@ihavetwofeet41 I'm going to agree with the other commenter who noted that overhead squats are an advanced exercise. I personally don't think they have any place in a group exercise class. My advice would be to keep the "speed" out of it - focus on your technique and your strength.
It's why I largely dislike CrossFit (I know you're not doing that, but similar cross training in a group) - I think it's stupid to aim to lift as heavy as you can as fast as you can. Especially for beginners.
Don't compare yourself to others in the class. Everyone is at a different fitness level and has different strengths and weaknesses. Keep showing up and working! You can absolutely work on strength and stability on your own, but don't feel "pressured" to. Lifting can take a while to progress, so just keep at it.
@ihavetwofeet41 I'm 34F and it took me three classes just to get the form right before adding weight to the bar. In fact, the first day I just used the PVC pipe because i just couldn't get all the movements in synch. My husband, who does CrossFit with me, really struggled with snatches. Even though he is objectively stronger than me, I got it right away and he's still tweaking his form.
All of this is to say that doing challenging things, like CrossFit, is always going to be hard. There will be delays and setbacks. But if you're not making mistakes you're not making progress.
@ihavetwofeet41 It'll come with time and practice! I've fallen over from time to time on all the various components of oly lifts (well, not the jerk), pistol squats, handstands, box jumps...
Your objective can't be to do things perfectly (though you should do things safely). Failure is part of the learning process. You will miss a lot of lifts, especially anything oly. For this you've learned where your current limits are in terms of reps and speed. I wouldn't worry about doing any extra work right now. See where your are in 3 months. If you're still stuck in the same place, then it might then be worthwhile to ask what specific thing to work on. But right now you're just getting started. It's a lot to take in, and if you start trying to fix every little thing, you're going to get overloaded.
@ihavetwofeet41 I’m a 30something at a similar gym, and I have mad respect for all the 50+ members. There is also wild variation in 30 and 40something fitness, from people with decades of strength training experience to others who’ve been sedentary for a decade who are trying to return to movement. Personally I had a 10 year break from structured exercise and am now intermediate-ish, I remember being new and unsure and admire the bravery it takes.
@ihavetwofeet41 You've only been lifting for six weeks, and they've got you doing overhead squats? I don't mean to impugn their competence, but that sounds fucking nuts. I've been strength training for three years and my trainer would be coaching me through a move like that one-on-one with an unchallenging weight before letting me have at it.
You, OP, are not poorly representing anyone. I would be more concerned that your trainers have you doing technical, challenging moves in an under-supervised group setting, with (perhaps) unsuitable expectations geared toward male bodies and strength levels. Because that shit is a recipe for injury, and from the sound of things it is they who are representing poorly. You deserve better.
@anon103 Not years of experience, no, but if you're a genuine beginner I wouldn't assume that you have adequate core strength yet to safely pull off that move without courting back strain or (as evidenced here) a potential injury from dropping the weight. And frankly, when you're middle-aged, an injury like that can mess you up for quite a while.
Combine that with a setting that seems to encourage pushing past one's limitations (perceived or real) and the risk-to-reward ratio just doesn't look worth it, IMO.
@ihavetwofeet41 No way are you poorly representing anyone - you're showing up consistently and pushing yourself! OHS is a super tough move for me given limited tspine mobility, core strength and general stability so for now I stick with just the bar or if it's feeling extra rough I'll use a training bar or even a PVC.
If aside from some wounded pride you like the class I definitely wouldn't drop it, just modify the lifts to suit your strengths/limitations. A private lifting coach might be helpful if you don't feel you're getting enough guidance/correction from the coaches in class but watching videos on form, memorizing cues, and working on mobility at home has been a tremendously helpful to me as well.
