First few weeks of weightlifting have been a struggle - advice appreciated

icecold · 7 Sep 2012 at 13:43

Can of worms...

Goblets actually don't really push your hamstring flexibility, it's ankles and/or glutes.

The Tony G/Cressey point about anterior core is kind of stupid. I'm not saying that anterior core strength deficits don't limit squat form (it very often does), but is it really that holding a weight out in front of you activates anterior core enough to correct form, ORRRRRR, is it that holding a weight out in front of you allows you to counter balance a larger sit back around more vertical shins...

Both? Probably, but it depends on the individual, and he hasn't addressed ankles at all. The rest of the article is good though.

TC, please keep consulting the form thread, a lot of this is covered there.

You need to develop a core bracing pattern.

Keep an upright torso with goblets, from what you've said you clearly weren't. You want perhaps 20 degrees of hip flexion, then to drop down between your ankles by moving your knees out and over your toes.

TheCenturion · 7 Sep 2012 at 14:02

jimbob27 said:
Any sharp pain in your lower back is a serious warning sign you're doing things wrong, and could be risking a serious injury. How does your back feel now? Was the pain only for a short while or did it last after your workout?

It lasted for about half a second when I bent over the other day. Haven't felt any sharp pain at all since then, but I have felt a sort of blunt/dull pain every now and again in my middle/lower back.

Thanks for the articles, I'll give them a read.

icecold said:
TC, please keep consulting the form thread, a lot of this is covered there.

You need to develop a core bracing pattern.

Keep an upright torso with goblets, from what you've said you clearly weren't. You want perhaps 20 degrees of hip flexion, then to drop down between your ankles by moving your knees out and over your toes.

Cheers mate, yeah I've looked in the form thread, will keep looking. I'll try to post a vid of me squatting without weights, and then get one goblet squatting but with a light weigh (10kg or so)

Morba · 7 Sep 2012 at 15:32

jimbob27 said:
You always hear people saying "squat as low as you can" but this isn't always good advice. You can only squat within the limits of your own flexibility.

Surely you have just agreed with what you said isn't good advice?!

TheCenturion · 7 Sep 2012 at 16:55

At the moment I'm at home just trying to squat without any weights, and I'm feeling a bit of tension in my lower back just from squatting like this.

Morba · 7 Sep 2012 at 18:15

TheCenturion said:
At the moment I'm at home just trying to squat without any weights, and I'm feeling a bit of tension in my lower back just from squatting like this.

Could simply be that you need to stretch. icecold has posted a few vids which will help progression in body weight squats, might be worth looking at

icecold · 7 Sep 2012 at 18:24

Put a mirror by your side

Keep lower back straight

Profit

TheCenturion · 7 Sep 2012 at 18:38

I've spent the last couple of hours reading and watching videos. I'll record myself squatting without weights and doing a goblet squat, and post them up here.

Also I'd just like to say to everyone, thanks so much for all the help so far, and for putting up with a skinny noob

sigma · 7 Sep 2012 at 19:19

So "thanks for the help but I'm going to ignore it"?

Just get under a BB for squat, it's really not that heavy!

TheCenturion · 7 Sep 2012 at 19:54

sigma said:
So "thanks for the help but I'm going to ignore it"?

Just get under a BB for squat, it's really not that heavy!

I'm not ignoring it! I'm trying to follow it as much as I can. There is contradictory advice too. "do bb squats", "don't do bb squats, your form isn't correct". Who do I listen to?

Considering I can db squat 18 kg, but I tried to goblet squat 17 and really messed something up tells me I'm not ready for bb squatting yet, as the bar weighs around 20kg or so. However, I think my gym might have a smaller, 10kg bar and if they do I may try that and video myself and post it here.

mrthingyx · 7 Sep 2012 at 20:06

Trust icecold: his body makes women and men go weak at the knees.

The trainer barbell is useful to get the movement right, but won't help your form if your core is weak.

TheCenturion · 8 Sep 2012 at 22:53

Going to bb bench press tomorrow. Quick question: should my back be arched or lying flat on the bench?

sigma · 9 Sep 2012 at 15:26

TheCenturion said:
I'm not ignoring it! I'm trying to follow it as much as I can. There is contradictory advice too. "do bb squats", "don't do bb squats, your form isn't correct". Who do I listen to?

Considering I can db squat 18 kg, but I tried to goblet squat 17 and really messed something up tells me I'm not ready for bb squatting yet, as the bar weighs around 20kg or so. However, I think my gym might have a smaller, 10kg bar and if they do I may try that and video myself and post it here.

Listen to Icecold - ask anyone if he has ever given them bad advice, I think you'll find it's quite the opposite.

Goblet squats and BB squats are pretty different, I don't think you can compare weights like that. You might find that you find it easier to sit back into a BB squat because of the way it sits on your back, you don't know until you try.

TheCenturion · 10 Sep 2012 at 11:57

Yesterday at the gym I tried goblet squatting with a light weight, 12.5kg. It was quite difficult because I felt uncomfortable doing it. My gym has a 10kg bar, so I tried lifting with that. I recorded it and will post it up here soon.

As for the BORs - I did what icecold suggested and just went for a heavier weight. I was rowing 10kg last time, went for 12.5 kg this time. Interesting results, I certainly felt something in my back, finally. But my triceps still ached a little bit (not as much as before though). So I went up to 15kg for the row, and still felt a little bit in the back and a bit in the triceps. At this point I realised that I had been gripping the db a little tight so I loosened my grip (hands like hooks!). Doing this actually appeared to put more pressure on my tris rather than less?! However, it looks like I finally managed to feel something in my back with a BOR

As for bench pressing, I tried the bb yesterday. Lifted 20kg (my new 10 rep max), and then went for an audacious 22.5 kg. Managed 5 reps of that, but I don't think my form was perfect. On a couple of the 22.5kg reps, the barbell wobbled very slightly to one side. But other than that I think my bench pressing is going well.

Morba · 10 Sep 2012 at 13:00

It wouldn't surprise me if you are just thinking too much about things.
You will feel your body being a bit uncomfortable, if you didn't then you aren't doing things right tbh.
Bars will wobble, don't worry about it.

icecold · 10 Sep 2012 at 15:12

Can you do cable rows in your gym?

sigma · 10 Sep 2012 at 16:32

So you can bench more than you can squat?

Fail.

TheCenturion · 10 Sep 2012 at 16:39

icecold said:
Can you do cable rows in your gym?

I don't think so. There's cables for chest, not sure how I'd go about rowing on those though.

I could do lat pull downs?

sigma said:
So you can bench more than you can squat?

Fail.

No. I don't know how much I can squat because I'm not 100% confident in my technique so I'm not pushing myself to the max yet.

I'm much more confident with benching so I'm pushing myself to the max on that.

icecold · 10 Sep 2012 at 17:04

There will be various different handle attachments if it's a cable tower...

sigma · 10 Sep 2012 at 17:08

TheCenturion said:
No. I don't know how much I can squat because I'm not 100% confident in my technique so I'm not pushing myself to the max yet.

You've not even attempted BB squat though, so how do you know that your form will be poor?

I know where you're coming from but I highly doubt you will get injured from squatting a BB on its own.

mrthingyx · 10 Sep 2012 at 17:14

sigma said:
You've not even attempted BB squat though, so how do you know that your form will be poor?

I know where you're coming from but I highly doubt you will get injured from squatting a BB on its own.

Whilst he should give it a shot with the trainer bar (no doubt about that), without seeing him try it I personally am not confident he's bracing correctly.

The videos of tC's "squats" are mot like deadlifts, and his core was loose in those - loading up with a barbell might sort the problem, but might also exacerbate it.

@ TheCentrurion: get a video posted of you with the trainer barbell doing a back squat. LEt's see if you've got your core bracing and knee positioning sorted!