Join date: Jul 2008
Location: Colorado, USA
Posts: 249
Let me start by saying it looks awesome, you're really figuring out your issues and fixing them. It is habit for me after training with a team who always wanted you to lift the best and most you could to keep critiquing and trying to get the best out of a lifter to point out areas of improvement. I would say work on getting that mid back and abs stronger, you're fighting against the flexion but some good mornings may help that. I also noticed you weren't wearing a belt in your new videos. Any reason for this? Being able to push against the belt may help with the flexing too. Just a couple of thoughts, hope they help.
Join date: Jun 2010
Location: Alberta, CAN
Posts: 2871
FIRST OFF: Big thank you to everyone who posted in this thread. You guys are like free lifting coaches for me. Ima lucky duck (<---also nerdy).
UAphenix: I dunno, I figured I would stop using a belt until I got stronger, Lol. I am not sure if that is flawed logic or not? Maybe I just told myself that beacause I didn't feel like carrying it home from the gym today...
I have been doing good mornings for a while, but I am not very strong at them so it's obviously a weak point. Anything else you can suggest for mid back?
Join date: Jul 2008
Location: Colorado, USA
Posts: 249
Spock81 wrote:
FIRST OFF: Big thank you to everyone who posted in this thread. You guys are like free lifting coaches for me. Ima lucky duck (<---also nerdy).
UAphenix: I dunno, I figured I would stop using a belt until I got stronger, Lol. I am not sure if that is flawed logic or not? Maybe I just told myself that beacause I didn't feel like carrying it home from the gym today...
I have been doing good mornings for a while, but I am not very strong at them so it's obviously a weak point. Anything else you can suggest for mid back?
Um, if you're already doing regular good mornings, I really like suspended good mornings or starting the good morning from the bottom position and making sure to arch the shit out of it. I also like doing glute ham raises with a choked band around my neck, the increased resistance throughout the movement makes it a challenge to keep the back neutral once fatigue sets in. Or there are 45 degree back raises with chains or bands.
Join date: Jun 2010
Location: Alberta, CAN
Posts: 2871
OKAY UPDATE FOR YA'LL
(FYI, I have decided to make this my "Spock AKA Jenn learnslot <-- that is pronounced like learn sSS a lot, but it's all fast so the "a' is kinda silent, umm ya) thread. Jenn's a learnin' thread might be easier. MMKAY
Join date: Jun 2010
Location: Alberta, CAN
Posts: 2871
oh and not to be annoying and miss posts too much, but yes I have clearly gained about 15 pounds from my first video to this video, LOL. I like to think it's about 8 pounds of quad, 5 pounds of ass, and 2 pounds of boob, but I am not sure that is 100% accurate, HA.
Join date: Aug 2007
Location: Texas, USA
Posts: 3986
Are you pausing on purpose at the bottom of the squat? Other than that, they both looked good. I'm sure there's something that can be tweaked but I can't find it.
Join date: Jan 2011
Location: Missouri, USA
Posts: 49
Fletch1986 wrote:
Are you pausing on purpose at the bottom of the squat? Other than that, they both looked good. I'm sure there's something that can be tweaked but I can't find it.
This. By pausing, you're taking all of the stretch reflex out of the lift. If that is your goal, then so be it, otherwise speed it up. You're also falling over a bit in the lift. Try keeping your chest up and not letting your hips rise without your torso also rising at the same time.
Join date: May 2010
Location: Missouri, USA
Posts: 110
brickonwheels wrote:
Fletch1986 wrote:
Are you pausing on purpose at the bottom of the squat? Other than that, they both looked good. I'm sure there's something that can be tweaked but I can't find it.
This. By pausing, you're taking all of the stretch reflex out of the lift. If that is your goal, then so be it, otherwise speed it up. You're also falling over a bit in the lift. Try keeping your chest up and not letting your hips rise without your torso also rising at the same time.
Join date: Aug 2007
Location: Texas, USA
Posts: 3986
Spock81 wrote:
I do paused squats/bench all the time and now I don't know how to not pause my squat or my bench anymore, haha.
What kinda stuff can I do to keep my chest up more? Is this more of an upper back weakness thing or something??
THANKS
You could try narrowing your grip more to get tighter. Also, forcing your elbows forward and down more especially in the hole. Almost like a lat pull down. It looked like you loosened up when you unracked. Keep that upper back tight while unracking.
Join date: Feb 2010
Location: Colorado, USA
Posts: 6394
Great form on your DL! And other than sitting in the hole on your squat too long (!), your form/depth looked fine to me there as well. Really great job.
Funny but I had the same thought as Hungry. Not that you weren't built for pulling conventional but wondering if you've ever tried sumo.
Join date: Jun 2010
Location: Alberta, CAN
Posts: 2871
HELLO AND THANK YOU KPSNAP!!
I swear I thought paused squats made me a badass, Lol. I am going to try non-paused squats today to see how it goes (I'm excited)
I am scared to try sumo now because it took me so long to figure out conventional I am worried I'll spend 2+ years doing sumo wrong before I get it down pat. I wish I had a lifting coach for a few days or something so I could see if I was doing it properly. Wasting more time deadlift tinkering terrifies the crap outta me. :/
Join date: Feb 2010
Location: Colorado, USA
Posts: 6394
Spock81 wrote:
I swear I thought paused squats made me a badass, Lol.
It absolutely does. I love them myself. But you don't need to sit in the hole for every rep like that unless that's the intention. The fact that you can do it shows how strong you are.
Spock81 wrote:
I am scared to try sumo now because it took me so long to figure out conventional I am worried I'll spend 2+ years doing sumo wrong before I get it down pat. I wish I had a lifting coach for a few days or something so I could see if I was doing it properly. Wasting more time deadlift tinkering terrifies the crap outta me. :/
See I think this sport is about endless tinkering. That's what keeps me coming back. There's always something that can be tweaked, something that can be tried.
