MacFhearchair's off-season anti-slack

[MacFhearchair]

Tracking here at XMTS per the suggestion of Alan H.

Current goal is just to get to the gym on Mon, Weds and Fri every week and do squats, deads, and bench presses and do some random ab exercises. I'll probably do a combination of lower weights/higher reps and testing/pushing my one-rep max. I do better with flexibility in the in-gym routine, and zero flexibility about the gym-going routine.

I started on Monday by familiarizing myself with proper technique (again) and getting some starting numbers. Below is what I've got so far.

Squat: I can do 95 pretty indefinitely. I start feeling real limitations at 135. My 1-rep is unknown
Bench Press: I can do 7 40-lb dumbbell presses (80 lbs total load) without a break. I can do a higher weight with a barbell (~120). My 1 rep is unknown for either.
Deadlift: ~135-150 is a good number for doing multiple lifts. 185 is a 1-rep max after some abuse (so possibly higher)

Toe-touching ab exercises (hanging or laying down and leg/torso lifting) - I can do about 5 before I really start feeling it. I'm down for the count after 10 or 12. These numbers are terrible.

Kettlebell swings - I can do a set of 25 @ 25lbs before I start feeling like I might fall over. I would like to be able to do a set of 75 without issue.

Ideally I will stick with this routine and also get a little bit of interstitial throwing practice in on occasional Tu/Th/Weekends.



Halloween was a flop due to candy-distribution duties (and severe delayed onset muscle soreness). :P Back at it tomorrow!!

[Martin Roy]

Good luck, MacF. Go for it.

[LitTrog]

Fantastical!

Some advice for next Halloween: children lusting after candy make wonderful and willing workout implements--curls and squats especially. You can even practice throwing on the rude ones.

[o1d_dude]

Kettlebell swings are great for the Highland Games.

Do them in sets of 25 meaning you can do three sets of 25 and get your 75 reps in. When the 25 reps no longer makes you see the White Buffalo, do 30 reps in each set.

I've been having fun with something called "Waiter Walks". Hoist the kettlebell overhead to one hand and walk for distance. Just like a waiter carrying a tray overhead with one hand. When you can go no further, switch hands and walk back. It's a good idea to start out with your non-dominant hand and finish up with the dominant hand. Now when someone asks where your core is, you will know exactly where it is.

As to using fixed days of the week, understand that Real Life[tm] despises plans and schedules. It sees your schedule and says "Challenge accepted!" Better to think of your workout schedule as "lift days" and "recovery days" with a lift day followed by a recovery day or two. If Real Life gets in the way of a lift day, bonus. You just got an extra recovery day and will lift the following day.

If you're not up to working out with your full load on a planned work day, lighten the load but still get the sets and reps in. It pays off in the long run.

I highly recommend the book "Starting Strength" by Mark Rippetoe (Kindle $9.99 and well worth it) for beginning weight lifters. The author goes into great detail explaining how to do the lifts, what parts of your body are involved, the mechanics and physics, and how to correct your technique errors. I've been lifting for almost 50 years and I still learned quite a bit from reading this book. Fixed my squat, it did.

[MacFhearchair]

Good luck, MacF. Go for it.

Thanks!

Fantastical!

Some advice for next Halloween: children lusting after candy make wonderful and willing workout implements--curls and squats especially. You can even practice throwing on the rude ones.

LOL!

I highly recommend the book "Starting Strength" by Mark Rippetoe (Kindle $9.99 and well worth it) for beginning weight lifters. The author goes into great detail explaining how to do the lifts, what parts of your body are involved, the mechanics and physics, and how to correct your technique errors. I've been lifting for almost 50 years and I still learned quite a bit from reading this book. Fixed my squat, it did.

Thanks - this is actually where I'm getting all my instruction on technique at present. So far it's solid and helpful, but until I get to the gym and try the stuff out with an unloaded bar, it just doesn't become part of me, and so far I haven't practiced enough to truly absorb the forms and do them without having to think. ... so every time I quit for a while I come back feeling like I have to start from scratch.

As far as real life and schedules, I'm versatile. I'll make it work or I'll adapt.

[Alan H]

YAAAAAYYY!...

Wow, we have what...six people logging, now? Hot damn.