sking's log

[Les Hahn]

Thanks for sharing the vids. I see a few things on both of the videos.

Setup: Not that bad, just make sure to stay a little more solid. I will post some vids of some of my raw benching heroes at the end (they work out at Ernie's in Chicago). Your legs are shifting around a little, so stay solid until you have to add some hip drive.

Elbow tuck: Your arms are flaring out in both videos, but the second one is more pronouced. Everyone has form breakdown at some point, but try to think about keeping them in. It doesn't need to look like a shirted bench, but when you flare out you are losing some power. I just think about the tuck, but some find it helpful to "rip the bar apart" or bend it. Make sure to squeeze the bar as hard as you can.

The bench itself and not having a spotter also are adding some difficulty it seems. The regulation bench press has a wider and longer bench on it. I have a hard time setting up on a small bench. It also looks the the padding in really compressing on it. When you get up, there is a big dent in the area where your upper back was positioned. Having a spotter will allow you to setup better (farther from the post and more solid). Make sure they hand it off right over your chest, not just off the rack. You don't want to swing it into position by yourself.

Ok, here are some benchers to look at (Father and Son). Ernie and Eric Lilliebridge: http://www.youtube.com/user/EricLill.../8/TMdB9iQ1jkg

Ernie (the dad) sets up more flat and doesn't use as much tuck. You will notice that he really doesn't flare out much at all. His son (Eric) sets up with a bigger arch and has a little more tuck. Both of these guys are phenomenal raw lifters. This video was from Ernie Frantz's new place. You are kind of in the middle with arch (so am I). Just keep working on solid form and speed off the bottom.

Paused reps, even just pausing for 1/4 second, has helped me time my hip drive much better. For the real low rep stuff (1's and 2's mainly) I try to get a small pause in there, unless I am going for a TNG PR or something. Low board work seems to help raw lifting too (1 and 2 boards). The higher ones are probably better for geared benching. You might be able to simulate those pressing off the power rack with a short pause.

Keep working at it, you are really strong. I like your shoes BTW! :-)

[sking1001]

I didn't even realize I was flaring like that. I'm still dealing with pain in my left shoulder, and I assume that's what caused it, but not 100% sure. I ice it regularly, but I'm not sure if it's healing. So I will especially work on keeping my elbows tucked. It's funny how I don't even notice it that much until someone else points it out. It's especially obvious when I compare to the Lillibridges.

I'm not sure what I'm going to do about a spotter. I can usually get someone random that happens to be there, even if it is a gym employee, but when someone doesn't really know what they're doing, it can effect me quite a bit mentally. I suppose I'll just have to be more instructive to them. I also need 3-5 minutes rest between sets when it gets heavy, so I'll just have to tell them that I'll come get them when it's time again. Like I said, on Monday, I'm going to try the half rack, and maybe I can keep tight enough without a hand off there. However, the bench will be even worse. I'll just have to experiment with different scenarios.

I'm looking forward to Monday now, because I'm really going to focus on getting my elbow tucked better and keeping my legs solid until I add the drive. I'll be thinking about ripping the bar apart. I haven't actually used that cue much.

Thanks for the encouragement. I really needed it.

....and Do-Wins FTW! :-)

[sking1001]

Madcow Intermediate Week 7

The only thing that I feel better about on the bench is that I like my setup a little better, as I am now using the half rack in the gym, so I can setup closer to the posts without hitting any pins (because there are none), which kind of eliminates the need for a hand-off. The safety rails are at the perfect height so I don't need a spotter, and the bench really isn't any worse than the other bench I was using. That said, I still feel like a pussy, because I actually got one rep less than last week, and now I'm set back yet another week, putting my 295x5 goal out at week 14.

Squat (PR)
160x5, 200x5, 240x5, 280x5, 320x5
Upon review, the work set reps were a little high as opposed to the triples on Friday, which were deep. I'll be keeping an eye on this.

Bench (STALL)
130x5, 160x5, 190x5, 225x5, 255x2
Even though I am a weak little girl, I feel good about keeping my elbows tucked. That worked out quite nicely. (Thanks Callador :-) I still need to work on keeping my legs tight until it's time to drive off an ever-so-slight pause at the bottom. I also need to use the "tear the bar apart" cue. I forgot.

Power Clean
75x5, 90x5, 110x5, 125x5, 145x5
Now that I am working on making contact with my legs, I feel like I am starting over on power cleans. I can do them just fine the old way, but in the pursuit of perfect technique, frustration levels are high again. You know, I feel like I don't have the energy for a fast lift after squat and bench. Now that I am trying to find a new groove, I may have to take a bit more of a reset.

Weighted Hypers
45x15x2

Weighted Sit-ups
45x10x4

[sking1001]

I'm not sure how diligent I will be with this, but I'm going to start logging all the food I eat each day as well:

[sking1001]

[sking1001]

[sking1001]

[sking1001]

[sking1001]

Madcow Intermediate Week 7

I had a meeting this afternoon, so I had to train earlier than usual today and was afraid it was really going to throw me off, but it turned out nicely. However, the volume on deadlifts is killer! I barely had any gas in the tank for the working set but managed to squeeze it out. I had thoughts of dropping some of the warm-up sets, but I'm no programming expert, so I don't want to mess with the program as outlined by Starr. Any thoughts on this?

Squat (light)
160x5, 200x5, 240x5x2

Press
100x5, 120x5, 140x5, 160x5
Hard, but easier than last week.

Deadlift (PR) - Video
245x5, 295x5, 345x5, 395x5
Any input on the video is welcome. My back feels fine, but does my technique suck?

Weighted Pull-ups - Video
+75x2 - Just messing around here. I didn't get full ROM, so I changed to chin-ups.
I weigh 175, so +75=250

Weighted Chin-ups - Video
+75x3 - Pretty much got it :/

In the evenings, I'm going to start appending my food log to the end of my training posts.

Food Log:

[Oldster]

My back feels fine, but does my technique suck?

Yes. IMHO, anyway!

You need to work at keeping your upper back a little more retracted, as you fatigue it starts to round. Your grip will then become an issue.

Also, and keep in mind that I am a 'squatting' deadlifter, the first thing that moves before the bar is your hips, a no no. Watch the video and see that instead of working hard at staying tight and pressing your feet through the floor your hips shoot upward and then you pull it with your low back only. On a couple reps your knees were locked out well before the bar passed your knees. The bar should seldom if ever sway back and forth at lockout. That is bad news for the low back.

Same thing with your squat PR. Your butt jumps up into the air first off and then you pull with your back. You will handle a bit more weight in the short term, but long term........ not good! Like I've always told my partners over the years (remember, my strength is squatting), trust your legs. Your quads WILL do their job if given a chance and the weight isn't thrust onto your low back.

The bench. I echo everything Callador said. The 220x5 and 255x3 were exactly as he said. Less elbow flair is a must. Quit moving your feet around. Also, power the weight DOWN. One of the most important things I had to learn over the years was to pull the weight down to my chest properly. Especially as you tire, the bar starts dropping downward. Believe it or not, if you learn to pull the bar down it winds you up somewhat like a spring. It also makes pausing much easier. The 275x1 PR was painful to watch. I swear I felt my rotators cringing as I watched! Your elbows flaired out so far that your shoulders and rotators did most all the work. And there was a huge freefall when bringing the bar down. Bad bad bad! When pressing the bar back upward after winding up like a spring on the way down, at the sticking point the elbows should rotate inward to maximize the power from your triceps.

Let me give you the bad news first! heh! You have weak triceps. Period. It really is that simple. To build a better bench, and Callador may disagree with this, IMO you need to bring your grip in about 2" on each side. That will force you to lower the bar lower on your chest which in turn 'helps' keep the elbows in. I'm a huge believer in pressing the bar upward with tricep power. I want my triceps to perform the majority of the work, followed by my back (you have a great benching back) followed by chest and then shoulders. I realize that all the former work togather to raise the bar but triceps should be the main engine assisted by the others. Triceps can take an amazing amount of pounding and keep growing and getting stronger and are seldom injured. Shoulders and rotators are easily injured.

Add some close grip work (16" between thumbs). More benching per week. Add some close grips. Add some sets. More close grip work. Did I mention close grip work? Because you should add some.......!

But man, I sure wisht I could arch like you do though!

Now for the good news. There is NO WAY you are 39 years old! I thought (without reading your opening post) that you were a teenager or in your early 20's at the most. That goatee shaves a whole lot of years off you. Pun intended.