[theNuge]

Friday March 7th, 2008

Bench Press
---------------
Note: I probably could have increased the weight to 145 here but I didn't want to push it. 140 went up pretty good but I had to work for it.
75x5
90x5
105x5
120x5
140x5

Squat
-------
Note: I can tell my form is improving a little bit at a time. I've been getting below parallel most of the time with a few exceptions. What's tripping me up is I'm not leaning back enough and my shoulders and knees come forward a little. It felt better this time but it's still hard to trust sitting back on my heels. I also did something really stupid this time: I think I might have done six sets instead of five. I'm not sure since I lost track. I know that counting to five is hard and all but yeah...
115x3
115x3
140x5
140x5
140x5
140x5
140x5

Dynamic Rows
------------------
Note: I feel my form start to slip on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th reps of my sets. I think I need to stop and reset for each rep.
135x3
135x3
140x5
140x5
140x5
140x5
140x5

[theNuge]

Here are my latest three squat form videos. Before anyone says it, I'm sure I need to go lower. Like I said in my previous post, I think if I can get myself to lean back a little more I'll be fine. I feel like my shoulders aren't coming as far forward but my knees are going a little past my toes. I think my knees coming forward happens as my sets progress.

I'm sorry about the video quality and the angle. I put my camera on a preacher curl bench. In hindsight it didn't work too well even though I thought it put that piece of equipment to good use.

Set #1


Set #2


Set #3

[Donut62]

First off, your depth isn't too far from the realm of acceptability, most of those look around parallel. As far as coming up from the hole, you are keeping an upright torso and seem to be getting good hip drive, so you are good there. But your descent is painful to watch, lol. You look very uncomfortable going down, and you are initiating the movement by bending at the knees, not the hip. I think you nailed it when you said you need to work on sitting back more. I can't tell where your feet are from the side view, but they look like they might be too narrow? You need to put your feet outside of shoulder width, turn your feet out ~30 degrees, and concentrating on sitting back AND then down, and most importantly, driving the knees OUT. I know it can be kind of nervous learning to sit back because it feels like you are going to fall over, if you are really having trouble I suggest squatting off a box some to get a feel for it. But all in all you are coming along just fine.

[Standard]

Gotta agree with donut with just about everything, i'm not sure if your width is an issue at all but it could be depending on your flexibility, either way a shot from the back would probably help to critique that plane of motion as well.

Work your descents though, even BW squats, just get used to getting down in one smooth motion and storing energy in your glutes and hams for the drive back up, just sit back, press out the knees and keep your head and chest up.

Depth was alot better, great progress.

[theNuge]

Originally Posted by Donut62

But your descent is painful to watch, lol. You look very uncomfortable going down, and you are initiating the movement by bending at the knees, not the hip.

Yeah, I laugh at my "descent" every time. I'm surprised I even get down sometimes.

Thanks a lot for the feedback, guys.

[Donut62]

And another thing, don't be overly concerned with where your knees are going in relation to your toes. If you are squatting correctly and sitting back, they will do what they are supposed to. In a lot of people they will still go past the toes. I think people get into trouble because they are overly fixated on what the knee is doing, and takes away concentration from the hips, which is where the squat really comes from.

[theNuge]

Sunday, March 9th, 2008

General Notes: I'm going to start coloring my lifting entries like I've seen other guys do.

SOHP
-------
75x3
85x3
90x5
90x5
90x5
90x5

Deadlift
---------
Note: this is officially my favorite lift. I can't believe how good I feel after this lift. I'm sure next week won't be any different.
135x3
165x3
185x5
185x5
185x5
185x5
185x5

Squat
-------
Note: I feel like I had about 3 reps out of all that I did where I went below parallel and I didn't come forward because I leaned back. Other then that I always felt like something wasn't right. The progress is there but it's slow .
75x3
95x3
115x5
115x5
115x5
115x5
115x5

Pull-Ups
----------
Note: I'm going to have to invest in those bands because I HATE that pull-up assist machince. I can feel the reps in my muscles but I can also feel where my body wants to move and it can't because of the eff'ing machine. Here are my rep counts with BW minus the weight the machine is taking off.
BW-110x3
BW-100x3
BW-80x5
BW-80x5
BW-80x5
BW-80x5
BW-80x5

[theNuge]

Here's one of my deadlift sets:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...65197967&hl=en

[Zerocrew1984]

deadlifts look good man. just throw some more weight on there!

nice volume

[theNuge]

Originally Posted by Zerocrew1984

deadlifts look good man. just throw some more weight on there!

nice volume

Thanks for the feedback.