Aren wrote:Ader, what's the dates for those two comps? The only thing holding me back from just getting some experience competing is the lack of equipment, which is bloody expensive for all three suits together. Suppose I could do the unequipped raw comp! Though pennies are so tight at moment even travel is tough to afford. With a bit of luck if things keep growing I should be doing a lot better money wise in a couple of months.

Look,on the BDFPA web site - bdfpa.co.uk....

- The Unequipped British in Bournemouth is 19th & 20th March
- The equipped British comp in Glasgow is on 16th April
- the Europeans are in Bournmeouth on 7th & 8th May

I aim to compete at all three

You could think about the All England in October which is in Bournemouth - You don't have to qualify - Any BDFPA member can enter. It's just a bit of fun and last year it was nearly all unequipped lifters.

If you really want to go equipped look around on some boards/forums there is often 2nd hand kit for sale!

And now to your squats ...

Some harsh comments as I actually didn't think they were that bad - But then my technique isn't great so I may not be the best judge.

Comments are:

1 - Bar is very high - More on your traps then behind your delts - You could do with it a bit lower.

2 - You don't exactly look down but you could do with looking up a tad - I suspect you are doing what I do when I squat in front a mirror which is look at myself and check my depth - The immediate result of which is you look down and your body follows - i.e. shoulders drop and hips go up - That makes hitting depth very hard. It may account for why you appear to lean forwad too much

3 - Becasue of the above I think I agree that you are a tad high and could do with some more depth

4 - Yes you do lean forward a bit much - You need to work on keeping your body nore upright - this means opening up your hips a bit more so you can drop down bewteen - I know you need the sit back cue to engage hips and ass, but if your hips go too far back you have to lean forward ... or you fall over backward.

What I do - for what it's worth - to stop this is to think of my first movement as my knees going out (and I do that by breaking my hips open/apart) and then with as upright a back as possible, just drop down into the gap my opening of the hips/knees has provided. I aim to have the weight on the outside/back of my feet /heels. Obviously something to practice with lighter weights - I have been concentrating very hard on this on my light/speed work days. I am actually going down to a box where I know I'm a good inch or so below // - It's taken me a couple of weeks to get the feel right but it was worth the effort and I think I am starting to get the benefit now.

5 - Not sure I agree with comments that it's a good morning - yes you lean forward too much imo (as above), but you rback more or less keeps the same angle till you straighten at the top so you don't appear to me to GMing it.

It all sounds negative, but I don't think it was too bad considering it obviously close to your max... so well done - Form will always go awry as you start maxing out

@Rilla - Dude he's just wearing a Titan singlet same sort of thing as you have on in that photo - It's not a squat suit - I have one exactly the same

@Aren - Do you always wear your singlet when you train or was it just because you were going heavy?

Ader wrote:@Rilla - Dude he's just wearing a Titan singlet same sort of thing as you have on in that photo - It's not a squat suit - I have one exactly the same

@Aren - Do you always wear your singlet when you train or was it just because you were going heavy?

Ah I see.
I was just thinnking the same you were I guess - "why on earth would he wear a singlet at the gym?".

Rilla, it's just a plain lifting singlet, no support/not a suit.

Interesting comment about elbows flailing around. Are you suggesting that there is some other method I can use to lock the shoulders more strongly? My scapula were retracted and locked down, but obviously there will be some arm movement because of the weight that I'm stabilising - 150kg is heavy for me.

Cheers Gym-pig/Rab/Simon.

Don't think injury is an issue - back was kept in perfect neutral alignment throughout, and didn't even fully tighten my belt for that set as I wasn't feeling as strong as I did a couple of weeks ago so squats were 20kg off my max. But, as I said, with my shoes minus the heels, it is quite difficult to really sit back into the squat as much as I would like, which will obviously allow me to lift more by increasing the posterior chain activation. Need to analyse my kinetic chain to see where the issues are to improve it. Suspect it is though some of the rotational muscles of my hip complex, as my primary hips flexors, lats and spinal erectors are fine mobility wise, as are my calves and rest of leg. That would also explain why I don't find wide sumo deadlifts very comfortable...

I suppose I should really start doing overhead squats more regularly, that will probably help.

Rilla wrote:Look at this pic:


That's what three whites look like.

That picture makes my points actually ... and one other I didn't mention.

Notice how Rilla has pushed his knees out - even though he has quite a narrow stance - This has allowed him to drop his ass down into the gap and keep his body upright - and he's gone pretty deep too.

He has the bar a tad too high on his traps for my liking though

And the other thing is re your elbows - you'll notice Rilla has a fairly narrow grip - Some people go even narrower - I think I do actually - Look for example how narrow the guy has gone in the video Rilla posted.

With the narrower grip you'll hold the bar tighter and it'll be more solid - It does takle a bit more flexibility though. Also you seem to point your elbow back - this may be cueing your body to lean forward too.

Think about having you elbows a bit forward and under the bar - Again the guy in the video does this pretty well. This will cue your body to stay upright and not lean forward.

Other cues for me are to tighten up my upper back and have my head up to create something for the bar to rest on (i.e the muscles!) pull the bar in to the centre with your lats and grip it tight - Everything should be tight. Then take a deep breath and hold it throughout the squat - Ok maybe exhale towards the end - Do not breathe in on the way down (crap PT stuff that doesn't work when you're doing maximal squats!!!!!) take your breath and get tight before you start and hold it and stay tight throughout the squat.

Keeping your upper back tighter and your elbows tucked in (under the bar) will help you keep your chest up as well.

I appreciate the comments.

There is a world of difference when you start squatting close to limits and are looking to take your squats to the next level. It exposes all your technical flaws, so I appreciate any advice to improve.

Ader;

1 - Ah OK. I felt like the bar was pretty low, but interesting that you think the bar was still fairly high. I'll try shifting it even lower. Guess it is a confidence thing not to worry about it dropping off your back!

2 - You are correct, I do still need to look up more. I've been working on this, but you're absolutely right, I do end up looking into the mirror to check depth.

3 - Ah OK. I thought I broke parallel, but Rilla might be correct in that due to my wide stance I perhaps don't have enough flexilibility to go ultra deep in that position.

4 - OK, good advice. I know what you mean about "pressing out" with the knees as if against a box. I always continually tell this to my clients to stop their knees buckling in when they're beginning.

5 - Yes, exactly.

I didn't take any of it as negative Ader, very much appreciated it. Like you say, when you go to the max it exposes weaknesses and you need to work on finer details to perfect a movement. At the end of a day, if a guy my weight on this planet is capable of squatting over 300kg, then apart from perhaps having superb genetics (and perhaps chemical assistance, who knows...) he clearly is a superb technician too. Which all the very top PL guys are.

What are you thoughts on Olympic lifting shoes/heels, versus flat PL boots?

The guy in the video I posted squats in Ironworks. He's the national champion and alltime best in the sub75 here in DK (at 21). He recently totaled 700kg (equipped) but is getting stronger all the time. I know for a fact that he's clean (and on the WADA whereabout list, so could possibly get tested anytime&anywhere).
Squatting wide is all about opening up and pressing out, a bit like sumo DL. It's NOT the same lift with a different stance, not at all.

That pic of Rilla is how i look (bar the ugly mug) squatting and now y'all point it out why my arse has been getting so big

Do not breathe in on the way down (crap PT stuff that doesn't work when you're doing maximal squats!!!!!)

Don't worry, I agree! I always valsalva on heavy lifts.

And the other thing is re your elbows - you'll notice Rilla has a fairly narrow grip - Some people go even narrower - I think I do actually - Look for example how narrow the guy has gone in the video Rilla posted.

OK, interesting, I'd been experimenting around with different grips and played around with going wider, not narrower. I'll try it narrower next time. My shoulder flexilibility is very good so this shouldn't be a problem.

Notice how Rilla has pushed his knees out

Ah, I see... I'd always focused on maintaining the knee perfectly above (on the vertical plane) the foot. Never tried sending it outside the foot....

He has the bar a tad too high on his traps for my liking though

So you like the bar really low. OK.

Plenty for me to practice there.

Rilla, you've got the Adidas Oly lifting shoes.

What are yours - and everyone else's thoughts - on the whole flat shoe versus heel issue?

I should add that I've got a pair of Adidas 2006 Olympic lifting shoes, which I do find easier to squat in. But I wanted to see how I'd go with a flat boot...

If you look at the picture my knees are actually not outside the foot - knees and feet pretty much go the same way.

My elbows are a bit too high for my liking, but that's a problem of mine.
I use a pretty high bar as the lower bar killed my elbows.

I use a pretty high bar as the lower bar killed my elbows.

I've found that too if the bar is too low on my back... However, maybe if I try a narrower grip as you and Ader are suggesting I might be able to shift it down a bit further without discomfort. I'll play around with a bit over the coming few days.

Grip width is quite a personal thing - But narrow tends to tighten everything up. It's interesting though that the really big guys often go super wide.

Don't foget of course that the narrower you go the more difficult it will be to have the bar low -Unless you have very short forearms lol. So there is a bit of a set off on those two fronts - Most people can go narrower and lower than they doo - It is uncomfrtable at first but do iot gradually and work on flexibility and you can get there.

Here's a guy I train with who has a very narrow grip!

Ader wrote:It's interesting though that the really big guys often go super wide.

That's due to neccesity more than choice. Shoulder mobility is an issue for most bigger guys. That combined with a low bar position forces the hands out.

Oh and BTW: the pic of me is a third attempt (which I got) at a meet. Heavy weight is no excuse for (major) form breakdown. Afterall it's all about longevity if you want to be strong. In training, I do 95+% of my lifts in near perfect form.

Rab wrote:That pic of Rilla is how i look (bar the ugly mug) squatting and now y'all point it out why my arse has been getting so big

Normally mate, Weeman is laying on his back below you and you dip down so his cock touches you arse and call that going deep in the hole - fugging perv!

simon m wrote:

Rab wrote:That pic of Rilla is how i look (bar the ugly mug) squatting and now y'all point it out why my arse has been getting so big

Normally mate, Weeman is laying on his back below you and you dip down so his **** touches you arse and call that going deep in the hole - fugging perv!

I have just disturbed half the office as I Laughed Out Loud

Most has been said already. Not good reps. Not depth. Elbows too high & back. Too much of a lean forward. BUT nice one on lifting the weight "raw" (belt & wraps are not raw )

Watch these:
http://articles.elitefts.com/articles/powerlifting-articles/so-you-think-you-can-squat-part-1-and-2/
http://articles.elitefts.com/articles/powerlifting-articles/so-you-think-you-can-squat-part-3/

It takes a lot of time imo to get a good squat... and years to get a great one. I think I've just managed to get into the "good" group, but there's still a way to go for sure. I'm certainly no squatting guru lol

Seen those articles before ... Nice!

simon m wrote:

Rab wrote:That pic of Rilla is how i look (bar the ugly mug) squatting and now y'all point it out why my arse has been getting so big

Normally mate, Weeman is laying on his back below you and you dip down so his **** touches you arse and call that going deep in the hole - fugging perv!

I think Rab should also grow ( if he can ) a Rilla porn tache . It would suit his Weeman dipping !

Gym-pig wrote:

simon m wrote:

Rab wrote:That pic of Rilla is how i look (bar the ugly mug) squatting and now y'all point it out why my arse has been getting so big

Normally mate, Weeman is laying on his back below you and you dip down so his **** touches you arse and call that going deep in the hole - fugging perv!

I think Rab should also grow ( if he can ) a Rilla porn tache . It would suit his Weeman dipping !

Truth is it would be a poor effort, bit not as poor an effort as your homo squats

Heavy bench today, wasn't feeling as strong/fired up on these as I'd have liked, but have had a heavy training load every day of this week, so in reality probably not doing them in a fresh condition...

Bench

5 * 60kg
5 * 80kg
3 * 90kg
3 * 100kg (sp)
3 * 105kg (sp)
1 * 110kg (sp)
13 * 60kg

Close-grip press

5 * 80kg (sp)
5 * 80kg (sp)
5 * 80kg (sp)

Deadlift

5 * 60kg
5 * 100kg
5 * 140kg

and.... see video

Hammer curls (for hell of it, strict)

6 * 16kg
6 * 20kg
6 * 20kg

All lifts completely raw.

Looking good there.

You might want to bring in your feet a bit, so you can get your arms to go straight down. That'll make the bar travel a shorter path.

Ah, OK. Good suggestion; so even narrower than shoulder width. I'll give it a go and see how stable that feels, but makes sense.

Struggling to break the elusive 200kg barrier, edging slowly closer all the time...

Ideally you want your arms to hang straight down.
If you were Carl Yngvar, I guess you wouldn't be able to (because of your massive thighs), but your legs are not that big. No offense.

Carl Yngvar:


Edit: and though the angle is just fine for documenting a lift (as is any angle pretty much) it's not ideal for checking form.

Good stuff

Looks like you have alignment issues or one leg longer than the other...something askew with in every rep you were higher on your right side