Linnéa's lifting, yoga and climbing log

[Rochellita]

They don't normally teach them in English, but if someone in the class doesn't understand Swedish the instructors keep an eye on them and translate some of the instructions when needed. Are you planning on visiting a Swedish gym?

I'd love to do combat or balance in Sweden, would be so cute hearing all the Swedish terminology, and also curious to see how much language impacts my enjoyment of a class. If I'm in Sweden sometime soon it'd be great to join you in a class.

[XkillerX]

Pull up proficiency has a lot to do with arm strength.

If you can't do them you probably need to focus more on forearms, grip, and (here it comes) BICEPS CURLS!!!!

Do these twice a week. Make sure to use heavy weights.

Also ditch the nautilus rowing and do chinese rows instead. When you can row 15x15 kgs per side then do cable rowing. Fixed body position. Upper back pulls, not the rest of your body.

And in 6 months time I expect you doing 6x6 sets of dead hang pullups with a 15 kgs backpack

[Linnéa76]

Today, my boxing buddy was busy so I chose Body Balance instead. It was just what I needed, especially enjoyed "the Swan". Great when you've got some leg/glute soreness. The current programme is mostly yoga, except for the warm up part and some sword movement. I kind of miss the shoulder stand, though.

[I'd love to do combat or balance in Sweden, would be so cute hearing all the Swedish terminology, and also curious to see how much language impacts my enjoyment of a class. If I'm in Sweden sometime soon it'd be great to join you in a class.

I hope you will! Did I mention the free tickets and the steam sauna? And the nearby vegetarian buffet restaurant..?

Pull up proficiency has a lot to do with arm strength.

If you can't do them you probably need to focus more on forearms, grip, and (here it comes) BICEPS CURLS!!!!

Do these twice a week. Make sure to use heavy weights.

Also ditch the nautilus rowing and do chinese rows instead. When you can row 15x15 kgs per side then do cable rowing. Fixed body position. Upper back pulls, not the rest of your body.

I had never heard of chinese rows before, but from the clip I found at "Testosterone Nation" ( ) it looked interesting. I've been meaning to replace a few excercises with some new ones, so I'll try that... And bicep curls! *gasp* Thanks for the tips!

Maybe I should explain about the Nautilus method, it's basically about emphasizing the negative movement so if you do cable row for instance, you'd pull in 2 s and release in 4 s. Using weight that you can manage 1 x 8-12 reps with. I used to do full workouts this way and still sometimes throw in a set or two if I'm running out of time or don't like the exercise (like cable row, bleh).

And in 6 months time I expect you doing 6x6 sets of dead hang pullups with a 15 kgs backpack

Yeah, have you got some spare crack that I can have? My PB at the moment is 3 chins...

[XkillerX]

No crack needed. I've trained KLH who couldn't do a single chin in a million tries in 2+1/2 months to be able to do 10 full dead hang pullups. Wide, overhand grip.

The nautilus method sounds like a bunch of w*nk to me, especially when you're training your back, you want to emphasize your movements to be as explosive as possible.

So maybe drop the weight 20% and !!!***PULL***!!!, then controlled, quick, release, then !!!***PULL***!!!, controlled, quick, release...

Like proper rowers do it

[Linnéa76]

Yesterday’s session:

5 min cross trainer

Incline bench, BB: 25 kg x 8. 30 kg x 6, 5, 5. 25 kg x 8.

Shoulder press, DB: 9 kg, 5 x 8.

Assisted dips: -23 kg, 3 x 5, 4 + 1 neg, 3 + 2 neg.

Deadlift: 60 kg, 5 x 8.

Bicep curls, DB: 9 kg, 5 x 5.

Neck excercise: On bench, facing the floor, little head raises while holding chin down. Did 20 of these.

Abs: Slow motion crunches, all the way up, x 3.


Quite happy about the DL, did more reps than last time. I was sharing the rack with a guy who was making encouraging comments about my lifts, maybe that’s why… Just think of the progress I’d make if there was an enthusiastic guy watching every time I work out!
I guess that’s what PT’s are for.

[Linnéa76]

I didn't get to the gym this weekend, but for the record I was carrying furniture and boxes up and down stairs for several hours on Saturday. And danced pretty much non stop for about 4 hours early Sunday morning.

Went to the gym today, quite sleep deprived and reluctant, but enjoyed the training once there!

5 min row machine

Hang clean: 35 kg, 5 x 8.

Squat: 55 kg, 5 x 8. Maybe it's about time to add some weight, preferably 2,5 kg but my gym doesn't have
1,25 kg plates (!). Think I'll wait a couple of weeks and add a few cm of depth instead.

Pulldown: 40 kg, 5 x 5.

Seated calf raise: 25 kg, 3 x 10.

Dumbbell row, "chinese" : 15 kg, 1 x 15, 10 kg, 1 x 15. I liked these, but with the larger DB felt I couldn't lift it high enough. Boobs were in the way.. Did a set with a smaller DB to squeeze some more out of the rhomboids. Think I'll try to do a cable version of this next time.

Back extension: 5 kg, 1 x 12. Slow motion crunches x 3.

Treated myself to a nice, long stretch and a lay down on the rehab roll.

[JP]

damn boobs get in my way too!

i would add weight to the squats but drop the amount of reps. Then the 5kg increase wont feel so bad.

But depth has to be hit of course

[Linnéa76]

That's one of the hardships we in the industrialized world have to endure. (i-landsproblem)

Thanks JP, I've better take your advice then! I do go below parallel, but not super deep.
Squatting is pretty complex actually, after 7-8 months of doing them I'm still exploring which
technique, stance etc is optimal..

[Linnéa76]

Bench press: Bar x 5. 30 kg, 4 x 8, 1 x 7.

Shoulder press: 9 kg DB, 1 x 10, 4 x 8.

Triceps, superset. Overhead rope: 23 kg x 12, 10, 8, 7, 7. Pressdown: 27 kg x 7, 5, 5, 4, 4.

Deadlift: 65 kg, 5 x 5.

Bicep curl: 9 kg, 3 x 8.

Head raises x 20.

Side planks.

Stretching and Builder's Bar with mint flavour.

[Linnéa76]

Back at the gym after 4 days of sitting and eating Easter food. I didn't think you could get tired of brownies, but it's actually possible!

Hang clean: 35 kg, 1 x 5. 40 kg, 4 x 5.

Squat: 55 kg, 1 x 5. 60 kg, 4 x 5.

Pulldown: 46 kg, 5 x 5.

Standing cable row, one arm: 27 kg, 1 x 8. 32 kg, 4 x 6.

Bicep curl, combined with calf raise on one leg: 9 kg, 5 x 5.

Back extension: 10 kg, 3 x 8.

Abs: Leg lifts x 10.

[Linnéa76]

I wasn't enjoying myself today for some reason, everything felt tedious and hard. Guess it's just one of those days. On the bright side, the scales showed a weight increase to a grand 61 kg!

Benchpress with DB, arms alongside body: 12,5 kg, 12, 2 x 10, 2 x 8.
Chest flyes, 6 kg x 10, Shoulder flyes (arms at an angle) 6 kg x 12.

Tricep superset: Overhead rope, 22,5 kg x 14, 9, 3 x 8. Pressdown: 25 kg x 8, 7, 6, 5, 6.

Deadlift: 65 kg, 5 x 5.

Seated calf raise: 25 kg, 3 x 10.

Neck raise x 20. Side planks.

[thestoatyone]

:( I wasn't enjoying myself today for some reason, everything felt tedious and hard.

I feel ya, been there before! Good work for plowing on, some solid deads there.

[Linnéa76]

Thanks for the encouragement thestoatyone! I'll do an extra rep for you next time.

[Linnéa76]

Group training de luxe today: First Body Combat, then Body Pump.
BC was fun as always, BP not so much. I'm not a big fan of lifting light weights x 1000,
but it's probably good to train that kind of strength once in a while.

[Rochellita]

We finally got the new releases yesterday. I really liked the new Combat, despite the music! Balance was disappointing in the extreme though, I'll give this release a couple more tries and then sit it out until the next release I think, what do you think of it - has it grown on you? I did Pump too just for the hell of it, I haven't done it in ages and I still hate it. Maybe we should stick to proper low rep weight training eh give me 5x5 any day over 5 minutes of non-stop squatting to Kelly Clarkson.