So I seem to be over tucking my elbows a bit then, I’ll give that a go man, cheers! I had thought it could be that but watching the video back I didnt think my elbows looked too bad
It’s not even over tucking, it’s just cueing. No-one wants to flare on the chest, so we tuck - except you don’t need to pull your elbows in to do that as long as you’re positioning your shoulders properly. I think this is where the pull the bar apart cue comes in, except I never understood it compared to pulling my elbows out.
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Thanks man, I’ll try that!! The pull the bar apart cue has never really worked for me either. Benching again on Friday so will definately be cueing elbows out towards the bottom
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22-6-17
Deadlift
Foam roll glutes, leg swings, babded side steps, stretch hips
Deadlift 60kg 2x5, 100kg 2x5, 140kg x3, 170kg x3, 200kg 2x5
Deficit Deadlifts 160kg 2x5
Romanian Deadlifts 140kg 3x8
Leg Ext 60kg 3x12
BB Rows 110kg 4x8
Med Grip Pulldowns 4x12
I’ve been working my hamstrings / glutes for the last few weeks now, and today was the first time I’ve done a set of deadlifts and thought, “wow, my glutes are getting sore”
After every set I could feel that my outer glutes and hamstrings had actually been firing properly, and taking some of the load! A good sign of things to come I hope!
I had planned to do 3x5 at 200kg but after the 2nd set my lower back was aching a little from work, so I called it a day there!
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There’s a marked improvement in positioning as far as I can tell.
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It’s the shoes
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Thanks Mark, they’re certainly feeling better! Its all in the shoes!!
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23-6-17
Bench
Stretch chest and shoulders, band pullaparts, band rows
Bench 20kg 2x5, 60kg 2x5, 80kg x5, 100kg x5, 120kg 3x6
Slingshot 135kg x6
Inc BB Press 80kg 3x10
Inc DB Press 35kg x10, 45kg x10
Smith OHP 80kg 3x8, 60kg x12
Skipped my rows today, my upper back is still aching from yesterdays session. Bench felt good today, trained at a different gym with a couple of guys I know.
Elbows still seem to be drifting infront of the bar, I may just close my grip back up to how it used to be, because this problem only seems to have started since I opened my grip up
2 Likes
24-6-17
Front Squat
Banded side steps, glute bridges, stretch
Front Squat 20kg 2x5, 60kg x5, 80kg x5, 100kg x5, 120kg x3, 140kg 3x3, 95kg 3x8
BB Rows 120kg 5x5
DB Side Laterals 12.5kg 4x12
BB Front Raises 20kg 4x10
BB Curls 25kg 4x12
Hammer Strength Shrugs 140kg 3x8
Feeling tired today, but managed to get through the session and it felt pretty good! Front Squats are horrible the day after Bench, my shoulders were aching before I even started!
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Two things that help me before squatting - so maybe helpful for front squats too - are band shoulder dislocates with a stretch with arms behind at chest level and working a lacrosse ball into my outer and lower pecs.
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Thats a good suggestion for my back squat day, thanks man! It wasnt a tightness issue today, it was more that I was a little sore and then sat 140kg across my delts heh! No pain, no gain though!
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26-6-17
Squat
Banded side steps, leg swing, stretch hips
Squat 20kg 2x5, 60kg x5, 100kg x5, 140kg x5, 180kg x5, 200kg x3, 220kg x2, 225kg x1
Paused Deadlift 150kg 3x5
Stiff Legger DL 150kg 3x5
Leg Ext 8/9/10/11 plates, 4x12
Neutral Grip Pullups x8, 7, 6, 5, 5
Everything felt good today to say how tired I felt, my top 2 sets of Squats felt a little slow, and are very tight on depth. I’m getting used to Squatting in my flats now though and its feeling comfortable so far!
My Deadlift form on the paused DLs felt very good, everything felt tight and Deadlifts actually felt comfortable for once!! Very happy about this as usually they always feel ‘off’
Video of 220kg double, first set of paused and second set of stiff legged:
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Those squats made me a bit nervous with the speed what’s your plan of you missed? Gotta be careful with that
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Same thoughts. I was squinting tryna find the invisible safety ropes on the monolith.
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I definitely wouldn’t do that without safeties. Could get very nasty very quickly.
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Probably wasnt my smartest idea tbh, should of had a spot, just didnt occur to ask… 220 usually moves better than that.
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Are you trying to supplant me as the bad squatting ideas guy?
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Nah you can keep that title mate! I’ll be smarter from now on!
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27-6-17
Bench
Stretch Pecs and Shoulders, band pullaparts, band dislocations
Bench 20kg 2x5, 60kg x5, 80kg x5, 100kg x5, 120kg x3, 130kg x3, 135kg x3
Close Grip Bench 90kg x6, 100kg x6, 110kg x6
DB Shoulder Press 32.5kg x6, 37.5kg x6, 42.5kg 2x6
Cable Flys 5 plates 4x12
Skullcrushers 30kg 4x15
Straight Bar Pressdowns 5 plates 4x12
Elbows were complaining a little today so threw on my elbow sleeves. Nothing amazing in this session, had triples in my head all day so came in and hit a couple of good triples.
Close Grip felt better then ever! I usually have to put the 2 inch bench block on as the full ROM used to cause me discomfort, nothing at all today though!
135kg x3 and 110kg x6:
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Reps looking smooth.
Also, what even is a close grip bench anymore? I grew up being taught it was like 4-6 inches apart, but over the years have come to find that everyone has their own use of the term.
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