you're killin me smalls21 SS log

[smalls21]

How about the deadlifts?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rr0RIJ99baU

[slowjoe]

How about the deadlifts?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rr0RIJ99baU

They're better than mine. I'd prefer if your neck was neutral, rather than looking up. Also, when you are dropping the weight, you bend the knees a little early, forcing the bar forward. Have a look at the vid and put a folded piece of paper against the screen where the bar starts out. Notice how much the bar move forward and backward? Ideally, it should go straight up and straight down.

[MazdaMatt]

Put the bar on the floor and start the lift fresh with each rep. Plus what Joe said and you're looking good. +10lbs :-)

[Briks42]

Re: Deadlifts

I agree with Mazda. Don't use touch and go to do your sets. Keep your hands on the bar throughout the set, but take a second between reps to make sure the bar is in the correct start position and your back is set. On the 4th and 5th reps, you started your pull with the bar up near your toes. You need to make sure you pull from mid-foot on every rep, the way you did on the first few. Otherwise, good set.

[smalls21]

Week 1 Session 4
Workout B
October 2, 2010

Squat
2x5 @ 45
1x5 @ 35
1x3 @ 50
1x2 @ 70
3x5 @ 90

Press
2x5 @ 45
1x5 @ 35
1x3 @ 45
1x2 @ 50
3x5 @ 60

Power Cleans
2x5 @ 45
1x5 @ 35
1x3 @ 45
1x2 @ 55
5x3 @ 65

Max Effort Strict Chinups
1x13
1x10
1x11

Set 1 of Squats http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WboPgNnxxeU
Set 2 of Squats http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5XqULSvmRY
Set 3 of Squats (is this the correct positioning for the bar on my back and hand placement, etc.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QcMNX7bhaM

Set 1 of PC http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lR1wdrY6pJI
Set 2 of PC http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUUwYfNAyE4
Set 3 of PC http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kdbW121f7c

How do they look? Feedback?

[Briks42]

Squats look pretty good. Depth is good and that bar position looks correct. I think you could look to tighten up a bit overall though. You are dive bombing a little bit on the way down and your knees are a bit wobbly. I think if you descend just slightly slower and concentrate on shoving your knees out, you will be a little more solid overall.

Power cleans look great to me, but I am not as experienced coaching them so others may see things I don't.

[Kate]

That's what I'm most worried about, is that I am not eating enough.

I think you'll be able to tell by how you feel (are you recovering well between workouts?) and by the numbers on the scale (are they inching upward)? If you're not recovering and/or not seeing the scale move up from 116, you're probably not eating enough. (I'm not suggesting that you pack on the pounds as fast as some of the guys here do; just see whether there's an upward trend.)

I watched your videos and read the guys' comments on them. I agree that you're divebombing into the bottom on your squats, and your knees are sliding forward at the bottom. Slow down and tighten up. And as the others said, make sure you come to a full stop between each deadlift rep.

I'd do 5-pound jumps rather than 10-pound jumps, so you can work on keeping your form tight, but go by how you feel. (I don't remember what being 24 feels like; you might be perfectly capable of bigger jumps.)

[slowjoe]

I think you'll be able to tell by how you feel (are you recovering well between workouts?) and by the numbers on the scale (are they inching upward)? If you're not recovering and/or not seeing the scale move up from 116, you're probably not eating enough. (I'm not suggesting that you pack on the pounds as fast as some of the guys here do; just see whether there's an upward trend.)

I watched your videos and read the guys' comments on them. I agree that you're divebombing into the bottom on your squats, and your knees are sliding forward at the bottom. Slow down and tighten up. And as the others said, make sure you come to a full stop between each deadlift rep.

I'd do 5-pound jumps rather than 10-pound jumps, so you can work on keeping your form tight, but go by how you feel. (I don't remember what being 24 feels like; you might be perfectly capable of bigger jumps.)

+1 on Kate regarding soreness indicating inadequate nutrition.

[slowjoe]

Set 1 of Squats http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WboPgNnxxeU
Set 2 of Squats http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5XqULSvmRY
Set 3 of Squats (is this the correct positioning for the bar on my back and hand placement, etc.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QcMNX7bhaM

I'm jealous. The bar position is down much lower, hands are now correct, and you have no butt wink. I can't tell from the angles if you still have knees coming in on the way up. But I'm a perfectionist, so...

In video one, I like the first squat best. The knee ends up in the plane of the toes. Rep 2 the knee goes to the same place, but then moves forward a couple of inches. The other reps go to the forward position. When I squat, I use a slightly wider stance, and push my knees out more. This allows me to keep the knees from going beyond mid-foot. This is a red flag if you feel tension in your knee, otherwise it's a yellow flag that you are likely to struggle to recruit your hamstrings and glutes in the squat.

Play around at home with air squats, wide stances and greater than normal forward torso positions, so that you have a feel for movement options. Try a sumo-stance, and squat with your shins angled back rather than forward, to feel that it's possible. Then play with what you have learned next workout with the warmup sets and an empty bar.

In video two, I think that the right elbow is higher than the left elbow, and in the video three, the left wrist is slightly more concave than the right. How do your elbows feel after the workout?

[smalls21]

I'm jealous. The bar position is down much lower, hands are now correct, and you have no butt wink. I can't tell from the angles if you still have knees coming in on the way up. But I'm a perfectionist, so...

In video one, I like the first squat best. The knee ends up in the plane of the toes. Rep 2 the knee goes to the same place, but then moves forward a couple of inches. The other reps go to the forward position. When I squat, I use a slightly wider stance, and push my knees out more. This allows me to keep the knees from going beyond mid-foot. This is a red flag if you feel tension in your knee, otherwise it's a yellow flag that you are likely to struggle to recruit your hamstrings and glutes in the squat.

Play around at home with air squats, wide stances and greater than normal forward torso positions, so that you have a feel for movement options. Try a sumo-stance, and squat with your shins angled back rather than forward, to feel that it's possible. Then play with what you have learned next workout with the warmup sets and an empty bar.

In video two, I think that the right elbow is higher than the left elbow, and in the video three, the left wrist is slightly more concave than the right. How do your elbows feel after the workout?

slowjoe...can you just come and be my personal trainer? you are very thorough in your assessments. seriously that is just want i need. i completely agree with every remark you made, but would have had a hard time picking those things out on my own. seriously, thank you so much for your help. i will definitely be working on all of those things.