In the gym

[mdf]

give the stairmaster a shot

It's the only cardiovascular machine I can read on. Elliptical or treadmill, no.

 

[Monique]

Can anyone tell me what the most effective stretch and strengthen is for the upper part of the psoas muscle? The part that attaches to the lower back?? Help!

Man, I'd like to know this one, too! I've been shown one. Lie down, take one leg, sort of hook it around the other, twist in that direction. Keep your shoulders down; the twist should be in the torso and below. So like - hook your right leg around your left, keep your shoulders on the ground but twist to the left. Make any sense? But ... I think I actually aggravated my psoas by doing it too much.

My trainer isn't a big fan of sit-ups but give me tons of different core exercises using lever bells, kettle bells, sandbags, chops and a lot more.

Yeah, I've heard that sit ups are out of favor. I can't really speak to that, only my results. Although I am not sure how many benches out there allow you to do decline sit ups over 45* - the Rogue adjustable one does. I gather there's concern that you can hurt yourself if you don't do sit ups correctly. This seems to be a common theme for a lot of great exercises.

On the other hand, what about hanging leg raises? Nice hip flexor action. I have done those, too, but not right now because hanging for extended periods irritates my triceps too much =/

 

[TheArchitect]

Man, I'd like to know this one, too! I've been shown one. Lie down, take one leg, sort of hook it around the other, twist in that direction. Keep your shoulders down; the twist should be in the torso and below. So like - hook your right leg around your left, keep your shoulders on the ground but twist to the left. Make any sense? But ... I think I actually aggravated my psoas by doing it too much.



Yeah, I've heard that sit ups are out of favor. I can't really speak to that, only my results. Although I am not sure how many benches out there allow you to do decline sit ups over 45* - the Rogue adjustable one does. I gather there's concern that you can hurt yourself if you don't do sit ups correctly. This seems to be a common theme for a lot of great exercises.

On the other hand, what about hanging leg raises? Nice hip flexor action. I have done those, too, but not right now because hanging for extended periods irritates my triceps too much =/

I think hanging leg raises might work for me. Good suggestion.

 

[trailtrimmer]

Can anyone tell me what the most effective stretch and strengthen is for the upper part of the psoas muscle? The part that attaches to the lower back?? Help!

I have a massage table at home, but you can use the back of your couch and do a type of one-legged cobra pose across the back of it to stretch the psoas. Those of us that sit lots during the day can benefit from it greatly.

 

[Monique]

I also use a "figure four" stretch ... (modified pigeon where you're on your back). Wiggle around and try slightly different forces and positions until it hits.

I believe that for me, it's also related to tight glutes and lower back - so from that position, I'll also put a PT ball (lacrosse, or bigger or smaller, maybe softer, depending on how tight it is) and wiggle around until I find a tender spot. Then I'll move my leg in different ways (external/internal rotation vs straightening and retracting) until I find the one that "hits" that muscle, and repeat that motion a few times. This is a technique that my trainer taught me.

You can get glute massages, too. They're a B, but they do help. Again, this is for me because it's definitely related to tight glutes - for me.

 

[no edge]

[QUOTE
On the other hand, what about hanging leg raises? Nice hip flexor action. I have done those, too, but not right now because hanging for extended periods irritates my triceps too much =/[/QUOTE]

knees to bar and toes to bar. Allows your back to move freely. Bar equals a pull-up bar. Lifting is also great for core. Overhead squats and snatches. Good core work should include more than just core.

 

[Monique]

Lifting is also great for core. Overhead squats and snatches. Good core work should include more than just core.

Careful with snatches if you have shoulder issues. My trainer isn't sure he'll ever want me to do Oly =/ Standing press is an option that works your core stability, but I had to work up to even that because of shoulder issues. But standing press - like so many lifting moves - makes me feel like a bad ass.

I would imagine any compound movement that emphasizes the lower body is also a core workout. Squats, deadlifts, good mornings, for sure the Oly stuff.

It's amazing how strong I feel after pursuing strength (starting with rehab) for over a year now. Putting the tires + wheels into the trunk is now easy - it used to be rough going. Picking up the cast iron grates on the range - went from an awkward two-handed process to simply picking it up with one hand. When I started pursuing this, I only had gym goals in mind - but I love how easy it makes everything else in my life.

 

[Varmintmist]

Can anyone tell me what the most effective stretch and strengthen is for the upper part of the psoas muscle? The part that attaches to the lower back?? Help!

The chiro had me hold the top of a door and drop to stretch the back. Maybe rows would be the way to go for strength.

 

[no edge]

Careful with snatches if you have shoulder issues. My trainer isn't sure he'll ever want me to do Oly =/ Standing press is an option that works your core stability, but I had to work up to even that because of shoulder issues. But standing press - like so many lifting moves - makes me feel like a bad ass.

I would imagine any compound movement that emphasizes the lower body is also a core workout. Squats, deadlifts, good mornings, for sure the Oly stuff.

It's amazing how strong I feel after pursuing strength (starting with rehab) for over a year now. Putting the tires + wheels into the trunk is now easy - it used to be rough going. Picking up the cast iron grates on the range - went from an awkward two-handed process to simply picking it up with one hand. When I started pursuing this, I only had gym goals in mind - but I love how easy it makes everything else in my life.

The snatch is not a lift that you walk up to a bar and perform. It requires learning. It's my favorite lift, but respect.

The lifts you list do offer core strength. Even the bench press and rowing sets.

 

[Monique]

The lifts you list do offer core strength. Even the bench press and rowing sets.

Core strength is the gift that keeps on giving!

 

[Monique]

Getting frustrated. Had a form setback on squats, so I had to drop the weight I'm lifting to fix it. Bench is stuck. Deadlifts are going pretty well, but not shooting up the way I'd (unrealistically) hoped. My next 1RM test is in 2 weeks, and I definitely need to scale down my expectations. I think this is just normal, but it's the first time I've hit a sticking point like this. Experienced lifters will just laugh at me, but a whole month with minimal bench gains? Argh! (I have been going up by 10 pounds on deadlifts every week and am finally hitting a point where it's feeling a lot harder to progress. World's smallest violin, please.)

 

[no edge]

My feeling... once a week on bench is too much. Spotter, hands off the bar and go to full failure before "helping". No partial press as in no assistance until the rep is a fail. Also, constantly varied - no routine

 

[Monique]

My feeling... once a week on bench is too much. Spotter, hands off the bar and go to full failure before "helping". No partial press as in no assistance until the rep is a fail. Also, constantly varied - no routine

I'm confused - you describe a very specific approach to bench, then say to constantly vary. Wouldn't you want to vary the exercise, not just the program?

I do several push variations - dumbbell incline, decline, flat, standing press (bar or kettlebell), dips ... but I do the same set of workouts every week for three weeks in a row, then rest, then a new routine. It seems to me that "benching once a week is too much" would depend on how intensely you're working it, how many reps and sets, etc. Could you go into more detail about your experiences and why you find that it works better for you that way?

On further reflection, I think my plateau comprises three things: one, it's simply harder for me to get gains in my upper body than my lower and core. Typical for women. Two, my perception of gains is off because 95 sounds a lot less impressive than 255, even if my percentage gains did match over the time period. (And meantime, my boyfriend's a bench beast, so my numbers feel even weaker, which is silly.) I've been trying to make big gains while also doing spring yard and garden work, moving my boyfriend's stuff (a large house's worth) into my house, including gym equipment, and also going through some serious work stress. Poor sleep, insufficient rest, stress ... Yeah, no wonder my lifting isn't just soaring. But I have a rest week now, then 1RM testing, then another rest before getting back to it. Lots of opportunity to do yoga or otherwise stretch and roll and pamper my abused body.

FWIW, I use spotter arms, not a human spotter. There is no assistance

I do plan to talk to my trainer about introducing more variations, like pyramids, just to keep it interesting.

 

[no edge]

I'm confused - you describe a very specific approach to bench, then say to constantly vary. Wouldn't you want to vary the exercise, not just the program?

Could you go into more detail about your experiences and why you find that it works better for you that way?

FWIW, I use spotter arms, not a human spotter. There is no assistance

I do plan to talk to my trainer about introducing more variations, like pyramids, just to keep it interesting.

My Crossfit coach was exceptional with an ego to match. He was fun and obnoxious. He knew his $#it.

Constantly varied is what you just described but on bench it means to, change up the reps: 3 x 3 work up to a 3 rep max, 2 x 3, 2 x 2, 1. 1,1,1,1. But key is to lift heavy. I never so aggressively lifted heavy until Jason laid out the plan and the expectation. I was like you and could not get improvements. Add rest and hit the other big muscles. Strength features require heavy weights. Even I got results.

 

[surfsnowgirl]

I still hate the gym but when I go this one way home from work I pass my gym so I just started going again yesterday. Just treadmill yesterday. Today and Saturday will be yoga. I do a fair bit of hiking at our mountain in Southern Vermont but I need to do something during the week so here we go. I'm stoked because my favorite yoga instructor at my sunday class teaches a class at this other location on Saturday. It's the best yoga class I've ever taken, very intense, uses tennis balls and other prop and what I call your typical zen yoga class. Every class is different. Love him.

 

[Monique]

My Crossfit coach was exceptional with an ego to match. He was fun and obnoxious. He knew his $#it.

Constantly varied is what you just described but on bench it means to, change up the reps: 3 x 3 work up to a 3 rep max, 2 x 3, 2 x 2, 1. 1,1,1,1. But key is to lift heavy. I never so aggressively lifted heavy until Jason laid out the plan and the expectation. I was like you and could not get improvements. Add rest and hit the other big muscles. Strength features require heavy weights. Even I got results.

That makes sense. My trainer wants me to be cautious of my ligaments - still early days for me - so I'm doing higher reps for bench: 5-8 reps. Honestly, all the upper body stuff is irritating my elbow where the tricep attaches, so he's not wrong =/

 

[Monique]

Okay, I apologize for monopolizing this thread. I'll tone it down after this. BUT FIRST.

1RM test day. I came in with trepidation. I didn't sleep well; I've had to take squats down a good bit to fix mobility issues; bench has seemed stagnant. Can't even begin to express my joy! Deadlift: 300. Squat: 195. Bench: 110. That's an increase of 72.5 pounds in two months, and a combined total of 605. I'M IN THE 600 POUND CLUB, YOU GUYS!

 

[TheArchitect]

Monopolizing Monique! Keep on posting with your progress. Congrats on the 600 Pound Club!!

 

[Monique]

Monopolizing Monique! Keep on posting with your progress. Congrats on the 600 Pound Club!!

Thank you, thank you

Bench is sooooo frustrating. I know that the gap between women's numbers and men's is much greater for upper body than lower. Still, 110 just sounds ... and looks ... so tiny, especially compared to my body weight.

 

[x10003q]

Thank you, thank you

Bench is sooooo frustrating. I know that the gap between women's numbers and men's is much greater for upper body than lower. Still, 110 just sounds ... and looks ... so tiny, especially compared to my body weight.

Please stop beating yourself up about the bench. We all reach our limits. Be very careful if you have elbow pain. You might want to dial back a bit.