Getting started on my first NLP

[Bill Anders]

Just a few comments, based on scanning the posts directly above.

The book - get a paper copy. Each successive reading will have you highlighting something different. If you do it in different colors, you'll see your progression of what's important and will help you easily refresh your memory. The Kindle is great, but not really conducive to what we're trying to do here.

re: warmups - 80% for your last warmup is too large a jump to your workset. That will become increasingly evident once things get heavy. And especially on the presses. Here SSC Phil Meggers describes a great way to figure them out, not using percentages (for the most part). If you look at my logs pre-February 2024, you'll see where I've listed my warmup reps and they follow that pattern that Phil describes (just know that my weights are listed in lbs, not kgs).

Good move on changing your deadlift jumps to 2.5kgs.

"Feeling" in your deadlifts. Are you talking about feeling during or after the lift? For your legs, it should never be either. Yes, you are pushing the floor away from the bar, but if you're properly set up, you'll just push the floor. There isn't a specific feeling associated with that. As far as after the lift, you shouldn't either, since no part of the deadlift imparts an eccentric stretch during the deadlift, which is what gives you that DOMS sensation.

As far as the rounding of your upper back in the lower third of the deadlift, you just aren't setting your upper back sufficiently. Before each rep, and as you take your breath, perform a "cat-cow" as in yoga. Excessively round your entire back (cat), then push your stomach to the floor and show your chest to the wall in front of you (cow). Make sure to engage your lats tightly. Those motions will help you extend your upper back and hold it in place.

Keep at it!

[niekz]

The book - get a paper copy. Each successive reading will have you highlighting something different. If you do it in different colors, you'll see your progression of what's important and will help you easily refresh your memory. The Kindle is great, but not really conducive to what we're trying to do here.

Thanks, that's a great idea, I'll give getting a paper copy a shot - I opted for a digital version because shipping costs, but perhaps its worth it, I like the idea of highlighting sections as I go along in my journey.

re: warmups - 80% for your last warmup is too large a jump to your workset. That will become increasingly evident once things get heavy. And especially on the presses. Here SSC Phil Meggers describes a great way to figure them out, not using percentages (for the most part). If you look at my logs pre-February 2024, you'll see where I've listed my warmup reps and they follow that pattern that Phil describes (just know that my weights are listed in lbs, not kgs).

Thats quite a nice illustration in the video, thank you for passing it along. I like the "convenience" factor it brings (i.e. don't bother with the smaller plates, just make the jumps even. I hear what you're saying about the 80% becoming taxing
later on, I'll see how I can shift things as my workouts continue

"Feeling" in your deadlifts. Are you talking about feeling during or after the lift? For your legs, it should never be either. Yes, you are pushing the floor away from the bar, but if you're properly set up, you'll just push the floor. There isn't a specific feeling associated with that. As far as after the lift, you shouldn't either, since no part of the deadlift imparts an eccentric stretch during the deadlift, which is what gives you that DOMS sensation.

Yes - during the lift. I don't really feel like my legs are engaged in the lift at all. The best analogy I can make is, they currently just hold my upper body up? I suspect its likely technique, but perhaps it's just not heavy enough yet. As for DOMS, I don't really feel sore. I have some stiffness in my muscles the day after, but some stretching sorts that out without too much hassle at this point.

As far as the rounding of your upper back in the lower third of the deadlift, you just aren't setting your upper back sufficiently. Before each rep, and as you take your breath, perform a "cat-cow" as in yoga. Excessively round your entire back (cat), then push your stomach to the floor and show your chest to the wall in front of you (cow). Make sure to engage your lats tightly. Those motions will help you extend your upper back and hold it in place.

Ah, this might be the piece of the puzzle I've been missing. I'll have my training partner also read this article so he can take a look when I lift next session, but I suspect my arms kinda just hang down currently at the start position, so I'll give the "elbows back" cue a go. Currently its more of a "pull my shoulders back" movement at the start (and that may well be why I injured my upper back during the last couple sessions (pain that I can only describe as almost a pinch where what I assume is my lower traps connect to my shoulder blades - please note, I know close to 0 about muscle groups other than the obvious ones, so my terminology might be completely off here).

Thank you for the pointers, I look forward to implementing them next session

[niekz]

Had 2 more sessions in the meantime - and missed a session end of last week due to a storm and flooding in my area unfortunately.

8 July '24

Exercise	Warmup x5	Warmup x5	Warmup x5	Warmup x3	Warmup x2	Working set x5	Working set x5	Working set x5
Squat	20	20	30	45	60	75	75	75
Overhead Press	20	20	20	22.5	30	37.5	37.5	37.5
Deadlift	60	60		70	80	85

11 July '24

Exercise	Warmup x5	Warmup x5	Warmup x5	Warmup x3	Warmup x2	Working set x5	Working set x5	Working set x5
Squat	20	20	30	45	60	77.5	77.5	77.5
Bench	20	20	30	40	50	62.5	62.5	62.5
Deadlift	60	60		70	80	87.5

Deadlifts are still a struggle (form not weight). I am starting a mobility routine daily (and perhaps twice a day), as I am struggling with flexibility in bending over for the setup on the deadlifts (can't keep hips high, and
knees travel out instead of forward in order for me to reach down). It's a struggle, I'll get there. Am improving every session.

Squats this last workout where fantastic, consistently getting lower and lower, and every time I do it feels better and better. Really enjoyed the workout. Weight is getting to a point where it "feels" heavy just holding it,
but I don't have issues finishing my sets of 5 yet, so happy to carry on carrying on. Definitely feel positive after this last workout.

[synchronicity]

I'll just note that, as an overweight older guy (57, 5'7", 250 lbs), Deadlift was the most difficult for me to adjust to for proper form, and remains difficult even though the bar goes up fast even as I've increased weight lifted.
I joke about bench being disproportionately strong for us "overweight guys" when we start off and remaining so for quite awhile. It makes sense - as Rip says, we are naturally "handsy" and bench is dealing with a thing in front of us, while squat and deads are using our back and our...er, hindquarters.
Also concur with "get a paper copy of the book and keep rereading it and highlighting it". Every time I've lifted at home I'd have the blue book with me and skim it during rest periods between sets. There's so much information and some of it only hits when you're actually dealing with an issue under the bar.

Great to read your progress and good luck as you continue! I can say that my knees have gotten MUCH better since I started squatting. I haven't lost much weight at all but have lost over 3 inches around my midsection. I won't discuss how many more inches I have to go, but it's heading in the right direction, and all the "it's a marathon not a sprint" and similar are accurate.

[Alexander Dargatz]

Maybe posting a video of your deadlift wouldn't be the worst idea, niekz.

[Bill Anders]

Had 2 more sessions in the meantime - and missed a session end of last week due to a storm and flooding in my area unfortunately.

8 July '24

Deadlifts are still a struggle (form not weight). I am starting a mobility routine daily (and perhaps twice a day), as I am struggling with flexibility in bending over for the setup on the deadlifts (can't keep hips high, and
knees travel out instead of forward in order for me to reach down). It's a struggle, I'll get there. Am improving every session.

Squats this last workout where fantastic, consistently getting lower and lower, and every time I do it feels better and better. Really enjoyed the workout. Weight is getting to a point where it "feels" heavy just holding it,
but I don't have issues finishing my sets of 5 yet, so happy to carry on carrying on. Definitely feel positive after this last workout.

niekz - thanks for the updates. Your notes above led me to start from the beginning, not just the last few updates from you. My first comment was made without understanding the weight issue, for which I apologize. That can change things quite a bit.

For our clients with the same limitations, we keep working with them on the flexibility. That will come with time. There are some modifications/accommodations that we make in order for them to successfully progress with their deadlift. We can talk about that later. But first, post a video. A couple of form adjustments may be all that you need.

Keep at it!

[niekz]

Next 2 sessions done and dusted

15 July '24

Exercise	Warmup x5	Warmup x5	Warmup x5	Warmup x3	Warmup x2	Working set x5	Working set x5	Working set x5
Squat	20	20	30	45	60	80	80	80
Overhead Press	20	20	20	25	30	40	40	40
Deadlift	60	60		70	80	90

18 July '24

Exercise	Warmup x5	Warmup x5	Warmup x5	Warmup x3	Warmup x2	Working set x5	Working set x5	Working set x5
Squat	20	20	30	45	60	82.5	82.5	82.5
Bench	20	20	30	40	50	65	65	65
Deadlift	60	60		70	80	92.5

[niekz]

Woops - I seemed to have missed the other replies to the thread.

For our clients with the same limitations, we keep working with them on the flexibility. That will come with time. There are some modifications/accommodations that we make in order for them to successfully progress with their deadlift. We can talk about that later. But first, post a video. A couple of form adjustments may be all that you need.

I'll see what I can do about recording a set or two of deadlifts this week. I'll go read up on the form check section rules in terms of what is the best angle etc. Truthfully, during some sessions I end up doing sumo for the deadlift sets towards the end since if I narrow my stance like with conventional I end up in a "frog squat" (if that even makes sense) to get low enough, and that just feels like I'm squatting the weight instead of deadlifting. Neither is following the program, and I know.
Its important for me to get deadlifts in though - strictly using the program form or not (rather do it than not do it at all).

[synchronicity]

FWIW, my coach has me doing "frog stance" on deadlifts. Not saying that will be right for you, but there is precedent for an SS coach having a client do that.