Nia Shanks

Justinef said:
I'm humbled by both of you! I can get nowhere near 235, or a pistol (unless I do it from a step with my leg dangling pathetically, rather than out in front).

I'll try ManBearPig. Looks a goodie. I did Angry Lawn Gnome (KB under 10) - fun, and not too taxing. I think she has the levels just right - advanced certainly is, and intermediate makes a good warm-up.

Roz, no need to get bells:

Just don't try a swin with one!
Click to expand...

Love this!! Helps that he has a cooperative child. "Angry Lawn Gnome" gotta love the names.
 
One more week of my Nia rotation. I have to agree with you, Justine and Roz. Maybe it's the pullups, but my lats have improved immensely. So pleased with BBA. Going to start another rotation in the Fall. Between Nia and Jen, BBA is within reach! I know you BBA's are kicking butt. Keep on.
 
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Justine, that's hilarious! I actually do use my babybell regularly -- or rather, she inserts herself into my bodyweight workouts. Squats, glute bridges, planks, and pushups are often done with my little helper adding a little resistance. She thinks it's hilarious!
Ummm... she LOVES babybell swings... but she's rather hardier than that wee lad in the video. :)

Wow, Karen, I can't believe you're almost done! Actually, I've only got three weeks left... yikes!
What's on the menu between summer Nia and fall Nia? Lots of LWF?
 
Marrymaker...another to add to my list!

I can't quite believe you two have finished your rotation. I've just completed Phase 2 of mine (and a well needed de-load is coming up). Phase 3 really drops the reps down (as low as 3) - I'm stupidly excited about trying such low reps, having never done so before.

I'm very pleased with how much easier I'm finding workouts that I used to consider a challenge. The weights all feel so light! I'm definitely getting stronger - and even my endurance has improved, which is strange considering I'm doing pretty short w/os.
 
I still have 3 weeks left (including deload, which I may use as improv time). My first BBA program was 8 weeks, this one's 12.
Still not sure what's next. Maybe a little break using LWF2, then GSF2?
Justine, I don't see a ton of info in the GSF2 materials on biofeedback testing. Some, not a lot. Where are you reading up on it?
 
I get an e-mail from David Dellanave - I think I signed up for it via his website:
https://www.dellanave.com/

He has been sending an e-mail every few days / week and they have info on bio-feedback. It's an interesting way to do things, I think. He's big into variations on a theme - eg if it's a DL day, see how you test on sumo, RDL etc etc, and do whatever works best on that day. Alter hand positions and feet placement, as well. He likes to measure density as well as volume - so you could be getting a PB by lifting quicker, lifting heavier, or for more reps. I've started recording total volume for my lifts. Not so keen on timing them, as it make make me try to rush - and one of the things I'm really enjoying is the relaxed timing of following a pdf.
 
I'm getting emails from him. I like what he has to say. Most days don't have a lot of time for that, but, it is interesting.
 
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Ok, ladies. What are you planning after Nia? Will you be taking a break? I'm going to take a break for the rest of the Summer, then start again in the late Fall or Winter. Nia has been great for gaining muscle, and I love working with a paper program. :):):);););)!!
 
Not sure... probably a break until I don't feel like taking a break anymore? Break will be hiking, LWF2, walking, yoga, whatever I feel like.

Yesterday I did The Twister (full gym under 30) -- great for an off-day circuit as it's loads of core work and won't interfere with your lifting week.

Today after DLs I did Breathe and Burn (full gym under 30), subbing DBs for sandbag and KBs (and doing alternating one-handed DB snatches in place of double KB snatches). CRIKEY! (sp, Justine?) Gotta keep a stiff upper lip for this one. Killer. So fun. Definitely put it on your list!! A favourite, for sure. ;)
 
Crikey - absolutely the correct spelling, and yes, one must keep a stiff upper lip! o_Oo_Oo_Oo_Oo_Oo_O

Two more for me to try, then.......you're torturing me.

Today I did The Turnaround (30 mins or less, minimal). It took me all 30 minutes, with the first circuit using up most of those minutes. It was advanced, but do-able. I then decided to add on the GGS bodyweight 15 min HiiT routine which they've just posted. Then I really was finished! I'd done Great Glutes yesterday (as a sort of day off from lifting or HiiT) - my bum hurts!

Oh, and I tried the Marrymaker (as recommended by Roz) - you were right about those hang cleans into squats.

I'm only halfway through BB, so I've a while to work out what to do next. I should finish end Sept / early Oct, then it's my daughters 21st, so I may just do LWF2 etc until after that, then maybe do a bodyweight programme. Or the BB 6-3-9-3. Quite like the sound of that.....
 
Squat clinic:

I'm on a de-load, so have a chance to mess around with a few things. I prefer squatting very low (and have the ROM to do it - thanks yoga), BUT I can only squat low up at a certain weight (I'm good up to about 40kg). Between 50 and 60kg my squats get shallower, and by 70kg I'm only just hitting parallel. (I like low because it hits different bits of my quads - the bits that need the work - and it hits my glutes better than any other exercise.) Where do you think the problem lies? Not just strong enough overall? A particular muscle which needs strengthening? I've even wondered whether it was a psychological issue! Is there anything anyone can recommend to fix it (I'm especially thinking of the Mistress of the Squat, Karen - but, please, anyone chime in) ?
Just to add - I tend to squat with a reasonably wide stance (feet at outer limits of hip-distance), and my toes very slightly turned out. I've also tried a heel wedge - but to no avail.
 
Looks to me, like you have no problem squatting low. I think you just need to keep adding weight to your squat, until you can squat 70kg very low as well. Very small increments, keeping the squat low. When you can squat a certain weight, put more weight on the bar, when you squat that weight add some more.
 
Justine, this is hilarious. I could have written the same post, almost.
I'm not deloading, but I squatted today, 5x2 and 1x5. For warm up sets and the 1x5, I did real @$$-to-gr@$$ squats. 5x2, just hitting parallel.
If you take a look at the first of the two videos that Bret Contreras posted on that thread, he talks about how it's just harder to squat deeper. You can quarter-squat more than you can squat to parallel, and squat to parallel more than you can squat deeply. There's just more load, the deeper you go. I think your A2G (if you will) squats will increase alongside your shallower squats, not match them, necessarily.
Funny, my numbers (A2G vs parallel) are basically the same as yours. Great minds! Er, quads?
 
Oh, and being someone who likes to get their money's worth (!) I was worried that I wouldn't use the LWF#2 less than 10 mins beginner workouts. Well, I've discovered they make great warm-ups. 10 mins beginner, 30 mins advanced (or 20 mins int), and another 10 mins beginner . Perfect.
I'd always wanted to do the Puppy Snuggles one. Just for the name.
 
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