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Original post by redbuthotter
Got any videos of you squatting smack?


Not yet, unfortunately.
Volume day week 6

Squats:

142 x 5/5/5/5/5

Not too hard except that I keep losing hamstring tension.

I'm not sure whether it's because my posterior chain is not properly warmed up or flexible enough or because my abs aren't strong enough to let me lean forward enough. Also maybe I'm carrying the bar a little too high as well... but last week I did manage to stick my arse out a bit on some reps.

I keep saying I'm going to do some dynamic warm ups and foam roll but I never get round to researching it... entirely my own fault.

Bench press:

80 x 5/5/5/5/5

Not too difficult. I've noticed that reps feel easier if I keep my head on the bench and even push down a little bit with it, looking straight up at the ceiling.

Deadlifts:

180 x 5

Reps were very smooth and not slow I was told but they did feel quite heavy. Couldn't set my hips into as comfortable a starting position that I managed last time.

No arm work since I'm canning it to see if it's the culprit for my biceps pain on Wednesdays, so I did some chins and dips instead. Had to use some handled bar at weird angles so only managed 5 chins, then did 8 dips, then couldn't be arsed so stretched and went home.
Recovery day week 6

Squats:

105 x 5/5

Press:

50 x 5/5

Having ate nothing but a burger all day these were harder than usual but still only used a minute or two's rest. Biceps still hurt on the press, though, so arm work is maybe not the culprit.
Intensity day week 6

Completely gash session tonight.

Squats:

160 x 5

Worst form I've used in quite a while. All quads, knees buckling in, far too upright yet dropping chest...

I'm going to try out squatting in chucks. I'm connived that it's my relatively high heeled Ironworks that are conflicting with the positions required to perform a low bar, hips back style squat.

Then once I do that I'm going to stop the Texas Method and go back on Starting Strength. I'm going to dial my squat numbers right back until I learn to do it properly; this will mean that I'm fresher for benching, pressing and deadlifting, which is an added bonus. Then once Starting Strength no longer works I'll progress onto advanced novice until that no longer works.

I can already squat over four plates so it's time to put my ego aside and learn how to do them properly so I can remain injury free and have balanced lower body musculature.

Bench press:

92.5 x 3

Quite disappointed. Really slow and heavy. Almost certainly wouldn't have got the fourth; just wasn't in the mood... **** atmosphere at the gym. And knees were really achy after the squats.

Power cleans:

85 x 5/5/5

Only did three sets as these were beating the **** out of my elbows and wrists. Quads were really pumped up, though.

Went home.
I'm back on Starting Strength until I get my squat fixed and simple linear progression no longer works again.

Squats:

100 x 5/5/5

Easy, but just focusing on correct form, sitting back, shoving out knees etc.

Press:

55 x 5/5/5
50 x 10
40 x 8

55 was quite easy, thankfully. Happy with 10 reps of 50, and shoulders were fried on 40 so only got 8 reps, but don't really care as I hit a PB.

Power cleans:

82.5 x 3/3/3/3/3

Not too hard generally. Pulled it higher, a function of the weight being a tad lighter and overall feeling much better, so no elbow and wrist pain due to low rack positions.

Chins:

bodyweight x 5/4/4

Might be a PB I dunno. These haven't progressed much recently.

Went home.
Meh session tonight.

Squats:

105 x 5/5/5

Form not brilliant. Weight very light but hamstrings too weak and tight to contribute and glutes not firing at all. Abs not strong enough to support forward lean either. My abs have gotten much weaker since I've been doing a lot of beltless training this year.

Bench press:

82.5 x 5/5/5

Not too hard the spotter said.

Deadlifts:

185 x 5

Form not brilliant again, weak hamstrings and inactive glutes the problem here, as well as weak abs.

Romanian deadlifts:

70 x 10/10

Did these as a back off from the deadlifts to get some posterior chain work and a stretch.

Abs roll outs:

none because I'm too weak or inflexible to do them properly, even from the knees.

Stretched and went home.
Good session tonight.

Squats:

110 x 5/5/5

Form quite good tonight. Better at sticking hips back and knees out and leaning forward.

Press:

57.5 x 5/5/5

Felt really good.

Power cleans:

85 x 3/3/3/3/3

As above, felt really good.

Chins:

bodyweight x 5/4/4

Meh.

Arms superset, skull crushers with curls.

EZ bar + 23 x 10/10 each

Stretched and went home.
Novermber's Training Review:

Nothing to report that isn't already obvious from reading my log.

Unfortunately my squat form become progressively worse during November so my main goal for December is to fix it, whilst linearly increasing my pressing and pulling strength.

I won't be testing any maxes until January, when I need to blow off steam from exam revision. Only then will I know if I've met my 2011 goals.
Fairly decent session tonight.

Squats:

115 x 5/5/5

Form quite poor compared to last time, but that's just because I haven't squatted almost a week.

Bench press:

85 x 5/5/5

Not excruciatingly difficult despite not having benched in over a week.

Deadlifts:

190 x 5

Easier than last time. Actually felt quite good.

Chins:

bodyweight x 5/5/4

PR by one rep.
Good session tonight despite shoulder pain. Shoulder's been painful today and yesterday, not sure why, but felt a bit better during lifting today.

Squats:

120 x 5/5/

Much better form. Form's definitely getting better.

Press:

60 x 5/5/5

Shoulder quite sore, so quite hard, but not excruciatingly so.

Power clean

87.5 x 3/3/3/3/3

These felt good. Wasn't expecting to be able to do these at all due to shoulder but thankfully was and got them all.

Stretching and home.
Good session tonight.

Squats:

125 x 5/5/5

Form not the best. Didn't feel that flexible tonight for some reason, was staying too upright, abs felt a bit like they were caving in when I tried to lean forward... just wasn't great.

Bench press:

87.5 x 5/5/5

Very hard, but I got them all.

Deadlifts:

195 x 5

Very happy with these. Not too hard at all. Going for 200 x 5 on Sunday hopefully. According to Wendler's formula I should just scrape 227.5 (or 500lb to any Yanks that may be reading)... I'll find out in January sometime when I max out.

Chins:

bodyweight x 5/4.5/4/3.5/2

Did more sets as I think the volume I was doing on these was not enough to keep getting me stronger as I was stagnant on these for quite a while.

Abs 3 x 10

Stretching and home.
Reply 1031
Original post by Smack
Deadlifts:

195 x 5

Very happy with these. Not too hard at all. Going for 200 x 5 on Sunday hopefully. According to Wendler's formula I should just scrape 227.5 (or 500lb to any Yanks that may be reading)... I'll find out in January sometime when I max out.


I'm multilingual.
Meh session tonight. Didn't feel quite recovered enough from Wednesday.

Squats:

worked up to 180 x 1

Wanted to put on some weight to the bar as I haven't done that in a while. Probably felt heavier than my 185 a while back. Form was pretty poor too, no hamstrings or glutes; solely quads.

Problem is that I can't voluntarily contract my lower back muscles and I can't take a deep enough breath and keep tight. This stops me from getting into the proper position to best utilise all of the muscles of the legs.

Press:

62.5 x 5/5/4/2

Almost got the last rep, but not quite, so tried another set at the end so I'd still get some work in and hit the overall target reps. Got 2; shoulders felt destroyed. Last time I did this I used wrist wraps, but not this time; I'll give it a go next time.

Power cleans:

90 x 3/3/3/3/3

Probably the most difficult cleans I've ever done... I also think I'm pulling with a round back as, like discussed with squats above, I can't seem to take a deep breath and keep tight.

Tried to do chins, got four reps and shoulders were having none of it so stretched and went home.
i tried to do that technique that rip advocates. for contracting lumbar muscles, **** works when i lie down....i don't even have top raise my knees to get them to contract, but soon as i try do it standing i fail :/
Original post by Gallium
i tried to do that technique that rip advocates. for contracting lumbar muscles, **** works when i lie down....i don't even have top raise my knees to get them to contract, but soon as i try do it standing i fail :/


Does it not, um, crush your balls? Or am I thinking of the wrong thing?
Original post by Smack
Does it not, um, crush your balls? Or am I thinking of the wrong thing?


umm it's that video when he gets zack to lie flat on his stomach and put his hands behind his head, he then gets him to raise his legs off the floor, this in turns forces the lumbar to contract and creates new motor pathways.


^^ that i can do, i don't even have to raise my legs or anything but i can't contract my lumbar when standing.
Okay thanks I'll try that.
Another meh session tonight. Felt really deflated this afternoon and was debating on going or not.

Squats:

130 x 5/5/5

Form not really improved at all. I'll have to watch the Starting Strength DVD again (and again and again...).

Bench press:

90 x 4/2
80 x 7
50 x 3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3 - speed reps

Never got five on the first set, and the weight felt even heavier on the second set. Very disappointed. So did 80 hoping to get five and got 7 in not too much difficulty for a cheap reps PB. I seem to be much better at repping than I am with heavy fives etc. Did some speed work because ages ago when my bench hit its first peak (almost as good then as it is now) I was noticeably much faster in the 60-70 range than I am now.

Back extensions:

bodyweight x 10/10/10

Chins:

bodyweight x 5/4/4/2/1

Meh. Went home.

Going to start doing Defranco's agile 8 too.
Good session tonight.

Squats:

135 x 5/5/5

Form much better tonight; had someone video them and show me and they looked quite good. Definitely better at taking a deep breath and holding tight.

Press:

62.5 x 5/5/5

Quite hard. Used wrist wraps tonight and didn't get the instant carry over I got last time, although it did feel easier off the shoulders.

Deadlifts:

200 x 5

Not pretty (but would have got three white lights, i.e. no hitching). Had to have a **** break before I did these, which might explain why as I was warmed down a bit.

Chins:

bodyweight x 5/5/4.5/3/2/1

20 reps total.
Better to go tO the loo mid session and get a bit cold than poo yourself mid-lift :mmm:

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