Blonde will make you STRONG

[EvilPie]

I used to superset front lateral raise using a plate squeezed between my hands with pec deck. The pump was amazing. Never tried the plate press but I'd imagine very similar for hitting the pecs.

All time favourites:

Shoulders - Rear delt raise
Chest - DB press
Back - Single arm row
Quads - Leg extension
Hams - Leg curls

Recent favourites:

Shoulders - OHP
Chest - DB press (never going to change)
Back - Bent over row although it'll be wide grip chins once my arm gets better
Quads - Leg extension
Hams - RDL / SLDL. I know they're different but I can't decide which I prefer yet. RDL for strength but SLDL for the stretch.

[iRaise]

I used to superset front lateral raise using a plate squeezed between my hands with pec deck. The pump was amazing. Never tried the plate press but I'd imagine very similar for hitting the pecs.

All time favourites:

Shoulders - Rear delt raise
Chest - DB press
Back - Single arm row
Quads - Leg extension
Hams - Leg curls

Recent favourites:

Shoulders - OHP
Chest - DB press (never going to change)
Back - Bent over row although it'll be wide grip chins once my arm gets better
Quads - Leg extension
Hams - RDL / SLDL. I know they're different but I can't decide which I prefer yet. RDL for strength but SLDL for the stretch.

Solid choices

[iRaise]

So we got a 195 today and it was pretty easy, but my form is frustrating me. So I am doing my over warm up where I go for some singles, and then dropping into 3x6 of pause deads to try and iron out some technical issues, then finishing it off with some snatch grip deads to stop the upper back rounding.

Annoying cos strength is very good, technique not so much, and I am not about poor form.

So we got:

1x175
1x185
1x195

3x6 Pause 120

1xAMRAP (4, kinda blah) 150

1xAMRAP (10) snatch grip at 70.

I think I am probably around 83-84kg so obviously really pleased with strength, if I can push past 200 then I am in the realms of 2x5x BW which will give me some good confidence.

Rest of the session was a mix of leg press, walking lunges and isolation work. Strength lasted through most of the session today which is always nice. Really looking forward to tackling 200, the last and only time I have done that I was somewhere around the 90-93 mark, can't quite remember.

[Eso Kral]

So this week started off bad as in my last post I said I was bloated and uninterested in food which was on Monday and by Tuesday I had sulphar burps which meant I had something wrong in my gut itself so I drank loads of water and let it flush out and left training till Friday.

The chances are that due to the PPI's I am on to help with my Hiatus Hernia and couple of ulcers the Protein Shake which is a Whey Protein I was having straight after training (added in the past 10 days) has reacted badly with my pills which is annoying as I got a tad bored of having a tin of tuna at 7.15 in the morning so I have to investigate other Protein supps that may not clash with my pills.

Anyway Fri and Saturday have been great days training with the break doing me good and Friday saw me achieve 3 sets of 4 unassisted wide grip chins before the rest of my workout (10 weeks ago I couldnt do 1) and this didnt affect any of the remainder of the programme so I will be going for 3 x 5 next week on Tues/Fri.

Legs day today and having done a warm up of 60 I then did 80, 90, 100, 100kg all x 8 reps and did a video of my last 3 sets which you can see below all carried out shoeless after my form check with Harvey.

The first and second sets I use a bench as my box which is a touch high so I will be adding a plate under my feet to enable me to get a touch lower as from my perspective it doesnt seem low enough which you dont see unless you video your form.  The final set I moved the bench away but think if I drop by 10kg I will get lower and better form.

Feel free to comment and before opening myself up I sent to Harvey to peruse so am sure he will add in after everyone else.

90kg box


100kg box


100kg normal

[EvilPie]

I'd take 40kg off and get a lot lower. 100kg is too much for you right now. Don't feel bad, it's too much for me as well and I've been training a shit load longer than you and weigh a chunk more. Leave the ego at home, drop the weight and break parallel with every rep.

Your set up looks very rushed so you probably aren't breathing properly. You get in to position and then you're straight down in to your first squat. There should be a deep breath and a brace before you drop.

Looks like you're breaking at the knees as well rather than your hips. Made a huge difference to me when I got rid of this error.

If you've got 25 minutes to spare watch this guy:



If you haven't got 25 minutes spare take a morning off training and watch it then. You won't regret it.

This guy makes so much sense and has changed my training hugely and I'm sure all for the better.

[EvilPie]

Regarding your protein shake just try loads of different ones. I've had some that make me feel absolutely awful and others that are fine.

The CNP ones work for me and I find the easiest on my gut is pro lean whey: http://www.discount-supplements.co.uk/cnp-professional-pro-lean-whey-2kg-tub

I have a scoop in my morning shake, 2 scoops after training and then 2 scoops before bed. I've not tried many others because these work so I don't need to. I've tried a few though so I know there's a difference.

[zerofive]

Huge advocate of shoeless closed-chain leg work.

Also a huge advocate of ROM > weight, so going to agree with you here; drop the weight a little and hit a better depth

[iRaise]

To throw a spanner in the works, I have no problem with loading on a box squat, I think thats perfectly fine and will help get the CNS/confidence ready for heavier weight.

Agree with the comments about weight vs ROM. I am an advocate of ROM for when the box isn't there.

Huge improvement from when I saw them a few weeks ago.

And great point by Matt regarding breathing and not rushing. That is something we spoke about on that Saturday, but something I missed when you sent it me earlier.

Great stuff all round.

[EvilPie]

My shoulder has been in agony over the weekend following a physio session on Thursday. I've got a really tight muscle somewhere in my back that's tucked away behind the shoulder blade and when he works it I really struggle for a few days. I've got plenty of stretching in over the weekend and also a few hundred press ups and it seemed to have eased off a bit this morning.

I thought today might be a struggle but I'm pleased to say I felt no pain whatsoever. Pinching the shoulder blades really tight on the bench press makes such an enormous difference and I felt no pain anywhere. I expected a light session but felt confident enough to push to 110kg for 4 reps on my final set without a spotter. I reckon 140kg is on the cards for 1 rep by the end of June.

I made a slight increase on my bent over row getting those up to 80kg for 4 x 8.

OHP was nice and light focussing on form, 40kg 4 x 8

Pretty happy with everything

[PokerBroker]

Difficult to tell from the video but it seems to me from those clips that your back is doing a lot of the work.   When squatting you don't want to be flexing the torso.   Try keeping your chest big, pick a spot on the wall/mirror concentrate on that and use that for keeping your line.   I'd also open your feet out a little. 

[iRaise]

Difficult to tell from the video but it seems to me from those clips that your back is doing a lot of the work.   When squatting you don't want to be flexing the torso.   Try keeping your chest big, pick a spot on the wall/mirror concentrate on that and use that for keeping your line.   I'd also open your feet out a little. 

I think Rich is pretty straight when he does squat. He used to be a footballer, so his quads really take control and bail him out of the situation as opposed to his back.

But different angles Rich are really helpful, a side on angle is key to judge how strong the squat is.

@PokerBroker, will be really interested to hear your insight in some of the form videos that come up.

[PokerBroker]

Difficult to tell from the video but it seems to me from those clips that your back is doing a lot of the work.   When squatting you don't want to be flexing the torso.   Try keeping your chest big, pick a spot on the wall/mirror concentrate on that and use that for keeping your line.   I'd also open your feet out a little. 

I think Rich is pretty straight when he does squat. He used to be a footballer, so his quads really take control and bail him out of the situation as opposed to his back.

But different angles Rich are really helpful, a side on angle is key to judge how strong the squat is.

@PokerBroker, will be really interested to hear your insight in some of the form videos that come up.

Side on videos and videos at 90 degree angles back and front are ideal for judging form.  As I said it's difficult to tell but to me it does look like the chest is dropping and the back going forward.   Keeping a big chest should correct that and help keep the line.   

[iRaise]

Difficult to tell from the video but it seems to me from those clips that your back is doing a lot of the work.   When squatting you don't want to be flexing the torso.   Try keeping your chest big, pick a spot on the wall/mirror concentrate on that and use that for keeping your line.   I'd also open your feet out a little. 

I think Rich is pretty straight when he does squat. He used to be a footballer, so his quads really take control and bail him out of the situation as opposed to his back.

But different angles Rich are really helpful, a side on angle is key to judge how strong the squat is.

@PokerBroker, will be really interested to hear your insight in some of the form videos that come up.

Side on videos and videos at 90 degree angles back and front are ideal for judging form.  As I said it's difficult to tell but to me it does look like the chest is dropping and the back going forward.   Keeping a big chest should correct that and help keep the line.   

Agreed with the angles.

I do find that most people struggle with the lean forward to start with. I am not sure how much gen pop you coach? But how to you coach the process with your athletes?

[Eso Kral]

Thanks for the feedback guys, I will attempt to get some other angles up over the next week.

[PokerBroker]

@iraise - normally start off with air squats, then introduce a mop pole, then bare bar.  Getting the technique spot on early is key.  Once we start putting weight on the bar I'd normally stand behind a lifter hands on their hips to stabilise. Normally do that with 30/40/60 kg's. 

I also find that the lean is caused by a lack of flexibility.  So when we have a joe blogs in who hasn't done much training we'll do the above plus stick a plate under their heels/widen the stance and I think I may have mentions before we have 2 sloping platforms which can be used.

When the flex isn't caused by lack of flexibility it's easier to correct the 2 key things are keeping the head and chest up as soon as our head hits the floor and our eyes are looking down its only natural that the whole body moves south and causes us to lose the position. 

Another thing to consider is the speed of the movement, we know you should go down slow and come back up fast but how many times have you seen someone go down in installments and they lose the line almost immediately?  And there may be times you see folk drop like a bullet and it looks sound but when you slow it down its a disaster. 

In closing one of the key things spoken about on here has been stretching and warm up.  The squat as most know is probably one of the biggest movements/lifts we commit to so it's important that we make sure we have worked all the supporting muscle groups and they are adequately warmed up.