Deludeddrummer SS log (advice appreciated):

[deludeddrummer]

deludeddrummer, I'm doing something similar to you with similar weights where I back up to something comfortable and learn low bar form. What I'm figuring out is that with low-bar there's maybe not than much room between proper depth and so low that lumbar rounding is inevitable-- there is only one proper squat depth with this style. Much different than something like a front squat which you can use to mop the floor with your ass.

I hadn't thought of that. What depth have you found works best? The deepest it feels natural for me is hip crease a little lower than my knees.

[deludeddrummer]

BW: 207.6 lbs

06/07/2017:
1 Squat 265 5
2 Squat 280 5
1 Squat 275 5
1 Deadlift 295 0
1 Deadlift 245 0
1 Deadlift 245 1
1 Deadlift 275 5

Today was weird and frustrating. Form was good, not perfect. Got stuck halfway through the 280 squat. The way it happened struck me as strange. My bar speed was pretty fast and I wasn't straining. My legs just stopped listening to me a few inches from the top and then fear of getting crushed under 280 lbs got them moving again. Maybe it's a neurological thing. I don't know much about that part of lifting. Backed down to 275 for the last set.

Same thing happened during my deadlift. Couldn't even lift 295 or 245. Then I tried again a few minutes later and could do it easily. Wanted to do some more. But my back was cramping, so I called it a day. Pretty damn frustrating. I'll just make sure I recover well and put the energy towards Friday's training.

[deludeddrummer]

Back pain is getting a little too severe to ignore. Gun to my head, it's probably a minor-moderate strain. Was worried last night about a light bruise covering my entire lumbar area. Thought it might be major muscle tearing, but I probably just wore my weight belt too tight/low. I think I need to change something about how I'm recovering.

Definitely going to apply ice periodically and maybe some heat over the weekend. Also planning on doing stretches and really light lifts everyday from today until Monday to keep blood flowing in the area. I just need to carry my sorry ass another two weeks until I go on vacation.

[deludeddrummer]

Rehab over Weekend:

6/08/17:
Romanian DL: 3x25x65lbs
LB Squat: 3x25x85lbs

6/09/17:
Romanian DL: 3x25x75lbs
LB Squat: 3x20x115lbs
Bench Press: 3x5x175lbs

6/10/17:
Romanian DL: 3x25x85lbs
LB Squat: 3x25x125lbs

Notes: Back feels a whole lot better. There's still a little pain when I bend over, but it's very dull and fuzzy. So I'll continue with the progression today while keeping a close watch on my form. Will try to take some videos for form check.

[deludeddrummer]

BW: 206.6 lbs Lost a little weight, might try eating a little more over weekends.

6/12/17:
LB Squat:
1x5x245 lb
1x5x255 lb
1x4x265 lb
1x5x270 lb
1x5x275 lb

Overhead Press:
3x5x110 lb

Deadlift:
1x25x45 lb
1x10x95 lb
1x7x135 lb
1x6x155 lb

Notes: Great squat form. I think I've finally got the hang of it. Nearly no back pain while during the squats. Though I did feel prickling sensations a few times. Still progressing well with squat. Definitely could have done 285, but I didn't want to perform a little surprise goodmorning and blow my rehab efforts.

Overhead press is still low, but I'm making progress.

Deadlifts were alright, I think my stance is too wide. That might be what's been causing me problems. A little burning in my back, but it was the good kind. Feels similar to when I was rehabbing a strained quad. I'll continue increasing the weight slowly until next week. And I'll continue doing 1-2 sets of really light deadlifts on off days to keep the blood flowing through it. Also icing back for 2 20 minute sessions after every workout.

[deludeddrummer]

BW: 202.9 lbs Don't know what the heck happened. maybe I was dehydrated?

6/12/17:
LB Squat:
1x8x45 lb
1x6x135 lb
1x5x185 lb
1x5x225 lb
1x5x245 lb
1x4x265 lb
1x3x275 lb
1x1x280 lb
2x5x285 lb PR
1x5x275 lb
1x5x245 lb

Flat Bench Press:
2x5x185 lb PR
1x5x175 lb

Deadlift:
1x7x135 lb
2x4x155 lb Booooo

Notes: So a little disappointed despite the two PRs. If you can even call them that. Well, the bench is a real PR, but the depth on my squats was pretty bad (I have videos of them so I'll post them later). I have video of the deadlifts as well. Not great in my opinion. I have a long torso and I'm having trouble finding a comfortable starting position.

[deludeddrummer]

Here's a video of my 285 squat. This is the first video I took. I tried to get more depth than the previous set, but I'm still not quite parallel. Don't mind the constipated look on my face...I do that everytime...




I took this video after I finished my work sets. I'm pretty tuckered out. I drew lines on the floor to make sure my feet were angled out enough. Which helped because I could fit my belly in between my legs. I'm think I'm making good depth for the first three. But in the 4th rep I tried to go a little deeper. I end up butt winking and have to do a good morning to straighten my back.



I think tight and weak hamstrings are the likely culprit. I can squat 245 ass to grass and my bar speed is pretty consistent, but whenever I stop between parallel and ATG my butt winks. It looks like my hamstrings are too weak to work with my glutes at the bottom and I end up compensating with my back. I'm just a novice though, so if anyone has any ideas to improve my form let me know.

Also considering doing a few sessions with an SS coach.

[deludeddrummer]

Here are two deadlifts I did. Both are with 155 lbs. In both videos I rock backwards onto my heels. I think it's mostly because I overestimated the weight. I fix it in the next rep. Otherwise, my form looks alright to me. But if any of you see something and feel like giving a noobie some tips, I'm all ears.

After looking at this one for a while it doesn't look too bad to me. Besides the first rep where I put too much weight behind the bar.



My belt looks like it keeps slipping down my beer/whole-milk gut. If this could hurt my back please let me know, because it happens all the time. It feels fine, but I can see how the belt compressing at an angle could be detrimental to my back. The belt also made it difficult to get more weight in front of the bar without rounding my back. That might not be much of an issue at higher weights though.

[chrisd]

Your squat at 285 is twelve inches high, at 245 depth is questionable. ATG is not part of the program. Full depth is the deepest position attainable with correct posture and without surgical alteration. Going lower than this requires lumbar rounding to maintain balance and the lower back muscles will need to pull the spine straight under a dynamic load, result, torn lower back muscles.

Your deadlift set up is wrong. Leaning back holding the bar may break it off the floor, but you can't raise it further with your shoulders in that position (behind the bar). Raising your hips from this position (which you will have to) risks lumbar rounding and back pain.

1) Stand with midpoint of feet under bar, approx one inch from shins
2) With straight legs, bend down and grip the bar DO NOT MOVE THE BAR
3) Bring shins to bar, DO NOT MOVE THE BAR
4) Put spine in neutral alignment DO NOT LOWER THE HIPS, DO NOT MOVE THE BAR
5) Valsalva, get tight, take the slack out of the bar.

Now stand up.

There is no point to that belt for a 155lb deadlift.

[deludeddrummer]

Hey Chris,

Your squat at 285 is twelve inches high, at 245 depth is questionable. ATG is not part of the program. Full depth is the deepest position attainable with correct posture and without surgical alteration. Going lower than this requires lumbar rounding to maintain balance and the lower back muscles will need to pull the spine straight under a dynamic load, result, torn lower back muscles.

Thanks for the advice! I understand that my squat depth is way to high, my question is how do I get it lower without rounding my lower back. Is the problem that I'm weak? Are my hamstrings unable to contribute at the bottom? Am I not flexible enough? Once I watched the 285 video and saw that my depth was crap I did the 245 set aiming for the deepest set I could do without my hips moving forward (It happened in the 4th rep). Is that proper depth or do I need to change something?

1) Stand with midpoint of feet under bar, approx one inch from shins
2) With straight legs, bend down and grip the bar DO NOT MOVE THE BAR
3) Bring shins to bar, DO NOT MOVE THE BAR
4) Put spine in neutral alignment DO NOT LOWER THE HIPS, DO NOT MOVE THE BAR
5) Valsalva, get tight, take the slack out of the bar.

This is what I've been trying since the beginning, but around a week ago I changed something and my form broke down. Or maybe it's always been shit and it took straining my back to realize it. Clearly I'm making a mistake somewhere along the line. I'll go through it again slowly today and try to figure it out.

There is no point to that belt for a 155lb deadlift.

Hahaha, yeah. It made my back injury feel safe, like a security blanket. I realized it wasn't doing anything, so I took it off after the first set

Thanks again for the advice. If you feel like giving me suggestions on how I can get deeper in my squat, I would appreciate it!