>> still to come before bedtime: creatine; 1 1/4 cup f/f cottage cheese
>> w/ some zero-calorie chocolate syrup
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>
>So, what's in it for you that's worth seeing the scale rise?
Well, I am training for the National Masters meet on April 2, so I
want to build the most strength I can in that time. I don't gain as
much water weight with creatine as some people; I'd say it has been
around 4 lbs. this time. And I know it works that way, so it doesn't
freak me out. I know I can go off it if I need to in order to make
weight for the meet, but I don't expect that to be an issue.
Ahmed's recommendation for creatine use is 2 weeks on, 5 days off. So
I will go off next week Monday through Friday, then back on through
the meet day. He also recommends going in the sauna each day during
those 5 days to get the creatine out of one's system, so I will do
that.
Some people don't seem to respond to creatine, but I find that I do.
I've had very strong workouts this week.
>BTW, I weighed in at the gym this afternoon AFTER my workout and sauna
>at 179. Earlier in the week I came in at 182.5. Yes, I know I
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>right now, although I'm about 8 pounds heavier than I was when I got
>married.)
Congratulations! I don't see anything wrong with going by the lowest
number you see, as long as you know what's going on. When I was
working on making weight for the meet last month, I cut back on sodium
for a week and did some extra steam room time. I was surprised how
much the scale went down doing that. I am getting more used to the
range of hydration and the affect on the scale, and don't worry so
much about the numbers any more.
>> Bench: 1x10x45; 1x10x65; 1x5x85; 1x3x85 fast; 1x5x105; 2x5x115;
>> 1x5x135 (with some help on the last couple of reps); 1x3x95 with a
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>when I hurt my shoulder and it still isn't 100%, but I feel okay (just
>maybe a twinge) after doing 80x5x2 today.
Well, I think the creatine is helping :-).
>I've come back to working on my assisted chin-ups. I tried -50 the
>other day and I eeked out two reps, so today I tried -30 and sank like a
>stone and maybe only got 3/4 up on one rep. (I think I could have done
>better but I was busy falling at the time.) I've also added negatives
>back into my assisted chins. (Well, that -30 pretty much WAS a
>negative.) :-)
On a good day I can do one rep with -20. I can do pretty good
negatives now, and can get a pretty decent hang. I can do 10 reps at
-60. Not surprisingly, lower bodyweight makes a huge difference in
this :-).
Chris
262/159/ (holding in 152-165 weight class)
Dally - 13 Mar 2004 14:22 GMT
>>I've come back to working on my assisted chin-ups. I tried -50 the
>>other day and I eeked out two reps, so today I tried -30 and sank like a
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> -60. Not surprisingly, lower bodyweight makes a huge difference in
> this :-).
LOL, you know, I hadn't thought of that! I was being proud of myself
for how easy reps had gotten at -90 when that used to be my 5RM. But
I've lost 10 pounds since then!
Dally
janice - 13 Mar 2004 15:01 GMT
>>>I've come back to working on my assisted chin-ups. I tried -50 the
>>>other day and I eeked out two reps, so today I tried -30 and sank like a
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>
>Dally
You've given me hope here - nearly all my surplus weight is below my
waist - in fact I look quite scawny enough round the neck, collarbone
and ribs for my liking already. Yet I'm disappointed that I still
can't get up unaided if I squat down so that I'm sitting on my heels,
as it were. I either have to hold on to something or somebody, or go
onto my hands and knees and get up from there.
I've always felt that it should get easier as I lose more lower body
weight, but I guess part of it is that my thigh muscles aren't strong
enough to lift my weight.
I realise to some of you this will sound very pathetic:(
janice (who doesn't do weights or squats or anything like that)
233/177/133
Dally - 13 Mar 2004 15:12 GMT
> I've always felt that it should get easier as I lose more lower body
> weight, but I guess part of it is that my thigh muscles aren't strong
> enough to lift my weight.
Yet. This is completely fixable, and will have many dividends you
aren't expecting. For example, strengthening the quadricep makes knee
injury much less likely. I'm also confident that it prevents falls, and
it also protects my back because I am more likely to squat down to pick
things up than to bend over to do it.
> I realise to some of you this will sound very pathetic:(
Nah, it sounds normal. Realizing you have a problem is the first step
towards solving it!
> janice (who doesn't do weights or squats or anything like that)
Do you have a Swiss Ball (exercise ball?) A great way to start squats
is to put one behind your back between you and a wall and squat down
while the ball rolls up your back supporting you. See what I'm talking
about (they call it a "wall slide") at
http://www.ptstrategies.com/exercises/SwissBallex.html
Dally
janice - 13 Mar 2004 16:15 GMT
>> I've always felt that it should get easier as I lose more lower body
>> weight, but I guess part of it is that my thigh muscles aren't strong
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>
>Dally
Thanks for the encouragement Dally. I resolve to work on certain
muscles to try and make a difference before I've finished losing
weight. I already notice a great improvement in my balance when I
lose weight, but some other benefits are yet to come I guess.
janice
233/177/133
Perple Gyrl - 14 Mar 2004 17:07 GMT
I do the wall slides, as I can't do "real" squats.
It works my quads and butt wonderfully.
"Dally" <dally@myself.com> wrote in message news:c2v8cq$22hgq7
> Do you have a Swiss Ball (exercise ball?) A great way to start squats
> is to put one behind your back between you and a wall and squat down
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>
> Dally
Chris Braun - 13 Mar 2004 16:13 GMT
>You've given me hope here - nearly all my surplus weight is below my
>waist - in fact I look quite scawny enough round the neck, collarbone
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>enough to lift my weight.
>I realise to some of you this will sound very pathetic:(
Janice, I wouldn't be surprised if this isn't more a form issue than a
weight issue. If you have contact with any (competent :-) ) trainers,
maybe you could get someone to look at how you're doing it. You need
to have your weight balanced right and push your heels down. But it's
hard to describe. You might try practicing by sitting on
progressively lower things and getting up from them without using your
hands -- like a stairstep, for example.