Quagmire911 Lifting Journal

[Quagmire911]

Good job on the DL man. Do you find it easier to sit into the lift more and have a narrower stance and use your quads to push up from the bottom part of the lift? I was stuck at 405 for almost a year before I changed up my stance and how much I was sitting into it...the result: my DL went up 25-30 lbs...my PB was 435-440.

Everyone's unique biomechanically so I'm not sure if this will help you, but it totally did with me. Keep up the progress!

Mechanically from what I can see I hit the form on the head with that deadlift, at least in the starting position.

Once my hips are up to par I think I will be strongest with a sumo stance, as it puts my back at a better angle.

 

[Fuglydude]

Ya your form was fine, I was just telling you what worked for me!

I find sumos are too hard. How wide is your stance when you lift conventional? What's your bodyweight right now?

 

[Quagmire911]

My stance is around about shoulder width I reckon. My bw is 180ish at about 14-15% (estimated). Can see four abs when I flex.

And if you find sumo difficult, it points to a hip weakness. You could of course just be built better for pulling conventionally, but the two shouldn't be far apart.

 

[I-tallionStallion]

Scariest looking squats I've ever seen other than my 20th rep today haha. Great work on the DL. Funny...I've seen Arnold deadlift with his feet even closer than shoulder length and I've always wondered why...any idea? - Picture

I may try barefoot sometime cause I hate being just in socks haha but it works really well for my squats. I recommend it.

 

[Quagmire911]

I was squatting/deadlifting in socks, but now I raise my heel. Mark Rippetoe says that it helps in extension.

Don't know why Arnold did that...

 

[Kerpal]

I think the closer your stance is, the closer together you can bring your hands and the less distance you have to move the bar. Sort of like how pulling Sumo style shortens the ROM.

If you have Starting Strength, the Deadlift section shows a couple of powerlifters deadlifting with their feet together or nearly together.

 

[I-tallionStallion]

Yeah I started putting me feet closer together than shoulder length not too long ago and felt a little bit of extra strength from doing it (maybe imagination). Might be something for you to try Quag...

 

[MrS]

Good DL there Quagmire, well done.

You've gotten fat, it seems!

 

[Quagmire911]

Don't have starting strength.

Foot width is something I will have to consider actually, not looked into it much. I know Rippetoe advises the foot stance that you would use to jump, as he says this will provide the best application of force to the ground. I keep this in mind but don't think of it much when I approach the bar so I will have to see. I said roughly shoulder width, and the jumping stance is a bit narrower. So I will have to see. Will test stuff out on the warm ups.

And thank you MrS, although I amen't fat yet. A solid 6 weeks work and I would be nice and lean again. I have other stuff on my mind though, so as long as it doesn't get out of hand I am not bothered for the moment.

 

[Fuglydude]

Quag, I don't think I can even pull 315 with sumo style...it just doesnt' feel natural for me. Hip weakness could be a potential issue for sure, but my 1 RM for the powerclean is 130% of my bodyweight....doesn't a lot of the power for cleans come from hips? I think hip flexibility is an issue for me as well.

I think the stance width is an individual thing as everyone is biomechanically unique. I personally prefer narrow stance, feet around 6-8 inches apart. I feel like I can use more quad drive at the bottom end of the lift and less lower back that way. I've worked with clients who prefer a wider stance.

Like you said you should probably just play around with different widths until you find one that is optimal.

 

[MrS]

Not being able to do sumo dl's doesn't mean you have weak hips, it means you don't know how to sumo dl. depending on where you fail points to what is weaker than the other bit.

 

[Quagmire911]

Not being able to do sumo dl's doesn't mean you have weak hips, it means you don't know how to sumo dl. depending on where you fail points to what is weaker than the other bit.

Doesn't neccasarily mean you have weak hips, although it is a possibilty. The sumo is more hip dominant than the conventional.

And Fugly, something is wrong with your sumo technique if you are pulling 115lbs or more less than your conventional.

 

[Fuglydude]

Doesn't neccasarily mean you have weak hips, although it is a possibilty. The sumo is more hip dominant than the conventional.

And Fugly, something is wrong with your sumo technique if you are pulling 115lbs or more less than your conventional.

I've never really learned how to do the sumo properly...i've tried it a few times, but have never really been coached on it. It doesn't feel natural, so I don't really try it. Definitely interested in learning it tho

 

[I-tallionStallion]

It kills the hamstrings...I hate it haha. I couldn't walk for a week after i first tried it.

 

[Kerpal]

I'd be scared of dropping the weight on my foot. When I see guys pulling sumo at my gym, their stance is so wide their toes are almost touching the plates.

 

[Being_the_Don]

Wednesday

Good day today. Here it is:

Deadlift 150kgx1 157.5kgx1 172.5kgx1 PR (379.5lbs)-F***ing good stuff. This is a conventional PR and equals my sumo PR. Next week may be an all time PR. This was a good rep, form was better than last weeks 167.5kg. It went up fairly well too once it was off of the floor, which is my weakpoint. Got the legs into it again today. And for reference my grip didn't give out at the end. I held it for a few seconds and slammed that bitc* cause I felt good about it. Grip had no problems with the weight. Back seems to bend a bit but it is a max effort or near enough. Here is the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeWVc5BhkvQ

Squats 122.5kg (269.5lbs) x5x1-Well. The first set was a true five rep max, which the video will show you. On the second set I then tried looking up to compare it with looking down and it felt quite a bit heavier. That, coupled with how much the first set out of me, I just set it down on the second rep. I using Poliquin's 5% here and I still may for one more week. No way was I getting 3x5 though. My hips were still coming up first this week and it gets more pronounced as the set goes on. The last rep looks horrific. On the second rep I hit the box awkardly (using it for depth) and on the third I hit the ghetto rack which doesn't help. I think my back needs bringing up to par although it may be that I am just not maintaing a good enough position out of the hole. That along with my hips and core are where the weakpoints lie at the moment. I also didn't walk the weight out very well. Will be getting weightlifting shoes when I can afford it. Here is the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61BQHRmYxig


Sumo deadlift 120kgx12-Doing these for the hips. Really felt it in them too.

Romanian deadlifts 105kg 2x10 -My back was tired as hell by this point so this didn't feel great on it.

Side bends 6kg 2x6 -Getting better at these.

Db bi curls- 15kg DB 2x6-Left is quite a bit weaker than my right.

Hip adduction 50kg 2x12 -Much better than last week. No cramping.

Hip abduction 90kg 2x12-Think this is pretty strong.

Well that was that. Went a bit high weight wise on the squats. Should have called it a day on the third rep and done a 3x3 probably. Very happy with the deadlift. I reckon I had 5-10lbs more on that rep. 182.5kg is the target. Won't get it next week and then I am switching out the ME exercise for something else. So it will be at least another month before I get to attempt it. My hips and abs were still sore from Monday but it didn't seem to affect anything. Well that is all for today, until next time...

Quagmire

Good job on the deadlifts, Quagmire.

 

[Quagmire911]

Thanks Don! We will both get the 400 soon .

Fugly I can't give precise advise on the sumo but it isn't terribly different from the conventional, at least I don't think so. First thing is the stance. I usually just take a wide stance that is comfortable. I am 5 9" or thereabouts and if I put my feet near the plates I feel like I am sliding. Not good. My stance is a few inches outside the rings on either side if I remember correctly. I have seen some people take an even closer stance but still sumo. I can't really comment on this, but hey if it helps you lift more weight so be it. I suppose finding the sweet spot is what you want to do. Shift your stance about with a weight that is moderately heavy for you in the sumo, and see what feels best.

After that make sure the bar is in the middle of your foot. When you grab the bar you have to be sure to get an even spacing even more so than in conventional, as it will f*** the lift up more. As you grab bend your knees until the bar touches the shins and get your back in position whilst doing so. This should keep your scapula over the bar. If it isn't adjust, but this will happen natutally with practice and it may anway.

Then tear that f***er of off the ground. Really focus on contracting the hips forward, as I said earlier there is more dominance in the hips in the sumo.

Hope this at least gives you some ideas. Some people are built better for sumo and some for conventional, so keep this in mind. There shouldn't be a huge gap between them though.

And Stallion, soreness is the best part of training!

 

[Quagmire911]

Monday

Reasonable enough day today considering I had quite a lot to drink at the weekend. Usually don't drink the night before lifting but I was at a comedy last night (Stephen Lynch) so yeh. First day using bench as the main move in about two months or thereabouts and it went well. Here it is:

85kgx6x5 PR (187lbs)-Well there you go. Concentrating on brining my shoulders up to par has benefited this. Form was a little off and one side (most likely the right) was doing more of the pressing. My feet were wanting to come of the ground which I am sure points to this as well, but I made sure to keep them planted. Will be interesting to see what happens when my body adapts to the move again. Pretty sure I could do 100kg for a rep now. Going to use the 5% solution here, it worked well for the shoulder work.

CG bench 70kgx9 -Just some extra work for the tri's.

Dorian rows 65kgx6x6x6-I tried to do rows but they just felt really weird. These felt strange but got better as the sets went on. Something in my upper back is weak. I could have done more weight, but as I say it didn't feel right.

One arm Oh press (braced) 25kgDBx10x8 PR-Few reps more than I got about a month ago and it was the third move and not the first. Good stuff. Shoulders are set. Just failed on the 9th with the left side. Right could have got 9 or 10 but I was matching it up with the amount the left got.

Pullups Bw (179ish)x7x5-I suck at pullups. I can do chins with 10kg added for this amount of reps. My sticking point is in the top part of the movement when my chin is nearing the bar. As with rows, I reckon this points to some kind of weakness. I just don't know what. I suppose I have to keep in mind that my bw is a good 25lbs or so more than it was a year ago. But it seems a little odd that the chins are as far ahead as they are. Could be normal for all I know.

Ghetto roman chair situps 15kgx10x10x10-Big improvement on last week. Abs are strange. They seem to adapt quickly.

GPP-Anyone that wants to try something a bit different, do what I am about to lay out. It will kill you:

Power clean/front squat/push press 40kgx10 3 circuits 60-90s inbetween-Basically powercleaning the weight of the floor, front squatting it, then push pressing it overhead. Then back to the ground and repeat. I saw some coach, don't remember who, say that these were murder. Something about going from the front squat to the press. Well he is right, it was murder. Good stuff.

And that was all. Going to look up row form, never really concentrated on it or at least not in a while. Could be doing something wrongly. All in all a good day across the board. Tommorow I will do some cardio, most likely my burpee/jumping jack circuit. Until then...

Quagmire

 

[I-tallionStallion]

Good work Quag, keep it up.

Stephen Lynch sounded like a good show, my gf showed me him a week or two ago. And I certainly don't blame you for drinking...afterall sunday should be cheat day

 

[Rampage1]

Stephen Lynch = Awesome! 'watch them run, watch them drool, watch them fall into the pool thats diving......'

I'm going to see him in Dublin in a few weeks, should be good!

Good to see you back on the bench presses.