Road to 600kg

[BrotherIron]

Wider isn't easier at all. Foot position is based on your mechanics and you need to find where you are strongest. PoB squats wide and I'm narrower. There are little things that help you in your squat like keeping your feet pointed more straight and turning your knees out. That torques your femur creating additional tension which aids on the way up but also keep in mind it's more stressful. Turn your feet out and you'll notice your hips aren't nearly as tensioned... instead the load goes to the hamstrings.

Something else to consider is bar placement. High bar vs low bar. Now if you want to move the most weight imho... I'd suggest low bar (or lower bar) b/c it'll utilize more of your major movers then high bar. The trade off is I read you talk about cleans and high bar has a greater carry over to your Oly classical lift.

You'll find out what works best for you through experimentation. Slowly bring your feet out to see if it has a positive impact. You can also play with bar position on your bar. I'd suggest you don't do both at the same time. Only change one thing at a time to see if it helps or hurts. Also, give it a bit of time to actually see. Things don't get easier immediately.

 

[beng30]

Cheers for the advice guys, i've always squatted high bar and tbh think i'll stay that way as like you say better for the cleans but also i do mostly strongman and imagine low bar with an axle wouldn't be fun (might be talking bolloxs as well but being used to carrying the weight high for things like yoke as well would surely be an advantage?) I do normally squat with my feet turned out as i find it easier to get the depth required and i started squating in oly shoes this year which made me feel alot more stable as well. Overall my mobility is terrible, i keep saying im going to do more to fix it but never do.

 

[beng30]

Bit of a mixed week really, leg has been really playing up, so much so that tried deadlifting tuesday night and was a no go. Had been really aching all night and day but thought i'd best try and train anyway did my warm ups fine actually felt quite good until i got to the first working set and it might as well have been welded to the floor! Lost concentration and motivation and ended up spitting my dummy out and calling it a night.

Wednesday came round however still aching pain was in my ass and leg so much i considered taking some painkillers (I try not to as had a bad experience a few years ago where they ended up causing migranes that i had to go on beta blockers for) but went out to do press work:

Wednesday: (all belted to be on safe side)
Squat:
20kg x 10
20kg x 10
75kg x 5
92.5kg x 5
110kg x 5
110kg x 5

Strict Press:

20kg x 10
20kg x 10
45kg x 5
52.5kg x 5
62.5kg x 5
70kg x 5 - Very happy with this as i missed it last week

Wide Grip row:
62.5kg x 8 x 3

Then got called into work so had to end early.

No pain rest of night so even better.

 

[Bullmuscle7]

Glad the pain is resolving Beng! You did a great Leg hit and it is very impressive!!! And you got you strict press this week! Victory brother!!!


Great work!!!

 

[beng30]

Great respect to anyone that has to make weight for a competition or BB prep, I'm only in a slight calorie deficit at the mo and its killing me, found myself just staring at food in shop windows! Also more for myself when i look back at this but useful advice for anyone really, Chicken Fajitas are not the ideal food to have pre-squat they repeated on me no end!

Time to squat again last night, shitty day at work and was late before i got out. Was concerned my head wasn't up for it as i knew i had to be up early again today for work and with my back but forced myself out anyway. Glad i did :

Friday-

Squats:

20kg x 10
20kg x 10
75kg x 5
92.5kg x 5
110kg x 5
130kg x 5
150kg x 3 - Real grind but got them, heaviest i've gone this year.
110kg x 8

Bench:

20kg x 20
52.5kg x 5
65kg x 5
80kg x 5
92.5kg x 5
107.5kg x 2 - Gutted! I got the third up but couldn't lock it out so doesnt count was my right side again letting me down
80kg x 8

 

[Bullmuscle7]

Most people have no clue what maintaining a contest diet is like.

 

[beng30]

Most people have no clue what maintaining a contest diet is like.

I'm gonna guess really, really, really difficult. Just having the will to train alone must be hard.

 

[ChrisLindsay9]

Nice training thus far, despite the various aches, pains, and crazy schedule. That 150kg x3 was a nice set especially.

Chicken Fajitas are not the ideal food to have pre-squat they repeated on me no end!

lol .. maybe some oatmeal or fruit and a scoop of whey or something might be safter option.

 

[beng30]

Yeah in hindsight it wasn't best, really struggling this week. Not to sound whiney but I work 12hr shifts but its normally 2 days 2 nights and then 6 off. I do overtime so very rarely actually have 6 off but due to having extra time off in the summer i've had 4 days without a shift of some sort since the end of July and its taking its toll. This week/s was a run of 2 days, 2 nights, night off, night on, night off then 5 days (day 5 today) and 2 more nights to do, combined with my youngest having real bad night terrors i've been averaging about 3hrs sleep a night. Hence tried to squat last night and it just wasn't happening. Managed to get a physio appointment as leg really aching now but only one i could get was 10am thursday morning and i don't finish work until 7am so thats gonna be another shit day. In two minds to try and deadlift tonight, i couldn't muster the energy last week and feel even worse today.

Monday:

Squat - 12hr day at work, had a shake in the afternoon so could have tea after training. Belted

20kg x 10
20kg x 10
75kg x 5
95kg x 5
112.5kg x 5
132.5kg x 5 - struggled
150kg x 1 - felt all wrong lost focus and drive, spat my dummy out and went and ate.

Think this is also the downside of training alone/at home if i'd been at the gym or with a partner i might have pushed on as i was already there etc. Not a happy chappy.

 

[Bullmuscle7]

Yeah in hindsight it wasn't best, really struggling this week. Not to sound whiney but I work 12hr shifts but its normally 2 days 2 nights and then 6 off. I do overtime so very rarely actually have 6 off but due to having extra time off in the summer i've had 4 days without a shift of some sort since the end of July and its taking its toll. This week/s was a run of 2 days, 2 nights, night off, night on, night off then 5 days (day 5 today) and 2 more nights to do, combined with my youngest having real bad night terrors i've been averaging about 3hrs sleep a night. Hence tried to squat last night and it just wasn't happening. Managed to get a physio appointment as leg really aching now but only one i could get was 10am thursday morning and i don't finish work until 7am so thats gonna be another shit day. In two minds to try and deadlift tonight, i couldn't muster the energy last week and feel even worse today.

Monday:

Squat - 12hr day at work, had a shake in the afternoon so could have tea after training. Belted

20kg x 10
20kg x 10
75kg x 5
95kg x 5
112.5kg x 5
132.5kg x 5 - struggled
150kg x 1 - felt all wrong lost focus and drive, spat my dummy out and went and ate.

Think this is also the downside of training alone/at home if i'd been at the gym or with a partner i might have pushed on as i was already there etc. Not a happy chappy.

Yes....but you did it!! So I'm a happy chappy reading that. Everybody on here has shit going on....but they still persevere. You keep going.

What you are doing in spite of your circumstances is outstanding!!!

 

[beng30]

Yes....but you did it!! So I'm a happy chappy reading that. Everybody on here has shit going on....but they still persevere. You keep going.

What you are doing in spite of your circumstances is outstanding!!!

Thank you, one of the reasons i started a log was to in a way hold myself accountable for what i was doing. Reading how everyone else is getting despite all their shit almost guilts me in a way to stop having a pity parade and get on with it. I know that generally i have it easy which is why i'm trying to make sure i continue to push during this period and as said before hats off to everyone that does this on a daily basis. TenaciousA for instance getting up at 3:45 and then training?!?! I tried training after taking the kids to school about 9-9:30 after being up at 7:30 once and just had no energy what so ever (flip side i know people who can't train at night its what your used to i suppose, but still damn thats hardcore) yourself training through a pec tear?! Its inspiring reading how everyone else copes.

 

[Bullmuscle7]

For 99% of people life is hard and it will get in the way of lifting. But just say no.

I say yes to almost everything. And occasionally something comes at my training. Yesterday someone needed something so I moved squats to tonight so now I will be squatting tonight and tomorrow morning.

But I have gotten very good at managing. Not much preempts my training. When this injury came I was researching what I could do to compensate.

Smolov fit perfectly.

You just keep up your efforts. I will support you as will others.