Lifting support thread 2

[RayKray]

Just noticed I was the last to post on the lifting support thread as it went to 1k so here's another.

Original thread intro post here from
@Work2live

"Thought I’d start this thread as a few people thought it’d be a good idea.

"It might be a nice place to support each other and talk about lifting in general, ask for tips and advice on workouts, how to get enough protein etc.

"All levels very much welcome, from complete newbies to those who’ve been weightlifting for years! 💪🏼"

@DollyParkin yep I always lift heavy every session.

Pre comp prep I used to do maybe 10 mins max of cardio/metcon type stuff in a session. At the moment I don't do any (although I'm hitting high heart rates with my lifting)

I train 4 times a week, squat day, bench day, deadlift day and accessories day. It's all focused around increasing my squat, bench and deadlift.

Pre comp prep I was doing linear progression on my lifts, so putting the weight up every week until I can't any more. Then working on where a weakness lies. Then linear progression again. Every session would start with the main lift then accessories. IIRC I was doing 5s in my main lift sets.

Now I'm doing comp prep it's top sets of triples, then doubles, then singles. With back off sets at a lower weight. Plus accessories. Both top sets and back offs go up each week again till I can't anymore. But then I try again next week.

It's very single minded and all about lifting heavy in squat, bench and deadlift. So it suits me as I'm a bit obsessed. But I imagine it would get boring to anyone not obsessed with lifting heavy in squat, bench and deadlift. It's repetitive and unrelentingly hard.

Good session this AM. Should have gone PM but I was so keen!

I reached the end of the stack on the abductor. So proud of this. I then had a moment on the adductor where I thought wow I got this, it's totally mind body connection...then it got tough and switched to I'll just @##£ing get through this.

I filmed myself on the hip thrust, I find this very helpful to see my technique. Also my PT is happy to critique the videos. I was quite pleased as improved the technique then did a 25rep drop set where I really felt the burn.

I also did my highest on the squat machine but from filming I can see my knees wobbling. I think I need to bring my feet in and just accept the massive burn I know I will feel.

I now have my 2 rest days, which is exciting. I'll be doing some foam rolling and I'm also on Week 3 of Couch to 5km, so have the first run of that to do tomorrow.

Awesome @MistyTrains . Is the squat machine upright? If so thinking of screwing feet into floor and then putting tension in legs (and while body) helps with knee wobble.

Couch to 5k is a rest day for you?! That would finish me off!

I need some advice from the experienced lifters. I’ve hit a mental block when it comes to my deadlift. My PB is 90kg and has been for about 10 months. If I go heavier, I just panic and can’t do it, I don’t know why. I feel like my grip/ arms can’t hold it. Any tips for getting through the mental panic?

@DCIJackieDeering do you do much mental work before you lift? I can't do it unless I get my head in the right space. If someone talks to me before a heavy lift I have to reset for example. I have to clear my head, repeat my mantra in my head, line up just so, do my arms just so, look down the room just so. I stopped one earlier because my concentration slipped in the last stages and a doubt crept in so I restarted the whole set up. I have to drown out any doubt with reminding myself I'm strong.

If you watch powerlifters at any level really you can see they all have their set up ritual. I love watching Joy Nnamani. This video shows her go in and out of her headspace, plus her double hand down thing which she always does.

Plus significant numbers are hard mentally. Getting through 100kg was hard cos well it's 100kg! My numbers went up more after that as they're less significant than the big 100.

Or if it is actually a grip thing I can talk about that too.

@RayKray It's only about 8-10 mins of actual jogging with walks in between every couple of mins! I need something little for cardio as I have lung disease.

I was doing it on the workout day which I should probably get back to doing so that the rest day is proper rest.

Thanks, will try that technique. My PT also said squat deeper 😬.

Just wanted to shout out on here with lovely people who understand my excitement - I'm away with work (rare, at I'm public sector!) and was frustrated with the idea of disrupting my training. Only we're on a uni campus so that means access to a brilliantly equipped university gym! So I had access to a calisthenics rig, pylo boxes & bars, full range of comp kettle bells etc, as well as proper deadlifting platforms. I was like a kid in a playground 😀

Using dumbbells for a change has convinced me to splash out on a decent set of adjustables for home though. Been thinking about it for a while!

I love a bit of gym tourism. When I'm away I find the gym very early on in my planning. And I love a good uni gym too! Do you get to play again tomorrow?

Ooog brilliant @Proteinpudding - I love a bit of gym tourism!

Thanks both, I knew folk in here would get it!
I'm tempted to have a little play again tonight, but I'd have to go at 5 and suspect it might be too busy - was busy enough today around the rig/weights at 7am.. And yes, can play tomorrow as long as I'm up early enough. Have to check out in the morning. But it has genuinely made me feel ok about being away, Im not one for networking and forced socialising, so this feels like a little benefit!

Totally get that @Proteinpudding . Also, I am wrecked with DOMS after a week away last week in which I only did one short strength session. It is good to have a break sometimes I know, and I was strong on the bars on my return, but - ouch!

Ah, the DOMS after a break is always a killer. As you say, it's good to have a break but it doesn't make that return any easier!

Jeepers, staggered through a workout tonight and just couldn't do some stuff. It is frustrating - happy to have the week (mostly) off but feeling tired and achey for the next week is no fun!

It's gym day here 🏋️‍♀️. I'm so excited as always. I'll be going this evening. I am working on increasing weight slightly and getting 10-12 reps in.

I'm thinking of leaving my trainer and going alone, mainly for ££, but waiting to see if she changes anything in the next couple of weeks.

I'm waiting for it to catch up with me as I had 7 days off!

Have a good one @MistyTrains !

I totally gym when I'm meant to be networking. But I find it resets my brain and gives me the self confidence to then go back and network and talk about lifting

Gym for me later today - hoping for another PB

Pleased with today. Bit confused how much to count for bar as there are different ones, but did Romanian deadlifts, Smith Machine reverse lunges, leg press, abductor, leg extension, lat raise, bench press, tricep pulldown, plus ab crunches.

My quads are currently crying 🤣 No idea how I am going to repeat on Fri morning, but that's for after recovery time!

Sounds great @MistyTrains . Do they say on them what they are? They're usually 20kg. There's also a 15kg one and sometimes a 10kg. Then a trap bar and safety bar are some random number but presume you're not using those. Not sure how you count the smith, it's the subject of lots of memes. But as long as you're consistent in how you count them it doesn't really matter as you're only really looking for progression on your own weights.

Thanks @RayKray They have diff size bars so will check.

@MistyTrains The 15kg is sometimes called the women's bar and the 10kg the junior bar if they say that. They're also shorter too which helps being able to tell.
At my old gym the bar was an entirely random weight and I've still no idea what it was. So they do exist too but probably not if it's a more mainstream gym.

Thanks @RayKray

I did the boditrax machine again, I promised I wouldn't as it always disappoints! I have lost 2kg of muscle mass since beginning of June when I started to train properly. I dropped the spin and body con class I was doing after 2 weeks. Before the start of June I had gained 2kg of muscle mass since mid Mar which was when I started spin and body con. Has anyone had similar? It is disheartening. The only thing I have as progress is that my waist is not bigger, my thighs and biceps have grown and the numbers on the bar are going up. But how I look has plateaud. I look the same as last 2 weeks in my pictures. I have gained weight, maybe just over 2lbs in 6 weeks.

I don't know whether to eat more, add a 4th session but that would be hard unless I kept them as every other day which would mean changing the days each week, or add more cardio to see if I can lean out and see the muscle more.

My gut feeling says add more steps and eat more and keep doing what I am doing training wise.

I'm just wary of eating more as it's not so far resulted in muscle gain, just quite a big loss.

I did it a few times at my first gym and thought it was a load of old rubbish, tbh. Wildly variable. I did some googling and from memory, it isn't reliable especially for women. And 2kg is nothing - my overall weight can vary by 2kg between the start and the end of the day.

You are getting stronger - that's the metric that counts most I think?

For me, I'm happy if I am getting stronger, feel good and energetic and sleep well, and am staying roughly the same size/weight.

Yep I don't track anything or take photos. I weigh myself as I need to keep an eye on it for comp and I agree it can fluctuate by 2kg easily during a day, or between days seemingly at random. Looking at my body between 2 weeks also wouldn't tell me much as it depends where I am in my cycle, what I've eaten etc etc. That changes too.

I look at my muscles a lot and can see them getting bigger. And the weight on the bar goes up so I'm getting stronger which is enough for me. But it's a longer term thing. I'd not expect to see much difference in weeks.

Ah ok maybe it isn't anything to worry about. It could be that my muscles were more pumped up due to the spin. I guess I just sort of expected to see the same increase that I was seeing when I was doing the spin. Although now I think about it, I was low carbing then and I was losing body fat - I went down to 24.8 and am now 29% - which may be part of it. I just went down a rabbit hole reading about

Rhabdomyolysis and convincing myself my muscles are wasting away. I just don't think those machines are good and I'm now definitely not using them.

I'm getting near my period again and I remember I started to feel anxious last month like this about the weight aspect, which gives me a clue this may be hormones talking and nothing to worry about.