Curious form

[MisterT]

Hi coaches,

Your favourite lifter is back.

So a bomb went off next to my house and I couldn't go to the gym for weeks because there was a curfew and shit.

I decided to get back to LP when I got back to training because I lost all my gains, I'm doing SS but with 5x5 instead of 3x5.

And my videos are edited for your convenience and aren't shaky anymore! (!!!)

I know the stickies say one form check at a time but they have a common problem so I figured I'd ask you guys to fix my clean and squat at the same time.

First 4 sets of cleans:



Sets number 3 and 4 on the squats:



Often times I find myself thinking: "Damn, I need a coach".

A proper coach, the coach in my gym yelled at me while squatting and told me that I will get hyperlordosis from squatting deep (he didn't know what it was called, he just stuck his ass out and told me my back will be like this) another one told me that my knees will explode.

Good thing you guys are here.

You may proceed with the form checking.

[Tom Campitelli]

أستاذ T,

Yes, I realize I am mixing right to left with left to right alphabets. Work with me. That should say "Mister T," but I don't know if it really does.

So a bomb went off next to my house and I couldn't go to the gym for weeks because there was a curfew and shit.

That's a pretty good reason not to go to the gym. It beats most of the things I come up with. Stay safe out there, man.

I'm doing SS but with 5x5 instead of 3x5.

More isn't always better. Stick to the 3x5s for now.

For your cleans, you have a number of things that should be corrected. I am going to give you four to fix.

• Make sure you are starting with the bar an inch away from your shins. Your setup is inconsistent. Sometimes you are in the right place. Sometimes, your shoulders are behind the bar.
• Touch your mid-thigh every time. Don't start the jump below the knee. Touch your thigh.
• Jump up, not back. If it helps you to land in the same place, think of jumping forward.
• Keep your arms straight. Don't row the bar up. Jump with straight arms.

For squats. Don't go quite so deep. Stay tighter. Also, make your stance a little wider.

[MisterT]

أستاذ T,

Yes, I realize I am mixing right to left with left to right alphabets. Work with me. That should say "Mister T," but I don't know if it really does.

Yes it does your Arabic is spot on, coach Tombro.

More isn't always better. Stick to the 3x5s for now.

I was going to switch to 3x5 after 3 deloads anyway, should I avoid that?

For your cleans, you have a number of things that should be corrected. I am going to give you four to fix.

• Make sure you are starting with the bar an inch away from your shins. Your setup is inconsistent. Sometimes you are in the right place. Sometimes, your shoulders are behind the bar.
• Touch your mid-thigh every time. Don't start the jump below the knee. Touch your thigh.
• Jump up, not back. If it helps you to land in the same place, think of jumping forward.
• Keep your arms straight. Don't row the bar up. Jump with straight arms.

Roger that I will try these cues next Saturday, thanks, coach.

For squats. Don't go quite so deep. Stay tighter. Also, make your stance a little wider.

Great, last form check my stance was too wide now it's too narrow. And my squat was a little high now it's too low.

This is kind of funny in a messed up way.

I used to have some serious discrepancies on my right and left sides, they're still there in all my lifts (that's why I wanted squat and clean checked together).

But I guess the fact that you haven't mentioned them means I've fixed them to a point where they're not a problem (been trying for ages).

For depth I don't know what the proper depth is I go till I feel a stretch in my hip flexors. I understand the stretch should be in my hamstrings but I never feel it there, what the fuck?

I'd also like to add that I really appreciate all your help, I'm a teacher too and I know how much work it is, specially with students that ask a lot of questions, like me.

I love you, man.

You are making the world a better place.

I realize that this is bromance of the highest caliber, but I can no longer hold back my brotherly love.

Thanks to you and all the coaches here I can lift and get stronger even when there's nobody around to train me.

[Tom Campitelli]

I was going to switch to 3x5 after 3 deloads anyway, should I avoid that?

3x5s will give you plenty of work. Save the 5x5s for when you need them later in your training career.

I used to have some serious discrepancies on my right and left sides, they're still there in all my lifts (that's why I wanted squat and clean checked together).

But I guess the fact that you haven't mentioned them means I've fixed them to a point where they're not a problem (been trying for ages).

I never thought they were a big problem before. I don't now either.

For depth I don't know what the proper depth is I go till I feel a stretch in my hip flexors. I understand the stretch should be in my hamstrings but I never feel it there, what the fuck?

You are unlikely to feel any stretch in your hamstrings during the squat. The hamstrings don't really change in length that much during a low bar back squat.

I'd also like to add that I really appreciate all your help, I'm a teacher too and I know how much work it is, specially with students that ask a lot of questions, like me.

You are very welcome. Keep working. I imagine that Egypt is not an easy place to live at the moment.

[MisterT]

I missed most of the cleans last Saturday:

[Tom Campitelli]

I liked the dude who parked himself in front of your camera.

Stop jumping back. Start jumping straight up. Think of jumping forward, if needed. Look forward more and watch that the whole time. Don't throw your head back at the top. Take it down to 60 kg and fix those problems.

[SS SS]

You are unlikely to feel any stretch in your hamstrings during the squat. The hamstrings don't really change in length that much during a low bar back squat.

How should the hamstrings feel during a LBBS?

[Tom Campitelli]

How should the hamstrings feel during a LBBS?

I don't know that I could tell you exactly how my hamstrings feel during a squat. The discomfort and general awfulness I feel during a squat is more like a whole body affair. Squats hurt my feelings.

[MisterT]

I liked the dude who parked himself in front of your camera.

Stop jumping back. Start jumping straight up. Think of jumping forward, if needed. Look forward more and watch that the whole time. Don't throw your head back at the top. Take it down to 60 kg and fix those problems.

Yes coach!

Started doing his fucking windmills right in front of the camera I laughed too.



I still don't know the proper depth for squats, I will post the squats after it's done uploading I have pretty slow internet.

[Tom Campitelli]

Those look better. You are mostly landing in the same spot on the jump. Good work. Now, look forward more. You are still looking at the ground. Land with slightly bent knees and get your elbows around and up higher at the same time that you meet the bar with your shoulders.