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Thread: First rep blues

  1. #1
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    Feb 2020
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    Default First rep blues

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    Wonder if anyone has difficulty with the first rep of a squat set. The first rep feels so awkward, difficult and even painful in the lower back. Reps 2. - 5 feel smooth and easy. Doing heavier singles during the warm up are very difficult too. Like I mentioned it’s only the first rep then it’s smooth sailing. I have taken videos and my back angle is the same for all five reps- any suggestions?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
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    North Texas
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    Sounds like my entire workout. Learn to not care that it feels bad.

  3. #3
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    Feb 2020
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    Default You’re the Man Rip!!

    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Rippetoe View Post
    Sounds like my entire workout. Learn to not care that it feels bad.
    I will give that a try! Just gonna stop caring that it hurts- love it!!!

  4. #4
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    May 2010
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    Murphysboro, IL
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    Life often hurts. Lifting with the intention of expanding or trying to maintain your current level of strength is an intentional act that takes the individual past the baseline parameters of mere existence.

    So guess what? Your decision to accept and take up the challenge is likely to hurt or cause some hurt on you. Just wait until you get old, you'll discover just how frequently feeling hurt can be the black dog haunting your waking and sleeping hours when you train.

    Get used to it.

  5. #5
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    Feb 2020
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    Very well put Mark Hurling! You are so right. I want to be well beyond staving off death as Rip says or mere existence. I’m 60 with a lifetime of hard effort in multiple sports and training modalities. I was hoping for some technique or trick to fix me but perhaps I need to embrace the side effects of staying well above the baseline parameters as I age. There is always a price to be paid right? Guess I’m lucky because this is truly may be my first getting old moment. Thanks for the motivation!

  6. #6
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    You have survived every single thing you thought you wouldn't

  7. #7
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    Feb 2017
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    Glasgow, Scotland
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    You aren't alone! Been thinking about this recently funnily enough. My first rep of my squat set is awful, really slow descent, just feels terrible and a bad rep, then the groove is greased so to speak and the others feel more natural, while still strenuous. No idea what to do, I think it's pretty much all in my head. It's like with my power cleans, a certain weight is like a switch in my head, under that weight it feels great, hit a certain weight and I start to bottle reps and they just become high pulls. I'm mainly putting it down to inexperience, and the more experience and confidence I get with higher weights the less of an issue it will become.

    I hope.

  8. #8
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    Feb 2020
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    I feel ya Brianhunter! I’m strong mentally and get pretty fired up when it starts to get heavy but the body has other plans - Rips advice is the bomb! Damn the torpedos full speed ahead!!

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Location
    Provo, Utah
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    520

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    Quote Originally Posted by Geedubu View Post
    Wonder if anyone has difficulty with the first rep of a squat set. The first rep feels so awkward, difficult and even painful in the lower back. Reps 2. - 5 feel smooth and easy. Doing heavier singles during the warm up are very difficult too. Like I mentioned it’s only the first rep then it’s smooth sailing. I have taken videos and my back angle is the same for all five reps- any suggestions?
    The 1st rep is the only one that hurts??? Really? I thought all reps hurt, beginning with the empty bar and only ending when you thank the heavens the bar is finally back on the rack after the last set.

    Squats hurt.

    Bad news--it hurts worse to not squat.

    How old are you...19?

    David

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2018
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    7

    Default

    starting strength coach development program
    I'm 59, and the first of every movement carries with it some discomfort. But it's also the most rewarding because once I get started, there's no stopping me ;-)

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