Big Boy Basics

[Andalite]

Well all those reasons are actually good because it is a PR, not just the weight moved. Props

I did 95lbs but my friend was putting his hand on my back so I could go on my heels and not fall down lol. They are brutal

Good to see you thinking out of the box regarding progression, mate. You should read this article: Strength Training with Single Double Triple Progression

You should start doing OH Squats with a broomstick. You need to work on mobility so I'd suggest you look at those links I posted for you in that strength standards thread (I think).

It will take you roughly a couple of months to get that down. After that, you should graduate onto using the regular barbell.

Some tips on OH Squats:
1.) Pull the bar apart. I suffer from massive shoulder issues and I can attest to the fact that OH Squats do NOT hurt my shoulders whenever I try to pull the bar apart.
2.) Take a narrower stance with your feet and push your knees out.
3.) When you're at the bottom of the squat, try to "stretch" like you do when you wake up in the morning (if you don't do that full body stretch towards the ceiling in the mornings thats fine - I just hope you know what I'm talking about )
4.) Elbows must be locked out completely.
5.) Do them right at the beginning of your workout. Expect to spend 15-20 minutes twice a week doing these. It doesn't take much time but the practice will add up to a lot over time and that will make you good at them.
6.) Don't think in terms of legs or hands or feet or things. Think solely in terms of hips to floor.
7.) You mentioned having someone support you from behind. You need to work on Ankle Mobility as well. All this has been included in that post I made for you. As you do the mobility drills for a whole month - like 3-4 times a week, you will get much better at them. It just takes time and once you get the hang of it progression is pretty quick.

Good luck!!!

 

[JDid23]

nice business plans bro if you ever need a wallstreet connection let me know...

for PRs, i mean weight for lifts like deads, front squats, back squats, OH squats, rows- the lifts you normally try to progress on

 

[Andalite]

nice business plans bro if you ever need a wallstreet connection let me know...

for PRs, i mean weight for lifts like deads, front squats, back squats, OH squats, rows- the lifts you normally try to progress on

Are you serious about a Wall Street connection?

Regarding PRs:
Deadlifts: 475 (a month ago)
Front Squats: 300 (two months ago)
Back Squats: 365 (a couple of weeks ago)
Overhead Squats: 185 (a few months ago)
Dumbbell Rows: 120x7 (a month ago)
Bench Press: 245 (many months ago)
Strict Standing Overhead Press: 185 (a month ago)
Pull-ups: BW of 195 lbs + 55 lbs for 3 reps (a few weeks ago)

I can't think of any other lift but if you can, let me know and I'll look up what my big numbers on those lifts are.

 

[JDid23]

Are you serious about a Wall Street connection?

Regarding PRs:
Deadlifts: 475 (a month ago)
Front Squats: 300 (two months ago)
Back Squats: 365 (a couple of weeks ago)
Overhead Squats: 185 (a few months ago)
Dumbbell Rows: 120x7 (a month ago)
Bench Press: 245 (many months ago)
Strict Standing Overhead Press: 185 (a month ago)
Pull-ups: BW of 195 lbs + 55 lbs for 3 reps (a few weeks ago)

I can't think of any other lift but if you can, let me know and I'll look up what my big numbers on those lifts are.

yeah man... not going to give too much specifics on here but my dad is a well respected guy on wall street and has a lot of connections. He goes on CNBC every 2-3 weeks... PM me if you want more information.

Nice PRs btw.. any specific ones you want to break?

 

[future]

Hey..I had no idea someone right wing like you could like Bill Maher!!!! hahaha...I love his show and I've seen the video just recently (what a coincidence!).

I definitely think the financial system globally has to evolve but I am sure you don't want me to dwell on my political and ethical beliefs....I could go on blabbering for a long time and just like everyone who's older than me, I'm at the age when I think I know best however, I am aware that opinions change over time due to life experiences and I am awaiting those experiences.

With specifics to finance, I am not really looking towards corporate finance - my interest lies in banking finance. I love investing and I keep these virtual portfolios (since I am not a US citizen it's not possible for me to invest in actual companies on a student visa and even if I were legally allowed to I don't have that kind of worthy capital to dump on the stock market) which have been doing very well over the last year. I think if I had ANY money I would have invested a LOT of it in March 09. I've had to study Warren Buffet's investment behavior in one of my classes last semester and I think his system on intrinsic value of a company is crucial. I've had to do all these fancy stock reports and the like but I personally like to think of investing as a very logical process. To me it:
1.) What does the company produce? If it's tangible and can be measured, then good. If it's all technology and software shit and is basically intangible, then I'm averse to it because companies right now in that sector - Google especially, are VERY inflated in terms of stock price. So investing there at this point in time is not worth it however, if Google's price falls to the 300s or low low 400s I would definitely invest in that and Microsoft - not Apple because Google's new phone is going to destroy the iPhone over the next 2 years.
2.) Is it a company which can survive through time? If it produces basic materials for example then we know it is linked to other crucial infrastructure businesses which should evolve. In that case, can this business also survive?
3.) Has been a historically good company for it's existing investors and what is it's relation to the rest of the industry.

Thats it. These are my criteria for investing and I believe in investing for the long haul. I look 10-20 even 50 years down the line. I am 21 right now and if I could invest in ANY company which had the promise of evolving and growing over time, then I know it will reward me in MASSIVE amounts when I turn 60+ and want to retire or if I am in need of money. So, longevity plays a big role as well.

In short:
1.) Company product
2.) Ability to adapt
3.) Market dominance
4.) Impact of management's decisions in the past
are my major factors.

Each investor has his own set of parameters and no one is perfectly right now so far over the last 2 years, these have paid off for me.

On another note: congrats on going back to grad school, dude. I didn't figure you to be religious but I hope you have a very successful time there. How are you and Tammy doing? I haven't seen you post much about her. Any more competitions coming along?

No actually I have both wings. LOL

It depends on the topic. Sadly I have occilated in life but yes I have some deep spiritual convictions but I have excelled at ignoring them.

We are great. Hoping to have a baby at some point. She is actually getting her BA in business management.

 

[Tblock1]

Are you serious about a Wall Street connection?

Regarding PRs:
Deadlifts: 475 (a month ago)
Front Squats: 300 (two months ago)
Back Squats: 365 (a couple of weeks ago)
Overhead Squats: 185 (a few months ago)
Dumbbell Rows: 120x7 (a month ago)
Bench Press: 245 (many months ago)
Strict Standing Overhead Press: 185 (a month ago)
Pull-ups: BW of 195 lbs + 55 lbs for 3 reps (a few weeks ago)

I can't think of any other lift but if you can, let me know and I'll look up what my big numbers on those lifts are.

Cool I thought your best bench was 225? Or is that just your current best?

-Haha I'm catching up to your ohp!!! The calculators say I should be at 170!!! (145x5) What is your best 5 rep ohp?

 

[Andalite]

Nice PRs btw.. any specific ones you want to break?

I want to destroy them all

No actually I have both wings. LOL

It depends on the topic. Sadly I have occilated in life but yes I have some deep spiritual convictions but I have excelled at ignoring them.

We are great. Hoping to have a baby at some point. She is actually getting her BA in business management.

Hahaha...I'm also kinda in the middle. I'm an Atheist so a lot of religion related issues aren't ones I side with religion on but I am at the same time very fiscally conservative and free-market oriented. Like I said: it just depends on the issue.

I am also very spiritual (as in I believe in energy and a pattern of the way life works) just not religious and since I come from parents who have different backgrounds (my father is Greek Orthodox and I have been baptized and my mother is Hindu) and they themselves aren't religious, it's hard for me to grasp moral values through religion. I just look at some things being right and some things being wrong. God doesn't factor into these things for me. Nor does the afterlife. I only care about this life which I can control and make the best of.

I'm very happy to hear of you doing well with Tammy, Future. It sounds great and I think having a baby would be awesome Wish her luck on the BA in Business. I'm getting a BSc in Business Administration with a Concentration in Finance. Which school is she attending?

Cool I thought your best bench was 225? Or is that just your current best?

-Haha I'm catching up to your ohp!!! The calculators say I should be at 170!!! (145x5) What is your best 5 rep ohp?

I don't do these 5RM calculators. All that I care about is what happens at the time. In the sense, take my Deadlift for example. My 5RM is probably 425 or so but my 1RM is 475 when it should technically be much more. Same goes with Bench Press: I can do 3x5 with 205 but I can BARELY hit 245 for a single. At the same time, I can squat 315 for 2 or 3 reps at the most but I can squat 365 for a single any damn day of the week lol...So I don't rely on these calculators.

You're right: my current max on bench is 225 (as in it's something I can hit any day of the week) but I hit 245 like a year ago lol...and I haven't benched for 9 months of the last year haha...

Congrats on having such good OHSquats, dude. I am really glad you find the exercise rewarding. I hope you go deep and have great mobility in your hips and ankles. If you play this right you will have a strong ass core my friend!

145x5 is really good actually. Try doing 3x3 with 145. That would be a good progression. You took your 5RM and did 3x3=9 reps with that. I am sure once you hit 145x3x3 you can hit in the 160-170 range much more easily. One of the biggest problems with Oh Squats is getting the bar up and then being stable when you squat. I know when I hit the 170+ mark I probably swing around a bit because the bar is so high up lol...

Congrats once again on that OH squat. Really solid, dude.

 

[the.gladiator1987]

I want to destroy them all



Hahaha...I'm also kinda in the middle. I'm an Atheist so a lot of religion related issues aren't ones I side with religion on but I am at the same time very fiscally conservative and free-market oriented. Like I said: it just depends on the issue.

I am also very spiritual (as in I believe in energy and a pattern of the way life works) just not religious and since I come from parents who have different backgrounds (my father is Greek Orthodox and I have been baptized and my mother is Hindu) and they themselves aren't religious, it's hard for me to grasp moral values through religion. I just look at some things being right and some things being wrong. God doesn't factor into these things for me. Nor does the afterlife. I only care about this life which I can control and make the best of.

I'm very happy to hear of you doing well with Tammy, Future. It sounds great and I think having a baby would be awesome Wish her luck on the BA in Business. I'm getting a BSc in Business Administration with a Concentration in Finance. Which school is she attending?



I don't do these 5RM calculators. All that I care about is what happens at the time. In the sense, take my Deadlift for example. My 5RM is probably 425 or so but my 1RM is 475 when it should technically be much more. Same goes with Bench Press: I can do 3x5 with 205 but I can BARELY hit 245 for a single. At the same time, I can squat 315 for 2 or 3 reps at the most but I can squat 365 for a single any damn day of the week lol...So I don't rely on these calculators.

You're right: my current max on bench is 225 (as in it's something I can hit any day of the week) but I hit 245 like a year ago lol...and I haven't benched for 9 months of the last year haha...

Congrats on having such good OHSquats, dude. I am really glad you find the exercise rewarding. I hope you go deep and have great mobility in your hips and ankles. If you play this right you will have a strong ass core my friend!

145x5 is really good actually. Try doing 3x3 with 145. That would be a good progression. You took your 5RM and did 3x3=9 reps with that. I am sure once you hit 145x3x3 you can hit in the 160-170 range much more easily. One of the biggest problems with Oh Squats is getting the bar up and then being stable when you squat. I know when I hit the 170+ mark I probably swing around a bit because the bar is so high up lol...

Congrats once again on that OH squat. Really solid, dude.

Hey I think he meant OH press not OH squat....

btw im the same way about calcs, i can always do more weight for less reps but not less weight for more reps according to the calcs

 

[Andalite]

Hey I think he meant OH press not OH squat....

btw im the same way about calcs, i can always do more weight for less reps but not less weight for more reps according to the calcs

Aaah...OHP. My bad. I totally forgot I even did that exercise!!!! hahaha... OHP's are really hard for me to progress on. I progress in short spurts. Let's see if this pays off in a bit.

 

[Andalite]

Press Training
Mesocycle 17 - Week 3​

Beginning Thoughts:

This is last night's workout. I was in half a mind to not go train but decided to stop being lazy. After every few months of dedicated training I fall into this lull where I become lethargic with no motivation to train. Thats how it has been for the last 1-2 weeks. But not things are different. I am easing back into training and hopefully I'll be fine for the next few months ​

Workout:

Pistol Squats:
BW x 5 reps x 2 sets
Good stuff

Incline Close Grip Crazy Bell Bench Press:
165 lbs x 3 reps
185 lbs x 4 reps x 2 sets
165 lbs x 5 reps
Man...this exercise is so difficult! Paul, who I have shown training with me a number of times, can bench in the low 300s and he has a hard time putting up 230-250 for reps on this exercise. As for a weakling like me, this exercise hits my shoulders and triceps the most. Very cool!

Pull-ups:
BW x 9 reps
BW x 8 reps
BW x 10 + 2 reps
Total = 29 reps
Decent..

Arm Work:
Did some hammer curls and lying tricep extensions. I didn't write the weights or the sets and reps because I was just fooling around. I think I took 50 lbs for Hammer Curls and 25 or something for the dumbbell tricep extensions..

Side Plank Rows:
27.5 lbs x 30 seconds
32.5 lbs x 30 seconds
42.5 lbs x 30 seconds
I love core training!!!​

Videos:

Pistol Squats, Incline Close Grip Crazy Bell Bench Press and Pull-ups:
IronScene | Powerlifting Videos​

Overall Impression:

Gonna focus on my diet. I have dropped from 200 to 195. I now plan on migrating to 190 and below. Slow and steady though...slow body recomp all the way!​