Journal- Improving my deadlift without deadlifting: A four-week experiment

[Madcow2]

Check the front squat topic here, MC2 has some pushpress words of wisdom.

Those aren't words of wizdom - that's just how you keep from busting your chin and killing yourself on a jerk. Shoulders come forward, elbows are down and head is back a bit. This allows the bar to clear the head. As the bar clears your head you drive your head forward between your arms which really serves to recruit the back for stabalization and increased power.

Let me tell you, there is nothing in the world like getting ready to jerk heavy weight, sending that bar screaming up, and having it blast through your chin and head, and then obviously come back down on you. It's like taking a massive metal uppercut on the chin. Plus it makes you look like a moron and it takes some time for you to recover enough to laugh at yourself.

 

[blut wump]

Comments:
-I'm out of shape. I was gassing after a few sets of power cleans (did 'em light for form work and warmup).

That's one of the problems with periodized training. As you plough through the intensity phase you lose some of your endurance conditioning. It comes back soon enough.

 

[Guinness5.0]

So where should my grip be for push-press? Clean grip? I was a ton wider on military but didn't start from my clavicles. This may be a worthless reference point but yesterday it felt good when I used a grip where my thumbnail was right over the beginning of the knurling on the bar (the type of bars we use have the small section of knurling in the center, then smooth for a bit, then more knurling). My deadlift/clean grip is about 1" narrower than what I was using for push-press.

Also, the head-drive thing will probably smooth things out considerably- I was trying to keep my head back (though it did come forward a bit- I'd have probably dropped the damn bar otherwise ) and that's probably why 155 felt heavy (well not heavy, but heavier than it should have I guess). Next time I think i may hold the lockout position for a split second just to ensure that everything is lined up correctly.

 

[Madcow2]

Hand spacing is up to you. I generally go a bit wider than my clean. Do what works.

 

[Guinness5.0]

Hand spacing is up to you. I generally go a bit wider than my clean. Do what works.

Thanks. Sounds like I got it then.

 

[super_rice]

That's one of the problems with periodized training. As you plough through the intensity phase you lose some of your endurance conditioning. It comes back soon enough.

i guess this would be where we start talking about conjugate training

 

[Guinness5.0]

Week 1

THURSDAY

Squat 1x5: 315
Bench 5x5: 255
GM: 3x5 135, 2x5 165
Stability ball crunches w/ 25 lb plate: 3x20-ish
bb curls: 110x8, x7

Comments:

-My low back's been bothering me. My intention to improve my squat form is going well. Today I was definitely on my heels more, but my back hurt a little at 315, which is normally a joke in terms of weight. This needs to clear up quickly

-Bench was nice. I like 5x5 for bench. Also, I feel like I'm a bunch stronger now than before. I was toying with this weight.

-I really think that my low back issue has been caused by GM's. More specifically, going too far down for my level of flexibilty. I went down just a bit less than before, and I think it was a good move as my back seems better. Tomorrow will be the true test though. Also, since I went down less, it felt like I could go heavy on these. Like I said before, they weren't uncomfortable w/ 135 on the bar and going down to near parallel, but it hurt later on. I was def. losing the arch to a degree in my low back at the bottom before, and that is a no-no

 

[Jim Ouini]

-I really think that my low back issue has been caused by GM's. More specifically, going too far down for my level of flexibilty. I went down just a bit less than before, and I think it was a good move as my back seems better. Tomorrow will be the true test though. Also, since I went down less, it felt like I could go heavy on these. Like I said before, they weren't uncomfortable w/ 135 on the bar and going down to near parallel, but it hurt later on. I was def. losing the arch to a degree in my low back at the bottom before, and that is a no-no

Hey Guinness like we were talking about in that other thread, I do the bent knee low back arch GM. I do 'em like my RDL's where I think of pushing my hips back as far as they'll go as opposed to lowering the barbell. I think this is my form (at least I try too, always hard to say until you see it on video )

http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/GluteusMaximus/BBBentKneeGoodMorning.html

I guess some people do'em like this, though. Although I see SLDL's done like this and it seems kind of unsafe, because of what you mentioned:

http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Hamstrings/BBGoodMorning.html

 

[Guinness5.0]

Hey Guinness like we were talking about in that other thread, I do the bent knee low back arch GM. I do 'em like my RDL's where I think of pushing my hips back as far as they'll go as opposed to lowering the barbell. I think this is my form (at least I try too, always hard to say until you see it on video )

I looked like a retarded kid squatting when I was doing gm's .
In order to protect my back at the bottom i bent my knees a fair amount. I really think it's hamstring flexibility that's forcing this "modification".

As a side note, I bought a camera phone but it didn't come with a connector for a computer, so I'm gonna try to find one right now. I got some fun, non-lifting related vids you guys might like, such as a 15-second clip of the hottest girl I've ever seen in real life, me trying on a sports bra, and others. Good times all around .

 

[Chambewy20]

I would keep the good mornings and possibly start with those instead of squats.

Also, try some variations with them, arched back, straight back, narrow and wide stances. SLDL's can help, also Zercher squats, concentric squats, romanian deadlifts, 45 degree raises, band leg curls and good mornings.

Just my opinion, I'm doing sorta the same due to a bad knee, will see how it goes.