Jump to content

Blueberries 102: The Basics


Blueberries

Recommended Posts

Hey there, fellow Warriors and nerdy folk! I don’t mean to brag, but I managed to stick around for a whole challenge last time! Got back into a regular lifting habit, cooked lots of things, and started reclaiming some areas of my house that got chaotic over the crazy summer. Now we’re moving on to step 2, which will level up from my last challenge in small ways.

 

I started off the last challenge from zero. Below zero, you might say. Health issues sidelined me for the last couple of years, and this is my glorious road to a comeback. I still have to be super careful due to my unwanted special-snowflake status, but as long as nothing crazy happens, my medical team is happy with me lifting again. Woo!

 

I started over with a clean slate of brand new PRs, and took my Big4 lifts from not even the weight of the empty barbell (was using dumbbells at home) to:

  • 3x5 Squats: 44kg / 96.8 pounds
  • 5x5 Bench Press: 31kg / 68.2 pounds
  • 3x5 OHP: 30kg / 66 pounds (barely failed this weight… will be going after it again)
  • 1+x5 Deadlifts: 80kg / 176 pounds

 

New and improved challenge (how many goals are we supposed to have these days, anyway?)

Conquer the Calendar

giphy.gif

 

November’s schedule is cray. Between holidays, teacher workdays, and Mr. BB’s travel schedule, I feel like I’m probably going to spend most of the month feeling like I’m chasing my tail.

 

Keep current workout and cooking habits going. Try to find a way to get 3 lifting workouts in on the crazy weeks, or sub one for another activity if absolutely necessary. Dropping weight to do more cardio-based lifting or an upper/lower split may be needed if going 2 days in a row is the only way to get it in.

 

Treat Yo Self (Better)

 

 

tumblr_nb1ybjmxqh1r4grm0o1_500.gif

 

Foam roll and/or lacrosse ball the trouble spots. Yes, even the ones that make me want to cry. Maybe even ESPECIALLY those areas.

 

We’re starting small here, so minimum 5-10 minutes per workout day. Bonus points for rest days.

 

Get to Know More Nerds

giphy.gif

 

I’m so happy to be back here! This place has leveled up my life in so many ways that I never expected, but it’s not really at max effectiveness if it’s a solo venture. Since most of my old Warrior posse isn’t active anymore, I want to work on getting to know more people in addition to keeping up with the ones I already do.

Seek out (minimum 4) challenges of people I don’t know or don’t know well. Follow along and participate in conversation.

  • Like 8
Link to comment

YAY for sticking around and doing the thing! YAY for first poster in a new challenge! YAY for things that will be done!! Following along :D 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
3 hours ago, ~RedStone~ said:

YAY for sticking around and doing the thing! YAY for first poster in a new challenge! YAY for things that will be done!! Following along :D 

 

All the YAYs! Haha.

 

 

3 hours ago, GeminiDragon said:

Awesome job! That is really incredible! Keep up the good work. 

 

Thanks! I saw that you posted a challenge, so I'm on my way over to make you the first of my (at least) 4 warriors that I stalk obsessively get to know. :)

  • Like 3
Link to comment

Hey there! Following along! :)

 

 

15 hours ago, Blueberries said:

D'oh! I forgot to add UfYH as a continued goal. What's the format these days - three goals? Four goals? Whatever we want?

 

I'm under the impression that you can have as many goals as you want if you think they'll help you but I haven't done a challenge in a while so I could be completely wrong.

  • Like 2

Level "I have no clue" Warrior

Current challenge

Battle log

 

Link to comment
3 hours ago, AugustaAdaByron said:

 

I'm under the impression that you can have as many goals as you want

 

Pretty much, do whatever is going to help you most! I think one of the warnings is just not to take on too much at once, and to try to choose things that are reasonable to achieve in a month :) 

  • Like 2
Link to comment

Re: Goals. I wondered if that might be the case. I guess I don't really have to follow any hard and fast rules anyway. I'll probably come back and add it - we're going to be hosting groups several times in December, so I've got some things that really need to get knocked off the list before then.

 

14 hours ago, Alaysia said:

Following! I love come-back-and-dominate! stories. :)

 

Welcome! I'm going to try to set up a good one. :)

 

 

On 10/22/2016 at 4:31 PM, PrincessHeather said:

Damn.... that deadlift tho....

 

Following again! (You know, like when mom brain and life let me)

 

Girl, I don't even know. Every single thing has felt SO HEAVY, but it mostly keeps coming. I'm lifting later this morning, so we'll see what that DL is doing today. 

 

I do know. 

  • Like 2
Link to comment

My deadlift today:

 

giphy.gif

 

 

Oops! I got in my head and talked myself out of getting my 1x5 at 85kg. It was a 5kg jump over last week, so I feel like I probably could have had it, but every now and then I'll lose focus or something mid-lift, and I know as soon as it hits the ground that it's not going back up again. Likely didn't help that I loaded the bar and then stared at it for a few minutes before getting up there.

 

Aside from that, the other parts of today's workout went just fine.Since when does the 3rd set of squats feel pretty effortless? Never! That's when. So weird.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
12 minutes ago, Volki said:

Hmm good news on the squats but I know what you mean with just staring at the bar for a few minutes lol

 

Also I might have to copy you with a battlelog for workout record keeping :D

 

 

Ugh, yeah... I should definitely not have done that!

 

Do it! Posting it all in your challenge is way more convenient, for sure, but I remember hating that I felt like I "lost" my workout tracking when a new challenge would start. I like this ongoing record a whole lot more!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
54 minutes ago, Blueberries said:

Likely didn't help that I loaded the bar and then stared at it for a few minutes before getting up there.

 

 

26 minutes ago, Volki said:

Hmm good news on the squats but I know what you mean with just staring at the bar for a few minutes lol

 

I've noticed that whenever I stare at the bar it stares back at me in a hostile manner...

  • Like 4

Level "I have no clue" Warrior

Current challenge

Battle log

 

Link to comment
7 hours ago, AugustaAdaByron said:

 

 

 

I've noticed that whenever I stare at the bar it stares back at me in a hostile manner...

 

I've definitely noticed that for squatting... but not for deadlifting. The bar can give me all sorts of attitude but he still gets picked up

  • Like 2

Neutral Gargoyle Warrior with a dash of Ranger/Monk/Adventurer. Now LEVEL 9!  My Instagram

STR 78, CON 31, DEX 1, INT 21, WIS 13.5, CHA 4

Meet lifts: SQ 175kg, B 112.5kg, Dead 215kg.   Gym lifts: SQ 185kg, B 132.5kg, Dead 220kg

Nerd Stuff: Sci Fi TV, Sci Fi + Fantasy Books, Classic Space Lego, Warhammer 40K...

Link to comment

Hey Blueberries! Glad to see you stuck it out a whole challenge and came back for more! It sounds like you have a solid game plan for the busy November ahead ;) 

 

17 hours ago, Blueberries said:

 

Ha! As a matter of fact, yes.

 

My foam roller is pretty damn solid as well...but those softer rollers aren't as effective IMO. What one do you use?

 

W0lf

Wild Wolf

Class: Peerless Scarred/ Height: 6'2 / Weight: 188#

Instagram: @ryanwolfbell / Facebook: Ryan Wolf Bell / Bible App (YouVersion) Ryan Wolf Bell

Current Challenge: Intro to Wolflean

Spoiler

Last Challenge(s): 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11/12/13/14/15/16

Epic Challenges: Welcome to the Fireteam & Wolfpool 

Gotham Project: 1

 

Know, O prince, that once the sun burns out and the earth's core becomes solid and cold, there will come a man to provide the endless energy needed to sustain life and for the planets to keep moving. He is the source of light and the warmth of hope back into the hearts of humanity...." - Dark_Raider

 

A wolf rises in my heart; against my darkness; against my demons; against my despair. I DECLARE WAR!

 

Romans 8:28 (CSB) We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to His purpose.

 

Link to comment
12 hours ago, wildross said:

Its sad to realize how many have been consumed by life....

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

It is! I'm thankful to still be in touch with most, but life has a funny way of getting in the way.

 

11 hours ago, Blocky said:

 

I've definitely noticed that for squatting... but not for deadlifting. The bar can give me all sorts of attitude but he still gets picked up

 

Nice! With squatting, I used to (and probably will again) walk out a heavier weight than what I need to squat to do toe raises. Feeling the heavier bar on my back usually did the trick to make my working weight seem more manageable. Deads are another story, though. Ha!

 

11 minutes ago, Wild Wolf said:

Hey Blueberries! Glad to see you stuck it out a whole challenge and came back for more! It sounds like you have a solid game plan for the busy November ahead ;) 

 

 

My foam roller is pretty damn solid as well...but those softer rollers aren't as effective IMO. What one do you use?

 

W0lf

 

Thanks! Fingers crossed that it all works out according to plan without any extra wrenches thrown in.

 

That's a good question. It's black foam, which if I remember correctly means that it's among the most dense. No nubs or anything, just a smooth torturous surface. :)

Link to comment

I really love the smell of PRs in the morning, don't you? 

 

tumblr_lpbn7xYQln1qfa2ioo1_250.gif

 

And really, because that quote is just not complete without the rest: 

 

200_s.gif

 

tumblr_inline_nqfk0sGcTM1r9n2va_500.gif

 

Sorry! Anyhow... I forgot that I was going to do rows instead of deadlifts today (oops!), but I broke through stuck weights for both deads AND OHP, so I'm not complaining. I stared down the barbell again today, but this time I decided to try visualization. Highly recommended over letting the doubt creep in, btw. 

 

I foam rolled the glutes. SI joint, etc. for a few minutes before I went to lift and will do some more later. I think even just the ~5 days since I started working on that have already made a big difference in getting things loosened up. I need to start focusing a little bit on my IT bands, but I'm avoiding like the  best avoider that ever avoided. OWWWW.

  • Like 1
Link to comment

I seriously have to stop posting before I say all the things I meant to say. 

 

37259633.jpg

 

 

So for the first time since I started lifting again, I started to feel the tiniest hint of that internal tug-of-war on the way home from lifting today. You know, "I want to keep lifting heavier and heavier things!!!!!!" vs. "Yeah, well you've really got a whole lot of weight to lose, also." And they both have a point. I kind of hate that it's sneaking in there, because I don't want to deal with that side of things yet!

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

New here? Please check out our Privacy Policy and Community Guidelines