Doesn’t seem like an optimal approach, she’s squatting the bar and we have her doing like 6 working sets of 5 each week over two workouts. She’ll be recovered from these by the time she has a PWO meal. Outside of very initial DOMS from a new movement I’d say she can handle a whole lot more. Plus she appears willing to do more.

I'd give her more if I could be there to coach her through it. I'd rather she didn't do 10 daily sets of questionable technique for weeks until we iron that stuff out.

it literally won't matter 3 months from now.

I was more cringing at the male vs. female comment, since there never needs to be a difference in programming based on sex. I didn't even look at the program, everything works and people on here are generally about 10000% more nitty than needed with regards to programs.


But, related and just released the other day:

Evidence for an Upper Threshold for Resistance Training Volume in Trained Women

Summary of that study here.

And this, obv.

This is just Week 1, our first attempt. Renton will modify as needed. I have full faith in him. He knows waaaaaay more about this than I do, without a doubt, so I feel whatever he programs is going to be better than what I would've done.

As it is, Renton goes over every detail of every move, before each workout...and then does a post mortem after each one. Priceless coaching. I feel bad taking up his time, but so far he doesn't mind.

I do appreciate input from others very much though. It all helps.

I dunno how you mofos think about all that different shiat at the same time, while lifting. Where your hands are, where your thumbs are, where your knees are, weight on the middle of your foot, bar up and down in a straight line, breath control, thinking up while pressing to the ground, and i dunno wtf else. WTF Oh, and video yourself while doing all this shiat.

I thought you guys were just picking up heavy things and flexing.

Think you're cringing now?

Re: male vs female stuff, seems like there's a decent amount of anecdotal accounts suggesting that small lifters and females can handle more (and need more, my log bears this out as well), but as a novice I think this program well-exceeds the minimum effective dose. And it can be adjusted later.

this^


and Josie, face pulls should not be difficult. Lighten the weight.

DL - Dont shrug and dont bend your arms at all. Think long arms and chest up. Aside from that, they look good.

squats - Dont lean forward. As you're descending, think about dropping your butt between your heels.

I thought I was supposed to lean forward...but I leaned too late.

You should allow some amount of forward lean, but that may not mean consciously trying to lean forward. The most important thing is that you remain balanced across your feet. Doing slow tempo reps on Sunday will help teach this.

The bar path should be directly over the center of your feet, all the way down and up.

Can't wait for Slow Tempo Sunday!

It's Friday afternoon (in work) and my day off from the gym. Why? Because Friday night is poker night! I'm excited. I had to miss poker last Friday for a dumb birthday party.

Even though I'm skipping the gym, I've taken 3 (soon to be 4) good size walks today and am buzzing around the office.

When I started my log in H&F one of the first bits of advice from Renton was to adopt NEAT life style...which is Non Exercise Activity Tiger. Okay maybe it's not tiger but I dunno. It means being active all day even when you're not exercising.

Like getting up every so often and walking around.
Getting up from your seat without using your hands/arms for support.
Going upstairs the same way.
Keep everything tidy.
Keeping moving.
I do suspending arm lifts from my office chair whenever I think of it.
Walking over to talk to someone instead of using the phone.
Not sitting and watching TV after work.

I've been doing this for over a year and it really is a lifestyle shift...prior to it, I'd been on a plateau at 150lbs for a couple of months and very, very sedentary.

My mom very frequently says "Madonna mia, sit down. Where do you getta the energy? You making me tired." My sister will usually pipe in "You should see her running up and down the stairs. She doesn't walk anywhere."

I do walk, but very fast. Compared to a few years ago, when I could barely walk at a snail's pace...I'll take it.

Just got back from an office lunch. Today is the last day for my assistant. Principals have followed through with assigning all of her shiat to others and none to me. Let's just say staff is not thrilled and neither am I.

It's going to be a ****-show but I wasn't part of the decision making process.

Annnnd speaking of another walk, I'm running out to get her a goodbye gift. Yes, at the last possible minute. I've been busy working out!

Oh Renton,

I'm going to be doing chest tomorrow early. Your probably about to go to sleep but maybe we can chat when you wake up?

Good night!

Josie, would it have bothered you if Renton referred to them as your "delicate lady parts" instead of tits?

I may have misled you. He didn't refer to them as tits, I did. I believe he used the word chest, repeatedly.

We're working on my 'chest' tomorrow. Just to be safe, I am not wearing my sports bra, which flattens my chest.

Also, get your football picks in!

Had to take the wife on an unscheduled hospital run for testing late yesterday and didn’t get back in time. I don’t have it setup on my phone. Luckily the dog is feeling better enough that the wife is even willing to be apart from it for a couple of hours.

It’s just one of those times wife’s health is going sideways all at once. Could be the stress. Could be some bug. Could just be an occasional tumor reaction that doesn’t mean anything. Could be something else. Usually it just eventually passes and we never find out the cause.

I hope it passes quickly and I was worried something was wrong when I didn’t see your picks.

Hope everything works out ok.

5 min into my PLO game...

Pretty hand, prettier flop, beautiful river

Huge fish just sat down at my plo table next to my on my right. Issue is he keeps TOUCHING me. Normally I’d just slug him but I don’t want to tap the glass.

Yet...every touch is a little braver...need to put him in his place.

So I just left my chips on the table & took a quick walk...diner next door.



Ham and eggs ftw! I asked for no toast but of course they put it on my plate. I banished it to the table...

This is 1/3 PLO. Plays really big.



All in jam on the river w the nuts for $600 on top of pot. He thinks and thinks (while I pray) and he CALLS. 🤩

Renton Program Workout #3
Upper Body

I had a GREAT workout this morning. I sure could feel it but it wasn’t too hard. More than that, my BP improved soooo much w regard to form. I get it now. I touched my chest every time, locked out my arms straight, shoulders on bench, squeezing a pencil, breath held. It all worked. What a difference, but I’m getting ahead of myself.

Overhead Press
Was supposed to do this w a training bar but there wasn’t any so I used the curling bars.
20lbs 5 reps
30lbs 5 reps
30lbs 5 reps
40lbs 5 reps
45lbs 2 reps (naked bar)
Form was good imo. Correct hand position and locked out arms/triceps at top.

Bench Press
50lbs x 8 reps x 3 sets
Weight a little lower than last time but form was goooood. Will video next time to show improvement. Hope to increase weight.

Lat Pulldowns
75lbs x 10 reps x 5 sets
Felt good. Afterwards I thought “WTF Renton had me do FIFTY pulldowns?” But I ducked up. It was supposed to be 3 sets. Oh well.

Triceps Extensions w machine.
Place was mobbed. I couldn’t get the machine so I used a dumbbell behind my head.
15lbs x 12
20lbs x 12
20lbs x 12

Additionally I had to move a lot of plates that were left in my stations.

Good tiring workout. I can feel it more than lower body yet I like doing upper body much more than lower body.

Sweet merciful crap, NO! Go with dumbells if you have to. Set it up on the cable station if you must. Not this.

Re: microloading dumbells; just get some 2.5 lb ankle weights and put them on your wrists.

I don’t wanna do overhead press w dumbbells. I wanna do it w big 45lb bar.

Pisses me off that it was too heavy.

Imma video doing it w the curling bars and u guys tell me if it’s bad. I feel if I can keep it immobile it’s good.

Ohhhh micro loading dumbbells so I dong have to jump from 10 to 15?or 15 to 20lbs at once?