Chillicat's journal

[Chillicat]

Day 1 today, main exercise = bench press. I didn't make any increases this week, as I found 37.5kg pretty hard last week, and was struggling with it this week after 3x5, so thought it best not to go up to 40kg this week in case I ened up pinned under the barbell :pfft: Only managed a further 2x2, so it was good keeping it at 37.5kg for today.

Followed with some tricep bench presses @30kg, this time 5 full sets of 5 (last week a couple were 4s).

Then a few skullcrushers - 15kg 2x5, 17.5kg 3x5 (but not a full ROM for most of these, so need to work a lot more on form).

Also did some DB shoulder presses @12kg 5/5/4/4/3 - was pretty tired by this time, so this was an effort!

Looking very much forward to squat day tomorrow

[bigdogbob]

That's some good weight you're pumping out there..don't stress about the low reps that's where you build the strength...go hard on the squats...ass to the grasssssss :pfft:

[Chillicat]

That's some good weight you're pumping out there..don't stress about the low reps that's where you build the strength...go hard on the squats...ass to the grasssssss :pfft:

Thanks! Yeah, I'm aiming for big strength gains at the moment, with low reps and attempts at increasing the weights each week (as long as I'm happy with my form in the previous week). I'm extremely pleased with the progress I've been making and feeling just bloody fantastic all round.

My plan is to stick with the 5 day programme I've been doing in February for another couple of weeks into mid March. This focuses on one main lift @ 5x5 per day with some extra bits thrown in (Day 1: Bench press + other pushing upper body; Day 2: Squats + calf raises, lying leg curls, sumo squats; Day 3: Rest or abs; Day 4: Bent over rows and some other pulling upper body exercises; Day 5: Stiff legged deadlifts and some more calf raises and perhaps some leg presses. Then a rest day (or abs if I didn't do them on Day 3), then start over. I've chosen this type of programme as this last month is the first time I've done much oly bar work and proper squats, so I wanted to get used to things before jumping into a full on Starr/Rippetoe 5x5 programme.

Once I've done 6 weeks of this (mid March) I'll take a 2 weeks off the 5x5 with weekly increases and perhaps thrown in a few pump classes and go for the higher reps/lower weight thing.

After that I want to start a proper 5x5 programme with a M/T/W split that includes squats every workout day.

So today's squats were at a higher weight than I initially planned, largely because I'm a dumbass who can't count (need TFB there to point total weights out to me!) and after my initial bar warm up I mean to put just 42.5kg on but ended up putting 2x5kgs on instead of 2x1.25kgs - so ended up diving straight into 50kg which I had meant to build up on. Started my first squat and thought 'hmmm, this is pretty hard for my first set at lower weights' but carried on and after that set had a bit of a 'doh' moment when I looked at the weights and realised what I'd done. But since I'd started at 50kg, I thought I might as well just go ahead and continue. So did 5x5 @50kg, form was OK but not perfect, but better than I expected it to be jumping right into 50kg.

[drizzt]

So today's squats were at a higher weight than I initially planned, largely because I'm a dumbass who can't count (need TFB there to point total weights out to me!) and after my initial bar warm up I mean to put just 42.5kg on but ended up putting 2x5kgs on instead of 2x1.25kgs - so ended up diving straight into 50kg which I had meant to build up on. Started my first squat and thought 'hmmm, this is pretty hard for my first set at lower weights' but carried on and after that set had a bit of a 'doh' moment when I looked at the weights and realised what I'd done. But since I'd started at 50kg, I thought I might as well just go ahead and continue. So did 5x5 @50kg, form was OK but not perfect, but better than I expected it to be jumping right into 50kg.

Haha ah well, at least it's a mistake that'll probably work out better for ya in the long run Good work!

[Chillicat]

Well, it's now been a year since I made my big move from the pump floor to the big kid's gym on Feb 23 last year, so I thought I'd do a stocktake of my progress with main weights since that time.

Chest press - started off with just DB presses at 8kg (each DB) and was soon up to 10kg, but pretty much made little progress beyond 12kg for most of the year. Made it up to 14-15kg around November, then in the new year decided to HTFU and get myself on an oly bar. Started with 30kg and am currently now up to 37.5kg. Aiming for 40kg this week.

Squats - Started with Smith squats at 40kg in Feb last year, worked up to 60kg by June but I had serious concerns about the depth of them so took a 10kg step back and worked more on form, finally working back up to 57.5kg by Feb. Am now doing proper squats with oly bar, but have only been doing these for 3 weeks. Started with 40kg and am now at 50kg (see my last post for comments on this).

Stiff legged deadlifts Only started doing these in July, with 20kg, quickly working up to 30-35kg where I stagnated for qite some time. A shift to the oly bar and a bit more effort and I've been increasing by 2.5kg each week this month, and today hit 47.5kg for 3x5, so should manage 50kg next week.

Bent over rows Also only started these in July, with 20kg then hovered around the 30-32.5kg mark for several months. Have also been increasing by 2.5kg per week this month, and am now at 45kg for 2x5.

Some other increases have been in EZ bar curls, from 5kg at the beginning of the year to 12.5kg now; and DB shoulder presses from 8-9kg for most of last year to 12kg now.

Overall I'm pleased with my progress, and particularly with the progress I've made in the last month (with a huge amount of help from Rose putting me onto Pman's book as well as his other advice - many thanks!). Am expecting great things from the next year of training as I learn more and work harder

[teamfatboy]

Wow, that's definitely progress, well done CC :notworthy: :clap:

Keep it up, and if I can help in any way, just say the word.

[VampireChick]

Hiya Vampy Chick! Funny thing, I was going to dig out your journal today and ask how you were going. Hope all is well with your and you're all fixed up from your injury and back into training - and getting nice and fit for snowboarding season!

Yeah, it's just so astonishing when someone who has clearly gone overboard in their appalling eating habits has the audacity to advise me to not go overboard in being fit and healthy :roll:

Yep back into it and feeling great! Starting to tighten up again which is nice. Got my first "You're nice and muscular" comment last night. Just haven't been recording anything due to sheer laziness!

[rose]

but you don't come and stay in my house and tell me how to live my life

Well done Miss Cat 8) Oh my, tell him he's lucky Rose wasn't there :pfft:

[Chillicat]

Wow, that's definitely progress, well done CC :notworthy: :clap:

Keep it up, and if I can help in any way, just say the word.

Thanks

[Chillicat]

Yep back into it and feeling great! Starting to tighten up again which is nice. Got my first "You're nice and muscular" comment last night. Just haven't been recording anything due to sheer laziness!

Oh nice to get that kind of comment - congrats!

Yeah, can be a bit tedious recording, especially if you already have a journal you take in the gym like I do. I tend to just do highlights nowadays.

[Chillicat]

but you don't come and stay in my house and tell me how to live my life

Well done Miss Cat 8) Oh my, tell him he's lucky Rose wasn't there :pfft:

For sure! I'm sure he thinks I'm a real bitch already, but I'd love to set you onto him :pfft:

[Chillicat]

Today's highlight - 40kg on the bench press (PB) and also managed 35kg on the close grip bench press, which surprised me, as I was only at 30kg last week. But upped to 32kg this week and thought I had a bit more in me, so gave it a go \:D/

[teamfatboy]

Wooohooo - look at those PBs, would ya!

Way to go, CC :clap: :dancing: :jive:

[bigdogbob]

Awesome results chilli...major progress yeehaa

Just wait and see what the next month or so will bring if you go to 5x5 or whatever Miss Rose recommends :pfft:

[Sakura]

Excellent results chilli, you've had a good year. :clap:

[Chillicat]

Thanks all! I'm really stoked, and so surprised that I've been able to increase so much in such a short time.

On my snowboarding forum we have a little gym section, and we all decided to put down quantifiable goals for the year (we get a virtual trophy if we achieve ), so I picked goal lifts for squats, sldls and bench press. I set down my goals at the beginning Feb, not really knowing what was realistically possible and achievable in that time, so based my guesstimates on my progress leas year - well, I've already reached them, so have already had to revise my goals upwards :jive:

Each week I continue to surprise myself - I'll comment in my notebook that I found something hard one week, but somehow the next week I manage to add the next increment the next week. Granted my increments are only 2.5kg per week, but it soon adds up!

I did a draft of my 5x5 last night - but I suspect that I'll have to revise the starting weights again before I start doing it in a few weeks, if my current increases continue. I know they can't go on at the same rate, but I'm loving it while it does!

[teamfatboy]

Way to go CC - and remember, 2.5kg/ week is 10kg/ month... even if the gains only carry on at that rate for a few months, you could improve 50% on some of your PBs by winter :nod:

So, what's on the training agenda today?

[Chillicat]

Squats today! Can't bloody wait! But I am going to do it properly this week and make sure I get my increments right rather than jumping right into 50kg like I did by mistake last week. Go figure, a data analyst who can't count :pfft:

[teamfatboy]

As long as you don't work at Number 1 The Terrace, that's fine

I shall be doing deads myself... so I shall count out loud, just to be sure!

[Chillicat]

Fortunately I'm a little further up the Terrace, so I can get away with my appalling counting and adding 'skills'

[drizzt]

Woah, big numbers CC! :clap: Keep it up

[Chillicat]

Another ickle increase on the squats today, now up to 52.5kg :jive:

Thought I should go a bit earlier today, as it's been a bit busy on the racks around lunchtimes lately. Turned out to be a very good idea, as I had no problem getting a rack when I arrived shortly before 12, but 20 mins or so later it got super busy and TFB had someone try to steal his rack when he nipped off to fill up his water :naughty:

So early lunches for me from now on I think.

[drizzt]

Heh, yeah, or later lunches. Although I've never tried early to be fair.

Tried "actual" lunch period once. Never again :?

[teamfatboy]

Rack thiefs are te evil :madman: but CC was on fire, fizzing away with a bloodstream full of endorphins! I can see her busting through plateaus all over the place (or is that plateaux ?) Well done chica :clap:

[bigdogbob]

Good stuff on hitting your years goals already..that rocks :nod:

Now onwards and upwards \:D/ :clap: