Seeking a 340+ Squat at My Next Meet

[smitsky]

I'm using Sheiko training. The meet in tentatively scheduled for late Nov. or early Dec. (USAPL Maryland States.)

Trying to take a 3 step setup, as some members have suggested.

[Mike.Moore]

Have to make a note to watch this when I get home. This blocking of YouTube at work is really feakn annoying.

[Blarnee_92]

285 fu 2 full gea

awesome accent dude. Those looked light for you!

[Mike.Moore]

Looked strong, had more in you.

Are you not allowed to wrap any higher or lower around your knee in USAPL? I should know this since I have 4 buddies in the USAPL, but I don't...

[Diana Meeque]

get that suit tightened up! it looks like you're wearin a singlet, you can probably do that weight raw.

awesome voice as usual

[gunzandwheelz]

get that suit tightened up! it looks like you're wearin a singlet, you can probably do that weight raw.

awesome voice as usual

Your suit looks a bit big. I would like to add that if you can walk around that easy and take vids with your wraps still on they are not tight enough. If they are wrapped tight enough you will not be able to stand on your own. You will have to shuffle over to the rack and will be begging someone to take them off after the rep(s). If you do not wrap convicts super tight they are almost useless. It takes some getting used to the pain but it is worth it. The first time I had someone wrap my knees at about 75% I thought it was insane. Unfortunately they are tough to cinch down, especially the 2m. When I crank my wraps down I get an extra 30+lbs out of them. I just mention this to put in perspective that you might not be that far off from 340 already. Also try wrapping them a bit higher on the thigh, tough to do when you wrap loose b/c you run out of wrap. I always use to try to have equi-distance from top and bottom of knee joint. A big squatter told me too make sure to wrap higher in the ham, it makes a difference. There is a great video out there about wrapping but I do not know the link. Bottomline is your squat looks solid, real solid. Setup is somehting most of us could work on but you look like you are getting there. Your goal is very achievable. Don't cut your short. Good job and Good luck

[smitsky]

Have to make a note to watch this when I get home. This blocking of YouTube at work is really feakn annoying.

I know the feeling. I'm having massive problems uploading my video to YouTube now. It's killin' me!

[smitsky]

285 fu 2 full gea

awesome accent dude. Those looked light for you!

Thanks. Everybody gets a kick out of my accent

Yes, they are at 85% of my current 1RM.

[smitsky]

Looked strong, had more in you.

Are you not allowed to wrap any higher or lower around your knee in USAPL? I should know this since I have 4 buddies in the USAPL, but I don't...

Thanks Mike. How are the 3 steps looking? I think it was you who recommended that to me.

[19george]

Looked strong, had more in you.

Are you not allowed to wrap any higher or lower around your knee in USAPL? I should know this since I have 4 buddies in the USAPL, but I don't...

Checked the USAPL rulebook out of academic curiosity. Your allowed 15cm above/below center of knee.

[smitsky]

Checked the USAPL rulebook out of academic curiosity. Your allowed 15cm above/below center of knee.

Wow! That's 5.90 inches above and below?

15 cm = 5.90 inches.

[Mike.Moore]

Thanks Mike. How are the 3 steps looking? I think it was you who recommended that to me.

Your walkout looks fine. I probably did recommend the 3 steps. I don't like taking more than that, especially with heavy weight on my back. Though lately the weight is feeling light.

I do agree with the guy who posted above. I think your suit is a bit loose and no doubt you can wrap those wraps tighter, and go a little more above and below the knee. I don't think you are getting much if anything from the wraps.

I may not use them anymore, but once upon a time I did, and I used to think I wrapped them tight, that is until a good friend came to lift with me one day and she showed me the error of my ways....LOL

[smitsky]

Are you not allowed to wrap any higher or lower around your knee in USAPL?

I'm glad we're looking into this, I'm sure it will help me.

[smitsky]

get that suit tightened up! it looks like you're wearin a singlet, you can probably do that weight raw.

awesome voice as usual

Thanks Dynamik!

How do you think I should get the suit tightened, or do you think I need a smaller suit?

[smitsky]

Your suit looks a bit big. I would like to add that if you can walk around that easy and take vids with your wraps still on they are not tight enough. If they are wrapped tight enough you will not be able to stand on your own. You will have to shuffle over to the rack and will be begging someone to take them off after the rep(s). If you do not wrap convicts super tight they are almost useless. It takes some getting used to the pain but it is worth it. The first time I had someone wrap my knees at about 75% I thought it was insane. Unfortunately they are tough to cinch down, especially the 2m. When I crank my wraps down I get an extra 30+lbs out of them. I just mention this to put in perspective that you might not be that far off from 340 already. Also try wrapping them a bit higher on the thigh, tough to do when you wrap loose b/c you run out of wrap. I always use to try to have equi-distance from top and bottom of knee joint. A big squatter told me too make sure to wrap higher in the ham, it makes a difference. There is a great video out there about wrapping but I do not know the link. Bottomline is your squat looks solid, real solid. Setup is somehting most of us could work on but you look like you are getting there. Your goal is very achievable. Don't cut your short. Good job and Good luck

Thanks Gunz.

Yes, I can put the straps up myself, so I know that it could be a lot tighter.

You're right about the Convicts. Thanks for the insight. I didn't wrap them very tight because I was only at 85% with the 285. I have wrapped them tighter, and I know what you mean, they can get very painful. I have had them wrapped tight by my training partner once - and I missed the lift because I thought I was lower into the hole than I was. My training partner warned me that this would happen, because when you are wrapped that tight it's difficult to judge depth - you'll feel that you are deeper than you are.

I'm definitely going to try to wrap them higher on the thigh and the ham, I'm sure this will help.

Thanks again.

[smitsky]

Your walkout looks fine. I probably did recommend the 3 steps. I don't like taking more than that, especially with heavy weight on my back. Though lately the weight is feeling light.

I do agree with the guy who posted above. I think your suit is a bit loose and no doubt you can wrap those wraps tighter, and go a little more above and below the knee. I don't think you are getting much if anything from the wraps.

I may not use them anymore, but once upon a time I did, and I used to think I wrapped them tight, that is until a good friend came to lift with me one day and she showed me the error of my ways....LOL

Thanks re: walkouts.

With my body mechanics / poor leverages, I do feel that even lightly wrapped wraps give me a good bit of support oddly enough. Of course, the tighter and the more distance above and below the knee will be crucial.

[Mike.Moore]

Thanks re: walkouts.

With my body mechanics / poor leverages, I do feel that even lightly wrapped wraps give me a good bit of support oddly enough. Of course, the tighter and the more distance above and below the knee will be crucial.

No problem.

Although I don't wear any gear, I am a believer that if you are gonna wear it USE it. Use those wraps to the best of your advantage. So whenever you wrap, wrap tight, get used to it and put up big weight. You should be squatting more than you do. And you will have no problem with 340+ come meet time.

Edit : All this squat talk has me wanting to squat now!! And I just squatted Sunday!! LOL!!

[smitsky]

I had mistakenly posted my 2nd set as the 1st Video of this Thread. I've switched them now. I am switching to Photobucket, as I am having a real hard time uploading to YouTube from my 'puter.

2nd Set:

[smitsky]

No problem.

Although I don't wear any gear, I am a believer that if you are gonna wear it USE it. Use those wraps to the best of your advantage. So whenever you wrap, wrap tight, get used to it and put up big weight. You should be squatting more than you do. And you will have no problem with 340+ come meet time.

Edit : All this squat talk has me wanting to squat now!! And I just squatted Sunday!! LOL!!

Thanks a lot Mike! I'll be trying to Squat more in the upcoming months.

[Diana Meeque]

Thanks Dynamik!

How do you think I should get the suit tightened, or do you think I need a smaller suit?

just send it to someone who can do alterations like Ginny Philips, but since you have a meet coming up it's best to not mess with it till after

[smitsky]

just send it to someone who can do alterations like Ginny Philips, but since you have a meet coming up it's best to not mess with it till after

Cool. Give me her contact info when you get a chance please. Thanks.

[smitsky]

3rd Set from same training session:

[smitsky]

Same session: raw Squat 195 X 2 X 4 First Set:

[Diana Meeque]

Cool. Give me her contact info when you get a chance please. Thanks.

http://ginnyspowergear.com/

might be kinda expensive though so if you can find someone who can do it locally that's better

[skinnycalves]

Have to make a note to watch this when I get home. This blocking of YouTube at work is really feakn annoying.

Proxy.....


Or you can use that one site that has all the youtube videos but in flash format, ill try to find out what it is.

[smitsky]

Ok. Let me clarify something and give you a timeline here.

This Thread was begun on 9/7/09, and shows videos of my Squats from a training session which took place on 9/4/09.

I took a week deload, so there was no Squats done last week (9/11/09).

I Squat yesterday (9/18/09)

I'm going to post videos of this latest session beginning with the next Post.

I have attempted to incorporate 2 changes. Among other lifters, Travis Bell of Westside saw my videos and suggested that I try to stay more upright. He suggested that I try to tuck my elbows forward to facilitate a tighter arch. I'm trying this in these lifts.

Gunz and Ski both suggested that I tighten up my knee wraps. Gunz suggested that I wrap higher on the Hamstring. My training partner wrapped me real tight, and higher on the Hamstring.

Here's the session as I posted it in my Log:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Squat:

Bar X 6
170 X 5 (briefs, wraps, and belt on)
200 X 4
235 X 3
235 X 2 (should have been 3 again but I mistakenly only did 2)
270 X 2 X 2 Sets
285 X 2 X 3
210 X 4 X 4 (raw, knee sleeves, no belt)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And here's the first vid of 285 X 2 wearing briefs (please see next Post in this Thread):

[smitsky]

[skiboy1955]

Smit,

Been looking at all you videos on Pbucket, I can't help noticed that your stance is very narrow and almost to the point that it is causing you to bend forward and even on some I see that your heel raises slightly. If the heel raises then you are leaning too far forward and are pushing with the toes instead of the heels, this will cause you to loose balance.
Again like Travis said stay more upright and this will let you sit back more but to do this I really think that you will need to widen your stance. A wider stance will need more glute and ham strength and you will need to have a stronger core to keep the back straight up and head up.
With it close to the meet I don't know if changing things will would be wise but it is a 50/50 chance, you might be able to adapt easily to it.

[gunzandwheelz]

You looked explosive on those squats. You owned the weight it didn't own you. Nice pop out of the hole, especially considering the straps were down.

[smitsky]

Smit,

Been looking at all you videos on Pbucket, I can't help noticed that your stance is very narrow and almost to the point that it is causing you to bend forward and even on some I see that your heel raises slightly. If the heel raises then you are leaning too far forward and are pushing with the toes instead of the heels, this will cause you to loose balance.
Again like Travis said stay more upright and this will let you sit back more but to do this I really think that you will need to widen your stance. A wider stance will need more glute and ham strength and you will need to have a stronger core to keep the back straight up and head up.
With it close to the meet I don't know if changing things will would be wise but it is a 50/50 chance, you might be able to adapt easily to it.

Thanks a lot Ski. I really appreciate all of the advice. I want to address this issue and give you two points of view that I have noticed. I want to approach this issue objectively. I think that this is really an important issue and I want to try to get to the bottom of it, which I think I have to a certain extent.

I have noticed that there are two styles of squatting (hence the aforementioned two points of view). The one advocated by Westside Barbell is a wide stance. The other style is a narrow stance.

I would venture to guess (I'm not really guessing here, but I think you catch my drift) that this issue has been around a lot longer than certainly I, and perhaps many of us have been in the game. Case in point: two styles of single ply gear are offered by manufacturers such as Titan: suits for narrow and wide-stance squatters.

My trainings partner Aleks and Tom are both debating against each other regarding this issue. Aleks is a wide stance squatter who followed Westside Barbell extensively for a few years. Tom is a veteran USAPL lifter who always squatted with a narrow stance.

Aleks is stating that Tom is bending way too far forward when he squats. Tom says that he's always squatted this way, feels as if he's in his groove, and say's "if it ain't broke, why fix it?" Since gunzandwheelz is involved in helping me as well, I'm going to make a judgement and say that, since I've seen vids of him squatting, it appears that he uses a narrow stance which tends to put you forward. I saw the video of Mike.Moore squatting. He is also forward.

Last night I asked Aleks what stance he wanted me to take. He put me in a similar position to himself. My feet were very wide. I said, "Aleks, do you want to see how far I can go down in this position?" I went down as far as I could. It was above parallel. I said, "If I go down any further my groin will break." Aleks can get into this position and make USAPL depth. He can push his knees way out to the side, keep his back very straight and very arched, and his head way up. I told him that I believe that very few individuals have the hip and groin flexibility to do this. He tells me that he practiced Box Squats and gradually developed the ability. I read where Louie Simmons states that one should try to gradually widen his stance while trying to develop a wide stance.

I'm have presented the two sides from my experience. Before Travis (a Westside lifter) came into that Thread, someone told me that my form was very good. Gunz commented the other day about my form being good.

I could continue, but let me see what type of responses I get to this which may give me more of a direction to continue...