felt too light so I attempted to add weight. Smallest they had were 2.5lb weights. Couldn't even lift it over my head. Took them off and following sets I had to wait 2 min between each to even attempt 5 reps. Definitely started losing form. It was difficult for me not to bed backwards to bring the bar above my head. I need to learn to concentrate and focus each rep not just the first one and then hope for the best on the rest.

 

Lat pull down: Moved from the machine to the one that uses freeweights. 100lbs. Started getting tough at the end. I can really feel this right now.

 

Back extensions: Felt good. Got through 2 sets of 10 and on the last set I started failing at rep 7. Last couple of times I could only get through 1 and a half sets before failing.

 

Today starts my first 6 week challenge.

 

Side victory: My insurance pays us to cover the cost of a gym membership if I go 12 times a month. Well I've been going to this gym since February and only once had I made it 12 times. I noticed today that for the month of July I hit the 12th visit last week. Made me do a small happy dance. In a way it's like I'm getting paid to be healthy!

[Rosiesan]

Bent over rows are a great way to start!

 

Or if your gym has a Smith Machine like mine use the bar on that for your inverted rows, you can set it really high to start off with so that you are nearly vertical, then as you master it, keep dropping the bar a peg lower!

 

 

 

When I started out with weights I went with a lower weight then I thought I could handle, but performed more workouts per weeks.

 

By not going too heavy, I wasn't damaging my muscles as much so I didn't need to rest as much. I spent a good few weeks getting my form perfect.

 

Especially with squats, deadlifts and over head press because when you start adding weight you can have problems if your form isn't perfect.

 

So maybe lower weight and up workouts until form is perfect? If you aren't sure on form video it and post on here so the nice folks can check.

 

For squats, if you aren't already, I would start out with just the unweighted bar across my shoulders to get used to the movement

 

I did try with the Smith Machine, but I think I started too low. Maybe I'll try higher.

 

I know I need to suck it up, but I'm nervous about making a video because there are a lot of people at the gym. Do I bring my camera in or can I use my cell and how?

 

I haven't tried squats with a bar yet. I planned to do that Wednesday.

 

 

I love the non cardio days the most to.

 

Is your lower back is slowing you down, and you plank is stuck, have you thought about taking up yoga? you can do it on your rest days and it works a treat for strengthening your core and lower back

 

I really want to do yoga and my gym does offer classes on the weekends (my rest days), but usually it's when the daycare is closed. I really need to just make my husband stay home and watch my daughter.

[Rosiesan]

It sounds like you are having a great start with your weight lifting. If you want to progress your planks you might try putting them at the front of your workout.

 

Hmm I might have to try that! Thanks!

[Balthazar]

I did try with the Smith Machine, but I think I started too low. Maybe I'll try higher.

 

I know I need to suck it up, but I'm nervous about making a video because there are a lot of people at the gym. Do I bring my camera in or can I use my cell and how?

 

I haven't tried squats with a bar yet. I planned to do that Wednesday.

 

 

 

I really want to do yoga and my gym does offer classes on the weekends (my rest days), but usually it's when the daycare is closed. I really need to just make my husband stay home and watch my daughter.

Definitely start high with the Smith machine and work your way low. I think I started off at chest height, maybe a smidge higher, so I was only just off vertical when I did my rows. Now I am nearly down flat, just building it up a day at a time.

 

For videoing form, some people set up their phone or camera in the gym, it isn't that unusual I see folks doing it regularly at my gym. As long as you are careful to position it so you don't get anyone else in shot then that's fine.

 

But if you are a little nervous, for the sake of form take the video at home and for the squat just use a broom or something, we are only trying to get form right at this stage not do a 5 million lb mega death squat 

 

Yoga classes where I live were at inconvenient times to, also I didn't want to go to a group session because I knew it would suck and I didn't want to be the worst person in there.

 

So I downloaded a buck for £4 something off amazon that cn3wton recommended called 'Real Men Do Yoga' - don't worry girls can do it to. #

 

It focuses on the physical, fitness side of yoga rather than spirituality but it is really good at starting you off, building you up and explaining the moves and that way you can do your yoga anytime, anywhere  

[Rosiesan]

Today running was good. I walk.ran 3.2 miles in 44 minutes. Up from last week, but after my warm up I think I landed on my ankle wrong and for a few seconds there was a sharp pain. It went awayt right away but I walked a bit longer just to be sure.

 

Last night was bad food wise. I was just starving after dinner. I should have just had a sandwich or something but instead I kept snacking thinking one more snack would satisfy me. I was constantly drinking water too.

 

Really need to go shopping for fresh fruits and veggies. 

 

Side victory: My husband was complaining about how sore he was and when I asked why he was sore he mentioned that he had started doing push ups and sit ups at home before work. Yay!!! I'm glad he's starting to take notice and be more active!

[Rosiesan]

Definitely start high with the Smith machine and work your way low. I think I started off at chest height, maybe a smidge higher, so I was only just off vertical when I did my rows. Now I am nearly down flat, just building it up a day at a time.

 

For videoing form, some people set up their phone or camera in the gym, it isn't that unusual I see folks doing it regularly at my gym. As long as you are careful to position it so you don't get anyone else in shot then that's fine.

 

But if you are a little nervous, for the sake of form take the video at home and for the squat just use a broom or something, we are only trying to get form right at this stage not do a 5 million lb mega death squat 

 

Yoga classes where I live were at inconvenient times to, also I didn't want to go to a group session because I knew it would suck and I didn't want to be the worst person in there.

 

So I downloaded a buck for £4 something off amazon that cn3wton recommended called 'Real Men Do Yoga' - don't worry girls can do it to. #

 

It focuses on the physical, fitness side of yoga rather than spirituality but it is really good at starting you off, building you up and explaining the moves and that way you can do your yoga anytime, anywhere  

 

 

I'm going to have to look into that video. I'll also attempt to take some form videos if I have time. Thanks!

[Balthazar]

Good news on the hubby getting involved

[Rosiesan]

Today was kind of weird.

 

Squats: Attempted to use the BB for a high back squat. First set went fine, but the second set, my back really hurt. Not during the squat but just holding the bar that way. It was really uncomfortable. I think I need to do some stretches for holding the bar that way.

 

Bent One-arm DB Row: Got up to 25lbs. Seemed fairly easy. Got a little tough at rep 8 for the last two sets.

 

Push up: I feel like I'm getting better at these although I know I'm still not going down far enough. Really have to focus on keeping my core tight.

 

Back extensions: These went really well! I started feeling a little twinge on rep 10 of set 2 and on the last two reps of set 3, but nothing like it was before. I'm going to see how Friday goes and maybe next week I'll add another set or move to 12 reps.

 

Overall it was good,but I was bugged by the squats.

 

I know I asked for stretching suggestions and got linked to the NF article, but I haven't had time to watch the video so I've just been doing a few stretches, but I think they are mostly leg stretches.

 

 

I also need to stop focusing on my weight. I realize this is only been 2 weeks but I keep expecting have lost like 5 pounds, not that I have made any improvements in my diet. 

 

One thing at a time.

[Balthazar]

When I started with squats the issue I had was the bar was over my neck because I couldn't bend my arms far enough backwards to create a perch out of my shoulders

[Rosiesan]

Today was just ok. I did my 3.1 miles, but I walked most of the time. I kept getting side cramps.

 

Tomorrow will be interesting. My husband and I have weird schedules so we don't see much of each other on the week days so Fridays we go out to lunch together. Well that's when I usually go to the gym. I'm thinking I can go to the gym after work maybe. It'll have to be quick to be able to pick my daughter up in time or I could pick her up and bring her to the gym daycare, but I really hate to do that. I only get 2-3 hours to spend with her before she goes to bed every night so I try to make the most of it.I know I could see if he'd want to go to the gym with me, but since we don't see each other a lot we really like to use this time to talk and catch up with how we are etc.

 

I burnt my middle and ring fingers on my right hand last night making dinner. Man I feel foolish. It also means I wasn't able to do any homework last night. On the plus side Hubby came home early to finish dinner and take care of the babe and me so that was nice. I sure hope this doesn't affect my lifting tomorrow. I guess I could skip tomorrow and go on Saturday instead... Hmm that might work.

[Rosiesan]

When I started with squats the issue I had was the bar was over my neck because I couldn't bend my arms far enough backwards to create a perch out of my shoulders

 

What did you do to fix the issue?

[Balthazar]

Tomorrow will be interesting. My husband and I have weird schedules so we don't see much of each other on the week days so Fridays we go out to lunch together. Well that's when I usually go to the gym. I'm thinking I can go to the gym after work maybe. It'll have to be quick to be able to pick my daughter up in time or I could pick her up and bring her to the gym daycare, but I really hate to do that. I only get 2-3 hours to spend with her before she goes to bed every night so I try to make the most of it.I know I could see if he'd want to go to the gym with me, but since we don't see each other a lot we really like to use this time to talk and catch up with how we are etc.

Gotta put the family first, quality time with your husband and little girl are priceless. Just make up for it whenever you can

[Balthazar]

What did you do to fix the issue?

You got two options, one practice yoga positions to improve your flexibility so you can bend your arm back enough to make the shelf

Two swap in to front squats with du bells where you rack them at shoulder height, if you're doing this and going ass to grass then you can work up to 70lbs in each hand, that's 140 in total, before you start topping out and needing the barbell.

And for many people up to 140lbs will be enough for a good long while

[Rosiesan]

Today's work out went great!! I really pushed myself.

 

I was able to move up in everything!

 

Squats: I did these with the bar for every set. Still not 100% on the weight of the bar. I stretched out my arms and back muscles between sets so I didn't tense up too much and have it hurt like last week. I could do 8 reps and not lose form until my 4th set. I could only do about 5. I was pretty excited although I plan to just stick to the bar for a couple more weeks and make sure I'm doing things right.

 

Bent Over DB Rows: Moved to 30 lbs for each so 60 total. I think that's how you're supposed to calculate it. Could do 8 reps each set but had to really focus and concentrate on the last couple reps. I could really feel it in my back and arms.

 

Push-ups: Did 4 sets of 5 reps, but I could really go pretty far down! More control too. Feeling really good about these!

 

Back extensions: Added a rep to each set. I could probably have done more but I wasn't sure. I think Wednesday I'll try doing 15 reps instead of 10.

 

I felt so good afterwards, so much addrenaline!! RAWR!

[Balthazar]

You beast!

You're absolutely crushing it, HUGE congratulations

[Rosiesan]

You beast!

You're absolutely crushing it, HUGE congratulations

 

Thank!!