Tales from the Gym - Graduation

I have graduated.  Kind of.

I have graduated from the StrongLifts program into....I have no idea what, but I'm working on it!  Today consisted of squats, bench press, and a new exercise called a power clean.

I have learned I have no idea what I'm doing with power anythings.

But, it was fun!  I will feel that in the morning, I'm sure.  I started with my bench press today because all the squat racks were taken.  Every. Single. One.  There are six of them.  And everyone decided to hit them at the same time.  I'd finished my warm up sets for my bench press, looked to where the squat racks were and...they were all effing empty.  FRUSTRATION!

That's okay.  115# bench press!  Set one...power!  Set two...POWRAWR!  Set three.....roll of shame.  I should have re-racked at 4, but I had to try for the 5th and my arms gave out.  Just in case you were curious, 115# is really heavy--especially when you're pinned under it and everyone else is in the middle of their own sets.  I'll have some lovely bruises.  The guy on the bench next to me finished his set and looked over.  I gave him a whimper and the puppy eyes of "HELP!" and he came over and moved the weight for me.  Then offered to spot me.

We reduced my weight to 105# and he worked with me on that, then gave me some tips and we reduced again to 95# for form check.  I actually felt much better about my bench presses after working with him and he wasn't thinking I couldn't do the heavier weight because I was a girl. Probably will stick at 95-100# and watch my form for the next few cycles.

Finally did squats.  They were awesome and I felt (mostly) powerful.  Then I realized I should have been at 190# today.  Ah, well.  Next time.  My low back was really acting up...I'm seriously hoping the F/D treatments at the chiros don't mess me up.  Those suckers HURT.

Final exercise...the power clean (mine looked nothing like this).  I have NO IDEA WHAT I'M DOING.  I saw a muscle-head who was doing some pretty amazing stuff and seemed like a person who would *answer* my questions rather than tell me I couldn't do them because I was a girl.  I asked him if he was familiar with a power cleanse and how to do them.

I was not prepared for the voice.  Well.  Not so much the voice as the accent.  For the next few minutes as he explained that he wasn't sure how to answer the question because the exercise can be very dangerous for your low back (and not knowing me and my weight lifting history), all I could hear...was... THIS.  I felt badly.  Nice man...named Sergi.

I finally worked up the courage to do something similar to a power clean and was complimented at the end of my set by a guy who was just impressed that I, a girl, knew her way around the free weights.  "You don't see many girls doing those kinds of exercises.  That was just awesome."  I was at bar weight.  Where I will remain for form checks...then start gently upping the weight.  I'll keep Squats and DLs, steadily increasing til I hit 200# on each.  I may hold there, or I may drop back squats and switch to front squats or power thrusters or something.  Dunno.

Saturday will be...interesting.  Squats, DLs, and power presses.

Incidentally.  I must be doing something right.  Sergi said I had the figure most women work hard to get.  Either that, or he needs glasses.