Obtaining Raw Elite at 165/181

[Filmbuff81]

340x5 I foresee a 4 plate squat in the near future

[Drew50]

What are your all time 1RMs?

Have you ever tried setting you feet and then tucking your upper back on the bench?

[xRequiem]

What are your all time 1RMs?

Have you ever tried setting you feet and then tucking your upper back on the bench?

haven't tried that, it actually hurts my lower back to arch with just the bar.

1rms are 385/235-245/465 have done 340x5/220x5/445x3 though. my bench has decreased dramatically since ive started working on form though.

340x5 I foresee a 4 plate squat in the near future

I'll be reppin' it soon enough.

[Sinaku5]

340x5 I foresee a 4 plate squat in the near future

This.

Also - why are you switching to CGBP on recovery day?

[xRequiem]

This.

Also - why are you switching to CGBP on recovery day?

what else should I do?

[Sinaku5]

what else should I do?

Y not light regular BP or OHP

[xRequiem]

Y not light regular BP or OHP

OHP = ache elbows plus i'm just doing 5x5 for my bench on id and vd.

[Smolovicus]

Are you pulling your shoulder blades together? May be a trick of the camera but it looks like your shoulder girdle is hanging pretty loosely on the bench. You should think about "sitting" your torso on top of your upper back, directing the pressure of the weight down in a cone

ex.
\----/ as opposed to l---l
-\--/ .....................l---l

Builds more tension, allows you to "expand" as you push the weight up, more stable base in general.

[nyrippetoe]

Are you pulling your shoulder blades together? May be a trick of the camera but it looks like your shoulder girdle is hanging pretty loosely on the bench. You should think about "sitting" your torso on top of your upper back, directing the pressure of the weight down in a cone

ex.
\----/ as opposed to l---l
-\--/ .....................l---l

Builds more tension, allows you to "expand" as you push the weight up, more stable base in general.

Solid ASCII visual.

[jshaw5]

Are you pulling your shoulder blades together? May be a trick of the camera but it looks like your shoulder girdle is hanging pretty loosely on the bench. You should think about "sitting" your torso on top of your upper back, directing the pressure of the weight down in a cone

ex.
\----/ as opposed to l---l
-\--/ .....................l---l

Builds more tension, allows you to "expand" as you push the weight up, more stable base in general.

This. You look way too loose and comfortable. While bench is often thought of as a chest exercise, it's really a full body lift. Pulling your shoulder blades together and getting into a good arch gives you a solid and stable platform and allows you to drive with your legs. You say getting into an arch with just the bar hurts, what about with a loaded bar? Have you tried building up to it, arch a little bit, then a little bit more, etc.?

[xRequiem]

Bench just seems far too technical. Considering giving up on it and going for that Matt Sohmner total.

[xRequiem]

Intensity Day

Squats
305x1
345x5

Sumo Deadlifts
415x5

BW 178

Doing bench when I get off work. Squats were easy, u mad bro? Pulls were hard, probably given I only had 45 minutes to do this session. Will probably continue with triples on DLs or even 3 singles. Form was **** on the last 2 reps.

[jshaw5]

Nice ID man. Squats are getting up there.

Bench just seems far too technical. Considering giving up on it and going for that Matt Sohmner total.

[xRequiem]

Nice ID man. Squats are getting up there.

Thanks Jshaw, squats were much easier than last week. I look seeing TM in effect. Raised VD 5lbs since last ID was hard and guess what? This weeks ID was easy, it's amazing how simple the progression is.

Decided on 1x2 then 1x1 for deadlifts so next week will be 425 1x2, 1x1. Once I miss the second rep on first set I'll just do 3 ramping singles like 425 445 and 465.

[xRequiem]

Upper Intensity

Bench
175 3x5

OHP
135x1
155x1
165x1
155x2
155x1
155x1
155x1

Not bad considering I just set squat and deadlift prs then went to work. 3rd set of bench was the easiest of the 3, focused on foot placement. Seems like when I try to arch or put all the pressure on my upper back it hurts like hurt. My traps start cramping severely

[samsont]

sounds like you're setting up a lot better.


It's supposed to not feel good. Sounds like you're doing it right. Really drive your upperback/traps into the bench. Often times i'm a bit dehydrated and my spinal erectors cramp up really bad and I got to re set up once or twice.

[xRequiem]

sounds like you're setting up a lot better.


It's supposed to not feel good. Sounds like you're doing it right. Really drive your upperback/traps into the bench. Often times i'm a bit dehydrated and my spinal erectors cramp up really bad and I got to re set up once or twice.

Well, I gave up on putting the pressure on my upper back/arching because I literally thought my trap was going to get injured and this was with an empty bar.

Is there some type of mobility I need to work on?

[samsont]

I've never done any mobility for it and I'm extremely unflexibile...


i think you just gotta get used to it, maybe were overdoing it?? not sure. Just squeeze those shoulder blades together and bunch it up . Don't gotta get too crazy with ti but ease into it you know? Won't have the biggest/best arch and setup right away.

Like I said sometimes I gotta re-set if I'm cramping up bad during setup and get loose a bit. we gotta see some more form vids analyze what you're doing

[arian11]

I've never done any mobility for it and I'm extremely unflexibile...


i think you just gotta get used to it, maybe were overdoing it?? not sure. Just squeeze those shoulder blades together and bunch it up . Don't gotta get too crazy with ti but ease into it you know? Won't have the biggest/best arch and setup right away.

Like I said sometimes I gotta re-set if I'm cramping up bad during setup and get loose a bit. we gotta see some more form vids analyze what you're doing

This. Not everyone needs or can do a super sized arch. But you should atleast pull those shoulder blades back tight, tuck your elbows, and get your legs tight so you can get some leg drive off the chest. Have you seen any of Ben Rice's videos? He doesn't have a monster arch and he does more of a legs out far and wide rather than tucked and close in.

[xRequiem]

Squats look better than last, depth was better. Several were clearly to depth while a couple were borederline. Seems 1-2 are always high, 3-4 and perfect and 5 is borderline.
How do you guys stretch your hams?


Thanks arian, I'll check that out and try to focus on his cues.

[arian11]

How do you guys stretch your hams?

Lately, if I'm watching TV or something I lay down on the floor next to my door frame. I align my hip bone with the frame and raise one leg and place my heel on the frame so now my leg is pointing up 90 degrees. Then I just leave it there for 5-10 mins while I watch TV and let it stretch. Then do the other leg. If you can already raise your leg to 90 degrees then you can drop your hip alittle farther down from the frame so that you are stretching the legs even more.

[samsont]

This. Not everyone needs or can do a super sized arch. But you should atleast pull those shoulder blades back tight, tuck your elbows, and get your legs tight so you can get some leg drive off the chest. Have you seen any of Ben Rice's videos? He doesn't have a monster arch and he does more of a legs out far and wide rather than tucked and close in.

x2 and ben rice videos are great all around.

play around with the different forms find what works. like arian mentioned the legs out vs tucked in. For the life of me I can NOT leg drive on my toes and feet far out like some.. Only thing that works for me is my feet tucked with heel driven into the ground. jo jordan(from elite fts) came up to me while I was benching and physically moved my foot into the right place and told me to press lol.

[izzygrant]

Lately, if I'm watching TV or something I lay down on the floor next to my door frame. I align my hip bone with the frame and raise one leg and place my heel on the frame so now my leg is pointing up 90 degrees. Then I just leave it there for 5-10 mins while I watch TV and let it stretch. Then do the other leg. If you can already raise your leg to 90 degrees then you can drop your hip alittle farther down from the frame so that you are stretching the legs even more.

This is a good hammy stretch but it does allow you to cheat a little bit and displace your other hip, which you aren't able to do when squatting/DL'ing, so you should also do one that stretches both at the same time. Sitting with your legs stretched out in front of you and trying to touch your toes/grab your feet while keeping a neutral lumbar curve is good. If it's tough to reach you can bend your knees a bit/sit on a block.

[Drew50]

Putting in the work and its paying off!

345x5 is about 2xBW for reps depth looked fine on all of them nice job

[xRequiem]

Putting in the work and its paying off!

345x5 is about 2xBW for reps depth looked fine on all of them nice job

If I just watch the video they seem high, but if I pause at the bottom they are all clearly below parallel. Thanks for pointing that out, I'm even more excited that these were easier than last weeks AND they were deeper.

Next week is tree fiddy

[Filmbuff81]

First 2 reps were borderline, last 3 reps were good.

For me I will do what izzy and Arian said, but I also just take the barbell and will do SDL's & RDL's slowly and hold the stretch at the bottom.

With your stance as wide as it is hip mobility is going to come into play too, so lots of hip flexor and groin stretches are handy too. Open up the whole area.

[Sinaku5]

Impressive ID lifts there Requiem.

Jelly of that squat - form is so tight.

[xRequiem]

Impressive ID lifts there Requiem.

Jelly of that squat - form is so tight.

You had an awesome ID as well! And i think my form finally comming together is one of the biggest reasons my squat is progressing so well. I still have several cues to work on though. I actually push my knees out too far, if that's possible.

First 2 reps were borderline, last 3 reps were good.

For me I will do what izzy and Arian said, but I also just take the barbell and will do SDL's & RDL's slowly and hold the stretch at the bottom.

With your stance as wide as it is hip mobility is going to come into play too, so lots of hip flexor and groin stretches are handy too. Open up the whole area.

Will do, might warm up with a complex of Kloklov, ohp squats and RDL to get angus peppered. I do quite a bit of hip work; duck walks, frog thing(?), 3rd world squats and fire hydrants.

Good news, I'm up to 180 morning weight. Bad news, my job has been raping me which is why for the last two days I've ate an entire large pizza and done GOMAD plus 1-2 meals.

[Filmbuff81]

If you already do lots of hip work then yeah I like your complex warmup, it's similar to what I do minus a couple exercises to warmup.

[Sinaku5]

You had an awesome ID as well! And i think my form finally comming together is one of the biggest reasons my squat is progressing so well. I still have several cues to work on though. I actually push my knees out too far, if that's possible.



Will do, might warm up with a complex of Kloklov, ohp squats and RDL to get angus peppered. I do quite a bit of hip work; duck walks, frog thing(?), 3rd world squats and fire hydrants.

Good news, I'm up to 180 morning weight. Bad news, my job has been raping me which is why for the last two days I've ate an entire large pizza and done GOMAD plus 1-2 meals.

If you already do lots of hip work then yeah I like your complex warmup, it's similar to what I do minus a couple exercises to warmup.

Thats a lot of warming up - I just usually warm up with lighter weight on squats and then jump right into it. You think itd be a better idea to warm up like that? If so I'll try it on ID.