Take care of yourself

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

That's the Smith machine and it doesn't provide natural form on the descent or ascent at all.

The power rack has bars you can adjust to safety levels and if you find the weight too heavy, you can just roll the bar off your back and let go.

I've done it a few times, so they're pretty sturdy.

I won't do a 1RM without a spotter, though.

 

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

Can you give a link to a picture? I'm not sure I've seen what you're talking about.

 

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

Smith machine ... note the improper positioning of the hips ... this guy is begging to get hurt.



Power rack:

 

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

They can also look like this:

 

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

Gotcha. I walk the weight back out of the version above so I can go hips below knees on my squats.

 

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

OK ... so if anyone is wondering, Joe does ATG (ass to grass) squats, while I do the Olympic (box/parallel) squat).

One should go for a lighter weight on the ATG squat because you're going to full flexion on your knees and will need to incorporate more back effort into the ascent (I prefer to save that for deadlifts). There is less hamstring involvement and for optimal effect, one should take a less wide stance than the Olympic squat.

I definitely wouldn't recommend ATGs for anyone who has had knee issues in the past, as they can be quite taxing on the tendons and ligaments that attach the quads at the patella.

 

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

Today, Crossfit's "Helen": Three rounds of run a quarter-mile, 21 55-pound dumbbell swings and 12 pullups.

The last time I did this workout, in August, I used a 50-pound dumbbell. It's amazing how much harder it is with 5 extra pounds -- like, a shitload harder. The running and pullups aren't the time-killers, it's the swings, which bust you strength-wise and cardiovascularly.

Anyway, last time I finished in 15:57.

Today's splits were 4:14 for the first round, 9:56 to the end of the second round and a finishing time of 16:19. Thought I was gonna puke.

Joe

 

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

Today's prescribed workout: push jerk, seven rounds, one rep each. My form still stinks, especially as the weight goes up, which tells me I should be starting lower and working on my form, but ... well, you know how that goes. Anyway, 85, 95, 105, 115, 125, miss 130, 130, miss 135, 125.

Dips: 9, 7, 5, 4, 4 = 29. That's a little better. Of course, some dude there was doing sets of 20 and 15, so I got a ways to go.

Hanging L: 44 seconds, 37, 29, 27, 23.

Overhead squat with Olympic curl bar. With 2.5-pounders on each side, 10 reps; with 5-pounders, 10 reps. With 5 and 2.5, five reps (pretty crappy form); with just the bar, 5 reps with great form.

Joe

 

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

That's the one on which I work out.



Today, I had a chest workout. I tried to really push myself, so my end weights weren't great on decline bench, but I was happy nonetheless.

Flat bench - 12 X 135, 10 X 185, 6 X 225, 4 X 245
Incline bench flys - 12 X 45, 8 X 60, 6 X 75, 4 X 80
Decline bench - 12 X 135, 8 X 225, 6 X 255

 

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

Today, Crossfit's "Nicole": As many rounds as you can in 20 minutes of run a quarter-mile, max pullups. To say it was a struggle would be putting it mildly, not the pullups so much as the running. My god, I just had no stamina after the first quarter-mile. I clipped it off in about 1:38, right around my usual, but increasing the speed on the treadmill the next two runs killed me. Killed me.

The last time this came up about a month and a half ago, I got six full rounds in, plus another quarter-mile. This time, I got five full rounds, and that was it. My pullups were markedly improved, however, going 14, 10, 7, 7, 7 for 45 total. The last time I got 37 total.

Another day, another ugh.

Joe

 

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

For anyone who is new to the gym experience: Do not ever, ever curl in the squat rack.

 

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

Yes, yes, yes, I emphatically agree with that.