Hey everyone,
I had intended on doing a workout today but I trained so hard in the gym yesterday that I need an extra days recovery. I also have a feeling that for those of you who tried my last workout may be glad of it LOL – I have even seen reference to a Zimmer Frame related to that workout haha! So it’s a welcome break 🙂
Yesterday I did one of the best training sessions in a long time – I was so motivated and focused! When I arrived in the Strength Room, I noticed they had finally got new Platforms and Olympic plates and it got me all excited to try them out, so I got stuck in to my Deadlifts (Conventional Style). My form has really improved in these by focusing on a few basic mental cues: “chest up”, “pull back” and “knees then hips”. It seems to have really helped me from losing good form in my back, and I tended to keep my chest too low, my hips too high and the bar too far from my shins, so I am pleased that these are going well.
So this post is more of a workout Post Mortem and thinking out loud than anything else. As some of you know, I don’t follow a training programme and I kind of just do my own thing, so it might be good to show you my thought process, or not LOL. I do take on board the advice and teaching of other trainers and coaches, I just can’t seem to follow a set programme, I train instinctively. Or, maybe I am too big a rebel and prefer to do it MY way haha!
Anyway, my (sub max) Deadlift sets went like this:
- Warm Up Set (60kg) x 15 reps
- 70kg x 12 reps
- 80kg x 8 reps
- 90kg x 6 reps
- 100kg x 5 reps (singles)
Decided to stay at 100kg today because I was focusing on improving my form a where it usually starts to break. So I’ll stick around 100kg – 107.5kg until I am happy that my form is great, then I’ll go for a MAX lift again.
For added Deadlift and pure strength inspiration, Nia Shanks posted this clip of her new Sumo Deadlift PR. Check it out below! She seriously rocks the Deadlift!! Great girl and I can’t wait to meet her next month 😀
I then stripped the bar back and began my Glute Bridge sets. I could do these all day, but I wanted to reach a goal of 300lbs (136kg), so I made sure I only did 4-5 reps as I got up to the 115kg mark. My sets went like this:
- Warm Up/testing the position (80kg) x 15 reps
- 90kg x 12 reps
- 100kg x 8 reps
- 110kg x 5 reps
- 120kg x 4 reps
- 130kg x 3 reps (in video below)
- 137.5kg ( 302.5 lbs ) x 3 reps (in video below I only show 2 out of the 3 reps, because during the second rep I had a seriously embarrassing facial expression, which just didn’t need to be seen AGAIN, so I sacrificed a rep for the video … but I did do 3!!). I don’t think this exercise would be good for someone who has high blood pressure, because even my head was purple :-/ LOL
Anyway, I am so pleased with my new PR on Glute Bridges! This is the main reason why I am taking today off, my butt has DOMS 😀
Next, I went to work on my quads and did some of my Front Loaded Reverse Lunges (I love these because I really feel it working my inner quad, which used to be crap). Sets went as follows:
- Warm Up (30kg) x 12 reps each side
- 35kg x 10 reps
- 40kg x 8 reps
- 45kg x 7 reps
- 50kg x 6 reps
- 55kg x 3 reps
My form was MUCH better with these. I tend to take more care over the weight increases for my quads, as I have it in my head that they are weak?? Don’t know why I think that, but my squats still need work. Next time I will do front Squats or low box squats for a change with either the reverse lunges or Bulgarian Squats.
Then I did an upper body Push and Pull routine with Pull Ups and Dips. I love Pull Ups (as you all know), but Dips have always been my favorite Upper Body Exercise. Even though I feel super strong and Badass when I do Pull Ups, Dips top them when it comes to showing upper body strength. I think they require more control as you lower into the dip and have to push out of it. Most people seem to perform the eccentric phase too fast , or fail to reach the full range of movement. But what’s new, as long as you can pump out a million super-speed partial reps, that’s all that matters, right? Here is my first set and below that is my Push and Pull routine:
- Dips x 13 (the first rep was missed by the sacked cameraman)
- Pull Ups x 7 (these were tough on my grip after the deadlifts)
- Dips x 8
- Pull Ups x 5
- Dips x 6
- Pull Ups x 4
That’s really all for today. I am sorry I don’t have a new workout 🙁 But I will soon, I promise!
I almost don’t want to mention it (incase I jinx it) but we are having a little heat wave here in Ireland this week and I am looking forward to some active recovery outdoors. Going up the coast later today and going to do plenty of beach walking and sight-seeing, because The North Coast of Ireland is stunning!! I will try and get some pictures to show you all the sheer beauty of my home 😀
Well, that’s it for today. Hope you all have a good one.
Before I go, what are your favorite exercises and why? Doesn’t matter what it is, I am just wanting to know more the reasons why we like certain exercises. I know I like any exercise that makes me feel “Badass” or stronger. So what are your thoughts?
Tally-Ho!
Marianne