Weightlifting people, here! Ongoing chat thread...

[MaidOfStars]

We are a bit cut off in the designated forum so here's a shiny new thread to populate.

Hello to anyone that hasn't ventured over to The Weights Room but is lifting/resistance training.

That's her, Just!

Hats off to you, Strongbeatsskinny - I don't know whether I could have the discipline to be a competing bodybuilder, but I find it so interesting.

NC that's great! I'm going to have a chat with my PT this week about increasing the weights as I feel ready. I had a hangover this morning so didn't make the gym 🙈 Cannot wait to go tomorrow now!

Ugh, shitey session this morning

3 x 1 x 75kg squat
3 x 3 x 65kg back off squats
5 x 4 x 52.5kg bench
5 x 5 x 45kg narrow grip bench
5 x 10 x 30 kg bent over rows
3 x 10 weighted back hyperextensions
3 x 10 lateral pull downs.

Squats were fucking dreadful. I failed one of the 75kg singles - previously that was my 6 rep max.

I think the fact that I'm in a calorie deficit at the moment must be affecting me. I always train first thing in the morning, only fuel is the coffee I have before leaving the house - never been a problem before, never been light headed or anything. And I didn't feel light headed this morning, just weak. I could maybe look at some sort of quick pre-gym snack but I don't really want to add any more food to my day as the dieting is going so well.

What do other people do about pre-session fuelling?

Findo Calorie deficits are terrible for progressive lifting. How much weight do you have left until a target? I found that while I was shedding the first 5-8kg, lifting was fine - obviously a big enough reserve. However, the next (and final) few kg put me massively out of whack. I was low weight, low energy, depleted stores.

I've been reading about 'refeeds' for those lifting but dieting. I know that when I ran my April marathon, I spent the week before just eating whatever I wanted. I went from 1200 cals a day to cherry pie and custard after dinner I started that race feeling replete again. Is this something to try? I'm not saying to stuff your face, but a week at maintenance cals rather than déficit cals might do you good, both physically and psychologically.

I eat Shreddies/porridge + strong coffee before a session.

This morning (after nearly a week break after landing awkwardly at netball last week):
Walking lunges, 16kg kettlebell, 4 x 8 each side.
Ring pull ups (2 sets)/banded pull ups (2 sets) + push ups.
And then....
My trainer like to buy me weird equipment. So he pulled out a waist belt with bungee ropes attached, and hooked me up to his weight rack. Made me skater jump out and in (3 sets), then squat jump to ball slams (3 sets), then sprint touches to bases. Trying to squat jump and hold your landing while you have elastic pulling you back is really tough, let alone poising yourself for a ball slam at the point of highest tension....

This morning

That's all really reassuring and helpful Maid - thanks. I think I will try that refeed idea. I don't have an exact finishing weight in mind: I wanted to lose about a stone and I'm 3/4 of the way there

A week of maintenance might be just the thing - and as it happens, I'm on holiday for a week on Wednesday so that would be the ideal time, especially as I'd been fretting about how to stay at a deficit while eating out etc.

Cherry pie and custard. Oh yes.

My PT is all about what you eat. Protein, protein, protein. Carbs after training to refuel. I've still got 2st to lose but I've been at a plateau over summer. Back on it now the kids are back at school.

Today: Shoulder press 2x10kg dumbbells, Pull down machine 20kg, Incline row, seated row, Is Ys and Ts over a swiss ball and some mad bungee thing in the stretch room.

I'm planning on getting my cardio in early in the day this week so I don't skive it.

Findo my PT makes contraptions, attaching bands and weights to various bits of equipment. It's like Wallace and Gromit go weight lifting.

Sorry, not Findo, Maid with the contraptions...

I asked him today if he had to go to a "specialist shop" for his fetishes....

I am always intrigued by new kit that I see at gyms. I've seen people doing this with an elastic rope thing clipped from their waist to a heavy piece of equipment.

I've seen people doing this with an elastic rope thing clipped from their waist to a heavy piece of equipment
Yep, this. It's tough.

I think my mistake was telling my PT that I have a hen do next March where there will be one of those "pulling a bungee rope" activities and that I had to win it.

Next session, this fucking thing turns up....

my PT makes contraptions, attaching bands and weights to various bits of equipment
Mine used to use bands on my shoulder press. However, I am quite short and the bands were at zero tension for half the move, then snapped into tension when my hands got just to the top of my head.

This was very bad for my slightly made-of-chocolate shoulders and we swiftly abandoned.

What I've see is someone placing an object on the floor, just at the end of the belt band's reach, then sprinting towards it and reaching down to touch it.

He he, did this earlier. Unfortunately, the object I was touching was a foam roller and it kept rolling away a little as I was touching....

If you ever try it, it's amazing for your arse and quads.

I think I will try it!

Things not to say to your PT :

'That prowler thing looks fun...'
'Did you see the gym is having a AMRAP in 2 mins burpee competition? '
'I could probably do a few more/lift a bit heavier'.

The prowler does look fun!

It's fun in a kind of 'i think I might be dying' kind of way.

The prowler makes me feel like Jeff Capes 😂
We sometimes do the bungee run thing too. They used to have one at the students union where you had to try and get the beer without being pinged back. It's not as fun without the beer...

Who's with me?

I bloody hate the thing! Why is it so hard to push?

I don't mind it really. It's the battle ropes that kill me.

I like it when other people use the battle ropes at the gym - so entertaining.

I had a few PT sessions last year and she wanted me to have a go at the battle ropes and pushing a sled thing around the gym - I politely declined! I keep seeing that advert for Nuffield Health gyms with the woman using the battle ropes - I can't think of anything that would make me less likely to want to join a gym!

I keep seeing that advert too. I look nothing like that when I use them.