First rep squatting is the hardest?

[arcticnova]

Just wanted to check back in. I added a 135x3 and 185x2 step in my warms ups (on top of my 45x8, 95x6). I'm not sure if it's mental or physical, but I think it helped take away most of that first rep stutter.

As far as the discussion you guys got going on. As I mentioned earlier, I use to not warm up at all 5+ years ago. I would come in and completely cold do my sets of 185lb bench for example. No jogs. No stretching. No set with the bar. Never had any injuries, pain or tendinitis at the time. I'm not saying it was a good idea, but obviously different people have different capabilities at different times of their lives. If it's working for someone, it's a tough sell to try and convince them otherwise. Even if physiologically your advice is right.

[Farley1324]

Just wanted to check back in. I added a 135x3 and 185x2 step in my warms ups (on top of my 45x8, 95x6). I'm not sure if it's mental or physical, but I think it helped take away most of that first rep stutter.

As far as the discussion you guys got going on. As I mentioned earlier, I use to not warm up at all 5+ years ago. I would come in and completely cold do my sets of 185lb bench for example. No jogs. No stretching. No set with the bar. Never had any injuries, pain or tendinitis at the time. I'm not saying it was a good idea, but obviously different people have different capabilities at different times of their lives. If it's working for someone, it's a tough sell to try and convince them otherwise. Even if physiologically your advice is right.

The amount of weight being lifted is also a factor there. As people progress, get stronger, and lift heavier, it becomes a bigger deal. Squats or partial squats at 270 1RM or benching with 185 aren't bad at all, but there is certainly room to get heavier and have the warmup become more important. It's also hard to judge how much a warmup helps if you never try properly warming up to compare.

Don't remember if I linked this one in here already or not

http://www.bakerstrengthcoaching.com/warm/

[TheShadowMan]

Who said anything about 1/2?? Why are you making up terms and throwing them out as if responding to something (ATG, 1/2)?

Define 1/2.

Define 3/4.

You do realize neither is a complete squat, both are partials, correct?

Both are squats, maybe not in competition, but this is a gym lift. I don't lift in meets so I don't care what they consider a squat. If that ever changes, I will care. But for this application, it doesn't have to be strict. If it gives a good burn, leads to what I want - then it has served it's purpose.

[Farley1324]

Both are squats, maybe not in competition, but this is a gym lift. I don't lift in meets so I don't care what they consider a squat. If that ever changes, I will care. But for this application, it doesn't have to be strict. If it gives a good burn, leads to what I want - then it has served it's purpose.

Both are partial squats.

Similarly, if your bench press doesn't touch your chest/shirt at the bottom, it isn't a "bench press". If your deadlift isn't locked out at the top, or starts from pins in the rack to get the bar higher than plates on the ground, it isn't a "deadlift". Etc.

If you don't break parallel (crease of hip to top of patella), it isn't a complete squat, it is a partial, and should be labeled as such. It is very wrong to claim a "squat" weight based on a partial, kind synonymous with lying.

[TheShadowMan]

Both are partial squats.

Similarly, if your bench press doesn't touch your chest/shirt at the bottom, it isn't a "bench press". If your deadlift isn't locked out at the top, or starts from pins in the rack to get the bar higher than plates on the ground, it isn't a "deadlift". Etc.

If you don't break parallel (crease of hip to top of patella), it isn't a complete squat, it is a partial, and should be labeled as such. It is very wrong to claim a "squat" weight based on a partial, kind synonymous with lying.

Some people can't touch the bar to chest without pain, they do what they can. Some can't get below parallel without problems, they do what they can. It's not always black and white, it's not always about fake claims or getting social media votes, or whatever. Partials to fulls, they still got in there and did the set beginning to end. For some the challenge is just to wake up every day, say they're blessed and give their best. And if you ask me, that's all that counts.

[WolfRose7]

Some people can't touch the bar to chest without pain, they do what they can. Some can't get below parallel without problems, they do what they can. It's not always black and white, it's not always about fake claims or getting social media votes, or whatever. Partials to fulls, they still got in there and did the set beginning to end. For some the challenge is just to wake up every day, say they're blessed and give their best. And if you ask me, that's all that counts.

Semantics aside.

If you claim to Squat/Bench/Deadlift something as a 1RM it should be full RoM. Just as if you claimed to snatch a certain weight it should comply with the definition of a proper snatch.
As long as you don't claim a partial number as a proper number then you do you.

[Farley1324]

Some people can't touch the bar to chest without pain, they do what they can. Some can't get below parallel without problems, they do what they can. It's not always black and white, it's not always about fake claims or getting social media votes, or whatever. Partials to fulls, they still got in there and did the set beginning to end. For some the challenge is just to wake up every day, say they're blessed and give their best. And if you ask me, that's all that counts.

Sure, they do what they can...but it's not a bench press if it doesn't touch the chest, and it's not a complete squat if it doesn't break parallel but, rather, a partial.

Yes, partial squat or complete squat is black and white. It is either a complete/full/legit squat, or it is a partial squat. Binary. It is, or it isn't. That simple.

If you are doing partials, call them partials, don't pretend, don't lie.

[TheShadowMan]

Sure, they do what they can...but it's not a bench press if it doesn't touch the chest, and it's not a complete squat if it doesn't break parallel but, rather, a partial.

Yes, partial squat or complete squat is black and white. It is either a complete/full/legit squat, or it is a partial squat. Binary. It is, or it isn't. That simple.

If you are doing partials, call them partials, don't pretend, don't lie.

Haha. First you say it doesn't count as a squat unless it's 1/2 or below, then you say 1/2 and 3/4 aren't even considered squats at all.

You can dress a dog up as a cat, but it will never meow. It's still a dog. A squat is still a squat, a benchpress is still a benchpress. Might have a variation put on it, but it's still what it was.

[Farley1324]

Haha. First you say it doesn't count as a squat unless it's 1/2 or below

I never said or implied that in any way.

then you say 1/2 and 3/4 aren't even considered squats at all.

A half squat is a partial squat. A three quarter squat is a partial squat.

Still waiting on you to define what a 1/2 squat is and what a 3/4 squat is by the way.

You can dress a dog up as a cat, but it will never meow. It's still a dog. A squat is still a squat, a benchpress is still a benchpress. Might have a variation put on it, but it's still what it was.

A "squat" means the crease of the hip got to the top of the patella. If it didn't, it's not a squat, it's a partial squat.

A "bench press" means the bar touched the chest/shirt at the bottom (among other requirements). If it didn't, it's not a "bench press", it is something else.

You can ego lift and lie about what you are doing to inflate your e-stats all you want, but it doesn't mean you actually did it

[MyEgoProblem]

If we dont have consistent "rules" for what constitutes a real lift.. there is no way to quantity even our own strength gains, let alone compared to others ...especially If it always changes..

just wanted to check back in. I added a 135x3 and 185x2 step in my warms ups (on top of my 45x8, 95x6). I'm not sure if it's mental or physical, but I think it helped take away most of that first rep stutter.

I think this is the take away point/post from all this.. ramped warmups work. Pretty much just killed the thread off Bro! Gg for being open to new things!

Its called CNS potentiation. Its basically just your nervous system becoming fired up and ready for 'go time'. And is basic sports science.

Another great, more effective example of this effect could be.. for squats ofc.

3x3 plyometric depth jumps
Ramping sets, with maximum intent concentrics
1x1 warmup rep 5-10% above work sets *
Work sets. That feel easier and move better.

*optional, not for everyone and definitely NOT a tool recommended for low rep work sets.

[Farley1324]

If we dont have consistent "rules" for what constitutes a real lift.. there is no way to quantity even our own strength gains, let alone compared to others ...especially If it always changes..

Precisely. That partial "1/2" squat or "3/4" squat that doesn't even have a definition besides "not a complete squat" is not quantified, there's no set way to tell a half squat from a three quarter squat from a quarter squat from a walkout. Fortunately it's fairly easy to just call them all partials lol