MacFhearchair's off-season anti-slack

[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.

[Geoff Withnell]

Alan, I'm going to start logging as soon as these sprained bicep attachments heal. I was setting up for vertical leg presses with a bunch of weight, and a weld on the frame broke.
caught about 300 lbs with my right forearm, and my bicep didn't care for it one little bit. Right now my trainer is limiting me to 12 oz curls! ;)

YAAAAAYYY!...

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

[MacFhearchair]

Friday I made it back to the gym as planned.

I was a lot weaker; possibly due to muscle soreness sustained from Monday's work out. I did squats, deads, and bench presses but I don't actually remember any of my numbers, and I kept getting dizzy after dead lifts. I'm breathing right and I'm focusing on proper form. *shrug* I hadn't eaten a lot on Monday (I go through periods of higher and lower food interest and I try to give my body what it wants most of the time) so that could definitely be part of it.

I did 25 KB swings @ 25# and some ab-torture in the form of alternating cross-crunches, hanging leg lifts, jack-knife style sit ups, and head stands. I had a TON of energy, but it felt more ballistic, like I wanted to run an obstacle course instead of weight lifting.

I plan to go back tomorrow and do some climbing and a couple quick sets of lifts.

I found a dirt/wood chip field near my house that could potentially serve as a nice place to practice throwin'. I have a suitable practice stone and a LWD weight. I have a fork that needs to be prepped, and I need a sheaf, but I could theoretically start practicing that soon, too.

It occurs to me I could grab a 30lb kettlebell and use that as a WOB practice weight. It's only 2lbs too heavy, right? Hmmm...