Diet and Fitness

One good thing about the pain from the weekend’s exertions was that it was very evenly distributed, glutes quads and even hamstrings- which I presume is a good sign :stuck_out_tongue:

Still doing them here but now doing them after overhead press.

I don’t know why but I hate calling them push-ups and have to call them press-ups :slight_smile:

Just eat a few portions of the Sticky Toffee pudding in the baps thread. :+1:

I want to firm up the waist though :frowning:

But that typically involves losing weight not putting it on!

Well yes, it’s hard to lose fat and build muscle at the same time. I do want it all, I know :slight_smile:

I still think my abs need more direct work to be honest. My stomach would be better then even with the same level of fat.

Not necessarily if you’re 20% plus bf. In which case some core work and dropping to 15% (easier said than done :grimacing:) would yield better results.

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Damnit. Resting heart rate still >60 this morning…

I know that I pushed myself over the last couple of weeks but hoping to bounce back stronger after an easy week…hope I’ve not derailed my training…definitely the right thing bringing the rest week forward

Yep probably but then again 60 isn’t that high and it does depend on how accurately it’s been taken.

Yeah- it’s settling in the mid- to low 50’s pretty quickly when sitting at my desk today. Perhaps I was dehydrated or something this morning. I do think it’s the right idea to rest this week though.

Apparently fingertip optical readings, which is what I used, are as accurate as a chest strap. I think optical read at the wrist only begins to have problems at higher heart rates though anyway.

Legs felt a lot fresher on the ride into work this morning.

At lunchtime I planned my next couple of blocks of training. Think I need to work in some training that’s more specific… Apparently the route for the weekend away in June includes a stretch that’s widely regarded as the hardest cycling road in britain :open_mouth:

M6 ?

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I’d be happy to reach my potential but am a long way off at the moment :slight_smile:

https://bretcontreras.com/5-things-you-should-do-everyday/

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Agree with that. Add one or two hip ‘openers’ and that’s a good 10 min insurance against lower back pain too.

In that article it says don’t worry about letting lower spine curve under but on a different site it said you should only go as deep as you can with a straight spine?

I’m sure you’ve covered it earlier in the thread but what hip openers would you recommend?

If your back is in good shape then a bit of curve is okay, but if you can’t go as deep with a straight spine then it means that your hips have limited mobility - which is why I recommend hip opening movements (see below), and also sitting in the bottom of the full squat (straight spine, body reasonably vertical) and relaxing into it - 30 seconds would be minimum, if you want to use gravity to stretch you then a couple of minutes is best, up to about 10. I like to press my elbows against the inside of my knees and force the hips to open further.

Pick one or do the sequence - but hold each one for 20-30 seconds or five deep breaths.

What do you mean by body reasonably vertical? I found this, doing a search for “full squat form”. I can squat like this fine, but couldn’t balance trying to angle my upper body more vertically?
https://cdn2.omidoo.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/full_width/images/bydate/20130128/deepsquatside.jpg

Ironically a similar position will be found at the sw meat up

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That’s fine for form with a load. Depending on where the load is positioned the angle between the horizontal thighs and body will change - ie high bar means you can be closer to 90 deg whereas low bar means the angle will reduce. Holding dumbells, or a KB as a goblet means that you should be able to have a more vertical upper body and ‘sit back’ into the squat.

HOWEVER, what the article you posted was recommending for purposes of mobility range, was an unloaded full, deep, ass to grass squat - ie hams touching calves and at the full extent of motion. In this position if your hip (and ankle) mobility is weak than you won’t be able to hit the bottom with your body more vertical - and you’ll have to lean forward to be able to get fully down.

The thing to do is hit the bottom with whatever body position you can and then gradually straighten up, focusing on pushing your knees out. The hip openers will help and so will gravity.

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