Heavier Squat..some form problems again...please comment

[Simma Park]

Well normally people squat down and come onto their toes, but that's bad for the knees right? I could never do an "asian squat" but now I can because of stretches/mobility work. So the shoes that the people have on in the squat videos of Rip's dvd, do they have a heel lift? I'm planning on getting chuck taylors next month will that do?

Don't waste money on Chucks, because they will do nothing for you that your current shoes aren't already doing.

People seem to think that Chucks are magic or something. The reason you see them recommended so frequently by lifters is that they used to be the only widely available brand of sneaker (for men, at least) that didn't have a puffy, cushiony sole. As I keep saying, this is no longer true. Thanks to the mainstreaming of skateboarding, "barefooting", etc., there are plenty of shoes, like yours in that clip, which offer the same exact benefits that Chucks offer.

So, instead, save up to get a pair of real lifting shoes. Real lifting shoes have a slight heel (a wedge sole that is higher in the heel that at the toe*); a wide, hard, non-compressible sole made out of something like wood, very hard rubber, high-tec composite/plastic of some kind, etc. and which does not allow for any kind of rolling of the foot in any direction; and construction that usually includes a metatarsal strap to help suck your foot firmly into the shoe.

In other words, a lifting shoe is a shoe designed for lifting. Chucks are just one of the least bad mass-manufactured sneakers.

* An exception is a certain brand of PL squat shoe, which has a negligible sole gradient, but has a stiff, high-top design that is more for lifters who keep very vertical shins, so not good for SS:BBT-style squatting. Plus that brand is pretty expensive.

[Jsutt]

You seem like an OK guy and in the effort of trying to spare you from spending a year or more getting nowhere, read this.

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_..._grow_more&cr=

This is a great article. Speaking as a guy who's been skinny as hell most of his life, and had a six-pack from age 12 until I started doing GOMAD, this

Razor abs on a skinny guy are like really nice clothes on a fat girl.

is bang on the money.

[Carlos Daniel]

Damn dude. That is a big slap in the face like the article says.

I'm not stubborn or ignorant at all. I've changed a lot of stuff regarding my training from advice on this forum. It seems that I should stay where I am now and just eat more and get strong/big. I thought I should do that after I lost my fat, but after reading that article, I'm a fucktard.

God dammit.

Glad I could help you. Really, I've seen this over and over again and I didn't want you to go this way. It's happened to me before, when I was a kid.

Now, I'm not saying you should gain fat. At 18%, you should probably stay where you are. Diet wise, what I'd do is focus on eating a whole fucking lot of protein (try to reach 300 g), with a fair amount of fat and some carbs around lifting. Something like

breakfast: eggs, bacon and milk
lunch: a one pound steak, or one pound of dead animal of your choice, be it chicken, fish whatever. Side dish: eggs, avocado, veggies with butter.
dinner: same thins as lunch. Vary things not to get bored. You could eat say, 10 scrambled eggs with a very generous serving of butter. Or 2 chicken breasts with sauteed veggies.

If either one of those meals is close to lifting, add carbs. Something like 3 bananas, 3 apples, 6 prunes, whatever you like. Maybe potatoes, rice or something.

You might need protein powder to get to 300g, get some cheap bulk whey. Don't get that fancy brand name whey. Get a fucking barrel of whey and mix 2 scoops of it with milk, twice a day. Sources : truenutrition.com but I remember seeing bulk whey on ebay too, so look around.

In theory, this shouldn't put you much above maintenance so you shouldn't gain fat. It has enough protein to help you train heavy.

EDIT: you can titrate weight gain/loss by adding more milk. I usually try to eat just like the above but I'm drinking one liter or two per day of whole milk. If I wanted to lose weight, I wouldn't go above one liter.

[grand666]

So, instead, save up to get a pair of real lifting shoes. Real lifting shoes have a slight heel (a wedge sole that is higher in the heel that at the toe*); a wide, hard, non-compressible sole made out of something like wood, very hard rubber, high-tec composite/plastic of some kind, etc. and which does not allow for any kind of rolling of the foot in any direction; and construction that usually includes a metatarsal strap to help suck your foot firmly into the shoe.

In other words, a lifting shoe is a shoe designed for lifting. Chucks are just one of the least bad mass-manufactured sneakers.

Thanks man. I have a link to some cheaper WL shoes. So far on that website they say you might have a problem when the sole wears off and then you'll have to have someone make you new one. Just save up for the more expensive shoes then or is this good enough?
http://wlshoes.com/review/wei-rui-wa...tlifting-shoe/

In theory, this shouldn't put you much above maintenance so you shouldn't gain fat. It has enough protein to help you train heavy.

Man you are helping a lot more than you think.

I was thinking just now. My press is going up to 115lbs this week, squat is 230lbs, and DL is 270lbs. Bench and PC I haven't learned the forms for these yet. When I do start to do SS, won't I stall earlier than most people because I'm already at a decent weight for these three lifts for a guy who's been lifting 3mnths, on a deficit? ha. So when I begin to eat more and officially do SS, I will stall earlier than beginners?

I tried to do the PC but fuck it's hard. I watched the DVD etc but that's a weird fucking move man. Plus I almost threw the bar over my head when I tried just from the spot above my knees.

[grand666]

Okay, I'm not trying to argue or anything just bear with me and give your opinion. In the long run I do want to look ripped, with a lot of muscle. It's just my goal. If I do SS first like you suggest and after 4 or 6 months after I'm strong as fuck (hopefully) and focus on stripping the fat away, is it possible to be ripped as hell AND fucking strong at the same time? At least not lose my strength that I gained while cutting?

Just for reference, I know this guy is a bodybuilder but this is more or less what I want a few years down the line. I also don't want to start an argument over BB'lders etc, this dude is natural at something like 185 or 190lbs. He's one of the most respected natural athletes out there. I'm not ignorant I've read all about him and he's philosophy on health etc.

Kelechi Opara

By the way Carlos. You have fucking tree trunks for legs man I checked out your training log. Jesus.

[Carlos Daniel]

It's ok to want to be ripped. Really. Some people might think it's silly, but who am I to argue about such things. But if you wanna be ripped, you gotta build a lot of muscle, otherwise you'll like you came out of Auschwitz, not out of the last Mr.Olympia.

Were I you, I'd do The Program as Rip intended, try to trim some excess fat by dieting for a month or two, while keeping the muscle and strength acquired during SS. Then, move on to a move bodybuilding oriented program, try to gain even more mass and when you get too fat, trim away for a while again.

There's one thing you HAVE to keep in mind. I've seen pictures of the guy, I know who he is, don't worry. Actually two things. People seem those huge, hulking bodybuilders on stage, or those models (not the skinny models, the bigger ones) and think they walk around that way year round and that they got that way by taking their vitamins and taking MuscleTech supplements. First thing to keep in mind is that those guy prepare themselves extensively for a photo shoot or a big contest. They will diet down significantly and they will do lots of water manipulation to look really ripped. Look around for pictures or Ronnie Coleman off-season, or any big bodybuilder off-season for that matter. They are fat. They are fat because they eat a whole fucking lot and that has the side effect of making them fat, but also fucking big. So, when you see a picture of those guys on a magazine cover, this is not how they look every day. Do not believe otherwise, it will skew your perspective and will set you up for unattainable goals.

Also, pretty much all those guys have about 5 times or more testosterone on their blood than you and it did not come from their balls. You understand where I'm going? I don't want to sound like I'm against steroids, they can take whatever they wanna take and I don't really care a whole lot about that. But it's important to know this. I'm not really confident that your guy is natural. Look at the top bodybuilder guys on the pre-steroid era. They did not look like Opara.

Being strong as fuck at 10% isn't really that easy. Some guys can pull it off, but most are stronger at 15%. And most will probably look better at 15% too. I don't know your motivations for being at 10% bf, but that what I set out for when I first started lifting. This changed very early on. Now I'm just happy to be big. I'm not really big yet, but I'm moving in that direction and it feels great to be bigger, even though I don't have abs. People look at me and respect me much more as I am now than if I was 25 lbs lighter with abs. No one really says I'm fat nowadays, they only tell me I'm bigger and that they wouldn't mess with me.

[Carlos Daniel]

profile.jpg

This is me at somewhere between 15 and 20% bf. I don't think I look fat and I don't think I'd be the first pick if someone wanted to start a fight with some random dude. Now, if I could wave the bodyfat fairy's magic wand, I'd probably do to 10%, even if just to see how I look. But I'm quite ok with how I look, to be honest. Well I just wish I was a little bigger, to be honest.

[Simma Park]

Thanks man. I have a link to some cheaper WL shoes. So far on that website they say you might have a problem when the sole wears off and then you'll have to have someone make you new one. Just save up for the more expensive shoes then or is this good enough?
http://wlshoes.com/review/wei-rui-wa...tlifting-shoe/

I would buy those shoes if I were in the market for a new pair. They look like a good deal. Hard rubber soles are easy to mend, but they're also pretty durable. Even a halfway decent pair of WL shoes will last a while, as long as you wear them as intended, i.e., only in the gym and only for lifting. They're not to be worn in the street or on the treadmill or for doing burpees or whatever these crazy kids do these days.

The more expensive shoes are a good investment if you just happen to have the cash to spend or are starting to get serious about competing in WL or something, but most people find that even a cheap lifting shoe is a huge improvement over a minimalist shoe or Chucks.

[Carlos Daniel]

Thanks man. I have a link to some cheaper WL shoes. So far on that website they say you might have a problem when the sole wears off and then you'll have to have someone make you new one. Just save up for the more expensive shoes then or is this good enough?
http://wlshoes.com/review/wei-rui-wa...tlifting-shoe/

Oh, and Spar is a chick. A fine one, by the way.

[Simma Park]

This is me at somewhere between 15 and 20% bf. I don't think I look fat and I don't think I'd be the first pick if someone wanted to start a fight with some random dude. Now, if I could wave the bodyfat fairy's magic wand, I'd probably do to 10%, even if just to see how I look. But I'm quite ok with how I look, to be honest. Well I just wish I was a little bigger, to be honest.

I'd like to propose a forum rule: No posting pics or video in your underwear unless you're at least as jacked as Carlos.