Macgyver: From recreational lifter/bodybuilder to powerlifter. A new road to travel.

[BrotherIron]

Form doesn't look bad at all. You're going to have some forward knee travel when you squat high bar, narrower stance. You do a good job of hitting depth and you're staying upright (keeping your chest up).

 

[Superman]

Your bench for looks alot better, IMHO. I would scoot 2 inches further forward, blow your gut out a bit more, pull your hips 3/4" backwards and drive the upper traps into the bench as opposed to your upper middle traps. When you first unracked the bar I could tell you paid alot of attention to daves series. It is a great series, the only other thing I can say is instead of pressing the bar upwards pull the bar out and let it settle before you begin the descent. Vastly improved but those are just a few more tweaks for ya. Great job man! I always tell people if they can't get a good workout with a 45 pound bar their form sucks... I am a firm believer in that.

 

[Superman]

The only thing I personally see with the squat is you need to sit back more, there should be almost no motion in your shins. Now if that form feels good it looks great to me! I would call in POB for squat advice he is a true brofessional, BI and UHC are also good squatters. I suck at squatting I am only genetically gifted so I can squat alot every once in a while when I feel like going heavy.

 

[Superman]

Super... you know who that is right? That's Max Aita. He got a 1600+ raw total @ 220lbs with an hamstring injury. Dude squats in 7's at that weight. He's also got a monster pull. His bench isn't very good but when you pull and squat what Max does it doesn't really matter.

He was also a decent Oly lifter so I don't know if you're faster Super. Gotta be fast to perform the classical lifts.

I'll vid myself doing barbell rows @ 275 if you want to compare. I've heard the name and I'm sure he's respectable it wasn't an insult, I'm just faster with those with strict form. If he's totaling 1600 He squats and deads more than I do, but I am also really concentrating on my bench press, I'm not using that as an excuse but I am not devoting specialization to the squat and deadlift right now. I am trying to get my bench in the upper 400-500 range.

 

[Mini Forklift Ⓥ]

Thanks for your offer Mac, sounds great. I replied to you in my journal ~ last time I switched over to BB'ing I managed to add 15lb in the first 7wks. Kinda hoping this time it's the same !!

 

[macgyver]

Squat form looks pretty good. Try to work on a 3 step set up when walking out. first step out, second step the opposite foot in squat position, third step lead foot now in squatting position. Will save some energy.

Thanks man. I am going to concentrate on memorizing my walk-out. I know I am still unsure on it. Thanks!

Form doesn't look bad at all. You're going to have some forward knee travel when you squat high bar, narrower stance. You do a good job of hitting depth and you're staying upright (keeping your chest up).

Thanks BI. I was thinking knee travel would be higher with the closer stance, but I was not sure. I am stuck squatting like this till my hip is better, but either way I think I should not have a problem breaking 500 (even close stance). That would put my total in the 1525 range. I was really concentrating on the chest as before, I was losing my posture during the lift.

Your bench for looks alot better, IMHO. I would scoot 2 inches further forward, blow your gut out a bit more, pull your hips 3/4" backwards and drive the upper traps into the bench as opposed to your upper middle traps. When you first unracked the bar I could tell you paid alot of attention to daves series. It is a great series, the only other thing I can say is instead of pressing the bar upwards pull the bar out and let it settle before you begin the descent. Vastly improved but those are just a few more tweaks for ya. Great job man! I always tell people if they can't get a good workout with a 45 pound bar their form sucks... I am a firm believer in that.

I shot some more bench vids. Man....it is uncomfortable as all get out! I am trying to decide if I bench better with my legs underneath me. (that is how I set up today). Boy the tension is almost unbearable and on my last set, I could not wait to release my feet


I will post my new bench vids when they upload.

Thanks guys. MUCH appreciated.

 

[macgyver]

I tried some of the suggestions today. This is the form I played with today. I was setting my feet first and really working the arch. Man....this is almost painful. I also widened my grip about an 1". I only worked with 225, but this is very hard work to even set up in this position. You can see in the second vid, I had to let my feet out right after the last rep as the tension was getting to me.

Benching like this is TOUGH.

But it looks to possibly pay off. ROM is significantly less this way.

 

[schultz1]

Gotta get those heals down mac, missing out on a ton of leg drive.

 

[macgyver]

Gotta get those heals down mac, missing out on a ton of leg drive.

Man....that is going to be tough! I liked setting my feet first as I could get a much better arch. Looks like I am going to have to start working up to it as flexibility (or lack thereof) allows.

I think I am going to do these twice a week to work towards getting down this path quicker. I dont just want to work on it once a week. With weights this light, is there any harm in that?

 

[PillarofBalance]

I don't fully agree with Schultz. Your heels are where you will drive from yes BUT they don't have to be in contact with the floor.

You do need more of your foot in contact with the floor. Slide your feet forward and inch and then drive the heels towards the ground. They won't actually touch the floor but it will give you leg drive.

 

[schultz1]

I don't fully agree with Schultz. Your heels are where you will drive from yes BUT they don't have to be in contact with the floor.

You do need more of your foot in contact with the floor. Slide your feet forward and inch and then drive the heels towards the ground. They won't actually touch the floor but it will give you leg drive.

Agreed. I know it used to be that your heel couldn't come up, I have no idea what the new rules are in that regard. I just prefer when I can get my whole foot into the ground. That is flexibility dependent.

 

[PillarofBalance]

Agreed. I know it used to be that your heel couldn't come up, I have no idea what the new rules are in that regard. I just prefer when I can get my whole foot into the ground. That is flexibility dependent.

Depends on the federation. Like USAPL you must have your feet flat and they can't move at all. Which is bullshit of course. Mac won't be competing in USAPL because of his TRT.