MetaChat - Barbell Squat, meet J_P. J

MetaChat is an informal place for MeFites to touch base and post, discuss and chatter about topics that may not belong on MetaFilter. Questions? Check the FAQ. Please note: This is important.

24 May 2007

Barbell Squat, meet J_P. J_P, meet Barbell Squat I think I'm finally getting the hang of this exercise. →[More:]

Went to the gym tonight and did a set of 20. I used a ridiculously low weight (120) because I wanted to make sure that I had the form right. It's easy to fuck yourself up but good on this exercise if you do it sloppily. So I do it with low weights for now. My short-term goal is to be able to do a single good set of 225. And after that, the sky's the limit.

So the first ten reps were easy. Then it got more difficult. I had to stop for a couple of breaths between reps. I thought I was gonna crap out at 15. But I toughed it out and finished the set. And that felt really fuckin' good.

A great workout overall. It made my evening.

On Saturday, I'll probably run in the park. On Sunday, I might take a class on Olympic weightlifting at the local CrossFit gym.

post by: jason's_planet at: 22:18 | 13 comments

Squats are without a doubt the most fantastic, fun, awesome, and effective of all the lifts. They make you feel like a superhero and they work fast.

Must get back into the gym ASAP. Must.

posted by Miko 24 May | 22:22

That site is fantastic! I love the little animations that show you how the exercises are done.

120 is a ridiculously low weight, huh?

posted by iconomy 24 May | 22:23

Yeah, that part is funny.

posted by Miko 24 May | 22:27

Ooh, is Jason a hardbody? I do this exercise too, but not with that much weight! I have to get to bed. I have an advanced step class in the morning. I The instructor is extremely annoying and the class is very difficult. I don't know why I'm going to this class again. :)

posted by LoriFLA 24 May | 22:28

i like this site. Now i wish i had barbells.

posted by ethylene 24 May | 22:33

Squats are without a doubt the most fantastic, fun, awesome, and effective of all the lifts.

Indeed. They do make you feel like a superhero.

That site is fantastic!

Oh, yeah! I love exrx.net. OmieWise is a fan too.

120 is a ridiculously low weight, huh?

Well, I think it is. For me. Your mileage may vary, and all that.

posted by jason's_planet 24 May | 22:34

Ooh, is Jason a hardbody?

Getouttahere! I'm not even close to a hardbody. That's very flattering of you but I have a long way to go before I get to that point.

I don't know why I'm going to this class again.

Because being in shape feels so much better than not being in shape. Even if you have to put up with a butthead instructor for a little while.

(Just think of him or her as a necessary evil, in other words.)

Now i wish i had barbells.

Awesome! Glad to provide some inspiration to you.

posted by jason's_planet 24 May | 22:47

I still only use the bar, without any weights on it. I keep it next to my television. I think it's 28 pounds....whooo!

posted by iconomy 24 May | 22:49

It's always said that powerlifting is the fastest way to get results.

posted by ethylene 24 May | 22:56

Yeah, I like what I read about powerlifting
(short and crude definition: lifting shitloads of weight for very low reps in squat, bench and deadlift). It's certainly a great way to build strength. And definitely more appealing than that lame-o muscle-magazine shit where you do eighty sets of this, then forty sets of that, than twenty sets of zzzzzzzzzzzz.

But I am very much a beginner. I got my gym membership about three months ago. That squat session was actually the third time I've ever done that exercise.

So I'd prefer to take a more conservative approach for the next few months. I'm not ready to put a quarter-ton on my back yet.

posted by jason's_planet 24 May | 23:41

Krista at Stumptuous has a great series on learning the squat (and for anyone here who's thinking about getting into any kind of fitness program, her whole site is wonderfully inspiring and informational).

My body has a love/hate relationship with squats; they do indeed work like nothing else, but I couldn't do them for years on account of badly messed-up knees. Now that my knees are finally better (therapy + chondroitin/glucosamine), I tentatively tried a few bar-only squats the other week, and -- discovered my rotator cuff problems make it really painful to hold the damn bar across my neck correctly. Arrrghhh. I guess it's back to the damn leg-press machine...

posted by kat allison 25 May | 07:07

Krista is indeed excellent.

posted by Miko 25 May | 09:32

Krista is indeed excellent.

posted by Miko 25 May | 09:33

← Good Documentary || Are you a Republican suffering from memory loss? →

HOME || REGISTER || LOGIN