Warm-ups before squats....

[vtec96]

Just wanted to know what everyone who squats does to warm up... Now, im not talking sqaut-reps warm-ups.... Im refering to from the time you get to the gym to the time you first get under the bar.....

I heard that its good to warm-up your knees and get blood flowing by doing light bicycle work for like 3-5 mins, light hip adductors, some light abs and back ext's, just to get your body ready for the Squats....... Any pre-sqaut warm-up advise?

 

[Hannibal]

Standing ab work with the bands...and 3 sets of 6 with the glut/ham machine. Then start off with the bar....50lb jumps until I get to my work sets for Dynamic day.

 

[GRIMMER]

I do a rowing machine for 2- 3 minutes to get the blood flowing

 

[Screwball]

Lower Body Warmups..

5-10 minutes on the bike or treadmill (low intensity - blood flowing)

5-10 minutes of light stretching (entire body)

Warm-up weights (40-50 lb. jumps)

Working sets

 

[powerlifterjay]

Well last night i hit the treadmill for a few minutes with the setting at an incline. Then i go in the back were th ecage is and i squat with no bar or anything and just get moving. A little streching then i squat bar only for about 2 sets. Then i went up 135x 10
225 x10 2 sets
315x 5 2 set
405 x 5
495 x 3
585 x 5 could have got 8
635 x 2 could have got 4
675 x 1 could have got 2 or 3

Didn tpush anything i could have done lots more on all sets but this is week 2 of no box squatting and for some reason the transition wasnt as easy as i thought. But last night felt better. I am not pushing anything. Monolift style felt better. Now i am ready to start pounding big weight for June. I will suit up in another few weeks and numbers will fly!

But i need to fill my muscles with blood before i squat. I feel my knees need to be worked lightly as well.

Reverse hypers did 3 sets, with set 1 225, set 2 and 3 with 315

Then we hit abs on decline did 4 sets of 10 with 125lb dumbells on my chest for set 1 and 140's for the rest. Last night my core felt strong. Besides holding back a little in strength for i am saving it, dont wanna burn out now or peak to early, this is a regular squat night for me.

 

[Screwball]

Hey Jay...

Are you using any equipment when you squat? I know what you mean about the transition from box squatting to competition squatting. I always have a difficult time with it. I wish I could just box squat all of the time. It feels so much more comfortable for me then free squatting. By the way, great numbers. You are really going to hit some big numbers in your next competition.

- Screwball

 

[powerlifterjay]

Oh ya i got belt, wraps and breifs. I always were briefs. Its just habit now. Next week i am going to go over 700 the same way then i still may go up the next week before i start suiting up. I would like to go 725 with no suit. As far as what i will hit in June. Who knows? What i squat in the gym is one thing. But i am capapble of over 800lb. I blasted a 765 pretty easy as well. My suit as been altered so who knows if it will even work right. I think it will though. But if you remeber my post about my patella tendon its the only reason i am keeping wraps on them.
I usually dont wrap till after 585 last traiing cycle , and hit 675 no wraps on the box too, but last night i wrapped at 500. I am being safe. And it worked this is week 2 i havent had to come home and ice my knee!

I love box squatting, alot. But yes the transiition isa only taking a couple of workouts to come out of, but your right i wish i could just always box. My partner Jimmie dean box squatts all they way up to the meet. If everything goes the way i plan i will go 800 plus! But i have never got my 3 rd attempt squat. Hell i have only got my second attempt once. Remeber i have very little experience in full power meets. BUt i am openeing light as hell. So my opers would be like 722, 585, 534 as of right now. If that give you any idea of my game plan. But thanks for the boost bro! I can use all the encouragement i can get.

When is your next meet?

Oh ya what numbers are elite for 242lbs. It snot the qualifing totals for the WPO is it? Those changed recently. Isnt there another number for becoming elite? I figured a reality is i wont get what i am capable of. Its just the way it is but i would like to at least get elite as a miniumum. Anyone know what it is?

 

[Arioch]

Well, it is a half-mile from my office to the gym, and the walk is the cardio portion of my warm-up. As it is very early in the morning, I take my time. I start with the bar for two sets of ten, then it pretty much depends on how stiff and sore I am and if my knees are bothering me. Sometimes I can spend almost 30 minutes warming up, but I am really paranoid about re-injuring my knees.

 

[vtec96]

Arioch, I also take a while to warm up.. and take "forever" to finish my SQ sets!!! I take almost 45-50 mins squating..... But then I also do front squats and some SLDL all within about one hr? How long does everyone work at the squat rack/power rack?

 

[bigokie]

vtech96: Standing abs on pulldown for 3 minutes. Then squat with 135 a few times and work up from there. Also, before I leave for the gym I rub joint stuff on knees and lower back. By the time I get to the gym it is burning nicely.

Pljay: numbers for elite, I thought I would post them all in case others are wondering
Weight
Class114:123:132:148:165:181:198:220:242:275:SHW

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Elite1064:1157:1246:1394:1527:1642:1731:1824:1890:1946
2033

With just your openers you'll only be 49# shy. Good luck to all

 

[vtec96]

vtech96: Standing abs on pulldown for 3 minutes. Then squat with 135 a few times and work up from there. Also, before I leave for the gym I rub joint stuff on knees and lower back. By the time I get to the gym it is burning nicely.

Hey bigokie, thanks man.....actualy I tried that rub today with some green liniment on my knee before I went to the gym too...Seemed to do the trick ... Thanks for the advise....
Ill try the standing abs like you and Hannibal recommend...
I think I also need to start these standing abs into my workout again! How often do you do standing abs other than for warm-ups?

 

[Hannibal]

How often do you do standing abs other than for warm-ups?

At least 4 times a week....AT LEAST

 

[vtec96]

At least 4 times a week....AT LEAST

ok cool....I usually do the machine weighted push-down with the whole stack.. and incline sit-ups with db's... I guess I'll do these standing ones with as much weight for 8-10 reps, or sometimes for time?
Last time I did them the only problem I had was the weight was pulling me back! Once i leaned forward enough I was ok, but felt like maybe i wasnt doing it right? Im only about 150lbs, so maybe its too much % of my body weight?

 

[powerlifterjay]

THanks Bigokie!

I need to do alot of getting ready before i get under the bar. But mainly mine is light streching. Sometimes i have to warmup my shoulders so they loosen up so i can get under the bar. Bt i sometimes if my knees are achy will squat just bar for several sets. Just like i bench the bar for several sets. I dont think its possible to be too warmed up. I am going to satrt abs myself at least 4 times a week. But your not alone if you have lots of prep to get ready.

Me and my team spend so much time on the power rack he has bought new racks that we are not allowed on up toward the front. I say we are in it every workout 4 times a week, for 1 plus each time. Needless to say that rack is mine!

 

[b fold the truth]

Neck rotations
Waist rotations
very light full body stretching
lat pull downs x 2 sets
tric push downs x 2 sets
pull down abs x 2 sets

Everything is VERY light and for 15 reps except for abs...I do two sets of twenty reps. I feel that the ab work tightens my abs and helps my strength. It also loosens up my back and hamstrings...and get the blood flowing.

B True