Drizzt Lifts Things

[Old Bull]

Hey Drizzit,

First two reps were marginal but after that they were good, your leaning forward is due in some way to your elbows. The first rep they were good but after that they were drifting back and up which would make you lean forward. Just replay and watch the position of the elbows at the finish of each rep.

Good Sqatting D :clap:

[drizzt]

Cheers Jono, hope you're keeping up with your workouts if not journalling?

Awesome, thanks OB Any tips on keeping those elbows in the right spot? Closer grip possibly?

I'll admit, I've been playing around with the grip lately, and have fallen into a wider hand-grip because it is more comfortable on my wrists. If it does affect the squat (which I wasn't sure about) I certainly would love any advice on how best to keep it in check :nod:

[Old Bull]

Awesome, thanks OB Any tips on keeping those elbows in the right spot? Closer grip possibly?

I'll admit, I've been playing around with the grip lately, and have fallen into a wider hand-grip because it is more comfortable on my wrists. If it does affect the squat (which I wasn't sure about) I certainly would love any advice on how best to keep it in check :nod:

The grip does not realy matter if you are flexible then a close grip would do. The grip is where and what your are comfortable with and whether you can squeeze the bar into your back. The elbows just try to move them forward to under the bar on the way up same as you head, out of the hole head up elbows forward. If you stand in the squat position with no bar on your back but mimic the bar position and move your elbows back and up you will feel your head tilt forward.

Lifting is a game of inches, slight change in grip, feet placement, bar on the back can change the leverages and make the lift easier, you just have to play around and find the placement that makes the lift easy and efficient.

OB

[Optimass]

Cripes, is there meant to be that much arch in the back? I think I've always had the majority of my spine in contact with the bench.

(Honest question - I'm still a noob with weights!)

I know what ya mean dude, I was originally told by a PT to keep my back flat, and even used a box under my feet to prevent any arch. It's only recently that I've started working on an arch, and that was only after a physio started me working on setting my scapulae and driving them back into the bench.

Did your PT say why you should remain flat? Interested to know as it not going to change the effectiveness of the move from a cosmetic development perspective. Definately allows you to better engage your tricep. I was never taught to bench with an arch ... just came naturally.

[drizzt]

The grip does not realy matter if you are flexible then a close grip would do. The grip is where and what your are comfortable with and whether you can squeeze the bar into your back. The elbows just try to move them forward to under the bar on the way up same as you head, out of the hole head up elbows forward. If you stand in the squat position with no bar on your back but mimic the bar position and move your elbows back and up you will feel your head tilt forward.

Lifting is a game of inches, slight change in grip, feet placement, bar on the back can change the leverages and make the lift easier, you just have to play around and find the placement that makes the lift easy and efficient.

OB

Brilliant, thanks OB. I'll pay more attention to this next squat session :nod:

[drizzt]

27/06/10

Spot on 94kg today! 8) Probably due to having just sacked a big lasagne, and wearing a big hoodie on the scales, but ah well, not fussed as the strength is up and the body is carrying the weight fairly well :nod:

Just assistance exes today at Cfit Jville, couldn't be bothered driving to town (which also unfortunately meant missing GHR)

• Single arm seated rows
  3 sets 10 x 60(lbs)
  
• Rear delt DB raises
  3 sets 10 x 10kg
  
• Face Pulls
  10 x 24kg
  10 x 30kg
  10 x 30kg
  
• Wide pullups
  5 x bodyweight
  4 x +10kg
  4 x +10kg
  

Comments

• No real comments, haven't done pullups for aaages, and it showed because they were tough! But the shoulders and arms were quite sore from rugby yesterday which contributed, however not using that as an excuse as I reckon they would've been tough anyway. Face pulls were kinda tough too, think it may have been the difference in machine I was using (lat pulldown station as opposed to a station with more pulleys).

[drizzt]

28/06/10

93.5 today, felt very bloated, thinkin I'm carrying a fair bit of water - diet certainly hasn't been terrible lately :shrug: No big deal.

• Squats
  Bar/60kg Warmups & Stretching
  5 x 110kg
  5 x 110kg
  5 x 110kg
  5 x 110kg
  5 x 110kg
  
• Deads
  5 x 100kg
  5 x 140kg
  4 x 180kg*
  
• OHP
  5 x 60kg
  5 x 60kg
  5 x 60kg
  5 x 60kg
  5 x 60kg
  
• GHR
  10 x 67.5(kg?)
  10 x 75
  10 x 75
  

Comments

• "Light" day for squats (well, lesser-effort at least). Want to start upping the volume and getting back to 5x5 on most things. Form felt very good, and the reps seemed to get easier as the sets went on which is surpising - first set was a bit of a grind, but by the last set I was in a good groove and knocked the 5 out very easily.
  
• Deads were a bit up and down. Started off well, and the first 2 sets were breezy... but by the final set - sweating profusely (due to squat volume no doubt) - the palms were sweating up which made holding onto the bar difficult (forgot to bring the chalk :doh:). Quickly dried them after the 3rd rep with a towel before jumping back into the 4th rep... but almost stiff-legged that one up which was due to a combination of a) Tiring out, b) reaching the limit of my ability for this lift today, and c) concentrating too much on the grip. Did get the 4th up and locked, but it wasn't pretty. Intended a 5th rep but there was no way that was going up. May drop to 175 next week, and hopefully remember to bring my chalk :pray: No excuses either then, eh? :poked:
  
• I've reset OHP, wanting to get the volume back up on these too... all reps were very easy, I think this was due to getting a really good initial push off the chest which slammed the weight up. Recently I've been focusing a lot on strict form in the earlier sets/reps which has caused me to slooowwly push the weight up, which in turn is making the lift a lot harder than it needs to be IMO, and draining the energy needed for the latter sets. After the 5th set I was fine, very little rests between sets too.
  
• GHRs were good, as a newb to the exercise I'm still concentrating a lot on squeezing those glutes to get the weight up as opposed to just kicking it up. This feels slightly foreign at the moment, but it's only my 2nd attempt at the exercise so it'll come with a bit of practice

First time in a while I've worked up a bit of a sweat from a workout which is a bit worrying! Hadn't noticed how much I had backed off on the volume since the injury(s), but now they're all healed up (touch wood) I'm going to pump them back up.

[steak]

Good Volume D :clap:

[Big john]

:twisted: :twisted: VOLUME!!! :twisted: :twisted:

awsome stuff brother on the deads, once that volume kicks up more should see more stability in the lifts, more so when u have chalk with ya :wink:

[drizzt]

Cheers fullas :notworthy:

And yeah BJ, I can feel there is a bit left in the tank there for the deads (muscle memory lurking there I think) so not too worried about conking out on the 180 for reps. Would still be confident of getting a single at around 200 :nod: (with chalk though if that should eventuate :pray:)

[nzmusclemonster]

Brutal red polo shirt and Samuel L. Jackson mini afro.

[drizzt]

Heh, was wondering if you'd pop up with something!

I've got straight hair so not sure where the SLJ is coming from, but after the last set of squats I'm not really fussed about my hair to be honest. Thanks for noticing though :wink: And I must admit, I don't often dress to impress at the gym, I'm not sure about others though... but I just go to lift 8) And I thought you would've liked the "MSP" red I was wearing?

Anyway, I think you may have missed the intent of the video. I was asking for squat advice, not fashion advice NZfashionmonster

[drizzt]

30/06/10

Yesterday's workout... weighed in at 92.5.

• Squats
  Bar/60kg warmups/stretches etc
  5 x 120kg
  5 x 120kg
  5 x 120kg
  5 x 120kg
  5 x 120kg
  
• Bench
  Bar warmups
  5 x 80kg
  5 x 80kg
  5 x 80kg
  5 x 80kg
  5 x 80kg
  
• Power Cleans
  Bar hang-clean warmups
  5 x 50kg
  5 x 50kg
  5 x 50kg
  5 x 50kg
  5 x 50kg
  
• Core/Stretches etc
  Usual stuff
  

Comments

• Was still feeling it from the "light" squats on Monday, so was a little bit of a struggle today. Still, managed really good depth, and they weren't that tough muscle wise, just the leftover DOMS interfered a tad. Lower back was a bit sore which is worrying... may need to back off on Deads next week. I was up at 125 last week, and kinda wanted to go to 130 this week... but with the increase in volume on everything, I thought the increase in weight as well would've been a bit too much for the body to hack.
  
• Have reset Bench again because I want the volume up on it. Can't really do that with the weights I was recently pressing, and I was struggling a bit more than I should've been anyway so it's a good opportunity to start again. These were very easy, so to make them harder I counted out 30secs rest between each set and was straight back into it. Will up this @ 5kg per week and stick to 5x5 for as long as possible.
  
• Decided to reset power cleans as well. a) because the lower back is feeling it a bit from deads, and b) because everything else is resetting so I thought "why not Power cleans too?". These were easy, but I'm not used to this type of volume on this exercise so I worked up a bit of a sweat. Again, very little rest here (between 30-60secs per set)

[Big john]

the volumes good bro :clap: ....dunno how id react to lower volume now, id feel like i was cheating myself :pfft:

[drizzt]

Thanks bro, and volume is getting ok, but (don't tell my coaches this :shifty:) I can't wait for Rugby season to end so that I can fully concentrate on just smashing weights :twisted:

[Big john]

I can't wait for Rugby season to end so that I can fully concentrate on just smashing weights :twisted:

then the converting to the darkside shall begin in ernest :twisted: :twisted:

[nzmusclemonster]

Thanks bro, and volume is getting ok, but (don't tell my coaches this :shifty:) I can't wait for Rugby season to end so that I can fully concentrate on just smashing weights :twisted:

Blasphemy!

Saturday week you'll be wishing the season was over 8)

[drizzt]

Saturday week you'll be wishing the season was over 8)

We shall see mate :gunfire:

[drizzt]

05/07/10

Weighed in the late 91s today, probably due to a mixture of not eating as much crap and more intensity at trainings.

• Squats
  Bar/60kg warmups/stretches etc
  5 x 100kg
  5 x 100kg
  5 x 100kg
  5 x 100kg
  5 x 100kg
  
• Pullups
  5 x +10kg
  5 x +10kg
  5 x +10kg
  
• Seated DB Press
  10 x 22kg (per db)
  10 x 30kg
  10 x 30kg
  
• Core/Stretches etc
  Usual stuff
  

Comments

• Came off the field about 60mins into Saturday's game with a twisted knee (same one that took a big knock in training a few weeks back), so was a bit cautious with squats today. That, and the back was still tight/sore from last week's deadlift efforts! So I decided to drop the weight back down a tad so as not to risk things/tempt fate. Tried ATG today and it was fine. Again, the reps got easier as the sets went on.
  
• Because of the lingering back soreness, I decided to give deads a miss today in favour of pullups. These were ok, but twinged my right bicep a tad on the last rep of the last set... I'm a walking injury at the moment :pfft:
  
• And did seated DB press in lieu of standing OHP today to change things up a little. Form was markedly better than the last time I did this exercise, I put this down to my improved posture and possibly the standing OHPs meaning I dont lean back like I used to. Last few reps of the last set were a bit of a grind, but got there.

Knee is very tender at the moment, will get the team physio to assess it tomorrow... thankful it isnt affecting squatting though :pray:

[drizzt]

07/07/10

Early 92s today. Started with dislocations and stretches all over for a change to see how that'd help with the workout...

• Squats
  Bar/60kg warmups/stretches etc
  5 x 125kg
  5 x 125kg
  5 x 125kg
  5 x 125kg
  5 x 125kg
  
• Bench
  5 x 85kg
  5 x 85kg
  5 x 85kg
  5 x 85kg
  5 x 85kg
  
• Power Cleans
  Hang clean warmups (bar)
  5 x 55kg
  5 x 55kg
  5 x 55kg
  5 x 55kg
  5 x 55kg
  
• Core + end stretches
  Usual bleh
  

Comments

• First set of squats had me thinking I wasn't gonna make it, or had overestimated my squat for the day... struggled a LOT with each rep! :oops: But as has been the trend for me lately, they got markedly easier as the sets went on, and by the 5th set I was cruising at a good depth 8) Happy with where these are at at the moment, will look at shifting up to 130 next week May need to add something in between the bar/60kg warmups and the working sets though, as I think that's why I'm finding that first set a struggle - insufficient warmup :think:
  
• Bench was easy, and quick.
  
• Power cleans were much the same as bench, the weight I'm at currently is good as it's just enough to not be easy, but light enough to make sure technique is aced.

Happy with this session :nod:

[Big john]

comming along nicely mate :nod:

[drizzt]

Thanks bro 8)

[jono]

yeah mate i would add in something in the warmup 60-125 is a big jump.

90-95 ?

[nzmusclemonster]

Lucky...... Very lucky :naughty:

[drizzt]

Lucky...... Very lucky :naughty:

We were very lucky at the end, true. However you guys also got a lot of "luck" throughout the game too, so things evened out

Didn't think I was going to play as the back was playing up for the 2nd half of the week, but came on with about 20 to go because our 8 picked up an injury. Felt ok but will be taking it easy on the weights this week.