Step by Step Sashi-Style

[sashi]

(alliteration is good for the soul)

After some encouraging bits here on the forums, I marched fearlessly over to the squat cage and actually did some (instead of walking over there, getting scared that I'm too much of a weakling to do this, and running off). So now, I'm going to hold myself accountable.

I started the 5x5 program and went easy today. I hit it after my body blaster class.

Squat: 5x5 45lbs

Barbell Row: 5x5 45lbs

Bench Press: 5x5 45 lbs.

Initial thoughts:

I might keep my squat at 45 lbs on my next go to make sure my form is good. I felt a little wobbly on a couple of reps.

The barbell row can certainly take some additional weight (the program initially said to start with 60lbs, but I was scared, so I did the whole thing with just the bar).

My bench presses suck. I can do them, but I'm very wobbly, especially in the left arm. I will definitely keep that at 45 until I have more control over the bar.

In the meantime, I need to get some photos for comparison.

[Guest guest4729]

(alliteration is good for the soul)

After some encouraging bits here on the forums, I marched fearlessly over to the squat cage and actually did some (instead of walking over there, getting scared that I'm too much of a weakling to do this, and running off). So now, I'm going to hold myself accountable.

I started the 5x5 program and went easy today. I hit it after my body blaster class.

Squat: 5x5 45lbs

Barbell Row: 5x5 45lbs

Bench Press: 5x5 45 lbs.

Initial thoughts:

I might keep my squat at 45 lbs on my next go to make sure my form is good. I felt a little wobbly on a couple of reps.

The barbell row can certainly take some additional weight (the program initially said to start with 60lbs, but I was scared, so I did the whole thing with just the bar).

My bench presses suck. I can do them, but I'm very wobbly, especially in the left arm. I will definitely keep that at 45 until I have more control over the bar.

In the meantime, I need to get some photos for comparison.

Yay for trying something new! I did something new today and actually went over to the free weight section of my gym. In the 30 or so times I've been there I only saw a female back by them...once? Today there were only four people on the gym - one of them being me and another my friend so I trudged over and looked around before we had to leave. I wanted to do some free weights but I have very strict time commitments and it happened to be time to leave. Next time!

Doing these new things makes you feel super awesome, doesn't it? I bet you were super proud!

[ETFnerd]

Good job getting going.

[sashi]

Day two of this....

Squat: 5x5 45lbs

Overhead Press: 5/4/4 45lb

Deadlift: 1x5 90lb

So, today I went in fearless! All the young 20-something boys were in there with their personal trainers and I gave them no mind.

Squats were more stable today. I think it was partially the change in footwear. Thursday I wore my tennis shoes and today I wore my chucks. I think I read somewhere that flat (less squishy) shoes are best for lifting. I think I'm a believer now.

Overhead presses... wow. These are frelling hard! First set I barely managed through willpower alone. Second set I pooped out halfway up on the last rep. Same with the last set.

Deadlifts.... wow. I honestly looked at that 90lb set on the SL5x5 plan and thought I'd never be able to do that. But I did. 5 times! Go me. (I did build myself up to it by starting with the bar and slowly adding weights -- as recommended by ... somewhere, probably Mehdi's report).

All in all, it was a good day.

[sashi]

Okay, to mark my work.

Here is me in June 2010 (pretty much how I looked since high school until very recently).

[ATTACH]1214[/ATTACH]

These were all taken yesterday when I got back from the gym.

[ATTACH]1216[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]1215[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]1217[/ATTACH]

Goals: Trim down my tummy. Keep working on building muscle. (Must. Work. On. Diet.)

[Leimanu]

You're gonna see results in no time! I got me some muscles (that no one can see yet) and I think I'm friggin' Superwoman. g/l with the 5x5.

[Knightwatch]

Excellent start. I commend you on the Chucks, both for style and function. Well done!

[ETFnerd]

i noticed andygates also lifts in chuck taylors. is that some weightlifting implement that has benefits for PRs that I don't know about?

[sashi]

i noticed andygates also lifts in chuck taylors. is that some weightlifting implement that has benefits for PRs that I don't know about?

Chucks have +5 to cool.

Actually, I read somewhere to try to use flat shoes and noticed a huge difference in my squat balance.

[Knightwatch]

Indeed. Chucks are just a very accessible, low cost/low tech lifting shoe. The flat sole is far, far better than the squishy nonsense that's featured on most "athletic" shoes these days. Too easy to roll around or to not really feel like you're pressing the floor away on squats and deads.

[sashi]

Day 3:

Squats:

2x5 BW

2x5 30 lbs

2x5 45 lbs

5x5 50 lbs

Bench Press

5x5 45 lbs

Row:

2x5 30 lbs

1x5 45 lbs

5x5 55 lbs

Thoughts:

I think today went fairly smoothly. I'm not sure I'm going to/past parallel on my squats, though -- it's hard to tell and I can't even look in a mirror because of where the squat cage is at the gym. I suppose I will have to get my sister to check and possibly film me next time she's at the gym when I am.

Bench presses were much nicer than last time. I had a lot more control over the bar (I did not add any weight this time).

Rows were fine, I think. I stepped it up to 10 lbs heavier (which is still 5lbs lighter than I was "supposed" to start at). I'll probably still get my sis to film me doing them, though so I can check without twisting my neck to look in the mirror.

[sashi]

Day 3:

Squats:

2x5 BW

2x5 20 lbs

2x5 45 lbs

5x5 55 lbs

Overhead Press (aka my nemesis)

2x5 20lbs

4/2/1/1/1 x45lbs

Deadlift:

1x5 50lbs

1x5 75lbs

1x5 100lbs (woo hoo!)

Afterwards, I went to my bodyblaster class (where I was called out by our instructor for not using a high enough step *busted*)

Thoughts:

I'm making progression on my squats, but I can definitely feel that they're getting harder. Progression may soon slow. We'll see.

I hate OHPs. Seriously. I suck at them. I sucked worse today than I did on Saturday and I had been out late Friday night. Perhaps I need to do some research on how to suck less at them.

100lb deadlifts! The last one of the set was a little taxing, but not enough to make me not go to my class.

I do need to start working on my diet.

[sashi]

Merry Christmas Eve!

That said... workout sucked. Seriously. Maybe I should have not gone urban exploring for three hours last night.

Squats:

2x5 BW

2x5 45lbs

5x5 60lbs

Bench Press

2x5 40lbs

5x5 50 lbs

Rows:

2x5 30lbs

2x5 50lbs

5x5 60 lbs

Thoughts:

Why today sucked? Form. I know it was bad on my working sets. I made it though them all, but barely and with bad form. I know Mehdi advocates progression until you can't make it through all 5 sets for three consecutive workouts, but I'm pretty sure if I had paid more attention to form, I might not have made it through all the sets. For that reason, I'm going to keep it here one more workout.

[sashi]

So, today I got to sport my new T my boyfriend gave me for Christmas that reads: "There will be no jiggle in my wiggle." Words to live by!

Squats:

2x5 BW

1x5 45lbs

1x5 50lbs

1x5 55lbs

5x5 60lbs

Overhead Press

1x5 20lbs

1x5 30lbs

1x1 40lbs

4x5 30lbs

Deadlift:

1x5 55lbs

1x5 80lbs

1x5 110lbs

Afterwards, to my cardio/weights class.

Thoughts:

I just deadlifted one of me 4 months ago! Woot. (Soon I'll make my current BW.) Squats were better today. The last one was a little shaky.

Overhead presses still suck ass. I know Mehdi says to deload after three consecutive fails at 5x5, but I didn't feel like failing again today. Today, the 30lb bar was heavy, but I made it. I tried to do a 40, but was incredibly shaky, so took it back down. I'd rather go slow.

[sashi]

Squats:

1x5 50 lbs

1x5 60 lbs

5x5 65 lbs

Bench Press:

1x5 45lbs

1x5 50 lbs

5/5/5/2/2 55lbs

Rows:

1x5 55lbs

1x5 60lbs

5x5 65lbs

And then to my cardio/weights class (which I know I shouldn't be doing, but how else will I be able to outrun zombies if I do no cardio?)

Thoughts:

I pressed on with my squats increased. Last rep on each set was a little shaky. We'll see how I do on Saturday!

Bench press boo. First two sets were fine. Third set seemed a little wobbly and I think I did something to my wrist because the last two sets seemed to be straining on my left wrist.

Rows.... these are getting tough. Pretty sure my back is starting to round, but I don't want to twist my head around to check in the mirror. Maybe next time I'll ask someone to check my form.

[ETFnerd]

rock on sashi...

[sashi]

rock on sashi...

Thank you, ETF. You are so incredibly supportive around here.

/bearhug

[Loren Wade]

Excellent start. I commend you on the Chucks, both for style and function. Well done!

Indeed!

rock on sashi...

For reals.

Thank you, ETF. You are so incredibly supportive around here.

/bearhug

I know. It's a little disconcerting. Haha.

[sashi]

So I literally had to drag myself to the gym today. Had a bit much wine last night and was only feeling about 80% this morning.

Skipped squats -- not because I wasn't feeling up to it, but because my gym has one squat rack and someone was using it to test their 1RM, and I didn't want to wait around all day.

Overhead Press:

1x5 20lbs

1x5 30 lbs

5/4/3/3/3 40lbs

Deadlifts:

1x5 60lbs

1x5 90lbs

1x5 120lbs

I found the assisted pull-up dohicky and discovered that setting it at 60lbs is still pretty tough, but doable. I might toss these at the end of a workout session to see if I can't improve.

Thoughts:

Okay, sad about the squats, but it is what it is -- not my usual time at the gym anyway.

Overhead presses... bleh.... so much hatred. Since deloading below the weight of the bar, I'm using the pre-set bars (curling bars, maybe?) and they only go in 10lb increments. Based on my performance today, I probably would have benefited from a 35lb bar, but thems the breaks. Hopefully I'll go in next week and bang these out!

And my proud moment: 120lb deadlifts! Woot! I've been weighing in fairly consistently between 126 and 128, so next go round I should be attempting over my BW. I may actually do a little dance in the corner of the weight area when that happens.

In the meantime: HAPPY NEW YEAR!

(Edit, just because: Last night, I told a couple of people at a cocktail party I went to that I could pick my boyfriend up* -- literally. They wanted proof. So in 4 1/2" stiletto heels and a cocktail dress, I proceeded to lift him up and very promptly put him back down. Advice: Don't try this at home unless you are *very* steady in your heels!

*He won't tell him how much he weighs... I'm guessing it's between 160 and 170.)