Karlos wrote:Great work ader! I'm rather jealous of your 80kg PH snatch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5qinmxDBqM" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Here's me with 75kg, how does my technique look to you? Jump to 25s to skip the fannying round.

It's a bit difficult to tell from the angle it's filmed at tbh.

Good stuff - It's Very explosive and looks like you could do quite a bit more - very impressive. Nothing drastically wrong I suspect but angle doesn't help. As I say, it actually looks good and the angle's not good so I'm not at all convinced as to whetehr what I am about to say is fair, but since you've asked here's some thoughts on what I think are the negative aspects ...

1 - I get the impresion that when you dip you don't keep your back as arched as you perhaps should - What makes me think this is that when you set up at the top you're looking up head high which is good, but after you dip your head has dropped and you're not looking up as much - It's not a huge difference but I think it's there - A side view would confirm whether this is in fact so.

2 - I'm not convinced you finish your pull and instead swing the bar - In fact away from you in a slight arc - Are you pushing it off your legs perhaps rather than driving up? In addition you seem to jump forward to catch the bar which also makes me think you're swinging it rather than driving the bar up in a straight line. This may be a result of 1. above - If you keep your head high you'll be in a better position to drive up rather than forward.

3 - As I say it looks like you don't finish the pull and it looks like you bring your arms into play and pull the bar with them slightly early too, but it's really difficult to tell from the angle so this could be completely crap.

So my take on it is you should concentrate on finishing the pull - Go up onto your toes with a high shrug - pull your shoulders up to your ears - This can feel 'wrong' and can give the impression you won't have enough time to get under the bar, but when you get it right the extra acceleration you impart to the bar will more than compensate I can assure you.

A side shot would give a better idea as to whetehr the above is right or not

Richard wrote:Well done on the job mate, that must be quite a relief.

The power snatches & jerks from the rack are looking good.

Thank you young man

Monday 8 February

A quick ish sq2uat session was working on technique / style quite a lot

Squats
100 x 5 x 2 - Off bench so not full squats
100 x 3 x 2
140 x 3 x 2
160 x 3 x 1 - Really annoying that I am still pushing my ass up too fast - 3rd rep was probably the best
160 x 1 x 3 - Really concentrating on good from - Better but still letting my ass drift and not getting my hips through


Leg press
200 x 5 x 3 - Most from dead rather than keeping some momentum going - Quite hard doing that!

Total tonnage / reps 6,400 / 43
Intensity 148.84

Was a bit knackered after DL'ing today. but even so my form was not good today - I really do need to nail it - Training partner reckons that's is really holding me back badly (And since he holds the odd world record I think I shoudl listen) and if I get it rght I'd probably nail 220 so that is one hell of an incentive to start getting it right lol

Thanks alot for the in-depth post!

You're probably right on all 3 points tbf, overhead squats should help me with the back posture, my hip mobility is a work in progress. I'll make a conscious effort to tip-toe and shrug next time and get a side video too, but again i think you're right, i am pulling early and the bar is swinging out.

Karlos wrote:Thanks alot for the in-depth post!

You're probably right on all 3 points tbf, overhead squats should help me with the back posture, my hip mobility is a work in progress. I'll make a conscious effort to tip-toe and shrug next time and get a side video too, but again i think you're right, i am pulling early and the bar is swinging out.

This 'may' help - Think about having the bar hit you high on the legs not low on them - This will reinforce the idea of fully extending as per:

Really nice point on the aiming position, has made something click.

Coop_de_Ville wrote:Really nice point on the aiming position, has made something click.

I sometimes look back over coaching stuff like this as every now & then something clicks - But I could have looked at the same thing 6 months earlir and it would've meant nothing - It all depends where you are at any point in time in terms of your self perception and how concious you are of your technique & what's going right/wrong at the time.

Wednesday 10 February

Bench today and concentrating on teh drive off my chest and in particular using my lats to get that initial drive ...

Bench
60 x 3 x 2
80 x 3 x 2
100 x 3 x 1
120 x 3 x 1 - PB - Finally got 120 for 3 even if last rep was a real grind
Time to put the Shirt on - As always the 48" one
120 x 2 x 1
130 x 2 x 1
140 x 2 x 1 - Another PB and 2nd rep was a real grind - Not surprising considering the 120 x 3 earlier
Not sure I really had the shirt on properly and was working on my own no other PLers there to help/check - But seemed to work ok so quite pleased

Partials
100 x 5 x 1
110 x 3 x 2

JM Press
60 x 5 x 1
83 x 5 x 1
100 x 3 x 2
60 x 15 x 1 - Probably had 1 or 2 reps more but 15 was enough

Hammer curls
17.5 x 8 x 3

Total tonnage / reps 6,073 / 90
Intensity 67.47

Very pleased with today - The 120 for 3 was particularly pleasing - If I'd gone with the shirt straight away and hadn't killed myself with the 120 x 3 I reckon that 140 for 3 might have been possible - Maybe something to try anotehr day - Good session

Good work on the PB Ade

Thursday 11 February

Squat session - Sort of teh start to my build up for my next comp' - A bit off teh cuff today will need to work it out properly before next week...

Squats
70 x 3 x 3 - Actually one of these sets was front squats - Rick laughed at the fact I went so deep on them compared to my back squats
120 x 6 x 1
140 x 5 x 1
150 x 4 x 1
155 x 4 x 1
160 x 4 x 1

Bench Squats
190 x 3 x 1
215 x 4 x 1 - Was only going for 3 but spotter shouted at me to do a 4th - Went off line on the 4th and it was a real grind - Good work though
The bench was a bit lower than we normally do so extra good - Rick then did 260 x 3 to show me how it's done

Total tonnage / reps 5,340 / 39
Intensity 136.92

Pleased with that - 1550, 155 & 160's were pretty good form on the whole - My form is definately improving - The 215's were hard but definately have more in me

My bench squats last night -

Seriously good work.

Have you ever tried Paused squats onto safety bars? I'm not sure what they're properly called, but they're like a severely brutal form of box squats. I'll have to get a video, but they're meant to be great for power out the hole.

Karlos wrote:Seriously good work.

Have you ever tried Paused squats onto safety bars? I'm not sure what they're properly called, but they're like a severely brutal form of box squats. I'll have to get a video, but they're meant to be great for power out the hole.

No not tried them but am guessing they may not be feasible without a power rack?

Looking at my my form is not good - I am leaning way to far forward and as a result not getting as low as I should - Something to work on - This would be why when I do front squats, when my body is forced to be upright, I get depth so much more easily

Friday 12 February

A quickish bench assistance day.

Actuyally warmed up with some light squats while waiting for the squatters to finish so I could do some floor presses

Floor press
50 x 5 x 1
90 x 5 x 1
110 x 3 x 1
110 x 2 x 1 - 3rd was a no go so stopped here

Decline DB presses
20 x 5 x 1
25 x 5 x 1
30 x 5 x 1
36 x 5 x 1 - Our DB's are odd weights!
41 x 5 x 2 -

Skull crushers
55 x 5 x 2
60 x 5 x 2
I'm not sure what weight I actually used so that is a bit of guess work - I just did what was on the bar that some others were using

Was thinking of doing some DB shoulder presses but shoulders weren't up to it

Total tonnage / reps 3,365 / 65
Intensity 51.77

Nice little shoulder & tricep burner today - feels nice now

Skull crushers lol I love the names these exercises get. Still its a good exercise.
Nice sesh

wrt the bench/box squats: unless you're intentionally doing a different technique, then you really need to get your ass back. Your knees shouldn't go any further forward than they start at; as in not past the toes.

http://www.elitefts.com/documents/box-squat.htm

First, use as wide a stance as possible. Wear groove briefs or a suit with the straps down. Position your feet so they point straight ahead and sit back, never down, until you are sitting on the box. The back is arched, the chest is held high, and the knees are pushed out to the sides. Use a wide hand grip to prevent biciptial tendonitis, and pull the elbows up and under to utilize the lats. When you are on the box, relax the hip muscles for an instant, then forcefully flex them by pushing against the bar. This will cause the spinal erectors to instantly flex, which activates the hips and then the hamstrings. The action is like doing a jerk in Olympic lifting. Try to flex on the box strong enough to stand up in one motion.

http://www.elitefts.com/documents/box_squatting.htm

Great article this one: http://www.tmuscle.com/free_online_arti ... ead_to_toe

Apologies if you intend to do these squats the way you did. No doubting whatsoever your strength Ader.

health4ni wrote:wrt the bench/box squats: unless you're intentionally doing a different technique, then you really need to get your ass back. Your knees shouldn't go any further forward than they start at; as in not past the toes.

http://www.elitefts.com/documents/box-squat.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

First, use as wide a stance as possible. Wear groove briefs or a suit with the straps down. Position your feet so they point straight ahead and sit back, never down, until you are sitting on the box. The back is arched, the chest is held high, and the knees are pushed out to the sides. Use a wide hand grip to prevent biciptial tendonitis, and pull the elbows up and under to utilize the lats. When you are on the box, relax the hip muscles for an instant, then forcefully flex them by pushing against the bar. This will cause the spinal erectors to instantly flex, which activates the hips and then the hamstrings. The action is like doing a jerk in Olympic lifting. Try to flex on the box strong enough to stand up in one motion.

http://www.elitefts.com/documents/box_squatting.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Great article this one: http://www.tmuscle.com/free_online_arti ... ead_to_toe" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Apologies if you intend to do these squats the way you did. No doubting whatsoever your strength Ader.

Good links - Thanks Scott - Re last comment did I mean to do them like that: "No" My position was way off - Here's my training partner Rick with 260 (He had knee wraps on as he'd knocked his knee so had them on loose) His position is so much better than mine and he gets relatively lower than me even though he's shorter - Swine:

Sunday 14 February

Deadlift & banch - Unfortunately I feel like crap - I thought I had hayfever but suspect it's actually a cold - No energy and no stamina today, but today is the start of my DL build up so had to go for it...

Deadlift
60 x 3 x 2
100 x 3 x 2
140 x 3 x 1
180 x 3 x 1
205 x 3 x 3 - My working set
165 x 3 x 3 - Speed work
Was concentrating on not lifting my ass to early and keeping my sghopulders back from th start so it's easier to finish - Does make it hard off the floor though and could really feel it on my ass & hamstrings.

Rack Pulls
220 x 3 x 1- High position
255 x 3 x 1 - High position
255 x 2 x 1 - " or 3" lower - Maged 2 but could not get teh 3rd rep out - No energy at all
Had to stop there which was disappointing as had hoped to add another 1/2" or so to the block height In But I was feeling crap and should probably have done my speed work after the rack pulls

Power Shrugs
255 x 3 x 2
Agan no energy and they were nowhere near as good as last week

Bench Press
60 x 3 x 2
100 x 3 x 1
115 x 2 x 1
125 x 2 x 1 - Decided to go for this and got it just so a PB - Not bad considerining - Smashed teh 1st rep but 2nd rep was a grind - Considering how good the 1st rep was it was disappointing the 2nd was so hard.

Board presses
140 x 2 x 1 - Mid block - couldn't get a 3rd rep
140 x 3 x 1 - Highest block - easy
160 x 1 x 1 - Higehst block again 1st rep was easy then I ran out of steam... Again

Total tonnage / reps 10,715 / 69
Intensity 155.29

A mixed day - Didn't feel on form but my strength was there just no energy/stamina and showed up on the heavy work big time - Hey ho. Still got a PB today on the bench which was good.

Off to watch the rugby now can hear it's just kicked off

Monday 8 February

Start opf my squat build up today - A light day - Thew plan says to build up to 147.5 for 3 sets of 6 but I was feeling rough with a cold so only did 5's and actually did 145, 147.5, 150 as it's more fun to do 3 sets at slightly different weight than 3 sets at eth same weight


Squats
70 x 5 x 2 - Actually these were front squats but hey - Wanted to get eth feel as my form is better
120 x 5 x 1 - Tries to relicate as upruight a torso as possible to mimic the front squat - Depth much easier to get like this
145 x 5 x 1 - 1st working set
147.5 x 5 x 1 - 2nds working set
150 x 5 x 1 - 3rd working set

Bench squats
180 x 3 x 1 - Again concentrating oon keeping upright and sitting right into teh becnh unlike last week.
Last rep was ugly and I felt knackered so stopped - Ideally I;d have done another set of bench squats but feeling like I did and being on my own it was time to call it.

Total tonnage / reps 4,053 / 33
Intensity 122.80

Otehre than I felt crappy again this went fine - Back was tired from DL's yesterday. But pelased with squat form today - Much better imo - The only really bad one was my last bench squat wehere I let my ass drift back again

I saw your squat vid you posted on facebook, was that the above session 150kgx5?

Coop_de_Ville wrote:I saw your squat vid you posted on facebook, was that the above session 150kgx5?

Yep

Wednesday 17 February

Bench day - Started off with a work up to bigish bench followed by a reverse pyramid, going to failure, then some inclies & CGBP

Bench
50 x 8 x 1
80 x 5 x 1
100 x 3 x 1
120 x 3 x 1
115 x 3 x 1
110 x 4 x 1
105 x 5 x 1
100 x 9 x 1 - Tried to grind out a 10th but failed

Incline Bench
90 x 5 x 2
90 x 4 x 1 - Missed the 5th rep

CGBP
80 x 5 x 3 - In retrospect, probably should have done more weight but this felt right when I started

Total tonnage / reps 6,130 / 69
Intensity 88.84

Nice bench day - Pleased to get 120 for 3 again - albeit only just. The reverse pyramid was a bit rough at eth top end but good to get the 9 reps at 100 after all that work. Inclines & CGBP were OK. So a nice solid session overall

Thursday 18 February

First 'heavy' squat day of my build up. Routione said 167.5 x 5 x 3 but I went 170, 167.5, 165 instead - Had though of going 165, 167, 170 but ddecided going up was going to be too hard and a reverse pyramid would work better. Legs/back still achey from Monday plus feeling tired so it was a bit of a struggle - Not sure why I was still achey but probably 'cos I've had a cold...

Squats
70 x 5 x 1
120 x 5 x 1
150 x 3 x 1
170 x 5 x 1
167.5 x 5 x 1
165 x 5 x 1
Was concentrating on trying not to pull my knees back too early & letting my ass drift out - Mostly ok but a few bad ones especially on the 4th rep of each set !65's were the ugliest but my quads were very tired by then. This concentrating on keeping my ass in puts more on my quads it seems but makes the transition from quads to posterior chain easieer - At least when I get it right anyway. Also I think I'm getting deeper squats doing this.

Bench Squats
165 x 3 x 1
190 x 3 x 1
150 x 3 x 1
Struggled on these so quit at 190 - Ideally I'd have gone up higher but I was struggling and no spotter on hand so called it.

And that was it short but intensive

Total tonnage / reps 5,428 / 37
Intensity 146.69

Quite pleased with the squat form but it was very hard - I think this is because I'm using my quads more in the initial drive out the bottom with this technique variation and the poor old things are struggling atm and will I suspect continue to do so until they catch up with the rest of me - They're nicely pumped up though

And now off for some Chinese a donut & some wine or beer

Nice numbers there on the squats. Good idea with the reverse pyramid

Coop_de_Ville wrote:Nice numbers there on the squats. Good idea with the reverse pyramid

Chheres |CDV - Actually I think a deload is a better description, but reverse pyramid was all I could think of last night - Mind you I was cream crackered