MacFhearchair's off-season anti-slack

[LitTrog]

See, if you weren't so beautimously gorgiferous, you wouldn't have this problem. I mean, *I* don't have this problem, though I bet that LitTrog has to fend off amourous advances several times, each time he goes to a public gym.

1) If you inspire Limericks, you're bound to attract attention at a gym.

2) That's why I don't go public anymore, Alan. That creepy dude in the mirror keeps winking at me and showing me his abs. Blech.

[o1d_dude]

Yes, they are the plate police.

[Alan H]

Just to piss you off....well, you actually have a sense of humour, so I think my head will stay on my neck here, but seriously....I think you need some pink dumbells.


http://www.mostwatchedtoday.com/the-flip-side-gym-2/

[MacFhearchair]

Haha, that's cute Alan. :P

I went back today - last week was sortof a flop. I ran 1.5 mi on Monday and did some rock climbing Tuesday. Turns out there *are* days when I'll show up and still not feel like doing anything. I've been in a bit of a mental rut, too, and my body felt... needy and sore. I didn't go on Weds or Fri.

That's okay, though, because tonight I was setting PRs right and left. Two consecutive squats at 175# (that's presently 110% of my weight). I did a whole set of overhead presses at 75# without cheating. My set of curl-'n'-presses that I do with dumbbells were done with 27.5 lbs today instead of the usual 25. I did 40 medium-high (knee-height on me) box jumps in a row. I'm 22 lbs from doing my first pull-up, and last week I finally dropped below 160#.

Taking a break every two weeks seems to do wonders for me. I can't wait to see how all this adds up to throwing distances, but for now it's rewarding in and of itself.

Considering joining crossfit - I might just pay for the class.

[Alan H]

When you can do a triple backsquat at about 1.5x your body weight, or pick a number in that range, you are kind of "there". For you, say around 210-225, something in that ballpark. By the time you get there, your body weight is going to be about 150 at the incredible rate you are going! At that point, I think that there's really little use in getting grunt-stronger at the backsquat this season. It'll be time to do some squat variations like front squats and zerchers. You are getting there, fast. I'm impressed.

75 pound OHP = awesome. If you can get to 3 x 6 x 90 by the middle of January, you are Da LaSheafa and the Open Stone is gonna fly, and it'll be time to say bye-bye to those and start doing incline presses. 40 box jumps? I'd DIE....Actually, I guess when I do my box jump sequence, I run through the boxes 10x, and there are three boxes so that's 30 jumps, but the first two boxes are pretty low.

Anyway, you keep this up and you're going to be transitioning to speed work several weeks before I will, for sure. Hot damn. I see hang cleans and power cleans and snatches in your future. You'll learn how to do those at Crossfit, so even if you just signed up for a month and took some basic classes in those movements, it would pay off.

And <160? That's gotta put a smile on your face! Nice.

[o1d_dude]

You'll learn how to do those at Crossfit, so even if you just signed up for a month and took some basic classes in those movements, it would pay off.

Just don't drink the Kool-Aid.

Kipping pullups have no training effect on your normal strict pullups no matter how many times X-fitters claim it does.

And stay away from anything involving the gymnast rings. Your shoulders will thank you.

[Alan H]

Catalyst Crossfit

http://www.catalystgym.com/

Call them or mail them. Catalyst (at least used to) offers classes in Olympic lifting techniques...clean, snatch, jerk etc. Even if you don't join, if you do 4-5-6 classes on these techniques, you'll learn how to do them right, and safely. That's important. Like, seriously important. You don't have to be a technique guru at these...I mean, any actual Olympic lifter would either cringe or guffaw to see me doing these things, but I know enough to get benefit out of them and not hurt myself.

As for the kipping pull-ups, don't get me started. And doing Olympic movements to muscle failure? I could turn your ears blue from my commentary about that.

[MacFhearchair]

The past couple times I've tried to post here the damn thing has eaten my post, so I'm a little frustrated.

Here's the short and sweet version: Last week's high points included doing 4 175# squats in a row, graduating to the tall box for box jumps (thing comes up to my mid-thigh), shifting to the 27.5# dumbbells for curl'n'press, and doing a full set at 75# for overhead press without breaking form.

My dumbbell bench press is slowly but surely closing the gap between itself and the barbell press.

Still working on that pull up.

[o1d_dude]

Good stuff there, lass.

Keep at it. Persistence pays dividends.

[Alan H]

Nice! 4 x body weight + squat is no joke. And the curl 'n press is coming along nicely.