SS: Novice Routine
- Thread starter nipponbiki
- Start date
nipponbiki
New Member
Lol,
I read your post before going to bed, and I was thinking about it a bit. After all my reading, watching, rereading, practicing, analyzing, rereading, why am I still doing such a ridiculous thing? I think a lot of it might have to do with a psychological stress that I have about my floor. My floor is a raised wooden floor on the second story of a concrete apartment building. I think I have been afraid to 'push through the floor' with my legs for fear that I might actually do just that.
Quad or anybody who knows about this stuff, would that actually be possible? I know a proper platform distributes the weight over the area of the platform, but what about my setup with only rubber matting? And it is not a single sheet of rubber, it is that interlocking type (50 cm X 50 cm) and 1 cm thick. Also, I am not sure, but I think the flooring is like this image, it feels very hollow underneath the flooring.
I also think maybe I am too concerned about making sure my arms are slightly in front of the bar so that my scaps are directly over it. I felt when I tried to bring my butt down a bit, it was pulling my arms back directly over the bar.
Video angles I can change, but the room is very small, I can't take a video where you can see my entire body. So maybe a different angle for each set or something. I will play around with it over the next few workouts.
I read your post before going to bed, and I was thinking about it a bit. After all my reading, watching, rereading, practicing, analyzing, rereading, why am I still doing such a ridiculous thing? I think a lot of it might have to do with a psychological stress that I have about my floor. My floor is a raised wooden floor on the second story of a concrete apartment building. I think I have been afraid to 'push through the floor' with my legs for fear that I might actually do just that.
Quad or anybody who knows about this stuff, would that actually be possible? I know a proper platform distributes the weight over the area of the platform, but what about my setup with only rubber matting? And it is not a single sheet of rubber, it is that interlocking type (50 cm X 50 cm) and 1 cm thick. Also, I am not sure, but I think the flooring is like this image, it feels very hollow underneath the flooring.
I also think maybe I am too concerned about making sure my arms are slightly in front of the bar so that my scaps are directly over it. I felt when I tried to bring my butt down a bit, it was pulling my arms back directly over the bar.
Video angles I can change, but the room is very small, I can't take a video where you can see my entire body. So maybe a different angle for each set or something. I will play around with it over the next few workouts.
You can't push your feet through the floor unless your name is Steve Jones.
BUT...I DID put my deadlift max down a bit hard and severely dented the plywood between two joists, causing me to build my platforms.
If all you are worried about is deads, my 4x6 platform is way bigger than I actually need. (the width is right *6'* but I and the bar use about 2' of depth) At the very least, you could just use a 2x12x6' to put the bar on and stand on the piece you cut off. That will work until it splits, and if you glue/screw ply to it it won't split. For oly lifting it's a whole different story. So take a 2x12, cut it in half and put the pieces parallell. Smear liquid nails all over them and screw down a piece of 2'x6' ply to it and put your rubber on it. Dead platform. Done. Your local lumber supplier may be able to cut the pieces for you when you buy them and EVERYBODY has a drill or screw gun. A caulk gun is about $2. You could also put this in your squat rack as a runway if your stance is under 2'. Put pieces of thick rope on with electrical staples for handles to move it around.
BUT...I DID put my deadlift max down a bit hard and severely dented the plywood between two joists, causing me to build my platforms.
If all you are worried about is deads, my 4x6 platform is way bigger than I actually need. (the width is right *6'* but I and the bar use about 2' of depth) At the very least, you could just use a 2x12x6' to put the bar on and stand on the piece you cut off. That will work until it splits, and if you glue/screw ply to it it won't split. For oly lifting it's a whole different story. So take a 2x12, cut it in half and put the pieces parallell. Smear liquid nails all over them and screw down a piece of 2'x6' ply to it and put your rubber on it. Dead platform. Done. Your local lumber supplier may be able to cut the pieces for you when you buy them and EVERYBODY has a drill or screw gun. A caulk gun is about $2. You could also put this in your squat rack as a runway if your stance is under 2'. Put pieces of thick rope on with electrical staples for handles to move it around.
nipponbiki
New Member
Squat: 3 X 5 @ 112.5 kg
Bench Press: 1 X 5 @ 103 kg
Chinups: 1 X 10 @ BW
Power Cleans: Practice with only the bar.
I had to carry a bunch of heavy stuff from my office to my car, which is pretty far since I work at an airport, which kinda ruined my workout today. But more than that, my left arm is hurting, which gets aggravated whenever I do bench for some reason. When benching, it only happens on the first rep of each set though. Messing up the power cleans has made this problem worse though.
Squats went well though. It felt like the best squat workout I have ever had, I went deep and felt I had a good hip drive. I did video it, and I will upload it later. As it did feel like my best squat workout, I definitely want to hear about anything wrong with it.
Power clean practice also went well. Just need to keep practicing.
Bench Press: 1 X 5 @ 103 kg
Chinups: 1 X 10 @ BW
Power Cleans: Practice with only the bar.
I had to carry a bunch of heavy stuff from my office to my car, which is pretty far since I work at an airport, which kinda ruined my workout today. But more than that, my left arm is hurting, which gets aggravated whenever I do bench for some reason. When benching, it only happens on the first rep of each set though. Messing up the power cleans has made this problem worse though.
Squats went well though. It felt like the best squat workout I have ever had, I went deep and felt I had a good hip drive. I did video it, and I will upload it later. As it did feel like my best squat workout, I definitely want to hear about anything wrong with it.
Power clean practice also went well. Just need to keep practicing.
nipponbiki
New Member
Hey Quad,
Thanks for that info man. But before I start building a platform, I wanted to know if just my simple setup with the rubber mats is enough.
Thanks.
Thanks for that info man. But before I start building a platform, I wanted to know if just my simple setup with the rubber mats is enough.
Thanks.
I
imported_electric
Guest
<div>
(nipponbiki @ Jun. 10 2008,10:12)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I had to carry a bunch of heavy stuff from my office to my car, which is pretty far since I work at an airport, which kinda ruined my workout today. But more than that, my left arm is hurting, which gets aggravated whenever I do bench for some reason. When benching, it only happens on the first rep of each set though. Messing up the power cleans has made this problem worse though.</div>
Is the bar racked too far from you? Do you have to stretch your arm too much to unrack the bar?
(nipponbiki @ Jun. 10 2008,10:12)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I had to carry a bunch of heavy stuff from my office to my car, which is pretty far since I work at an airport, which kinda ruined my workout today. But more than that, my left arm is hurting, which gets aggravated whenever I do bench for some reason. When benching, it only happens on the first rep of each set though. Messing up the power cleans has made this problem worse though.</div>
Is the bar racked too far from you? Do you have to stretch your arm too much to unrack the bar?
nipponbiki
New Member
No, that has nothing to do with it. It's on the bicep side, not the tricep side, and absolutely nothing to do with shoulders. It's on the bicep side, but not the bicep itself, something deep beneath it. It starts hurting when I lower the bar on the first rep, and forces me to go superslow during the first rep like I am doing a heavy negative.
After making it worse by doing power cleans wrong, it now hurts a little anytime that is contracted, whatever little muscle or tendon it is. Although doing power cleans incorrectly has made it worse, I have had this problem for a long time.
After making it worse by doing power cleans wrong, it now hurts a little anytime that is contracted, whatever little muscle or tendon it is. Although doing power cleans incorrectly has made it worse, I have had this problem for a long time.
You may have the same sort of issue as me. Try this and see if it bothers your arm (it does mine):
Take whichever arm is the sore one and position it as if you were in the racked position: elbow high; backs of fingers close to your shoulder. Use your other hand to pull your fingers down until they are touching your shoulder. (When you are cleaning, the weight forces your fingers into a similar position.) Now, keeping the backs of your fingers against the top of your shoulder (I allow my pinky to spring free), slowly move your elbow up and down and then from side to side. Until I am warmed up I get some nasty sharp pains somewhere around the distal end of my biceps but it's a devil of a job to find it. If that isn't painful at all for you, try gradually tightening the biceps in that arm whilst keeping it in that same racked position (go carefully as you don't want to get a cramp). I get a sharp warning pain if I do that.
I think I must have hurt mine when cleaning; I'm almost certain catching the bar badly is what did it. It hurts when I start presses, bench, rows or chins, but once it's warmed up a bit it improves a great deal. If I can use a neutral grip it helps reduce the discomfort a lot so I'm trying to do that whenever possible. Even though I am taking a break from cleans it is still taking a long time to heal.
Take whichever arm is the sore one and position it as if you were in the racked position: elbow high; backs of fingers close to your shoulder. Use your other hand to pull your fingers down until they are touching your shoulder. (When you are cleaning, the weight forces your fingers into a similar position.) Now, keeping the backs of your fingers against the top of your shoulder (I allow my pinky to spring free), slowly move your elbow up and down and then from side to side. Until I am warmed up I get some nasty sharp pains somewhere around the distal end of my biceps but it's a devil of a job to find it. If that isn't painful at all for you, try gradually tightening the biceps in that arm whilst keeping it in that same racked position (go carefully as you don't want to get a cramp). I get a sharp warning pain if I do that.
I think I must have hurt mine when cleaning; I'm almost certain catching the bar badly is what did it. It hurts when I start presses, bench, rows or chins, but once it's warmed up a bit it improves a great deal. If I can use a neutral grip it helps reduce the discomfort a lot so I'm trying to do that whenever possible. Even though I am taking a break from cleans it is still taking a long time to heal.
bgates1654
New Member
I finally got a chance to look at your videos. I think... if I were there I would be able to fix everything in an hour or two.
Did you learn the power clean from the top down? It looks like you have no power in your second pull at all. Your rack position looks okay, but your 2nd pull looks very slow. The weight is clearly not heavy for you but the neural drive/motor pathway is not there for power production. Did you start out with hang power cleans at all? Typically you want to work on the hang power clean starting at the power position and then working your way to the floor.
You are definitely using your arms after the second pull and that might be from a misunderstanding of what the power clean or second pull is. The second pull is a very short, very violent motion that is accomplished primarily by the posterior chain. Once you have transitioned to the power position, you literally jump/shrug the weight onto your shoulders. It is better to think of it as a throw rather than a "pull". The only duty of the arms is to guide the bar to your shoulders (elbows up!). The arms are not strong enough to truely power clean the weight. "Once the arms bend, the power ends." to quote Coach Burgener.
Go to the crossfit website, click on exercise demos/videos, look under the olympic lifts section, click on the burgener warm up, do that every work out. The Burgener warmup is snatch grip but the idea and the motor pathway will carry over to the clean. It is a warmup and a technical reinforcement all in one. I have a feeling once you get the hang of power cleans your neighbors below you are going to be pissed from all the jumping and stomping.
Also your squat looks okay except for one thing. You could definitely benefit from a "terribly useful block of wood". To allow the hamstring to assist the glute with hip extension the knee must not move forward or backward after 1/3 to 1/2 of the descent in the squat. Note that I did not say that it could not flex. The majority of the rest of the motion is in the hips. As the hips descend the pelvis must rotate anteriorly to maintain a constant back angle. Because the knees are not moving this stretches the hamstrings. This is where a tight core is necessary because if the back is not locked with enough force the hamstrings will force the back to round (pelvis rotates posteriorly while upper back angle is maintained). This is where the block of wood is useful. Get into your squat stance, put the block of wood directly in front of one of your feet (figure out what is comfortable. I prefer tips of knees over tips of toes, but going knees past toes is not a problem.), start your descent with both hips back and knees forward, adjust descent so that your knees touch the block at about half descent and weight is still on heels, maintain LIGHT knee contact with the block and sit down and back while rotating the hips to maintain back angle and balance. Dont forget to keep your knees out.
Hamstring assisted hip extension is an awkward motion if you have never done it before. It will feel unnatural. You may have to drop some weight to get the form down but once you get it you will be stronger due to more musculature assisting the lift. And have fun with rediculously sore hamstrings
Front squats look great. Press looks great. Bench looks okay but its hard to tell from that angle.
Did you learn the power clean from the top down? It looks like you have no power in your second pull at all. Your rack position looks okay, but your 2nd pull looks very slow. The weight is clearly not heavy for you but the neural drive/motor pathway is not there for power production. Did you start out with hang power cleans at all? Typically you want to work on the hang power clean starting at the power position and then working your way to the floor.
You are definitely using your arms after the second pull and that might be from a misunderstanding of what the power clean or second pull is. The second pull is a very short, very violent motion that is accomplished primarily by the posterior chain. Once you have transitioned to the power position, you literally jump/shrug the weight onto your shoulders. It is better to think of it as a throw rather than a "pull". The only duty of the arms is to guide the bar to your shoulders (elbows up!). The arms are not strong enough to truely power clean the weight. "Once the arms bend, the power ends." to quote Coach Burgener.
Go to the crossfit website, click on exercise demos/videos, look under the olympic lifts section, click on the burgener warm up, do that every work out. The Burgener warmup is snatch grip but the idea and the motor pathway will carry over to the clean. It is a warmup and a technical reinforcement all in one. I have a feeling once you get the hang of power cleans your neighbors below you are going to be pissed from all the jumping and stomping.
Also your squat looks okay except for one thing. You could definitely benefit from a "terribly useful block of wood". To allow the hamstring to assist the glute with hip extension the knee must not move forward or backward after 1/3 to 1/2 of the descent in the squat. Note that I did not say that it could not flex. The majority of the rest of the motion is in the hips. As the hips descend the pelvis must rotate anteriorly to maintain a constant back angle. Because the knees are not moving this stretches the hamstrings. This is where a tight core is necessary because if the back is not locked with enough force the hamstrings will force the back to round (pelvis rotates posteriorly while upper back angle is maintained). This is where the block of wood is useful. Get into your squat stance, put the block of wood directly in front of one of your feet (figure out what is comfortable. I prefer tips of knees over tips of toes, but going knees past toes is not a problem.), start your descent with both hips back and knees forward, adjust descent so that your knees touch the block at about half descent and weight is still on heels, maintain LIGHT knee contact with the block and sit down and back while rotating the hips to maintain back angle and balance. Dont forget to keep your knees out.
Hamstring assisted hip extension is an awkward motion if you have never done it before. It will feel unnatural. You may have to drop some weight to get the form down but once you get it you will be stronger due to more musculature assisting the lift. And have fun with rediculously sore hamstrings
Front squats look great. Press looks great. Bench looks okay but its hard to tell from that angle.
nipponbiki
New Member
bgates,
Thanks for the post! That is the kind of feedback I like to read. You don't need to preach to the converted though. About power cleans, I understand all this stuff in my head, I am just not able to execute it. It is not that I have no power in my second pull, I have no second pull.
Squats, you may be right, maybe not. I should get a TUBOW just to test it and make sure, but the forward-knees problem I have been working on since I got a video camera and started seeing my own form. Also, the version of squat I am doing is low-back, which requires knees to go forward past toes just a bit.
Please just subscribe to the RSS feed of my website instead of going through it here. Your feedback would help make my videos great references for others.
In other news, I am starting a diet this week and to kick it off, I will test my current 1RMs tomorrow. I also have been meaning to post current measurements and pics anyway, so they will serve as 'before' pics.
If you all are interested in keeping up with my training log, please start checking my site directly. That's its main purpose---my training log, and writing the same thing twice here is not something I will keep doing much longer. Anyway, I would like to have my site graced by your presence!
Thanks for the post! That is the kind of feedback I like to read. You don't need to preach to the converted though. About power cleans, I understand all this stuff in my head, I am just not able to execute it. It is not that I have no power in my second pull, I have no second pull.
Squats, you may be right, maybe not. I should get a TUBOW just to test it and make sure, but the forward-knees problem I have been working on since I got a video camera and started seeing my own form. Also, the version of squat I am doing is low-back, which requires knees to go forward past toes just a bit.
Please just subscribe to the RSS feed of my website instead of going through it here. Your feedback would help make my videos great references for others.
In other news, I am starting a diet this week and to kick it off, I will test my current 1RMs tomorrow. I also have been meaning to post current measurements and pics anyway, so they will serve as 'before' pics.
If you all are interested in keeping up with my training log, please start checking my site directly. That's its main purpose---my training log, and writing the same thing twice here is not something I will keep doing much longer. Anyway, I would like to have my site graced by your presence!
nipponbiki
New Member
Lol and others who responded about my arm,
Well, I have not worked out since last Tuesday. Partly because I wanted to discuss my arm with Rip before my next workout, and partly because I have just been lazy and really wiped out (this happens every year when the intense humidity begins torturing me, from the end of the rainy season all the way to the end of summer).
Rip suggested that it is a problem with how I hold the bar during squats. I would have agreed with him before I got the camera and starting watching my form, but that is one of the first things I fixed. Maybe I have not fixed it enough or it is still healing from the first bouts of squats when I definitely was not holding the bar correctly, I don't know.
Well, I have not worked out since last Tuesday. Partly because I wanted to discuss my arm with Rip before my next workout, and partly because I have just been lazy and really wiped out (this happens every year when the intense humidity begins torturing me, from the end of the rainy season all the way to the end of summer).
Rip suggested that it is a problem with how I hold the bar during squats. I would have agreed with him before I got the camera and starting watching my form, but that is one of the first things I fixed. Maybe I have not fixed it enough or it is still healing from the first bouts of squats when I definitely was not holding the bar correctly, I don't know.
<div>
(nipponbiki @ Jun. 10 2008,9:14)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Hey Quad,
Thanks for that info man. But before I start building a platform, I wanted to know if just my simple setup with the rubber mats is enough.
Thanks.</div>
I would purchase rubber mats from a tack (horse & tackle_ shop.
(nipponbiki @ Jun. 10 2008,9:14)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Hey Quad,
Thanks for that info man. But before I start building a platform, I wanted to know if just my simple setup with the rubber mats is enough.
Thanks.</div>
I would purchase rubber mats from a tack (horse & tackle_ shop.
nipponbiki
New Member
My 1RM results
This is only the second time I have tried 1RMs. Any pointers on how to get those last few pounds would be appreciated!
This is only the second time I have tried 1RMs. Any pointers on how to get those last few pounds would be appreciated!
nipponbiki
New Member
My Current Stats
PSMF is not so fun this time around, but at least I feel a little better today, the 3rd day into it.
PSMF is not so fun this time around, but at least I feel a little better today, the 3rd day into it.
nipponbiki
New Member
Squat: 1 X 2 @ 107.5 kg, 1 X 3 @ 98.5 kg, 1 X 5 @ 98.5 kg, 1 X 5 @ 103.5 kg
Standing Press: 1 X 5 @ 56.5 kg, 1 X 5 @ 59 kg, 1 X 5 @ 61.5 kg
Chinups: 1 X BW @ 12
... more details here
Standing Press: 1 X 5 @ 56.5 kg, 1 X 5 @ 59 kg, 1 X 5 @ 61.5 kg
Chinups: 1 X BW @ 12
... more details here
Well done with your 1RMs.
Squat: 130 kg (286 pounds)
Press: 76 kg (168 pounds)
Deadlift: 150 kg (330 pounds)
Bench Press: 115 kg (254 pounds)
Weighted Chin: BW + 40 kg (88 pounds)
That press is particularly good at a body weight of 80kg. Once you get down to a bw of 76kg, matching that lift would be sweet.
Hope you get your arm sorted. I know how annoying arm pain is; it seems to affect nearly every lift!
Squat: 130 kg (286 pounds)
Press: 76 kg (168 pounds)
Deadlift: 150 kg (330 pounds)
Bench Press: 115 kg (254 pounds)
Weighted Chin: BW + 40 kg (88 pounds)
That press is particularly good at a body weight of 80kg. Once you get down to a bw of 76kg, matching that lift would be sweet.
Hope you get your arm sorted. I know how annoying arm pain is; it seems to affect nearly every lift!
nipponbiki
New Member
Front Squat: 1 X 5 @ 76.5 kg, 1 X 5 @ 81.5 kg
Bench Press: 1 X 5 @ 93.5 kg, 1 X 4 @ 98.5 kg
Deadlift: 1 X 5 @ 127.5 kg
More details and video on the site.
Lol, thanks for thinking my results were worth taking the time to copy them here!!! Haha.
By the way, my deadlift form is a bit better this time, although not nearly good enough yet. Sorry I forgot to turn around for you this time. Will do it next week.
Bench Press: 1 X 5 @ 93.5 kg, 1 X 4 @ 98.5 kg
Deadlift: 1 X 5 @ 127.5 kg
More details and video on the site.
Lol, thanks for thinking my results were worth taking the time to copy them here!!! Haha.
By the way, my deadlift form is a bit better this time, although not nearly good enough yet. Sorry I forgot to turn around for you this time. Will do it next week.
<div>
(nipponbiki @ Jun. 26 2008,3:14)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">By the way, my deadlift form is a bit better this time, although not nearly good enough yet. Sorry I forgot to turn around for you this time. Will do it next week.</div>
Good work. I reckon that your back angle is still flattening off a little bit following the start of the pull but it looks a whole lot better than before.
That's quite a wide grip you take on the bar or bench. Does that help your arm a bit?
(nipponbiki @ Jun. 26 2008,3:14)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">By the way, my deadlift form is a bit better this time, although not nearly good enough yet. Sorry I forgot to turn around for you this time. Will do it next week.</div>
Good work. I reckon that your back angle is still flattening off a little bit following the start of the pull but it looks a whole lot better than before.
That's quite a wide grip you take on the bar or bench. Does that help your arm a bit?
nipponbiki
New Member
Lol,
No, that is the grip I always use. I am just trying to follow proper form by using a grip so that my forearms are vertical at the bottom position. I have wide shoulders, so this might be why my grip appears wide.
Do you think it is too wide even though my forearms are vertical?
No, that is the grip I always use. I am just trying to follow proper form by using a grip so that my forearms are vertical at the bottom position. I have wide shoulders, so this might be why my grip appears wide.
Do you think it is too wide even though my forearms are vertical?
TunnelRat
Active Member
<div>
(nipponbiki @ Jun. 26 2008,10:14)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">More details and video on the site.</div>
Interesting website...
I was encouraged by your posts to begin a PSMF once again. This past month has been zombie hell for me: I've only had two workouts since May 23, and haven't been tracking my nutrients since then. Your posts have helped me get back on track. Thank you!
(nipponbiki @ Jun. 26 2008,10:14)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">More details and video on the site.</div>
Interesting website...
I was encouraged by your posts to begin a PSMF once again. This past month has been zombie hell for me: I've only had two workouts since May 23, and haven't been tracking my nutrients since then. Your posts have helped me get back on track. Thank you!