An Uncommon Pursuit

Training Over 35 Lifter
1821

[quote]skidmark wrote:
2009-3-10

Weight: 186

Overhead Press
barx15
95x8
115x5
135x5
155x3
170x3,3 (Set PR@3Reps +1 set)
155x6 (Rep PR +1 rep)

Pullups
BWx5
+35x5
+60x3
+80 3x3

Sumo Deadlift
135x5
225x4
315x3
405x2
445x1,1 (PR weight +10?)

Conventional
445x2

Front Squats
245x3
255x3 (PR Reps +1)
245x3

Good session today. I decided that since I’m doing lower body 2-3 times per week that I’m only going for singles on deads for the most part, if I do them at all.[/quote]

dude… awesome job on the overhead press and front squats. it’s obvious that that “core” of yours is very strong.

now on to the sumo pulling. your hips are rising wayyy too fast and it’s becoming a sumo stiff legged dead.

you need to turn your toes out just a little bit more and as you initiat the pull off the floor, force yuour knees out towards the plates. think of it as jacking up the bar with your legs. you are allowing your knees to move forward. by pushing your knees out as you pull the hips are doing a lot of the work. it will also keep the weight closer to you. lastly, as the weight reaches your knees you need to force your ass forward towards the bar to get those hips through.

i would suggest doing RDL’s to reinforce pushing the hips through and sumo deads to the knees. with those you just pull the weight to the knees and then back down.

when pulling sumo the upper body should be as upright as possible. the movement, if done properly should be squatting the weight up to the knees and then forcing the hips through to the weight. if done correctly the range of motion is very short.

1822

Thanks for the critique. I knew I wasn’t getting everything out of the sumos that I should. I think I went too heavy today on them since they did turn into a straddle stiff legged dead.

I’ll give the RDL’s and sumo DL to the knees a go next time.

Done properly, these should have a large amount of carry over to my squat, too.

Thanks Meat.

1823

wow Meats advice has me thinking…about my own mechanics ( or lack of)

you are working hard against your own limbs
but your OH press was so solid.
Ditto for the front squat…

I am a novice with sumo, so I cant comment.

kmc

1824

[quote]kmcnyc wrote:
wow Meats advice has me thinking…about my own mechanics ( or lack of)

you are working hard against your own limbs
but your OH press was so solid.
Ditto for the front squat…

I am a novice with sumo, so I cant comment.

kmc[/quote]

Well - I do on my front squat what I’m supposed to do on my sumo, which is get my knees way the hell out there. When they come in on the 2nd and third reps is when I start to fall forward on the front squat. I also have to remember to keep my elbows in towards center line and up in order to keep my upper back extended.

My form sucked pretty much in the vid, but that was a 3 rep max for me. 245 looked and felt miles better. I dunno why 10lbs made such a difference. Must be mental.

1825


I thought your form was pretty solid, if not real solid on front squats.
You are moving the bar really far.

If I do over 225 I will lean or tilt more then I like.

Have you ever used straps on the bar-
it helps with keeping the elbow in a good rack.I don’t think you have a bad front squat form at just helps with elbows.

and yes its mental I have a fear of full size plates…and try to add in tens fives etc.

maybe this pic helps or not.
kmc

1826

I’m pretty sure I’m dropping my elbows as a result of leaning forward in order to change my leverage in the hole. Their position relative to my torso isn’t really changing. My glutes get tired and I try to see-saw my way up by leaning further forward. Straps wouldn’t make any difference on that. I just need to get my ass stronger.

1827

So I seem to be recovering okay from the 3-4 times per week of some form of squatting DLing. I think I’m adapting to the volume and frequency.

I’m going to add Romanian DLs on days I squat and do the sumo-to-knees in place of sumos on days I deadlift. Haven’t decided if those will be multi rep, but I think so, since the mechanical effort of each one will be about half that of a regular sumo. So that puts it in about the 8-12 total rep range. Perfect.

1828

[quote]skidmark wrote:
So I seem to be recovering okay from the 3-4 times per week of some form of squatting DLing. I think I’m adapting to the volume and frequency.

I’m going to add Romanian DLs on days I squat and do the sumo-to-knees in place of sumos on days I deadlift. Haven’t decided if those will be multi rep, but I think so, since the mechanical effort of each one will be about half that of a regular sumo. So that puts it in about the 8-12 total rep range. Perfect.

[/quote]

i would do the sumo to knees as the first movement. set up after every rep. i would give 5x5 a try on those. then move on to the RDL’s. those i would do for 3 sets of 8 to 12. i like to start those from a standing position like out of a rack. as for progression, i would keep the weigh the same on the sumo’s and concentrate on getting faster off the floor on each rep and perfecting the form. on the RDL’s i would go for weight PR’s on those. be sure to video them so i can see your form in case we need to tweak something.

1829

Holy cow, Meat, I can’t believe you’re not charging for this great advice. I may now have an incentive to overcome my shame and post a video.

1830

[quote]maraudermeat wrote:
skidmark wrote:
So I seem to be recovering okay from the 3-4 times per week of some form of squatting DLing. I think I’m adapting to the volume and frequency.

I’m going to add Romanian DLs on days I squat and do the sumo-to-knees in place of sumos on days I deadlift. Haven’t decided if those will be multi rep, but I think so, since the mechanical effort of each one will be about half that of a regular sumo. So that puts it in about the 8-12 total rep range. Perfect.

i would do the sumo to knees as the first movement. set up after every rep. i would give 5x5 a try on those. then move on to the RDL’s. those i would do for 3 sets of 8 to 12. i like to start those from a standing position like out of a rack. as for progression, i would keep the weigh the same on the sumo’s and concentrate on getting faster off the floor on each rep and perfecting the form. on the RDL’s i would go for weight PR’s on those. be sure to video them so i can see your form in case we need to tweak something.

[/quote]

Is that the “get-5-for-the-first-two-sets-and-get-what-you-can-after-that” 5x5 or a real 5x5?

1831

[quote]sfp wrote:
Holy cow, Meat, I can’t believe you’re not charging for this great advice. I may now have an incentive to overcome my shame and post a video.[/quote]

I know man - he’s givin’ it away to anyone who’ll ask.

Beats the hell out of me why nobody asks…

1832

[quote]sfp wrote:
Holy cow, Meat, I can’t believe you’re not charging for this great advice. I may now have an incentive to overcome my shame and post a video.[/quote]

i’m happy to help anyone that is looking to improve with no excuses. post up a vid… its the best way to improve your form. i video most of my heavy lifts and then watch them immidiately.

1833

[quote]skidmark wrote:
maraudermeat wrote:
skidmark wrote:
So I seem to be recovering okay from the 3-4 times per week of some form of squatting DLing. I think I’m adapting to the volume and frequency.

I’m going to add Romanian DLs on days I squat and do the sumo-to-knees in place of sumos on days I deadlift. Haven’t decided if those will be multi rep, but I think so, since the mechanical effort of each one will be about half that of a regular sumo. So that puts it in about the 8-12 total rep range. Perfect.

i would do the sumo to knees as the first movement. set up after every rep. i would give 5x5 a try on those. then move on to the RDL’s. those i would do for 3 sets of 8 to 12. i like to start those from a standing position like out of a rack. as for progression, i would keep the weigh the same on the sumo’s and concentrate on getting faster off the floor on each rep and perfecting the form. on the RDL’s i would go for weight PR’s on those. be sure to video them so i can see your form in case we need to tweak something.

Is that the “get-5-for-the-first-two-sets-and-get-what-you-can-after-that” 5x5 or a real 5x5?[/quote]

good question… for these i would prefer that the weight be something that is doeable for all 5 sets of 5 reps. what you should be working on is getting really fast off the floor and keep those knees out with the bar close. on each rep bring the weight just to your knees and feel where the hips should start to come forward. stop right before that point. if it helps, lighten the weight and pause at the top. it would really be awesome if you had a pair of jumpstretch mini bands. they will force you to pull really fast and keep perfect form. i know that elitefts is having a sale on them right now.

1834

[quote]maraudermeat wrote:
skidmark wrote:
maraudermeat wrote:
skidmark wrote:
So I seem to be recovering okay from the 3-4 times per week of some form of squatting DLing. I think I’m adapting to the volume and frequency.

I’m going to add Romanian DLs on days I squat and do the sumo-to-knees in place of sumos on days I deadlift. Haven’t decided if those will be multi rep, but I think so, since the mechanical effort of each one will be about half that of a regular sumo. So that puts it in about the 8-12 total rep range. Perfect.

i would do the sumo to knees as the first movement. set up after every rep. i would give 5x5 a try on those. then move on to the RDL’s. those i would do for 3 sets of 8 to 12. i like to start those from a standing position like out of a rack. as for progression, i would keep the weigh the same on the sumo’s and concentrate on getting faster off the floor on each rep and perfecting the form. on the RDL’s i would go for weight PR’s on those. be sure to video them so i can see your form in case we need to tweak something.

Is that the “get-5-for-the-first-two-sets-and-get-what-you-can-after-that” 5x5 or a real 5x5?

good question… for these i would prefer that the weight be something that is doeable for all 5 sets of 5 reps. what you should be working on is getting really fast off the floor and keep those knees out with the bar close. on each rep bring the weight just to your knees and feel where the hips should start to come forward. stop right before that point. if it helps, lighten the weight and pause at the top. it would really be awesome if you had a pair of jumpstretch mini bands. they will force you to pull really fast and keep perfect form. i know that elitefts is having a sale on them right now.

[/quote]

Asamatteroffact, I have a set of mini’s, smalls and average bands. Doubled mini’s kick my ass when I use them for deads. Pulling to the knees and pausing at the top with bands would be really haaaaaarrrrrrd and might just cause brown stripes in my undies (hence my name, incidentally).

setting them up my gym is problematic. I need a platform such as you’ve made or to stand on the bands to secure them.

1835

[quote]skidmark wrote:
maraudermeat wrote:
skidmark wrote:
maraudermeat wrote:
skidmark wrote:
So I seem to be recovering okay from the 3-4 times per week of some form of squatting DLing. I think I’m adapting to the volume and frequency.

I’m going to add Romanian DLs on days I squat and do the sumo-to-knees in place of sumos on days I deadlift. Haven’t decided if those will be multi rep, but I think so, since the mechanical effort of each one will be about half that of a regular sumo. So that puts it in about the 8-12 total rep range. Perfect.

i would do the sumo to knees as the first movement. set up after every rep. i would give 5x5 a try on those. then move on to the RDL’s. those i would do for 3 sets of 8 to 12. i like to start those from a standing position like out of a rack. as for progression, i would keep the weigh the same on the sumo’s and concentrate on getting faster off the floor on each rep and perfecting the form.

on the RDL’s i would go for weight PR’s on those. be sure to video them so i can see your form in case we need to tweak something.

Is that the “get-5-for-the-first-two-sets-and-get-what-you-can-after-that” 5x5 or a real 5x5?

good question… for these i would prefer that the weight be something that is doeable for all 5 sets of 5 reps. what you should be working on is getting really fast off the floor and keep those knees out with the bar close.

on each rep bring the weight just to your knees and feel where the hips should start to come forward. stop right before that point.

if it helps, lighten the weight and pause at the top. it would really be awesome if you had a pair of jumpstretch mini bands. they will force you to pull really fast and keep perfect form. i know that elitefts is having a sale on them right now.

Asamatteroffact, I have a set of mini’s, smalls and average bands. Doubled mini’s kick my ass when I use them for deads. Pulling to the knees and pausing at the top with bands would be really haaaaaarrrrrrd and might just cause brown stripes in my undies (hence my name, incidentally).

setting them up my gym is problematic. I need a platform such as you’ve made or to stand on the bands to secure them.
[/quote]

where there’s a will there’s a skidmark:)

1836

Meat - you gotta quit posting on my thread so much or your care bear is gonna get jealous…

1837

3-13-2009

weight: 187

3 scoops Magic Marching Powder

Bench (paused)
barx15
135x10
185x5
215x3
240 3x3

Pendlay Row
185x10
260x4 (oops! Misloaded)
240x6,6

Squat
185x5
255x3
305x3
345x2,1,1,1,1
325xmiss

Front Bar reverse lunges (right side only)
135 2x8

Bench Notes: starting with my feet half way up the length of the bench. Got a hell of a good arch to where I almost couldn’t breathe. The last set had the best setup and I pushed the third of three paused reps off my chest faster than the 1st rep of the first set.

Pendlay Row notes: was using all 35’s and forgot that 3 35’s a side is 255 altogether, not 235. felt really heavy and then I realized what I’d done.

Squat - These were tough. I probably could have used another day off lower body before attempting these. Getting my knees out and keeping my chest up a little better, but the elbows are still coming back.

I had to put the bar higher on my back to force me more upright and try to keep the elbows down. I failed to keep them down on the heavy sets, though I can feel the difference of the arch forcing my hips to work more. Not much wiggle room in the bar path, though.

If I go forward a bit I lose it. I wish I could take about 4 inches off my femurs… Did singles so I could concentrate on each rep. Couldn’t get good doubles or triples with the new form anyway.

1838

I thought the squats looked like what they are heavy ass squats.

You are a lanky person , your range of motion is long. take that into account when your being critical.

Im like 5’6" maybe 5’7" with hair and on lifts that heavy I lean too.

But if you are giving away free ehight I might take you up on that.
I am always mr.topstep ladder guy.

1839

It’s pissing me off. 345 is not that heavy. I should be doing 400 as a regular thing, rather than it still being a goal I’m trying to attain.

There’s a ton of 165 lbers doing 10 rep sets @ 365, so what’s my excuse.

1840

I don’t know what my excuse is either not solong ago 8 years? I guess that is long ago.
I could rep 275 ass to grass for 20.

Yesterday I couldn’t do 185 for 20 go figure.
I am de-trained you shouldn’t sweat it,
its just time with the numbers.

How tall are you 6’2" you look pretty tall