*** The 2019 Gym Rats Thread ***

I'm in a similar position to you in a way. Hit 105 kg 3x5 squat the other day, but felt like I was about to hit a wall. I'll try either 110 kg or 107.5 kg today and see how it goes, but it's really hard to envisage how I could exceed that.

But, if I think back to a few weeks ago I thought 80 kg was really hard, and at some point I probably (maybe) though 60 kg was really hard. It's just time and work that gets the weight up.

Similarly, I was watching a video of someone benching about 170 kg this morning. I was thinking wtf, I'll never do that. It must be impossible. But I thought about it a bit and that guy was probably pushing 70 kg like me at some point. With time and training he's pushed that up to 170 kg!!

Read the plateaus section Stronglifts for real advice! https://stronglifts.com/5x5/#Plateaus

I've not read it, but I bet it says something like come down to 3x5, take longer breaks, eventually look at a high, low, and medium day etc
 
mrthingyx said:
On that basis a 100kg squat is nothing to sniff at. :cool:

140kg would be better, but hey. ;)

Based on your weight (and you don't look like a powerlifter to me) you are progressing just fine and may actually benefit from specific training...
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I meant I'm happy I'm getting somewhere technique wise as opposed to strength. I'll never be a crazy big lifter, I'm okay with that. :)

What sort of specific training?
 
GiraffePencils said:
I'm up at 100kg on that plan, I used to be scared of 80 on the bar (thinking I'd never go back up)
yesterday's sets of 80 I didn't even think about it.
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That’s what I love about the weightlifting game. What you once found scary and couldn’t do for reps eventually becomes a work set and then warmup. Endlessly satisfying.
 
ShortWarning said:
I meant I'm happy I'm getting somewhere technique wise as opposed to strength. I'll never be a crazy big lifter, I'm okay with that. :)

What sort of specific training?
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Yes, but no: eating your weight in food after each workout will make you feel superhuman.

As to specific training, you'll be looking at something with periodisation to improve either hypertrophy or 1RM lifts... In other words, once you top out on Stronglifts, you will need to find something like reiyushin's torture method or Wendler, MadCow or HST to take your lifting to the next (much sloooower) level.

Your form is fine. You will be pretty awesome on a Wilks scale if you keep it up. :)
 
I need to seriously start looking at my mobility and strengthening my back before I resume squats and start going heavy on the headlights again to be fair.
 
I've stopped doing them altogether for now and been working on my mobility a lot with kettlebell squats at home. Will resume low weights in the new year at the gym again, or at least when you can actually move around the gym that time of year :D
 
I'm struggling with a sort of catch 22 at the moment. I train for a couple of reasons, one of which is that I get a lot of back pain if I don't. But something is making what feels like my hip joints really ache. I'm not really sure what to do about it. Following Starting Strength at the moment. It's either going to be squatting or deadlifting that's doing it...
 
dirtychinchilla said:
I'm struggling with a sort of catch 22 at the moment. I train for a couple of reasons, one of which is that I get a lot of back pain if I don't. But something is making what feels like my hip joints really ache. I'm not really sure what to do about it. Following Starting Strength at the moment. It's either going to be squatting or deadlifting that's doing it...
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Mobilise and get your foot positioning correct (narrower/wider stance).

It also depends on what you mean by "hip joints ache," because it could be nothing beyond poor soft tissue quality that can be mobilised and corrected, etc.

If you are worried, go and see an MSK physio.
 
Had a good session today, thought I'd share a couple videos.

I'm still finding my grove after moving to a higher bar position. Keep swapping between flat shoes and oly shoes. Today I was in flats and narrowed my stance a bit. The result was it felt better, but I am not quite hitting parallel, which I'm OK with for now as I'm not competing anyway.

145x5 felt pretty good!


Then went and did a 160 double, again cutting them a little high but it's to be expected because a) haven't dialled in form b) I haven't spent much time with these bigger weights.


After squatting a bit of RDL, I went on to do some conventional deadlifts (seems everyone is doing sumo these days ;))

My form looks as it always does, which is to say my hips are moving first but everything is tight and firing properly.


Still breaking in my new lever belt. Also squatting twice a week now.

Would be nice to be back hitting 200kg next year on squat.
 
mrthingyx said:
Mobilise and get your foot positioning correct (narrower/wider stance).

It also depends on what you mean by "hip joints ache," because it could be nothing beyond poor soft tissue quality that can be mobilised and corrected, etc.

If you are worried, go and see an MSK physio.
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Cheers dude. Spoke to my coach so he's aware of it at least. I'm still adding 5kg per workout on squats. He thought perhaps my tendons hadn't caught up with my muscle growth. Whether that's true or not, he suggested I don't squat next workout and deload a little for the following one. See if that makes a difference.

He suggested a massage also.

I think my foot position is OK. Not sure about the mobility.
 
dirtychinchilla said:
Cheers dude. Spoke to my coach so he's aware of it at least. I'm still adding 5kg per workout on squats. He thought perhaps my tendons hadn't caught up with my muscle growth. Whether that's true or not, he suggested I don't squat next workout and deload a little for the following one. See if that makes a difference.

He suggested a massage also.

I think my foot position is OK. Not sure about the mobility.
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Errrr... Right. I'll leave your coach to that one on tendons. :)

In all likelihood, you are going to need some serious couch and adductor stretching, as well as a hockey ball in your hip extensors/rotators.

Note: if you try the last one, I am pretty sure you will scream until your lungs bleed.
 
LiE said:
Had a good session today, thought I'd share a couple videos.

I'm still finding my grove after moving to a higher bar position. Keep swapping between flat shoes and oly shoes. Today I was in flats and narrowed my stance a bit. The result was it felt better, but I am not quite hitting parallel, which I'm OK with for now as I'm not competing anyway.

145x5 felt pretty good!


Then went and did a 160 double, again cutting them a little high but it's to be expected because a) haven't dialled in form b) I haven't spent much time with these bigger weights.


After squatting a bit of RDL, I went on to do some conventional deadlifts (seems everyone is doing sumo these days ;))

My form looks as it always does, which is to say my hips are moving first but everything is tight and firing properly.


Still breaking in my new lever belt. Also squatting twice a week now.

Would be nice to be back hitting 200kg next year on squat.
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Your 160kg reps actually looked better than the 145kg ones... :cool:

Probably the extra weight pushing you lower. :D:p
 
Good to see your lifting's progressing again LiE :)

I switched to high bar this year, find it much easier on my lower back and I can squat far deeper and with more power. Weight's taken a big hit but I feel I've got more longevity lifting this way now.

Squatted a comfortable 172.5 x 3 this evening with more in the tank for my last week before Christmas next week. Was hoping for 180 x 1 but might try 180 x 3 and then 190.
 
mrthingyx said:
Errrr... Right. I'll leave your coach to that one on tendons. :)

In all likelihood, you are going to need some serious couch and adductor stretching, as well as a hockey ball in your hip extensors/rotators.

Note: if you try the last one, I am pretty sure you will scream until your lungs bleed.
Click to expand...

hah he did suggest that. I’ll do what he says first. If it doesn’t work I’ll look at other options. I’m on the waiting list for NHS physio anyway
 
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