Incorporating SS into a weight loss program

[Simma Park]

Here's a thought though. Some of the fittest strength athletes are boxers and in amateur boxing that weight is the heavyweight class. Even in professional boxing, it is the light heavyweight class. So I guess skinny is based on what the kilos consist of?

Some of those boxing weight classes were defined during the 1800s.

80kg is skinny for 6 feet. Regardless of composition. If a boxer is 80kg at 6 feet, he may be a light heavyweight as far as his sport is concerned, but he is still skinny.

Keep in mind, too, that boxers weigh in the day before a match, usually in a severely dehydrated state. On the day of the fight, they weigh a lot more.

[Kumar]

Don't try to go fast, take your time and do it correctly.

Yes sir, that is good advice indeed. I struggled with my squats today even at the low weight. Took some weight off, and did just this.

A question on the squats. There is a lot of good advice in the book on how to achieve good squat form, but with the bar on the back, it gets to be too many things to think of for a novice. Is there one thing above all to focus on while squatting to improve form?

[Mark E. Hurling]

A question on the squats. There is a lot of good advice in the book on how to achieve good squat form, but with the bar on the back, it gets to be too many things to think of for a novice. Is there one thing above all to focus on while squatting to improve form?

In my case it was learning to know how deep and low enough feels to the hip joints and then rigorously keeping to that sense and dropping low enough. You may have to video yourself or get some spotting from someone who really knows what that depth is. I didn't do that and so erred on this for decades. It wasn't until GoodRyan and Rip caught me out and told me to get my ass down that I began to learn that lesson. The two things other than that for me was the right low eye line, and getting the bar lower on my back and shoulders. You'll be amazed the difference in leverages that makes and how it helps overcome any willies you might have about your lower back.

[pkelly54]

Kumar, Bob g 's suggestions and Mark's comment on form being most important are spot on.
I also had trouble getting down low on squats. I started "squatting to the box" to get the feel for proper depth. This is another technique with the same goal as what Mark just mentioned above. I used a pile of plates, piled high enough to be touched by my butt when I was about three inches below parallel. I would squat down until I touched the plates, I did NOT sit on them or use them to rest. Once I felt the pile of weights, I concentrated on driving up with my butt. I also concentrated on keeping my weight on the outside center of my foot, this helps me keep my knees out. After I got comfortable with the depth I no longer use the "bench" as an assist. You might try a small stool or a pile of wood block or something else that is handy and stable as your target bench. Good luck with your plan.

[Kumar]

Mark, pkelly - appreciate the inputs, thanks a lot.

A question on getting low. I understand one has to go below parallel, but isn't three inches below - or getting the ass down - too low? I ask because with an unloaded bar, I can go down ass to grass low. But when I did that in my work set, I couldn't get up again - perhaps I might have lost rigidity and gone down too fast. So there must be a point in going low below which one must not go, while still being below parallel? How to find that point?

At the moment, the things I try to remember are:
1. Correct bar position on the back
2. Looking 45% down.
3. Keeping the knees out - they still tend to want to come together coming up.
4. Breathing right
5. Hip drive thinking while going down.

At times, for me they tend to be too many things to think about at one time in the rep. I am guessing I should not try to add weight to my work sets until I get this right. Correct?

[Mark E. Hurling]

Just break slightly below the plane of parallel. No extra credit or points for going ass to the grass. Just get 'er down and immediately drive back up with the hips. Don't stress over trying to remember everything all at once. I suppose I get tiresome using and repeating so many of my chestnut martial arts phrases like wax on/wax off. But Mr. Miyagi spoke with great wisdom in the original Karate Kid. I was at last month's seminar and learned for the first time all the elements of squatting from Rip and crew. I had a few down but very few and went back into Golds having to entirely rebuild what I thought I had to within 80% of where it had to be. More like 20% once I got my eyelids pried open to reality. And I had been squatting for decades (wrong). Just concentrate on one element at a time until you are confident you have it burned in and hardwired into the CNS, perceptions, and muscles. Then work on the next one. This may take weeks or a couple of months. But you have plenty of time and use it well to get the fundamentals down pat.

[pkelly54]

Mark, is right about the depth. Slightly below parallel is all that is needed. I go lower because I want to make sure I am below parallel. I notice a big difference in the workout when I squat lower. I don't want to shoot for parallel and end up too high. Mark is also right about getting the fundamentals down. Have patience and continue working at the form. Getting strong is good. Staying strong is important and good form will help. Also, as Mark said, there is always room for improvement. Good luck.

[Kumar]

I notice a big difference in the workout when I squat lower.

Thanks.

With reference to the above, don't you find a loss of ability to drive back up when you go low? I find that I can then only use the front of my legs to get drive, which isn't enough to lift the same weight that I can drive up when I get to just below parallel. Of course, my low may be too low.

[Mark E. Hurling]

I'm not completely certain if I'm right about this, but my own take on going too low is that your hamstrings go slack or disengage at extreme depth which forces you to rely on your quads.

[pkelly54]

Mark, thank you for that comment. I have SS/BBT Ed2 and Ed3 but I have been too busy at work to carefully re-read the squat description. I did pull a quad muscle while squatting on an intensity day a couple of months back, I am doing a TM program with longer rest days between workouts. Your comment will help me correct my squat form, and possibly limit future injuries.