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Thread: The Journey: Round Backs in Power Racks

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Norway
    Posts
    65

    Default The Journey: Round Backs in Power Racks

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    Long story long: 8 months ago I joined my local gym. I trained just for the "fun" for the first 4 months, until I realized I had stalled and didn't make any more progress on just doing random stuff mindlessly. I thought a lot about what I should do next and decided I wanted to be strong rather than to be a bodybuilder. In this period my bench went up less than 10kg, while my bodyweight didn't go up a pound, 176 lbs at 6'4.5"...

    One day I found Dave Tate's bench press cure video, and I found him both funny and interesting, so I kept watching his videos on youtube and after a while I found the 5/3/1 program on t-nation.

    Decided to give it a shot, and I did make progress. I liked the program, and I started making progress again. But then, just before finishing my 3rd cycle I thought "Damn I gotta do something about my squat". The last squat session I squatted 75kg for five. And that was definatley max effort.

    And so on I went looking for a program that included more squats. Now I'm doing a tweaked version of SS, in a desperate attempt to milk quick gains... I'll probably switch to TM as soon as I accept I won't get any easy gains now.

    As the title suggests, I have shitty mobility. I started recording myself recently and noticed that my back rounds slightly on squats, even with just the bar. Add a plate on each side + a weak core, and you get a round backed good morning squat. Sad but true.

    By the way, I weigh about 196 in the morning now, gaining slowly.


    Enough whining, here's today's session:

    Squat: 3x5 77,5kg
    Press: 3x5 42,5kg
    PC: 5x3 40kg
    Chins: 4.5, 3, 3
    Last edited by solomson; 06-29-2011 at 10:48 AM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Norway
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    Long day today

    Squat: 2x5 80kg 1x90kg 0x100kg
    Bench: 3x5 72,5kg
    Deadlift: 5x120kg
    Weigthed bridges: 5x30sec various weights

    Had this silly urge to squat 2 plates, which failed... I made 90kg, but it was ugly. Just like all my squats. Bench went smooth, I recently discovered that the bar on the bench rack is shit. It barely rotates, and the knurling is too smooth.
    So I tried the other bar, and who would know, 72,5kg this session was easier than 70kg 4 days ago. I'm getting a slight rounding in the lumbar on my last reps on the deadlift, I'll go for 120k next week aswell.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Norway
    Posts
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    Great day today

    Squat 3x5 82,5kg
    Bench: 3x5 75kg
    BB rows: 3x5 60kg
    Back extensions: 5x10 + 10kg BTN

    I forced myself to squat with the bar low as it should be in a low bar squat (Haven't before due to flexibility). And guess what, suddenly my squats feel sooo much better. My back seemed straight, and i leaned properly over. Shame I didn't tape myself. How ever, holding the bar that low was painful as fuck for my shoulders so I rushed all the reps, all went pretty damn fast except the last rep in each set. I'm still having problems keeping a "big chest" though.

    I was surprised that I made the bench today really, but it was definatley a positive surprise. And I'll be even more surprised if I make 77,5 on Friday, I'm not sure if I should start wearing a belt..?

  4. #4
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    Jun 2011
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    Norway
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    Shitty day today
    (well except the presses)

    Squat 3x5 85kg
    Press: 3x5 45kg
    PC: 5x3 42,5kg
    Chins: 4, 2.5, x

    Squats are back to shit again, GMing the fucker. On a positive side the back was less round than before.

    I decided to be manly and drop my belt on the press, took a big breath and lifed the last two sets as fast as I could. It worked pretty darned well.

    Was so disappointed on the chins that I dropped the third set...

  5. #5
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    Jun 2011
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    8/7

    Squat: 3x5 87,5
    Bench: 77,5 kg: 4, 4. 1x85kg 1x87,5kg +7,5kg PR
    Deadlift: 1x5 120kg

    11/7

    Squat: 3x5 65kg
    Bench: 77,5kg: 5, 4
    Rows: 62,5kg: 4, x, x
    Power clean & jerk: 1x62,5kg +2,5kg PR

    Felt like shit today, ache in the shoulder and was close to puking after the first set on the bench. Decided to deload on the squat in order to stop squatting good morning style. I can't deadlift with a flat back due to the stress from good morning squats...

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Posts
    505

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    I dont think youre early gains are all used up yet. I think if you took a reset on your "good mornings" and dl to work out the round back issue you could still use the progression suggested in the book. If you arent able to do its all in your head. this is may not be as true for an older individual but you didnt list your age. good job though and keep up the hard work.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
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    Norway
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    Yep, I intend to keep making 2,5kg jumps each workout, I just don't want to risk wrecking my back this early in my life. (I'm 17)

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
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    Norway
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    Current morning BWT: 90,0 kg (199 lbs)

    13/7

    Squat: 3x5 67,5kg
    Press: 3x5 47,5kg
    PC: 5x3 45kg
    Psnatch: 1x45kg +5kg PR
    Chins: 4.5, 3.5, 3
    Pushups: 1x20 + 5kg

    Press is getting really heavy, started using a belt

    15/7

    Deadlift: 1x5 102,5kg
    Squat: 3x5 70kg
    Bench: 3x5 77,5kg
    Light ab work

    I've decided to start Fridays with DL since my squat always fucks up my deadlift, and my squat is fucked up anyway. So darned happy on the bench. My biceps in my right arm started to ache after the 2nd set, but I decided not to be a pussy and psyched myself up for the 3rd set. Turned on Last of the Mohicans theme and thought of this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yX39J_YyKbs

    Dragged my shirt off and started screaming loud, tightened like fuck on the bench, and I nailed it. It was the greatest accomplishment I've had at gym for a while.
    Last edited by solomson; 07-15-2011 at 08:04 AM.

  9. #9
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    Jun 2011
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    Norway
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    18/7

    SQ (HB): 3x5 70kg
    Bench: 3x5 80kg
    Chins: 3.5, 3, 2.5
    Back extensions: 3x10 +10kg BTN

    I've decided to switch to high bar squats. Squatting low bar is just too much of a PITA for me.

    For some reason I managed 3x5 with 80kg on the bench. (WTF??) It might be the marathon breaks I had between the sets, but I'm suspecting that some of the plates don't weigh what they are supposed to weigh. My bicep & shoulder started to ache again, but I didn't feel it during chins. (I've decided to drop rows and do chins instead)

    The funny thing is that 2 months ago 80kg was my 1RM on the bench, and I thought my easy gains were long gone...

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Norway
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    starting strength coach development program
    22/7

    Deadlift: 2x5 107,5kg
    Squat (HB): 3x5 75kg
    Bench: 5, 5, 4 – 80kg
    Plank: 3x30 sec + 25kg

    Brought my scale down to the gym. Most of the reds weigh 24.2-24.5 kg. Blues are pretty accurate at 20kg. I used reds on my bench on Wednesday, so I tried again today with blues, and neaaarly made it... Recorded myself and it is obvious that I'm favoring the right side. I've had some sort of pain in my right arm the last 3 times I've benched so I might have to post a video at the Technique board.


    20/7

    SQ (HB): 3x5 72,5kg
    Press: 4, 4, 2 50kg
    PC: 5x3 47,5kg
    Chins: 4.5, 4, 3.5

    Didn't make the press as expected.. Tried a wider grip on chin ups, felt easier so I'll stick with it.

    Question: When your power cleans are getting heavy (heavy enough for the bar to slow down) should I then reset them back to the 50-75% of the 1RM range, or just keep adding weight?

    Oh, almost forgot: Adolescent male >200 lbs

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