Manveer Gets Competitive

[Dwayne_KONG_Wint]

Interesting. Yeah, John is remarkably good at getting his back tight. I don't know if it's the wiggle beforehand or what , but I've watched it many times to try and replicate it. Mike has better anthropometry for deadlifts - his hip angle is really open when he starts the pull compared to mine. I don't know how he gets his back so tight either. He talks about really focusing on the lats.

Sumo isn't allowed in the SS Fall Classic otherwise I might experiment with it. Maybe afterwards.

I'll try making some changes and see what happens. Thanks, Dwayne.

NP Manveer.

That's why I cannot compete in the SS Fall Classic. It would be fun but I'd probably pop an SI joint doing it as I have done with most of my conventional max attempts in the past. Instead I'll keep getting in where I fit in with the USAPL. I might help Dana with the Gantry meet though if I can get a hall pass.

[tdood]

Try pulling in slippers or flats, you might LOVE it.

[manveer]

Also I think this is my first post in a manveer log, so... your log is a really great read and very inspirational. I aspire to your strength and work ethic - thanks for putting yourself out there!

Thanks - I'm glad this log is helpful to you. Unfortunately you can never be strong enough.

Try pulling in slippers or flats, you might LOVE it.

I actually use flats for everything except front squats. They are Adidas Power Perfect IIs that Jordan had the heel removed from. Unfortunately they don't make me pull like Jordan.

[cgeorg]

Also, while the RDL can place a really nahce stretch on the hams during loading, the hams do not retain this lengthened position at rest. You cannot elongate your muscles with stretching. It just doesn't happen. After your warm up, you get what you get in terms of muscle extensibility, and you have to work with that. If your hamstrings are so tight that you just cannot extend the lumbar, alternate positions must be considered.

Are you saying that stretching can't increase flexibility long term, or that performing these lifts, which provide a stretch, won't increase flexibility long term? If the former... How does one increase flexibility long term? Sorry if this is a topic that's been covered on this forum before... I seem to recall from SSBBT that Rip said that if someone is inflexible enough to get to proper depth, that doing more squats (and potentially leg press if appropriate) would help increase flexibility. That said I just spent about 15 mins looking for it and couldn't find it, so maybe I'm crazy, or it was in PPST.

[Dwayne_KONG_Wint]

Are you saying that stretching can't increase flexibility long term, or that performing these lifts, which provide a stretch, won't increase flexibility long term? If the former... How does one increase flexibility long term? Sorry if this is a topic that's been covered on this forum before... I seem to recall from SSBBT that Rip said that if someone is inflexible enough to get to proper depth, that doing more squats (and potentially leg press if appropriate) would help increase flexibility. That said I just spent about 15 mins looking for it and couldn't find it, so maybe I'm crazy, or it was in PPST.

Yeah I don't remember seeing that anywhere. I do recall seeing that the lifts do not require an inordinate amount of flexibility and most "flexibility" issues are positioning issues. Also, I think you are talking about if a trainee doesn't have the leg strength to squat, they could leg press until they developed the strength to squat.

I'm the wrong person to ask about how to increase flexibility long term as that is not my focus in training. I need the mobility to do the lifts safely and correctly and not much more. That pretty much covers what I need to be able to do in life too.

[John Hanley]

ETA I've noticed a lot of the big deadlifters get their hips very low before setting for their lift. I have often wondered if this is when they solidify their back extension, while the knee angle is very closed allowing the hamstrings to relax.

Probably this. I HAVE to do it with maximal snatch grip deads, or else I'm fucked.

The idea of a glute stretch-reflex seems like it's dismissed around here, but that also seems a likely benefit of the 'squat before pull' style (ala Doyle Kenady).

[manveer]

BW (8/17 morning): 240.6# (!)

Sleep (8/16 evening): 6h34m, 2x awake, 11x restless

W5D3 - 2016-08-17
Pin Squat
325x6 @7
345x6 @8
370x6 @9
350x6 @8
I think I dislike these more than paused squats. All this work on the bottom of the squat does seem to be helping, though. The bottom of my comp squat feels stronger. Even smaller things - I notice that just getting up out of a chair is easier.

The bar was getting forward on the descent as I became fatigued, which also happens on my comp squat. I think my asymmetry is improving (slowwwly) - I am getting more used to how a balanced squat should feel. I still unrack the bar off-center a lot of the time.

Video: 2016 08 17 Pin Squat 370x6 350x6 - YouTube

CGBP (middle finger straddling smooth/knurled)
185x6 @5
Started to feel something in the left pec towards the end of the set, so that was enough. Best way I could describe it is kind of like pinching.

[Mahendra]

Nice work, Manveer! Lou's talked a lot about the benefits of pin squats. Nice to see the real world carry over in them, too.

Sorry to hear about the continued pec issues. Hope this heals up quickly.

[kfreeman85]

I still unrack the bar off-center a lot of the time.

And then proceed to squat the crap out of it, haha.

Nice work lately. And glad to hear you're feeling carryover already. That's got to be motivating.

[manveer]

Nice work, Manveer! Lou's talked a lot about the benefits of pin squats. Nice to see the real world carry over in them, too.

Sorry to hear about the continued pec issues. Hope this heals up quickly.

Thanks!

Yeah, pin squats but also the supplemental exercises and GPP work - I definitely feel more balanced.

The pec is getting there, but not ready yet based on last night's trial.

And then proceed to squat the crap out of it, haha.

Nice work lately. And glad to hear you're feeling carryover already. That's got to be motivating.

Haha - thanks. The squat is definitely my best lift at the moment.

I am getting better at beltless squatting since all the assistance work is beltless. Haven't quite seen the carryover from the added work to my competition squat yet in terms of PRs/ePRs. But it is nice to feel like I weigh about 20 lbs less when I move around as a result of a month's work. If being stronger at the bottom means I don't miss a heavy single that I otherwise would at the sticking point, that will be pretty sweet too.