The problem is that most people’s idea of good technique is based on a lifter with good proportions for the lift, me and you won’t be able to make our deadlift look like one of those guys because we just aren’t built that way.
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Wednesday, June 24 - Main bench day
Bench press
370x2x2 - The plan was a triple and a down set but I managed to fail the 3rd rep so I figured the least I could do was two doubles. The first two reps were good and there was no doubt I had a 3rd rep but I pushed it back too much coming off my chest and basically dumped it around neck level, there wasn’t even a struggle because it ended up in a spot where I couldn’t push. I blame it on a technical error more than anything, but being stronger would have helped too. 2nd set was good, but not good enough to try for a 3rd rep after failing the first time.
Floor pause DB flys/floor press
75’s x15/6
65’s x14/6
Arnold press
55’s x15, 9
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Friday, June 26 - Deadlift day - “medium” session
Sumo
515x3x2
Conventional - straps
485x2x2 - first set beltless, second with a belt just because I wanted to see what difference it makes. It didn’t pinch me like it did in recent times on conventional, but it actually felt worse. Part of the problem could be the straps since I spend a few moments getting them set, I can barely breathe with the belt on. I think if I’m going to use a belt on conventional it would be for singles without straps.
Also, this was 30lbs less than I pulled sumo but it actually felt significantly easier. I think my back is the weak link but if I can sort that out then this would have some potential.
Chin ups - supinated
bw x10x2 - Trying to get some extra bicep work without doing curls. This grip is actually harder than I expected, I guess my biceps are lagging.
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What does back as weak link mean exactly? U mean ur hips/hammies, lower back or upper back? Or like injury/flare ups?
Like if I round my back while pulling something heavy I think I might hurt my back, and the hardest part of pulling conventional is not letting my back round. My lower back is the first thing to fatigue on conventional, and also when I’m doing enough reps it sometimes feels like I have trouble setting my back in the right position before pulling.
Lol that’s a lot of things to unpack.
Going off McGill unless ur trigger is any kinda flexion appropriately braced so like locked in from the start rounded back position is safe enough. If volume or intensity is the trigger than plenty of work around for that.
If getting into position is the issue could open up ur stance a bit like the big strongman guys do
Back rounding is often weak or poorly activated posterior chain so back rounds to improve leverages for them. Gets worse as ur posterior chain gets more fatigued. Could be weak spinal erectors or lack of patience at the start but I’m pretty sure u got slabs on meat on ur back.
Seems like flexion was always the issue the times that I hurt my back. Maybe I could get away with pulling with a rounded back, but I don’t really want to risk it. I did at one time, I used to pull conventional with a bit of rounding, it felt like the strongest position and I thought I could get away with it. I pulled 230kg conventional in my first meet. After that I had a few minor back strains over the course of several months and one day it felt like something exploded in my lower back, no more conventional after that. The thing is that I was always doing a lot of volume and frequency back then, pulling twice a week and squatting 3+ times, if I hadn’t been training like that then maybe things would have gone differently.
The problem with a wider stance is that you have to widen your grip too, which makes it almost like a snatch grip DL. Seems like closer stance sumo is better than that.
I’m just going to keep doing what I’m doing and if it looks like my conventional is ahead of my sumo at some point then maybe I will switch back but I’m not really counting on it. Maybe I should post a video of my conventional DL one of these days, it’s basically like I have to pull myself against the bar to get into the right position with a neutral spine. I can also set up with my hips lower almost like a clean pull but then my knees are in the way and I doubt I could pull much like that anyway.
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From that description it’s hard to put the finger on the exact trigger. Like with all that volume and frequency maybe something just went.
I pulled relatively flat back before I fucked myself just did too much work overall. Form could’ve been perfect but body only had so much tolerance to work
So the flexion position itself may not necessarily be the culprit. For all u know u can tolerate a moderate amount of round back conventional work.
Being safe is the most important thing I think. Even if ur back angle is parallel to the ground isn’t a death sentence. It’ll just be a posterior chain dominant pull lel embrace the stiff leg deadlift. U can still progress like anything else.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B2FvBqHgn9q/?igshid=19a4nvu7iuuwr
I have some theories. McGill said something about the first couple of years when you start pulling with a rounded back it a “make or break” type of situation, your spine can adapt to it but if the volume and frequency break down your back faster than it can recover and adapt then you will end up like I did. If I was training more like I am now then it would have probably been a different story.
I was pulling with just a bit of rounding, if I had asked for a form check then most people would have said it’s nothing to worry about.
From what I remember you had issues with your back rounding during the lift, which is likely worse than setting up rounded.
It’s a combination of flexion and more total volume than your back can recover from. I guess I’m just paranoid about blowing out my back again, I have had two significant back injuries since I got into powerlifting and not only does it suck but it’s a major setback.
It’s not that bad. I will post a video one day.
Saturday, June 27 - 2nd bench day
Bench press
up to 375x1 - good but I don’t want to go any heavier, I need to get away from heavy singles
Slingshot bench
455x1 - I went for a double and failed. I wasn’t sure about the 2nd rep but 455x2 was my goal so at least I had to try. I think I could manage about another 20lbs for a single, but that is not the objective. Lighter and more reps next week.
415x3 - could have gone for a 4th but I need to stop failing. Once I start failing on bench it’s like it happens every workout.
JM press
285x6
255x8
W shoulder rotation
super mini band x3 sets
That guy’s start position actually looks worse than mine. I guess I just need to get stronger.
Maybe I will try alternating sumo and conventional each week, that could work. I was also thinking about squatting in wraps every 2nd week and doing some heavier work in sleeves.
I feel u bro. For me it’s still something in the back of my mind. Mostly I’m confident though: in the human body’s ability to adapt, in every rep I’ve hit pain free building my tissues resilience and tolerance.
That’s not saying much given my primary pulling style maybe but I do pull conventional variations that are traditionally harder on the back with that same confidence e.g. stiff leg sweeping deadlifts which put my torso angle close to parallel.
I’m confident that my back can take heavy squatting and sumo DLing, it’s just with conventional that I’m skeptical because I feel it in my back more than anything.
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This guy jumps on a massive deficit every so often as well. Back angle is point towards the ground lel.
When I injured my back it was on the end of a cycle of sexy pulling. Literally my technique had never been better or on average felt as strong as that block (at the time at least). Back rounding just exhibits when I’m not patient off the ground and at higher %s because like a described it was compensating for inadequate hip extension. Since I’ve hammers my posterior chain to great effect and will continue doing so
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What do you do specifically for posterior chain?
Right now…
I do the comp style deadlift and close variations with textbook technique after glute activations. That’s a bunch of glute work right there. The app mostly takes care of programming them relatively heavy but not usually heavier than 90% (which is me going off program lel).
On days/weeks where I’m relatively well recovered and total workload isn’t too high I’ll hit some conventional stance variations: rn alternating between Romanian DL and Stiff Leg DL. Sheiko Golds tracks workload/week and drops advice on when to back off or a warning when workload seems excessive so I do them when is appropriate. Technically I do these low frequency: once every 1.5-2 weeks for each lift. Plenty of time to recover that way back health and performance wise with the added bonus that everytime I hit them my readiness is high so I’ll hit a small PR and leave plenty in the tank for the coming months.
In the coming months since gyms have opened up again and I’ve access to a range of equipment I’ve switched into a volume/hypertrophy/off-season block. I’m going to incorporate more posterior chain accessory work especially on days/weeks when I’m not ready for heavy conventional variations. I mean take ur pick but ima go with: GHRs, hammi curls, back raises, hip thrust machine and good mornings depending on where I’m training. This work will be dependent on how recovered/ready I am also and it’s possible I’ll only do comp work in a session.
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Now that I think about it the app kinda follows an emerging strategies approach ala Reactive Training System presenting a maximally productive stimulus each week/sesh vs built in weekly progression.
Pretty much the SRA stimulus get in productive sessions, recovery from them well and then get in more productive sessions. Should progress over time = progressive overload and directed adaptation principles which can be evidenced by PR estimated 1RM or otherwise e.g. by taking a light day or two to boost readiness then hitting a rep PB set.
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I think that’s what was missing from the old Sheiko programs, because there you would be doing neither.
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It’s fascinating stuff. I’m learning a lot as I go and the gains are aight. More and more lifters are training this style right now obviously with a bit of variation there but still. It’s trendy almost
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Monday, June 29 - Squat day
Squat - wraps - kraits
560x1 - Tipped forward a little bit and gave up on going for a 2nd rep. It actually didn’t look bad on video, still moved fast enough. I just have this issue with tipping forward on heavy squats so it kind of messed up my confidence, and 560x2 wouldn’t even be a PR anyway so not worth grinding a 2nd rep. I thought of throwing on another 25lbs, but I decided it would be better to do some lighter work instead.
505x3 - Moved well, felt light. I think the plan going forward will be a easy-ish triple in wraps and then a couple sets in sleeves, in the last few weeks I haven’t really made any noticeable progress and grinding heavy doubles and triples doesn’t seem to be the solution. My technique in wraps could use some improvements too, I need to go heavy enough that there is some challenge but not so heavy that I can’t maintain proper technique.
Squat - sleeves
385x6 - Pretty easy, RPE 7 or so, just getting a bit of work in without killing myself.
Band bad girl - paused
light band x14, 12
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