[quote]Astar wrote:
Hey man, what’s the thinking behind the reverse bands lately? Just mixing it up or focusing on something specific? Also that’s a beastly weighted pullup[/quote]
Well scoops used the reverse band squats a lot and now has 3.5xBW comp squat so I want to see if it will help me as well. And if it works for squats, why not try deads too? The band-across-the-chest on the bench is just so I can train bench, period. You could say I get 315lbs out of that light band because there would be no benching otherwise.
I really like reverse band deadlifting to help my lockout (even though I have a semi-sumo stance I think my form is more like a conventional pull, so the lockout can be a problem) and the squat reps sets that I do on occasion with reverse bands seem to help some thing (upper back strength probably).
And damnit I thought I was the only one on T-Nation who could do a BW 135 Pull-Up…
well i should have said upper back rounding, on your 495 it’s not that easily visible but i have a screen shot of your 425x5. so in the first pic it’s your straight back and the second is where the upper back rounding really occurs on the way up, you can see your head look downward more, if you can i would save the pics then look at them side by side or right after the other, it’s really apparent. i’m a big fan of keeping your back as straight as possible, cuz once you get bent over with heavy weight you are screwed.
to astar, i really like the reverse band setups for raw work, it’s just something that once i started using i loved it and kept using a lot. one of my training partners was not a big fan of it for raw work since it really focuses more on the top end of the motion and not the bottom end, but i have yet to be stapled in the hole or on my chest with a weight soooo i don’t know. i think i attribute part of that to focusing on staying extremely tight the farther i go down into the hole. i don’t know if it will get you a 3.5x bodyweight raw squat but i’ve really liked it and so have the other people that have tried it, especially with the safety bar.
[quote]grettiron wrote:
Does squatting insomnia exist?
[/quote]
After rough workouts or when I’m really pushing it hard, I tend to have a hard time shutting down and sleeping as well.
I think its a cortisol related stress response.
[quote]2-SCOOPS wrote:
well i should have said upper back rounding, on your 495 it’s not that easily visible but i have a screen shot of your 425x5. so in the first pic it’s your straight back and the second is where the upper back rounding really occurs on the way up, you can see your head look downward more, if you can i would save the pics then look at them side by side or right after the other, it’s really apparent. i’m a big fan of keeping your back as straight as possible, cuz once you get bent over with heavy weight you are screwed.
to astar, i really like the reverse band setups for raw work, it’s just something that once i started using i loved it and kept using a lot. one of my training partners was not a big fan of it for raw work since it really focuses more on the top end of the motion and not the bottom end, but i have yet to be stapled in the hole or on my chest with a weight soooo i don’t know. i think i attribute part of that to focusing on staying extremely tight the farther i go down into the hole. i don’t know if it will get you a 3.5x bodyweight raw squat but i’ve really liked it and so have the other people that have tried it, especially with the safety bar. [/quote]
Sorry, I think I left out a key word. I watched the video a dozen times and didn’t see the back rounding until you pointed it out, then I saw. Thanks for not giving up though! lol
[quote]jakerz96 wrote:
I really like reverse band deadlifting to help my lockout (even though I have a semi-sumo stance I think my form is more like a conventional pull, so the lockout can be a problem) and the squat reps sets that I do on occasion with reverse bands seem to help some thing (upper back strength probably).
And damnit I thought I was the only one on T-Nation who could do a BW 135 Pull-Up…[/quote]
Whoa, you can do a 135 pullup? Aren’t you north of 200lbs? Very impressive.
Those are Kona Stinky shin pads… modified slightly with scissors haha.
[quote]theuofh wrote:
[quote]grettiron wrote:
Does squatting insomnia exist?
[/quote]
After rough workouts or when I’m really pushing it hard, I tend to have a hard time shutting down and sleeping as well.
I think its a cortisol related stress response. [/quote]
My mind was clear i.e. not racing and I was trying to relax and listen to my heartbeat, which usually works. But no go. Plus my heart would really start hammering for periods. Had some pretty intense bad dreams too and woke up with adrenaline flowing. Very interesting.
fri 4/29
warm up: muscle snatch, DB rotations, pressing w/bar
clean and press - from floor
95x5, 135,155,155x3, 175,195x3, 195x3x2.5 (kept screwing up the push press on second rep), 175x10
pullup - tried using straps, kinda sucked
BW,45,70x5, 90x3, 115x2,2,2, 90x6
bench - w/light band
135,225x10, 225x15,13
HS DY row
superset
pressdowns/DB curls
3x10
stretch
Didn’t have the camera today so I couldn’t easily see where I was screwing up the presses. Also may have racked it too hard onto my clavicles because they really started hurting, which never happens. Oh well. 175x10 was great. Pullups were pretty good too. Benching was awesome. 225x15 really fried the tris. Gonna do some reverse band deads on Monday and try not to fuck it up this time.
[quote]grettiron wrote:
[quote]jakerz96 wrote:
I really like reverse band deadlifting to help my lockout (even though I have a semi-sumo stance I think my form is more like a conventional pull, so the lockout can be a problem) and the squat reps sets that I do on occasion with reverse bands seem to help some thing (upper back strength probably).
And damnit I thought I was the only one on T-Nation who could do a BW 135 Pull-Up…[/quote]
Whoa, you can do a 135 pullup? Aren’t you north of 200lbs? Very impressive.
Those are Kona Stinky shin pads… modified slightly with scissors haha.[/quote]
Some of us bigger guys are like orangutans… haha I’m 220 as of this morning, but yeah I can still crank one out. I think my best is BW+150. I kind of like doing them against bands also especially if you try to hold and squeeze at the top.
I’ve been toying with the idea of making myself some shin guards with really thin foam and plastic… We’ll see where that goes.
[quote]jakerz96 wrote:
[quote]grettiron wrote:
[quote]jakerz96 wrote:
I really like reverse band deadlifting to help my lockout (even though I have a semi-sumo stance I think my form is more like a conventional pull, so the lockout can be a problem) and the squat reps sets that I do on occasion with reverse bands seem to help some thing (upper back strength probably).
And damnit I thought I was the only one on T-Nation who could do a BW 135 Pull-Up…[/quote]
Whoa, you can do a 135 pullup? Aren’t you north of 200lbs? Very impressive.
Those are Kona Stinky shin pads… modified slightly with scissors haha.[/quote]
Some of us bigger guys are like orangutans… haha I’m 220 as of this morning, but yeah I can still crank one out. I think my best is BW+150. I kind of like doing them against bands also especially if you try to hold and squeeze at the top.
I’ve been toying with the idea of making myself some shin guards with really thin foam and plastic… We’ll see where that goes.[/quote]
Don’t wanna get the Hep or the HIV when a dirty bar rips open your shins… that’s my justification anyway. Maybe a teflon outer layer would help smooth the pull, too.
mon 5/2
warm up: lower usual
conv dl - belt at 405
135,225,315x5, 405x3, 455x1, (add rev AVG bands) 455,495x3, 525x2, 555x1, 495x5
deep squat - belt at 365
135,225,315,365x10
stretch
Pulls went a lot better. Squats were a little tough due to the nasty sunburn across my shoulders and traps. Pretty sure 365x10 is a technical PR… last time I did that it was to a high box. These were sunk. Got my new (to me) bike running and rode it to the gym. '82 Honda CB750K for $750. Still needs a little work but it should help me save on gas this summer.
wed 5/4
warm up: mini band stuff, AVG shoulder and lat traction
bench - w/light band
135,185x10, 225,275x5, 315x2, 335x1,1, 275x5
close NG cable row
superset
RG push press
95,135,135,155,155x10
Rickshaw walks - down gym and back
225,315,405,495,605
cable flyes
3x10
stretch like whoa
Benching was ok. No pain just technical difficulties. First 335 rep bounced off the pin on the way up but still got it. Second rep didn’t bounce off the pin, but my left arm drifted up (toward head) near lockout, causing the bar to twist. Still got it but something to look out for. On the down set, sixth rep actually got stuck under the pin due to the same issue. Rats.
Farmer walks were good but probably should have stopped halfway with the 605. About 3/4 of the way through the trip I started to lose control of my body and there was a pop at the bottom of my lat. Seems to be right on one of those tiny ribs near the bottom. Definitely a lat issue because the erectors feel fine. Hopefully it won’t effect squatting on Friday (and I don’t think it will) or maybe it’s minor and will heal up by then.
[quote]jakerz96 wrote:
For you…
[/quote]
Fuuuuuuuuuuck I can’t watch this whole thing!
Back is surprisingly not bad at all today.
Bench vid:
fri 5/6
warm up: lower usual
SSB squat-to-box - reverse AVG bands where indicated
155,205,245x5, 335x3, (belt) 385x1, (AVG bands) 385,425x3, 475x1, (wraps) 475x3, 495x2, 515x2
sumo dl
245,335,425x10
leg cur/extension
3x10
stretch
Reverse band work was great today. Changed hand position and it seemed to keep my upper back much tighter. Still lost upper back tightness at 2nd rep at 515. Oh well, keep going. Deads were fast and easy, as they should have been.
Had a BOF try the reverse band setup. He says he wants to squat, but has bad knees, blah blah blah. I suspect the issue is ridiculously tight and inhibited hammys and just a general lack of leg development. Anyway, by the second set, every rep looked perfect and he didn’t have any crunchiness or pain. So 2-Scoops’ hypothesis seems to be accurate about the rev band setup teaching proper form very quickly.
Vid:
