gave my second real attempt at strict close pushups. index fingers touching and arms as close to my body as possible while still being comfortable. 2 seconds down, chest lightly touching backs of my hands, pause 1 second, 2 seconds back up.
omfg.... this is fucking crazy. I've done "diamond" pushups before where my forearms were practically touching the ground, but closing your elbow up even further to get your chest to your hands is just brutal. better range of motion, more work on the triceps, etc... BRUTAL I SAY!! managed 5/3/3 this week.
also have graduated to close squats (heels touching. hamstrings touching my calves. can't physically lower myself any further) ... weird that I can't do them for shit barefoot.... can't balance without tipping backwards. In my work shoes I can pretty much make it down but only get like one off before tipping back on the second or so. My running shoes I did 5/4/4 this week. very happy.
for those following convict conditioning, here are my remaining stats:
pullups (strict, non-kipping), 15/10/8 (goal is 20/20/x before moving to the rocky-style one armed)
bridges (straight bridge.. second step) 33/23/15
handstand pushups (half HSPU) 14/10/8
leglifts (feet pointed, knees locked/ "master step" in CC) 13/12/10 (these are fucked though, because I don't have anything anywhere near high enough to hang from, so I have to hold myself up in a half pullup to have the height... could probably kill this with just a loose hang)
for reference when I stopped lifting weights I think I was around:
150lbs x 8 bench press
200lbs x 5 squat (just below parallel)
45lbs x 10 dumbbell curl
125lb x 8 OHP
and the above numbers are all improvements on where I started. Most startling to me though was the relatively noob status on the bridges, though I'm guessing that's mostly due to lack of any real spinal strength. I can get myself up in a god awful bridge. arms totally bent, legs bent, back and head clearly off the floor... so I am starting over from scratch on them.. should be to the third step by next week.
X-Frame said:
Personal Trainer Rant Incoming:
I feel ashamed to have worked at the same gym as some of the trainers I see working there now.
I was just at the gym watching this little sexy, cute 100 pound trainer putting this poor overweight woman through an unnecessarily challenging workout. I'm there right next to them doing my reverse lunges for 20 reps with 5 pounds in each hand, repping them out -- and next to me this trainer gave this woman 15 pound dumbbells to do the exact same exercise yet she couldn't even do 1 correct rep. She was off balance, staggering, almost falling over, couldn't touch the ground, pain face, etc.
It's obviously too heavy for her! She shouldn't even be TOUCHING a weight until she can do all these things with just her bodyweight, and because she's overweight that is more than enough of a workout for weeks too come.
Really sad. At least I give the trainer credit for putting this woman through box squats, but that was the only thing that was "safe" for this client.
I bet she's going to go home and be sore for a week straight, and if this keeps up develop some joint aches.
wow, that's awful. I've seen too many bad personal trainers to count. The one I eventually had my wife go with I only did so after talking to this guy for over a year straight. as for the joints comment... it's sad really... one of the biggest problems with overweight people (aside from actual weight) is that their joints are in HORRIBLE shape. usually abused to the point of hurting just from everyday movements. Any good trainer worth their weight in education has these people doing ONLY bodyweight for a long long time to strengthen up their joints. Considering these people already have tons of lean body mass to begin with to support their frame, adding 5 lbs on might not seem like a big deal, but to their joints it is often almost literally the straw that breaks the camel's back. IMHO (and many other trainers' opinion) these folks should be doing bodyweight until they are around 30lb overweight tops. even after that weights are purely optional (as fat loss should still be a priority).
so so so many bad personal trainers out there in ALL disciplines of exercise.. and the absolutely disgusting fact is how much money per hour most of these awful trainers make. almost makes me consider going into the profession myself.