*** The 2012 Gym Rats Thread ***

[icecold]

I really will.

I'm not scheduled one after this four week block, but I'm contemplating it anyway... If not I'm definitely doing one in between this routine and Smolov

Bench keeps feeling fine, squats felt ridiculously easy today, but deads are starting to test my grip a little (still DOH with a slightly fat bar @5x157.5kg)

 

[Pigeon_Killer]

Used knee supports for the first time squatting today, had a slight cold and my joints were aching. Made my knees feel hell of a lot stronger although I don't know if that was because of the immense heat they produced or the actual support they gave my knees.

 

[SMed]

Used knee supports for the first time squatting today, had a slight cold and my joints were aching. Made my knees feel hell of a lot stronger although I don't know if that was because of the immense heat they produced or the actual support they gave my knees.

Do you mean neoprene sleeves? Yeah, they're great for warmth. IMO essential for winter, but I wear them in the summer too so long as the sweat isn't pouring down my legs.

Pretty minimal on the support side of things, but they give you some nice tactile feedback that seems to help making squats feel better.

 

[Pigeon_Killer]

Yep, £3.99 jobies in Sports Direct.

 

[SMed]

Yep, £3.99 jobies in Sports Direct.

Are those the velcro ones?

 

[Pigeon_Killer]

Are those the velcro ones?

Yep, bloody strong velcro as well although they cut in to the back of my legs when I did them up tight.

http://www.sportsdirect.com/lonsdale-open-knee-support-761023

£1 more expensive in store.

 

[SMed]

Wasn't a fan of the velcro ones, they're not that good and will wear out very quickly ime.

I also went the budget route, but found some decent sleeves from the pharmacy. I think they were £8 each, and they're just a straight closed neoprene sleeve that you slide on. This one is about 3mm of pure neoprene it seems, which is very common.

You can easily spend silly money on neoprene sleeves as some of the high end 5-7mm stuff goes for like £35 per sleeve (Rehband/Vulkan). But they are very very nice.

Mine are about 2+ years old now and are only just starting to show signs of wear. I'll probably get these strengthshop ones when my old ones wear out. £15 a pair which is actually cheaper than the pharmacy ones.

 

[Deception]

Well another fasted SL 5x5 out the way:

Squats @ 92.5kg
OHP @ 55kg (really starting to get hard now, but finished full sets)
Deadlift @ 110kg

Not much in terms of No. of workouts, but all I could get in before work

 

[MoNkeE]

You're hitting the core lifts, that's the important part!

 

[Deception]

You're hitting the core lifts, that's the important part!

Thanks . I did stop upright row because read something about that it could be harmful to the shoulders. Knowing my luck, I'd end up pulling something.. Im good at like that

 

[Delvis]

Legs Session:
Squats:
1 x 10 x Bar
1 x 5 x 30KG
1 x 5 x 35KG
3 x 8 x 47.5KG

Reverse Lunges:
3 x 8 x 10KG (each hand) Dropped the weight this week to keep form on check.

Supersetted with Side raises

Side Raises:
1 x 15 x 2KG
3 x 10 x 5KG

RDL:
3 x 8 x 42.5KG

Supersetted with one armed side raises

OASR:
3 x 10 x 7.5KG

Calve Raises:
3 x 15 x 50KG

Supersetted with Front raises

Front Raises:
3 x 10 x 7.5KG

Need to check form on the raises, way too much lower back pump going on, sore today.

Oh, and form check please...Pretty terrible to be honest.

 

[LiE]

Form looks fine Delvis. Are you exploding with your glutes?

 

[Delvis]

Form looks fine Delvis. Are you exploding with your glutes?

Trying buddy, really am ...Forget on the odd rep sometimes mind , too many things for my wee little brain to remember.

I think i'm quite tight in the hips, but i'm working on that mob wise, just need to hammer it.

EDIT: My hams got hit hard last night in squats, mostly the right one, no idea why...Well, I think it was my hams

 

[LiE]

I think I'm addicted to the gym, I can't wait to get in there...

 

[Delvis]

I think I'm addicted to the gym, I can't wait to get in there...

Heh...Likewise...I could do 5 days I think easily

 

[SMed]

Oh, and form check please...Pretty terrible to be honest.

To my eyes...

Not too bad. Please, get some weightlifting shoes. Your heal is moving around and starts to lift at the bottom of the squat. You're border-line on depth at best, definitely high on a few reps. A little bit of a solid heal will help you immensely. It's hard to tell from that angle, but you might be drifting forward a little at the bottom. Try to keep the bar over the middle of your foot throughout the entire motion. Imagine you're in a Smith Machine that is completely vertical, with the tracks right over mid foot.

Also, though the knees can go a little past the front of your toes (a few cm), it looks like yours are going several inches past your toes. But it is hard to tell from this angle. I bang on profile vid may be useful. When your knees go too far forward, you take tension out of the hamstrings and glutes.

Weightlifting shoes I think will help here dramatically. They may make you want to pitch forward initially, but once you learn to counteract that, your squatting will improve. To see if a heel will help you, wear trainers and squat with a small 1.25kg plate under each heal. This isn't ideal because you'll be squishing around and be slightly more unstable, but people can still go heavy doing this ---> http://factoryfitness.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/arnold-squatting.jpg. If you find the heal helps you get depth, get some WLing shoes.

 

[Delvis]

Hi, thanks for the input

From what I've heard, it's counter productive to put plates under your shoes. And it's also better to squat / deadlift with no shoes on...Although 'weight lifting' shoes may be better than normal shoes, I won't be able to afford any in the near future sadly.

Regarding heals, if they we're coming off the floor...Surely I'd feel that? As to me, they aren't moving, that along with me pushing off of them would mean they aren't lifting?

I've been told about my knees coming too far forward, but in all honesty, theres nothing I can do at the moment to bring them back, unless I was to topple backwards on each rep

I agree with the upwards motion, very wobbly there for some reason, it varys each session, will try and fix that. EDIT: This was the second set of 3 as well, so may explain a few things, and its the most i've done for reps...same with every week at the moment

Not trying to be defensive, but I get told so many different ways / opinions on how to do things I like them to be explained further sometimes

 

[tom_e]

I'm not a form expert, in fact I'd much rather leave it to other people but if you look closely your heels are definitely lifting slightly.
Not enough that I'd let it bother you too much, especially as you're already working on your flexibility which should help.

 

[SMed]

Hi, thanks for the input

From what I've heard, it's counter productive to put plates under your shoes. And it's also better to squat / deadlift with no shoes on...Although 'weight lifting' shoes may be better than normal shoes, I won't be able to afford any in the near future sadly.

Regarding heels, if they we're coming off the floor...Surely I'd feel that? As to me, they aren't moving, that along with me pushing off of them would mean they aren't lifting?

I've been told about my knees coming too far forward, but in all honesty, theres nothing I can do at the moment to bring them back, unless I was to topple backwards on each rep

I agree with the upwards motion, very wobbly there for some reason, it varys each session, will try and fix that. EDIT: This was the second set of 3 as well, so may explain a few things, and its the most i've done for reps...same with every week at the moment

Not trying to be defensive, but I get told so many different ways / opinions on how to do things I like them to be explained further sometimes

Yeah, I understand it can initially be difficult to know who to listen to. Even amongst the 'good' coaches, they'll all have slightly different methods.

I don't understand how a heel would be counter productive. Granted, putting plates under the heel is not ideal, but I never said it was. It's just a quick way for you to experience how squatting with a heel feels. It's a brief stepping stone towards proper shoes. I don't like squatting in normal trainers, but barefoot squatting is not better than squatting in WLing shoes. The whole barefoot/vibram squatting idea is a remnant from a few Crossfit coaches from a few years ago. The idea makes serious lifters and coaches cringe. As for barefoot vs normal trainers, I don't know which is better. Maybe barefoot. But I found using Converse Chuck Taylor's to be much better than barefoot, as you got a little lateral support (very little) and the rubber gave you some lateral grip which helps in the squat. There's a reason most serious lifters (and ALL oly weightlifters) wear WLing shoes. If they're not, they're usually wearing Chucks.

But for deadlifting, I essentially am doing it barefoot. I wear deadlift slippers when I pull.

No, you wouldn't necessarily feel a slight heel lift during the bottom part of a squat. Especially since it's only slight, and you're otherwise being distracted by the weight and movements of the squat itself. Your high reps had a planted heel, but then they were high. The deep reps, had the heel just coming up ever so slightly. It's not a massive issue, especially since you're squatting barefoot. Even the tiniest of a heel would take care of that.

With regards to knees coming forward, yes you can prevent it without topping backwards. You simply counteract it by leaning forward slightly, whilst maintaining a strong lower back arch and forward chest. Don't fold over, just a little bit of compensation. Like I said, just make sure you're keeping the bar over your mid-foot.

You don't sound defensive at all, mate. All is perfectly understandable. I was there too.

Some squat video tips I like:

Mark Rippetoe has several videos/series on squatting. He teaches a more general strength/powerlifting style of squat though, but I like it and use bits of it.

Glen Pendlay teaches a more weightlifting style. (EDIT: that's not Glen in the video, but that's his WLing team/gym)

 

[LiE]

That video is a high bar squat, Delvis does low bar squat

Personally I've been squatting in socks for quite a while and had no problems.