Oklahoman does it Texas style

[xRequiem]

TM is the way to go. I've heard if your over 35 5/3/1 is a good option but the younger folk should grind away on weekly progression for as long as possible.

[HoneyBadger300]

TM is the way to go. I've heard if your over 35 5/3/1 is a good option but the younger folk should grind away on weekly progression for as long as possible.

Thanks for the info, I'll be checking your log out and following your progress.

[HoneyBadger300]

It's that time again, Friday heavy day.

7th Friday

Squat: 170/210/250/295
337 1x3 | 250 1x8 Felt great doing it. I think my left hip is a little tweaked form OHP on Wednesday, I'll have to be careful with it. Didn't affect my squats though and I'll have plenty of rest before Monday, and Deadlift on Wednesday.

Bench: 105/130/160/185
215 1x3(2) | 160 1x8 Rocked it. Did my 3 reps, put the bar back for 1 breath, said Eff it and pulled back out and did 2 more. New 5RM?

Pendlay Row: 80/100/120/140
165 1x3 | 120 1x8 Nailed it. Hips and shoulders were rock solid, elbows were shot into the sky, weights moved up in down. Very happy with results.

Overall a fantastic workout, really feeling it in my rhomboids and lower traps. My legs feel destroyed, which I love, and my knees feel great. How were your workouts today?

[xRequiem]

awesome session! your squats are strong. you got any videos?

[HoneyBadger300]

awesome session! your squats are strong. you got any videos?

Thanks, I'm working on it. I hate your body... 4 inches shorter, 10 pounds heavier? Teach me this.

No, I haven't been video'ing since I like to have my spotter behind me to give me a bump in case I get stuck. It doesn't happen much, but I really don't like sitting down on the stops when I fail on a rep. I'll get a video of Monday or Wednesday. Mondays and Fridays I just break parallel, Wednesday light days I've been experimenting with ATG back squats, and front squats.

[xRequiem]

I'm trying to gain weight lol. I ran SS and GOMAD when I was a novice and got up to 189lbs or so. Gained about 12lbs a month. Now I'm gaining couple lbs a month, probably because of my job. Just do GOMAD and eat a loaf of bagels a day plus3 meals.

[HoneyBadger300]

I'm trying to gain weight lol. I ran SS and GOMAD when I was a novice and got up to 189lbs or so. Gained about 12lbs a month. Now I'm gaining couple lbs a month, probably because of my job. Just do GOMAD and eat a loaf of bagels a day plus3 meals.

I've been eating 4-6 meals a day and gomad since August... lost 2 pounds. Oh well, I'm still making strength gains.

Now that I'm back on track, almost through this squat stall, I think I may just keep going with Madcow and see what happens. I'd feel guilty quitting the program half way anyway.

[HoneyBadger300]

Finally posted some pictures. More in my bodyspace.

Not sure why my avatar and Profile pic aren't showing up.

[yowhattapfatso]

I've been eating 4-6 meals a day and gomad since August... lost 2 pounds. Oh well, I'm still making strength gains.

Now that I'm back on track, almost through this squat stall, I think I may just keep going with Madcow and see what happens. I'd feel guilty quitting the program half way anyway.

Eating when you're full is a lot harder to do than eating less and being hungry.
Chocolate Milk might help you get a few extra calories in since you're doing GOMAD

Your numbers are advanced for your weight and I've been meaning to ask why you chose madcow over 5/3/1 but if you're still making weekly gains, you obviously know what you're doing.

[HoneyBadger300]

Eating when you're full is a lot harder to do than eating less and being hungry.
Chocolate Milk might help you get a few extra calories in since you're doing GOMAD

Your numbers are advanced for your weight and I've been meaning to ask why you chose madcow over 5/3/1 but if you're still making weekly gains, you obviously know what you're doing.

To be honest I chose Madcow because I didn't know I was considered advanced, and it was the next step after deloading 3 times on SL 5x5. I'm still pretty consistent in my gains, had to slow down on squats for the week, but I think that's a result of the off time. We'll see what happens on Monday. Should I be doing 5/3/1 or TM or something more advanced like that?

[yowhattapfatso]

To be honest I chose Madcow because I didn't know I was considered advanced, and it was the next step after deloading 3 times on SL 5x5. I'm still pretty consistent in my gains, had to slow down on squats for the week, but I think that's a result of the off time. We'll see what happens on Monday. Should I be doing 5/3/1 or TM or something more advanced like that?

TM is a weekly progression routine similar to Madcow. I personally prefer Madcow because of Wednesday's light squats followed by heavy deadlifts. TM has you doing squats 5x5 @ 90% of 5RM and DL 1x5 @ 90% of 5RM on the same day.

Look into 5/3/1 (monthly prog) when you've squeezed out all your gains on Madcow/Texas Method. Pretty much when you've had to deload 3 times.
http://www.strstd.com/ for reference

[HoneyBadger300]

TM is a weekly progression routine similar to Madcow. I personally prefer Madcow because of Wednesday's light squats followed by heavy deadlifts. TM has you doing squats 5x5 @ 90% of 5RM and DL 1x5 @ 90% of 5RM on the same day.

Look into 5/3/1 (monthly prog) when you've squeezed out all your gains on Madcow/Texas Method. Pretty much when you've had to deload 3 times.
http://www.strstd.com/ for reference

Yeah I've been looking into TM, I like the increased volume on squats. Not sure what I want to do, but I'll keep going with Madcow for now.

[xRequiem]

Most DL after squats on Intensity day.

[HoneyBadger300]

Most DL after squats on Intensity day.

Yeah I don't know if I could do that. I'm a small guy so it takes a lot to be doing these weights. I like having DL on a light leg day, or even on Monday so I'm still relatively fresh.

[HoneyBadger300]

Didn't have a good day today, feeling sick. I did 1 warmup set on squat and got sick, so I just spotted my dad. He squatted 170 5x5, deadlifted 185 1x5. Not bad for a 51 year old dude!

[HoneyBadger300]

I didn't get to take any videos because I forgot my phone at home. I promise... eventually.

8th Wednesday

F-Squat: 45/95/135/185

Back Squat: 225
255 2x5

OHP: 95/115/135
155 1x5 OHP was really easy this week. Pretty excited to bump it up to 160 since my 5RM from back in Afghanistan was 165, and that was without the ramped up sets.

Deadlift: 225/270/315
360 1x pulled it 2 inches off the ground, felt like a megaton, didn't want to round out my back so I set it down. I took a few seconds and tried a second time but was able to lift even less. Backed it down to 350 to try and just do 1x5 of 350 like 2 weeks ago, but I was too dang spent. It makes sense though since I missed my squat day on Monday from feeling sick. I'll be squatting 337 1x3 again on Friday.

I hope everyone else had a great workout today.

[burlyman619]

in on dis!

[HoneyBadger300]

in on dis!

Thanks for stoppin by.

[HoneyBadger300]

I didn't get to take any videos because I forgot my phone at home. I promise... eventually.

Well, I promised and here it is, critique me. I'll start off by saying, Depth is about an inch shallow, and 2nd rep was sloppy, my shoulders fell forward a bit. Looks like I could push my butt out a little bit more, kept my knees out pretty strong though, they don't move at all.

[burlyman619]

You need to go deeper, and try not to lean so far forward. Your hips need to open up. Your ass needs to go between your legs. You need to exaggerate your hips going back away from your body, and opening up your hips and knees.


cliffs: Hips need to drive



Pratice by doing this:






See how is ass is kind of "between his legs":

[HoneyBadger300]

You need to go deeper, and try not to lean so far forward. Your hips need to open up. Your ass needs to go between your legs. You need to exaggerate your hips going back away from your body, and opening up your hips and knees.
cliffs: Hips need to drive
Pratice by doing this:
http://i.imgur.com/2kJ8p.jpg
See how is ass is kind of "between his legs":
http://i.imgur.com/NlH9h.jpg
yha2XAc2qu8

Thanks, I think I was just being a p*ssy and protecting my back like a little bish. Admittedly not my best. I'll definitely follow this advice though, thanks.

In the video, the guy's lower back rounds out and his shoulders fall forward on the last set. What gives?

[Nexxus]

everything burlyman said.

Also, you may find it helpful to wear a hoodie while squatting, at least I do... It really helps me keep the bar in place on my back. Can't imagine squatting in a tank top, I'd at least need a t-shirt.

[HoneyBadger300]

everything burlyman said.

Also, you may find it helpful to wear a hoodie while squatting, at least I do... It really helps me keep the bar in place on my back. Can't imagine squatting in a tank top, I'd at least need a t-shirt.

Sounds like you need some low traps and rhomboids, or your hand grip is too wide. When you have a fairly narrow grip and you squeeze your back, your lower traps make a nice little shelf just below the spine of your scapula for the bar to rest on. I've never had a problem with the bar moving during low bar squats, and I don't do high bar, 335 lbs on my neck? No thanks, haha!

But thanks for pointing me to burlyman's advice.

[arian11]

In!

Most people in the powerlifting world don't like Mark Rippetoe's methods on hip drive or how he says to hold the bar. They both lead to chest falling down and good morning the weight up. You definitely do need to squat lower. I wonder if Symmetry has like a 1 day or 7 day free pass for you to try out. Me or someone else there could probably get you squatting better in a day because there isn't all that much to fix.

[HoneyBadger300]

In!

Most people in the powerlifting world don't like Mark Rippetoe's methods on hip drive or how he says to hold the bar. They both lead to chest falling down and good morning the weight up. You definitely do need to squat lower. I wonder if Symmetry has like a 1 day or 7 day free pass for you to try out. Me or someone else there could probably get you squatting better in a day because there isn't all that much to fix.

That would be awesome and I'd definitely be down for that. I'll make a vid of my light day on Wednesday. I feel like my form is usually a lot better than that, like I said I was probably just being a little bish and not wanting to go down all the way since it's one of the heaviest sets I've ever done. Gotta get that discipline down and go for broke, didn't help that my spotter (dad, ha!) was videoing instead of standing behind me. I like the added assurance, or being able to have a bump if I get stuck at the bottom but know I don't need to sit on the stops.

Thanks for everyone's advice.

[Nexxus]

Sounds like you need some low traps and rhomboids, or your hand grip is too wide. When you have a fairly narrow grip and you squeeze your back, your lower traps make a nice little shelf just below the spine of your scapula for the bar to rest on. I've never had a problem with the bar moving during low bar squats, and I don't do high bar, 335 lbs on my neck? No thanks, haha!

But thanks for pointing me to burlyman's advice.

The bar moves when I wear a t-shirt/tank not because my traps/rhomboids are small but because I sweat like a mother****er and it slips against any skin it touches. Different strokes for different folks I guess.

[HoneyBadger300]

The bar moves when I wear a t-shirt/tank not because my traps/rhomboids are small but because I sweat like a mother****er and it slips against any skin it touches. Different strokes for different folks I guess.

Ahh, makes sense. I'm a freak. My forehead barely even beads up, hands and feet are really all that sweat while I'm lifting.

[yowhattapfatso]

Well, I promised and here it is, critique me. I'll start off by saying, Depth is about an inch shallow, and 2nd rep was sloppy, my shoulders fell forward a bit. Looks like I could push my butt out a little bit more, kept my knees out pretty strong though, they don't move at all.

You are following Rip's lowbar squat technique, right?

Besides what the others have said, 2 things stand out when I watch the vid:
-Your wrists bent under the bar (not a problem if there's no pain, just a Rippetoe gripe)
-Your feet (left foot in vid) look like they could be angled slightly more outwards.





PM sent about the foot positioning.

[HoneyBadger300]

PM sent about the foot positioning.

Holy crap those toes are pointing all kinds of wide! I keep mine much less than that about 10% per foot, so a 20% angle is made if a line was drawn through my feet.

And wrists feel fine, no strain on them, I actually use my hands like hooks and pull the bar down and forward into myself; 1, to keep it from moving, and 2, it helps if squeeze the sh*t out of my entire body.

Well here's the rest of my workout

8th Friday

Squat: 170/210/250/315
335 1x3 | 250 1x8 Video posted.

Bench: 105/130/170(supposed to be 160, messed up my math, ha!)/185
215 1x3 | 160 1x10 Was feeling drained from squats so I didn't do 5 reps like I did last week.

Pendlay Row: 80/100/120/140
165 1x3 | 120 1x8 No problem, should have upped it to 170, but I was sticking to the program.

[burlyman619]

thats something I forgot to touch on. ^^ you need to be about shoulder width or slightly wider. great point YO