[quote]ALKoHoLiK wrote:
Yes you and your fucking thighs… Congrats on the 600, you really made that look easy IMHO.
Congrats bro[/quote]
Thanks man! It was a pretty wicked sticking point, but there was never a doubt in my mind.
Deadlift technique notes:
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Straps forward, shoulders back
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Weight on outside of feet, don’t think about heels, push out as you initiate the pull.
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Sit back into suit for leverage, keep tailbone up. Don’t sit down!
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Bar closer at start (nearly touching shins), keep bar closer throughout
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Grip bar extremely hard before initiating pull, grip hard with pinky and with thumb on pointer/middle fingers also
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Practice until you can hold breath while setting up and pulling
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Consider widening stance, switch to deadlift slippers? Foam roll IT band, stretch hip flexors and calf muscles. Too wide for current mobility = knees won’t track out properly or will bow inwards after you start the pull.
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It should take you 3-4 seconds from the instant your hand touches the bar to breaking the bar off the ground.
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Watch this video a few hundred times: Dave 782 DL 355 kilos - YouTube
Bench technique notes:
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Squeeze the hell out of the bar on every rep
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Bar in palm of hand (straight line from side)
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Keep butt on the bench as you set the arch
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Roll the chest up to depress the scapulae, then squeeze them together
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Feet back and wide
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“Pull the bar - don’t lift it - out of the J-hooks” (Tate). Have spotter help pull it out.
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Hold the bar for two seconds before starting descent to allow traps to compress (tighten) and bar to drop.
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Elbows drive the descent, do not concentrate on the hands or bar
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Bar down controlled (not slow or fast), build body tension
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Push yourself away from the bar (into the bench) as you press
Squat technique notes:
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Higher bar placement feels much more stable
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Wider stance when under bar
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Walk out with straight legs, lock the knees
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Try to get down to 2 steps and a slight adjustment if needed
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Minimize the distance you travel from unrack to squat position. Don’t walk back half a block.
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When you unrack, squeeze everything (including glutes) and let the weight settle for a one count, then walk back very deliberately.
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Once you get in position, one deep breath and go
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Descend aggressively. Break hips slowly and then start to build up speed.
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Down and then up, pay no mind to depth. If you go down aggressively you’ll get depth.
Thanks for the tips… Those are the two lifts I do need a lot of help with
Wow! I haven’t been around a whole lot lately. You got strong REAL fast! Fantastic work.
[quote]ALKoHoLiK wrote:
Thanks for the tips… Those are the two lifts I do need a lot of help with[/quote]
They are actually notes to combat my own individual technical deficiencies as it relates to lifting in equipment. If I remember correctly you lift raw, some of them might be more helpful than others.
[quote]Ruggerlife wrote:
Wow! I haven’t been around a whole lot lately. You got strong REAL fast! Fantastic work.[/quote]
Thanks RL! I’m pretty excited about the progress on the squat. I didn’t think I could get to a 600 equipped squat this fast. I can’t wait to start chipping away at 700.
I am so glad I had people like Modi telling me the shortcut is to gain weight, not stay at the same weight or lose weight. At 5’9" I’m probably not going to reach my squat potential relative to the people in my weight class until I get to 242 (110kg).
I saw your update the other day, looks like things are going well on your end. Keep at it!
I only lift raw right now due to the fact that my lifts aren’t where I want them to be before I start using equipment.
I do use a Forever lever belt and APT Convict Knee wraps …
How is your shoulder doing? Have you tried to bench/floor press?
[quote]ALKoHoLiK wrote:
I only lift raw right now due to the fact that my lifts aren’t where I want them to be before I start using equipment.
I do use a Forever lever belt and APT Convict Knee wraps …
How is your shoulder doing? Have you tried to bench/floor press?[/quote]
How much do you get out of knee wraps out of curiosity. I’ve done some estimates and I figure I get ~50 pounds but I’m not sure.
The shoulder (bicep tendon) has started to feel really good, thanks. I’m going to do some dumbbell stuff this week, then next week I’ll start with barbell bench and incline along with plenty of tricep work. I’ll take it pretty easy on the shoulder/bicep for the first 3 weeks, gradually working my way back and in about 5 or 6 weeks, I should be better than ever. Here’s to hoping everything goes according to plan.
I get around 40lbs out of my knee wraps.
I’m glad to hear your bicep tendon is doing better. Well good luck on your road back to getting your bicep tendon and your numbers up. I know once you get past the injury, we shall see PR’s
That’s pretty darn good.
Yeah I am definitely a little nervous about the bicep tendon. Will have to play it very intelligently (not always so easy for me).
[quote]ALKoHoLiK wrote:
I get around 40lbs out of my knee wraps.
I’m glad to hear your bicep tendon is doing better. Well good luck on your road back to getting your bicep tendon and your numbers up. I know once you get past the injury, we shall see PR’s[/quote]
Week 1, Day 1 (Transition block)
KB Depth Squats
5x20x53lbs
Deadlifts (technique drilling)
3x8x135
5x5x225
DB Incline Press (paused, neutral grip)
1x10x25
1x10x35
2x10x45
Cable Low Rows (false grip)
2x15x80
1x11x80
EZ bar Floor Skullcrushers
1x8x45
2x8x65
Band Pushdowns
1x29 (monster mini-band)
Prowler
2x2x90lbs
Very glad to be in the gym even if it isn’t lifting anything heavy. I feel as though the little things are going to continue to be increasingly important. Both in terms of staying healthy and getting stronger (two parallel goals).
Just wanted to work on some great suggestions i have gotten for my deadlift. Butt back instead of down felt really damn good. Much easier to keep the bar close and get the hips through. With my old technique getting the hips through at lockout was mich more difficult with a maximally wide stance. Now with the hips back a W-I-D-E stance feels really easy to lockout. I have 5 weeks until i get back in the deadlift suit so we will see if this stuff starts to translate.
This transition block will last 3 weeks then I will have 12 weeks until the meet, two 4 week volume blocks followed by a 4 week taper. Can’t wait!
Week 1, Day 2 (transition block)
KB Goblet Squats
5x20x53lbs
Flat DB Bench (paused, neutral grip)
1x10x30
1x10x40
1x10x50
2x10x60
Tate Presses
1x10x15
1x10x25
1x10x35
1x10x30
Push-ups
1x10
1x9 (22 lb chain)
DC Chest Stretch
45 pounds (60 Sec.)
Lat Pulldowns (V bar)
1x15x70
1x15x80
2x15x90
Face Pulls (foot on bench)
2x15x70
1x25x40
Scap Retractions (wide grip on seated row)
1x10x50
2x10x40
Deadlifts
3x5x135
4x5x225
Leg Lowering (ABZZZ)
2x8
Hammer Curls
2x10x25
Kind of funny how poor my upper body endurance is right now. Provided my bicep stays healthy that will change in short order.
I’m just so damn excited about this cycle leading up to the meet, I just want to stay healthy.
New Goal:
Forget staying at the 198’s until 2011 nationals in June. I’m moving up to the 220’s after the January meet.
My goal is still to qualify for nationals in a little over a year, but do it in the 220’s. I’ll need a 1660 total, something like 680, 340, 640. Whether I can do that in 15 months is hard to say, but I do think I have a shot.
Since I eventually want to end up in the 242’s, I figure going up instead of trying to lean out in the 198’s is the way to go. I’m still relatively lean now. So I’ll go up to 220, then work at getting pretty lean before considering if I will go up to 242.
A 600 squat??? Damnnn.
Congrats man, you have definitely improved a lot, just take it easy man, you want your bicep tendon to totally heal and then as always you’ll be back for getting some nice PR’s.
Keep the awesome work
TC
[quote]mrodock wrote:
New Goal:
Forget staying at the 198’s until 2011 nationals in June. I’m moving up to the 220’s after the January meet.
My goal is still to qualify for nationals in a little over a year, but do it in the 220’s. I’ll need a 1660 total, something like 680, 340, 640. Whether I can do that in 15 months is hard to say, but I do think I have a shot.
Since I eventually want to end up in the 242’s, I figure going up instead of trying to lean out in the 198’s is the way to go. I’m still relatively lean now. So I’ll go up to 220, then work at getting pretty lean before considering if I will go up to 242.
[/quote]
Whew Now I don’t think i will have a 1600 total I would like to be at 220 as well. So I might see you in comps later on
Good luck man, everything other than your bench is very close. Just need to heal up your bicep and then it will be no problem
[quote]tuchavito wrote:
A 600 squat??? Damnnn.
Congrats man, you have definitely improved a lot, just take it easy man, you want your bicep tendon to totally heal and then as always you’ll be back for getting some nice PR’s.
Keep the awesome work
TC[/quote]
Thanks tuchavito!
You are certainly right, I overdid it a little on Friday and had to back off today. I’ll figure it out though!
Week 1, Day 3 (transition block)
Lying DB Tricep Extensions
1x10x10
1x10x15
1x10x20
1x10x25
1x10x30
1x10x25
Sahrmann Press (Neutral grip overhead press)
1x10x30
1x10x40
2x10x50
KB Depth Squats
3x20x53lbs
Barbell Rows
1x10x110
1x10x120
1x10x130
V-Bar Seated Cable Low Row (false grip)
3x15x70
Leg lowering
3x8
Band Pushdowns (monster-mini)
1x33, 19, 14, 14, 11, 10 (101 total reps)
Band Pull-aparts
1x30, 13, 11, 10, 10, 10, 9, 8 (101 total reps)
I really like the idea of incorporating hundreds to my upper back and tricep training.
Looking forward to putting a bar on my back next week and deadlifting a little heavier. It was nearly impossible not to back squat this week but I figured it was for the best.
[quote]ALKoHoLiK wrote:
mrodock wrote:
New Goal:
Forget staying at the 198’s until 2011 nationals in June. I’m moving up to the 220’s after the January meet.
My goal is still to qualify for nationals in a little over a year, but do it in the 220’s. I’ll need a 1660 total, something like 680, 340, 640. Whether I can do that in 15 months is hard to say, but I do think I have a shot.
Since I eventually want to end up in the 242’s, I figure going up instead of trying to lean out in the 198’s is the way to go. I’m still relatively lean now. So I’ll go up to 220, then work at getting pretty lean before considering if I will go up to 242.
Whew Now I don’t think i will have a 1600 total I would like to be at 220 as well. So I might see you in comps later on
Good luck man, everything other than your bench is very close. Just need to heal up your bicep and then it will be no problem[/quote]
You really never know how much you’ll get out of equipment until you get into it. I hope to get to the point pretty soon where I am getting 250+ pounds out of the equipment. And going up weight classes can put pounds on your total pretty fast too.
I really think once I am healed if I improve my upper back strength, tricep strength, and bench technique, my bench will start climbing quite quickly.
Priorities for this cycle:
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Stay healthy
-back off if bicep hurts, work into proposed schedule gradually
-increase hip flexor soft tissue work/stretching
-do depth squats before every workout
-increase soft tissue work on IT band
-do DC Chest stretch (Wed. and Sun.)
-biceps (Wed. and Sat.)
-Sahrmann Press (Sun.)
-db laterals (Wed.)
-abs (Mon. and Sat.) -
Improve technique on squat, bench, and deadlift
-refer to notes on page 27 -
Upper/mid back strength and endurance
-Lat pulldowns (ramping) Wed.
-Inverted scapular row (volume) Wed.
-Barbell rows (ramping) Fri.
-Face pulls (volume+) Fri.
-Pull-ups (2 sets to fail) Sun.
-Cable low rows (volume+) Sun.
-Band Pullaparts (hundreds) Sun. -
Tricep strength and endurance
-Floor Skullcrushers (ramping) Wed.
-Tate Press (ramping) Fri.
-Lying DB Extensions (ramping) Sun.
-Shirted Board Presses (TBD) Sun.
-Band Pushdowns (hundreds) Wed./Fri./Sun. -
Glute strength
-Weighted BB Hip Thrust (volume) Sun. -
Grip strength and endurance
-DB Shrugs (volume) Fri. (before deadlifts) -
Improve bench arch
-Back Magic (N/A) Mon./Sat. -
Heavy Squat walkouts
-raw, work up to ~550, do them on Sunday of weeks 2, 4, 6