Good Morning from Portland

[Ian Kovtunovich]

Ahoy,

I was squatting last night (PR attempt at 335; I got 5, 5, 4), and had a couple reps get pretty good-morning'd. It happened a bit on the last rep of the first set, but I just ground it out. I noted that it seemed to happen as my knees moved back. Second set started OK, then the second-to-last rep went GM, and I tried to not let my knees move back as soon, and the last rep was a bit better. Third set was pretty rugged, and the fourth rep was catastrophically GM'd, and when I hit bottom for the 5th rep, I had nothing left and just set it on the pins.

I think the GM results from not enough chest-up, so that the legs fully straighten before the chest is high enough. Is that about right? In which case my "slow knees" self-cue was really getting me to not stand up as fast until my chest could catch up. In any case, it was heavy for me, and as you have noted, my attention span was a little short under the bar, and felt like I was working overtime holding various aspects of form together.

Do you have any cues or sage advice for avoiding the dreaded GM?

[Mark Rippetoe]

Back angle is always anchored by the hamstrings. If the GM was a back-angle issue, there you go. If you rounded off at the thoracic, it is spinal. I can't see from here.

[LaHabra]

I understand how the hamstrings anchor the back angle during the deadlift but I do not get that same feeling while I squat. I sometimes have the same problem Ian is having. Mainly on the last 2-3 reps of heavy squats. I have focused on getting my knees out over my toes a little more and breaking at the hips first but still sometimes it happens. Any cues or things I should focus on would be helpful.

Chest up!!! is not working.

[Mark Rippetoe]

The best cue for the informed person -- one who understands the role of the hamstrings in anchoring the back angle -- is to squeeze the hamstrings on the way down very hard. Tighten everything up behind your knees and hips as hard as you can before the descent, and then think about keeping it tight as hell into and out of the bottom.

[Ian Kovtunovich]

The best cue for the informed person -- one who understands the role of the hamstrings in anchoring the back angle -- is to squeeze the hamstrings on the way down very hard. Tighten everything up behind your knees and hips as hard as you can before the descent, and then think about keeping it tight as hell into and out of the bottom.

Thank you for that, even though it was in reply to the other feller's query.

PS - Thoroughly enjoying PPST2 so far. I have taken in a shitload of new information so far, although it will probably take a couple re-readings to say I have learned it. I am currently storing glycogen for conversion to ATP when I bench later this evening.