(203.4) Loving the squats! The rest of the workout not so much.  If you do something everyday it becomes the normal.  Because of that I have gotten to really enjoy my squats everyday it makes the rest of the workout not as enjoyable for me.  Every day I look forward to "bend the knee"!  I always enjoyed back workouts the most but I have always tried to make it legs a priority when I lift.    It  boosts fitness and athleticism even daily life in so many ways.  After the "treat" squats yesterday I do have a little bit of soreness but not much.  Just a little different movement to remind myself I am missing a couple muscles in my legs that squats have missed.  Look forward to tomorrow and trying to go heavy again!  

(203) For years I wrestled and got into the habit of weighing myself first thing everyday.   Before food, water or anything else besides going to the bathroom first of course.  Many people would say it is not mentally healthy to weigh yourself daily.  To me my weight is not something that affects my daily progress or mental outlook so it does not bother me.  It is a simple habit that I have done for years.  By checking my weight daily a couple lbs up or a couple lbs down (which could make a 4 lb swing sometimes).  The scale depends a lot on what I have eaten in the last day or so and I understand that.  My normal diet doesn't vary a ton so I get a good idea what my actual weight is.  When I started this challenge my weight was the lowest I have been in 10 years.  192 lbs!  I was watching what I ate by my portions and that helped a lot.  Today I am weighing 203 lbs!  I have gained 11 lbs.  By saying that I also know it is partly due to the lack of lifting I had been doing before Squatober.    I can tell I have lost some extra fat but gained leg mass.   I may start adding my weight to the beginning of each blog like (203).  Another thing I have noticed as well as my wife is the strength and more definition in my mid section with abs.   This makes sense because it is a major stabilizer for squats.  They are getting worked everyday!  This weeks workout is a bit shorter but the Dumbbell rear foot elevated split squats from today was a great change to do a few of those. I bet i will be a bit sore from those tomorrow.

Today was low reps heavy weights.  I feel pretty strong in my lifting at this time.  My original squat max was a guesstimate since I hadn't lifted much prior to this Squatober.    It seems to be pretty accurate but my strength has also increased so I think once I get to the max day I will be able to raise my limit.  The last rep at 92.5% was hard but I didn't need any help to finish out the exercise.   My goal is to see what kind of gains I can make over the month.  My original goal was to finish the challenge but now I am excited to keep progressing. It is a little sad that Squatober is over half way finished.   My wife and I at this moment are having to lift at different times.  She has feels that the extra reps she gets more out  of her squat but her full range of motion is getting closer every day.   I think that will help her low reps with more range of motion. Next onto what I noticed first time back at my home gym. I missed music to help motivate.  We always play music here but wasn't quite motivating enough.  I didn't have my keys to unlock the door to turn up the volume and didn't bring my headphones.  So I was stuck in the silence. Silence is nice but not when I am trying to stay motivated.  For me music can make the reps feel easier.  Maybe it ignites the central nervous system a bit or heightens the nerves a little.   What are your motivations for working out?   If something is missing does it keep you from completing your workout to it's potential?

Today was great to be back in my home gym of Fit24.  It was a bit hard for me to go back to adjusting to lbs again.  To be honest it is the first time I have questioned a 45lb plate since I first started lifting.  It does make sense to increase by 10's instead of 15's.  It is ok though I will relearn.  The first day went well.  Lifts felt good.  I felt strong.  If you are wondering about why I am doing day 15 on day 20 check out yesterday's blog post.  There are no pictures from today but my wife has a couple.  Just simply forgot to take a picture.  I will make sure today not to forget.  My close grip bench was harder than I anticipated.  I felt good but my left elbow had a little pain in it.   I think it is just from carrying my son on and off over the past couple weeks.  He is heavy and likes to move a bunch and play around while I am holding him.  Hopefully that will all pass as well as my elbow symptoms.   Glad to be back! 

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