AB's Happy Smiley Thoughts journal

[Introspective]

Nice front squating, good deadlifting also.

 

[Jim Ouini]

I got 291 but failed to lock out 297 three weeks in a row. At the moment, I feel like I'm going to brush past most of my old PRs without even slowing down, but we'll see!

How is the new British deadlifting technique working out for ya? Feel more comfy?

 

[Protobuilder]

You must spread some karma around before giving it to anotherbutters again.

Thanks, brother.

Since I suggested it to Protobuilder here, I guess I ought to do it myself...

 

[anotherbutters]

How is the new British deadlifting technique working out for ya? Feel more comfy?

I didn't really think about it. My form wavered a bit and the bar travelled out away from my shins on a few reps, which I need to be careful of. But other than that, I was just trying to pull faster for a change to see how that feels.

 

[anotherbutters]

SF 5x5 Week 4, Thursday - GPP work

30kg (66lb) bar:
* Front Squats x 10
* OHP x 5
* BTN press x 10
* Back squats x 10
* Rows x 10

Then carried four plates upstairs.

Then 5 mins on the rowing machine at a moderate pace (2:05/500m).

Then carry plates back down stairs.

Then 15-20 min run outside.


Comments

I was going to do a second circuit of the weights, but my lower back was fatiguing so I quit whilst I was ahead and went for a run. Different route this time, slightly longer and on tarmac rather than dirt.

The run was pretty painful low down on the insides of my shins. Is that shin splints? It was the same on Tuesday. I assume it's something I'll build a tolerance to, but I thought I'd ask. I haven't run in forever.

 

[anotherbutters]

SF 5x5 Week 4, Saturday

This should have been yesterday, but I was still achey from running on Thursday and I was late home anyway because my train was cancelled.

Bodyweight: 80.4kg / 177lb

I did cleans first today and forgot about OH squats.

(Previous weeks in colour)

1. Cleans (kg)
20x5 ... 30x5 ... 35x3 ... 40x3 ... 45x3 (powercleans)
20x0 ... 30x5 ... 35x5 ... 40x5 ... 45x5 ... 50x5
20x8 ... 35x5 ... 40x5 ... 45x5 ... 50x5 ... 55x3
20x10 ... 35x5 ... 40x3 ... 45x3 ... 50x3 ... 55x3 ... 55x3 ... 55x3

I decided to keep the weight managable and practise on form. I HAVE VIDEOS TODAY!

2. Squats (kg)
40x5 ... 50x5 ... 60x5 ... 70x5 ... 80x2F
40x5 ... 50x5 ... 60x5 ... 68x5 ... 74x3 ... 70x8
40x5 ... 50x5 ... 60x5 ... 70x5 ... 78x3 ... 70x12
50x5 ... 60x5 ... 65x5 ... 70x5 ... 84x3 ... 70x12

Triple wasn't a problem. Onwards and upwards!

3. Bench (kg)
20x0 ... 40x5 ... 50x5 ... 60x5 ... 60x5
20x0 ... 40x5 ... 45x5 ... 50x5 ... 58x5 ... 64x3 ... 60x7
20x5 ... 40x5 ... 45x5 ... 50x5 ... 58x5 ... 65x5 ... 60x10
20x5 ... 40x5 ... 45x5 ... 52x5 ... 60x5 ... 67x3 ... 60x10

No back weakness getting up after benching, which is good.

4. Core work
One legged back bridges: 6 x 10 secs
Curlups: 6 x 10 secs
Planks & bridges: 6 x 10 secs


Comments

I messed for an hour or so trying to encode the crappy vid from my still camera into a smaller file, so I hope y'all appreciate it . Here's one of my 55kg cleans:

ab-cleans-55kg (direct link) and in slow motion: ab-cleans-55kg, slow motion (direct link)

Looking at the slow motion one, I can tell I'm lifting the bar far too high for a clean, which is probably because I'm not getting under the bar quick enough. Even if I was doing a powerclean, the bar path isn't vertical. It gets further away from my body as it reaches my chest, so I need to pull it in closer.

Comments welcome!

Oh, and I couldn't resist throwing in a partial clean at 80kg too: ab-partial-clean-80kg (direct link)

 

[blut wump]

Impressive partial. We just don't have the equipment to do that at my gym.

 

[Introspective]

Workout's are looking good so far, Cleans look good to me allthough i thought your form was a bit sloppy on the 80kg attempt
Are you wearing trainers with air soles ? don't they absorb some of the force generated by your legs/feet ?

 

[Jim Ouini]

lol @ partial cleans. Good stuff, AB

 

[anotherbutters]

Are you wearing trainers with air soles ? don't they absorb some of the force generated by your legs/feet ?

Yeah, I haven't gotten round to buying anything better. At this stage, I probably wouldn't notice the difference wearing a pair of clown shoes.

Here's another vid (no machines involved this time ) of the way I've been practising getting under the bar and into the rack from the hang (again, in slow motion). I've been trying to whip my elbows round quickly, but I still feel slow and don't know what to do about it.

EDIT: Looking at this cool gif: Kahki.gif, I can see that the guy moves his upper body back in order to swing his elbows under the bar, so the path of the bar stays vertical.