[quote]mrodock wrote:
Hanging leg raises (ab straps)
2x5
1x4
Holy shit am I weak at hanging leg raises, wow! We’ll be doing a whole lot more of those!
[/quote]
Those are hard!
keep the legs straight, no swinging, ankles to hands.
Really work the core and shoulder girdle among other things.
[quote]ALKoHoLiK wrote:
[quote]mrodock wrote:
Looks like a good pair of shoes. They have a fairly high heel so you may find that a stance slightly wider than shoulder width where you force your knees out and not sit back quite as much will be strongest. These are just general suggestions though, only through experimentation will you figure out the best combination.[/quote]
Here is my form check with the new shoes.
I tried a few different stances, however I think I am way to tight in my hips/ankles to really benefit from these shoes. I can hardly do the third world squat in these things and that is with a substantial forward lean.
Tell you the truth, I noticed very little. I’ll let you decide from the video. [/quote]
Well a heel should eliminate ankle mobility issues . . . so it is probably your hips. I would really highly recommend doing the hip warm-up routine that the Diesel crew has on the web (I also posted it on page 40 of this thread).
But your depth looks good, it isn’t a2g, but who gives a shit. I think it is important though to have the hip mobility to go a2g, and you will get there. Usually when people squat a2g they descend quickly. But I do think this would be a really bad idea at this point in your squatting development.
I think you could sit back slightly more, it looks like your knees are going out over your toes a fair amount.
I think your upper body posture is looking tremendously better, really solid.
You get better every video, you are very moldable. Be patient grasshopper.
[quote]Oldman Powers wrote:
[quote]mrodock wrote:
Hanging leg raises (ab straps)
2x5
1x4
Holy shit am I weak at hanging leg raises, wow! We’ll be doing a whole lot more of those!
[/quote]
Those are hard!
keep the legs straight, no swinging, ankles to hands.
Really work the core and shoulder girdle among other things.[/quote]
hahaha, yeah not sure if I can guarantee each of those reps described that form.
I’ll be working at it though!
[quote]Oldman Powers wrote:
[quote]mrodock wrote:
Hanging leg raises (ab straps)
2x5
1x4
Holy shit am I weak at hanging leg raises, wow! We’ll be doing a whole lot more of those!
[/quote]
Those are hard!
keep the legs straight, no swinging, ankles to hands.
Really work the core and shoulder girdle among other things.[/quote]
Yeah they are definitely hard . . . ankles to hands, eh? They just got a lot harder!
Week 1, Day 3
Floor Press w/44lb chains (3 fingers from rings)
1x4x155@7.5
1x4x170@8
1x4x180@9
2x4x170@8.5
1x4x170@9
Incline DB Press (neutral grip)
1x6x45@7
1x6x50@8
1x6x55@8.5
1x6x57.5@8
1x6x60@9
1x6x55@8.5
1x5x55@9.5
Floor Skullcrushers
1x8x55@7
1x8x65@8
1x8x70@9
1x8x60@8
1x8x60@9
Vertical DB Flyes
3x10x10
Band-assisted chin-ups (light)
5x8
Chest-supported row
4x6x110
Improved on the floor press from last time. My upper body endurance has improved quite a bit in a very short time. If I can stay healthy things are really going to start clicking with my bench, that is a guarantee.
I received my program from Mike T. today, really looking forward to it. Going to be pretty interesting, going to be doing some stuff I have never done before. From plain old squats, to close stance SSB squats with 50 pounds of chains, to raw squats with 200 pounds of chains, to suited squats with 100 pounds of chains. Going to be a freaking adventure.
[quote]mrodock wrote:
Yeah they are definitely hard . . . ankles to hands, eh? They just got a lot harder![/quote]
Well, thats the goal. In reality some knee bend to get there, but yeah definitely want to be looking up at your feet.
[quote]Oldman Powers wrote:
[quote]mrodock wrote:
Yeah they are definitely hard . . . ankles to hands, eh? They just got a lot harder![/quote]
Well, thats the goal. In reality some knee bend to get there, but yeah definitely want to be looking up at your feet.[/quote]
Okay, I definitely got the feet above head high, but yeah, I will aspire to 3x10 with strict form.
For my record I want to transition my form to look more like Alexander Gromov’s. Instead of putting most of my focus on sitting back, I will focus more on staying extremely upright. This inevitably will mean I sit back less, but I think overall it will help my squat improve, particularly in the suit where stability is a real issue if I get very little pop out of the
bottom.
I think Arkadiy Shalokha’s technique (36:15) is a rough idea of my present technique. Works great for him because his back is as strong as his legs and hips, doesn’t work as well for me because my back is a little weaker than my legs and hips. If you do happen to watch Gromov squat, stay tuned for Olech!!!
37:30
As long as I’m at it, here is what I’m trying to get my deadlift technique to look more like:
Furazkin also has phenomenal squat technique, go figure:
Week 1, Day 4
Squat (no belt)
1x4x275@7.5
1x4x315@8
2x4x345@9
1x4x330@9
Deadlift w/44 lb chains (no belt)
1x4x315@7
1x4x355@8
1x4x385@8.5
1x4x405@9
1x4x385@9
2 sec. pause squats (no belt)
1x5x225@7
1x5x245@7.5
1x5x265@8
1x5x275@8.5
1x5x285@8.5
1x5x295@9
Ab walk-outs
3x8
I was pretty disappointed with the squats, but pleasantly surprised by the deadlifts and pause squats. I could tell not using a belt cost me at least 20 pounds on squats today. Lucky for me Mike is pretty anti-belt so that will be fun/interesting. I also found out I have about the same amount of strength in squats whether I do olympic squats, wide stance “powerlifting” squats, or something inbetween.
Considering that I used a belt last time I deadlifted with chains, I didn’t think I would add 20 pounds to my top set, and for it to feel easier than my top set last time.
Pause squats are tough but a lot of fun.
My shoulder seems to be improving pretty well, it tolerated ab walk-outs today really well.
Week 1 (Accessory/Recovery)
Tues.
Push-ups
12 (20 sec. rest)
12 (30 sec. rest)
12 (40 sec. rest)
8
Single-arm kettlebell press (no rest, switch arms)
4x12x20
1x10x20
BW squats (1 min. rest)
50
40
30
20
10
20
30
40
DB Laterals
3x10x15
DB Rear Laterals
3x10x20
Standing band external rotation
3x12xorange pt
Thur.
Hammer Curls
2x8x30
1x10x25
Push-ups (1 min. rest)
24
11
8
Behind Neck Band Pull-aparts
2x15xmini
1x14xmini
Kettlebell swings (1 min. rest)
4x25x35lb
4x15x35lb
Band hip abduction
3x15xmini
upper/lower foam roll
Saturday
upper/lower foam roll
Push-ups (1 min. rest)
25
12
10
Also two 40 min. walks. I did a good job of getting my recovery/accessory work in, have to keep up on this.
I don’t like logging this stuff but I really think it will help me stick to it. I’m getting used to doing something productive for powerlifting every day of the week. Not all of it is a lot of fun, but I think all of it helps.
Can’t wait for week 2 . . . don’t have to wait long since it starts tomorrow with bench! It will be the start of Mike’s program, going to be an adventure.
Alright after 2 weeks of practicing my form I think I’ve got it to almost where I want.
Let me know what you think young sir.
[quote]ALKoHoLiK wrote:
Alright after 2 weeks of practicing my form I think I’ve got it to almost where I want.
Let me know what you think young sir.
The rep at 4:40 told me that you REALLY understand what you need to be doing. When you hit a sticking point you maintained your torso posture and kept pushing through the floor.
When you get in equipment (which honestly I would recommend doing it soon), it will be even harder to maintain solid posture. It is extremely important to master this now (as you are doing). There are some people that wait until they get extremely strong before they get in equipment. I think if you plan on competing in equipment eventually, doing it once you have good technique and have a good base of strength is the time to get in it. If you wait until you are extremely strong, you’ll be handling so much damn weight the equipment will feel awful.
Tremendous work man!
Week 2, Day 1
Fat Bar Bench (POR)
1x4x180@7
1x4x200@8
1x4x220@9.5 (came out of groove?)
4x4x205@8, 8.5, 8.5, 9
DB Bench + mini band
1x4x60@7.5
1x4x70@8
1x4x80@8.5
1x3x90@9.5
1x4x80@10
Upright Rows
1x8x75@8
1x8x85@8.5
1x8x90@9
1x8x85@9
Barbell Rows
4x8x135
Lat Pulldowns (medium grip)
1x12x110
1x11x110
1x11x100
Band Diagonal Chest Stretch
I set up the dumbbell bench against bands wrong and it screwed everything up. I thought I had seen a video where someone had choked the bands to a heavy dumbbell on the floor and then wrapped the bands around the dumbbells being lifted. Set-up was nearly impossible this way, it was just stupid. Then I realized the thing to do is put the band behind my back. This exercise should be much better next time.
GPP with the wife tomorrow at 6:30am, not used to working out in the morning!
I know you have some words of wisdom to give me. That wasn’t a critique lol.
What do I have to work on now? I want to be more upright, however I know I’m not very flexible and my ankles don’t have a lot of mobility yet, that is something I’m working on. Is there something I can work on tho?
[quote]ALKoHoLiK wrote:
I know you have some words of wisdom to give me. That wasn’t a critique lol.
What do I have to work on now? I want to be more upright, however I know I’m not very flexible and my ankles don’t have a lot of mobility yet, that is something I’m working on. Is there something I can work on tho?[/quote]
Haha.
The increased hip mobility will allow you to stay more upright during the squat.
Honestly it is just about squatting and paying very close attention to how proper technique feels and then getting to the point where you ingrain that perfect feel rep after rep. Doing Sheiko or a lot of ~85% singles, or density training are great ways to perfect form.
Since you are making me nitpick, it appears your upper back isn’t as tight as it could be. Really try to roll your chest up/scapulae down hard as you get under the bar. Keep this position throughout the set. Get the feel of keeping the torso locked into position throughout the set. Squeeze ever spinal erector muscle you have as you squat.
I really liked this latest video a lot more than the video before this one. You really locked your torso into position much better. The video before you often got out of position and rolled your chest back up. Ideally, the chest stays rolled up throughout the set.
You could lower yourself a little more slowly and under more tension. Squeeze every muscle in your body as you lower, make it “difficult” to lower the weight. Takes a lot of discipline to do this right, but it may very well help you stay more upright and give you a bit more spring out of the hole.
Well I’ve decided that I’m going to start doing Sheiko next week. I’m going to do the CMS/MS one from here: http://www.elitefts.com/sheiko/Sheikotrcomp.htm
I might do 29 or 37 but I really don’t know. Real quick, what are your thoughts on taking some of the accessory out or just doing Deadlifts and not deadlifts from box?
I guess I’d like to do the core stuff and maybe a few of the accessory. Thoughts, questions or comments?
Thanks man
[quote]ALKoHoLiK wrote:
Well I’ve decided that I’m going to start doing Sheiko next week. I’m going to do the CMS/MS one from here: http://www.elitefts.com/sheiko/Sheikotrcomp.htm
I might do 29 or 37 but I really don’t know. Real quick, what are your thoughts on taking some of the accessory out or just doing Deadlifts and not deadlifts from box?
I guess I’d like to do the core stuff and maybe a few of the accessory. Thoughts, questions or comments?
Thanks man[/quote]
Since you asked for my opinion, I absolutely do NOT think this is the time to be doing the CMS/MS cycle. Honestly, it is so much work there is a good chance you will either get injured or get through it and NOT get stronger. You need an appropriate program for the level of lifter you are currently. So I would encourage you to use the chart that is on the second page of the article: "Sheiko Shakes Up Powerlifting. Until you get to a CMS level, around 1396 raw total at 198, you have little business if any doing a CMS/MS routine. Further, even the guys that are at the MS level and have not trained in the high volume Sheiko manner before will get stronger doing prep cycles like 29 and 37. I would really encourage you to do the 13 week cycle (based on 29-37-32) that is in the aforementioned Sheiko article. If that goes really well, which I believe it will, I can give you some ideas for how to keep adapting the program for you.
One more thing I want to say, don’t make this process more difficult than it is. The Russians have done a lot of the hard work for you already. They’ve figured out the amount of volume that various levels of lifters typically need. You and I DO NOT need a CMS/MS routine yet. Save it for when it will be of use! Get strong on less volume now, and you save the higher volume for later. Look at what Brian Siders does on a weekly basis. Do you want to be doing that much in order to raw total 1250 at 198? I hope not!
Let me say this one other way. It isn’t that I doubt you can do the CMS/MS work if you really put your mind to it. But you will be a much better lifter in the long run if you take a longer range view of this whole process.
One other thing, even though Al Caslow probably qualifies for MSIC, he decided to work with the CMS/MS routines because he figured he shouldn’t jump to that level if he didn’t need to. Turned out he was right.
You may very well not need that CMS/MS routine for another 3-5 years.
If you want a spreadsheet with a bunch of the different Sheiko routines send me a PM with your email address.
Week 2, Day 2
2" deficit reverse band deadlift (pin #25, #27) [no belt]
1x4x365@7.5
1x4x385@8.5
1x4x405@8.5 (raised bands 2 in. starting this set)
1x4x425@9
1x4x395@9
Squat (pause at midpoint) [no belt]
1x4x295@8
1x4x315@8.5
1x4x335@8.5
1x4x355@9
2x4x330@8.5, 9
Romanian deadlift
1x8x225@7
1x8x255@7.5
1x8x275@8.5
1x8x295@9
1x8x275@9
Snatch grip shrugs
3x12x135
Hanging leg raises
3x8
I am not very tech savvy, in spite of novaeer’s coaching reverse band deadlifts were a clusterfuck. I had the pins set at about chin level, and they seemed to be about right. Once I got up to 385 pounds it was very obvious they were taking an extremely small amount of weight off the bottom. So I raised the pins up 2" and it didn’t seem much different at all. I can pull 4x425 on a bad day raw. So anyways after I had stripped all the weight off I put a 10kg full-size bumper plate on either side. The bar dropped about 1.5 inches and was on the floor. Not sure how in the hell high to put the pins next time. Will talk to Mike.
I was amazed at the squats considering they didn’t go so great on Sunday. I was stronger with a pause in the middle of the squat than I was on Sunday doing regular squats. Pretty odd but at least I know Sunday was just a bad day. Which doesn’t make a lot of sense since I am now sleep-deprived, been fighting off a cold for 3 days, and just generally feel irritable. And on Sunday I felt like I was going to kick some ass. And on Sunday I lead with squats, whereas today I had the clusterfuck deadlift session. Welcome to powerlifting!
Hanging leg raises are easier when you hold onto the straps, interesting! Amazing how much my wife teaches me about lifting on the Sundays she joins me.
If you don’t have a higher pin setting to use, try adding the monster minis as well, and choke both sets of bands around the pins. That might give you the deload on the bottom that you’re trying to get. Test it out next time you’re in the gym just to be sure. Oh, another solution would be to buy the average bands. 
[quote]novaeer wrote:
If you don’t have a higher pin setting to use, try adding the monster minis as well, and choke both sets of bands around the pins. That might give you the deload on the bottom that you’re trying to get. Test it out next time you’re in the gym just to be sure. Oh, another solution would be to buy the average bands. ;-)[/quote]
Okay . . . so I can set the pins about 4 inches higher I think. My issue is I don’t want to take too much off the bottom either. What weight should it take before the plates touch the ground if this is going to work about right?
Also, I was going to order average bands a couple of weeks ago but they were out of stock.