Raptron Hits Where it Hurts

[raptron]

A bit delayed in posting this because I am still on vacation in Florida, but I'm here!

 

I'm creating this challenge with the expectation that I will continue practicing gymnastics 2-3x/week and following the next two cycles of my 5/3/1 plan 3x/week. I'll still post updates from my gymnastics/lifting workouts, but my goal is not to be accountable for those things but instead for the goals below.

 

I have a few weak spots that will continue to be weak because I perpetually avoid working on them. These include my hip flexors and my cardio endurance/capacity. I am also including my attempts at cutting down to a lower weight to make life easier on my joints in gymnastics as a weak point because it has been a focus/concern of mine for too long and I feel like I keep having these "just fuckin' do it" moments that putter out into nothingness. That is a weakness. Let's fix it.

 

To help myself along the way, I am going to try to be mindful of how I am framing my thoughts. I want to focus on the process, the journey toward improvement rather than any concrete mile markers this time around, especially with regards to the recomp/weight loss and my cardio improvements. 

 

Weak Spot #1: Hips

*At least 3 hip conditioning exercises after EVERY workout

 

Weak Spot #2: Lungs

*Row at least 500m before and after every gym session (3x week)

*Run at least 1 mile once a week

 

Weak Spot #3: Gut

*Comply with calorie goal within 200 calories each day

*Comply with weekly calorie goal within 500 calories

*Post measurements/updates at 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 6 weeks 

 

Weak Spot #4: Mindset

*Focus on the process rather than specific goals and reflect on a moment each day that has improved my life

*Focus on the process during at least one gymnastics practice a week, going through full repertoire of skills

 

I'll try not to be too boring. <3

[Mad Hatter]

No such thing as too boring coming from you!

[KB Girl]

Focusing on weak spots, I like it! 

And that makes three of us with a losing weight goal mostly for performance

 

Which hip exercises are you going for? I'm very curious.

[raptron]

No such thing as too boring coming from you!

Such a flatterer.

 

Focusing on weak spots, I like it! 

And that makes three of us with a losing weight goal mostly for performance

 

Which hip exercises are you going for? I'm very curious.

Yes, we will be a POWER TRIO of awesomeness.

 

I'll probably start looking up more if I get bored of the ones I do now, but explicitly for hip conditioning I like to do straddle leg lifts, L-sits, these things I call sharks, kneeling leg raises (on hands + knees with leg straight out to the side, lift to parallel with floor, lower), kneeling leg raise circles (same position as the previous thing but then you hold the leg at parallel and make little circles forward then backward), side planks with the hip dip, and glute bridges. I've also found doing lots of hanging leg lifts or lying leg lifts gets my hips pretty good as well. 

 

Maybe I'll do a video because I feel like I am not explaining these well, haha.

 

Definitely open to other suggestions!

[Mad Hatter]

Woohoo go POWER TRIO go!

 

I think your hip exercise descriptions make sense. Except the sharks, what are those?

[RisenPhoenix]

I'll try not to be too boring. <3

 

Pretty sure the amount of crazy cooking you do prevents this from being an issue.

[sylph]

Welcome back to challenge-land.

[SymphonicDan]

Raptradon! Good to see you back I forgot about your sojourn in Battle Loguistan until recently but I'll be following along properly this time!

 

You've partitioned a lot of focus this challenge to your hip flexors - is there anything in particular that shows you that they're a weak spot for you?

[Wufkar]

Oh hey. Feel free to have my current hip flexor pain.

[raptron]

Woohoo go POWER TRIO go!

 

I think your hip exercise descriptions make sense. Except the sharks, what are those?

For sharks, you sit in pike but sideways on the floor, hands holding the foot on the bottom. Then, keeping your toes flexed and your legs straight, lift the top leg up 12 to 16 inches and lower again to about an inch above the lower foot. Do this like 40 times and your butt and hips will hate you. It's definitely a bit more glute and outer hip focused. 

 

Pretty sure the amount of crazy cooking you do prevents this from being an issue.

My cooking will be SOOOO CRAZY. Winter squashes are here, bro. 

 

Welcome back to challenge-land.

Glad to be back in the arena.

 

Raptradon! Good to see you back I forgot about your sojourn in Battle Loguistan until recently but I'll be following along properly this time!

 

You've partitioned a lot of focus this challenge to your hip flexors - is there anything in particular that shows you that they're a weak spot for you?

My jumps could benefit a lot from hip strength improvement. Straddle holds on the floor are still painful for me, which signifies right away that they are a weak spot. This is a huge problem with uneven bars because you are required to keep your feet above the floor for all of the moves and using hip momentum/strength is the way to do it. I can't do a glide kip, cast into another kip on low bar right now because my feet smack into the floor from insufficient hip strength to keep them elevated into the second kip.

 

So this (minus the part where she actually casts to handstand -- my cast would be much lower):

 

 

Oh hey. Feel free to have my current hip flexor pain.

 So kind to share.

 

Finally home from vacation. Today definitely did not meet the criteria of staying within my food goals, but I should be able to recover the week and get the next 6 days on target just fine. Lots of tasty vegetables coming in tomorrow and some of the ones my neighbor didn't use were returned to me, so good things to come. Also tomorrow is the first OHP/deadlift day of the new 5/3/1 cycle so I am excited for that. 

 

Hips: N/A

Lungs: N/A

Gut: 0/1 days

Mindset: Spending the day with really great people who I don't get to see very often rejuvenated me and improved my life.

[maigrey]

Oh haaaaai

[KB Girl]

5/3/1 woot!

Those descriptions do make sense really.. But I wouldn't say no to some video

[Mad Hatter]

The sharks sound no fun, but still nothing sucks as much as straddle holds.

[SirEarl]

time to give em up

[Paradigm]

Glad you're back!! Subscribed

[raptron]

Oh haaaaai

Hiiiii!

 

5/3/1 woot!

Those descriptions do make sense really.. But I wouldn't say no to some video

I'll see what I can do. I know I also owe some people a video of my gymnastics stretching warm-up as well so maybe this will be the time I finallllllly deliver? 

 

The sharks sound no fun, but still nothing sucks as much as straddle holds.

Nothing. Ugh, the quivering, twitchy quad to hip connectors of death.

 

time to give em up

Ugh, fine. I'll even give up the extra half dozen I have in my pants.

 

Glad you're back!! Subscribed

Thanks! Hiiii!

[Loren Wade]

Looks intense!

[sylph]

For sharks, you sit in pike but sideways on the floor, hands holding the foot on the bottom. Then, keeping your toes flexed and your legs straight, lift the top leg up 12 to 16 inches and lower again to about an inch above the lower foot. Do this like 40 times and your butt and hips will hate you. It's definitely a bit more glute and outer hip focused. 

This sounds pretty terrible, actually.

[raptron]

Looks intense!

It's just like I'm camping.

 

This sounds pretty terrible, actually.

They suck. Everyone I introduce them to hates me for it.

[AgentsSka]

I don't see "Come to see Ska & RP at the Stadium" listed as one of your goals.

 

I'm confused.

[SymphonicDan]

They suck. Everyone I introduce them to hates me for it.

 

I beg to differ. I had nothing for admiration for you for introducing these to me

 

...Until I stood up and nearly fell over because my stabiliser muscles had gone of strike.... Also if I pike too much then the exercise just immediately pulls my side-hip muscles? Is there something I can do about this? Flexibility issue? Strength issue? Or am I just broken...

[raptron]

I don't see "Come to see Ska & RP at the Stadium" listed as one of your goals.

 

I'm confused.

That's not a GOAL, Ska. That's just for fun because I love to see your smiling faces in the morning when my legs get real mad at me.

 

I beg to differ. I had nothing for admiration for you for introducing these to me

 

...Until I stood up and nearly fell over because my stabiliser muscles had gone of strike.... Also if I pike too much then the exercise just immediately pulls my side-hip muscles? Is there something I can do about this? Flexibility issue? Strength issue? Or am I just broken...

 

Hmm, not sure about the pulling sensation. Could just be a flexibility issue if you are feeling it while piking on your side. Though if it doesn't hurt/pull until you start to USE the muscles, it could just be them protesting this ill treatment because they are unaccustomed to it. It should definitely burn a bit there if you do high reps, but more of a work-out ache than an uncomfortable pulling.

[AgentsSka]

That's not a GOAL, Ska. That's just for fun because I love to see your smiling faces in the morning when my legs get real mad at me.

 

Yuuuussssssssssss!

 

So.... tomorrow, then?

[raptron]

Yuuuussssssssssss!

 

So.... tomorrow, then?

 

I've got plans for a big gymnastics workout on Thursday and worthless calves would ruin them. Not this week, buddy!

 

Day 1.2

 

500m warm-up row in juuust over two minutes at 2:03

OHP

5 x 45#

5 x 45#

3 x 50#

5 x 50#

5 x 60#

6 x 65#

 

Deadlift

5 x 45#

5 x 85#

5 x 115#

3 x 135#

5 x 140#

5 x 160#

7 x 180#

 

4 sets of:

10 stiff-legged KB deadlifts standing on a plate with the 2 pood KB

7 toes-to-bar

10 lying leg lifts

10 leg, center, right, center leg lifts (floor sweeper style w/o a barbell)

7 inverted bw rows

 

Straddle leg lifts: right leg 15, left leg 15

Kneeling side leg lifts: right leg 20, left leg 20

Donkey kicks: right 20, left 20

Bent over forward leg lifts: 15, 15

 

500m post-workout row @ 2:13 with a struggle and a half to get there.

 

Still in and out of the gym in under an hour, which is the goal with 5/3/1. 

 

Hips: 1/1

Lungs: 1/1

Gut: 1/2 [All good today!]

Mindfulness: I'm glad I've shaped this challenge around hitting weak points. The struggle that was a post-workout rowing session proves it was a good idea and definitely will help me improve.

[KB Girl]

7x180#

Damn.

I thought deadlifts were pretty hip dominant too?