When I moved back to my friend's house due to unemployment, I started going to the gym with one of my housemates, mostly for the social aspect, since sitting at home and applying for jobs all day can be depressing. It's been a few weeks now and I'm pretty proud of my progress, as we only go once per week and I am getting stronger and stronger..
It's quite interesting, because there is a lot to think about. A deadlift is when you bend down, grab the weight, and then stand up, and then carefully put the weight back down. Sounds simple but it's not, and, there are a lot more muscles involved than I originally thought. Also, it's not really a quads+arms exercise, as I originally thought.
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| Getting ready to lift 70 kg. My form is not perfect, but it's not too bad. Keep knees behind toes, straighten back, head up. I should have my shoulders back too I think but I obviously don't. Eeep. |
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| Engage the abs and squeeeeeze the glutes and hamstrings to come to standing. You can pretty much see my abs through my shirt, because all your core muscles are activated. |
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| 70 kg felt quite easy, so we upped the weight to 80 kg. This is the heaviest I have lifted to date. I like this picture because I look funny in it but I know I was seriously thinking about the motion and what muscles to use and how to maintain form, because while kinda easy, 70 kg was heavy and there are so many things that can get hurt if you lift with incorrect form. I hope I don't always look this funny while thinking, but anyways. |
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| Did it! Haha that was heavy. I think I look bigger in this photo than the 70 kg photo, but it could just be that I'm a tiny bit closer to the camera in this one I think. Or maybe I actually am better since like, everything is flexed haha. Called it a day after that. |
The gym I go to is pretty awesome too, cuz as far as I can see, everyone there is simply there to gain strength. Not really to lose weight, bulk up, etc. but to merely become stronger. Which is quite exciting because when combined/applied with/to the other things I have been doing, I feel like I am becoming more efficient and powerful, and everyday things feel easier.
Also this week, there came a day when Butch, Skyn and Genghis all had the same day off, so we managed to round up enough singlecrafts (three outrigger canoes and a surfski) to go for an afternoon of paddling. I originally learned how to paddle an outrigger in Calgary, but this was the first time I went out in one in Sydney. Didn't try the ski since it was quite windy and those things seem to be tippy in even the calm conditions. It was also kind of fun strapping the boats down to roofs, as it reminded me of Tetris-ing snowboards into the car in Calgary. Here and there :)
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| Singlecrafts! |
