Workout B 3x5 - *video*

[ark94]

This is my last video im putting up for a month or 2 now, holidays are over so I can’t get them recorded till another holiday. This time I recorded workout b, so squats, military presses, bent rows. Squats seem decent to me except balance my body on the heels, military presses suck, and bent rows suck. Comments?

Squat

Well, I squatted in my chucks today. I tried a narrower stance than normal, and what you guys said. However, when I squatted, I notice I have my weight, always on my toes. If you watch closely in the video, you can see one part I come off my heel and onto my toes to help me get it up. Kind of fucked in that area, I don’t get how to put the weight on my heels; however I realize to me it’s more of a weight thing, as in where I make the center of balance. Any tips on how to get myself to boost off the heels? Also, my back still rounded a bit, I’m trying to sit back as far as I can. Still a bit of a fail though.
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Military Press

Military Press videos are up also. Went decent I guess, I did not realize that I was putting my arms SOOOO far back behind my head until I watched the video. Also, not sure why today I was off balance on my first rep every set literally. Has never happened to me before was really weird. Any tips? I realize my arms are going way to far back; also I’m not getting it close enough to my face. Oh and that is basically how much I can extend my arms, they don’t fully straighten out.

Bent Row

Bent rows kind of blow. You can’t see it to well with the camera, but I am bringing the bar in until I touch my ribs. However on the last rep it becomes hard but I get it 80% of the way up to my ribs. How is my form? I haven’t posted a bent row video in 2 months, and they don’t look to good. Am I supposed to squeeze my shoulders back at the very top of the lift?

 

[JDid23]

You're looking a lot better bro. I just checked quickly since i need to head out but i'll edit my comments later.

 

[ExtraMile]

first set of squats looked much better, except your knees come way out maybe because your toes are pointed so far out, point them a little more forward than that but not straight forward, see how that feels. About staying on your heels, you just need to sit back a little more, look in the squat help sticky thread there may be some stuff on sitting back in there. I would also bring your hands out a little more and try having the bar a little lower down on your back, I think it may have been too high since your hands were so close. Wrap your thumbs around the bar too and squeeze it hard, drive your elbows under the bar on the way down too and stay tight! Finally break at the hips first, your knees are the first thing to bend and this may be why you dont sit back much, break at the hips first then sit back, so the first thing that happens is you stick your hips out a little, then you start to break at the knees.

For the military you are using an olympic style military, with the wrists bent and stuff, if this is uncomfortable just grip it normally like on a benchpress, and instead of pushing the bar behind you, just cock your head forward when the bar has gone above your head. Press the bar in a straight line and bring it down to the top of your chest or maybe 1 inch above your chest. At the beginning of each rep your straightening your wrists and dropping your elbows and the bar is coming forward off your chest. I just keep my elbows out to the side and my wrists straight the whole time.

Rows looked fine just make sure you pull the bar into your stomach on every rep, so it should touch your stomach on every rep. And squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top.

 

[ark94]

first set of squats looked much better, except your knees come way out maybe because your toes are pointed so far out, point them a little more forward than that but not straight forward, see how that feels. About staying on your heels, you just need to sit back a little more, look in the squat help sticky thread there may be some stuff on sitting back in there. I would also bring your hands out a little more and try having the bar a little lower down on your back, I think it may have been too high since your hands were so close. Wrap your thumbs around the bar too and squeeze it hard, drive your elbows under the bar on the way down too and stay tight! Finally break at the hips first, your knees are the first thing to bend and this may be why you dont sit back much, break at the hips first then sit back, so the first thing that happens is you stick your hips out a little, then you start to break at the knees.

For the military you are using an olympic style military, with the wrists bent and stuff, if this is uncomfortable just grip it normally like on a benchpress, and instead of pushing the bar behind you, just cock your head forward when the bar has gone above your head. Press the bar in a straight line and bring it down to the top of your chest or maybe 1 inch above your chest. At the beginning of each rep your straightening your wrists and dropping your elbows and the bar is coming forward off your chest. I just keep my elbows out to the side and my wrists straight the whole time.

Rows looked fine just make sure you pull the bar into your stomach on every rep, so it should touch your stomach on every rep. And squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top.

Thanks extra, i will check out the squat thread and see if i can find anything. The Rows, i was actually bringing it up to my stomach/ribs, but you couldn't tell because of my shirt.

For the military press, i should not be resting it on my shoulder like that before each rep? Also, i should touch my chest then press up right away again? Instead of stopping like i did?

thanks again extra and j.

 

[ExtraMile]

For military I actually dont touch my chest, i stop about 1 inch above and press back up again, but I keep my elbows out to the side instead of infront like you. Some people will say to touch your chest and some say only go to mouth level.

 

[ark94]

Just spent an hour watching the squat help thread videos, on what i needed or thought i needed.

Basically I have picked up a few things. I may have to drop the weight down to 115, and get deeper squat depth? I am going below parallel, however the guy talks about how you want your hamstrings and calves touching. Now if you have bigger hamstrings and calves you, in theory, wouldn't have to go down as deep right? I should be going till i touch my calves with my hamstrings then?

Second thing i picked up on, and i believe EM said this. I should have the bar lower on my back, because its causing a bit of imbalance and my back rounding. I will try my warmup sets with a lower position on my back and see how it goes.

Last note and you guys have said it, is to have a smaller stance. I am way to wide. Now when i have a smaller stance i feel unbalanced, however that may be because I'm sitting more back in the squat then? I am not used to being on my heels, so maybe it being awkward is what how I am suppose to be then? Any suggestions on that little theory?

 

[ExtraMile]

Just spent an hour watching the squat help thread videos, on what i needed or thought i needed.

Basically I have picked up a few things. I may have to drop the weight down to 115, and get deeper squat depth? I am going below parallel, however the guy talks about how you want your hamstrings and calves touching. Now if you have bigger hamstrings and calves you, in theory, wouldn't have to go down as deep right? I should be going till i touch my calves with my hamstrings then?

Second thing i picked up on, and i believe EM said this. I should have the bar lower on my back, because its causing a bit of imbalance and my back rounding. I will try my warmup sets with a lower position on my back and see how it goes.

Last note and you guys have said it, is to have a smaller stance. I am way to wide. Now when i have a smaller stance i feel unbalanced, however that may be because I'm sitting more back in the squat then? I am not used to being on my heels, so maybe it being awkward is what how I am suppose to be then? Any suggestions on that little theory?

just answered all of these questions in your training log

 

[JDid23]

sry man been pretty busy lately

Just spent an hour watching the squat help thread videos, on what i needed or thought i needed.

Basically I have picked up a few things. I may have to drop the weight down to 115, and get deeper squat depth? I am going below parallel, however the guy talks about how you want your hamstrings and calves touching. Now if you have bigger hamstrings and calves you, in theory, wouldn't have to go down as deep right? I should be going till i touch my calves with my hamstrings then?

Second thing i picked up on, and i believe EM said this. I should have the bar lower on my back, because its causing a bit of imbalance and my back rounding. I will try my warmup sets with a lower position on my back and see how it goes.

Last note and you guys have said it, is to have a smaller stance. I am way to wide. Now when i have a smaller stance i feel unbalanced, however that may be because I'm sitting more back in the squat then? I am not used to being on my heels, so maybe it being awkward is what how I am suppose to be then? Any suggestions on that little theory?

I am not so sure dropping the weight will give you more depth, although it should help you get your form down more. Not everyone can squat ATG right away, and you've only just started squatting recently. I think you're getting decent depth. As long as it's as far as you can go, you're fine. Also, did you try curling up your toes again? Today during a warmup set i went up on my toes, but then the next rep i curled the hell outa my toes and it helped me push through my heels; i know i am reiterating this, but i think it works very well.

Not sure about bar on back. I have it pretty high and i think whatever feels comfortable and allows you to use good form is sufficient; there is no end all or do all, but it might help you.

Your stance looks fine to me. I don't think you should go in any more with your legs, but maybe someone will disagree?

Military Press- I want you to look at the 16 second mark in your vid. Notice how the bar drops when you fix your hands. What you're doing is increasing your ROM when you do this and making it harder for yourself. Idk why you do this everytime, but i think it might help a bit to just keep your grip the same throughout. Also, don't bring the bar down that far. I touch around my clavical, but if i go any lower i find it harder to complete the lift. Also, visualize pushing the bar up. Keep your whole body tight.

Rows- Imagine lifting your elbows up. Those looked good!

 

[ExtraMile]

Jdid nailed it on the military press, what he said was what I was trying to describe with dropping your hands forward

 

[ark94]

Thanks guys a ton. Throwing some other questions here now.

So, squatting I should just keep my stance? Uhh I am going as LOW as possible without rounding my back right now, however my hamstrings are not touching my calves. With progress, and time will I have deeper depth? Like what I mean is will it just come as the weight increases, and as I squat more? Or will that always be the squat depth I’m going to have? I am going to tryout having it lower on my back on warmup sets, and see how my depth is without rounding of the back.

Jdid, you always imply on being on my heels. When I used to bench It would be hard to push it up without good form, after I learned good form my bench has been steady and been going great and if I get stuck I know how to push it up with my body in proper form.

I want to learn how to get power through the heels. It would help my greatly I think, but I don’t fucking get it at all. So... do I have to sit back more in the squat? But if I were to sit back more, then I will have to make my stance smaller, and when I do that it feels quite awkward like unbalanced. Is that how it’s supposed to feel at first? I think it would help me progress with weights better, but my progression is slow because I can’t get power from anywhere else. Any tips on this?

On the military presses, I was always “resetting” my lift to give myself a bit of a rest between reps. I had been unsure about that, but didn’t really know how to ask until I had a video up. So I should just keep on going all the time, without much of a pause then? Just bring it down an inch above my chest, and then press right up again?

 

[JDid23]

Thanks guys a ton. Throwing some other questions here now.

So, squatting I should just keep my stance? Uhh I am going as LOW as possible without rounding my back right now, however my hamstrings are not touching my calves. With progress, and time will I have deeper depth? Like what I mean is will it just come as the weight increases, and as I squat more? Or will that always be the squat depth I’m going to have? I am going to tryout having it lower on my back on warmup sets, and see how my depth is without rounding of the back.

depth doesn't come overnight. Not everyone can squat ATG the first time they put the bar on their back. Keep doing the dynamic stretching before your workouts and keep squatting as low as you can while keeping good form. Depth will improve eventually

Jdid, you always imply on being on my heels. When I used to bench It would be hard to push it up without good form, after I learned good form my bench has been steady and been going great and if I get stuck I know how to push it up with my body in proper form.

that's because when you go on your toes, you aren't generating as much force as you possibly can, and i think generating force off of your heels is one of the things that can really help your squat. Not going on your toes is very different than pushing up off of your heels.

I want to learn how to get power through the heels. It would help my greatly I think, but I don’t fucking get it at all. So... do I have to sit back more in the squat? But if I were to sit back more, then I will have to make my stance smaller, and when I do that it feels quite awkward like unbalanced. Is that how it’s supposed to feel at first? I think it would help me progress with weights better, but my progression is slow because I can’t get power from anywhere else. Any tips on this?

not sure besides curling up your toes a hell of a lot and pushing your heels into the ground. Next time you deadlift you should do the same with your heels. Try doing a BW squat now. do one without using your heels and curling up your toes, then do one where your curl up your toes a lot and once you go down, push up off of your heels. I just tried this and you should notice the extra force that is being generated.

On the military presses, I was always “resetting” my lift to give myself a bit of a rest between reps. I had been unsure about that, but didn’t really know how to ask until I had a video up. So I should just keep on going all the time, without much of a pause then? Just bring it down an inch above my chest, and then press right up again?
yeah. you can pause for a second or two if you want, but when you readjust your hands you're increasing your ROM, which is making the lift harder for you.

comments in bold

 

[ark94]

comments in bold

thanks bro, helped a tad on my squat.

However, i am quite fucked...

Heels.... god damnit I am fucking pissed off at this crap.
So i tried difference stances, sitting back more, or W'HATEVER the fuck i had to so i can get power through the heels. But godamn, i got nothing but being unbalance and coming up with my toes on my working sets. even when i curl my godamn toes up fuck.

So i did, AGAIN, 120lb. for squat and i was not at all feeling my squats today. Like not at all, my form wasn't the best, but it was still there just i wasn't killing it like i could have. I tried everything, during my working sets i still found i was getting my power through my toes. Now i have curled my toes up, and i feel 1 rep went good like i was going through the heels, but i don't think so. I can't remember to well, but maybe i did however i can't remember the feeling i got to memorize doing that.

Any tips, ANY at all on getting power through the heels? Its killing me, my bench is now easily higher than my squat and im ashamed.... PLUS my squat isn't even progressing much, its like im fucking stalled... How can i get power in the heels without rounding my back and keeping good form whatnot? What do you guys do other than curling the toes up? Maybe its a balance problem with me, IDK all i know is its pissing the hell out of me...

 

[JDid23]

chill man. You are way too hard on yourself. You dwell on the negative parts of your workouts while you let the positive parts sit in the back seat. Keep trying to curl up your toes, but besides that i don't know man- it's all i do and it works. Generating power through your heels during bench should feel (somewhat) the same way it does during squats.

 

[z66x]

i get pissed off when my workouts and my form and such dont end up quite as well as I hope too. were quite similar actually lol, same age and yeah same goals. im interested to see your progress cause then maybe i can base off my workouts off yours. so good luck with your workout sorry for the irrelevance to your thread

 

[moya]

squats:
i suggested in your other video thread to use less weight (95lb) and work up, and i still stand by that idea... sit back, stick that ass down and out and sit in it...
box squats might help, get a box that you sit on that is below parallel and sit back onto it... now use your hips heels and hams to get up...
i think your stance is narrow enough... no less...
mil press: looks decent... dont need to rest each rep, it will be harder, but isnt 'wrong'...
rows:
really? youre touching the bar to your ribs?... the camera must be playing tricks on me...
try to keep your upper back low... it tends to come up during your set... you may even want to lower the weight on these... but maybe they were easier for you than they looked...

 

[MetalDead]

thanks bro, helped a tad on my squat.

However, i am quite fucked...

Heels.... god damnit I am fucking pissed off at this crap.
So i tried difference stances, sitting back more, or W'HATEVER the fuck i had to so i can get power through the heels. But godamn, i got nothing but being unbalance and coming up with my toes on my working sets. even when i curl my godamn toes up fuck.

So i did, AGAIN, 120lb. for squat and i was not at all feeling my squats today. Like not at all, my form wasn't the best, but it was still there just i wasn't killing it like i could have. I tried everything, during my working sets i still found i was getting my power through my toes. Now i have curled my toes up, and i feel 1 rep went good like i was going through the heels, but i don't think so. I can't remember to well, but maybe i did however i can't remember the feeling i got to memorize doing that.

Any tips, ANY at all on getting power through the heels? Its killing me, my bench is now easily higher than my squat and im ashamed.... PLUS my squat isn't even progressing much, its like im fucking stalled... How can i get power in the heels without rounding my back and keeping good form whatnot? What do you guys do other than curling the toes up? Maybe its a balance problem with me, IDK all i know is its pissing the hell out of me...

Based on your video, your feet are pointed too far outward. They should be 30 degrees from pointing straight forward at most. If you have not corrected this yet, it should help you (along with curing your toes and focusing your mind) drive from your heels. Also, make sure you are ramping up the weight - I do this every time I squat and it keeps my form pretty damn good (Do a light set while focusing strictly on form, then repeat while slowly adding more weight until you get to your desired set. ex: 80 lbs x 5, 90 lbs x 3, 100 lbs x 2, 110 lbs x 2, 120 lb 3 sets of 5)

Another way to get used to sitting back when you squat - a method of which I have seen tossed around this site countless times - is to:
before you begin squatting, squat with no weight, sit for a minute with your arms resting between your legs, then use your elbows to push your knees slightly further outward, and sit further down, and stay there for a few seconds. You can repeat this until you can get down into the final stage in one movement. If you do this while focusing on the other aspects of proper squat form you should get the movement down.

 

[ExtraMile]

i dont curl my toes up at all and every so often I will do a rep and tilt forward slightly and go onto my toes, its practice. try some goblet squats to help sit back its in the squat help sticky.

Your calves could be a little tight or any of your lower body muscles actually, try doing some stretching.

curling toes up just sounds uncomfortable to me...

 

[ark94]

Based on your video, your feet are pointed too far outward. They should be 30 degrees from pointing straight forward at most. If you have not corrected this yet, it should help you (along with curing your toes and focusing your mind) drive from your heels. Also, make sure you are ramping up the weight - I do this every time I squat and it keeps my form pretty damn good (Do a light set while focusing strictly on form, then repeat while slowly adding more weight until you get to your desired set. ex: 80 lbs x 5, 90 lbs x 3, 100 lbs x 2, 110 lbs x 2, 120 lb 3 sets of 5)

Another way to get used to sitting back when you squat - a method of which I have seen tossed around this site countless times - is to:
before you begin squatting, squat with no weight, sit for a minute with your arms resting between your legs, then use your elbows to push your knees slightly further outward, and sit further down, and stay there for a few seconds. You can repeat this until you can get down into the final stage in one movement. If you do this while focusing on the other aspects of proper squat form you should get the movement down.

Thanks man, i am going to keep the same width, but point my toes a more forward then.
I do warmup sets on every lift =D I normally do 2x5 no weight, then what you said is how i go up basically.

I think the trouble is sitting back in the squat with me. Since it feels like i will almost fall backward, and feel off-balance i think i shouldn't be doing it. I will try it out on warmup sets again tomorrow, and i will def. try your stage type tip, with the elbows pushing the knees out and see how that goes.

I am going to go down to 95lb's, and just steadily increase from tomorrow on and see if i can get back into a good routine with my squats.

Going to trying out quite a few things with my squats tomorrow, any other tips for sitting back or generating power through the heels?

oh Em, curling up the toes is a bit uncomfortable, not that bad it helps a little bit its hard to do in chucks. And i normally do a lot of hip loosening, dynamic stretches and some groin ones. I am still adding together more dynamic stretches as i go along, to see what i really need to make it effective. I want to add some calve and back ones once i find them and see how my squats go then.

Thanks for all the tips so far everyone! Appreciate it

 

[RottenWillow]

Just spent an hour watching the squat help thread videos, on what i needed or thought i needed.

Basically I have picked up a few things. I may have to drop the weight down to 115, and get deeper squat depth? I am going below parallel, however the guy talks about how you want your hamstrings and calves touching. Now if you have bigger hamstrings and calves you, in theory, wouldn't have to go down as deep right? I should be going till i touch my calves with my hamstrings then?

Second thing i picked up on, and i believe EM said this. I should have the bar lower on my back, because its causing a bit of imbalance and my back rounding. I will try my warmup sets with a lower position on my back and see how it goes.

Last note and you guys have said it, is to have a smaller stance. I am way to wide. Now when i have a smaller stance i feel unbalanced, however that may be because I'm sitting more back in the squat then? I am not used to being on my heels, so maybe it being awkward is what how I am suppose to be then? Any suggestions on that little theory?

yes! There you go. Was my very first thought when watching your vid. That weight is just too heavy for you right now. Don't be afraid to go as light as need be to get strong. The relative lack of depth isn't so much an issue as the pauses you need in lockout right from the first rep b/c of the too heavy weight. You want the weight to be light enough to allow at least 6 or so continuous pre-lockout reps. You'll find you get a way better workout and in turn build strength and size faster.

You feel unbalanced because you haven't developed the strength yet to stabilize yourself. As you develop the strength in your abs, erectors and hips you won't feel like you're sorta jiggling around like that. Do you do any core strength building exercises?

also, watch that booty. I think you know you're "leading with your ass" on the eccentric phase.

 

[75th]

+ 1 to pretty much everything said in this thread.

Also, props to you for posting these. Reading through all your posts Ive concluded that as far as new members willing to learn, I dont think Ive come across someone as dedicated as you in...well, probably ever.

Have a plat membership, son. Hopefully the search function you could access now would help you a bit in your endeavors.

ETA I just tried to give you a plat but Im having some trouble. Lemme look into this for you.

 

[ark94]

Thanks Willow and 75th!!

Question for Willow, in your post you mention pre-lockout? Is that at the top of the squat i presume? Where i am suppose to lock out? So i want to go up, JUST before lockout i squat back down? Also "leading with my ass" haha i always thought i am to stick my ass out as far as possible? Because that would help my sit back, i guess i have to get more of a feeling for it in my hips.

And yes, i do core exercises not a lot because i do not know to many =( . However, i do a decline bench sit up, with a barbell and 22.5lbs on each side. So im doing 90lb sit ups with a barbell.
YouTube - Awesome Abdominal Exercise Decline Barbell Sit Ups - That is the ab exercise i do.

Also doing hanging knee raises (im a pussy ) i can't do leg raises. I really do not have a strong core.
And the last one i do is obliques. Not sure the name, just the one where you standing with a dumbell, and lean to one side. If you get what i mean.

I assume i should be doing abs once a week? or twice?

Thanks for the comment 75th!


Oh, and willow if i posted in my workout log about my squats if you ever look in there
http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/weight-training-weight-lifting/ark94s-workout-log-689729-19.html

I always note how my squats went in their. If you don't look at it, here is what i said about the squats today.


Squat! Hmmm lots of stuff to say. It went well, I have no idea why, I was struggling much, but I still struggled like 1 rep. I have a feeling it’s not cause of the weight they, but the way I went down fucked up. So I got through the 3 sets no problem, it was still heavy but it went well. I tried some different things during the reps. Some reps honestly went great! It felt as if I was lifting nothing, as opposed to some reps I struggled. Now I curled up my toes, and it helped but not a ton. It did help, and I am going to keep on curling them up. I tried different things like sitting back more; whatnot and it went well sometimes. I would like to keep it at 95lb just ONE more workout to see if I can get a hang on certain things. I just read a little section again in Rippetoe’s book, the section about center of balance with the bar, so the weight is center foot. Also watched a video on that by him, it seems that may just be my problem. Of course it’s hard to master, but I need to learn how to center the balance of the weight, so when I go down I don’t go where my balance is thrown forward, which is alternatively why I end up on my toes, or too far back where I end up almost falling. That’s what I MAINLY tried out today, and that’s why some reps went better than others.
Btw, any tips on center of balance when the weight is on my traps?

 

[RottenWillow]

Thanks Willow and 75th!!

Question for Willow, in your post you mention pre-lockout? Is that at the top of the squat i presume? Where i am suppose to lock out? So i want to go up, JUST before lockout i squat back down? Also "leading with my ass" haha i always thought i am to stick my ass out as far as possible? Because that would help my sit back, i guess i have to get more of a feeling for it in my hips.

And yes, i do core exercises not a lot because i do not know to many =( . However, i do a decline bench sit up, with a barbell and 22.5lbs on each side. So im doing 90lb sit ups with a barbell.
YouTube - Awesome Abdominal Exercise Decline Barbell Sit Ups - That is the ab exercise i do.

Also doing hanging knee raises (im a pussy ) i can't do leg raises. I really do not have a strong core.
And the last one i do is obliques. Not sure the name, just the one where you standing with a dumbell, and lean to one side. If you get what i mean.

I assume i should be doing abs once a week? or twice?

pre-lockout refers to the point at the top of the movement where your knees are still slightly bent. That's where I stop. This keeps the tension on the legs.

Coming out of the hole your upward motion should begin with your shoulders. It's looked like yours was beginning with your booty, which shifts the poundage forward onto your neck and puts undue pressure on your lower back. That's different from shifting your hips backward. Again that was probably a sign of the weight being too heavy for you. Your back wasn't strong enough to keep your torso vertical.

The situps are fine, but you want to do some erector and hip work too. I think you'll find you feel much more stable under the bar when you build strength in those areas.