Oh...Bench!

Bench...my nemesis...I will beat you at some point.  In process of learning foot placement and how to get super stable on the bench.  Felt really good how I was setting up tonight...hopefully it will carry over to higher numbers for me :)

Deload - Squat Day

First day back after the meet on Saturday.  Taking it pretty light this week...don't want to tax our CNS.  Knees are a little tight but every thing else is feelin' great...I'll be ready to hit it hard next week.  Oh yeah and we are adding in conditioning to every training session now...yippee!  

SQUAT NIGHT!

We're starting week 10 and things are getting heavy...BUT super good!!  LOVE skwats!

Week 10 - Cube/Progressive Overload Hybrid 

Warm Up/Stretches-

Kneeling Hip Flexor 2 mins each leg

Hamstrings 2 mins each leg

Roll with Rumble Roller

Jumping squats

Extra hip stretches...was feeling super tight!

Main Work-

1 x 2 @ 180# (102% of Squat Max)...I was a bit of an overachiever and did about 105% of my max:)

1 x 5 Wide Box Squats @ 115# - No Belt

1 x 5 Wide Box Squats @ 120# - No Belt

3 x 10 Oly Squats @ 95# - No Belt

100 Air Squats...why, oh why do they hurt so bad!?

Week 9....

We are coming to the end of our training cycle.  Our SPF event is quickly approaching!  As of now training is going well...I am feeling super confident about my squat and deadlift...not so much about the bench but that's ok...something to work on.

Cube/Progressive Overload Hybrid

SQUAT:

Warm up/Stretches-

Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch 2 mins. each leg

Calf Stretch 2 mins.

Rack/Squat stretch 2 mins.

25 Air Squats

Main Work-

1 x 2 (98% of Squat Max)

2 x 5 Wide Box Squats...working on posterior strength

3 x 10 Oly Squat @ 95#

100 Air Squats


BENCH:

Warm Up/Stretches-

Wall Pec stretch 2 mins each arm

30 Bandy pull aparts

25 Bar bench press reps

Main Work-

1 x 2 Pause Press @ 115#...only locked out 1 of 2

3 x 5 Paused @ 95#

2 x 10 Strict Press @ 45#...having elbow/forearm/wrist issues :(

100 Bandy Press Downs (50 each arm)

100 Dumbbell bench presses @ 15#


DEADLIFT:

Warm Up/Stretches-

Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch 2 mins each leg

Standing or sitting hamstring stretch 2 mins.

30 Banded Goodmornings

Warm Up Deadlift

Main Work-

1 x 2 @ 195#

3 x 3 @ 145#

3 x 5 Straight Leg Deadlift at a 2 mat def @ 115#...can do heavier...just learning the movement.

1 x 20 Snatch Grip Block Pull @ 100#...no break! ouch

Squats & Deadlift!

I've been slacking a bit on posting my workouts.  All in all things are going well.  Squats and Deadlifts are feeling super good and I'm quite confident about hitting those numbers on August 10th.  Bench is going kinda rough...I'm having some forearm/wrist/hand issues that are affecting my grip and strength.  But I'm pushing through it!!  

Deadlift...185 for 2

Squat...150 for 5 reps      

Squat...165 for 3 reps

Bella Deadlifting 95 Pounds

Perfect Set Up!

Deadlifts 6/20...

Tonight we did Deadlifts and it was NOT a good night for me.  I was feeling off and not motivated from the beginning.  And when your off you can sometimes fall victim to the math monster!  That is exactly what happen to me, I completely added my working sets incorrectly and did not figure it out until after I finished them...all the while thinking the weight seemed light and I was feeling strong but I had 20 pounds less on the bar than I was supposed to have.  BUT I finished all my accessory work and came back in Sunday to do my actual working sets and nailed them...still felt strong and weight felt light.


Week 6 - Cube/Progressive Overload Hybrid

Warm Up/Stretching

Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch for 2 mins

Stand or Sitting Hamstring Stretch

Roll Bottom of feet with Lax ball

30 Banded Good Mornings

Warm Up to your 80% Deadlift


Main Work

3 x 3 80% @ 165#

3 x 3 65% Speed Pulls @ 135#

3 x 5 Straight Leg Deadlift @ 135#

2 x 15 Bent Over Row @ 115#
 
Row Burnout...as many Rows as possible

2 x 20 Shrugs @ 120#

Shrug Burnout..as many shrugs as possible

Squat Night!

Tonight was a successful lifting night!

It was a success for a couple reasons:
1.  I completed ALL my work
B.  I'm getting faster out of the bottom of my squat
3.  I've learned how to control my depth on my squat

Gotta say it...I started a little too high with some of my weights  i.e., Barbell lunges.  I am now up to 95# and that is quite heavy.  Damn you linear progression!

ATTACK YOUR WEAKNESSES DON'T LET THEM BRING YOU DOWN!!!


Week 6 - Cube/Progressive Overload Hybrid


Warm Up/Stretching

Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch/Hamstrings 1 min. each

Calf Stretch 2 mins.

Rack/Squat stretch 2 mins.

25 Air Squats

Rolling with Rumble Roller as long as I can take it!



Main Work

2x5 Squat @ 150#

6x5 Wide Box Squats @ 100#
**was supposed to be 3x5 oly BS then 3x5 wide BS.  But due to my weaker posterior I did 6 sets wide

3x10 Barbell Lunges @ 95#

3x10 Goodmornings @ 60#

3x10 Romanian DL @ 130#

6 sets of 10 count Killer Core.

Caitlyn Trout hitting her record breaking squat

Proof that women can be fit and Powerlift!!!

Surprise 4 Mat Max Deadlift!

Well, tonight was one of those nights.  There was a last minute change to the program which my body was not prepared for.  I did my best which was NOT great tonight :(  BUT I did most of the auxiliary work after the 4 mat Max Deadlift Pull.   All in all, I was not having a great day but got through it!


Week 5 Deadlift - Cube/Progressive Overload Hybrid 

Progressive overload is the gradual increase of stress placed upon the body during exercise training.
A common goal for strength-training programs is to increase or to maintain one's physical strength or muscle mass. In order to achieve more strength as opposed to maintaining the current strength capacity, the muscles (see skeletal muscles) need to be overloaded which stimulates the natural, adaptive processes of the body which develops to cope with the new demands placed on it.
Progressive overload not only stimulates muscle hypertrophy, but it also stimulates the development of stronger and denser bones, ligaments, tendons and cartilage. Progressive overload also incrementally increases blood flow to exercised regions of the body and stimulates more responsive nerve connections between the brain and the muscles involved.


Warm Up/Stretching

Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch

Bent Over Hamstring Stretch

30 Banded Goodmornings

Warm Up to Max Mat Pull


Main Work

4 Mat Max Deadlift ended @ 195#

3 x 5 Straight Leg Deadlift @ 115, 125 & 135#

2 x 20 Shrugs @ 125#

3 mins of Ab work

Bench Night 6/11

Today was a first in Powerlifting...there was ALL women, except for Matt, of course.  Poor guy was engulfed in estrogen LOL.

All in all, this was a good training session.  The weights are starting to get pretty heavy, the last of the 5 reps is a struggle but I complete all reps as prescribed.   



Week 5 - Cube/Progressive Overload Hybrid

Warm-Up/Stretching

2 min. Wall Pec Stretch

30 Pull Aparts

30 Bar Bench Press Reps


Main Work

2 x 5 Speed Bench @ 90#

2 x 5 Pause Press @ 100#

2 x 5 Paused CGB @ 95#

2 x 10 Strict Press @ 60#

2 x 5 Bent Over Rows @ 105#

50 Bandy Press Downs

50 Diamond Push Ups

3x Killer Kore

9 Weeks Out!

Today we start week 5 of training and we are 9 weeks out from our SPF competition!  Movements went easy today I am learning weaknesses and strengths and attacking them.  For instance, I have extremely well developed abs and quads but my posterior and lower back is quite weak.  So here we go again attacking weaknesses to get better.  

Week 5 - Cube/Progressive Overload Hybrid

Warm Up/Stretch

Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch

Squat/Rack Stretch

Calf/Ankle Stretch

25 Air Squats

Warm up to your "working set"

Extra Quad stretches 

Main Work

2 x 5 "Working Set" @ 145# with full gear...knee wraps and power belt

3 x 5 Oly Box Squats @ 135#

3 x 5 Wide Box Squats @ 105#

3 x 10 Barbell Lunges @90#

3 x 10 Goodmornings @ 55#...finished ALL 3 sets which means my lower is getting stronger!!!

3 x 10 SLDL/Romanian DL @ 125

3 x Killa Kore...completed ALL 3 sets

Deadlift - 185# for 2 Reps

90% Deadlift Night!

Well, some days are terrible and you are just not feeling it, the weight seems super heavy, you are low energy etc.  THEN, there are days like today.  I came in feeling great and ready to lift.  The confidence I feel in my strength is growing all the time.  All the work that I am doing to strengthen my lower back is paying off exponentially!  185 for 2 went up smooth and easy...I NEVER, EVER thought I would say that...very exciting to see hard work paying off.  



Week 4 - Cube/Progressive Overload Hybrid

Warm up/Stretching

Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch

Bent over Hamstring Stretch

Foam rolling

Wrist Mobility with purple band

30 Banded Good Mornings

Main Work

1 x 2 Conventional Full gear @ 185#

5 x 3 Speed Pulls @ 155#

3 x 5 Straight Leg/Romanian Deadlift @ 125#

2 x 15 Bent Over Row @105#

Row Burnout - 20 Reps @ 65#

2 x 20 Shrugs @ 115#

Burnout - 34 Reps @ 75#

Bench Night!

Week 4 Cube/Progressive Overload Hybrid Training

Warm up/stretching

30 Pull aparts with a band

30 Dislocates

Bench Stretch

25 Empty barbell reps



Main Work

2 x 8 Speed Bench 66% @ 80#


2 x 8 Pause Press 76% @ 90#

2 x 8 Paused Close Grip Bench(CGB) 71% @ 85#

2 x 10 Strict Press @ 55#

2 x 5 Bent Over Rows @ 100#.  Went too low on the weight with these...should have been @ around 115# or so.  Oops!

50 Bandy Press Downs

50 Diamond Push Ups

2x Killer Core


I was having a good night!  Felt great and got all the work done in a timely manner.  Hoping to hit big numbers come August 10th.