Absolutely, DZ.
15 June 2008
Self-myofascial release:
Foam roll lower and upper body, tennis ball back and neck
Ab wheel (from knees):
3 x 16 reps
Almost no obvious hot-spots left for rolling these days. Guess that it is a good sign to keep on doing what I am doing. Did kind of a neck bridge on the roll for neck and upper traps and liked the way it felt.
Monday, 16 June 2008
Squat:
70 x 10 reps, 110 x 6 reps, 130 x 5 reps, 130 x 6 reps
110 x 20 reps
Weighted chin-ups:
2 x BW + 20 x 5 reps
Above is a video of the second squat work set. It indicates – more than I anticipated – my weakness in the hips and glutes evidently compensated by my bringing the back into play, both going down and up; there also appears to be some minor depth inconsistency (I think the depth itself appears adequate – ‘parallel’ or even slightly below – when the set is viewed frame-by-frame on the higher-resolution original, but a little deeper would surely not hurt).
(NB: Ordinarily after the fifth rep here I would not have tried a sixth, as I was aware that my form was breaking down, but I figured doing it on tape would help clarify the challenges to be dealt with.) Criticism and suggestions sought and appreciated!
Forgot to do a walkout today due to messing with the camera. The high-rep squat set went quite quickly, and for the first time I felt a bit nauseous afterwards. Surely unallied with this, I took a modified Skidmarkian approach to the rep counting, and counted 1-10 twice, and found that better than 1-20, where those big numbers after 15 tend to be confusing at times.
1G -
Other than just not getting low enough, your form is looking good. Everything is moving as a unit up and down, you’re not heaving and bobbing or anything like that.
I think that what’s happening is that you’re using the mirror to judge depth. The mirror lies. Don’t look at it. Get a box that’s the right height and learn the feeling of getting low enough. Or just lower the poundage and start touching your behind to your heels. There’s never any doubt that way.
With close and medium stance squatting the back is going to get a lot of work. No getting around that. It can be ameliorated to some extent by pointing the toes outward anywhere from 30 to 45 degrees and tracking the knees over them. Throws more strain into the hips. Starts looking like a plie (plee-ay) though. Widening the stance will do that as well.
You are correct, Skidmark: I have been relying on the darned faithless mirror. (How not to look at a full-length mirror four feet in front of my face, however, gives me difficulties. And I thought this time would be different …) But I honestly did not think, even on seeing the tape, the depth was much off. On the other hand, the video somewhat surprised me, because I thought I had been going lower.
In any event, I don’t seem to be able to go to my heels in this rack without the bar hitting the supports; boxes are also not an option here. Nor for that matter is dumping weight outside the rack, which I don’t want to do anyway.
Excuses aside, I was already thinking of something along these lines (see no. 5):
http://www.T-Nation.com/article/bodybuilding/my_five_ahha_moments&cr=
such as a band or tube (or an empty bar?) on the lower side rack cross-bar.
And … lower the weight to get it right.
Not clear on whether you are recommending a wider stance.
yeah #5 works too. You just need something to touch so your brain can set the proper height. aerobic steps work too.
Only recommending a wider stance if going parallel with the current stance gets hard on the knees. Wider stance forces hip dominance and adductor/hamstring dominance over quad dominance in the squat. Parallel is a particularly troublesome spot for the knee joint as it is most unstable at 90 degrees of flexion. Usually on a full squat you’ll power through that area on the way up, but putting turnaround there is hard on the knees. It was on mine anyway, got to where I couldn’t do stairs very well. Once I went to power stance squatting all my knee pain went away.
Might be different for you though.
Thanks for the clarification, Skidmark.
On a side note, I was under the impression that the 90- degree ‘least stabilized’ position of the knee is well above parallel (i.e., when the patella is level with the hips), and that that is the potential problem with partial squats. The relation of the upper and lower legs at parallel would then only approximate a right angle if the latter were themselves perpendicular to the floor, which is not the case in squatting. Hence, in the still above, from the bottom of the squat, it appears that the 90-degree position has already been eclipsed. Please let me know if I am seeing this wrong.
In any event, I think my squat would definitely benefit from greater ROM.
[quote]1Geech wrote:
Thanks for the clarification, Skidmark.
On a side note, I was under the impression that the 90- degree ‘least stabilized’ position of the knee is well above parallel (i.e., when the patella is level with the hips), and that that is the potential problem with partial squats. The relation of the upper and lower legs at parallel would then only approximate a right angle if the latter were themselves perpendicular to the floor, which is not the case in squatting. Hence, in the still above, from the bottom of the squat, it appears that the 90-degree position has already been eclipsed. Please let me know if I am seeing this wrong.
In any event, I think my squat would definitely benefit from greater ROM.[/quote]
You have indeed gone past the 90 degree mark at the knee. You are correct.
Tuesday, 17 June 2008
Bench press:
70 x 12 reps, 100 x 6 reps, 112.5 x 5 reps, 112.5 x 4 reps
Press:
60 x 5 reps, 3 x 62.5 x 4 reps (1st reps from floor)
Hanging straight leg raise:
BW x 10 reps
Seated crunch machine:
Giant set 20 reps total
Bench was a little funky today because I had to use the gym’s bent o-bar, which felt odd in my hands. No increases on the military press, but I tossed in another set. Got the 10 reps I wanted on the leg raises.
The other good o-bar was being used by the trainer in my gym who lifts relatively heavy doing his squats. For his set at 160 kgs, between my last bench sets, he asked me to spot him, after he had asked me to count his reps at the previous 140 kgs set (I think he did 6 all right, I guess he likes the counting as motivation. Anyway, OK fellow.). But very, very wide grip, as I noticed for the first time at the spot position, and very, very low bar position. No clips or collars on the bar.
He unracked quickly and walked out the 160, then I saw it was several inches off center, he obviously felt it, too, just as I called it, and then he walked it back in to the rack. He had some trouble getting the bar re-racked due to his hand position. Then he reset himself, unracked again quickly, and stepped back even as I was saying he had it this time even more off center. So he walked it back in … and couldn’t re-rack. He was losing it, jamming his hands between the rack and the bar, especially the left, and then started to lose complete control of the bar on that side. Without thinking, I moved in to support it … and then he started to lose it on the right. And I was right up against him – about to do an imbalanced 160 kgs curl of sorts.
Fortunately another fellow watching sprang in and grabbed the right end of the bar just as the squatter released and moved forward, allowing us to push the bar into the rack.
Afterwards, I suggested he work on his hand position. On the walk home this evening, however, I was thinking: What good reason is there to spot in a safety rack at all? And resolved not to do it alone again.
[quote]1Geech wrote:
Tuesday, 17 June 2008
Bench press:
70 x 12 reps, 100 x 6 reps, 112.5 x 5 reps, 112.5 x 4 reps
Press:
60 x 5 reps, 3 x 62.5 x 4 reps (1st reps from floor)
Hanging straight leg raise:
BW x 10 reps
Seated crunch machine:
Giant set 20 reps total
Bench was a little funky today because I had to use the gym’s bent o-bar, which felt odd in my hands. No increases on the military press, but I tossed in another set. Got the 10 reps I wanted on the leg raises.
The other good o-bar was being used by the trainer in my gym who lifts relatively heavy doing his squats. For his set at 160 kgs, between my last bench sets, he asked me to spot him, after he had asked me to count his reps at the previous 140 kgs set (I think he did 6 all right, I guess he likes the counting as motivation. Anyway, OK fellow.). But very, very wide grip, as I noticed for the first time at the spot position, and very, very low bar position. No clips or collars on the bar.
He unracked quickly and walked out the 160, then I saw it was several inches off center, he obviously felt it, too, just as I called it, and then he walked it back in to the rack. He had some trouble getting the bar re-racked due to his hand position. Then he reset himself, unracked again quickly, and stepped back even as I was saying he had it this time even more off center. So he walked it back in … and couldn’t re-rack. He was losing it, jamming his hands between the rack and the bar, especially the left, and then started to lose complete control of the bar on that side. Without thinking, I moved in to support it … and then he started to lose it on the right. And I was right up against him – about to do an imbalanced 160 kgs curl of sorts.
Fortunately another fellow watching sprang in and grabbed the right end of the bar just as the squatter released and moved forward, allowing us to push the bar into the rack.
Afterwards, I suggested he work on his hand position. On the walk home this evening, however, I was thinking: What good reason is there to spot in a safety rack at all? And resolved not to do it alone again.
[/quote]
This is why I aways do hand placement checks before getting under the bar and then position myself between them…
Wednesday, 18 June 2008
Deadlift:
70 x 12 reps, 120 x 7 reps, 170 x 2 reps, 170 x 0 reps, 170 x 1 rep, 170 x 0 reps, 170 x 1 rep, 170 x 0 reps, 160 x 2 reps
Barbell row:
2 x 100 x 5 reps (all reps from floor)
Barbell shrug:
2 x 100 x 10 reps (1st rep from floor)
Despite feeling pretty good going into the gym, I collapsed on DLing, couldn’t believe it and kept going back for more – could not get the weight moving, even though I did not feel weak – a real mind-body disconnect in a way. I received some thoughtful comments on DLs earlier in this log, and do think today was a function of some program errors, but most basically, like my bench last month, I have put up the weight without enough quality repetitions to back it up.
On the whole I have erred in most lifts in the program cycle behind this log by setting too specific goals, and letting these drive my kg selections from week to week rather than paying attention to the natural selection resulting from each week’s training, as I did in my first months back. I realized this with the bench earlier, but not with DL. Never too old to learn, I hope.
Anyway, I have rescheduled my max tests for the week of 30 June, my last week before vacation and the next program cycle, where I have lots of issues to work on.
[quote]1Geech wrote:
Wednesday, 18 June 2008
Deadlift:
70 x 12 reps, 120 x 7 reps, 170 x 2 reps, 170 x 0 reps, 170 x 1 rep, 170 x 0 reps, 170 x 1 rep, 170 x 0 reps, 160 x 2 reps
Barbell row:
2 x 100 x 5 reps (all reps from floor)
Barbell shrug:
2 x 100 x 10 reps (1st rep from floor)
Despite feeling pretty good going into the gym, I collapsed on DLing, couldn’t believe it and kept going back for more – could not get the weight moving, even though I did not feel weak – a real mind-body disconnect in a way. I received some thoughtful comments on DLs earlier in this log, and do think today was a function of some program errors, but most basically, like my bench last month, I have put up the weight without enough quality repetitions to back it up.
On the whole I have erred in most lifts in the program cycle behind this log by setting too specific goals, and letting these drive my kg selections from week to week rather than paying attention to the natural selection resulting from each week’s training, as I did in my first months back. I realized this with the bench earlier, but not with DL. Never too old to learn, I hope.
Anyway, I have rescheduled my max tests for the week of 30 June, my last week before vacation and the next program cycle, where I have lots of issues to work on.[/quote]
Whoa! 2 weeks ago you had 165 for 4. This is not that big a jump. I would check recovery measures on this one. Looks like neural fatigue rather than a metabolic insufficiency. If it happens again, drop weight by 10-30% and go for reps/sets.
[quote]skidmark wrote:
This is why I aways do hand placement checks before getting under the bar and then position myself between them…[/quote]
Yep…same here.
[quote]skidmark wrote:
Whoa! 2 weeks ago you had 165 for 4. This is not that big a jump. I would check recovery measures on this one. Looks like neural fatigue rather than a metabolic insufficiency. If it happens again, drop weight by 10-30% and go for reps/sets. [/quote]
The neural fatigue, I suspect, was in my noggin. I was thinking more about NOT using too much back at the start than (positively) pushing the floor away (or jumping, as you like to say) – and when I felt the demand on my back, each time, my grip started to spring open. For me right now, trying some form modification, however desirable in the longer term, at a 4-rep max weight was not a good idea. But I also think I would have benefited from working the 165 up to 6 reps first, even though it is only a 5 kilo difference.
Next week I may skip the DLs entirely in order to reload, and then try for some kind of respectable 1RM the week after before setting sail on the next course.
Thursday, 19 June 2008
Close-grip bench press:
70 x 12 reps, 100 x 6 reps, 102.5 x 5 reps, 105 x 5 reps
Weighted dip:
2 x BW + 36.25 x 6 reps
Hanging straight leg raise:
BW x 7 reps
Bicycle crunch:
70 L / R reps
V-up
7 reps
Yesterday bad, very bad, today good, very good.
[quote]1Geech wrote:
skidmark wrote:
Whoa! 2 weeks ago you had 165 for 4. This is not that big a jump. I would check recovery measures on this one. Looks like neural fatigue rather than a metabolic insufficiency. If it happens again, drop weight by 10-30% and go for reps/sets.
The neural fatigue, I suspect, was in my noggin. I was thinking more about NOT using too much back at the start than (positively) pushing the floor away (or jumping, as you like to say) – and when I felt the demand on my back, each time, my grip started to spring open.
For me right now, trying some form modification, however desirable in the longer term, at a 4-rep max weight was not a good idea. But I also think I would have benefited from working the 165 up to 6 reps first, even though it is only a 5 kilo difference.
Next week I may skip the DLs entirely in order to reload, and then try for some kind of respectable 1RM the week after before setting sail on the next course.[/quote]
What’s up next?
Geech, what happened to you on the 18th always happens to me. A lot of things could have happened. Did you get enough sleep or not eat enough? Or maybe you just had a bad day. Just keep at it…I know you will.
Thanks, man. Sometimes there are bad days … But it was not a question of sleep or nutrition. I’ll try to get it right next time.
[quote]skidmark wrote:
1Geech wrote:
… setting sail on the next course.
What’s up next?[/quote]
To preface the answer: We going for over three weeks in July to the States starting the Fourth. There I will be lifting in a basically o-lift gym, with lots of bars and weights, but also some benches, a dip station, chin-up bar, a cable machine complex (don’t think there is a GHR station, but I am keeping my fingers crossed). Then we are back here for four days before going to Tuscany for another eight days, where there will definitely be no lifting going on that does not involve wine glasses. Probably in between will be no lifting, either, as I will be looking for another gym on returning to Paris, as I found out today that mine is getting rid of its one squat rack in the next weeks (my membership conveniently expires during the first trip).
So after the Fourth I am considering something along these lines for three weeks:
Mon
higher-rep squats
glutes (GMs / SLDLs / lunges / pull-throughs?)
Tue
power clean
military press
facepulls
Abs
Thur
front squats
glutes (GMs / SLDLs / lunges / pull-throughs?)
grip
Fri
something shoulder-related as warm-up
weighted dips
weighted chins
abs
I would be looking to do more sets / volume on each than I have in this log; but it is not thought through yet. Anything I am overlooking in any of this?
Friday, 20 June 2008
Power clean:
50, 60 x 5 reps, 70, 75 x 3 reps, 2 x 80 x 2 reps
Squat:
70 x 12 reps, 100 x 8 reps, 115 x 5 reps
Lying leg curl:
2 x 80 x 5 reps
[Edit, forgot these:
Wrist roller:
3 x 12.5]
Up to 70 the bar was flying up nicely on the PCs, and felt like a bird in my hands. Still a long way to go on good form over that weight, though. For (regular) squats I tied a band at the level of the bottom cross-bars to help me gauge greater depth; discovered my nether regions are not quite so sensitive, and so was still eyeing things in the mirror, but the arrangement is at least adequate for the remaining time on this program cycle. Kept the weight down to make sure everything was under control, which it was; also took a slightly wider stance.
Got an Ayurvedic massage at work (an offer for our staff day today) afterwords, but if given my druthers would have preferred some really deep-tissue work. At least I smelled better afterwards, and it was relaxing.
[quote]1Geech wrote:
Then we are back here for four days before going to Tuscany for another eight days, where there will definitely be no lifting going on that does not involve wine glasses. [/quote]
A full report of all wine related activity will be expected! (jealousy!)
Oh - and the plan looks interesting too…