Torn Between Scylla and Charybdis

Training Training Logs
281

[quote]Trevshenko wrote:
Maybe try some extended pause squats? So like a good 3-5 seconds in the hole. It could also be a flexibility issue making you unbalanced right at the bottom. I had a similar thing recently with my low bar squat, i brought my feet in probably less than an inch and really focussed on activating my glutes and trying to pull the floor apart and it made a big difference. Amazing how little subtle things can make a lift feel so much worse/better[/quote]

Ive been playing with how far my feet are apart, how far my toes are pointed out, and my head position so far. There has to be something else though. I am squatting low bar as low as I can possibly go. I like that stretchy/bouncy feeling you get out of the bottom.

282

On a related note to previous discussions in here…

Dan Green did two meets recently that I read write ups for.

The first one he had what he called a “bad day.” I cant recall what weight class, but he set a new American Record. On a “bad day” he make an American Record.

The second one just recently happened. Again, not sure of the weight class, but he had a “good day” and broke his own WR. This guy is nuts haha. Reading “West of Westside” was a really good read. You get an appreciation for how much he progressed in such a short amount of time. The guy is inhuman.

And, I am not sure, but Eric Lillebridge may have set a all time raw squat record.

283

[quote]trivium wrote:

[quote]Trevshenko wrote:
Maybe try some extended pause squats? So like a good 3-5 seconds in the hole. It could also be a flexibility issue making you unbalanced right at the bottom. I had a similar thing recently with my low bar squat, i brought my feet in probably less than an inch and really focussed on activating my glutes and trying to pull the floor apart and it made a big difference. Amazing how little subtle things can make a lift feel so much worse/better[/quote]

Ive been playing with how far my feet are apart, how far my toes are pointed out, and my head position so far. There has to be something else though. I am squatting low bar as low as I can possibly go. I like that stretchy/bouncy feeling you get out of the bottom.[/quote]

You sound like me with my squats right now. I found my feet were a little wide so i couldnt keep my feet 100% planted in the hole but moving them in the smallest amount corrected that. I used to get bad neck pain because i always used to strain my neck up but ive learnt to keep my neck in “neutral” and its actually helped me keep my spine alignment tighter and more rigied as it feels like youre whole upper body is moving as one.

The hamstring stretch at the bottom of a low bar squat is hell of a feeling.

284

[quote]Trevshenko wrote:

[quote]trivium wrote:

[quote]Trevshenko wrote:
Maybe try some extended pause squats? So like a good 3-5 seconds in the hole. It could also be a flexibility issue making you unbalanced right at the bottom. I had a similar thing recently with my low bar squat, i brought my feet in probably less than an inch and really focussed on activating my glutes and trying to pull the floor apart and it made a big difference. Amazing how little subtle things can make a lift feel so much worse/better[/quote]

Ive been playing with how far my feet are apart, how far my toes are pointed out, and my head position so far. There has to be something else though. I am squatting low bar as low as I can possibly go. I like that stretchy/bouncy feeling you get out of the bottom.[/quote]

You sound like me with my squats right now. I found my feet were a little wide so i couldnt keep my feet 100% planted in the hole but moving them in the smallest amount corrected that. I used to get bad neck pain because i always used to strain my neck up but ive learnt to keep my neck in “neutral” and its actually helped me keep my spine alignment tighter and more rigied as it feels like youre whole upper body is moving as one.

The hamstring stretch at the bottom of a low bar squat is hell of a feeling.[/quote]

I do enjoy the feeling. I just think my foot position/hips have to be figured out a bit.

There are times when I feel like I have it down, and others I feel like it is my first day under the bar haha.

285

Today’s lift. I took my damn time here. I only slept 5 hours last night and I am heading for another 5 tonight.

Bench Press
5x45
5x45
5x135
5x175
5x195
10x225 (TNG for first 6. Paused last 4. Failed half way up 11. The TNG reps felt bouced a bit, so it is a cheap PR. I’ll take it.)
5x225 (Done with a strict 2 Mississippi pause called out by spot. Last rep was a 4 second pause. These went up easy.)
5x195
12x175
(Really worked on setup and bar path here. Wrists felt weak though. My legs and back were miserable from squat day for the first 3 sets.)

Incline DB Bench Press
75 lbs for sets of 10/10/10/11/5
(I will move up to the 80s next time. I have been contemplating going with regular incline press next workout, instead of doing the DB variation.)

Kroc Row
10/10/10/10/5
(Paused last set at top of rep. I feel like I am getting weaker with this lift. I tried to do a deload of sorts here. I may have been beat from my pressing though. My grip felt off for some reason.)

I took forever to do this lift. Not my best lift, but its ok. Not every lift can be great I guess. I will say that I am trying to “fail forward” here.

Not sure about the bench press tonight.

Tomorrow is going to be rough. I have an assistance/meathead workout to do. May add in some BB rows like I discussed with Sp4r.

Thanks for reading. Goodnight everyone.

286

[quote]trivium wrote:
On a related note to previous discussions in here…

Dan Green did two meets recently that I read write ups for.

The first one he had what he called a “bad day.” I cant recall what weight class, but he set a new American Record. On a “bad day” he make an American Record.

The second one just recently happened. Again, not sure of the weight class, but he had a “good day” and broke his own WR. This guy is nuts haha. Reading “West of Westside” was a really good read. You get an appreciation for how much he progressed in such a short amount of time. The guy is inhuman.

And, I am not sure, but Eric Lillebridge may have set a all time raw squat record.[/quote]
I think it was 242 but don’t quote me

287

Today’s lift.

Odd T-Bar Row I Came Up With
10x25
10x50
10x75
10x100
10x125
10x150 (Went well up to this point. I felt good.)
10x175 (Had to fight hard to get these. I could feel my back and glutes at work here. PR?)
10x150
10x150 (No other back off sets were done today. Last two sets were kind of rough compared to my 150 attempt earlier.)

Rope Pushdowns
10x30
10x40
10x50
10x50
10x40
10x40
10x40 (Had a good pump going at this point.)

I need to sleep well tonight. This lift was pretty quick compared to usual. Tomorrow is an off day. I need to eat.

288

[quote]chobbs wrote:

[quote]trivium wrote:
On a related note to previous discussions in here…

Dan Green did two meets recently that I read write ups for.

The first one he had what he called a “bad day.” I cant recall what weight class, but he set a new American Record. On a “bad day” he make an American Record.

The second one just recently happened. Again, not sure of the weight class, but he had a “good day” and broke his own WR. This guy is nuts haha. Reading “West of Westside” was a really good read. You get an appreciation for how much he progressed in such a short amount of time. The guy is inhuman.

And, I am not sure, but Eric Lillebridge may have set a all time raw squat record.[/quote]
I think it was 242 but don’t quote me[/quote]

He is an animal. I think I am going to contact him about training after my next deload stalls on 5/3/1. (I am predicting that it’s going to be a year or so. 5/3/1 is fantastic for that reason.)

289

If I ever have a couple hundred bucks laying around which will never happen…I would love to have someone like that make my training just for shits n gigs

290

And now it is time for tonight’s rant…

I get pissed at a lot of stuff that goes on at my gym, however one thing trumps all others.

My biggest problem with people in the gym comes from guys at the top of THEIR game, or have “achieved something.” (Notice I said THEIR game, and not THE game.) You know these guys, as they are the guys who should be helping others, not tearing them down. I heard someone say that “if you don’t show up to a meet to win, then you shouldn’t call yourself a powerlifter.”

You know what my response to that is? Fuck you if you think that. Why is it any of your business what someone’s goal is in a meet? Why does it matter what someone calls themselves? Does everyone have to conform to your rules in order to say that they participate in a sport? Plus if you are such hot shit, why do you only enter meets in the local area? Where are your records? Where are your sponsorships? Where are your articles, books, training methods? Shouldn’t you be going out to find guys who are going to be competition? If you are going to have this attitude toward other lifters, I am going to call you on your shit because it is one thing to be the strongest guy in the gym, another thing to be the strongest guy in the county, and another thing to be the strongest guy in the northwest. If you are not elite and then some, then shut your fucking mouth.

That is exactly the kind of shit that keeps people from coming back to a gym, or discourages new guys. I guess that they forgot the time that they were brand fucking new to lifting and sucked balls, but were excited to just be in the atmosphere of people working hard and trying to be better than they were yesterday.

Do you think guys who set world records give a shit about winning a meet, or do you think they are out there trying to beat their own records? I guess those guys aren’t fucking powerlifters either.

I would rather lose a thousand fucking times, and know that I made progress on MY goals, learned something, was beaten by a worthy opponent, or helped someone reach their own goals.

Unless you are a popular writer, or a world record holder, your “lifting career” isn’t going to mean shit to anyone but you. If your motivation is to “earn” the right to be able to qualify other peoples goals, then youre not doing it for the right reason, and chances are youre a bitch by your own definition, as you are not the strongest of all time…you know, the constant powerlifting meet known as “world records.”

If you are going to compete, compete with yourself.

I don’t care if you think someone is weak. The only thing that matters is that tomorrow they show up tomorrow, and that they are stronger in some capacity, whatever that may be.

There might just be more to lifting, and life in general than a total.

/rant

Have a good night everyone.

291

[quote]chobbs wrote:
If I ever have a couple hundred bucks laying around which will never happen…I would love to have someone like that make my training just for shits n gigs[/quote]

He told me that it was about 35 bucks a month, so it wasn’t too bad. Plus he posts his own logs on the web. You could probably track them down with a quick google search.

292

One last post for tonight.

I am sore throughout my chest and shoulders. I am going to keep my bar path/form like this for a while.

I touch/pause at the bottom of my sternum (xiphoid process) and then press to an area above my shoulder (glenohumoral joint).

So…as I press the bar moves back toward my head a bit. I feel like this engages my shoulders a bit more. I also didn’t feel weak half way through the rep, or like I was lax on the negative (I did lose my scapular retraction though on like the 3rd rep of my last workout). I may narrow my grip a bit though. I pressed at thumb’s length from the smooth portion in the center. I may go half a thumb next time.

293

[quote]trivium wrote:

[quote]chobbs wrote:
If I ever have a couple hundred bucks laying around which will never happen…I would love to have someone like that make my training just for shits n gigs[/quote]

He told me that it was about 35 bucks a month, so it wasn’t too bad. Plus he posts his own logs on the web. You could probably track them down with a quick google search.[/quote]
Very inexpensive! Couldn’t agree more with you on your rant. I think all of us have had an older lifter take us under their wing and also a few who were compete dicks…just a reminder that whenever were the big fish in the small pond to be the guy everyone asks advice for at the gym

294

[quote]chobbs wrote:

[quote]trivium wrote:

[quote]chobbs wrote:
If I ever have a couple hundred bucks laying around which will never happen…I would love to have someone like that make my training just for shits n gigs[/quote]

He told me that it was about 35 bucks a month, so it wasn’t too bad. Plus he posts his own logs on the web. You could probably track them down with a quick google search.[/quote]
Very inexpensive! Couldn’t agree more with you on your rant. I think all of us have had an older lifter take us under their wing and also a few who were compete dicks…just a reminder that whenever were the big fish in the small pond to be the guy everyone asks advice for at the gym[/quote]

Bigger/stronger guys should help weaker/smaller guys for a number of reasons which I may go into detail on later.

I am officially at that point in my career where little guys don’t try to randomly correct me or give me advice anymore, but I am not so big/strong that anybody quite asks me for help either.

295

Just dropping this off here if anyone is interested in watching it.

His lifts are so fast here. Its incredible.

296

Yesterday’s lifts.

Deadlift
5x135
5x185
5x225
5x285
5x320 (Killed this. I mean literally murdered. I am going to have a funeral for it later today.)
10x365 (The first 7 went up frighteningly easy. 8 hitched a bit. I refocused and got 9 nicely. 10 hitched.)
5x320 (Good reps.)
6x285 (Really focused on form here.)

(Gym was relatively empty today. It was nice. During my top set one of the employees came over and told my training partner we had to be quiet or leave, and that if I made a mess with chalk I was in trouble. I just ignored him, pulled 3 more in his face and dropped 10 from the top of the rep after I shrugged it to get some height on the bar. I wasn’t making a fucking mess with the chalk. He walked away. One of the guys who I talk to all the time told him to leave me alone, that you cant set that much weight down without making noise, and that he was being ridiculous disrupting serious client’s lifts. The guy came back later to try to make nice. I just stood tall and looked down at him as he was 4 inches shorter, with pencil arms. I think he thought he was going to “intimidate” me by threatening to toss me out. You shouldn’t approach someone in the middle of a lift. That is a big “no no” in my book. I don’t care who you are. It breaks peoples focus and can get someone hurt.)

Straight Leg Deadlift
230 for 5 sets of 5.

I hate my gym.

My legs were still kind of sore from squatting. I was sick as hell all week and couldn’t stop coughing yesterday, and hadn’t slept well in a few days. I was coughing so hard I almost threw up before my lift. My training partner told me that I looked like hell and should just skip. I also did not eat anything after lunch, and my lift started at 8. I just haven’t been taking care of myself lately. I am happy that my DL work went pretty well though. I think I have solidly achieved an everyday max of 10@365, which is good and confidence inspiring.

I missed my lift today, so I will do it tomorrow. I will do straight leg deadlift, leg curl, and shrugs. Farmer’s carry is a maybe. I am also going to plan a “deload week” for the end of this cycle.

Have I mentioned that I fucking hate my gym?

297

This log is a good read. I was listening to Mark Bell’s podcast and they had Ed Coan on there. Dude is incredibly humble and just a nice guy, willing to help out.

why don’t you start your own home gym? You already have a great bar, with black friday or craigslist you can get a rack and 600 lbs of weight for a $200-300

298

[quote]browndisaster wrote:
This log is a good read. I was listening to Mark Bell’s podcast and they had Ed Coan on there. Dude is incredibly humble and just a nice guy, willing to help out.

why don’t you start your own home gym? You already have a great bar, with black friday or craigslist you can get a rack and 600 lbs of weight for a $200-300[/quote]

Thanks man. I have to admit that if it weren’t fore people following my log, I may not have made it through some of my sticking points and what not (with both lifting and life). I try to just log my journey toward my goals as thoroughly as possible so that I can tell what works, and what does not.

I do enjoy listening to Ed Coan as well. I find his training fascinating as it doesn’t seem to be super complicated, but very effective. I think it has a lot of similarities with 5/3/1 if you set it up to be that way.

I should try, but I have to get $300 first haha. The problem is that most sets that I see only come with 300 lbs of total weight. I think the bar is the start of more than just a home gym though. I am going to have a “barbell club” some day, and I am going to do it right. I don’t even care if it makes money. I’ll have another job to take care of my own finances.

When I do, I will let everyone know. “Discounts” will be given for those who follow this log.

299

Today’s lift.

Stiff Leg Deadlift
5x135
5x185
5x235
5x235
5x235

(I really tried to get a good stretch here. My back was incredibly tight from deadlifting. I paused for a 3 count at the floor. They felt heavy. This is 5 lbs heavier than yesterday. I figured 3 sets was enough.)

Smith Machine Shrug
10 x 1 pps
10 x 2 pps
15 x 3 pps

(I was hacking up a storm after this and just wanted to leave. I didn’t do a ton of work with traps. I just got some reps in. The are between my scapulae is lit up from deadlifting already. I just wanted to hit the tops of my traps a little.)

Lying Leg Curl
10x80
10x100 (Not sure if I did this set or not.)
9x120 (I may have done this twice. I lost track. I know I did at least one set where I failed on the 10th rep, right at the very top.)
10x100
10x100
10x100
10x100
10x100 (I am sure that I did 5 sets of 100 here.)

Not my best lift, but I was feeling beat up and sick. Hopefully at least I maintain my strength in these lifts until next week.

I’ll have to catch up on everyone’s logs in the next few days.

Thanks for reading everyone. Have a good night.

300

Taking a day to catch up on work and try to kick my sickness (in my lungs, not for the iron).