Major flaw in rippetoes!

[Mayberry03]

At least for me.. unless im squating wrong. I have been making sure my form is at least parallel. Warming up a bit more than all last week. Last friday 5rm 195x3x5;
This week;
Monday- 155x3x5
Wednesday- 155x3x5
Friday- 155x3x5
(I actually had to lift today because of a bad hangover yesterday)
Could it have been a bit of drinking? (last friday, saturday, and this thursday)
Could squating 3 times a week not be for me?
Could i be doing something wrong?
note: i feel fatigued in my quads as i go up when squating.
my breathing is in check, breathing in as i go down, and breathing out when i go up.
My diet has been even better than usual these last 2 weeks, Not to much cardio, working the same, everything is about the same comparing this week and last week.
I also had to have help with 155x3x5 on bench today with my last 2 sets, and last week i did 150x3x5 w/o a spotter..
HELP MEEE..thanks.:)

[Mayberry03]

Bump. anyoneee?

[rooking]

I'd have to see a vid of your form.... are your knees going forward when you squat? That's a common mistake. Do you stop and pause after every rep (even for a second?) Do you eat enough?

[Mayberry03]

I check my knees when i do warmups to get the feel of placement, and they're behind my toes:) Yes i stop for a second and take a breathe when i stand up. Im bulking to 160 and eating 3k calories a day, so yes.

[rooking]

Yes i stop for a second and take a breathe when i stand up. Im bulking to 160 and eating 3k calories a day, so yes.

That's your problem... DON"T STOP! just keep going and going. It sucks... but you waste alot of energy standing there with alot of weight on your back. Also, I think you need to eat at least 3.5 if not 4k calories judging by your weight and pictures.

[rooking]

You know you're bulking correctly when you gain 1-2 lbs a week

[Biohazardous22]

Are you getting sh*tty drunk or just one to two beers?

[Mayberry03]

Yeah, i bumped up my calories, i gained 1 pound in 2 weeks, so i bumped it up from 250 above to 500, hopefully i gain 1 every week now.
Yes, well last friday i got pretty drunk, last saturday buzzed. and this thursday i got completely smashed.
BUT i felt like i had a great workout.. i was pumped and ready, the weights felt light, i just couldn't do it!!!:S

[rooking]

lol 17 year old admitting to drinking.. gotta love it. But Idk what to tell you man. Just keep hitting the weights

[Mayberry03]

I'm about 100% sure it was the beer. ****... **** drinking man.

[rooking]

And wow biohazard.... You need to stop working your chest and arms and start squatting and deadlifting... (no offense.. just trying to help)

[Mayberry03]

That's your problem... DON"T STOP! just keep going and going. It sucks... but you waste alot of energy standing there with alot of weight on your back. Also, I think you need to eat at least 3.5 if not 4k calories judging by your weight and pictures.

Well lets not over exaggerate here, i don't actually completely "stop" moving, i just go up, breathe, go down, breathe. so on. i'll make a vid here soon though.

[ccj804]

maybe it was just one of those days...keep hitting it hard!

[EPMD]

Instead of doing 155 for 3x5 next workout, try to do one of those sets at 160. You should be able to get at least 3 or 4 reps there, and probably all 5. Then you can try getting a second set at 160 the following workout, and so on. If you absolutely cannot break 155, then you'll have to reset. Go back a few pounds, and work your way back up again.

[Wildtim]

At least for me.. unless im squating wrong. I have been making sure my form is at least parallel. Warming up a bit more than all last week. Last friday 5rm 195x3x5;
This week;
Monday- 155x3x5
Wednesday- 155x3x5
Friday- 155x3x5
(I actually had to lift today because of a bad hangover yesterday)
Could it have been a bit of drinking? (last friday, saturday, and this thursday)
Could squating 3 times a week not be for me?
Could i be doing something wrong?
note: i feel fatigued in my quads as i go up when squating.
my breathing is in check, breathing in as i go down, and breathing out when i go up.
My diet has been even better than usual these last 2 weeks, Not to much cardio, working the same, everything is about the same comparing this week and last week.
I also had to have help with 155x3x5 on bench today with my last 2 sets, and last week i did 150x3x5 w/o a spotter..
HELP MEEE..thanks.:)

This is not correct check what Rip says about proper breathing during the squat in the book.

Getting drunk three times in a week will screw your workouts up for a while, you can't expect to perform at your best when you are poisoning yourself.

[ven33]

I'd have to see a vid of your form.... are your knees going forward when you squat? That's a common mistake. Do you stop and pause after every rep (even for a second?) Do you eat enough?

Your knees will always go forward some when you squat. Im gonna have to go out on a limb and say its impossible to not go forward a little.

[r_graz]

Your knees will always go forward some when you squat. Im gonna have to go out on a limb and say its impossible to not go forward a little.

Since we're talking about Mark Rippetoe's program, and his approach to squatting...

He teaches that all forward knee movement should occur in the first 1/3 to 1/2 of the descent. From that point till bottom (crease of the hip below the knee level), the knees move no further forward. If they move forward at the bottom, hip drive is lost to some degree. This is why in the book (we've all got the book, right?), he prescribes use of the TUBOW (Terribly Useful Block of Wood). You put it in front of your knees when you squat, at a place just beyond the furthest your knees should travel forward, and attempt not to knock it over as you squat.

He also doesn't preach that ridiculous "knees must never go past the toes" nonsense. The distance the knees will travel past the toes is largely dictated by a person's ratio of femur to tibia length.

And OP - there's no "flaw in Rippetoes". I think you already know that in this case, the flaw is yours.

[Mr.Runner]

This feels awfully trollish...

[ven33]

Since we're talking about Mark Rippetoe's program, and his approach to squatting...

He teaches that all forward knee movement should occur in the first 1/3 to 1/2 of the descent. From that point till bottom (crease of the hip below the knee level), the knees move no further forward. If they move forward at the bottom, hip drive is lost to some degree. This is why in the book (we've all got the book, right?), he prescribes use of the TUBOW (Terribly Useful Block of Wood). You put it in front of your knees when you squat, at a place just beyond the furthest your knees should travel forward, and attempt not to knock it over as you squat.

He also doesn't preach that ridiculous "knees must never go past the toes" nonsense. The distance the knees will travel past the toes is largely dictated by a person's ratio of femur to tibia length.

And OP - there's no "flaw in Rippetoes". I think you already know that in this case, the flaw is yours.


Gotcha. Well by no means was I arguing with Rippetoe I was arguing with the guy who said that the knees shouldnt go forward period. Everything you said is exactly my belief when it comes to squating. Thanks for backing me up.

[Bamma]

I really don't think this is a flaw with the program. Sounds more like a flaw with the user. Drinking is okay every now and then for those of legal age. And yeah, I drank a little when I was 17 and should not have. But you gotta know that doing so is going to be detrimental to your program. So really, you need to decide whether drinking is more important to you than the goals you have set for yourself in terms of strength and muscle gains.

By the way, another thing you might wanna check out is Squat RX on Youtube. There are roughly 20 or so videos from that guy about problems with squats and how to correct them. I have found it to be pretty helpful.

[PBateman]

Hello McFly: It's the fukin drinking!

Moderation is fine but decide between getting ****ty and getting hyoooooge

[Metal_Lust]

And OP - there's no "flaw in Rippetoes". I think you already know that in this case, the flaw is yours.


I really don't think this is a flaw with the program. Sounds more like a flaw with the user.

haha exactly what I thought after reading the original post, very misleading title.

[PuffinMyLye]

Alcohol is a poison, if you plan on continuing your progression I suggest you save your drinking for once a week (preferably on the weekend). Also, on the way up from your squats you should be feeling it in your hams and glutes, not your quads. Make sure you are getting enough hip drive. I suggest you watch Rip's videos on the squat.

[GuyJin]

OP,

FWIW, I'd listen to what Wildtime and r_graz told you. The only flaw is that you're not following the programme. Stay with it.

As for the drinking, when I was seventeen (ages ago, LOL) I drank a little, but never to the point of getting hammered/smashed/blotto/can't-see-where-I-might-be-peeing-or-on-whom-I-might-be-peeing drunk. Yeah, it's fun, but the next day you feel like trash, and your lifts DO go all to hell, so I'd cut it down, or cut it out completely. Booze is just a very expensive carb, and you don't need it. Not to get all preachy because I'm anything but pure and perfect, but take it from someone who's been there, it ain't worth it.

Stick to the programme, keep eating well, and if you have to reset your weights, then do so, but make an honest effort. Finally, check your stance--you may have to widen it a little and if you do--and if it gives you a better feel for the squat--stay with it and don't be sweatin' that Mark Rippetoe is gonna come to your house and beat you silly.