[quote]Capacity wrote:
At the risk of being redundant, I think Skidmark’s answers have probably cleared up the question you asked me about toes, heels and stance. If not, feel free to rephrase!
Cappy[/quote]
Yep - I believe I understand… We’ll see if I can put it to practice.
Thanks!
[quote]Ironmantrw wrote:
If you want to squat powerlifting style get a pair of Chuck Taylors. You are also walking the weight out too far. You might want to try taking just a half step on each foot away from the rack.
I also noticed you were using a pad on the bar. Personally I would ditch the pad because I feel it forces you to lean too far forward to put the weight out over the center of your feet. You get used to the pain from the bar without the pad after a while.
Another tip is to think about spreading the floor with your feet when you come up with the weight. Box squats have helped me with my technique you might want to try them.[/quote]
Thanks Ironman! I’m going to lose the pad and build a box for box squats. Any recs for the height of the box - something like the top of the at the height of my shin bone?
My penalty for the excesses yesterday was to do 4 hours of pick & shovel work with a little axe work as well. All in the hot afternoon sun…
Digging up a stump outside the house. It was actually a pretty good upper body session. lol
Living it up out there in colorado are ya!Keep up the good work.
Lookin’ good! Nice pics of your playground (bike ride) too! Do any fishing up there?
[quote]soldog wrote:
Ironmantrw wrote:
If you want to squat powerlifting style get a pair of Chuck Taylors. You are also walking the weight out too far. You might want to try taking just a half step on each foot away from the rack.
I also noticed you were using a pad on the bar. Personally I would ditch the pad because I feel it forces you to lean too far forward to put the weight out over the center of your feet. You get used to the pain from the bar without the pad after a while.
Another tip is to think about spreading the floor with your feet when you come up with the weight. Box squats have helped me with my technique you might want to try them.
Thanks Ironman! I’m going to lose the pad and build a box for box squats. Any recs for the height of the box - something like the top of the at the height of my shin bone?[/quote]
anything from 12 to 14 inches. Depends on how your height as long as it is at parallel or just below. If you feel that its too low you can always build it up with some old pieces of carpet. Be sure to come to a dead stop on the box but don’t sit down on it hard. I put a foam pad on top on the box I use to avoid accidentally jarring my spine. Sit back on the box and explode off it when you come up.
The other guys have given you plenty to chew on soldog. One thing I did a lot that I think I see you doing also is leaning forward on the way up. When I see your butt out so far I’m guessing your leaning forward. The stance thing Skid mentioned should help clear that up. Focus on your power coming from the hip flexors, and lift straight up. It’s been tough for me to get used to, I think the box squats ironman brought up have helped me a lot. Good idea sticking with 185 for a while getting used to some of the form issues we’ve mentioned.
Getting outside and swinging the axe and shoveling are always a fun workout. Lets you know if your in good shape or not too. I had to dig a hole recently, needed a pic-axe it was so rocky…I was dying after only a few minutes.
15 July 2008
Weight 185.2 #
Warm-up
30 walking lunges long stride
30 BW Squats
Shoulder rehab exercises
Behind the neck pull aparts w/monster mini-band x20
Face pull w/monster mini-band x20
Triceps pulldown w/monster mini band x20
Rear delt pull apart w /monster mini-band x20
45#x10 back squats
45#x10 front squats
135#x5 Front Squats
A1: Box(11 inch) Squats A2: Chins
135# x 5 BW+30#x5
185# x 5 BW+30#x5
Form sucked
175# x 5 BW+30#x5
A little better
175# x 5 BW+30#x5
Got stuck and almost lost it
175# x 5 BW+30#x4
Some Good Morning action going on
155# x 5 BW+30#x3 PR on total reps at BW+30#
I think I need to stick to 155# next time. This was a humbling session
B Dead lift
135# x5
205# x5
255# x5
285# x4 PR for reps at weight
285# x0 Felt my lower back really rounding and called it off
C1: DB bent over row
86# 5x5 PR weight & reps
C2: Left arm DB bench 28.5#x10, 36# 4x10
D1: Chins D2: left arm OHP
BW x5 28.5# x10
BW x5 28.5# x10
BW x4 28.5# x10
BW x4 28.5# x10
BW x4 28.5# x10
2nd set at 175# where I almost lost it. Skidmark - Thanks for the suggestion about the saw horses.
3rd set at 175#
last set at 155#
Deadlift 255#x5
Deadlift 285x4
Deadlift 285x4
Squat -
Bar placement looks good, wrist nice and locked. Nice call dropping the weight on squats. Your form cleaned up quite a bit right away. My preference is for a still wider stance, but Rippetoe is correct, you will develop strength across the involved structures more evenly using the closer stance. But you may have noticed that you’re pushing the box back on your way up. That means your rear is moving back at the turnaround instead of up as he writes about, which means the quads are trying to take over. You may need to reduce weight by 5 or 10 pounds for now to clean that up. Or stay at 155-175 and clean up. Or add some walking DB lunges or block step ups as assistance to strengthen the glutes so they do the work instead of the quads.
DLs -
Looking good there. The only change I would make is to squeeeeeeeze the weight off the floor while keeping everything tight and accelerate once it breaks free. Too easy to pull something important loose by trying to accelerate before it comes off the floor. You’re getting the hips to the bar nicely and everything is working together as one piece. Looks really nice.
Looks like your hips are coming up a little too quick on the heavier weight. Concentrate on driving your head back toward the bar. Also you still look like you are walking it out too far. I usually back out just far enough to clear the rack which is only half a step. If you think about it the bar shouldn’t go past your feet when you do a rep. If it does you’re going to dump the bar anyway. I agree with skid I like a wider stance but with lower bar placement just below the delts. Hope I didn’t sound to critical, all in all pretty decent weight.
I’d like to record some of my lifts but can’t figure out how to put them online with regular video tape. How did you do yours?
[quote]skidmark wrote:
Squat -
Bar placement looks good, wrist nice and locked. Nice call dropping the weight on squats. Your form cleaned up quite a bit right away. My preference is for a still wider stance, but Rippetoe is correct, you will develop strength across the involved structures more evenly using the closer stance. But you may have noticed that you’re pushing the box back on your way up. That means your rear is moving back at the turnaround instead of up as he writes about, which means the quads are trying to take over. You may need to reduce weight by 5 or 10 pounds for now to clean that up. Or stay at 155-175 and clean up. Or add some walking DB lunges or block step ups as assistance to strengthen the glutes so they do the work instead of the quads.[/quote]
Thanks Skid - With all of the corrections I was attempting to remember and incorporate, I completely forgot about trying the wider stance. Will work on that Thursday. I also had the comment from Chris that the box I used is too short so I’ll be working on figuring out a different box setup as well.[quote]
DLs -
Looking good there. The only change I would make is to squeeeeeeeze the weight off the floor while keeping everything tight and accelerate once it breaks free. Too easy to pull something important loose by trying to accelerate before it comes off the floor. You’re getting the hips to the bar nicely and everything is working together as one piece. Looks really nice.
[/quote]
OK - I hadn’t heard that “squeeze the weight off the floor” suggestion before, I’ll try that on Thursday as well.
[quote]Ironmantrw wrote:
Looks like your hips are coming up a little too quick on the heavier weight. Concentrate on driving your head back toward the bar. Also you still look like you are walking it out too far. I usually back out just far enough to clear the rack which is only half a step. If you think about it the bar shouldn’t go past your feet when you do a rep. If it does you’re going to dump the bar anyway. I agree with skid I like a wider stance but with lower bar placement just below the delts. Hope I didn’t sound to critical, all in all pretty decent weight. [/quote]
No problem on the critique Ironman! I need all the feed back I can get since I’m still basically a complete beginner at this.[quote]
I’d like to record some of my lifts but can’t figure out how to put them online with regular video tape. How did you do yours? [/quote]
I just bought an inexpensive Sony digital camera that takes short videos (as most do these days). I take the vid and load it on my computer and then use the “attach video” line in T-Nation’s “Reply to Topic” form and it uploads from there once you submit your reply. Using an older VHS recorder, you would need to convert it to digital form first and I have no experience doing that.
Soldog, good vids. You are getting some great coaching too. I admire your work and effort.
Why not get a couple of 2x1s’s and build you a box base to raise your squat racks? Something quick and simple that would resemble an inverted concrete form for a building pier.