Cheeky Canadian Trains for an American Meet

[izzygrant]

Tuesday January 21

@ oval

Squat
5 @ 155 (x2)
2 @ 165 (x3)

moving the stance in was a fail - my buttwink came back with a vengeance. it is literally amazing to me how I can forget how to do these basic movements that I have done thousands of times, every time I walk out of the damn gym. I really hate squats.

pre-squat mobility work included light hip thrusts, single-leg glute bridges, and light squats with a band around the knees. I can't get full hip extension on the single-leg stuff with any kind of load, interesting. with both legs it's fine though. my warmup sets felt like I had more glutes to help but then as soon as I hit working weights they pretty much disappeared

2-Count Pause Squat
3 @ 115 (x3)

legs were shaking, great.

Conventional in Oly Shoes
3 @ 185 (x3)

the pull line on these is so much better than my conventionals in flats. my back stays much flatter. I'm going back to all my conventionals in oly's.

Sumo
5 @ 185 (x4)

I forgot how to sumo again, these were all rolling away from me at the bottom. fantastic. fml.

BB Hip Thrust/Pullup
8 @ 155 (x3)
8, 5, 5

Nice benching, definitely has improved since March, even with the shoulder stuff going on.

I can't even understand that amount of arch, there is 0% chance I'll ever be able to do that chit. The more I have moved to a flat back position the better my bench has gotten actually. I think that flat backed benching is more applicable to larger lifters. If you look at all the all time WRs for the various weight classes there's a trend from more to less arching as the size of the lifter, and the weight of the barbell increases. Just an observation I made lol.

Flat backed is also nicer for me since it doesn't piss my back off too much.

eh, it feels really terrible to struggle with 90 again feels like I've lost a lot of ground.

well, yeah - the bigger the lifter, the more space their chest/stomach takes up and the less they have to arch to reduce their ROM. see the gloating from the big boys below. and if you arch properly it shouldn't bother your lower back.

IME, I have similar squat issues. I do notice that pushing knees out is the only way I get glute activation with an upright squat, but can never keep form as the weight gets heavier.

does your knees coming in at the heavier weight cause you to slow down? or do you find the same issue if you don't push your knees out?

Arch contest

[YouTube]kXf0LxQtZ9Y[YouTube]

get your ass on the bench and heels on the floor, then get back to me

Arch is the shape of my gut when I lay flat backed on the bench. It's a pretty good one too.

here, here.

yeah, yeah. I'll bulk harder next time.

[FrmrHoss]

I hear implants are the real key to decreasing ROM on bench.

That's why I got them, anyway.

[budreiser2]

Oly shoes and large azz crew comeatme

[Saintsqc]

Solid progress overall!

Mirin', a girl in PL meet.

It seems (and it sounds) that you are not exhaling in your squats. When I first started, I thought it was better to hold my breath (valsalva). Recently, I've been teached to exhale (soft grunt) and it really, really helps. Squeeze your air when you go down, but when you bounce and start pushing to go up, let some air go out. Just exhale the surplus of air and keep everything tight. It feels akward at first...but stick at it for a couple of weeks and you will realize it makes a difference.

I dont understand why it makes a difference though. My guess is, it gives you a feedback. To be able to grunt in the hole, you have to squeeze your core extra-tight. When you are in the hole and you squeeze your core extra-tight but you dont let the air out, the pressure build up is huge. So, when you grunt, you know you are doing it right and your head wont spin too much.

[izzygrant]

I hear implants are the real key to decreasing ROM on bench.

That's why I got them, anyway.

that is just an excuse to make you feel better about being a sloot

Oly shoes and large azz crew comeatme

do you seriously get whites for that? because I would red light you for butt lift. regardless, that is an impressive arch, especially for a dude.

Solid progress overall!

Mirin', a girl in PL meet.

It seems (and it sounds) that you are not exhaling in your squats. When I first started, I thought it was better to hold my breath (valsalva). Recently, I've been teached to exhale (soft grunt) and it really, really helps. Squeeze your air when you go down, but when you bounce and start pushing to go up, let some air go out. Just exhale the surplus of air and keep everything tight. It feels akward at first...but stick at it for a couple of weeks and you will realize it makes a difference.

I dont understand why it makes a difference though. My guess is, it gives you a feedback. To be able to grunt in the hole, you have to squeeze your core extra-tight. When you are in the hole and you squeeze your core extra-tight but you dont let the air out, the pressure build up is huge. So, when you grunt, you know you are doing it right and your head wont spin too much.

there are more girls competing all the time, it's cool. I train with a 47kg chick who is in Canada's top 15. allow me to pimp out two of my training partners: http://prpowerlifting.wordpress.com/

and exhale during a squat? seriously?? is this maybe an oly squat thing? I could see maybe doing it when the bar is up on your traps in an oly high bar, but if it's lower I feel like that would pitch you forward. I'm willing to be proven wrong though if anyone knows the basis for this.

[FrmrHoss]

that is just an excuse to make you feel better about being a sloot

Well, now I'm gonna have to cry myself to sleep

[sheed30]

It seems (and it sounds) that you are not exhaling in your squats. When I first started, I thought it was better to hold my breath (valsalva). Recently, I've been teached to exhale (soft grunt) and it really, really helps. Squeeze your air when you go down, but when you bounce and start pushing to go up, let some air go out. Just exhale the surplus of air and keep everything tight. It feels akward at first...but stick at it for a couple of weeks and you will realize it makes a difference.

One of the main things the valsalve assists me with is being able to continuously push out my abs against my belt as hard as possible and remain tight throughout the lift. I feel like if I let out anything at all, even a short grunt, i would lose the abdominal pressure against the belt.

But then again, alot of people grunt on their maxes, so there might be some truth in that. I just don't see it helping when you're doing more than one rep.

and exhale during a squat? seriously?? is this maybe an oly squat thing? I could see maybe doing it when the bar is up on your traps in an oly high bar, but if it's lower I feel like that would pitch you forward. I'm willing to be proven wrong though if anyone knows the basis for this.

This.

[Saintsqc]

there are more girls competing all the time, it's cool. I train with a 47kg chick who is in Canada's top 15. allow me to pimp out two of my training partners: http://prpowerlifting.wordpress.com/

and exhale during a squat? seriously?? is this maybe an oly squat thing? I could see maybe doing it when the bar is up on your traps in an oly high bar, but if it's lower I feel like that would pitch you forward. I'm willing to be proven wrong though if anyone knows the basis for this.

47kg! Damn, that's light! Wich weight class are you in?

Dead srs about exhaling! Maybe that's a oly thing, but I also train with a powerlifter sometime and he does the same thing. It's not like a "wooof" to exhale all your air, it's a grunt. At first, it felt weird and pointless...but now, it makes a big difference.

One of the main things the valsalve assists me with is being able to continuously push out my abs against my belt as hard as possible and remain tight throughout the lift. I feel like if I let out anything at all, even a short grunt, i would lose the abdominal pressure against the belt.

But then again, alot of people grunt on their maxes, so there might be some truth in that. I just don't see it helping when you're doing more than one rep.

It seems to come naturally to a lot of people when they reach a sticking point. I dont understand why, but it seems to work.


It's just a tip. If you try it and get used to it, it might improve your form a little bit.

[sheed30]

47kg! Damn, that's light! Wich weight class are you in?

Dead srs about exhaling! Maybe that's a oly thing, but I also train with a powerlifter sometime and he does the same thing. It's not like a "wooof" to exhale all your air, it's a grunt. At first, it felt weird and pointless...but now, it makes a big difference.



It seems to come naturally to a lot of people when they reach a sticking point. I dont understand why, but it seems to work.


It's just a tip. If you try it and get used to it, it might improve your form a little bit.

I'll definitely try it. I'll use any help I can get!

[Filmbuff81]

a slight exhale on the way up through your sticking point is helpful. It's similar to Bruce Lee's method of a quick forceful exhale while punching to exert more force.

you're not going to lose tightness since the whole purpose of it is to increase tightness of your body while exerting extreme force.

[Saintsqc]

a slight exhale on the way up through your sticking point is helpful. It's similar to Bruce Lee's method of a quick forceful exhale while punching to exert more force.

you're not going to lose tightness since the whole purpose of it is to increase tightness of your body while exerting extreme force.

Haha! I couldn't say better

[izzygrant]

Saint, she's about 5'0. I compete in 72 but am trying to make 63 for the next meet.

Oh, I definitely grunt like a meathead on the last reps of a hard set or something. You think I should do it more often hey?

[Saintsqc]

Saint, she's about 5'0. I compete in 72 but am trying to make 63 for the next meet.

Oh, I definitely grunt like a meathead on the last reps of a hard set or something. You think I should do it more often hey?

Wow, 10kg is a lot!

I think you should try to grunt (softly...dont be that "guy") on every heavy rep (working set) and see if it helps. If you start to exhale when you reach a sticking point and the bar has slowed down, it's too late. I try to exhale when I bounce and I keep a slow exhaling throughout the movement. When I let air goes out, my ascent is fluid. When I hold my breath, I usually stop mid-way. I have no idea why, but exhaling makes my squat easier. Even when I deadlift! My pull is quicker when I grunt.

[izzygrant]

Thursday January 23

@ oval

Squat
5 @ 135, 3 @ 155, 2 @ 165
add belt
1 @ 170
1 @ 175
1 @ 185
1 @ 190 - PR
3 @ 165 (x3)

random midweek 5lb PR in spite of the cut? I changed my mind, squats are great! not really sure why these went so well - just tried to think "glutes".

2-Count Pause Squat
3 @ 125 (x3)

beltless. awful, lol.

Heels Together Toes Out SLDL
10 @ 135 (x4)

these are a seriously great exercise. glutes, hamstrings, lats, and a chance to practice explosively driving down through the floor.

Planks/Shoulder Rehab
45s, 30s, 30s
pullaparts, int/ext, other stuff

Conditioning
2000m row, 9:58

Well, now I'm gonna have to cry myself to sleep

it's ok, I still <3 you

a slight exhale on the way up through your sticking point is helpful. It's similar to Bruce Lee's method of a quick forceful exhale while punching to exert more force.

you're not going to lose tightness since the whole purpose of it is to increase tightness of your body while exerting extreme force.

that actually makes sense when you say it that way. I do it naturally on bench, but not squats for some reason.

Wow, 10kg is a lot!

I think you should try to grunt (softly...dont be that "guy") on every heavy rep (working set) and see if it helps. If you start to exhale when you reach a sticking point and the bar has slowed down, it's too late. I try to exhale when I bounce and I keep a slow exhaling throughout the movement. When I let air goes out, my ascent is fluid. When I hold my breath, I usually stop mid-way. I have no idea why, but exhaling makes my squat easier. Even when I deadlift! My pull is quicker when I grunt.

but I want to be the gym meathead! jk, I'll try that out. forgot to do it tonight - I can't really think on my heavier reps so I'll have to try it with some lighter stuff first. in order to be able to do it, I have to make sure I take in enough air right before squatting which I sometimes forget to do. and yeah, 10kg is stupid a lot.

[NorthStrong]

Grats on the PR! Slowly creeping towards 2 plates...I agree squats are great. The only lift that should be contested.

[SmallLats]

Good work on the PR! As north said 2 plates will be comin before you know it!

[ilovethe80s]

Your squats came back and they brought a PR! I knew it, my squats came back this week too so was just going to come by to sprinkle the dust since we seem to be on the same circuit, but yours are already back. What felt different about your 190 in comparison to your pauses after, and your squats in the week leading up to it? Were you able to activate glues better? You have lost so much weight, too, so that PR is extra good. Major congrats!

[austin.j.taylor]

random midweek 5lb PR in spite of the cut? I changed my mind, squats are great! not really sure why these went so well - just tried to think "glutes".

For as analytic as you are with your programming, I am surprised that it hasnt creeped into your execution until now. I think my way through a set before I ever touch the bar- visualize set up, foot placement, grip width, stay tight, etc. I then execute the lift in the same way, its like a mental checklist while i perform. My keys in the squat are always back, back, stay tight, knees out, fire glutes. Good looking and feeling lift nearly every time. If something feels awful, its 90% my mental preparation.


Also what is your purpose for doing pause squats? and why with such a high percentage of your 1rm?

[izzygrant]

Grats on the PR! Slowly creeping towards 2 plates...I agree squats are great. The only lift that should be contested.

Good work on the PR! As north said 2 plates will be comin before you know it!

thanks guys!! 200 is so close I can TASTE it

Your squats came back and they brought a PR! I knew it, my squats came back this week too so was just going to come by to sprinkle the dust since we seem to be on the same circuit, but yours are already back. What felt different about your 190 in comparison to your pauses after, and your squats in the week leading up to it? Were you able to activate glues better? You have lost so much weight, too, so that PR is extra good. Major congrats!

lol it's so funny our squats take vacations and come back at the same time!! I was going to tell you I really appreciated the writeup in your log yesterday - I think reading that might have been a contributing factor to my success.

I was going back watching my squat videos over the past couple months, and I noticed that for all my squats that have been really good-looking, the last thing I do immediately before descending is a noticeable "chest up" movement. this puts the bar directly over my midfoot without me having to bring my glutes forward and lose tightness, and then the bar path is straight up and down instead of having that dip forward at the bottom that causes knees in, gm's or losing it. I also needed to stop pushing my knees out so far right at the start - it is as I hit parallel that I have to push out, otherwise I am too far already and there's nowhere for them to go but in. finally, keeping a tight, neutral torso - full of big air, glutes squeezed and tucked under my body the entire time instead of allowing my lumbar to arch in the hole. if I do that, I am on my toes and royally screwed. the pauses just felt awful because I was beat and my legs were shaking - form was fine!

I've also noticed a distinct strength pattern over the past few months. the first and second week of each month are terrible and I feel very weak, then around the middle of the third week I start PR'ing, and usually that continues for about another week until it drops off and then I have to back off the weights. do you feel that your strength has waves like that, or is it more just the technique for you?

For as analytic as you are with your programming, I am surprised that it hasnt creeped into your execution until now. I think my way through a set before I ever touch the bar- visualize set up, foot placement, grip width, stay tight, etc. I then execute the lift in the same way, its like a mental checklist while i perform. My keys in the squat are always back, back, stay tight, knees out, fire glutes. Good looking and feeling lift nearly every time. If something feels awful, its 90% my mental preparation.


Also what is your purpose for doing pause squats? and why with such a high percentage of your 1rm?

oh, believe me, I am more analytic about my form than my programming. the problem is that form is so highly individual that I'm never sure what is going to work for me - I am still a noob figuring that out, and sometimes when I add things that work for other people, it doesn't end so well. my mental checklist for walkout - grab the bar, tighten lats against it, pull under and set the bar between traps and delts, lift off with glutes, step straight back with right foot, out with left, out with right, get air, chest up, go straight down. my problem is as soon as I start descending in a heavy squat it's like white noise, I can't think about what I'm doing and I just have to trust that my setup and instincts have drilled me into correctness while I was warming up with the lighter stuff.

I don't always post the finer details of my analysis, because I've taken some flak here for overthinking things in the past

pause squats were recommended to me to help teach me to stay tight and not let myself shift forward in the hole. and also to bring up leg and core strength. is that high? I dunno, I'm female remember, with that supposed high % repping ability.

[bigwade800]

You wanted a man from the south, well, now, you have one...

I'm no longer going to hide it...

[austin.j.taylor]

pause squats were recommended to me to help teach me to stay tight and not let myself shift forward in the hole. and also to bring up leg and core strength. is that high? I dunno, I'm female remember, with that supposed high % repping ability.

You are using 65% or roughly your 5rm and pausing with it. The only thing I ever managed to do while using pause squats was to relax while inside the hole. I would rather do slow descent, fast acceleration squats. Thats my preference though, if you think they are helping, then keep doing it.

[Filmbuff81]

Nice job on a random PR izzy haha.

Very few things in training are linear, so I can't sam I am surprised the PR happened. I would say it's partially due to you finally getting used to new leverages while cutting.

Also with the frequency you have I am not surprised you have ways of feeling like crap, then good, then PR, then need to back off. That's pretty much the cycle of lifting once you get to a certain point. Then you get to take another run at it.

[MatTheCur]

Nice job on a random PR izzy haha.

Very few things in training are linear, so I can't sam I am surprised the PR happened. I would say it's partially due to you finally getting used to new leverages while cutting.

Also with the frequency you have I am not surprised you have ways of feeling like crap, then good, then PR, then need to back off. That's pretty much the cycle of lifting once you get to a certain point. Then you get to take another run at it.

Bolded for truth.

Just keep that in mind!

[izzygrant]

Friday January 23

intended bench day turned mobility session. one of my clever training partners figured out the reason I was killing my lower back on bench and getting no drive is because my hips and pecs are tighter than piano wires. every time I fix one mobility problem, a new one crops up to troll me.

You wanted a man from the south, well, now, you have one...

I'm no longer going to hide it...

sup wade, what took ya so long

You are using 65% or roughly your 5rm and pausing with it. The only thing I ever managed to do while using pause squats was to relax while inside the hole. I would rather do slow descent, fast acceleration squats. Thats my preference though, if you think they are helping, then keep doing it.

LOL @ 125 being my 5rm, I could do that for 12's if I wanted some cardio. the most I've done for 5's is 160, so about 85%. mindblown.jpg

yes, I agree - IF you are going ATG. if you pause right below parallel - and your mobility dictates that you could get a lot deeper if you wanted, like mine does - then it becomes this ridiculously hard exercise with the weight trying to push you down and forces you to keep everything tighter than tight, especially your core and glutes. it's perfect for me right now.

Nice job on a random PR izzy haha.

Very few things in training are linear, so I can't sam I am surprised the PR happened. I would say it's partially due to you finally getting used to new leverages while cutting.

Also with the frequency you have I am not surprised you have ways of feeling like crap, then good, then PR, then need to back off. That's pretty much the cycle of lifting once you get to a certain point. Then you get to take another run at it.

thanks! makes sense. and yeah, it is a natural peak and deload. my body is autoregulating my intensity in the face of my relentless frequency.

Bolded for truth.

Just keep that in mind!

for suresies. that peak is nicely timed for Feb 23rd though

[Filmbuff81]

I'm sure you'll kill it on the 23rd.

What's your diet looking like during the cut?

[izzygrant]

I'm sure you'll kill it on the 23rd.

What's your diet looking like during the cut?

I really hope so. started with 2200 cals, then 2000, now 1800 with 180p/60f/135c. carb backloading after my lifting sessions. lots of chicken, bison, veggies, lean beef, eggs, greek yogurt, protein powder, and some quest bars to keep me sane. during workouts, bcaa's and dextrose candy like rockets or bottle caps.

[InspecktaDeck]

ZzzZZzZzz tfw no vids of lifs..

[izzygrant]

Saturday January 25

exciting day. committed to a space for myself and several training partners to open a strength gym. it will be very basic, garage-type setup. we're in the process of buying equipment for it. this is terrifying.

also, I was officially elected to the executive of my provincial federation (IPF affiliate). there are a lot of things I don't like about the way it's currently run, but hey, they say if you don't like something, be the change...

@ oval

Conventional
5 @ 135, 3 @ 155, 3 @ 185, 1 @ 205 (x3)

my right glute-ham tie-in feels like tearing on conventionals right now. it is definitely a bad kind of warning pain. I bailed on these. also had a fight with my training partners about the utility of pulling in my oly shoes and pitched an unfortunate tantrum, because I was really hungry and very tired and sort of deliriously irrational after this very long day.

TNG Sumo w/ Slow Negatives
0 @ 185 (x3), 5 @ 135, 8 @ 155
10 @ 185, 8 @ 205, 6 @ 225, 3 @ 235, 6 @ 205 (x3) all rep PRs

I liked the block pulls for top-end overload, but I feel like they've done their job for now and I needed to get back to figuring out my form off the floor twice a week, because at this point I'm planning on pulling sumo at the February meet. you would think a glute-ham thing would be worse with sumo, but I don't even feel it. worked for a long time on my form today, which resulted in some pretty huge rep PR's after initially failing to get 185 off the floor. I need to stop thinking that sumo is in any way like conventional, because that is screwing me up - they are a totally different lift.

had no time left for anything except shoulder band work after that.

ZzzZZzZzz tfw no vids of lifs..

here, learn to sumo:



this is 10 @ 70% austin, come at me

[izzygrant]

Sunday January 26

yoga, massage + sauna for a nice recovery day.

weigh-in day: just over 15lbs lost in 9 weeks. pretty good, especially while maintaining/gaining strength, but I was hoping to be 2-5lbs lower at this point so as to have less of a water cut to do at the end. I don't want to drop cals again yet :/ maybe a couple more conditioning sessions this week.

[FrmrHoss]

I support your dietary approach you had above. And am jealous of your ability to shed so much weight. I'm just trickling along downward but am in no hurry to start eating any less.