On October 04 2011 04:14 glurio wrote: I don't understand it, you have a goal don't you? Research the most effective way to reach it and do it. What you're doing is probably not it. Wanna get ripped? Do a decent diet. Wanna get big? Eat a lot, lift heavy shit. Wanna have fun? Do your favorite sport.
On October 04 2011 02:57 eshlow wrote: Insanity isn't a horrible program but there's more effective programs because it's just a clusterfuck of exercises. Anyone can make a program like that.
You should use a more effective program to work towards your goals.
I feel the same way, but yeah, the way I figure is a wide variety of tiring exercises can't really be bad. I don't have any specific goals for the time being besides consistently working out, and some friends are doing this so whatever. It's only going to make up about 1/3 of my plan. That said, what similar program would you recommend?
Also, I play sand volleyball often, and the emphasis on jumping/burst exercises should help out my vertical jump.
Not trying to bombard you into weight goals. But your goals are this:
Most of the reason I'm doing this is to keep myself on a strict schedule so that I have motivation to get out of bed in the morning, get myself to be tired at night, and reap the benefits that a consistent workout schedule has on mood and mind.
SS = strict 3x a week schedule. Do some light cardio/plyo/sports at the same time on off days for consistency.
I think if I can keep this up for 6 months, and additionally eat healthy, I'll see some results. Maybe get some abs for once in my life.
Diet will be a large part of this. Heavy compound lifting will give you the muscle to speed up the body recomposition
Basically I'm hoping to lose 15-20 pounds of fat and gain 2-3 pounds of muscle over the next 6 months (I'm definitely not fat now so that should put me in spectacular shape).
I'd say eat at ~maitenance give or take 500 cal. I wouldnt even worry too much about counting calories. Eat real foods as you please, cut out the bull shit carbs/junk food/etc, and lift heavy. You will hit those goals in ~3 months EASY.
On October 04 2011 04:14 glurio wrote: I don't understand it, you have a goal don't you? Research the most effective way to reach it and do it. What you're doing is probably not it. Wanna get ripped? Do a decent diet. Wanna get big? Eat a lot, lift heavy shit. Wanna have fun? Do your favorite sport.
So on off days once or twice a week I've still been doing my ankle workout. (My physical therapy is over, but they strongly recommended me continuing to do the exercises until my right ankle feels 100%, and although it is much better than it was 6 weeks ago, it is still far from what I vaguely remember to be 'normal'.)
Anyways...the ankle workout is boring and tedious...and doesn't really have track-able results like S.S. does...so I'm looking into other options.
I would assume swimming would be a good thing to do, especially since one of my big problems was range of motion, but whenever I look for information on it I get info for swimming for arthritis instead. And then I could track increase in laps or something...and swimming is fun, so I'd at least look forward to it.
However, I don't really want anything that is going to tire me out and interfere with S.S. gains. Idk...anybody got any thoughts on swimming/any other suggestions? I'm finally getting a gym membership by the 10th (self-enforced deadline) so I want to know whether to shop around for gyms with a pool or not.
Also if this is a dumb idea and I should just stick to the tedious ankle stuff I'm fine with that too...I don't know too much about this I just want to learn if I have options.
Hey I decided to get my gf to take a video of me squatting so I could see how my form looked. It seems as though my depth isn't as low as I thought ( stupid mirror making it look lower lol). I guess that can be fixed by just going lower. -_- As well as it seems my back is rounded on the way up.
Here is this link:
Any critique other then that/ how to fix my rounded back/ get a good feel for the right depth.
I took up waterpolo at the beginning of September, and hadn't really swam since about gr.5. Swimming Tues/Thurs and waterpolo on Sunday has KILLLED my squatting for the past month. Also, if you haven't swam in a long time it's super hard, holy crap. I started out only being able to swim like 25m. I think if I were more of a competent swimmer it wouldn't be such a big deal, but even a 30min pretty intense swim is pretty killer for me.
Anyways, after re-arranging my schedule last week, I started swimming on W/F instead. Since then I have been able to maintain fairly consistent gains all around. Swimming it self isn't really that great, really I just do it so I can play waterpolo (which is great fun!) without drowning.
So, moral of the story I guess is swim on days that you lift because you need the rest days to rest. Also, get goggles and jammers-- swimming is 100x better with them!
On October 04 2011 06:04 Mementoss wrote: Hey I decided to get my gf to take a video of me squatting so I could see how my form looked. It seems as though my depth isn't as low as I thought ( stupid mirror making it look lower lol). I guess that can be fixed by just going lower. -_- As well as it seems my back is rounded on the way up.
Any critique other then that/ how to fix my rounded back/ get a good feel for the right depth.
For the back, not really sure- just hold it tight and don't round?
As for depth, personally I find that if I think about depth I try to ease into going down enough and then it's hard to get low enough and even harder to push back up. Imo the best way is to just go down (don't dive-bomb it!), and after having practiced the proper depth 1000000 times in warm up sets you know where the right point is. Then catch the muscle bounce and just explode up/hip drive. As Rippetoe says, you want to be thinking of the "up" all the way down, so when you reach the right point you just drive up.
I think at some level it's a personal thing, so this is how I think of it.
On October 04 2011 06:04 Mementoss wrote: Hey I decided to get my gf to take a video of me squatting so I could see how my form looked. It seems as though my depth isn't as low as I thought ( stupid mirror making it look lower lol). I guess that can be fixed by just going lower. -_- As well as it seems my back is rounded on the way up.
Any critique other then that/ how to fix my rounded back/ get a good feel for the right depth.
a) don't look at the mirror. Look above it or past it or whatever but don't look at yourself. It can only fuck up your perception.
b) you think you're getting lower than you are because your bending over with bar into a "squat morning". Keep your back upright and get your hips low, don't collapse like an accordian. Keep your shoulder blades back and focus on getting your hips low then driving back up. Maybe take off some weight and build back up if you need to.
And here's an article that i absolutely love. Perfectly describes my state of mind when i hit my PR 145 + 117 total, and the exact reason i missed my first snatch then went 5/5 Wish i just read it instead of spending 4 months getting bitched at by an old russian man to relax :-p I guess some lessons are better learned that way though.
fuck fuck fuck I only did 3 sets of squats and my back was still so dead, doing 235 DL felt way harder than doing 225 last time and my form went out the window. That's the end of my linear gains -__- Missed my press as well today. All in all a really shitty day for me.
Need to rest my back for a while until it recovers...
On October 04 2011 06:04 Mementoss wrote: Hey I decided to get my gf to take a video of me squatting so I could see how my form looked. It seems as though my depth isn't as low as I thought ( stupid mirror making it look lower lol). I guess that can be fixed by just going lower. -_- As well as it seems my back is rounded on the way up.
Any critique other then that/ how to fix my rounded back/ get a good feel for the right depth.
To keep back from rounding you will want to:
1. Focus on keeping CHEST UP during the entire rep 2. Squeeze shoulder blades back together like there is no tomorrow 3. sit back more; bottom of the squat should be when you feel your hamstrings start to stretch and round your back
On October 04 2011 06:04 Mementoss wrote: Hey I decided to get my gf to take a video of me squatting so I could see how my form looked. It seems as though my depth isn't as low as I thought ( stupid mirror making it look lower lol). I guess that can be fixed by just going lower. -_- As well as it seems my back is rounded on the way up.
Any critique other then that/ how to fix my rounded back/ get a good feel for the right depth.
To keep back from rounding you will want to:
1. Focus on keeping CHEST UP during the entire rep 2. Squeeze shoulder blades back together like there is no tomorrow 3. sit back more; bottom of the squat should be when you feel your hamstrings start to stretch and round your back
I don't know if this is just a trick to help do what you're suggesting here, but I find that trying to 'break the bar' keeps my back tight the whole way through.
On October 04 2011 08:53 infinity21 wrote: fuck fuck fuck I only did 3 sets of squats and my back was still so dead, doing 235 DL felt way harder than doing 225 last time and my form went out the window. That's the end of my linear gains -__- Missed my press as well today. All in all a really shitty day for me.
Need to rest my back for a while until it recovers...
fuck I'm so angry right now.
Have you done any resetting? Have you been eating/resting properly?
On October 04 2011 08:53 infinity21 wrote: fuck fuck fuck I only did 3 sets of squats and my back was still so dead, doing 235 DL felt way harder than doing 225 last time and my form went out the window. That's the end of my linear gains -__- Missed my press as well today. All in all a really shitty day for me.
Need to rest my back for a while until it recovers...
fuck I'm so angry right now.
Have you done any resetting? Have you been eating/resting properly?
Do you mean deloading? I haven't reset/deloaded yet. I'm certain I got enough food & rest. Been eating 3k calories a day and slept without an alarm.
I'm just angry at myself because I was dumb enough to think I could keep doing this although I felt the volume was becoming too much a week or two ago. Even at ~190, if I only 2.5k cal or didn't get enough sleep one time, I barely got through my sets. Not sure what I'm going to do now. I do know that my back needs to rest and recover fully and that I will not be doing 5x5 on squats anymore.
Guess it's time to post my 5 weeks and a bit of progress on SL5x5 squat: 220x3x5 (prev max 175x3x5) bench: 145x5x5 (prev max 125x3x5) press: 85x5-5-5-4 (started 55x5x5) deadlift: 235x5 (started 135x5, 1rm 295) chin-ups: BW+15x3x5 (prev max BW+10x3x5, 1rm BW+50)
On October 04 2011 08:53 infinity21 wrote: fuck fuck fuck I only did 3 sets of squats and my back was still so dead, doing 235 DL felt way harder than doing 225 last time and my form went out the window. That's the end of my linear gains -__- Missed my press as well today. All in all a really shitty day for me.
Need to rest my back for a while until it recovers...
fuck I'm so angry right now.
Have you done any resetting? Have you been eating/resting properly?
Do you mean deloading? I haven't reset/deloaded yet. I'm certain I got enough food & rest. Been eating 3k calories a day and slept without an alarm.
I'm just angry at myself because I was dumb enough to think I could keep doing this although I felt the volume was becoming too much a week or two ago. Even at ~190, if I only 2.5k cal or didn't get enough sleep one time, I barely got through my sets. Not sure what I'm going to do now. I do know that my back needs to rest and recover fully and that I will not be doing 5x5 on squats anymore.
3k cal is enough? EAT MOAR om nom nom.. Also your linear gains arent done if you have deloaded/reset yet. Don't get mad at yourself, pour it in to your lifts. Train to be a motherfucker.
Motherfucking squats. I took a 3 day break and the pain dulled a bit in my legs. I managed to do a few sets instead of 1 rep this time but my legs still feel like a knife is cutting the tendons, the pain is so SHARP.
To be more specific, the only part of my legs that hurt is in the groin area, so the upper inner thighs section. The weight of the squat doesn't bother me, and even if I go down in weight I feel like it will be the same pain.
EPT
