Form Check and Workout Review – April 15, 2013

This is the workout performed in the video:

  • Bench Squat – 210 lbs. (5 sets, 5 reps)
  • Bench Press – 135 lbs. (5 sets, 5 reps)
  • Barbell Row – 130 lbs. (5 sets, 5 reps)

Form Check

Squats: Bench squats are new for me and I need to work on positioning. I don’t like my hip hinge in this video and I think the bench might be too close. I was especially disappointed in the very last rep of the last set because I dropped down onto the bench with all of my weight instead leaning back and slowly coming down.

Bench Press: I paid much closer attention to where I was lifting the bar this time, because they last time I did bench I caught myself raising the weight close to my head instead of chest.

Barbell Row: I also paid more attention to how far up I was pulling the weight. I tried to pull as close to my body as I could and hold the weight for a second or so to make sure it wasn’t all momentum.

If you have any thoughts on my form or workout, please share. I’m always open to learning more.

Additional Notes

I switched up my routine to do some bench squats instead regular squats for a week, possibly more. I just want to change things up a bit. I wish I had a shorter box to squat to, but the bench is all I have at the moment.

I had a much longer workout planned, but I wasn’t able to finish it because a large gash opened up on my hand right after my last set of barbell rows. I got the cut earlier in the day when a glass desk shattered in my hands while carrying it. I actually did one set of Incline DB press, but I got blood everywhere. I cut that part out of the video 😉

Below are the additional exercices that I had planned to do. I probably should have done some alternate exercises, now that I think about it. I could have done no-weight calf raises for high reps, leg raises on my Captain’s Chair, and crunches in place of the other ab exercises.

  • Incline DB Press
  • Dips
  • Calf Raises
  • Hanging Leg Raise
  • DB Ab Twist
  • Plank

I’m not sure yet if I’ll post all of my videos on my website, but I do post them all on my YouTube channel, if you wanna check ’em out there 😉

Form Check and Workout Review – April 10, 2013

I did this workout yesterday but reviewed it this morning and took notes.

Bench Press – 130 lbs. (5 sets, 5 reps)
Barbell Row – 125 lbs. (5 sets, 5 reps)
Incline DB Press – 55 lb. dumbbells (5 sets, 5 reps)
Dips – Bodyweight only (173 lbs.) – (5 sets, 5 reps)
Calf Raises – 50 lb. dumbbells (5 sets, 10 reps)
Hanging Leg Raises, bent knees – (5 sets, 10 reps)
Dumbbell Ab Twists – 15 lbs. (4 sets, 25 reps)
Plank, for time (1 min. and 10 sec.)

Notes:

Bench Press – Looking at the video, I think I may not be bringing the weight up to the right position. It looks like I’m lifting at an angle and bringing it back behind my head. I’ll pay more attention to that next time. I’ve also noticed that I’m finally hitting weights here that are making me sore.

Barbell Row: I’m not happy with the distance I’m leaving between my body and the bar when it’s all the way pulled up.

It might be time to increase the reps of my dips or add weight. I hesitate because dips have given me a lot of shoulder issues in the past, but I feel like I might be ok to progress slowly.

I’ve also decided to do more work on my core, so I’ve incorporated hanging leg raises, ab twists and planks to my routine. I haven’t decided how often yet to do these, but I’m thinking once or twice a week.