A Spartan's Log

[slowjoe]

I finally uploaded a couple of videos. Any comment/critique is appreciated.
Squat 1:
http://www.vimeo.com/17183726
Squat 2:
http://www.vimeo.com/17184240
P.Cleans:
http://www.vimeo.com/17183381

I know the cleans look very ugly (I'm not reverse curling them though). So for any tip, cue, don't be shy.

I can't see anything in the squat videos.

The cleans are funny, because below the waist, they're a thing of beauty, and above the waist, eh, not so much.

I love the two pulls, but I'm not sure that your elbows are coming through anything like as quick as I'd want, and I don't particularly like your rack position, although the video angle means I'm guessing a bit.

My impression of a good rack has the triceps close to horizontal, and your triceps are 45 degrees off that. I like to have the bar just on my finger tips, with the weight on the shoulders. Having high elbows gives a larger, move stable platform, which in turn allows me to be more confident putting the bar there.

I'd guess that the cleans are at least 25% of the elbow problems here. I'd do an SS intro, and start with the empty bar, and work up to the point that the elbows/bar slow down again, and reset to there.

[Rezart Erindi]

I can't see anything in the squat videos.

The cleans are funny, because below the waist, they're a thing of beauty, and above the waist, eh, not so much.

I love the two pulls, but I'm not sure that your elbows are coming through anything like as quick as I'd want, and I don't particularly like your rack position, although the video angle means I'm guessing a bit.

My impression of a good rack has the triceps close to horizontal, and your triceps are 45 degrees off that. I like to have the bar just on my finger tips, with the weight on the shoulders. Having high elbows gives a larger, move stable platform, which in turn allows me to be more confident putting the bar there.

I'd guess that the cleans are at least 25% of the elbow problems here. I'd do an SS intro, and start with the empty bar, and work up to the point that the elbows/bar slow down again, and reset to there.

Joe thanks for the tips buddy, I really appreciate it.
Now what do you mean you don't see anything in the squats - do you mean that the video is not clear, or that they are OK?
On the cleans I'm 100% with you, the elbows are a major problem, and I've tried to get them as high as possible. I'll try again and reread SS, even though I've got it pretty clear in my mind theoretically what should I do. Also you say "I like to have the bar just on my finger tips, with the weight on the shoulders." - the problem is that I have to lower the weight slowly on the ground, as I have no bumper plates/platform on my gym, so I'm not sure if I'll be able to do just that.
Thanks again for the tips.

[slowjoe]

Joe thanks for the tips buddy, I really appreciate it.
Now what do you mean you don't see anything in the squats - do you mean that the video is not clear, or that they are OK?
On the cleans I'm 100% with you, the elbows are a major problem, and I've tried to get them as high as possible. I'll try again and reread SS, even though I've got it pretty clear in my mind theoretically what should I do. Also you say "I like to have the bar just on my finger tips, with the weight on the shoulders." - the problem is that I have to lower the weight slowly on the ground, as I have no bumper plates/platform on my gym, so I'm not sure if I'll be able to do just that.
Thanks again for the tips.

Re: the squats, the angle is bad. Can't see grip, for example. Depth seems fine. Knee position seems good in

Re: the cleans, at light-ish weights, I kinda drop the bar onto the rack, and that lets me whip the elbows round. To de-rack, I simply lower the elbows, and the bar just rolls into my fist as it starts to fall. I then usually catch it at the high hang, which sometimes worries me, but whatever. If Rip catches his shrugs up to 800lbs, then catching what I can clean probably won't kill me.

Try it on an unloaded bar, and see if that works for you.

[Rezart Erindi]

Re: the squats, the angle is bad. Can't see grip, for example. Depth seems fine. Knee position seems good in

OK, I just uploaded this video I've got from a different angle. It's not optimal, but I have nobody to hold the camera, so there are not many options.

Squat 3:
http://www.vimeo.com/17188395

[slowjoe]

What I see:

wrist position is beautifully straight
assymetric arm positions: right elbow looks higher than left (need flexibility work? Do you know about contract/relax stretching?)
squats are borderline on depth
right knee is coming in at the bottom

[Rezart Erindi]

What I see:

wrist position is beautifully straight
assymetric arm positions: right elbow looks higher than left (need flexibility work? Do you know about contract/relax stretching?)
squats are borderline on depth
right knee is coming in at the bottom

OK thanks Joe, I'll definitely work on this issues.

[Rezart Erindi]

11/24/2010

Squat (5x3)
275
Bench (5x3)
175
Chinup
(6+6+6)xBW
B.Extensions

Overall good workout. I will miss the next workout b/c I'm going for a trip so, next workout I'll repeat this.

[gamedog]

I envy your chin-up prowess SO FUCKING MUCH! LOL

A good workout indeed my friend. Have a safe, enjoyable trip :-)

[Rezart Erindi]

I envy your chin-up prowess SO FUCKING MUCH! LOL

A good workout indeed my friend. Have a safe, enjoyable trip :-)

I'm back baby! Game, you'll get them very soon my friend, very soon (you have already progressed a lot on these).

OK so basically I lost two workouts by the trip. I went to Sarajevo, and had a good time with some friends. Nutrition and sleep were not optimal, plus I had to drive for 9 hours straight, so it was tiring. Anyway I went yesterday at the gym and thank God I hadn't lost bodyweight, and I repeated the last workout.

12/01/2010

Squat (5x3)
275
Bench (5x3)
175
Chinup
(6+6+4)xBW

I skipped the b.extensions, b/c I was too tired. Also I had a lot of soreness last night, and today, b/c of the 5 days between training, but overall I'm happy about this.

Ps. I forgot to mention that yesterday I had a case of diarrhea and also was about to vomit a couple of times. Even today I'm not feeling OK, and I'm finding it very difficult to eat, or drink my milk. I might have some temperature too, but I don't know what the hell is going on...
Also I would like to add that yesterday I learned about the death of a great comedian - Leslie Nielsen. RIP

[Rezart Erindi]

I haven't been around these days on the forum b/c of internet access bullshit at work. Anyway this has been a long and difficult week for me, and this is where my SS ends and this is the last post on my log. I'll explain more below.

12/03/2010


Squat (5x2)
220.0
Press (5x3)
120
Deadlift (5x1)
298 (PR)

12/06/2010


Squat (5x3)
280
Bench (4+1)
176 (PR)
Power Cleans correcting form

This is where the tendinitis returned forcefully. My elbow hurt like a mofo, and my bench suffered. At the second set of the bench, I could not lower the bar to my chest b/c of this. Did some cleans to correct form, as advised by Slowjoe.

12/08/2010


Squat (5+5+2)
285 (PR)
Press (4)
122
Chinup
6

Weight 180 lbs

This workout was the end of everything. I did not complete the squats and had to lay down b/c of the elbows. The tendinitis has officially returned.

It is the right time for me to switch to 2x a week. I have been on SS for about 8 months (less if you take into account missed workouts), and have deloaded more times than I can remember (as the saying goes). The last workouts have been a grinder, with more fails than progress. I was beginning to fall in a never ending loop.
I could have done more had my nutrition been better, especially in the last months. I haven't gained much weight these months, and this made everything very hard. Adding 45 lbs is not enough on THE PROGRAM. In the last weeks I've been feeling full though, so I don't think that I could eat more, so I've got no regrets.

I'm thinking of switching to a 2days/week workout, b/c I have an important exam (CFA II), and I haven't studied all this time. It will be something like this:

Front Squat
Bench
Deads

Front Squat
Press
Cleans

Trying to add weight every week.


I would like to thank my buddies, who have always helped me get through with this: Gamedog, Slowjoe, Knkavo, IlPrincipeBruto. You guys are the best, and I'm honored to be your friend.
I'll still be around and try to give my 2 cents on this forum.

PS. I would recommend SS to anybody. This is THE PROGRAM for novices. the PRs that I achieved from it (which considering a guy 5'6'' with a small frame, are not that bad I think):

Squat: 285x5
Deads: 300x2
Bench: 176x4
Press: 137x4
Cleans: 110x3