Why are squats so fucking hard!

[confuzzl3don3]

Before i deloaded and injured my back for a week or 2, i had hit a wall at 103kg squat. I probably weighed about 72-73kg then. 2-3 weeks later after deloading, switching up to a light (80% of monday's workset) workout on wednesday and weighing 75kg, i just did 103.5kg and got crushed pretty hard. Repped out a 4/5/4 pretty ugly set.

Squat 103.5kg for 4 reps
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43PdLoG2Krg

Squat 102.5kg for comparison, though they're pretty ugly too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-q18ElxobA

And after doing hangcleans for a few weeks, i've switched back to powercleans and hopefully have some improvement.

Powerclean 46kg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyoIKYeTzjk

I think i hit the thigh a bit too low, and also the first rep was a pretty bad rack. Anyone know how to fix it? I find that i usually get a bad rack when i don't think enough of shooting elbows up and more importantly i seem to have a tight grip on the bar. It's like i almost got to think of letting go of the bar while i'm jumping to get a good rack.

Thanks guys.

[Mr.City]

Does it feel like a good morning or like the bar is trying to bending you over on the way up?

[confuzzl3don3]

Yeah i feel like the bar is bending me over, and maybe the last rep or two seems like it's almost a good morning to me

[Mr.City]

Ah ha! You're head flopping. I did this when squat started to get real heavy. You're changing your perspective mid-squat when you look up, which is causing you too move the bar slighting forward of the mid-foot. Keep you eyes on the floor and don't close your eyes.

[Raskolnikov]

As far as the power cleans go, I think you'd benefit from staying over the bar longer. You lift your chest/open up your hips almost as soom as the bar leaves the ground. Maintain a constant back angle with your shoulders over the bar until the bar is well passes your knees, then jump.

[confuzzl3don3]

Ah ha! You're head flopping. I did this when squat started to get real heavy. You're changing your perspective mid-squat when you look up, which is causing you too move the bar slighting forward of the mid-foot. Keep you eyes on the floor and don't close your eyes.

I knew my head was changing position but i never knew that it'd make that much of a difference. I just feel that if i keep looking down my back would round and it's really difficult to keep chest up.

As far as the power cleans go, I think you'd benefit from staying over the bar longer. You lift your chest/open up your hips almost as soom as the bar leaves the ground. Maintain a constant back angle with your shoulders over the bar until the bar is well passes your knees, then jump.

I'll try that. The thing is when i get over the bar, i always end up catching the bar behind (i'm bending back). If i stay more behind, i seem to get a mroe vertical bar path. I don't know why.

[LondonTiger]

it may be psychological..

do quater squats with 140kg

and then do a 1rm with 110kg

that will make your current working weights easy

[gzt]

it may be psychological..

do quater squats with 140kg

and then do a 1rm with 110kg

that will make your current working weights easy

Maybe if he did rack pulls...

[misspelledgeoff]

here's a couple of things I've been working on that might help.

1) Intensity. Take a look at Justin's 455 squat video on 70's big. He's doing that for 5x5, but every rep goes up slow like one of my 1RM PRs. But he just fucking grinds it out. The takeaway is Know the squat is going to be fuck-all hard but commit to it and grind it out like your life depended on it. Take the set one rep at a time. Most times your body can do it but your brain tells you ' this shit is too heavy'. Tell your brain to STFU.

2) Heavy walkout right before your workset. Load the bar up with 30kg more than your workset. Get under it and walk it out. Stand there with it on your back for 5-10 seconds. Rack it and wait 2-3 minutes. Do your workset. By comparison your workset wont feel as heavy.

[JCavin]

2) Heavy walkout right before your workset. Load the bar up with 30kg more than your workset. Get under it and walk it out. Stand there with it on your back for 5-10 seconds. Rack it and wait 2-3 minutes. Do your workset. By comparison your workset wont feel as heavy.

That is an awesome idea. I'm definitely gonna try that out on a day that the shit feels heavy. Thanks!