workout 2013-10-30

squat
5x5 bodyweight (YAY!)

barbell row
5x 45lb

lat pulldown
5x10 40lb

i should get to log all the cleanup i did as a workout too. ;) this was an extremely productive day after a series of crappy, crappy days (i don't even want to count how many). vincent dying really depressed me, the paramour's mother got ill, and it's off to ontario now to deal with that. and there was no room to exercise, PT gloria cancelled a workouts because she was sick, and i cancelled workouts with her until next week because i didn't want to deal with the inevitable confrontation, since she still hasn't gotten back to me in response to my email about the problems with the last few workout. anyway, enough of that. *blech*.

i cleaned the carport, moved a bunch of stuff from the living room/office, made room for the rack, and put it together. i decided if i keep it inside we'll actually use it, while the carport gets cold and clammy. i was beat at the end of that, but after an hour of dinner and rest i WANTED to work out, and so i did.

didn't do a proper stronglifts workout, but got damn close to it; got myself used to the 5x5 pattern, and worked with the olympic bar for the first time. only bodyweight squats, but 25! that's a new personal best. the form really sucked on the last 2 sets though, so i'm still not ready to put weight on top of that. and i felt my legs the day after, hoh boy. i can't see yself because we don't have mirrors, and setting up for recording just throws more obstacles in front of the next workout, so i am thinking of finding a box and squatting down to it (not a proper box squat, but just as a guideline for where my ass should be so the hip is just below parallel with the knee

lat pulldowns because the bench i acquired is dirty and i didn't clean it yet, and hey, the rack has a lat pulldown thing. went down from the weights i did last time in training with gloria because i knew i was gonna do 5 sets instead of 2. worked out well.

watched a lot of videos on barbell rows, and i definitely need mirrors in here, *sigh*. i think i have the form largely right -- but my fat belly prevents me from pulling the bar up very high. hm. maybe i need to pull it more into the chest? i think what i want is a pendlay row instead. but i might be better off substituting one-armed dumbbell rows instead, because i get a larger range of motion with those. the empty bar was not too heavy for this exercise, at least.

i need to order fractional plates so i can increase weight in smaller steps than 5 lb. or find some big-ass washers at home depot, which will be a lot cheaper, even if they'll require more diddling with weights. it doesn't really matter exactly what the weight is, just that it increases steadily. maybe i do that tomorrow before the paramour gets back home.

workout today (caught up!)

squat
5x5 bodyweight

overhead press
5x5 @18.5lb

deadlift
1x5 @55lb

the squats keep improving, fewer stability issues than two days ago, and i am having better control on the way down overall -- i was well-rested today too, which makes a difference. still breaking form on sets 4 and 5 though. throughout the day whenever it seems useful, i do ass-to-grass squats to pick stuff up, and that has helped with mobility in my ankles, as have daily calf stretches. i see a lot more mobility workouts in my future; the few exercises i am doing after watching a kelly starrett seminar are really working wonders.

first overhead press -- i watched rippetoe instruct this, and that was helpful so i didn't rip my nose off. ;) i tried experimentally to press the empty olympic bar, but that wasn't gonna happen for 5x5 sets, nope. luckily when i bought the rack and weights a dilapidated curl bar came with it, which weighs in at 13.5 lb, and i added the 2 smallest plates (2.5lb each). i could handle that weight well, no stability problems, but i wonder whether i am hyper-extending my back; it feels a bit like it. tomorrow the paramour gets back, and then i'll have a spotter.

first deadlift ever as well -- to bring the bar up in height i used two boxes of the science fiction i removed from the wall so i could put the rack there, which seemed fitting, *little grin*. they might be a bit high though -- i now understand the benefit of standard plates. i am glad i practiced squatting so much, which really helped with the form here. again i am not sure i am doing it entirely right. i might have to drop by the crossfit box after all to make contact with local powerlifters.

good workout. i feel chuffed that i am doing this.