Fitness

It went through the The Park, and a recreation ground.

Today I ran 11K. Slowly. Not through a park. Furthest Ive run in quite a while. Quite pleased

Clifton parkrun this morning. Mid 27s.

Started barbell lifting before Christmas, following the Stronglifts 5x5 programme. Never done weights before, but am already finding household tasks a bit easier.

Crikey, have they got a microclimate in Clifton?

Stronglifts is a really good program, but it will get stale after a few months.

I am struggling now, after four months, but with small elbow strains and the like.

Chic is the expert here, but have you been taking deload weeks?

No, just kept either the same or higher weights. I didn't use the app. Maybe I've overdone it?

After 4 months of progression you should absolutely be starting to plan in deload, where you take a week of still working out but with maybe 20% less weight for each exercise and not working to failure. You need to give your muscles a chance to recover, even though it feels like you're not doing enough what you're doing is letting them regroup and repair so that when you hit back into the heavy lifting they can progress again.

Hmm interesting, cheers Russ.

Hey look, I'm not an expert. I love lifting, I've been doing it a while and I'm arrogant enough to say that I'm in pretty decent shape these days, but also I know enough to know I'm not an authority on it. Much as we love to rag on him, and me in particular, Chic's the one to listen to here. I'm a habitual overtrainer and don't take the advice I just gave you anything like as much as I should, so wait until he weighs in and either validates me or tells you why I'm wrong.

Definitely don't try and lift through an injury though. That I'm very sure on.

I get most of my information from Reddit. Should probably speak to an actual professional at some point.

Notice the Post have started taking copy-and-paste quotes from Reddit to form the basis of stories, which is rather concerning.

In London Monday and Tuesday, so hoping to get a Hyde Park run in early on Tuesday morning (providing I don't drink too much Monday evening). It's my favourite place to run ever I think. Closely followed by Toronto Island.