Raynerd's Road to 40

[Flounderbout]

Oh ch1t - you mean that was a before shot...

Oh well, in that case I'll send you a food parcel with some ice-cream in... Have to get you back in the marsh-mallow bro club...

I watched that squat vid a couple of times and I noticed two things that stood out. Firstly before you descend you do something that shifts the bar up so it does a little bounce just before you descend. not sure what it is, but maybe you are breathing into your chest rather than your stomach? Either that or by clenching your glutes you are putting your lower back into extension which just raises your shoulders a touch.

The other thing is that on the reps that you struggled with the problem was always the same - the bar just dives forward an inch or two in the hole, and then you are struggling to muscle it back again. I am exactly the same - it is usually either searching for depth by leaning forwards a touch in the hole, rather than dropping through the hips more, or losing tension in the upper back momentarily so the upper back rounds ever so slightly.

[raynerd]

Oh ch1t - you mean that was a before shot...

Oh well, in that case I'll send you a food parcel with some ice-cream in... Have to get you back in the marsh-mallow bro club...

I watched that squat vid a couple of times and I noticed two things that stood out. Firstly before you descend you do something that shifts the bar up so it does a little bounce just before you descend. not sure what it is, but maybe you are breathing into your chest rather than your stomach? Either that or by clenching your glutes you are putting your lower back into extension which just raises your shoulders a touch.

The other thing is that on the reps that you struggled with the problem was always the same - the bar just dives forward an inch or two in the hole, and then you are struggling to muscle it back again. I am exactly the same - it is usually either searching for depth by leaning forwards a touch in the hole, rather than dropping through the hips more, or losing tension in the upper back momentarily so the upper back rounds ever so slightly.

Thanks for the analysis FB. That was a particularity difficult day with form struggles. The bar bounce at the beginning happens when I forcefully exhale and push my abs into my belt. I could probably tone that down so the bar doesn't move, I guess there is potential to throw off my balance there. As well the back extension is right when I squeezing my glutes, I will try getting this more fluid where I don't move the bar and don't extend my hips forward.
You are correct about the forward dive, I come too far forward then spend the rest of the two trying to correct the bar path. I was having a Faak of a time with that the other day and I was trying to drive my head "back" not up as a cue for that, but I think it actually made things worse. That or I am just a pussy
I will keep plugging away trying to "fix" this and appreciate the insight. Some day I struggle with this more than others but it always seems to be there. Not sure if there is one cue that will fix this or more time under the bar. Either way, there will be MOAR time under the bar while trying to fix this.

Thanks a ton dood!

[Flounderbout]

The bar bounce at the beginning happens when I forcefully exhale and push my abs into my belt.

That's what I thought. In which case I suspect you are breathing in wrong. If you are doing circumferential breathing your shoulders should not move an inch when you do it. Since your shoulders are moving up, I bet you are breathing into your chest, and your back is going into extension, or you are extending your back when you breath into your belly. Both will have the effect of your shoulders going up and back - hence that little bounce.

Have a look at this article, and watch the video about breathing. It has made a huge difference to my squatting. http://www.jtsstrength.com/articles/...ur-squat-back/

Your squat mechanics and mine are very similar. I struggle with exactly the same issues as you, hence my presumption in offering teh advices. Feel free to tell me to go fly a kite...

[conoutlook]

Awesome pull up numbers I'm in awe

[raynerd]

That's what I thought. In which case I suspect you are breathing in wrong. If you are doing circumferential breathing your shoulders should not move an inch when you do it. Since your shoulders are moving up, I bet you are breathing into your chest, and your back is going into extension, or you are extending your back when you breath into your belly. Both will have the effect of your shoulders going up and back - hence that little bounce.

Have a look at this article, and watch the video about breathing. It has made a huge difference to my squatting. http://www.jtsstrength.com/articles/...ur-squat-back/

Your squat mechanics and mine are very similar. I struggle with exactly the same issues as you, hence my presumption in offering teh advices. Feel free to tell me to go fly a kite...

Kewl I will take a gander at that when I have a break today at work. I welcome all advice bud, and even more so from someone who can squat as solid as you
Thanks bud!

[raynerd]

Awesome pull up numbers I'm in awe

Thanks Con, hope to build on those

[raynerd]

Morning Weight: 174lbs
Ate like a horse lastnight lol

5:45am

Warmup:
-broomstick GM paused narrow/wide
-lumpy roller lower body
-standing quad/ITB stretch x 2

BSS x BW x 10 x 2 sets

Goblets squats 50lb DB x 10

Front Squats:
Bar x 10
135 x 8
185 x 5 vid
225 x 2 vid
175 x 5

Bench paused 2ct:
Bar X 30 warmup
135 x 5
185 x 5
225 x 4 (+2 from last week)
245 x 1

CGBP SS with DB side laterals 25lbs
135 x 10/10
155 x 7/10
165 x 5/10
135 x 7/10

Seated OH 2 arm DB tri ext SS with facepulls 70lb
12/10
11/10
10/10

Dun: race to shower and work

Notes: legs are quite sore going into this one. Loosened up with my warmup. Went to 2pps on fronts today, got forward on the reps but happy with the weight bump.
Paused bench picked up a couple reps, so plan is on point so far.
Wanted to do a bit more but ran out of time. Good workout though, strength coming back and my goal to get stronger weekly is so far working out

[Flounderbout]

Jeez, watching that FS set-up that was like watching a contortionist! Following with interest - a big part of my squat regime in a month's time is going to be FSs I have decided. You are shifting some very impressive weight for FS Shawn.

Bench sounds strong - to double your reps in a week is amazing - eating like a horse has its benefits...

[bradandblake]

Oh my bro. I had no idea you had ever weighed over 200 pounds. That's freaking awesome. Congrats man! Really, freaking awesome. I am...a loss for words. Great work!

[mirroroferised]

Jeez, watching that FS set-up that was like watching a contortionist!

I thought that too. I'd break an arm trying to move like that


Good to hear the benching moving along well.

[Hammerhagen]

Nice FS session! That 225 went right up. How are the wrists after those?

[shaneinga]

Really good looking front squats Shawn.

Great job on hitting 4 solid reps at 225 and following it up with a nice 245 single. Strength is quickly coming back on your BP.

Nice workout man.

[SteveWright1]

2pps for Front Squats and some more 2pps and beyond work on the Bench

reads like a very well spent time in the gym to me Shawn

[PtReyesGreg]

Very nice workout today Shawn. Those front squat videos looked good. Just out of curiosity, why do you have the straps hanging from your bar? Were you using those as an alternate front squat grip device at one point? Nice work on the bench too. That's some good weight moved and some great volume on CGBP.

[raynerd]

Jeez, watching that FS set-up that was like watching a contortionist! Following with interest - a big part of my squat regime in a month's time is going to be FSs I have decided. You are shifting some very impressive weight for FS Shawn.

Bench sounds strong - to double your reps in a week is amazing - eating like a horse has its benefits...

haha I watched that vid after and thought the same thing. I have to really force each shoulder under the bar one at a time to get the bar to sit in the perfect spot. Damn gangly azz limbs on this guy The weight was up from last week but will be a few weeks before I am in PR territory...but I will get there soon. Bench still sucks but it has been coming back consistently over the last week, hopefully I can destroy my plateau

Oh my bro. I had no idea you had ever weighed over 200 pounds. That's freaking awesome. Congrats man! Really, freaking awesome. I am...a loss for words. Great work!

yup, I was a solid 222 of fatazz lol. Thanks Brad!

I thought that too. I'd break an arm trying to move like that


Good to hear the benching moving along well.

That view of my setup looked pretty ridiculous lol. Bench is moving for sure, hope to be back to old full strength soon and bust some new weights. Hopefully squats will do the same.

Nice FS session! That 225 went right up. How are the wrists after those?

Thanks Andrew, got more forward on the 225 than I wanted but up from 205 last week. The wrists were stretched out pretty good, but tolerable so far

Really good looking front squats Shawn.

Great job on hitting 4 solid reps at 225 and following it up with a nice 245 single. Strength is quickly coming back on your BP.

Nice workout man.

Thanks Shane, fronts were ok but they will get better. Would love to take them up to 3pps one day. The paused bench was good, I doubled last week's reps so the new programming seems to be working so far.

2pps for Front Squats and some more 2pps and beyond work on the Bench

reads like a very well spent time in the gym to me Shawn

Thanks Steve, was happy with this morning

Very nice workout today Shawn. Those front squat videos looked good. Just out of curiosity, why do you have the straps hanging from your bar? Were you using those as an alternate front squat grip device at one point? Nice work on the bench too. That's some good weight moved and some great volume on CGBP.

Thanks Greg, fronts need more work but they are coming along. The straps are on there for my cousin. We are alternating sets and he has zero flexibility for fronts at the moment. I used to used them before I figured out a halfazz clean grip, but all mine are clean grip. Bench has a ways to go if I want to catch you!!!

[SlothBane]

Now who's is putting down the pink dumbbells? Nice to hear you are finally getting your grub on and I expect some big lifts with all those cals. Are you going to go past 190lbs BW while training this go around? Doubt it, but doesn't hurt to ask. The front squats looked good.

[raynerd]

Now who's is putting down the pink dumbbells? Nice to hear you are finally getting your grub on and I expect some big lifts with all those cals. Are you going to go past 190lbs BW while training this go around? Doubt it, but doesn't hurt to ask. The front squats looked good.

Lol guess I deserved that Ya that's the plan, eat and lift, push as hard as I can to crush my bench slump, put some serious pounds towards a 405 squat in the bank and beat John and Tim to a 600 deadlift I guess you should throw your name into that 600 deadlift competition seeing as you hit 500 before me or Tim....
Front squats were ok, they will get better, no knee pain doing them now so I should be able to push them hard.
As for 190, I probably will not get that heavy. I am comfortable at 180-185, at that weight I am pretty strong and still fit my pants and same notch in my lifting belt.

[RT1957]

Great work on the front squats....they really looked good and I think you'll like what they do to the quads...awesome work with your cuz....huge squat numbers he's putting up....

[raynerd]

Great work on the front squats....they really looked good and I think you'll like what they do to the quads...awesome work with your cuz....huge squat numbers he's putting up....

Thanks Ron! I have been avoiding front squats and even highbar squats since my knees got messed up. I don't even think now that they bother them at all. Beginning to realize that I just needed to really force out my knees on all my squat styles to keep to keep them healthy. I was always thinking the forward "knee over toe" travel was the culprit. I think all the single leg work has also fixed some hip and VMO imbalances as well so maybe the combo of it all is finally paying off.
I love and hate front squats lol, kinda like regular squats looking forward to really pushing them up each week. Dave is doing very well, he is almost out of the 300lbs range now and I will get him under 200, he is consistent, dedicated in the kitchen and understands this is going to take some time. Once we take 100lbs off his BW he is going to be squatting some ridiculous weight! Fat dood legs are real!!

[RT1957]

Thanks Ron! I have been avoiding front squats and even highbar squats since my knees got messed up. I don't even think now that they bother them at all. Beginning to realize that I just needed to really force out my knees on all my squat styles to keep to keep them healthy. I was always thinking the forward "knee over toe" travel was the culprit. I think all the single leg work has also fixed some hip and VMO imbalances as well so maybe the combo of it all is finally paying off.
I love and hate front squats lol, kinda like regular squats looking forward to really pushing them up each week. Dave is doing very well, he is almost out of the 300lbs range now and I will get him under 200, he is consistent, dedicated in the kitchen and understands this is going to take some time. Once we take 100lbs off his BW he is going to be squatting some ridiculous weight! Fat dood legs are real!!

Yep when you need to hold up and walk around with 300+ LBS the legs will get big and strong...

[conoutlook]

Your front squat was impressive dude your wrist flexibility is something I'm working on at moment

[Jtbny]

Yep when you need to hold up and walk around with 300+ LBS the legs will get big and strong...

My body must not have got that message.

[raynerd]

Your front squat was impressive dude your wrist flexibility is something I'm working on at moment

Thanks Con, it took me a while to be able to clean grip and the wrists are feeling it, but not terrible. Keep at it, once you get the grip down you will never look back.

[raynerd]

My body must not have got that message.

Well:
1: you are beastly strong in dem pistons

2: Dave has been very overweight for 38 years, and you had a short block of life being a fatty and are still insanely strong

[raynerd]

Morning Weight: 172.8lbs

Man what a hard day

Warmup:
-brommstick GM paused, narrow/wide and twists
-Chris Duffin hip activation:
(Hip airplanes, BSS and leg out at 90 degrees, 1 knee down hip rocking)

Taped up callouses using the boys batman hockey tape

Deads:
135 x 5
225 x 5
315 x 3 (started using straps and belt from here on

Program sets: 85% (425lbs) 4x3
425 x 3
425 x 3 vid
425 x 3
425 x 3 (whew, somehow made it!)

RDL's (light)
135 x 10
185 x 10
205 x 8
205 x 8

SLDL's
185 x 10
185 x 10
185 X 10

Dun:

Notes: well today I was worried about tearing up the hands. They are almost healed and I taped them up with batman hockey tape. That worked actually.
The program sets were hard, I know they are supposed to be getting there now, but maybe my first set was RPE 9, but the next 3 were all RPE 10. My form sucked, probably due to grinding so hard to get my reps.
I guess the positive is that I got my reps and my hands look no worse coming out as they did going in. For sure the extra squat day yesterday might be playing a bit of havoc on my deads, but will grind on I guess. A bigger and better squat is more important to me than deads ATM anyway. 450x1 x 4 next week, hope things feel better than today


Second chitty looking set of 4

[Jtbny]

Those didn't look too bad. I'm at 460 next week. Then the next block things get to points I haven't been and I'm sure the same for you. I not suprised this is tougher for you because you haven't really ever been a rep guy with these things. This program is forcing you to rep weight you might have done 1 set of before this program.

Rest up. 600 dead is calling our name

[SteveWright1]

Triples have always appealed to me Shawn
not so much when looking at your workout with them
425lb and 4 sets of triples, sounds killer to me
I suppose 450lb for singles may feel mentally easier so I reckon you will achieve that with no issues

[raynerd]

Those didn't look too bad. I'm at 460 next week. Then the next block things get to points I haven't been and I'm sure the same for you. I not suprised this is tougher for you because you haven't really ever been a rep guy with these things. This program is forcing you to rep weight you might have done 1 set of before this program.

Rest up. 600 dead is calling our name

You are exactly right, my old programming I would work up to 1 top set and try to build reps until I hit 5. This is new and hard territory for me. That being said, even my first set was so heavy today, but I guess I got through. I am putting my trust in the programming from here on in . (And icecream of course)
600 not gonna lift itself

[raynerd]

Triples have always appealed to me Shawn
not so much when looking at your workout with them
425lb and 4 sets of triples, sounds killer to me
I suppose 450lb for singles may feel mentally easier so I reckon you will achieve that with no issues

Thanks Steve. I like triples week better than the 5 reps week, but the problem is the weight went up 25lbs lol. Singles next week at 450 sounds mentally easier to me to be honest...minus the 25 more pounds

[SlothBane]

Lol guess I deserved that Ya that's the plan, eat and lift, push as hard as I can to crush my bench slump, put some serious pounds towards a 405 squat in the bank and beat John and Tim to a 600 deadlift I guess you should throw your name into that 600 deadlift competition seeing as you hit 500 before me or Tim....
Front squats were ok, they will get better, no knee pain doing them now so I should be able to push them hard.
As for 190, I probably will not get that heavy. I am comfortable at 180-185, at that weight I am pretty strong and still fit my pants and same notch in my lifting belt.

You can leave me out of that competition, thankyouverymuch.jpg. Just for the record, I think I've only hit 475 for a single using straps.


Looks like you had to earn the DLs today, but the lockout was strong nevertheless. I'm with you on the squats, and hoping to break some new ground this year myself. What DL program are you and John running btw?