AB's Happy Smiley Thoughts journal

[Protobuilder]

Some days I've been discouraged by my progress because it seems like I'm just putting on fat and not doing well in the lifts.

I hear ya. The day-to-day gets frustrating sometimes. One thing I like about your journal is, you're incredibly consistent. There's nothing more you can do than just keep adding reps & weight week-by-week and it looks like you're doing it. So, nice job. Keep it up.

 

[anotherbutters]

do you do the excersises in that order 1234 ? If so does the core work take away any gas you could be using on the main lifts ? Cleans are looking like your best lift so far

I injured my back in December due to a weak core and I'm only just getting back to my old records, so the core work's as important to me - if not more important - than the big lifts.

I do do the exercises in that order. The core work isn't that intense as it's aimed at endurance, so I don't think it affects anything that follows anyway. I find it very good for a warmup and I get the most out of it because I'm doing it fresh. I used to do it last, but it always felt like it was tagged on as an afterthought and I didn't put as much effort into it. I was actually thinking of doing some additional core work at the end of some of the workouts, like Needsize crunches, since they're based on endurance too.

I don't think my cleans are good yet. I've only been setting PRs because I've never done them before!

PB, thanks man. I get carried away sometimes, like with deads and squats, but I can't beat the simple formula of making small, consistent gains from week to week over a long period of time.

It's a marathon, not a snickers

 

[blut wump]

I'm curious to see whether anyone else will understand that.

 

[Jim Ouini]

I get it. I think.

Anyway, congrats on the progress. I admire your diligence in doing the core work. I can never stick with it.

 

[Protobuilder]

I don't get it ^^. LoL

Not that it matters, but Dan John said he and his guys always had to hit the decline situps before they could hit the platform. Lifting platform that is, talking OLY stuff.

 

[Jim Ouini]

What Dan John says always matters

Maybe I should try doing them first too.

 

[Cynical Simian]

I get it, although that doesn't mean I consider it good humor.

For what it's worth, I'm a fan of light core work as a prelude to a workout. I've been doing a set of extremely light GMs before starting my back squat warmups.

 

[Protobuilder]

To complete the highjack, I wonder if the core work first doesn't help motor firing patterns or w/e, so that you're body is ready to fire the important core muscles during big lifts. I've noticed that sometimes my glutes fire right away on squats, other times it's like it's nothing but quad and hams . . .

 

[anotherbutters]

The exercises that the physio gave me were for the glutes, so I guess she'd identified that I need to use them more (insert witty comment here). So yes, grooving motor patterns is another reason for doing them first. That's why I added the one-legged back bridges, to get the glutes fired up. I also use them in the birddogs rather than just using the hammies.

Actually, I still don't understand how the glutes are used during the squat. To me, I feel like I can only recruit them right at the end of the movement. Any suggestions anyone?

Jim, try doing some light core work first. I always used to skip warmups. Just a couple of sets of squats with the bar, then I started. The core work just fits really well at the start for me for lots of reasons.

I get it, although that doesn't mean I consider it good humor.

I don't know, confusing you guys is pretty humourous

 

[Protobuilder]

That's why I added the one-legged back bridges, to get the glutes fired up.

Now why the hell didn't I think of that. That'd be a great way to warmup for squats. I don't really feel the glutes firing during the squat unless/until I consciously push my knees out, and I do that during teh descent, at the bottom obviously, and all the way up on heavy sets.

I don't know, confusing you guys is pretty humourous

Skullduggery.