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coskigirl

Skiing the powder
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I'd been doing great on getting to the gym all semester and then I got sick the weekend after Thanksgiving and in the middle of studying for finals so I had to focus any spare energy on finals. I finally got back to the gym with only the occasional hacking fit this week and now need to do a bit of rebuilding after 3.5 weeks off. One thing I realized was that with not having been in for awhile I couldn't remember the weights I was lifting. I don't relish the idea of having to remember to bring a paper record to keep track of everything. Of course, I could just keep something in notes on my iPhone but it occurred to me that there are probably apps for that. Anyone have one they use and like? I'm doing all machine based weights right now (let's not get into that debate please) and some plyometrics so looking for things I can track those types of exercises on.
 

tball

Unzipped
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Of course, I could just keep something in notes on my iPhone but it occurred to me that there are probably apps for that. Anyone have one they use and like?
I use my camera then search google photos for "weights" and it gives me a time series of the pictures of the previous weight I've used.
 

Monique

bounceswoosh
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I don't relish the idea of having to remember to bring a paper record to keep track of everything. Of course, I could just keep something in notes on my iPhone but it occurred to me that there are probably apps for that. Anyone have one they use and like? I'm doing all machine based weights right now (let's not get into that debate please) and some plyometrics so looking for things I can track those types of exercises on.

I use my camera then search google photos for "weights" and it gives me a time series of the pictures of the previous weight I've used.

OR does your gym have whiteboards? My trainer would write all my numbers and exercises on a whiteboard, so I just naturally did the same when I worked out on my own. Then take a picture of the board after your workout. (I now have a very nerdy gym binder, but that's personal preference.)
 

kimmyt

My Rack Is Bigger Than Yours
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I use fitlist, which you can create and add your own workouts in and it will store them. This works great if you're doing one full body workout, because you can just look at your last workout to check what weights you use. If you vary your workouts (for example I have a series of 6 that I work through and then go back to the beginning because I like variety), you have to search back through the calendar to get your last weight otherwise it automatically loads the initial workout which may have very different weights or reps in it. Still, its pretty customizable without being too crazy with graphs and stuff, and it has a little timer for rests which is nice too. I think its free for up to 4 workouts and then you can pay to upgrade to unlimited custom workouts. You can also add any custom exercises that you want that aren't on the pretty comprehensive selection list.
 

coskigirl

Skiing the powder
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OR does your gym have whiteboards? My trainer would write all my numbers and exercises on a whiteboard, so I just naturally did the same when I worked out on my own. Then take a picture of the board after your workout. (I now have a very nerdy gym binder, but that's personal preference.)

It's the Louisville Rec Center so no whiteboards. I can't imagine battling with people over space on them anyhow. It's bad enough getting them to give right of way to me if I'm using the circuit even though there is a sign posted in the middle that clearly states that if someone is using the circuit as intended they get the right of way when they want the next machine in the circuit.
 

raytseng

Making fresh tracks
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I think one of my gym still has a little card box, where you'd keep your card with your workout or routine; and you'd write down your reps and difficulty; and you can see your progress as you go along and improve on reps/difficulty column by column.
 

Monique

bounceswoosh
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It's the Louisville Rec Center so no whiteboards. I can't imagine battling with people over space on them anyhow. It's bad enough getting them to give right of way to me if I'm using the circuit even though there is a sign posted in the middle that clearly states that if someone is using the circuit as intended they get the right of way when they want the next machine in the circuit.

Ugh. Although that sounds like a totally different set of etiquette issues than I encounter at my gym. It never occurred to me that there could be a right of way on a progression of machines. At my gym today, I was cranky because a guy set himself up between squat racks and was doing all sorts of bodyweight exercises on the floor ... that's a small enough space that I had to weave between him and the plates (hanging on the sides of the rack) to switch plates.
 

coskigirl

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In the old days, I would carry a piece of paper with some numbers written on it...

I think one of my gym still has a little card box, where you'd keep your card with your workout or routine; and you'd write down your reps and difficulty; and you can see your progress as you go along and improve on reps/difficulty column by column.

I’ve done both of these in the past but given everything I need to keep track of these days, remembering to bring another piece of paper when I’m also often bringing study materials is just invitation for failure.

Ugh. Although that sounds like a totally different set of etiquette issues than I encounter at my gym. It never occurred to me that there could be a right of way on a progression of machines. At my gym today, I was cranky because a guy set himself up between squat racks and was doing all sorts of bodyweight exercises on the floor ... that's a small enough space that I had to weave between him and the plates (hanging on the sides of the rack) to switch plates.

It’s interesting. To be clear, this is just a portion of the machines and every machine in the circuit has a machine that does the same exercise outside the circuit. So it’s not like they’re the only option. I like the circuit on occasion because it offers a bit of cardio because you rest very little, it is a known amount of time, and allows me to not think (even counting reps). Took a few photos this evening.


F1DDFE67-9AF5-4DF2-85E9-BB78FC32643C.jpeg
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5D534B6C-B293-4EA3-91B3-D84FB17EEE2E.jpeg
8714AC60-1A32-4489-A0D8-50DC99DF2DB6.jpeg
 

Monique

bounceswoosh
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I’ve done both of these in the past but given everything I need to keep track of these days, remembering to bring another piece of paper when I’m also often bringing study materials is just invitation for failure.



It’s interesting. To be clear, this is just a portion of the machines and every machine in the circuit has a machine that does the same exercise outside the circuit. So it’s not like they’re the only option. I like the circuit on occasion because it offers a bit of cardio because you rest very little, it is a known amount of time, and allows me to not think (even counting reps). Took a few photos this evening.


View attachment 61210 View attachment 61211 View attachment 61212 View attachment 61213

Okay, yeah. With such clear direction, I would blow a gasket if someone took up one of those stations .
 

coskigirl

Skiing the powder
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Okay, yeah. With such clear direction, I would blow a gasket if someone took up one of those stations .

The last time I did the circuit a guy tried to tell me “just one more set”. I said no and pointed at the sign and stared at him. He moved. They’ve added the clockwise part recently as that was a problem. Some would go clockwise and others counter-clockwise which caused issues when you met at the same machine. I’d taken to stopping the station before the meet (I’ve always gone clockwise) 5 seconds early to get to the next one first. :roflmao:
 

Monique

bounceswoosh
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Monique

bounceswoosh
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School has done interesting things to me. Like putting in the "don't f with my workout, I ain't got time for you bullshit" frame of mind.

Whereas the continuous BS of my current (for the last year) project has me thinking, "Eh, whatever, I'll just miss the morning meeting. It's not like the meeting is useful, anyway."
 

SugarCube

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I still have most of my notebooks - back to '86ish
Me too. I take a picture of the workout dejour with my phone, so I don't have to trot around with my workout sheets, but I still have them all. Then later I'll log my progress.
 

Monique

bounceswoosh
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Doing good mornings in the gym. I do sets of 10. I decided to see how many I could manage past that. Stopped at 20, knowing I had a few more in me, but I hadn't set up guards. I'm conservative about adding weight, but suppose I could bump it up a little, LOL.
 

Dwight

Practitioner of skiing, solid and liquid
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Hmm, I have no excuses now. Kids surprised me with a squat rack for Christmas. Even set it up under my bedroom as I slept. Love that kids our making some money. :)
 

no edge

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I think one of my gym still has a little card box, where you'd keep your card with your workout or routine; and you'd write down your reps and difficulty; and you can see your progress as you go along and improve on reps/difficulty column by column.

People are probably sick of Crossfit, but our box has a big tv on the wall and keyboards to type in the data. Keep in mind the strength feature, usually one lift, with sets to increase the weight aiming to go heavy. So that is simply logging the number of sets, the reps and the weights. That lift doesn't come up for a while so it is important to keep track. When the lift does come up again it typically will not be the same number of sets or reps and the weight may be geared to try more for a max lift. Crossfit is all about 'constantly varied'.

The WOD is recorded as the name of the WOD and the time. The goal is to shoot for a personal best.

Doing it this way means that you don't stop to record during the WOD. This is needed for high intensity training. There are no breaks during the WOD.

Always lots of rest when lifting.

The warm-up and joint mobility are also recorded.
 

Monique

bounceswoosh
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I've mostly been doing fat bar deadlifts, which are grip training with depressingly low weights (as compared to the regular bar). But a couple of weekends ago, I decided to do a 90 rep deadlift session (6 sets of 15) with the normal bar, and I was quite pleased with myself -

15x120
15x120
15x140
15x165
15x165
15x165

I'm told I sounded like a porn star for the second set of 165, but more like I was dying on the last set. But I finished with good form throughout! Dropped the last one like it was going out of style. Yay for rubber stall mats. And extremely long rests between sets.

(My trainer had me doing these sorts of sets a while ago. I'm focused on the fat bar, but every now and then, I just want to feel like a beast.)

I'm also making good progress in bench press (using dumbbells), and have been using rubber bands to do assisted pull ups and dips. Still am not doing regular squats - but my knee is getting a ton more solid. Unfortunately, I have to say that lifting makes my knee feel better, but skiing takes a toll. Not nearly as bad as last year - not so bad I have to stop skiing before I want to - but skiing just puts a lot of stress on my knee.
 

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