[quote]GeneticSynergy9 wrote:
I’ve been doing the quad strength layers, so for bench, I do the ramp from pins and then the other three without. Seems to be going well thus far. Would you say that that’s a good plan to incorporate both from pins and without? Just wondering since in my case, doing the ramp from pins is a necessity since I do not have a good spotter.[/quote]
IMO here.
1 you dont need a spotter since you are ramping to a training max, not an all out max.
2. with full rom on the bench, i set the pins where i cannot touch them with my lift, but, if i drop my chest, and roll the bar towards my neck, i can rest it on the pins… in essence… a spotter.
3. i recently have determined that this method made me a little lazy. i didnt dig real deep to make sure i got the lift. that took me a lomg time to come to terms with. like ct said “the comfort zone”. when you know “it’s do it, or get plastered, you get real serious”
since i have stopped doing lifts from pins, it has taken a long time to get adjusted. i used to always “bounce” weight off my chest. i am still not so swift on the turnaround. even in squats, i am still doing a pause. the only movement that has come back completely is the SGHP and Power Cleans from Hang. otherwise it looks like i am intentionally pausing, even though i am not.
[quote]PKS wrote:
[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
That’s why I now recommend combining both types of pressing or sticking with pins for only 4 weeks or so if that’s all you do.[/quote]
Thanks CT, glad I asked!
How would you recommend transitioning to not-from-pins pressing? I was thinking of doing this in lieu of the new info you have given me:
Weeks 1-4 ACCUMULATION from Pins
Weeks 5-8 Strength phase NO-pins
Weeks 9-12 INTENSIFICATION from Pins
Weeks 13-16 Strength phase NO-pins
Weeks 17-20 TRANSFORMATION from Pins (I am currently in this phase)
Weeks 21-24 Strength phase NO-pins (Was going to start this phase immediately?)
repeat
Would using this Strength phase still be a great option?:
1.Ramp to 1RM, 3x Clusters at 90% 1RM
2.Ramp to 2RM from 70% 1RM, 2x Clusters at 90% 2RM
3.Ramp to 3RM from 70% 1RM, 1x Cluster at 90% 3RM
4.Max Reps at 70% 1RM
[/quote]
That’s what I’m thinking of doing too. Have you started this yet? If so, did you do the ramp with pins?
Since I’m using slight incline and slight decline, I should just be able to set the pins lower so that I can set the bar down if I really need to. Forward on one, backward on the other. My biggest concern is getting pinned under the bar without a spotter.
[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
-
Clusters can be done with regular lifts, it has been done for decades! Heck, I even published a DVD called “Cluster training” and didn’t talk about lifts from pins. What I find is that you need to take about 5 more seconds between reps when doing clusters on the full lifts.
-
Are full lifts necessary? If your only goal is to gain overall size, probably not. And lifts from pins will get the muscles just as strong as without pins. But the fact is that if you only do lifts from pins, you will only get better at lifts from pins. So if performing at a high level on the full lifts has some importance to you, you’ll have to do full lifts.
[/quote]
Thank you for the answers, that gives me something to chew on for awhile. I didn’t know about that DVD.
And I fully understand the “if you want to be good at X, do X”. I’m really less concerned about X, and more concerned about the effects of X on my physique and body composition.
That being said, thank you for introducing me to the snatch grip high pulls especially.
[quote]LoRez wrote:
[quote]PKS wrote:
[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
That’s why I now recommend combining both types of pressing or sticking with pins for only 4 weeks or so if that’s all you do.[/quote]
Thanks CT, glad I asked!
How would you recommend transitioning to not-from-pins pressing? I was thinking of doing this in lieu of the new info you have given me:
Weeks 1-4 ACCUMULATION from Pins
Weeks 5-8 Strength phase NO-pins
Weeks 9-12 INTENSIFICATION from Pins
Weeks 13-16 Strength phase NO-pins
Weeks 17-20 TRANSFORMATION from Pins (I am currently in this phase)
Weeks 21-24 Strength phase NO-pins (Was going to start this phase immediately?)
repeat
Would using this Strength phase still be a great option?:
1.Ramp to 1RM, 3x Clusters at 90% 1RM
2.Ramp to 2RM from 70% 1RM, 2x Clusters at 90% 2RM
3.Ramp to 3RM from 70% 1RM, 1x Cluster at 90% 3RM
4.Max Reps at 70% 1RM
[/quote]
That’s what I’m thinking of doing too. Have you started this yet? If so, did you do the ramp with pins?
Since I’m using slight incline and slight decline, I should just be able to set the pins lower so that I can set the bar down if I really need to. Forward on one, backward on the other. My biggest concern is getting pinned under the bar without a spotter.[/quote]
LoRez,
In my case, I had been exclusively using pins for over 6 months, so I did my first not-from pins “Strength phase” layers workout yesterday. Wonky at first, but improved as the session went on.
I did all reps, ramp included, without the pins. I am going to do the entire 4week “Strength” block in this manner, and then hopefully Thibs will advise on what to do from there.
Could you clarify what you mean by this:
“Since I’m using slight incline and slight decline, I should just be able to set the pins lower so that I can set the bar down if I really need to. Forward on one, backward on the other. My biggest concern is getting pinned under the bar without a spotter.”
Cheers
-Pete
[quote]PKS wrote:
In my case, I had been exclusively using pins for over 6 months, so I did my first not-from pins “Strength phase” layers workout yesterday. Wonky at first, but improved as the session went on.
I did all reps, ramp included, without the pins. I am going to do the entire 4week “Strength” block in this manner, and then hopefully Thibs will advise on what to do from there.[/quote]
So you started the reps from the top instead of the bottom then? One rep = Unrack, press, rerack?
I just started the first strength phase yesterday, but decided to do it from pins (at least this time).
[quote]Could you clarify what you mean by this:
“Since I’m using slight incline and slight decline, I should just be able to set the pins lower so that I can set the bar down if I really need to. Forward on one, backward on the other. My biggest concern is getting pinned under the bar without a spotter.”
[/quote]
I just meant, if I set the pins lower while doing decline press, I should be able to lower the bar to my chest, but be able to drop/slide the bar above my head on the pins if necessary. And likewise with the incline, being able to push it towards my stomach on the pins.
But for the actual path of travel, it would lower completely to my chest.
[quote]LoRez wrote:
[quote]PKS wrote:
In my case, I had been exclusively using pins for over 6 months, so I did my first not-from pins “Strength phase” layers workout yesterday. Wonky at first, but improved as the session went on.
I did all reps, ramp included, without the pins. I am going to do the entire 4week “Strength” block in this manner, and then hopefully Thibs will advise on what to do from there.[/quote]
So you started the reps from the top instead of the bottom then? One rep = Unrack, press, rerack?
I just started the first strength phase yesterday, but decided to do it from pins (at least this time).
[quote]Could you clarify what you mean by this:
“Since I’m using slight incline and slight decline, I should just be able to set the pins lower so that I can set the bar down if I really need to. Forward on one, backward on the other. My biggest concern is getting pinned under the bar without a spotter.”
[/quote]
I just meant, if I set the pins lower while doing decline press, I should be able to lower the bar to my chest, but be able to drop/slide the bar above my head on the pins if necessary. And likewise with the incline, being able to push it towards my stomach on the pins.
But for the actual path of travel, it would lower completely to my chest.[/quote]
- Yep. Unrack from top>Eccentric>Concentric-re-rack. Cluster sets felt good once I got into the groove. Not as awkward as I thought they’d be.
2)re pin settings: Ah, ok, got it.
I had fantastic results setting the pins a couple inches from my chest, or from mouth/nose level for overhead pressing. Don’t get hung up on going for maximum range of motion on your pressing, your shoulders will thank you for it! 
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