Feedback From Meat

Training Over 35 Lifter
101

[quote]maraudermeat wrote:
first off… that is one awesome bench setup you have there!! great arch, great hand position, and great tuck.

if i had to give you a critque, i would say that you need to row the weight down more by trying to bend the bar in half. this will activate the lats and place resistance on the bar on the way down. i also think that when you activate the lats more, your bar path will be a little lower. i can always tell when someone isn’t activating their lats because the bar comes down high on the chest. your bar path isn’t high but it could be lower.

squats look good but i’m sure you know that your elbows need to get under you and then force them forward on the way up. this takes awhile and won’t happen over night. just be aware of it and keep plugging away. it may help to take your grip in some. a good squat variation to teach you to get those elbows down is to put the bar on the pins at parallel and then setup in the bottom position and squat the weight up. if you aren’t in the right position it ends up being a good morning.

also, your wrist wraps need to be higher to really give you support on the bench. i wrap up over the first knuckle of my thumb. the top of the wrap is basically even with the crease where my thumb begins.

[/quote]

Great info re: the wraps, I’ve just used them to try to keep the wrists straight. I’ll move them up and see how things feel.

I know I need to drive my elbows forward, but I feel like when I do that, I lose the shelf on my back and the bar will slide down. I know I definitely have an issue with the bar sliding down with weights above 315 (in equipment). Bigger back, or any other tips?

Also, per LSU, I’ve tried a suicide type grip on the squats, and notice that I have trouble getting my thumbs onto the bar with that. I need thumbs on the bar for USAPL. Any advice?

102

By the way, I love you more than bears love honey.

103

[quote]pushmepullme wrote:
By the way, I love you more than bears love honey.[/quote]

No dirty talk over hear missy.

104

Ok, MM…I took another form check video just for you! :stuck_out_tongue:

This time, NOT looking in the mirror…elbows DOWN, then forward…oh, and funny faces included!! haha…anyway…feels like it’s getting better, and am ready to move on to 115x5 :smiley:

105

[quote]pushmepullme wrote:
maraudermeat wrote:
first off… that is one awesome bench setup you have there!! great arch, great hand position, and great tuck.

if i had to give you a critque, i would say that you need to row the weight down more by trying to bend the bar in half. this will activate the lats and place resistance on the bar on the way down. i also think that when you activate the lats more, your bar path will be a little lower. i can always tell when someone isn’t activating their lats because the bar comes down high on the chest. your bar path isn’t high but it could be lower.

squats look good but i’m sure you know that your elbows need to get under you and then force them forward on the way up. this takes awhile and won’t happen over night. just be aware of it and keep plugging away. it may help to take your grip in some. a good squat variation to teach you to get those elbows down is to put the bar on the pins at parallel and then setup in the bottom position and squat the weight up. if you aren’t in the right position it ends up being a good morning.

also, your wrist wraps need to be higher to really give you support on the bench. i wrap up over the first knuckle of my thumb. the top of the wrap is basically even with the crease where my thumb begins.

Great info re: the wraps, I’ve just used them to try to keep the wrists straight. I’ll move them up and see how things feel.

I know I need to drive my elbows forward, but I feel like when I do that, I lose the shelf on my back and the bar will slide down. I know I definitely have an issue with the bar sliding down with weights above 315 (in equipment). Bigger back, or any other tips?

Also, per LSU, I’ve tried a suicide type grip on the squats, and notice that I have trouble getting my thumbs onto the bar with that. I need thumbs on the bar for USAPL. Any advice?[/quote]

the bar sliding is a common problem while trying to get your elbows down. you may need to initially lean a little more forward and arch more. this will give you more space to hold the bar. this is the hardest thing to get used to. you will get it over time. it just takes time. keep plugging away. i would definitely try squatting off of pins. set the pins so you are at the bottom of your squat, set up and squat the weight up. you will have to be in a good position or you will end up doing a good morning.

just keep plugging away.

also, do you chalk your back when you squat? that will help keep the bar in place as well.

106

[quote]pushmepullme wrote:
By the way, I love you more than bears love honey.[/quote]

but do you love me more than a Powerbear loves fudge??:slight_smile:

107

[quote]maraudermeat wrote:

also, do you chalk your back when you squat? that will help keep the bar in place as well.
[/quote]

I do at my PL gyms and in competition, but not at my commercial gym. Maybe I’ll start doing that and see how quickly they complain.

Thanks again! Your fudge is in the mail!

108

Hey Meat about the routine, would it be okay to do some high rep chest exercises after tri accessory work? Or maybe a compound for high reps like BW dips?

109

[quote]trav123456 wrote:
Hey Meat about the routine, would it be okay to do some high rep chest exercises after tri accessory work? Or maybe a compound for high reps like BW dips?[/quote]

i would do them before tricep work. i sometimes do one high rep full ROM set after ME work. if you want to do some RE (repitition effort) i would do that in place of one of the ME variations.

110

[quote]maraudermeat wrote:
trav123456 wrote:
Hey Meat about the routine, would it be okay to do some high rep chest exercises after tri accessory work? Or maybe a compound for high reps like BW dips?

i would do them before tricep work. i sometimes do one high rep full ROM set after ME work. if you want to do some RE (repitition effort) i would do that in place of one of the ME variations.

[/quote]

alright sounds good, thanks again

111

This is the best (educational) thread ever.

112

[quote]maraudermeat wrote:
Flow wrote:
Hey Meat, you helped out my front squat a lot in the past. Thanks again for that.

This is me benching 205 for 6 reps. I would really appreciate any recommendations, when you get the time. I’ll get another video if the angle is bad.

Thanks you, thank you.

just checked out your vid.

form looks pretty good. you have a good bar path and keep the elbows tucked on the way down. it appears to me that you need to row the weight down more. the bar is coming down pretty fast. rowing it down will build tension in the lats allowing you to control the heavier weight and give you more pop off the chest. think about trying to bend the bar in half as you are lowering it. this will activate the lats.

also, i don’t see a lot of leg drive. try and get those heels under you more and drive them down as soon as you lift the bar off. this will keep you tight throughout the lift. as you press off the chest, really press down HARD on your heels. another thing that will help with leg drive is to do an isometric leg curl as you drive your heels down.

those are the two things that i see. everything else looks pretty good.

[/quote]

Thanks a lot. I will put this to use tomorrow. :slight_smile:

113

Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy (one of the best albums ever made),

Tonight, I’m going to try to improvise some rack pulls (gym sucks). Since I’m pulling sumo, should I do my rack pulls sumo as well or will I get carryover from conventional rack pull? I’ll probably be pulling off of ‘aerobic steps’ (a simulated rack), so I’m anticipating not being able to get a full sumo stance (hence the question).

Thanks!

114

[quote]tootles27 wrote:
This is the best (educational) thread ever. [/quote]

thanks!!! i hope that i can help some people out with it.

115

[quote]SteelyD wrote:
Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy (one of the best albums ever made),

Tonight, I’m going to try to improvise some rack pulls (gym sucks). Since I’m pulling sumo, should I do my rack pulls sumo as well or will I get carryover from conventional rack pull? I’ll probably be pulling off of ‘aerobic steps’ (a simulated rack), so I’m anticipating not being able to get a full sumo stance (hence the question).

Thanks![/quote]

i do both. there are two types of elevated pulls. 1- to help lockout. that is setup right at or just above knee level. basically you are just pushing the hips through. 2- to get past sticking points. this is set up at or just below a sticking point.

i like elevated sumo pulls but have to rotate them out for conventional when my lower back is overworked.

if you are using areobic steps, why can’t you get your feet out wide enough. i use them as well and space them so that the inside plate is resting on the inside edge of the step.

i would definitely rotate both conventional and sumo elevated pulls into your training. both will benefit you greatly.

116

Meat, if you have the time. . .

My deadlift, on the last set from yesterday’s workout. I figure that last rep is about as bad as my form gets.

I appreciate any input, sir. Thank you.

117

[quote]Flow wrote:
Meat, if you have the time. . .

My deadlift, on the last set from yesterday’s workout. I figure that last rep is about as bad as my form gets.

I appreciate any input, sir. Thank you.[/quote]

the camera angle isn’t the best but the form looks pretty solid. your ass isn’t coming up to fast and it looks like you are sitting back. the only big critique i have is that you need to get your hips through fast and need to increase your bar speed. once you crack it off the floor the bar should accelerate to lockout. elvated pulls right at knee level working on getting the hips through and some speed pulls should do the trick.

118

I posted this in strength sports and then was informed that I should be here for critiques. I’m a newbie to powerlifting, always done athletic training, and never video taped myself so we’re all watching this for the first time together. I see quite a few errors but go ahead and tear it up. All tips/critiques welcome!

Bench

Squat - YouTube

Deadlift

I realize my deads look like RDLs now. Any tips on keeping the hips down much appreciated.

119

I have one for ya. It seems I’ve messed up my rotor cuff, so I’ll have some rehab time. I thought I’d take this time and work on improving form. My arch sucks. You got any tips on how to improve it? Now let me say my back is bad, so give me as many as you can, so if I can’t use some of them I’ll have others. Thanks a bunch.

120

[quote]rcfromdb wrote:
I posted this in strength sports and then was informed that I should be here for critiques. I’m a newbie to powerlifting, always done athletic training, and never video taped myself so we’re all watching this for the first time together. I see quite a few errors but go ahead and tear it up. All tips/critiques welcome!

Bench

Squat - YouTube

Deadlift

I realize my deads look like RDLs now. Any tips on keeping the hips down much appreciated.
[/quote]

okay… i’m going to make a list of the things that you need to work on.

bench-

-need to get a lot tighter. when i get into my arch, i’m in so much pain and discomfort that i feel like my spine is going to rip out of my back and shoot across the room. when i stand up after my set, i have to wait a moment to get my witts about me. that is what i expect out of everyone that wants to have a strong bench. i want to see you pull yourself back under the bar until your shoulder blades are past the top of the bench. that is where yuou set your feet. then push yourself out over your toes and set your upper back on the bench. if you aren’t doing this, then you aren’t nearly tight enough. i’m a big fat ass and i can do it. therefore, if can do it, anyone can.

-your bar path isn’t consistant. this comes from not rowing the weight down, not gripping the bar tight and not trying to bend it in half. trying to bend the bar in half during the set activates the lats which places resistance on the bar on the way down. if you are doing these things and really flexing your lats, you should have to row the bar down instead of just letting it drop down.

the bar should be rowed to the lower chest and then exploded back over the shoulders.

-your elbows are flaring on the way down and obviously on the way up. this goes back to trying to bend the bar in half. besides activating the lats it also makes the elbows roll in to a tuck position. when you initiate the decent, the first motion should be breaking at the elbows.

-be sure to hold your breath throughout the set. don’t exhale until you are racking it on the last rep. this takes practice but anytime you exhale, you flatten out.

squat

-force you neck into the bar. don’t look in the mirror. keeping your neck into the bar will help keep you from leaning forward.

-get your elbows under the bar. this may mean you have to take a more narrow grip. this technique doesn’t happen over night or over a month. this can take months or years depending on how much you want it. for most, it never happens. get the elbows down and then force them forward during the ascent.

-take a lower bar position. this will keep you from bending over during the motion.–

wear flat soled shoes such as chuck taylors. shoes with a heal put you forward on your toes. you NEVER want to be on your toes during a squat or deadlift.

-push your knees out the entire time and keep pressure on them at all times

deadlift

-lift your toes so that you are pulling from your heels.

-pull the bar back into you as you initiate the pull. don’t stand up with it.

-push your hips forward as you feel the weight break from the floor and it start to accelerate

that should get you started:)