I need to apologize for leaving the blog hanging.  My wife and I had such a hit and miss week of working out due to being in a remote area and not able to get to the gym each day.  We did make it on and off throughout the week and between M-Sat of this past week it has been extremely hectic.  We went on a mini remote vacation while in Denmark,  Celebrated a Big Birthday, Flew back around the world, And I was the best man in my brothers wedding and helped them set up and take down.  I know that is all an excuse as well but excuses are one thing and the other is to recommit.  Our commitment to continue on this journey is greater than the excuses and not finishing Squatober.  So my wife and I are redoing some of the workouts we did between the last week and will spend an extra week of squating.   Monday we will start back at day 14.  This way we are able to finish out the month and feel that we have done our best effort to complete the challenge.   I do feel that we have been giving it our best effort but sometimes you fall short.   I do think that I will be able to make up for the loss and make it a win.  Hope you will also forgive our absence and continue to follow us for the remainder our the journey!

If you have been following my blog you know that while in Finland my wife was unable to workout because of our son so I worked out with my friend Mikko.  My wife went into workout this morning and said it went well.  She had a tough time doing front squats because she has never done one.  I didn't go with her this morning but she decided to just finish with back squats.  We have been talking about her Max on squat and when she does 80% she is not able to go as low in her squat.   I know this can sometimes be a bit normal if the weight is too heavy.  I don't think that is the case but more her flexibility and range of motion gets a bit unstable.  Next week I think we will keep her at a max weight of 75% to help keep her form progressing. She feels that more range of motion is better than extra weight.  I would have to agree.  I think this way she will get more out of her workout and in the long run Form > Weight.  To me form surpasses all weight.  Yes you may be able to do more weight now but what gets you past all others will be good form.  Form allows you  to use the most of the muscles you are focusing on.  For example with Squat you have a couple of different types of "Back Squats"  - For ex.  Box squat ( going to 90) and a Full squat ( using the full range of motion below 90).  I know there can be a big discussion on if a Full squat is good or bad for you and I would say it is both.  Depends on the form.  Good form on a Full squat allows you to engage all the muscles in a full range so you are working them further and harder.  But if you allow your knees to go over your toes, which is bad form, then you have a risk of injury.  I know this is my wife's goal is to achieve a full squat and work the entirety of her legs.  Not only does it make you stronger it makes a box squat feel like cheating.  Of course most people do a box squat.  And there is no shame in that I would say.  My goal when I am working out is to achieve the most out of each exercise to become the best I can be.   I am ok with less weights to develop a good muscle memory.  Once the proper muscle memory is there the weight will come.

Normally I wait to post this until later in the day for me and afternoon for you.  Since we are 7 hours ahead and I have a full day planned I am needing to do it a bit earlier today.  The more the time goes on with this Squatober the more I am enjoying the squats than the rest of the exercises.  My wife is not the same she enjoys it all equally so she says.  I think it is because although it is hard to do the exercises each day I feel that I am most confident now with squats.  The other lifts I am still a bit unsure on what weight would maximize my workout.  It is kind of like being in the habit of brushing your teeth.  You do it everyday and know exactly the best way to clean them with the minimal time and maximum outcome.  I know that is a bit weird comparison but I think that is what this Squatober is really teaching me is that with a little persistence and commitment can go a long way.  It is hard.  I know that.  You have to go even when you feel like you shouldn't.  Also don't let your first lift of the exercise keep you from attaining your goal.  Today my first set of squats and maybe a little into my second I was not feeling like I should keep adding weight or continue with my exercise.  But after my second rep on my second set everything changed.  After the last set I was ready for more.  I felt far better and less weak on my last set than my first set.  I thought to myself at that moment that many times in the past I would have let my mind hold me back when in reality my will is what kept me pushing through.  We have pretty powerful minds to keep us safe but our will keeps us from failing.  Both are important and sometimes we need to listen to the mind and other times let the will keep us going.

I woke up this morning the same time as normal around 7:30.  I was still very tired.  I think it may be a little bit of the trip catching up to me by going at 110%.  I also worked out in the afternoon from 2:30-3:30 yesterday.  Maybe I am a bit tired because I am not fully rested for this morning.  I have a muscle on the side of my  leg that was a bit  overworked yesterday but this morning it felt fine.  Although I was too tired to workout I managed to get in the workout this morning and it made me feel really good!!!  My legs felt good and today was an easier day comparatively.   We have ridden and walked a lot today which my legs do not feel in the least sore anymore.  Even though yesterday was a really tough workout I am surprised to see my legs capable to stay healed up or maybe used to the weight.  My back seems to have also gotten a bit less sore and maybe not sore at all where the bar sits.  One thing I do know is that I need to keep up my eating to help with the recovery and sleep seems to be important as well.   Today I have walked and ridden a bike a lot so it could be helping with recovery.  Hope your workout is going as well as mine have or hope this will also inspire others to try and keep working out. 
​TLMD

Flew back to Denmark this morning and rode our bicycles to the gym and it decided to pour down raining.  Off to a good start I would say.  My wife and I got to the gym and started in on our squats today.  We were able to use a couple squat racks that were a little less crowded than the ones we used on Sunday.  It was a pretty tough workout today of heavy weights and quite a few reps.  Not only was the squat exercise tough today but 70-80% max was pretty tough as well.  It still surprises me how much harder lifting lower body first and then your upper body after is.  My wife has improved once again with her squats almost to a 90 degree bend in her knees.  Her form is really getting better.  She talked today that with a bit of heavier weights she is feeling more in her legs.  I think it is her form and of course the extra weight.   The lifts for me were great I felt really well but my last set was a little tough and maybe a bit to much.  Hope that doesn't effect my next days of squatting.   I wasn't really more sore than I have been so it seems to have leveled out or I have gotten used to it.   The videos will be posted on my Fit24 Group page for members.  Tonight I am going to a birthday party and it should have a lot of meat to eat to help with all the calories and protein I need to keep taking in.  I can post more on it tomorrow.  
Thanks
TLMD

Today I went as a guest of my friend Mikko from Finland to his gym.  It was nice and he decided to do the Squatober workout with me.  It felt good to to still have someone to workout with since my son was with my wife so she was not able to come to the gym today but will be making up the exercises.  I appreciate her for allowing me to keep my promise to squat thought out the month.  The workout was great as well as a little different than last week.  My legs are getting used to squatting so frequently.  They seem more capable to finish the workouts with a little more in the tank than each day before.   I am feeling more and more excited to the next squat.  Also my recovery seems to be much more efficient.    My legs are less sore each day as well as my back from where the bar has sat.   I also think the amount of walking I have been doing each day may also have contributed to my legs removing lactic acid.    I enjoyed trying out a Finnish gym today.  It is the same with the indoor only shoes and they have a place for shoes as soon as you walk into the facility before heading to the locker room.   It is cold in Finland so  you need to shed all the clothes off before working out.  They have lockers available for members as well as each member stores their lock on a rod to use each time they come in.   I was looking forward to the sauna afterwards since I am in Finland but unfortunately the sauna was not working.     I may try out our sauna at the hotel before we fly back to Denmark in the morning.  Thanks for following today look forward to updating tomorrow.  Feel free to ask any questions you may have.
​TLMD

So Today we traveled to Finland for a couple of days but not before we worked out in Denmark.  It was a little of a rush since we had to drive an hour to the airport and flew at 11:50am.  We talked to the manager to get around the CPR number and was able to obtain a week membership card to workout for the rest of our trip.   Today I was not too sore from yesterday which I am glad since we had to push the end of last week's exercise until the beginning of this week.   Today was heavy weights but a successful workout.  I felt strong and capable but also was prepared with my weight written out in kilos and ready to streamline the workout.  My wife has felt a bit better with the weight she has chosen but I think by the beginning of next week we may raise her max a bit.  I am looking forward to tomorrow.  Curious to see what new things I learn in the Finnish gym.   My wife will not be able to participate due to having Aksel with us but will catch up once we return to Denmark.    Also my wife's has continued to improve on her range in her squat like a CHAMP!
Feel free to ask any questions in the comments
TLMD

  We got in our first workout of Squatober in Denmark.  It felt good and I definitely felt stronger with the break in between.  My wife also jumped her max squat up a bit since she felt it was a little too light for her.  I take that as a gain of strength for her as well (Plus her form is really doing better each day with more range of motion).  One thing I didn't think about is that by her doing squatober her ankle flexion would become better each day.  Today I was still a little sore but nothing compared to the last few days.  I am sure it will be back tomorrow.  Now for a couple things I have learned about working out at a new gym in a different country and using kilos not lbs.  Firstly the fitness center was great having a clean environment with a lot of options to get your workout in.  It is a franchise in Denmark called Fitness World and not sure if it has local pictures available online or not but I will check further for a website with the Ribe location to share with you.   In Denmark people have a CPR number that are unique to each citizen which is kind of like our Social Security number in the states.  They use this number for also joining a fitness center to help guarantee payment.  I only have a partial one after getting married to my wife but not the full number so I have to talk with the manager tomorrow to see how I can get signed up for the remainder of the week.  He was nice enough to allow me to workout for the day.  The second thing that was unique with all fitness centers in Denmark is they only allow indoor shoes at the facility.  So you can not walk in with shoes and workout in them.  They must be indoor only.  I can see that it would help with mud and debris to keep the equipment and facility clean.  I have a picture I have uploaded after cycling to the center(bicycles are a major mode of transportation within the city here in Denmark).   The next thing I didn't think about was all the weights. They were not the standard sizes and of course all in kilos.  It took a little more time using my math skills from long ago to add, subtract, and multiply numbers to get the appropriate % and weights.(2.2lbs is 1 kilo) The plates go from 5,10,15,20, and 25 kilos. They are all the same diameter but different thicknesses depending on how much the weight is.  Also all the weights are on the same weight rack mixed together.  So it isn't organized like most gyms which normally put the 2.5, 5, 10, 25, 25 and 45's in each their own spot.  All in all the workout felt good and was a success. I look forward to tomorrow and hope you follow me through this Squatober
TLMD

My intentions are here but with a few flight delays and traveling for over 27 hours and being 7 hours ahead in time zones I was not able to perform my workout.  But I will be replacing day 4 with a rest day and making it up Sunday. Luckily for me Saturday and Sunday are rest days for squatober. My two days were we filled with chasing a 2 year old around an airport for hours and hours.   It can prove challenging with such sore legs.  I will post pictures tomorrow morning on our make up day.  Sorry for the short update but it is 2:09pm back home and 11:09pm here.  I need to get my sleep so I can get the the fitness center in the morning to get back on track.
​TLMD

What can I say about today except absolute madness! Today I am going to visit my wife's family in Denmark.   Of course any trip is always tough to be ready for.  But after getting up early and staying up late the last few days as well as continuing the Squatober, we have everything in line up to what is in our control.   Other than that yesterday's workout went well I was sore but was able to finish strong as well as my wife.  I uploaded a few photos on the blog to show we made it.  Today though was a whole different level of sore.  My legs were not any more sore than yesterday but I can feel where the bar has been resting the last couple of workouts (Steffie said the same thing).  So after my second set I decided I would use a  barbell pad.  I have not used one since probably I was 15.  IT HELPED!  I will probably continue to use it during the heavier weights at least.  Hopefully the gym in Denmark will have one or something. Should be interesting to see.  During my last set of squats my legs were exhausted and the last two reps I changed to the bar only.  This was achievable but not without a struggle.  I can't say it wasn't because squatting the last 3 days in a row for my first time really working out in a long time is to blame but I think my short turn around for workouts today and yesterday could be a  the culprit.  I worked out on day 2 around 6:00-7:00 and then worked out this morning at 8ish or so for my day 3.  It may be a little bit of my body saying "Hey we signed up for working out but not at such a fast turn around.  I am looking forward to this long flight hope my 2 year old sleeps.  Steffie and I could use it!  Hope your workouts have been successful and keep track of updated workouts and blog posts
​TLMD