On the really wide sumos, it doesn’t look to me like you’re locking out. But the more narrow sumos look much better. It does look like you lift your hips first, but I do the same. I finally changed things to start my pull with a higher hip position. Seems to work for me even though it runs counter to prevailing advice.
And that’s great about finding the sweet spot on your back for the bar to rest when squatting. I still am hoping to build a rear shelf someday . . .
Kairiki, thanks. They’re inconvenient, but really useful, I really should do it more often.
Snapper, thanks. On the extreme sumos, locking out was never the intent, just want to work my way out of the hole on squats. I figured if I could make my hips wedge the bar off the floor, it was successful. I think I raised weight too quickly and lost the squatting movement.
On the regular sumos, yeah, hips are getting off, but I think that’s making the lift a lot easier. If I do it exactly as Randy showed me, I have a really hard time breaking off the floor. I don’t like sloppy form, but I also want to pull a ton of iron up. If a lifting queen like you says it’s OK, I won’t worry.
The “sweet spot” isn’t a shelf back there, just a place where the leverage seems to be ideal.
Hey, you’re going through squat rehab, now here’s your chance to get that shelf built up! How about doing a lot of shrugs, and face pulls, and rear delt, and everything you can think of to pack some meat back there.
Joe, thanks. I think I’ll tweak the form just a bit so I don’t feel guilty if I don’t hit it perfectly.
Kairiki, CavTV? Hmm, it’s a thought. The other guys are certainly entertaining at time, but I want to go light on the snark, since they outweigh me by quite a bit . . .
DB side raises
10 x 12
15 x 10 . x 10 . x 10
12 x 10 . x 10
oh, and these were paused just a bit in the up position
Pulldown
80 x 15
100 x 10 . x 10 . x 10 . x 10 . x 10
stretching at the top
Side Plank
x 15 . x 15 . x 15
can’t watch a clock to time these, so just do reps - easier on left side than right, I blame scoliosis
OH Press
45 x 10
65 x 8
85 x 4
80 x 5 . x 5
75 x 5 . x 5
jeesus, these just crush me
Face Pull
60 x 12
80 x 12
90 x 8 . x 8 . x 8 . x 8
Oh and no, I’m not doing any snatching, not doing much of anything, although sometimes I daydream about snatching, just trying to remember what it feels like.
OK, so I’m doing squats in the power rack. Guy walks up and says “Anyone using the Smith machine?”
“No, I think he’s done. Hey, you want to use the rack? I’m almost done.”
“What are you doing?”
“Squats.”
“Oh, no. That’s a big boy exercise.”
Took Bulldog’s advice and ate a bit more than usual. Tore through the workout.
Squats
95 x 8
135 x 6
155 x 5
165 x 5 . x 5 . x 5 . x 5
not a huge weight, but I went LOW, really stretched the hips, and bounced back up, felt GREAT.
Plate loaded leg press
270 x 10
320 x 8 . x 8 . x 8
Extreme Sumo DL
95 x 8
115 x 8
145 x 8
bothered by the vids of last time I did these, so took extra care to flex legs and bend hips, just like an exaggerated squat. I think it worked.
My tri’s weren’t as sore as I expected, but had some nice DOMS anyway.
OK, weird workout today. Had some depression this weekend, even though eating like crazy. Had to grab the scruff of my neck and drag myself to the gym (yes, I know that cuts a strange image):
Deadlift sumo
135 x 8 . this was tough, why was it tough?
185 x 5 . very tough - grunting like it was a max
185 x 5 . christ, did I lose strength???
185 x 5 . I’m REALLY annoyed now, can barely lift it.
185 x 5 . not too bad - damn it, I KNOW I can do more, I must make myself believe it!!
195 x 6 . that’s better! come on, I KNOW I can do a bit more
205 x 5 . most I’ve ever done sumo style. One more time!
205 x 5 . yeah!!
So I start out with gloom and doom and end up doing a kind of PR. Go figure.
Life Fitness Leg Curl
90 x 14 . easy
130 x 11 . x 11 . one more than last time - let’s try one more plate!
150 x 8 . not bad, not bad!!
Fat man chins on Smith machine
x 13 . x 12 . x 12
Good Mornings - been a while since I did these
95 x 8 . x 8
115 x 8 . x 8
got LOW with these babies. Was whipping them up, probably could do more weight, but that’s OK.
So once again, my arch enemy depression tried to ruin my day, and I had to pound him into jelly and make him shut up. Another victory . . . for the moment.
I’m sure a lot of my problems in physical activity in my life have been emotional. Has been a lifelong battle. With the DL’s, once I realized my body wasn’t at all sore, I knew the mental was holding me back.
For GM’s, I tried to get low, torso parallel. Don’t know if I did, probably need to video it to make sure. Was watching in mirror. On a few reps, managed to get low enough to feel my hips stretching. More mental than anything, once I trusted myself and went for it, could get low.
Spock, I just do vanilla bland GM’s, nothing special. Set up exactly like a squat, bar on back, arch back, knees very slightly bent. Bend at waist, then up. Keep back arch, tighten abs, breath in hard, let out slowly.
[quote]cavalier wrote:
Spock, I just do vanilla bland GM’s, nothing special. Set up exactly like a squat, bar on back, arch back, knees very slightly bent. Bend at waist, then up. Keep back arch, tighten abs, breath in hard, let out slowly.[/quote]
I was doing it like that for a while too, but then I wanted to start getting into a more straight-legged version so it was more lower back/less hammy.
I have no idea how my form really is for either version though. I never get a chance to do them infront of the mirror. I just want to make sure my back stays nice and straight and it will put my mind at ease, ha.
I would love to try suspended good mornings or seated ones. That sounds like a fun variation.