Meat-
Would you mind checking my form? I posted a vid in a thread in the Powerlifting section
Much appreciated.
Meat,
One of the other gals told me I should post this here to get your opinion on the straight leg deadlift. The form please dear…
It is only 115lbs.
MM, I am pretty sure this is a stupid question but I’m going to ask anyway because while everybody has an opinion about this no one can tell me exactly why.
I am doing a routine that consists of 5x5 and 3x8 rep/sets, on my 5x5 I do a straight weight on all of the 5x5. I do ramp up doing warm up weights but I keep getting told that I should be ramping the 5x5’s as well.
My gut feeling tells me that neither of these ways is “right” or “wrong” but I keep hearing how it should be ramped so I thought I’d go ahead and ask.
[quote]Aprentice wrote:
Maraudermeat,
I have been training for 1 year and want to gain some mass.
I weight 167 kgs, am 5’10 tall and around 15-16 % BF
Do you think the DC style of training is too advanced for me?[/quote]
i looked over that program and i think it’s way too much volume and too many days a week. since your goal is mass, mass comes from hitting it heavy and getting plenty of rest and food. why are you counting calories? is there a particular reason? to gain mass, you don’t want to deprive yourself of calories. i wouldn’t concern myself with that.
i would be sure to get in AT LEAST 2 grams of protein per pound of bodywieght. most of that should be from real food sources. i would also be sure to take in good complex carb sources for energy. obviously you don’t want a diet of junk but good fats from dairy and meats are needed.
as for the program, i would do a three day a week program. i would stick to multijoint movements trying to add reps and/ or weight each week. a simple thing that i do and a lot of the guys here do is always strive to set a PR (personal record) each session in something. keep a journal and track your PR’s. it’s not always gonna be a weight PR but you should always be able to set a rep PR on something. this will keep your training challenging, progressive and interesting.
if you need me to lay out a basic template i can.
[quote]Ladyjess wrote:
Meat,
One of the other gals told me I should post this here to get your opinion on the straight leg deadlift. The form please dear…
It is only 115lbs.[/quote]
it appears that your lower back is rounding. you always want the lower back to either be arched or in a neutral position. when done perfectly, i still don’t like straight leg deads. i prefer the Romanian deadlift. It gives a better stretch of the hamstrings while protecting the lower back. below is a really good tutorial for the RDL.
let me know if i can help further.
[quote]gabex wrote:
Meat-
Would you mind checking my form? I posted a vid in a thread in the Powerlifting section
Much appreciated.[/quote]
definitely not the best vid to critique but from what i can see, your form isn’t bad. you appear to need to get tighter in the upper body but that comes with time. just concentrate on retracting the scapulas throughout the set. keep your neck back against the bar and work on keeping the elbows under the bar. i’ve found that splitting the squat up into only the concentric portion has helped people with tightness issues… meaning, start your squat off the pins in the bottom position. you will quickly learn to get tight or right off the bat you go into a good morning. also, build strenght in your torso by doing zercher squats off pins and front squats. if you can master either one of these, back squats become a breeze. if you have tightness in your hip flexor and ankle, you need to be stretching them out after each workout. if you have an adductor/abductor machine, use it religiously. also, stretch your ankles between sets of squats and do a lot of standing/ seated calf raises where you pause at the bottom of each reps for a couple seconds.
it will all come together in time.
let me know if i can help further.
[quote]maraudermeat wrote:
Ladyjess wrote:
Meat,
One of the other gals told me I should post this here to get your opinion on the straight leg deadlift. The form please dear…
It is only 115lbs.
it appears that your lower back is rounding. you always want the lower back to either be arched or in a neutral position. when done perfectly, i still don’t like straight leg deads. i prefer the Romanian deadlift. It gives a better stretch of the hamstrings while protecting the lower back. below is a really good tutorial for the RDL.
let me know if i can help further.
Thank you, I will
=)
[/quote]
[quote]JoeGood wrote:
MM, I am pretty sure this is a stupid question but I’m going to ask anyway because while everybody has an opinion about this no one can tell me exactly why.
I am doing a routine that consists of 5x5 and 3x8 rep/sets, on my 5x5 I do a straight weight on all of the 5x5. I do ramp up doing warm up weights but I keep getting told that I should be ramping the 5x5’s as well.
My gut feeling tells me that neither of these ways is “right” or “wrong” but I keep hearing how it should be ramped so I thought I’d go ahead and ask. [/quote]
your gut is right, there is no wrong or right way. although, i do have my personal way of doing it. i’ve never been a fan of just doing 5x5 with the same weight. IMO, if you can do 5x5 with the same weight, the weight is too light. i prefer to do a sort of ramp, if you want to call it that. i usually do a 5x5 or 3x3 for a four week cycle. i’ll start with a weight that i can get the first set for all five leaving one rep in the tank. then as each set goes by, if the weight is correct, my reps should drop off by 1 or 2. it’s important though to leave a rep in the tank. you don’t want to go to failure on these.
this is what one of my 5x5 would look like:
405x5
405x4
405x3
405x2
405x2
each of these sets could be pushed to one extra rep with the possibility of going to failure on that rep.
i would stick to that same weight next week. if i got five reps out of the first two sets then the next week i would add weight to the 5x5.
if that is unclear, let me know.
Hey Meat,
I know you’ve had more than your fair share of injuries so I am wondering if you have run across this one:
I injured my left shoulder on a maximum weight bench (which I missed). As I was setting the weight down on the safety pins I felt something near the AC joint. Now when I bench press it only hurts right near lockout and as I lockout. I am curious if you have any ideas for rehab and training until it fully heals.
Thanks man,
Matt
[quote]maraudermeat wrote:
formwise… you are doing a few things wrong.
-think of your arms as cables… no elbows. keep them completely straight. i like to round my shoulders forward and let them hang in front of me. this also limits the range of motion which is a good thing. you are jerking the bar which is a common mistake and then bending the arms as if to almost row it up a bit. when you grip the bar and start the pull, you should first pull the slack out of the bar and then start the pull.
-in a sumo, you should initiate the lift by opening up the groin and forcing the knees out. some call this jacking the bar up. you are basically squatting the weight up using the quads. the next time you sumo, think about reaching down, drop the hips and do nothing with the upper body except for stay upright and tight. start the movement by forcing the knees out, hips forward and squat the weight out of the hole much like a squat. see how far the bar comes up when your legs are completely straight. once your legs are straight lower the weight. video this and post it. once i look it over and make suggestions we can then move onto the lockout. with your long legs you should be getting those feet pretty close to the plates. also work on getting your feet and legs as close to parallel to the bar as possible. this is going to take some time becuase the groin, especially the abductor muscles need to be strengthened and stretched.
[/quote]
Hi Meat! Here is a vid using wimpy 25# plates and steps to elevate, but I am desperately trying to learn how to “squat the weight up”. Any better? Worse? I think my form is OK enough to go heavier, and I’ll put at least the 35# plates (if not the 45#s) on tomorrow. Also, if there is a photo angle (side, back, front) that is easier for you to review, let me know.
Edited to add: here is today’s 135# rep PR (that last one is just so you know I’m working hard 
) with 45# plates from the floor.
Hay meat,
I’ve got a couple of questions for you:
First up, I’m currently doing the Westside for Fat Bastards plan. In regards to the assistance exercises, I’m currently doing 2 or 3 sets of 12-15. What would you suggest as far as sets and reps go?
Secondly can you take a look at my close grip bench form and let me know what you think… Close Grip Bench Press - 100kgs x 5 - YouTube
I didn’t have a spotter so it was a bit hard getting the weight off the rack but the rest felt good…
Cheers mate
Sherro
Hi Meat,
wondering if you could offer some advice.
I thought I was good at deadlifts; then I stopped hitching at the top and the weight dropped 75 pounds, to 175. Now I really want to get “back” to good numbers.
What’s the best way to get stronger at the top/stronger upper back? (I would think rack pulls? Anything else?)
Will deadlifting 3 times a week instead of 1-2 help me improve faster? Higher volume? (normal for me is 1x5 heavy deadlifts after lots of warm-up sets, but since the weight’s so light I think I can do more. It’s literally only difficult for the top three inches.)
[quote]mrodock wrote:
Hey Meat,
I know you’ve had more than your fair share of injuries so I am wondering if you have run across this one:
I injured my left shoulder on a maximum weight bench (which I missed). As I was setting the weight down on the safety pins I felt something near the AC joint. Now when I bench press it only hurts right near lockout and as I lockout. I am curious if you have any ideas for rehab and training until it fully heals.
Thanks man,
Matt[/quote]
that sucks hoss!! shoulders are a funny thing. there’s so much going on inside them and around them, it’s hard to determine exact reasons for pain.
my suggestion to you would be to warm it up thouroughly before training. i do a lot of band pull aparts and do mobility stuff with a set of minibands before training and between sets if they still feel tight or have pain. also, be sure to keep your shoulder work balanced. i was guilty of only doing front presses for a long time. this caused an imbalance in my shoulders and resulted in pain. now i’m sure to do plenty of lateral raises, face pulls, upright rows, dumbell cleans and presses to keep things balanced.
[quote]kimbakimba wrote:
maraudermeat wrote:
formwise… you are doing a few things wrong.
-think of your arms as cables… no elbows. keep them completely straight. i like to round my shoulders forward and let them hang in front of me. this also limits the range of motion which is a good thing. you are jerking the bar which is a common mistake and then bending the arms as if to almost row it up a bit. when you grip the bar and start the pull, you should first pull the slack out of the bar and then start the pull.
-in a sumo, you should initiate the lift by opening up the groin and forcing the knees out. some call this jacking the bar up. you are basically squatting the weight up using the quads. the next time you sumo, think about reaching down, drop the hips and do nothing with the upper body except for stay upright and tight. start the movement by forcing the knees out, hips forward and squat the weight out of the hole much like a squat. see how far the bar comes up when your legs are completely straight. once your legs are straight lower the weight. video this and post it. once i look it over and make suggestions we can then move onto the lockout. with your long legs you should be getting those feet pretty close to the plates. also work on getting your feet and legs as close to parallel to the bar as possible. this is going to take some time becuase the groin, especially the abductor muscles need to be strengthened and stretched.
Hi Meat! Here is a vid using wimpy 25# plates and steps to elevate, but I am desperately trying to learn how to “squat the weight up”. Any better? Worse? I think my form is OK enough to go heavier, and I’ll put at least the 35# plates (if not the 45#s) on tomorrow. Also, if there is a photo angle (side, back, front) that is easier for you to review, let me know.
Edited to add: here is today’s 135# rep PR (that last one is just so you know I’m working hard ) with 45# plates from the floor.
the form is getting better but i have a few suggestions.
-
first, don’t look down at the bar. keep your head up all the time. this will keep that tight arch. reach down and feel for the bar. if you are setting up using landmarks on the bar to be sure your legs are spaced right, you won’t need to look down. so, reach down and feel for the bar.
-
also, set your feet, take a breath into your belly and hold it. while doing this flex the abs and keep them flexed. don’t let out your air until you have completed the lift. this will protect your entire core during the lift. after you take your breath, then drop down, grab the bar and pull. reset up after every rep.
-
continue to work on starting the lift by forcing the knees out. the vid below is an excellent example of squatting the weight up. you can see from the vid that his back is completely straight. even though he’s using gear, the principles still apply to raw lifting.
-lastly, as the bar passes your knees, force your hips forward as if you were humping the bar:) this should be very explosive.
again… a lot to remember and work on, but in time it will click.
as for the question about what angle to video from… i’ll leave that one alone:) for technique advice, it’s just fine:)
[quote]sherro wrote:
Hay meat,
I’ve got a couple of questions for you:
First up, I’m currently doing the Westside for Fat Bastards plan. In regards to the assistance exercises, I’m currently doing 2 or 3 sets of 12-15. What would you suggest as far as sets and reps go?
Secondly can you take a look at my close grip bench form and let me know what you think… Close Grip Bench Press - 100kgs x 5 - YouTube
I didn’t have a spotter so it was a bit hard getting the weight off the rack but the rest felt good…
Cheers mate
Sherro[/quote]
most people go too heavy on accessory work. 3 sets with a minimum of 10 reps is a good choice. my reps on accessory stuff range from 10-50. accessory work is all about build muscle to help you get stronger in the long run.
as for your close grip form- looks fine to me. i would suggest that you get in the habit of taking a deep breath into your belly and then hold it as long as you can. this will maintain your tightness. i find that on rep sets, i’m good for at least two more reps when i’m able to hold my breath through the hole set. with practice, i’m able to hold my breath for sets of 15 now.
[quote]AlisaV wrote:
Hi Meat,
wondering if you could offer some advice.
I thought I was good at deadlifts; then I stopped hitching at the top and the weight dropped 75 pounds, to 175. Now I really want to get “back” to good numbers.
What’s the best way to get stronger at the top/stronger upper back? (I would think rack pulls? Anything else?)
Will deadlifting 3 times a week instead of 1-2 help me improve faster? Higher volume? (normal for me is 1x5 heavy deadlifts after lots of warm-up sets, but since the weight’s so light I think I can do more. It’s literally only difficult for the top three inches.)[/quote]
can you get me a vid of your dead with a near max attempt?
i’ve found that the deadlift is an exercise that you can improve on without actually doing full ROM deads. actually, i get weaker if i do full ROM deads on a regular basis.
rack pulls are common but i don’t particularly like them. the bar tends to slide on the pins. i prefer to pull off of blocks or aerobic steps.
if your form is good, then i would suggest a few things.
-
speed work can definitely help your lockout power. the momentum gained from getting faster can often times get you through those last few inches.
-
good mornings are great for working the lockout.
-working on getting the hips through faster
these are just a few off the top of my head.
get me a vid and i can help more.
I’ll try to get you a video.
I’ve tried good mornings before and was never sure if I was doing them right – I invariably wound up with a backache. Do you keep your legs straight or bend your knees?
I’ll try the speed work.
As for the rack pulls, they’re not on pins, they’re on bars at the bottom of the squat rack – it’s a flat surface and perfectly stable, about knee height on me. But I could use aerobic blocks instead. We have those.
[quote]maraudermeat wrote:
the form is getting better but i have a few suggestions.
-
first, don’t look down at the bar. keep your head up all the time. this will keep that tight arch. reach down and feel for the bar. if you are setting up using landmarks on the bar to be sure your legs are spaced right, you won’t need to look down. so, reach down and feel for the bar.
-
also, set your feet, take a breath into your belly and hold it. while doing this flex the abs and keep them flexed. don’t let out your air until you have completed the lift. this will protect your entire core during the lift. after you take your breath, then drop down, grab the bar and pull. reset up after every rep.
-
continue to work on starting the lift by forcing the knees out. the vid below is an excellent example of squatting the weight up. you can see from the vid that his back is completely straight. even though he’s using gear, the principles still apply to raw lifting.
-lastly, as the bar passes your knees, force your hips forward as if you were humping the bar:) this should be very explosive.
again… a lot to remember and work on, but in time it will click. [/quote]
Thanks for the new cues and the encouragement. You know I’ll be workin’ it!
[quote]maraudermeat wrote:
gabex wrote:
Meat-
Would you mind checking my form? I posted a vid in a thread in the Powerlifting section
Much appreciated.
definitely not the best vid to critique but from what i can see, your form isn’t bad. you appear to need to get tighter in the upper body but that comes with time. just concentrate on retracting the scapulas throughout the set. keep your neck back against the bar and work on keeping the elbows under the bar. i’ve found that splitting the squat up into only the concentric portion has helped people with tightness issues… meaning, start your squat off the pins in the bottom position. you will quickly learn to get tight or right off the bat you go into a good morning. also, build strenght in your torso by doing zercher squats off pins and front squats. if you can master either one of these, back squats become a breeze. if you have tightness in your hip flexor and ankle, you need to be stretching them out after each workout. if you have an adductor/abductor machine, use it religiously. also, stretch your ankles between sets of squats and do a lot of standing/ seated calf raises where you pause at the bottom of each reps for a couple seconds.
it will all come together in time.
let me know if i can help further.
[/quote]
Thanks for the advice. I tried to do pin squats (zerchers and front) but we don’t have pins, just a squat rack and that didn’t work. I did some cable zerchers, but I’m not sure how effective that is for the purpose you recommended
Anyway, I posted another vid today in my log at 235x1 if you wouldn’t mind checking out
I’ve got videos in my log now: