Girlfriend's first workout

[Zander1983]

I trained her for three months last year pre-Christmas beach holiday, but that's all the training she has under her belt. She worked really hard back then and loved the results. Hasn't trained since and she's as good as a beginner. One big and helpful exception - knowing all the basic form really well. She's made a deal with me to train for the next month. She hasn't caught the bug like us, and I doubt she ever will, but she knows that I can help her make the changes she wants to her body and that's why she's doing it again. Here's how our first workout went today:

Squats (ATF like you've never seen!)
Bar x 5 x 2
66 x 3
77 x 3
82.5 x 3

Barbell rows (bench plane)
Bar x 5 x 3 sets

Clean and press
Bar x 5 x 3 sets

Standing russian twists
11 x 5/side

Hanging knee raise x 10

Swiss ball reverse hypers x 10

Bicycles x 10/side

She actually has a very strong core, but its important we keep it that way for a few reasons I won't go into.

Well, there we go. Everybody's got to start somewhere and she is doing exactly that. We're going to do a full-body workout once a week in addition to a yoga session. This is what its like training a 'normal' person

Can't wait for her to deadlift next weekend (she was brilliant at them last time around). I'll keep updates coming.

 

[Atomic Punk]

Good deal bro. If it were me, I'd tinker it just a tad maybe. Being that she has basically grown her cherry back as weights go, I'd not have her go ATF, even if going light. Also, I would have her do dumbell rows as opposed to barbell. Have her put her ass up against the wall while doing them too, for added lower back support. She might need that especially after the squats. You have to realize(and I had a tough time with this too, when I trained my wife the first time), that these people need to be handled like you would a butterfly when first starting(or starting again) bro. Gentle as fuckall. You can over exert quite easily initially at a beginners level. My wifes back was fubar after I had her doing freebar straight-legged deads with no weight. I felt like shit afterwards. I doubt it is that big of deal though. Just my .02 of worthless responses! Good job on helping her brother.

 

[Zander1983]

Even if I wanted her to squat with a reduced ROM, she wouldn't. Originally when I asked her to do a bodyweight squat - our first workout last year - she squatted ATF as if it was the only way to do it.

Fortunately her core is very strong since I helped her overcome some some postural problems resulting from having a massively long back and amazingly short legs, when we first started out. That keeps her pretty safe, since we emphasised a neutral back position like you wouldn't believe.

Apart from the rows, nothing else was new to her. Her form on them came really quickly too. She learns technique very well. I'd love to post videos of her lifting so I can show off her and how well she lifts, but I don't have and won't get that permission.

What I found to be the biggest problem in the past is getting her to lift hard enough, after the initial stages.

 

[revexrevex]

It is always nice to train people for one simple reason, you can attribute their success to effectiveness of your program/training and your knowledge of the subject

 

[Zander1983]

It is always nice to train people for one simple reason, you can attribute their success to effectiveness of your program/training and your knowledge of the subject

Well, whatever success she has certainly isn't attributed to her diet!!!

 

[Zander1983]

That takes a lot on both ends. I wish you both the best of luck

I absolutely know what you mean Thanks bro.

 

[PolishHammer1977]

That takes a lot on both ends. I wish you both the best of luck

 

[pwr_machine]

Fun stuff!

 

[Zander1983]

This was our second weekly workout:

Deadlifts
88 x 3
99 x 3
110 x 3
121 x 3
126.5 x 3
143 x 1

DB Rows
26 x 12 (right)
26 x 9 (left)
37 x 5 (right)
37 x 4 (left)

Standing Military Press
44 x 5 x 2 sets

Weighted Crunches
11 x 10 x 2 sets

Bicycles
10/side x 2 sets

After the deadlifts she said she could've repped 143 for 3 Her grip was failing and we didn't want to push her core/back after a long day on her feet, but its nice to know there was plenty left in her.

She is petite, but powerful. I won't mention her weight though I think she could be an incredibly strong girl if she did this caper properly. I told her she could be amongst the strongest female powerlifters in Australia if she worked for it. That has sparked her interest. She wants to know some numbers

 

[Zander1983]

I told her she could be amongst the strongest female powerlifters in Australia if she worked for it. That has sparked her interest. She wants to know some numbers

The Australian records, set in 1996 (must've been a very strong woman if they haven't been broken since?!), for her weight class:
Squat - 275
Bench - 148.5
Deadlift - 308

 

[coolcolj]

SHe must have been sore

 

[Zander1983]

SHe must have been sore

She was a cripple for four days

After yesterday's workout she's fine. Just her lower back is a little sore from the deadlifts.

 

[Backlash]

Are those numbers in kg or what?

 

[gonelifting]

The Australian records, set in 1996 (must've been a very strong woman if they haven't been broken since?!), for her weight class:
Squat - 275
Bench - 148.5
Deadlift - 308

SHE CAN DO THIS.

I for one, want to see her accomplish it. good luck to the both of you.

 

[IronLion]

I know how it is to train your better half....it is the most fun I have, but at the same time it is very frustrating. My fiancee is very competitve and so am I and I have never really coached a beginner female before, especially one who will push herself if I back off....I think the biggest thing I have learned is that different people respond better to different coaching styles. The best way to motivate someone is not always the way you motivate yourself.

 

[cheesecake]

The best way to motivate someone is not always the way you motivate yourself.

I agree. I found this out when puttinbuttin and I started training together.

She gets motivated entirely differently than I do.
...chad...

 

[Toozee]

Congrats man. That has to be really enjoyable to help your other to reach their goals.

 

[Zander1983]

The workout numbers and records are in pounds.

I think she could definately break them. She got really excited when I told her how strong she could be, but without the same love for training that we have it will be very tough to push her in that direction. That isn't what I really want anyway.

I'm happy that we get the chance to do this together. Even if its once a week, its enough for me.

 

[queena_82]

I never thought I would catch the bug either but here I am! It takes time but when she gets used to it and starts seeing changes I'm sure she'll want to stick with it. Good work!

 

[SofaGeorge]

You are VERY lucky to have a girlfriend who wants to train.

 

[Backlash]

She could definitely hit those with applied training. Those records don't seem really high for an entire country? Very cool though.

 

[Nonerz]

I like to shop as my motivation to train...gotta have a new workout top, shoes, pants.........the list only gets longer!

But really, I had a trainer for the first couple months and he never seemed to push me hard enough. I'd stay after our workout and train some more!

I prefer the in-your-face-and-challenge-me kind of workouts...but that is just me. I played competitive sports my whole life and that competitive spirit has carried over into other areas of my life, including my training.

"Please don't go easy on me...it's only for my own good!"

 

[Nonerz]

After the deadlifts she said she could've repped 143 for 3 Her grip was failing and we didn't want to push her core/back after a long day on her feet, but its nice to know there was plenty left in her.

I had the same problem with my grip...I knew I could do more weight if I could just get my grip to keep pace with the rest of my body. So for a short while, I resorted to straps and felt guilty using them so I started doing farmer walks with 45 plates. That has helped me immensely and I haven't taken the straps out of my bag since! In addition, I bought a rosin bag (baseball section of your local sporting goods store) and use that for my heavier lifts, along with a mixed grip.

Now I'm happy to say that my grip isn't even an issue anymore.

 

[Zander1983]

She could definitely hit those with applied training. Those records don't seem really high for an entire country? Very cool though.

Its just one federation that I looked up. I don't think it would differ much though, and I don't think there would be too many federations at all.

Remember, those numbers are for a light weight group. Not even close to SHW

 

[Zander1983]

I had the same problem with my grip...I knew I could do more weight if I could just get my grip to keep pace with the rest of my body. So for a short while, I resorted to straps and felt guilty using them so I started doing farmer walks with 45 plates. That has helped me immensely and I haven't taken the straps out of my bag since! In addition, I bought a rosin bag (baseball section of your local sporting goods store) and use that for my heavier lifts, along with a mixed grip.

Now I'm happy to say that my grip isn't even an issue anymore.

We will be incorporating some grip work in future. For a couple of days after this workout, her forearms have been fried

 

[Nonerz]

I hear you on that...I work in an office at a computer all day long. My forearms are regularly overworked due to the amount of typing I do throughout the day.

So in my free time I post...go figure!