Can you take a look at my Squat and Press, please? Also, My lower back is no good.

[lionheartck]

(Sorry if this already posted, the other one timed out.)

I herniated my L5/S1 during powercleans in October, diagnosed in January (and found out I have scoliosis), and worked back up to heave weights since then. Most of my sciatic pain is gone, but my lower back is achey all the time. The pain is around the base of my erectors mostly.

Squat Form 315lbs 4th and 5th set of 5. I think I lean forward too much and it screws up my depth and makes my back hurt:

http://youtu.be/RJEFZsNUguE
http://youtu.be/ygBE1Cw4iXI

Press Form 150lbs 2nd and 3rd set of 3. I twist at the top and my right arm goes back too much. From the back, I'd like to know if my hands are too close together. I noticed my forearms aren't vertical. Of course, I might just need to be told to make them more vertical:

http://youtu.be/w7jxL7FItYM
http://youtu.be/7D4pPmpPl5M

I'm doing TM right now on a 4 day split.

Monday:
Squat 5x5
Press 2x3
Chins/pullups 10x3

Tuesday:
Deadlift 5x1
Bench 5x5
Lying Tricep Extensions

Thursday:
Press 6x3
Squat 5x1
Weighted chins/pullups 5x3

Friday:
Bench 5x1
PowerCleans 3x5
Curlz

Do I have too much volume packed into a week and it's making my erectors grumpy?

Thanks for your help!

[Mac Ward]

Squat, I only watched the second video. You need to shove your knees out hard. They continue to drift forward all the way down, and then find their position about 2/3 of the way up.

KNEES OUT. TUBOW may help you.

Press: Hips forward, not chest back. Bar is way out in front of you. AIM FOR YOUR NOSE.

As for the program...wow.

You're doing some pressing movement 4 times a week, your deadlift is on a day you should be recovering, your squat ID is too close to your squat VD to properly recovery IMO, I don't think you need Lying Tricep extensions, or curlz, and I don't know that I think your weights are going to move unless you rest when you are supposed to rest, and stick to the main lifts.

I think you knew that though.

My recommendation,

1) Do the program as it is written.
2) Shove your knees out in the squat.
3) Keep the bar close to your face as you push your hips forward vice moving your shoulders back on the press.

Your "erectors are tired" because you don't ever give anything a chance to fully recover.

[lionheartck]

Squat, I only watched the second video. You need to shove your knees out hard. They continue to drift forward all the way down, and then find their position about 2/3 of the way up.

KNEES OUT. TUBOW may help you.

Press: Hips forward, not chest back. Bar is way out in front of you. AIM FOR YOUR NOSE.

As for the program...wow.

You're doing some pressing movement 4 times a week, your deadlift is on a day you should be recovering, your squat ID is too close to your squat VD to properly recovery IMO, I don't think you need Lying Tricep extensions, or curlz, and I don't know that I think your weights are going to move unless you rest when you are supposed to rest, and stick to the main lifts.

I think you knew that though.

My recommendation,

1) Do the program as it is written.
2) Shove your knees out in the squat.
3) Keep the bar close to your face as you push your hips forward vice moving your shoulders back on the press.

Your "erectors are tired" because you don't ever give anything a chance to fully recover.

Thanks Mac!!

I wanted to switch to a 4-day TM-like program, because I don't always have the time for volume day so I was looking to split it up.

I found the 4 day TM here: http://startingstrength.com/resource...t=28434&page=1

He said Rip gave it to him and he ran it over 9 days with a prowler day, which would help my recovery. Is there another more recommended 4 day setup that is close to TM?

I'll work on using more hips and less back in the press. I will also get my knees out hard.

Is my grip width good for the press?

[Mac Ward]

I can't watch videos in my current location, I will check your grip width later and post back

I checked the thread. Yes, Rip recommended a 4 day split for that guy, but no, it is not what you posted above.

Dude, if you want to do it, go for it. I told you what I think of it, and you told me that Rip gave someone else a DIFFERENT 4 day program.

For the record I hate TM. I know how to program it, but it is my last choice for folks. I have a guy in my gym that is having great success with it, and our very own Wolf has had superhuman growth on it.

That being said, I will say the same thing I have said in the past. You were doing a program that you are less than pleased with for results. You asked for an opinion. You get a response and state that so and so is doing a different program - that Rip recommended for him (and you are not doing).

You have my opinion, you are doing too much on a less than optimum setup and getting less than optimal results.

Do as you will.

I'll check back when able on grip width In a few hours, sorry for the delay.

[lionheartck]

I can't watch videos in my current location, I will check your grip width later and post back

I checked the thread. Yes, Rip recommended a 4 day split for that guy, but no, it is not what you posted above.

Dude, if you want to do it, go for it. I told you what I think of it, and you told me that Rip gave someone else a DIFFERENT 4 day program.

For the record I hate TM. I know how to program it, but it is my last choice for folks. I have a guy in my gym that is having great success with it, and our very own Wolf has had superhuman growth on it.

That being said, I will say the same thing I have said in the past. You were doing a program that you are less than pleased with for results. You asked for an opinion. You get a response and state that so and so is doing a different program - that Rip recommended for him (and you are not doing).

You have my opinion, you are doing too much on a less than optimum setup and getting less than optimal results.

Do as you will.

I'll check back when able on grip width In a few hours, sorry for the delay.

Mac, I'm not trying to be an ingrateful shit. If I've come across that way, it's my fault. I appreciate the time you've taken to reply to my thread and help me sort out my program and lifts. I didn't post the source of my routine to fight you on it, I just didn't want you to think I pulled it out of my butt. I'm going to pull the tricep extensions and curls out, in the very least because you are right and I'm not doing the program as written.

I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on TM, and why you don't like it. I only chose TM because I read PPST and the biggest thing I learned is that I don't have enough experience lifting to make an intermediate program. TM was a known logical next step. If you can suggest a different program, that would be great. My goal is still strength, and I will take any help you can offer and run it as written. (I solemnly swear not to add silly bullshit and then tell you it isn't working.)

Current lifts, if it is helpful:
Squat 345
Deadlift 375
Press 150
Bench 210
PowerClean 180

[Mac Ward]

Grip width might be a touch narrow, move it out one finger.

Are your lifts for 5's or singles?

To your TM question, I'm old. 45 years old and I don't have the ability to spend 2+ hours in the gym on Monday to do 5x5 squats, 5x5 bench/press, and 1x5 DL. I dreaded going to the gym, and I was broken.

You can't be a pussy and do TM, and I'm a pussy.

TM allows weekly growth, and that's the benefit. If you can recover and have the time, it's a great program, don't get me wrong, I'm just a pussy. Wolf is not, I am.

I think your lifts are a little light for intermediate programming, I suspect there is more LP with a light Wednesday, particularly in the upper body lifts. Not every lift has to move to TM programming, you could leave the upper body stuff on the LP and move squats to TM if advanced LP is too much.

To be fair, I would need to see your form on a heavy set of 5 in each of the lifts to know. But there is MORE MORE MORE in you squat and press without trying to suck start a pistol on Monday's with TM IMHO just in working form.

[lionheartck]

Grip width might be a touch narrow, move it out one finger.

Are your lifts for 5's or singles?

To your TM question, I'm old. 45 years old and I don't have the ability to spend 2+ hours in the gym on Monday to do 5x5 squats, 5x5 bench/press, and 1x5 DL. I dreaded going to the gym, and I was broken.

You can't be a pussy and do TM, and I'm a pussy.

TM allows weekly growth, and that's the benefit. If you can recover and have the time, it's a great program, don't get me wrong, I'm just a pussy. Wolf is not, I am.

I think your lifts are a little light for intermediate programming, I suspect there is more LP with a light Wednesday, particularly in the upper body lifts. Not every lift has to move to TM programming, you could leave the upper body stuff on the LP and move squats to TM if advanced LP is too much.

To be fair, I would need to see your form on a heavy set of 5 in each of the lifts to know. But there is MORE MORE MORE in you squat and press without trying to suck start a pistol on Monday's with TM IMHO just in working form.

All lifts are sets of 5.

I did TM strictly for about a month. I had a hard time keeping everything together to deadlift at the end, I think you may have just helped me realize that I'm a pussy.

I agree that my upper body lifts aren't at intermediate. I will collect a heavy set of each lift and post it with my next update.

Is this the type of hybrid you're talking about?

Monday:
Squat 5x5
BP/Press 5x3
Deadlift 5x1
chins/pullups 10x3

Wednesday:
Squat 5x2 (80% of Monday)
Press 5x2 (80% Monday)

Friday:
Squat 5x1
BP/press 5x3
Powerclean 3x5
weighted chins/pullups

[Mac Ward]

Something like that would be a pretty good start, though I would keep Wednesday at 3x5 on the pressing movements until you can't. I would likely make the chins 2x8, adding weight, and I would keep them on Wednesday, and Friday 2x10 unweighted...but that is because I hate MONDAYS on TM and I'm a pussy.

Last thing...we write sets x reps, you're all backwards.

SOME will disagree, but they are as wrong as donuts without jelly.

[lionheartck]

Something like that would be a pretty good start, though I would keep Wednesday at 3x5 on the pressing movements until you can't. I would likely make the chins 2x8, adding weight, and I would keep them on Wednesday, and Friday 2x10 unweighted...but that is because I hate MONDAYS on TM and I'm a pussy.

Last thing...we write sets x reps, you're all backwards.

SOME will disagree, but they are as wrong as donuts without jelly.

It's funny because I couldn't remember what the convention on this board was for sets/reps. I rewrote my original post a couple of times trying to decide. I will write the more natural sets x reps from now on.

Here is my first round of heavy sets. Thanks again for all your help so far, I think I made some improvements.

I convinced my knees to hold still sooner in the squat, and voila I have depth again. I was pretty happy with the way this set turned out afterward, it was much easier than the constant struggle that I posted before:

Squat 345 1x5 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLNPFT6LRTE

I widened my grip for the press the finger-width you suggested, and everything seemed to line up under the bar a lot better. The movement felt a lot tighter. I don't think I have my hip/back problems under control though:

Press 135 6x3 (last set): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6tHm8gyc8c

Thanks again Mac, your suggestions have been a big help so far!

[Mac Ward]

Nice job on both.

Squat - keep driving the hips through the entire rep.
Press - bar gets a little out in front toward the end of the set.