Mark D Gets a Late Start, Catches Up

[Mark D]

My wife and I are both doing the beginners bodyweight work out, she started yesterday, I started this morning.

Last night I set my alarm for 4:30, planning a couple snoozes before I did the BBWWW, then I could get in the shower. My wife wakes me up and says "I thought you were getting up early, it's quarter to five!". I start getting dressed, wondering what happened to my alarm clock, look at the clock....

It says 1:45. Not 4:45. She needs to wear her glasses to bed. I tried to go back to sleep with questionable suçcess.

So anyway, to the workout (and hoping she'll start posting hers here too)

BBWWW, two circuits

Squats 20*2

Push ups from the third step 10*2

Lunges (these make my legs hate me) 20*2 (alternating legs)

Dumb Bell rows 12# 20*2 (I need to get heavier dumb bells) sets of ten each arm.

planks 20 sec * 2

i started light because it's been a while since I did legs. Now 13 hours later they're still a bit wobbly.

[Luciana Valerosa Culming]

Woah, sounds like you had a rough morning. Hopefully you aren't too tired.

[Granny Nogg]

My wife and I are both doing the beginners bodyweight work out, she started yesterday, I started this morning.

Last night I set my alarm for 4:30, planning a couple snoozes before I did the BBWWW, then I could get in the shower. My wife wakes me up and says "I thought you were getting up early, it's quarter to five!". I start getting dressed, wondering what happened to my alarm clock, look at the clock....

It says 1:45. Not 4:45. She needs to wear her glasses to bed. I tried to go back to sleep with questionable suçcess.

So anyway, to the workout (and hoping she'll start posting hers here too)

BBWWW, two circuits

Squats 20*2

Push ups from the third step 10*2

Lunges (these make my legs hate me) 20*2 (alternating legs)

Dumb Bell rows 12# 20*2 (I need to get heavier dumb bells) sets of ten each arm.

planks 20 sec * 2

i started light because it's been a while since I did legs. Now 13 hours later they're still a bit wobbly.

WOOHOO! I'm glad to see you both here (waves at Mrs. D)!

I had to laugh at wearing glasses to bed. I've done the same thing to Allen, and the alarm clock is on his side of the bed, making it harder to see. He's a heavy sleeper, and occasionally sleeps through his alarm. We thought it would help to get a clock for my side, but we soon found out that didn't make a difference either, because I'm so nearsighted the small numbers were still too hard to make out unless I rolled to the edge of the bed to look at it. Getting me a watch with a back light did finally help, and I don't wake him up at the wrong time anymore.

Great job on the bbww. Lunges suck. But you did great. It looks like you'll quickly master it in a matter of weeks.

sent from my tiny particle accelerator

[Mark D]

As I've noted before, I'm convinced that lunges are among the torments of the damned in Hell......  Oy my glutes.

 

We each have an alarm clock, but maybe I need to get her one with bigger numbers.  Maybe one of the ones that projects the time on the ceiling.  Or maybe just a little note next to her clock to remind her not to wake me up until she double-checks the time.  She's quite far-sighted, she had to choose between glasses and getting her arms lengthened.  I'm near sighted (in fact if I need to read small print like a phone book, I take my glasses off).

 

On the topic of glasses, I've worn bifocals since I was ten.  All my friends come to me for advice when they get old enough for their first pair, since I've worn them for over 40 years they figure I've got some hints on things like stairs (my hint is ALWAYS use the banister on unfamiliar stairs).

 

She did her work-out this morning, she wasn't HAPPY about it, but she did it.

[Granny Nogg]

Go Mrs.D!!

sent from my tiny particle accelerator

[Mark D]

Go Mrs.D!!

sent from my tiny particle accelerator

Mrs D says thank you. She's not on the forum (yet, he says hopefully)

[Mark D]

This morning, BBWW

 

Squats 20*2

Push ups (from the third step) 10*2

Lunges 20*2 

Dumb bell rows (15# dumb bell) 10*2 each hand

Planks 25 sec*2

 

My legs hate me, DOMS are a thing.  I know I've hit legs when they tremble as i walk down stairs.

 

I think I'm about ready to move to the second step for push ups, and I'll do rows next time with the 20 lb dumb bell (the biggest we have).

 

Some years ago my wife saw a trainer and bought a bunch of fixed-weight dumb bells (largely because she was paying the trainer and didn't want her standing there while plates were changed).  We have 2# (thankfully green, not pink) up to 20#, but I've been thinking of a set of adjustable dumb bells with spin locks, so I can use some heavier weights for some things.

 

I need to decide if I'm getting back to the gym and the barbell (I'm still paying membership, but haven't gone for a couple months).  Or if I'm going to get stuff to do it at home.

[Granny Nogg]

Good workout! And ready to move down to 2nd step is great. Listening to you has got me thinking of trying push ups in the stairs.

sent from my tiny particle accelerator

[Mark D]

I think the worst thing for me has been that I work at a desk, so I sit for a while and stiffen up, then if I get up to go to the printer/bathroom/water cooler OH BOY do my legs hurt.  I know the DOMS will lessen in a week or so, but still.....

[Granny Nogg]

I think the worst thing for me has been that I work at a desk, so I sit for a while and stiffen up, then if I get up to go to the printer/bathroom/water cooler OH BOY do my legs hurt. I know the DOMS will lessen in a week or so, but still.....

Well. ... it hasn't been my experience that the DOMS have lessened that much. Same scenario, I sit for work, and sometimes getting up feels like I need a walker and a whine permit.

sent from my tiny particle accelerator

[Mark D]

This morning

 

BBWW, 2 cycles

 

Squats 20x2

 

Push ups 20x2 (first set from second step, second from third step, the second was a BIT too much)

 

Lunges 20x2 (10 each leg each set)

 

Dumb bell rows 15# 40x2 (20 each arm each set)

 

My legs aren't quite as rubbery afterward now.  I did get a twinge in the knee I hurt a few years back (torn meniscus), which I suspect was due to the damp/rainy weather the last couple days.

[Granny Nogg]

Hey, that workout looks great. Second step was a bit much? Won't take you long.

sent from my tiny particle accelerator

[Mark D]

This morning:

 

BBWW 2 sets

 

Squats 2x20

Inclined push-ups from 3rd step 2x10

Lunges 1x20 (knee was bothering me so I didn't do the second set)  10 each leg each set

Rows 15#  2x40 (20 each arm each set)

 

 

[Mark D]

This morning:

 

BBWW 2 sets

 

Squats 2x20

Inclined push-ups from 3rd step 2x10

Lunges 1x20 (knee was bothering me so I didn't do the second set)  10 each leg each set

Rows 15#  2x40 (20 each arm each set)

 

 

[Granny Nogg]

7 hours ago, Mark D said:

This morning:

 

BBWW 2 sets

 

Squats 2x20

Inclined push-ups from 3rd step 2x10

Lunges 1x20 (knee was bothering me so I didn't do the second set)  10 each leg each set

Rows 15#  2x40 (20 each arm each set)

 

 

 

How are you feeling about doing the BBWW now that you've done it for a few weeks? 

[Mark D]

19 minutes ago, Granny Nogg said:

 

How are you feeling about doing the BBWW now that you've done it for a few weeks? 

Honestly, ready to get back under the barbell.

 

I put up a thread in the weight lifting programming thread to see if what I'm thinking of doing is a good idea.  Trying g to combine what worked with what didn't, and find something I could keep doing.

[Granny Nogg]

On 3/21/2016 at 5:19 PM, Mark D said:

Honestly, ready to get back under the barbell.

 

I put up a thread in the weight lifting programming thread to see if what I'm thinking of doing is a good idea.  Trying g to combine what worked with what didn't, and find something I could keep doing.

 

I'm glad to see you're ready to start lifting again.  While I don't have any help for you on the programming, I hope you do find something that works, even if you're cobbling a program along from different elements.  

How's Mrs. D doing?  Is she still working on the BBWW or is she going to try something different for April?

[Mark D]

33 minutes ago, Granny Nogg said:

 

I'm glad to see you're ready to start lifting again.  While I don't have any help for you on the programming, I hope you do find something that works, even if you're cobbling a program along from different elements.  

How's Mrs. D doing?  Is she still working on the BBWW or is she going to try something different for April?

 

She's been hit-and-miss about doing the BBWW.  She doesn't think it's helping (after two weeks, three times a week), so she loses motivation and would rather stay in bed.  I've tried to get her to post here in the forum, hoping she'd take some motivation from other women in a similar situation to her, but so far she's not interested.

 

We did invest in a better, digital scale, so I'm hoping that will show any loss she DOES make more accurately and keep her motivated.  We just need to get her back to doing something.

 

 

[Granny Nogg]

CourtnieMarie turned me onto this simple online tool for tracking your daily weight, might be helpful to Mrs. D, might not.  But it does all the calculations for you and gives you an accurate average of the week.  www.fourmilab.ch.  

[Granny Nogg]

Was looking for a new challenge thread for you, hadn't found it.  So wondered if you decided to skip this one?

[Mark D]

Yeah, sorry, I am skipping.  I have my two weeks on-call right in the middle of the challenge time period, beginning today in fact.

 

I've decided though, that after my current on-call stint is over I'm getting back to the gym and under the barbell, with a modified program that will allow me enough recovery time, and also allow me to get to work at my normal time, avoiding working late, getting home late, etc.

 

If you're interested, I'm going to try Greyskull LP, and I'm starting at two days a week instead of three (so I get at least two days off between sessions, and I can usually schedule one session on the weekend so getting to work isn't an issue those days.)

 

The main features of Greyskull:

 

1) you alternate overhead press and bench press.  You alternate squats and deadlifts (if you train three days a week, you squat twice a week and deadlift in the middle workout of the week).

 

2) You OHP/Bench FIRST, then squat/deadlift.

 

3) You do three sets, first and second are five reps, third is as-many-reps-as-possible (AMRAP)

 

4) If your AMRAP set is between five and ten reps, you increase the weight next time by a set amount (below).  If more than ten, you double the increase.  If less than ten, you decrease the weight next time by 10% (rounding down to the nearest increment).

 

5) Weight increases: for bench and OHP, 2.5 lb (so you need 1.25 lb plates).  Squats and deadlifts, 5 lb.

 

6) You can add accessory lifts like curls if you're so inclined (I won't for starters, I'll see how the basic program works).  

 

So basically, you don't stop your reps if you can still lift more, if you can't finish the reps you don't struggle with it next time, but deload and work up again, generally making it past the sticking point.  You do the "easier" lifts first, pressing will generally not wear you out for squats or deadlifts, but squats/deads can certainly wear you out enough to affect your presses.  You increase the weight by a smaller amount, allowing you do continue to progress longer, but if the weight is TOO light you increase faster to get to the point where it's challenging.  And you don't try to squat and deadlift on the same day.

 

 

tl;dr version: expect to see me in the Warriors next challenge.

[Granny Nogg]

Sounds like you had some good thought on this, and that you're going to make it also as safe as possible to get under the bar again.  Looking forward to seeing how this new program works for you. 

 

[Mark D]

 

Sounds like you had some good thought on this, and that you're going to make it also as safe as possible to get under the bar again.  Looking forward to seeing how this new program works for you. 

 

 

I learned the hard way what I can do and what I can't. Stronglifts, and I still think it's a good program, wasn't right for me.  The light start made me think I could go heavy, and when I did I got worn out. Now I'm adapting which is what strength training is all about.