First Timer at 46 / Never Been “Strong”

[RichK]

Totally Bill. I video everything. Although I don’t know what the solution always is to the errors I may see.

[RichK]

Right. I appreciate the feedback and encouragement. I actually started incorporating the power clean - challenging to learn but I think I’m getting the hang of it. Tonight are dead’s again and what I’m going to do is just go lighter and focus on the form and also use lower upward increments from here on out. Safe gains, zero counter-productivity, proper form; this is what’s most important to me.

[RichK]

Dead’s went well the other night but still the bar for some reason isn’t going straight up anymore, even at the lightened weight of 185. Looking at the video, it seems like my hips are moving upwards before the rest of my body. Idk. I’m gonna work on em again tomorrow night.

Last night did 185lb squat. Nice! Last rep on last set was a real struggle but I got it. Form was good, full depth, hip rise was nice, nips to the floor. This is kind of a big deal because I had gotten to this weight before but my form was way off and my knees were hurting a lot. I decided to back off the weight then and focus on form. Then I redid my basement. So it’s been at least 2 months to get back to this point but all good cause my knees don’t hurt and I’m doing it right!

Also benched 155lbs last night for 3 sets across (saying that right?). Felt great about it! Pretty sure that’s the most I’ve ever lifted in my entire life for a working set.

And yes, the power clean, still being learned. Some reps are better than others for sure. Gonna be a little longer before I feel close to proficient at this one.

[RichK]

After reading a whole bunch of articles from the SS website I decided to try something different last night and increased my rest time between working sets on the squat to 10 minutes. What a difference! 190 no problem! Also felt a strong bounce at the bottom and an extra tightening of my abdomen when initiating the upward drive. Really felt good.

I’m sending in a form review for my deadlifts however. They don’t feel right or look good and I’m completely stuck in my head about them.

[Bill Anders]

Good that you found the increased rest time to help. It often does. The trick is, in the long run, to find the right amount of time. Ten minutes might be too long, or it may end up being too short (once the weights get really, really heavy).

Keep at it!

[RichK]

Right, constant learning going on with this

[Bill Anders]

Yep, years into it and it continues.

re: deadlift and the hips rising - perhaps focus more on pushing the floor with your feet. It seems like you're thinking too much about your hips, which is a carryover from the squats. And once your hips go up, the bar has to move off the shins to adapt to the new angle. Of course, video would be great, even if you're just submitting it to a coach.

[RichK]

Yep, I submitted a form check and received the feedback today. Hips are too low, knees too far forward, and my arms are bent and I’m actively curling the bar as it comes up making the lift significantly harder than it needs to be.

So yeah, a couple of things to work on lol.

Sidenote, worked out yesterday. Squat, bench, cleans. Bench was solid again at 160lbs. With the cleans I looked a little less like someone who has zero coordination - so an overall improvement from the last time lol. Squats (sigh), squats I completed 195 all the way. I kinda tweaked or hyperextended my lower back a little while doing so. Felt it almost immediately yesterday and definitely today. Pretty sure it was me messing with my breath.

See, on the previous squat workout, I noticed at the bottom I got a good reflex bounce and like an extra push from inside my gut that made me feel like I had some extra power that I’ve never experienced before, like I “dug deep” for it or something. So of course I wanted this again this time but I think that by “trying” to make that happen, I unintentionally let go of my breath or the tightness in my abdomen and that allowed me to flex a little too much during the lift.

My inexperience seems like it’s always evident in some way or other - I look forward to when it isn’t. Anyway, constant constant learning. I kinda love it.

And Happy Father’s Day to everyone!

[RichK]

Good workout today. My lower back actually felt significantly Better this morning after tight, sore, and feelin like it was on the verge of a slipped disc all week. So I had a let’s see how I feel attitude with the squat today. Went through warm-ups feeling good. Did the first work set at 195 and felt pretty good, there was a little lean to the right on the ascent of the final rep. So I said you know what?, I’m gonna actually just be ok with one set today and I’ll go for two sets next time, maybe three, no rush.

Did 123lbs. seated OHP and felt good. Zero issues with it.

Deadlifts. I reviewed the feedback from the form review I submitted and started in. Some reps were better than others throughout the warm-ups and work set. Definitely improved from last time. Some reps actually felt easy, even at the working weight which makes me think that it’s all about my technique.

[RichK]

197.5 squats, 124 OHP, and 210 deads. I know the deads should be further ahead and they’ll get there pretty quick from here but I still feel so awkward doing them