Wolf's Log: From Cub to Direwolf

[djl236]

I low bar squat very very deep. A couple months ago, there was a thread on here about low bar squats and going too deep and my squat was the thread example. I ended up asking Steel, who trains me, if I should cut depth. His response was no fucking way because my squat is badass deep like a fucking Bulgarian and it'll go to shit if I change it now. So my two cents would be leave your depth alone. Your squat looks good dude.

[djl236]

Wolf, I wish I had your shoulder flexibility. Everyone--That's how you hold the bar for a squat!

Ditto.

I was going pretty narrow (for me, ring finger on the bar ring mark) up until a few weeks ago. Elbow tendinitis started up again and I've had to widen my grip a little bit.

[Michael Wolf]

Socks.

Do they look familiar? Do they remind you of Brooklyn Local 1 beer and Brisket Moist?

Wolf, I wish I had your shoulder flexibility. Everyone--That's how you hold the bar for a squat!

Ditto.
I was going pretty narrow (for me, ring finger on the bar ring mark) up until a few weeks ago. Elbow tendinitis started up again and I've had to widen my grip a little bit.

Thanks Kong. And I wish I had your bench press! Don't get too comfortable though, I might sneak up on you!
DJ - I had a bout of tendinitis in the spring, in the months leading up to the meet I did in May. I worked through it, but after the meet did high-bar squats exclusively for about 3 weeks to let it heal - and it went away completely. I think I may have written this at the time, but my take on it is that a properly positioned low bar squat doesn't put undue stress on the elbow and surrounding muscles/tendons, but it does put some small amount. This amount won't cause any problems if done right, but if you've already got a problem, it is enough stress that it prevents healing.
Is the wider grip working for you to alleviate the stress and allow recovery?

I low bar squat very very deep. A couple months ago, there was a thread on here about low bar squats and going too deep and my squat was the thread example. I ended up asking Steel, who trains me, if I should cut depth. His response was no fucking way because my squat is badass deep like a fucking Bulgarian and it'll go to shit if I change it now. So my two cents would be leave your depth alone. Your squat looks good dude.

Haha, yes, I do kind of like the fact that I'm low-bar squatting almost as deep as I high bar, and without losing lumbar extension. I have "buttwink" but as Rip has pointed out so many times, in the absence of lumbar flexion, who cares? It's good to hear Steel's opinion on the subject as he's obviously one of the best. I haven't asked Rip, but I'm 100% sure he'd tell me to cut the depth. My inclination is to try to cut the depth as Rip would say, but I'm not going to go crazy over it or stress about it. If I notice it screwing with my squat in any other way, I'll drop it, and if I'm still going lower than an inch below, it won't be the biggest deal. But I think I owe it a try.

[Michael Wolf]

Due to this week's wiggidy wack schedule, today was Press, Chins, Sprints. I always do my sprints after at least squatting, and sometimes squatting and deadlifting or cleaning first. But this time I squatted and DL'd yesterday, so not only did I need more time to warm up, but I was a bit fatigued in the "day after" type way, which is worse than the "just lifted" type of way if you want to work on conditioning rather than top speed. But shit still got done.

Did a quick foam roll and mob.

Press
45x5x2, 95x5, 125x3, 150x2, 175x5x3
Last rep of set #3 was a bit tough but not bad. Rested 3-3.5 minutes between sets.

Chins
10, 10, 9 - on the stupid angle things

Sprints
Did more walking and jogging (yuck) warm up than usual, and started slower because my legs were a bit stiff from yesterday's squatting and DLing, and hadn't done anything yet today. Walked to jog 0.4 miles (instead of the usual 0.25), and then did:
200m run/1:30 walk @ 7.2, 7.7, 8.3, 8.7, 9.0, 9.1, 9.2, 9.4
Then a single 400m @ 8.0, till the last fifth, I speeded up to 8.5 to finish the damn thing.

These were easier than expected. Even if these are pretty slow speeds for such short distances, another example showing that conditioning really does come back fast.

[djl236]

Do they look familiar? Do they remind you of Brooklyn Local 1 beer and Brisket Moist?




Thanks Kong. And I wish I had your bench press! Don't get too comfortable though, I might sneak up on you!
DJ - I had a bout of tendinitis in the spring, in the months leading up to the meet I did in May. I worked through it, but after the meet did high-bar squats exclusively for about 3 weeks to let it heal - and it went away completely. I think I may have written this at the time, but my take on it is that a properly positioned low bar squat doesn't put undue stress on the elbow and surrounding muscles/tendons, but it does put some small amount. This amount won't cause any problems if done right, but if you've already got a problem, it is enough stress that it prevents healing.
Is the wider grip working for you to alleviate the stress and allow recovery?



Haha, yes, I do kind of like the fact that I'm low-bar squatting almost as deep as I high bar, and without losing lumbar extension. I have "buttwink" but as Rip has pointed out so many times, in the absence of lumbar flexion, who cares? It's good to hear Steel's opinion on the subject as he's obviously one of the best. I haven't asked Rip, but I'm 100% sure he'd tell me to cut the depth. My inclination is to try to cut the depth as Rip would say, but I'm not going to go crazy over it or stress about it. If I notice it screwing with my squat in any other way, I'll drop it, and if I'm still going lower than an inch below, it won't be the biggest deal. But I think I owe it a try.

I normally don't get the tendinitis from squatting. When I had it in the early spring, it was from bench rack lockouts. I just got it again recently from squatting though and it was because Steel gave me a gruesome squat workout which I stubbornly finished, but some form breakdowns occurred and I'm positive that's what did it. It is feeling better, but I'll have to work my grip back in again slowly, like last time. My shoulders aren't the most flexible either. Not as bad as some, but could be better, for sure.


Rip saw my video in the thread they had going and said he'd have me cut my depth a bit but that my back looked safe and the minor "buttwink" wasn't much of an issue. Good luck with getting the depth where you want it, but your squat does look good now. Damn good.

[Dwayne_KONG_Wint]

Thanks Kong. And I wish I had your bench press! Don't get too comfortable though, I might sneak up on you!

Not comfortable...just patient : )

You have a very good looking squat...I wouldn't change it.

[Michael Wolf]

Had to lift early today (9am start, on a Saturday no less) due to schedule, and without breakfast - just a protein shake with milk, strawberries, and peanut butter, so at least got some carbs and fat in too - but got it in, and met another lifter at the globo. Good stuff.

Squats
45x5x2, 135x5, 200x3, 265x2, 325x1, 380x5x3 - LP PR!!! FINALLY!! Along the lines of what Mac and I discussed a couple months back, I don't know if this qualifies as a real PR, since I've done up to 440 at a meet for a single, 435 for 3 singles, 420 for 3 doubles, 405x3x3 etc... BUT this was the most I've done for 3 sets of 5 on an LP. It was big for me because I never got to finish my true LP in the squat, having had a meet, a de-load after the meet, and then when I worked my way back up to 375x5x3, got sick. So it felt great to get past this. I don't know how much more LP I have in me for squats (advanced novice, obviously, no way I'm adding 3x/week anymore), but hopefully I can get to 405x5x3. And getting further than Stonerider/Berryman/Squatsocks/Asshole is also motivation - anyone know exactly how far he got??

Anyway, first set was slow as hell and didn't feel good. The next two were bang-bang. Had the bounce and the pop and the snap. Rested ~5 mins between sets.

Bench Press
45x5, 135x5, 185x3, 225x2, 275x5x3
Had a decent hand-off, which always helps. Last rep of set #2 was the hardest, set 3 was easier. Rested 3-4 mins between sets.

Power Cleans
Worked in with the new lifting guy, who was finishing his PCs and moving on to his 5/3/1 deadlifts.
155x3, 175x3, 215x3 (forgot the first plate was a 25kg, so thought I was jumping to 195 -oops!), 225x3,2,3 - 2nd set I missed the 2nd rep. Didn't even jump. Just deadlifted it and knew I didn't have it. Haha, fail.

Sprints
200m/1:30 walk x 6 @ 7.5, 8.1, 8.7, 9.1, 9.3, 9.4

Then saw an acquaintance who teaches group fitness classes who tried to convince me to do steady state cardio regularly cause it's good for my heart. I politely declined.

[Michele Knaub]

nice work on that PR

[Rob Israel]

bounce, pop and the snap?

Sweet.

[Michael Wolf]

bounce, pop and the snap?

Sweet.

I should have gone with Snap, Krackle, and Pop!


Or better yet...