Lifting like girls
- Thread starter Justinef
- Start date
desertambrosia
Cathlete
Basically we're just "lifting like girls, that are lifting like guys!" So there you go, Tom!
By the way ladies, I know how hard you work and I am honored (honoured for Justine) to " lift like a girl"!!
It's nice here -- I like our new digs! 
I think it was Julia Ladewski who wrote an article about how men needed to learn to 'bench like a girl' -- clever but also informative -- basic idea was, don't do one warm up set at 135#, a few forced reps with the help of your bro at 225#, and expect to progress. Warm up, pay attention to form, and get some volume in. (More, too, but that's what I remember.)
Justine, I had DOMS through ALL of Phase 1 of GSF2. Aaaaaaand... they're back! with GSF1. It's all that dang volume! Yesterday was pullups for the main lift (LOL, because we're all about pulling, right?). Rep range was 8-10 so I pulled out my pullup assist band. Wow, my lower lats are really feeling it today! Then straight sets of weighted DB step ups (I was huffing and puffing) and a superset of double DB biceps curls and standing DB side bends. Awesome! I am loving GSF1. So glad I'm sticking with this program. Something I like about GSF1 vs. 2 is that some of the accessory work (e.g., the supersetted exercises here) say '2 sets high reps'. So I don't feel like I need to do a bazillion sets of side bends or bodyweight glute bridges or triceps pressdowns. Because that's just boring. So for curls I used 2x20# and did x22 and x20 reps and side bends 45# for 2x15.
Today I'll probably do walking and yoga and lift again on Thursday or Friday.
Hope everyone's well!
Roz
I think it was Julia Ladewski who wrote an article about how men needed to learn to 'bench like a girl' -- clever but also informative -- basic idea was, don't do one warm up set at 135#, a few forced reps with the help of your bro at 225#, and expect to progress. Warm up, pay attention to form, and get some volume in. (More, too, but that's what I remember.)
Justine, I had DOMS through ALL of Phase 1 of GSF2. Aaaaaaand... they're back! with GSF1. It's all that dang volume! Yesterday was pullups for the main lift (LOL, because we're all about pulling, right?). Rep range was 8-10 so I pulled out my pullup assist band. Wow, my lower lats are really feeling it today! Then straight sets of weighted DB step ups (I was huffing and puffing) and a superset of double DB biceps curls and standing DB side bends. Awesome! I am loving GSF1. So glad I'm sticking with this program. Something I like about GSF1 vs. 2 is that some of the accessory work (e.g., the supersetted exercises here) say '2 sets high reps'. So I don't feel like I need to do a bazillion sets of side bends or bodyweight glute bridges or triceps pressdowns. Because that's just boring. So for curls I used 2x20# and did x22 and x20 reps and side bends 45# for 2x15.
Today I'll probably do walking and yoga and lift again on Thursday or Friday.
Hope everyone's well!
Roz
Roz, you are right! For many guys it's about what you " benched" Not enough rep volume to really increase strength or hypertrophy. They get discouraged because they don't really gain! On that note I benched 525 with 6 spotters today!! ( kidding) I'm going to visit grandkids tomorrow so I combined shoulders and arms this AM. 5 sets of ohp x8 2 sets of BB front raise x8 and 2 sets side laterals x8. For arms I supersetted tri ext x10 with BB curls x 10( 3 sets) 3 sets x 10 of crossbody tri with dumbbell curls x 8 and finished with 1 set kickbacks and 1 set conc curls. Tonight is flu shot nite, so I will do legs tomorrow...promise!!
desertambrosia
Cathlete
Loved that statement about how guys lift. It's absolutely true. Watching the guys in the gym, was always a trip. Jump up from the bench, and strut around like they were Atlas, doing a heavy set of mirrors. The spotter was on the floor, barely breathing. He was the one that had done a heavy set.
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Justinef
Cathlete
Tom - you're awesome!
desertambrosia
Cathlete
This morning I did EFX workout 3, followed by Mobility Rx 2. Tonight will be something metabolic.
Justinef
Cathlete
Roz - glad it's not just me with the DOMS from GSF. I've never known anything like it.
Today was o/h push press - 2 weeks ago, I did 16 sets of 4 reps with 35kg, then last week I crapped out by trying to do 5 reps per set, and my volume plummeted. SO, this week I managed 8 sets of 4 reps, then a 3 and a 2, then lowered the weight to 30kg and managed 9 sets of 5 reps, in about the same time as week 1. Obviously this is the way to go for me to get the volume in. Drop sets.
Tom - sounds like a great UB workout. Are you going to be able to lift the grandchildren tomorrow?
Now I quite fancy GSF1.....pull-ups as a main lift. That's my kinda w/o.
Karen - more HoCo? I've been getting a bit of Mark Lauren in, but still haven't pulled out the HoCo! I'm such a procrastinator...
Today was o/h push press - 2 weeks ago, I did 16 sets of 4 reps with 35kg, then last week I crapped out by trying to do 5 reps per set, and my volume plummeted. SO, this week I managed 8 sets of 4 reps, then a 3 and a 2, then lowered the weight to 30kg and managed 9 sets of 5 reps, in about the same time as week 1. Obviously this is the way to go for me to get the volume in. Drop sets.
Tom - sounds like a great UB workout. Are you going to be able to lift the grandchildren tomorrow?
Now I quite fancy GSF1.....pull-ups as a main lift. That's my kinda w/o.
Karen - more HoCo? I've been getting a bit of Mark Lauren in, but still haven't pulled out the HoCo! I'm such a procrastinator...
desertambrosia
Cathlete
I gotta try this program, you're all killing me here. Maybe I will start adding these into my present rotation. Ho Co will be there, when you are ready, Justine.
desertambrosia
Cathlete
Really? I don't need to be hungry!
desertambrosia
Cathlete
Have fun with the Grandkids Tom. You can always try a couple of Grandkid bench presses and shrugs. My kids loved it when DH would throw a kid over each shoulder, and squat. Throw in a couple of those. You can call it, the Grandkid workout.
desertambrosia
Cathlete
Justine, are you still killing it with your 100 kg deadlifts? Thought I heard you had gone up in weight. Either way, rock on!!
LEG DAY!!! Gotta luv it#@$%$$#$ not really that bad, in fact kinda getting to look forward to it. I kept it short and again really pretty much a Nia day. I did squats 45# x 10 115# x 5 135# x 5 155#5 205# x 3 and finished with 135# x 12 Reverse lunges I only used 85# 6 8 6. The weight feels really light but at 6-8 reps I am POOPED!! Next was hanging knee raises 3 x 8 and 40# one leg calf raises 3 x 25. Off to do some GRANDKID CROSSFIT!! (pretty sure I can keep up with the 1 month old...other two?????) Have a great weekend everyone!
Hi everyone!
I also squatted today -- my first GSF1 squat day! You start with mean ole high-rep squats (I did 5x8 at 115# full ROM) but then you move on to (for me, today) BB glute bridges 3x15 at 175#, one-arm rows 3x10 at 30#, KB bottoms-up presses (I gripped the fat end of a 15# hex DB -- NOT EASY!), and B-Boy extensions (new fave move! -- calls for a KB but I again gripped the fat end of the 15# DB). Awesome workout. Crazy grip training at the end there. (I'm calling Dave's bluff -- even squat day is all in the service of deadlifts!)
I've been having that 'afterburn' feeling all day after these workouts -- major adaptation going on!
Karen, you can TOTALLY work these workouts into your rotation. 'No grinders' is one of the rules, so you get a lot of volume in and you do go heavy, but not edge-of-failure heavy, for the most part. I think you could keep up with HoCo and your bodyweight workouts.
And... EXCITING! Lisa is going to join our check-in! Yay! Welcome, Lisa!
High fives all around -- I'll be in touch when I can walk and/or type again! (My forearms are going to be burnt toast tomorrow.)
Roz
I also squatted today -- my first GSF1 squat day! You start with mean ole high-rep squats (I did 5x8 at 115# full ROM) but then you move on to (for me, today) BB glute bridges 3x15 at 175#, one-arm rows 3x10 at 30#, KB bottoms-up presses (I gripped the fat end of a 15# hex DB -- NOT EASY!), and B-Boy extensions (new fave move! -- calls for a KB but I again gripped the fat end of the 15# DB). Awesome workout. Crazy grip training at the end there. (I'm calling Dave's bluff -- even squat day is all in the service of deadlifts!)
I've been having that 'afterburn' feeling all day after these workouts -- major adaptation going on!
Karen, you can TOTALLY work these workouts into your rotation. 'No grinders' is one of the rules, so you get a lot of volume in and you do go heavy, but not edge-of-failure heavy, for the most part. I think you could keep up with HoCo and your bodyweight workouts.
And... EXCITING! Lisa is going to join our check-in! Yay! Welcome, Lisa!
High fives all around -- I'll be in touch when I can walk and/or type again! (My forearms are going to be burnt toast tomorrow.)
Roz
desertambrosia
Cathlete
Yippee!!! Welcome Lisa! This morning was Mark Lauren YAYOG, another easy morning. Tonight is Ho Co. (it is getting easier.) Thanks Roz, I think I will try Dave's "stuff." Just sounds too good to miss! I love workouts that make burnt toast.
Justinef
Cathlete
Roz - that sounds fun (in a masochistic sort of way). Very different to GSF2. What on earth are B-Boy extensions? Do you still do BF testing?
Tom - have a fab weekend. Reverse lunges - tough to go heavy. They BURN. Your w/os sound perfect. You'll be writing us all a plan soon.
Karen - YAYOG easy? Please tell me it's not the advanced you find easy? (beginner and intermediate, I agree - but advanced circuit training fries me)
Lisa - yay! Welcome. What workouts are you doing at the moment?
For me today I went back to LWF2 - did The Ball Pit (full gym <30). Killer! I'm loving my slam ball. I'm going to ache tomorrow.
Tom - have a fab weekend. Reverse lunges - tough to go heavy. They BURN. Your w/os sound perfect. You'll be writing us all a plan soon.
Karen - YAYOG easy? Please tell me it's not the advanced you find easy? (beginner and intermediate, I agree - but advanced circuit training fries me)
Lisa - yay! Welcome. What workouts are you doing at the moment?
For me today I went back to LWF2 - did The Ball Pit (full gym <30). Killer! I'm loving my slam ball. I'm going to ache tomorrow.
Justinef
Cathlete
Oh, and I read this article, which was very interesting:
https://www.t-nation.com/training/strength-training-for-women
Basically a 1RM for a woman isn't like a man's 1RM (different proportions of various muscle types). We are able to do much more volume at 80-85% 1RM, but not as great at testing our max.
What do you all think? I'm wondering whether that's why I end up doing 2.3 million sets every workout. I'm going to ask Dave Dellanave if he thinks this is true. Does he really mean GSF2 to have quite so many sets?
https://www.t-nation.com/training/strength-training-for-women
Basically a 1RM for a woman isn't like a man's 1RM (different proportions of various muscle types). We are able to do much more volume at 80-85% 1RM, but not as great at testing our max.
What do you all think? I'm wondering whether that's why I end up doing 2.3 million sets every workout. I'm going to ask Dave Dellanave if he thinks this is true. Does he really mean GSF2 to have quite so many sets?