Woman, 37, n00b, seeks to lift bodyweight.

[mariawolters]

I have a theory on that. Women as a whole aren't taught to keep their chests high and shoulders back. How to put this..... proper posture ends up emphasizing the bust which many young girls aren't comfortable with. So the shoulders round, the chest drops and posture droops. Sound plausible?

Yes, this and not wanting to be seen as threatening, and of course IT work ...

I trained as a massage therapist many moons ago, and would have specialised in Structural Integration / myofascial work if I hadn't been able to find work as a researcher again. So I find all of this endlessly fascinating. Most of the ladies I worked on were hunched forward - their shoulders were up, their neck was inched down and forward (a bit like a turtle), and my aim in massage was to release the cramped muscles to enable the shoulders to come back down and the neck go up a little bit more.

Ericholas, if you want some resources about Gaelic / Scotland online, DM me - there's quite a lot happening online.

Rusty9, thanks for the tip re lower rep sets - will talk this over with my PT when we reset my programme.

Next workout this afternoon - I was in Brussels for two days. My hotel was right next to where they were trying to save the Euro. Didn't do any weights, but worked on nutrition and posture. I must try to get a bodyweight routine in place for travelling ...

[mariawolters]

OK, today's session was a long one. In future, I'd like to try and do two long and one short session per week.

Bench press: 20 x 15, 20 x 10, 20 x 10. I think I will move that to 6 sets of 8 - when working out without a spotter, I'm a bit hesitant to go too high rep

Lat pulldown: 25, 3 x 15. Felt moderate; may move to 30 next time.

Squat: My first time in the squat rack! Wow, that felt good. Started with the empty bar, 20 x 15, then tried 30 x 15. Form broke down, so backed up to 25 x 15. My hams and quads groaned, but a bit of stretching silenced them. I also found that I can go deep enough if I use a very wide stance (child-bearing hips and long legs, anyone?)

Triceps dips: 45 x 15, 45 x 15, 40 x 15. Will start with 40 next time

Bicep curls: 7.5 kg, 3 x 15. Got very tired on the last set, but you should have seen the (transient) pump I got from this

Kettlebell lunges, 8 kg bells each side: 3 x 15

I stretched very thoroughly and deeply, and that felt so good.

Next workout on Wednesday, when I have my PT session; will do some bodyweight stuff at home (hopefully)

[mariawolters]

Didn't manage to get the bodyweight work in that I wanted to do at home, but we did some more 1 rep sets today.

Highlights:
- Triceps dips: down to 20 kg assistance
- Squats: 45kg x 2
- Deadlifts (stiff legged): 47.5kg x 2

My bodyweight is 64kg. So, squat and deadlift are at 2/3 bodyweight now. (can I have a W00T!)

I am still not quite at parallel in the squat, but I will do what I can to get there. What I have at the moment is a 5/6 squat (I hope), so I "just" need the flexibility to go the further sixth.

[Kyle Aaron]

I'd be interested in us having a look at a vid of your squats. In my experience, flexibility isn't that much of an issue. I can only just touch my toes, yet I can squat to a depth where my bum is one palm's width from the ground. It's usually a matter of adjusting the person's stance to help them achieve the depth, and their having the confidence to go deep.

[hbriem]

I agree with Kyle. I've taught many people to squat deeply, many of whom were not flexible at all. I only failed with one, but he was 165kg (364 lbs) at the time. At 120kg (265 lbs) a year later he could squat deep so I suspect the problem was thigh thickness mostly.

One thing that often helps is to hang onto something fixed like a railing or door knob and squat right down. You won't do it the same way you do a real squat but it will convince you that flexibility is not the issue.

[JC]

Hi

I've worked with a fair few ladies, and the easiest way to get them to squat i've found is to tell them to assume the position they would if they were taking a piss in the woods. Might help, might not.

[mariawolters]

Hi Kyle, hbriem, and Jon,

thanks a lot for your squat suggestions! I'm definitely going to post a vid for critique once I've (ahem) mustered the courage.

Jon, my stance in the situation you mention is actually a pathetic half-squat, and I usually "squat" on the balls of my feet, with my hands on the floor.

I think it'll be the stance - I found that I can get deeper if I squat wider (think childbearing hips-wide), and I am going to practice, practice, practice until I feel secure (and no longer afraid to lose my balance). I think part of this is mental, as well.

Next workout today, which will include squatting - will let you know how I get on!

[Marlin]

Give goblet squats a try. They will get you back on your heels, knees and hips wide and help you go deep.

[Michele Knaub]

+1

[mariawolters]

Reporting back in ...

Bent-over rows: 6kg x 3 x 5 (courtesy of Dan John, as rhomboid training and bench press prep)

Bench Press: 22.5 x 15, 20 x 15 x 2 - YES! For the last few reps of each set, I got extra strength by pushing through my legs. Very effective; this not only helped me lift, but also gave me the much-needed confidence that I had reserves I could call on when my pecs got weak

Lat machine: 25kg x 3 x 15 - good work weight, will go up to 30 for at least the first set next time

And now *drumroll* GOBLET SQUATS with a 10 kg dumbbell. Ladies and gentlemen, what a revelation. I did them in front of a mirror, checking my form from the side and back. I got below parallel! I calibrated my stance with a few vertical jumps as recommended by Dan John. Thank you, michele and Marlin!
(Oh yes, 10kg x 2 x 8)

Alternating lunges, 8 kg kettlebell in each hand, 3x15

Followed by - SQUATS. As recommended by Kyle, jon cowie and hbriem, I checked my stance, calibrated how wide I could go, and did a few bodyweight squats hanging off the squat rack. Below parallel, nice. I get under the bar (22.5 kg), and ... inch closer to parallel, going to or below on a few occasions. 15 reps, rack, then 20kg x 2 x 15. Interesting finding: part of the barrier is mental. I mean, I used to be convinced I couldn't squat, right? Thanks to the goblet and bodyweight squats, I now know what it feels like to push upwards through the glutes. And lo and behold, once I was done, my glutes told me that they had been indeed worked; the hams and quads were suspiciously quiet.

Triceps dips: 35kg assistance x 15, 40 kg x 15, 40 x 10.

Biceps curls: 7.5 kg x 3 x 15. Form getting steadily better.

Summary: you people are awesome. Here's to better squatting! Next workout on Sunday. I can't wait to practice my squat again!