I attended your powerlifting seminar at the APC a few months ago. Since then I’ve been working on my bench form and have become comfortable with the tweaks you showed me. My problem is that I still cannot budge my max. I’ve tried a few different set/rep schemes including 3x8, 5x5, 10x3, but I’m still maxing at a pathetic 210 lbs. Do you have any suggestions for breaking through this wall?
On a more positive note, my deadlift max went up to 340 lbs, over 2x my bodyweight. I was pretty happy about that.
Where are you missing at in the lift? Also, what assistance exercises are you doing to bring up the bench?
Stay strong
MR
[quote]jzimm9mm wrote:
Hey Mike,
I attended your powerlifting seminar at the APC a few months ago. Since then I’ve been working on my bench form and have become comfortable with the tweaks you showed me. My problem is that I still cannot budge my max. I’ve tried a few different set/rep schemes including 3x8, 5x5, 10x3, but I’m still maxing at a pathetic 210 lbs. Do you have any suggestions for breaking through this wall?
On a more positive note, my deadlift max went up to 340 lbs, over 2x my bodyweight. I was pretty happy about that.
What assistance exercises are you doing? And where in the lift do you typically miss?
Stay strong
MR
[quote]jzimm9mm wrote:
Hey Mike,
I attended your powerlifting seminar at the APC a few months ago. Since then I’ve been working on my bench form and have become comfortable with the tweaks you showed me. My problem is that I still cannot budge my max. I’ve tried a few different set/rep schemes including 3x8, 5x5, 10x3, but I’m still maxing at a pathetic 210 lbs. Do you have any suggestions for breaking through this wall?
On a more positive note, my deadlift max went up to 340 lbs, over 2x my bodyweight. I was pretty happy about that.
$900? Where was that? The only SOB’s that gave me a price was $2500!
I have trigger points all over the friggin place, but I did fib a little- it isnt quite 50… I have just about every one in the book in my upper, mid and lower back. I have every one in my glute that the book talks about, and every one in my calves, etc, etc. Im a dern mess…
Thanks again for your help. I will likely be begging for some help once I get the MRI.
Hey Mike,
That last post reminded me, what kind of stretches would you recommend if my hips hurt? It’s a pain in the front of my hip that sort of comes and goes on each side. This is accompanied by a very painful sensation on my lower right lumbar region.
Also, any other stretches for the tricep or elbow? I recently overextended my right arm pressing, now when I press anything heavier than about 150 that same spot, (inside and slightly above my right elbow joint), really starts to bug me.
Thanks for the last two stretching articles, they were just what I was looking for over the last few weeks!
The hip flexor, quad and adductor stretches could be exactly what the Dr. ordered. Tight hip flexors can lead to increased lordosis, so I would start there.
If you strained the tricep, the stretch I gave will help, but I’d look into some soft tissue work as well (ART, massage, etc.). You’ll need to break up the scar tissue. Good luck and thanks for the kind words!
Stay strong
MR
[quote]Charles Atlas wrote:
Hey Mike,
That last post reminded me, what kind of stretches would you recommend if my hips hurt? It’s a pain in the front of my hip that sort of comes and goes on each side. This is accompanied by a very painful sensation on my lower right lumbar region.
Also, any other stretches for the tricep or elbow? I recently overextended my right arm pressing, now when I press anything heavier than about 150 that same spot, (inside and slightly above my right elbow joint), really starts to bug me.
Thanks for the last two stretching articles, they were just what I was looking for over the last few weeks![/quote]
[quote]Charles Atlas wrote:
Hey Mike,
That last post reminded me, what kind of stretches would you recommend if my hips hurt? It’s a pain in the front of my hip that sort of comes and goes on each side. This is accompanied by a very painful sensation on my lower right lumbar region.
Also, any other stretches for the tricep or elbow? I recently overextended my right arm pressing, now when I press anything heavier than about 150 that same spot, (inside and slightly above my right elbow joint), really starts to bug me.
Thanks for the last two stretching articles, they were just what I was looking for over the last few weeks![/quote]
Chuck, it’s Joe, long time…
seconding for the elbow/forearm stretches. My ART guy gave me a couple of things but they don’t really seem to keep the tightness at bay.
Mike,
I think I have an imbalance in my legs.
When I do heavy cleans or snatches, my right foot always ends up behind my left.
When I squat, my right knee will sometimes wobble slightly.
I can jerk much better if I split my legs with my left foot landing in front than I can if I do it with my right foot in front.
My guess is I have a weak right hamstring. Is this what you think, and how could I work a fix into my training routine (4x/week, 2 upper days, 2 lower days(one squat day and one olympic/deadlift day))?
For the hammies, I would do a basic straight leg raise. Lay on your back and with a towel pull your straight leg towards your head; note the quantity and quality of movement between legs. If you have an imbalance, one will be worse than the other.
If you have a strength imbalance, it will typically show up while squatting. Watch yourself squat in a mirror and see if you distribute your weight evenly.
Let us know what you come up with and we can figure out some basic protocols for addressing the imbalance(s).
Stay strong
MR
[quote]W.F.Call78 wrote:
Mike,
I think I have an imbalance in my legs.
When I do heavy cleans or snatches, my right foot always ends up behind my left.
When I squat, my right knee will sometimes wobble slightly.
I can jerk much better if I split my legs with my left foot landing in front than I can if I do it with my right foot in front.
My guess is I have a weak right hamstring. Is this what you think, and how could I work a fix into my training routine (4x/week, 2 upper days, 2 lower days(one squat day and one olympic/deadlift day))?
Mike, I decided to try out some upright rows for the first time last week. When using a close grip (about 14in.) I get a pain in my right thumb that sort of feels like someone is flicking my thumb from the inside. If it helps, I am right handed and my right shoulder has always snap, crackeled and popped, but not really while lifting. Any ideas of what is going on. Thanks
Is this the only movement that you get the pain in? If so, I’d just drop the movement; IMO, the risk to reward ratio isn’t all that great. If you need convincing, check out EC’s article from about a month ago…sorry, I can’t remember the name though!
Stay strong
MR
[quote]SquatBenchDead wrote:
Mike, I decided to try out some upright rows for the first time last week. When using a close grip (about 14in.) I get a pain in my right thumb that sort of feels like someone is flicking my thumb from the inside. If it helps, I am right handed and my right shoulder has always snap, crackeled and popped, but not really while lifting. Any ideas of what is going on. Thanks[/quote]
No, I don’t notice the pain on any other movement. I have no problem dropping the movement. I was just wondering if you thought it was something to be concerned about. Thanks for your help.
MR, I have a client who has been complaining about a neck cramp for a week. She blame it on the side raises we did (5 pbs/12 reps/2 sets).Knowing that the trap is a synergist for the delt is there any advice/tips/hints you can offer me on dealing with this issue. Anything to explain to her? thank you
If her traps are overactive, everytime she lifts her arm she’s going to get over-activation in there. I would have her do the upper trap/SCM stretch before performing the exercise and see if that doesn’t clear things up. As well, make sure she isn’t “jutting” her chin forward as she raises the weights.
Stay strong
MR
[quote]bigpump23 wrote:
MR, I have a client who has been complaining about a neck cramp for a week. She blame it on the side raises we did (5 pbs/12 reps/2 sets).Knowing that the trap is a synergist for the delt is there any advice/tips/hints you can offer me on dealing with this issue. Anything to explain to her? thank you [/quote]