On the slingshot: Really squeeze the bar–helps a lot!!. Also make sure your elbows are in the slots for them, most people forget about that. I have been using mine for the last 2 weeks due to the pec strain and they are a lot of fun.
Keep your arch real tight–most people will lose their Arch/tightness when bringing it down and then they get all squirrely with it.
Good luck with it Tony!!
Edit: You will want to row it to your chest as well. What I mean is with when benching without gear you can set up and let the bar descend while just balancing it, with the Slingshot/shirt/gear you have to actively control the bar path by “Flexing” it down. _make sense?
[quote]FISCHER613 wrote:
On the slingshot: Really squeeze the bar–helps a lot!!. Also make sure your elbows are in the slots for them, most people forget about that. I have been using mine for the last 2 weeks due to the pec strain and they are a lot of fun.
Keep your arch real tight–most people will lose their Arch/tightness when bringing it down and then they get all squirrely with it.
Good luck with it Tony!!
Edit: You will want to row it to your chest as well. What I mean is with when benching without gear you can set up and let the bar descend while just balancing it, with the Slingshot/shirt/gear you have to actively control the bar path by “Flexing” it down. _make sense?[/quote]
Sure does. I had a lot of trouble with that the first time I used it. It got all “squirrelly” just as you describe. I think I tried to control it too much on the way up as well, so my tri’s hit a wall after the slingshot rebound. I need to go with the launch, not slow it down, I think.
That’s it. Quick and dirty. Almost got the 200 strict press, but was a little out of the groove and didn’t let myself rest long enough after the 195. I cooperated with the SlingShot and it went great. 245 was floating up, but I got off kilter on 4th rep and had to rack it. DLs aren’t getting any harder, but they’re not any easier either Able to keep adding weight.
Wrists are a little sore from the slingshot attempting to pull my hands in while benching. Thanks for the tip on the grip, Fischer. I noted that I have a tendency to let my wrists flex back on the ascent portion. Got really stable after I learned to keep them straight and press like I’m punching.
I’m going to attempt to get a little wider grip next time and keep trying to move it out over time.
I was thinking that the slingshot got a little more stretched out last night, but I realized that what happened was the backs of my shoulders actually got a little stronger, making it easier to pull the arms apart. Small steps.
[quote]JoeGood wrote:
You are crushing the weight in here Tony. [/quote]
Thanks Joe. I have to admit it’s been going pretty well for the last while. I’m keeping my average daily food intake up and that’s making the difference. I’ve gained about 20lbs of not-fat in the last 7 months or so, even though it’s not something I’m focused on.
shoulders were tired by the time I got to bench. Back was feeling odd so I only kicked it up 5lbs on SQ and skipped the backoff set. Didn’t feel like enough work for lower body so I did the Deficit DLs. That hold is the hardest part, but should help me blow past my knees on a straight DL. I had planned to do some heavy squat-holds but it didn’t seem like the day for it.
Got some nice strawberry marks on the outside of my lats from benching the day before yesterday. The skin must have got caught between the bench and my arms. About as long as my hand, fingers included, with pretty colors.
[quote]DaCharmingAlbino wrote:
I’ve gained about 20lbs of not-fat in the last 7 months or so, even though it’s not something I’m focused on.[/quote]
Wow. That’s great.
[quote]DaCharmingAlbino wrote:
Got some nice strawberry marks on the outside of my lats from benching the day before yesterday. The skin must have got caught between the bench and my arms. About as long as my hand, fingers included, with pretty colors.[/quote]
Ahh, you’re making good progress on your journey to the dark side.
Didn’t start training until 11PM. Power cage was busy with some pressers so I did Bench and Clean and FS until they finished. Almost got rolled on the 225 clean again. I was so surprised at how high I pulled it that I went slack in the bottom. Took a few sec to get balance and do the set. Worked in with another guy at the cage who was doing front squats also - the right way. Second guy I’ve met in a 24HF with Oly lifting shoes and who trains at Catalyst Athletics normally. Refreshing. 275 was a simple down and up, but greed has cost me progress before so I left it at that and took a PR on reps instead.
Bench was not a problem. Next minicycle I’m taking it to 250. Missed last rep on overhead press, but I was sorta tired by then.
This is bass-ackwards from what I’ve read, but my low bar squats seem to improve my highbar squats whereas the reverse is not true for me. The low bar squatting is adding tissue to my low back (prob because I have crappy form) which makes it easier to stay in line on the high bar squats and also seem to work the hamstrings more making it easier to get through the sticking point after the bounce.
But high bar squats are actually easier on my low back so it becomes deconditioned such that low bar becomes very difficult and somewhat scary on my low back until it gets back into shape.
Of course, when I was concentrating on O-lifting, I wasn’t doing much, if any, low back work. Cleans don’t work the low back as much as DLs since the weight is light at the bottom with the greatest force being generated where you’re in your strongest position. If I go back to an o-lifting concentration I need to make sure I keep heavy pulls in the mix.
I am starting to high bar closer stance squat as well,
I came to the realization I will not compete with gear and squating wide-low-bar really hammers my hips and lower back as well…The low-bar crowd do a lot of good mornings for this reason.
[quote]FISCHER613 wrote:
I am starting to high bar closer stance squat as well,
I came to the realization I will not compete with gear and squating wide-low-bar really hammers my hips and lower back as well…The low-bar crowd do a lot of good mornings for this reason.
DL (DOH)
385x1
435x0(grip went after the knees)
435x1 (mixed)
405 1x2 (doh)
365x10 (straps)
Clean and Press
135x5
155x4
175x1
185 1x2
155x7
And that’s all I had. Short nights and a lot of thinky-work at the job, just ran outta gas. I held the last 435 for about 15-20 seconds and lowered it to the floor more slowly than it went up. I was so pissed at my right hand…
[quote]cavalier wrote:
So are you trying to test your max or near max at the beginning, then do the work sets?[/quote]
Yup, that’s pretty much the plan, although I think it’s probably smarter to aim at 90-95% of max or plus 2.5-5lbs more than last time on the top set and/or the rep set and then test for a new max every few weeks or month or so. I can carry on the plan for months without any backoff days then - when I can restrain myself to being smart.
Mainly I’m always looking to add more weight to the bar or get multiple sets at a high percentage of max or do another rep or add more weight at the ~80% poundage. Just MORE of some element, with weight addition being the priority.
Looks like I need to do a few lighter sessions, 'cuz performance is falling off. I’m pretty fried - mostly because of life-away-from-the-gym-factors right now. The cool thing about being forced into the backoff days is that I generally come back even stronger afterwards.
Figured I would do an easy session today, but the horse slipped the reins and I ended up doing what I listed. I wanted a triple on PP@210, but the bar was just a hair too low on that last rep.
This is going to be “Beat myself into the ground” week. Won’t have access to training next week, so I’m going to do too much work this week and next week lay back and enjoy the supercompensation.
Able to keep adding weight.