Ive been squatting- conjugate programme based on WS.

[2guns]

i love the bent over bb rows aye.

they really good for my back

[Old Bull]

Me doing deadlifts of a 3inch platform

Hey V

Good pulls, couple comments hand spacing is a bit wide due to your foot spacing. If your feet were closer together that would bring your hands in, then there is less distance for the bar to travel.

Also hips are shooting up first putting more effort on your back more noticable on the last rep. Need to tighten up before you break from the floor. Side shot should indicate whats happening as in realation to shoulders, hip distance from bar etc.

160 deficits off a 3" is pretty good, actually real good, that will develope good acceleration off the floor.

Good Vid keep it up

OB1

[Varven]

Will get side videos up.. would love to hit 180kg for single off floor in the next 3 weeks or so...

[juddy]

Hey V

I also noticed that your hips were too high. You need to drop your bumb down lower and have your thighs at parallel. This will take the load of your back at the start of the pull. Use more legs at the start.

[Varven]

Thanks for comments, ok, will focus more on dropping my ass down and using glutes/halms at the start off the motion.

I must mention that I usually do start lower, but working off that platform made things a bit awkward. will focus more on dropping into a lower position at start.

Fri

Tried to focus on form, Had Steve L, watching over and giving me some pointers.

squat

20 1x8

40 1x8

60 1x8

80 1x5

100 1x5

110 1x5

120 1x5

130 2x3

110 1x3

100 2x3

Deadlift off a 4 inch platform... ok this made things really hard.. i had to struggle to maintain form on a 4 inch platform, I think I will go back to 2/3 inch platforms to work from for deficit pulls.

70 1x5

110 1x3

150 1x3

160 2x1

Was to spent too do any assistance work. wil chuck in an extra workout on the weekend to catch up with more abs and upper back work .

[Old Bull]

Thanks for comments, ok, will focus more on dropping my ass down and using glutes/halms at the start off the motion.

I must mention that I usually do start lower, but working off that platform made things a bit awkward. will focus more on dropping into a lower position at start.

Deficits are done for that exact reason, you have to get lower than you normally would in the standard DL position.

The Deficits help you in generating speed off the bottom, if this is where your weakness is, if it is at the top, lockout then bands chains and rack pulls will help in that area.

The weight might be getting a bit to heavy for you to get into the right position, to benifit from the deficits and not sacrifice form. The Deficits put a lot more pressure and effrot at the bottom when you try to get out of the hole. So the weight is not the issue but more the movement.

Off a 4" I only go to about 150 maybe 160, about 70% 1RM but the sets are done for speed, my focus is acceleration not weight shifted.

I do not think we have discussed it before, but where is your weakness in the DL.

OB1

[Varven]

weakness is just off the floor... hence why I started usign the deficits..

I was looking through nz records the other day.. I th ink the under 24 deadlift record for 90kg and under bw is held by Simon W at somewher around 280 kg.. now thats something for me to dream/aim for .... ? I still have another 2.5 years to try for that before Im over 24

[Varven]

Going nuts with full time work, studies, gf and other issues.

Managed to squeeze in a work out late tonight.

Full squats... olympic stance

20 1x8

40 1x8

60 1x8

80 1x8

100 1x5

tried on wraps.. this ssession was entirely to get a feel for wraps as ive never used em before.

110 1x5

120 1x5

130 1x5

felt good.

Jumps on to increasing hights

4x5

decline crunches 3x15

[Old Bull]

Hey V,

Hope the comp goes well this weekend, keep the bench at collars, and push the other two.

Enjoy it.

Stay Strong

Train hard

Lift Big

OB1 8)

[2guns]

when and where this comp?

might come along for a look

[Pseudonym]

Exactly - why haven't we been told about this earlier, Varven?!

[Varven]

Sincere apologies for not informing you guys, my internet has been down and I just got back online last night. I didn't think there would be much interest in a novice pl meet! Next comp is North Island championships, on the 18th, will post up more details.

Well, I decided to stop worrying so much and just rock up to the novice meet this morning and have fun, and thats just what I did.

Squat (only belts+wraps), I had my opening weight down as 130kg, with hopes of peaking @ 150kg on my 3rd attempt.

However, being the big girl that I am, before the meet started Id rather build confidence with a tiny opener and at least sort out issues like depth.

So I opened with 120 that went well, except I didnt entirely wait till the ref gave the command, lesson learnt.

130kg, that went well too, followed the refs commands.

140kg, hit the right depth and came up sweet but moved my foot.. s*#t! apparently your not supposed to do that.. so that was failed.

I didnt hit the 150kg I was hoping too, but at least I came up strong without having to "fight" the bar all the way up on 140kg and depth was good.. So Im happy.

Bench... I did a token press of bar+collars and managed to get a comment on a "good lift "

Deadlift. decided to open nice and clean with my last warm up weight.. 160kg.. it went right up.

175kg, the bar was quite far away from my body, so I wrestled it up with my lower back.

180kg went up nicely on the 3rd attempt. New PB

here is the video of the 140kg failed lift

Here is the video of the 3rd attempt my new PB of a 180kg deadlift.

On the overall.. Im no more a "competition" virgin.

Wasnt too pleased with the squat but at least now I know what it feels like to compete and I have a target to go for.

Very pleased with new pb on deadlift.

I think Ill spend the next training cycle trying to get some muscle mass on .

[Varven]

I owe thanks to OB1, Retro, Tonka for advice and encouragement, and Exp Urine and Jono for spotting on my meek squats and being honest and telling me when I dont hit parallel. Of course Steve L and Simon W for encouragement and pointers.

[big MAC]

No worries man. The first and only novice PL meet I did I hadn't benched in months and I freaking beat the press call twice! We all make mistakes so the squat, no worries. It's your first time competing, so you can't expect fireworks all the time. Great deadlift though.

[Old Bull]

Hey V,

Well Done mate.

Welcome to The Darkside 8)

1st comp under the belt many more to come

Stay Strong

OB1 8)

[Retro Blaster]

Good strong lifts bro, gota be good getting the 1st comp out of the way.

You have beaten me onto the stage so big ups.

Remember the iron game is about competing with yourself and hopefully in the near future will be breaking prs left right and center

Kia Kaha bro

[Pseudonym]

Awesome videos, Varven - and I'm sure we'll see more in time.

[ExpensiveUrine]

Good videos. What did you weigh in on the day?

I was surprized to see you pull 180, congrats on that.

It looks like the comp had very encouraging spectators, I hope you enjoyed it.

But now it's time to get that squat up!

[2guns]

so wat did u bench and wat was yr total?

and yr bodyweight?

[2guns]

but sorry bro... congrats mate. did u have a blast?

[Varven]

I weighed in on the morning (after a huge breakfast) at 91.2kg.

Initial plan was to diet down to 88 kgs or so.. but I took OB1 advice and decided to "just do the meet" and not care about things like body weight.

I didnt bench as elbows ar too buggered. I did a token bench of bar+collars so I dont bomb the meet and get booted out for no-bench.

Yes Stas, the squat needs some serious working on, I think it is mostly confidence + form issues. I was amped up on the day and 140kg went up without struggle from the right depth... only the foot stomp got me disqualified.

Nonetheless, I am farrrrr from where I expect to be.

Next short term goals: Raw squat of 150 for a double or thriple.

I will focus on squat heavily again as just doing that trained my back/glutes for deadlift.

You know my funky good morning/squats Stas ? ....apparently they are effective at bringing up my deadlift LOL.

[Varven]

Ah yes, the spectators, competitors, refs, bar loaders were all VERY supportive. I expected intimidation, but instead found encouragement. Especially from the more experienced competitors.

[Old Bull]

Ah yes, the spectators, competitors, refs, bar loaders were all VERY supportive. I expected intimidation, but instead found encouragement. Especially from the more experienced competitors.

Probably the biggest difference people notice is the support and encouragement from the other lifters. A lot of sports the competitors are not helpful, keep things to themselves try to bum you out.

PL is different we want the competitor to be at his best, push him to do pbs, so when you beat him there are no excuses. You beat him at his best so you encourage him, the talking is done on the platform.

V you will find the better the competitions the better the support the better the encouragement.

Are you going to watch the NIs they are on 25th Novemeber Club Pysical New Lynn. A few are trying to qualify for the Oceania's in December i think.

OB1

[Retro Blaster]

I will be up there OB i need to see 1 of these for sure, might come work out with VV Mac and EU if its ok with them

Yeah VV awesome bro squat si looking better and better every time i see it.

Maybe 1 point keep the head up bro i noticed it diped a bit in the 140 squat. Maybe pick a point on the wall about 30degree above level and stay there it will help fire the posterior chain and cut down the good morning just an observation bro.

[Old Bull]

I will be up there OB i need to see 1 of these for sure, might come work out with VV Mac and EU if its ok with them

Yeah VV awesome bro squat si looking better and better every time i see it.

Maybe 1 point keep the head up bro i noticed it diped a bit in the 140 squat. Maybe pick a point on the wall about 30degree above level and stay there it will help fire the posterior chain and cut down the good morning just an observation bro.

Had another look after your comment R, he drops it at the beginning but not as much. NIs should be a good com R.

V, look at the vid, when your head tilts your body follows the head. Prior to descent, push elbows forward head up. When you come out of the hole first thing to move is the head and elbows again.

OB1