AB's Happy Smiley Thoughts journal

[anotherbutters]

SF 5x5 Week 3, Wednesday

Bodyweight: 80kg (176lb) - no change for weeks, although I'm frequently hungry now, so I guess now's the time to start bulking

1. Front Squats (kg)
(warmup: bar x 10)
30 x 5
40 x 5
50 x 5
65 x 5 ..... up 5kg ...... PR

I guess I'll have to start counting PRs somewhere, even though this is nothing to shout about.

2. Deads (kg)
60 x 5
75 x 5
90 x 5
100 x 5
115 x 5 ...... up 5kg ...... chalk, hook grip

I like the straighter leg stance I'm starting with now, although I barely locked out the final rep. Still getting used to deading again. I might have to increase these by 2.5kg from now, even though it's still a long way from my 5RM. Hmm, looking back at my notes, my 5RM is 132.5kg. I thought it was a bit higher than that, but it's still 7 weeks away at 2.5kg per week.

3. Military press (kg)
(warmup: bar x 5)
25 x 5
30 x 5
33 x 5
36 x 5
40 x 5 ...... up 1kg

The arch in my back from 36kg left me feeling my old back injury, but I thought I might be able to get the top set and carried on anyway. I did it, but the arch in my back on the top set made it worse. This isn't a setback, I just need to work my abs more.

4. Chins
BW x 6
BW x 6
BW x 6
BW x 6
BW x 6 ..... PR!

I went for 6 reps rather than repping out on each set and it definitely helped the final sets. Up another 2 reps this week.

5. Core work

Double leg lowers: x8 x8 x8


Comments

Not much to report. Just going through the motions. Post-workout recovery is much faster now and I'm less knackered during them.

I'm still looking for some advice on the BTN press (see previous post).

 

[blut wump]

Your strength should start to return a little faster soon, now that you're getting used to working out again. I'm looking forward to your Huge Screaming Triumphs journal.

 

[Jim Ouini]

I like the straighter leg stance I'm starting with now

What's the reason for the move?

Just asking because I'm trying to incorporate a little more knee bend at my start, hoping for a little more hip involvement. I think I had my hips a bit too high and shoulders maybe too far forward of the bar. So I moved back so the bar is over the start of my laces and tried to get my butt down a little more.

I won't be able to judge it until I get heavier, though.

 

[blut wump]

What's the reason for the move?

Just asking because I'm trying to incorporate a little more knee bend at my start, hoping for a little more hip involvement. I think I had my hips a bit too high and shoulders maybe too far forward of the bar. So I moved back so the bar is over the start of my laces and tried to get my butt down a little more.

I won't be able to judge it until I get heavier, though.

I'm currently trying to move away from that stance and going more towards what AB is doing and I've moved back in a little closer to the bar.

 

[Jim Ouini]

Well I suppose we'll pass each other in night doing the deadlift shuffle. What's the reason? Is this something you Brits agreed upon while I was gone?

 

[blut wump]

lol

For myself, I described a couple of weeks back in my journal how I would struggle with my first rep and then have smoother continuing reps. I noted where I pulled the later reps from and I'm trying to start the first rep from that position. Last week's deadlifting went better than I've had in a long while. I'll see how well tomorrow goes.

 

[anotherbutters]

I felt like I was sapping a lot of energy using my legs to stand up with the bar to clear my knees, before I could start to pull back and push with the hips. I tried straighter legs and it just seemed easier. If you've seen Nelmsjer's dead video from a few days ago in his journal, my leg angles are more like his at the start now. I might be wrong in doing this, but for now, it feels easier. Then again, I've only deadlifted for 3 weeks since my return.

 

[Guinness5.0]

From what I've been able to gather, there are DL'ers who are all about 'towing' the bar up with their low-backs, hams and glutes, while some are more prone to 'squatting' the bar up with low hips and a forward drive to lock it out. At least that's what I've observed from watching a lot of vids lately (FYI: if you search putfile.com for 'deadlift' you'll return multiple pages of deadlift vids).

BTW I'm referring to conventional deads.

 

[anotherbutters]

Yeah, I have lots of clips too, but I've never noticed anyone going as low as I used to. Well, as low as I think I used to - it's difficult to tell without taping myself (still no camera). I'm happy for now.

 

[Jim Ouini]

For myself, I described a couple of weeks back in my journal how I would struggle with my first rep and then have smoother continuing reps. I noted where I pulled the later reps from and I'm trying to start the first rep from that position. Last week's deadlifting went better than I've had in a long while. I'll see how well tomorrow goes.

Can't argue if it works; for me the first rep is always a harder, no matter where I stand

As far as stance, I'm sure it's dependent on one's torso length, arm length, etc. I don't have SS out but I remember Rippetoe had some diagram about 2 perfectly acceptable starting positions (conventional of course ) with 2 lifters of different anatomy.

I learned RDL's first so when I first started deading I just reached down and bent my legs enough to keep my back flat. Then I'd extend my legs until I got to the start of my RDL, basically, and then extend my hips. So I wanted to experiment with a little more knee bend than I have in the past.