Me vs Myself

Welcome! You’re in really good company here. Lots of great folks offering support.

Welcome to the club, there are several people, including myself, around here that are about your size.

Welcome to the forum. Now go lift heavy shit.

2/7/11
Wk 2 day 1

Deadlift, shoulders

Conv Deadlift Weight/rep/set
barx10x2
95x10x1
135x8x1
185x5x1
205x5x4
205x6x1

Seated DB Press
60x5x4
60x8x1 = +5 reps

Seated bent over rear delt
35x5x4
35x8x1

Seated floor lateral raise
25x5x4
25x6x1 = +1 rep

Standing DB Swing
70x5x5

The Deadlft is proving to be a difficult lift for me. I have a really hard time squating the weight off the floor. Today I tried facing a mirror and focusing on my hips throughout the lift and it helped a little. Theres a lot of work that needs to be done here.

[quote]JoeGood wrote:
Welcome to the club, there are several people, including myself, around here that are about your size.[/quote]

Thanks Joe,

We may be around the same weight, but you guys are beasts compared to me. Everyones so freakin strong. Im very competitive so thats acually a good thing for me. BW+160lb dips? OMFG!

[quote]embo622 wrote:
The Deadlft is proving to be a difficult lift for me. I have a really hard time squating the weight off the floor. Today I tried facing a mirror and focusing on my hips throughout the lift and it helped a little. Theres a lot of work that needs to be done here.

[/quote]
A number of us are struggling with this lift right now. I always have to remind myself that it’s all a process rather than a destination. Of course, I’m totally a destination type.

2/8/11
Wk 2 Day 2

Squat, Back

Squat Weight/rep/set
Barx10x2
95x10x2
135x5x1
155x3x1
195x3x1
215x5x5 = +10 lb

DB Row
100x7x5

Uni High Row
110x5x3
110x4x2 = + 10lb minus 1 rep

Close Grip Seated Row
230x5x4
230x8x1 = + 3 reps

Wide grip pull up
BWx5x5

Squat went up 10 lbs tonight. It scually felt pretty good. I had my wife video my 3rd set so I could see if I was getting as low as it felt. Of course, im not, but that isn’t that surprising. Either way felt stronger which feels good.

215x5

So these felt really deep to me…video doesn’t lie though.

Ya know except for maybe one rep of the five, I think your depth was fine. But i hear you, I always thought I was dropping WAY below parallel… until I saw the video. It might just be me, but do you have a little bit of a forward lean going on there? How’s the ankle/calf mobility?

Well they aren’t to depth for a PL meet but unless you are competing I don’t see any reason to worry much about an inch either way. Deeper than most people squat anyway, thats for sure.

[quote]Canada_K wrote:
Ya know except for maybe one rep of the five, I think your depth was fine. But i hear you, I always thought I was dropping WAY below parallel… until I saw the video. It might just be me, but do you have a little bit of a forward lean going on there? How’s the ankle/calf mobility?[/quote]

It doesn’t feel like I am forward but I’m learning quickly not to trust what I feel. I can get much lower with lighter weight which is what I will do next squat session. Drop a little weight, add a little range and progress from there. I don’t do any mobilitiy work…might be time to add some in.

Joe said my thoughts exactly. Nice high bar squats, and welcome to the board.

[quote]JoeGood wrote:
Well they aren’t to depth for a PL meet but unless you are competing I don’t see any reason to worry much about an inch either way. Deeper than most people squat anyway, thats for sure.[/quote]

I agree with Joe to a degree, but if there’s just the slightest possible chance of you wanting to compete in the future it would make sense to me to get used to squatting to powerlifting depth now rather than having to re-learn things down the line.

Regardless of your plans, squatting a little deeper can’t hurt.

Well done for posting the vid and a 10lb jump on 5x5 is excellent progress.

[quote]JoeGood wrote:
Well they aren’t to depth for a PL meet but unless you are competing I don’t see any reason to worry much about an inch either way. Deeper than most people squat anyway, thats for sure.[/quote]

Until recently I would have never thought aboout competing. I’m not sure what’s available in my area but from following all of these threads the seed has definitely been planted in my head. Don’t know if I will ever get there but I would like to train as if I were.

[quote]embo622 wrote:

[quote]JoeGood wrote:
Well they aren’t to depth for a PL meet but unless you are competing I don’t see any reason to worry much about an inch either way. Deeper than most people squat anyway, thats for sure.[/quote]

Until recently I would have never thought aboout competing. I’m not sure what’s available in my area but from following all of these threads the seed has definitely been planted in my head. Don’t know if I will ever get there but I would like to train as if I were. [/quote]

Sure, why not? There’s no law saying you have to squat a thousand lbs before you can compete.

2/9/11
Wk 2 Day 3

Bench

Flat Bench Weight/Rep/Set
Barx10x2
95x10x1
115x8x1
125x5x1
135x5x1
155x5x1
185x3x1
215x5x3 = + 10lb
215x4x1
215x3x1

Incline DB press
80x5x4 = + 5lb
80x6x1

Standing Cybex Fly
8.5x5x4
8.5x6x1 = + .5 lb

Hanging Dip
BW+70x5x1
BW+70x4x4

Cybex cross tri push down
4.5 x8
5.5 x8
6.5 x6x2

Traded hanging dips for close grip press tonight. The dips are much easier of my wrists.

215x5

I don’t think I get any leg drive on my presses. Is there a way to describe what that feels like? When I think about driving with my legs, my hips want to come up. Is that normal?

Incline DB 80x5

What a colorful place to train. Lots of pink.

Start your squat by breaking at the hips first. That will keep the weight back.

Videoing your squats from the side will give a better view of depth. Powerlifting depth requires that the hip crease be lower than the top of the knee. It’s lower than many people realize.

To drive with your legs in bench, you want to set up with a serious contraction in your legs/glutes. You have to find the right foot placement that allows that without ass lift. Your ass should just be grazing the bench to do that successfully. Your numbers will climb if you can figure out how to successfully engage your legs. Bench truly is a whole body lift.

[quote]kpsnap wrote:
What a colorful place to train. Lots of pink.

Start your squat by breaking at the hips first. That will keep the weight back.

Videoing your squats from the side will give a better view of depth. Powerlifting depth requires that the hip crease be lower than the top of the knee. It’s lower than many people realize.

To drive with your legs in bench, you want to set up with a serious contraction in your legs/glutes. You have to find the right foot placement that allows that without ass lift. Your ass should just be grazing the bench to do that successfully. Your numbers will climb if you can figure out how to successfully engage your legs. Bench truly is a whole body lift.[/quote]

Yep, We call it “The Barbie Dream Gym” I get a good laugh when people talk about not having a hardcore environment to work out in. I don’t ever have to wait for the power rack though…unless someone is using it for their band workout.

Thanks for the advice. I will try to put it to good use