Squat Check Please

[Bradley Gish]

This was a volume set at 350lbs. Thanks for taking a look.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULhm9Wu6yCA

[Matt Reynolds]

Lower body/ hip drive looks good.

I'm not crazy about some of the upper body stuff you are doing...you are taking a big breath, and lifting your elbows as soon as you start your descent, but in the process of lifting you elbows you are taking your upper back out of extension and rounding more than I'd like to see. The "ELBOWS UP!" cue should facilitate upper back extension, not pull you out of extension.

Make sure you keep your upper back set and don't throw your head/neck into the bar on the way up - keep that chin down just like you are (I assume) keeping you eyes down.

Matt

[Bradley Gish]

Thanks a lot Matt. I suspect that I'm sacrificing some degree of control for speed on my descent. On volume days I've been focusing on delivering a faster descent in order to get a good solid bounce out of the bottom. I'll tell myself to "keep tight" during the initiation.

[Bradley Gish]

This was my final set on volume day for this week. This was my second 5x5 within a week due to me changing my days around. It was very tough, especially this set. Thanks.

355x5x5 - YouTube

[Tom Campitelli]

You need to drive your knees out harder and get your elbows down.

[Bradley Gish]

Thanks Tom. I believe that I was trying to descend too fast and subsequently lost control of the tracking of my knees. Do these look any better? It was projected to be a 5RM but I guess I was tired.

390x3 - YouTube

[Steve Hill]

You still need to drop your elbows a bit, but otherwise these are fine. You gave up on a set that I think you had though.

[Bradley Gish]

Thanks Steve. I did give up. I believe that I was tired from all of the volume from the previous week. I changed the sequence of my days around, and me being the idiot that I am, did two 5x5s within a week. I'll throw it back on there this week and see what happens. As far as my elbows go, do you think that maybe I' am dropping them during the initiation of my descent? I' am attempting to lean over more and incorporate the "nipples to the floor" cue but I think maybe I' am executing it wrong. In a previous check Matt pointed out that I was bringing my back out of thoracic extension when I lifted my elbows.

[Steve Hill]

You start with them too high, do the rep with them too high, and finish with them too high.

on the set: you're in a rack, with pins set at the correct height. What have you got to lose? Tired =/= weak. Teach yourself to push through tired. There's always an excuse at hand for giving up.

[Bradley Gish]

Yea, your right, there is no excuse. I knew that the next two reps were going to be very hard and not pretty, but they are supposed to be like that if it is indeed a true 5RM. I went ahead and increased my volume load 5 lbs. to 360. This was a very difficult 5x5, but I didn't give up. Tried to lower my elbows a bit.They still may be a little high though. During the descent I'm thinking "get knees out" and once I reach the bottom I'm thinking "jump" with the hips.This was my fifth grueling set.

360 X 5 X 5 - YouTube