Browner
Well-Known Member
Thanks mate! Who needs a coach when you know the right people
Browners New Powerlifting Log
- Thread starter Browner
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Thanks mate! Who needs a coach when you know the right people
I’d probably stick to 4 sessions as well?
Browner
Well-Known Member
After nationals I was going to play around with tempo work too. I've seen Mike T has been having quite a bit of success with them with his athletes, namely Brett Gibbs and Bryce Krawczyk
But right now I am going to just stick with pretty much what I was doing in the lead up to the last comp. Daily maxes for Squat and Bench, with Back off work of 2-3 sets of 2-3 reps, Also will use variations too, namely high bar squats to give my forearms a rest from low bar.
Deadlift twice a week, one day 80% singles, the other day Work up to a heavy single @8-9 then pause deadlifts for back off work.
Browner
Well-Known Member
This morning, first session since this weekends meet.
Felt very tired, weak, lethargic and the usual post meet blues. I kinda see that as a good thing though as it means I had peaked properly.
Squat
195 x1 @8
Bench
150 x1 @8
Beltless Block Pull
230 x1 @7
https://www.instagram.com/p/Blmp_A5BEuc/?taken-by=moose_lifts
Felt very tired, weak, lethargic and the usual post meet blues. I kinda see that as a good thing though as it means I had peaked properly.
Squat
195 x1 @8
Bench
150 x1 @8
Beltless Block Pull
230 x1 @7
https://www.instagram.com/p/Blmp_A5BEuc/?taken-by=moose_lifts
Ah is that basically like 4-6 second eccentrics on deads? I think I've done those for lighter deadlifts (like 10-12RM), but found it really hard to go much slower when I went heavy... I leave 6 second negative work to OH tricep extensions ;D.
Browner
Well-Known Member
Tempo work is so varied your limit is pretty much your imagination. You can vary the eccentric and concentric times, pause length, number of reps etc... etc... If i was to do them I would do them heavy in the 2-6 rep range. Anything more than 6 reps then 1, i would probably just get so bored of the set and 2, I dont think would have much carry over to strength.
Here is an example of Bryce Krawyck doing some tempo squats
https://www.instagram.com/p/BgXSwlMFyTl/?taken-by=calgarybarbell
With regards shoulder and knee health I've never really had any issues. I think overhead pressing is very good for shoulder health if done correctly so I do some of that. I also like to do banded overhead squats as a warm-up, as I feel that gets the whole body nice and primed ready to go.
My warm up is pretty basic;
- Barbell complex (7 x rdl, 7 x powerclean, 7 x row, 7 x overhead press)
- Banded overhead squats
- then just go into whatever movement I'm doing starting with the empty bar and progress from there up to my working sets.
If I'm feeling particularly tight that day then just a bit more work with the empty bar until I feel good to go.
Occasionally a bit of tendinitis flares up in the knee and if that is the case light weight high rep leg extensions tend to clear that up.
I'll also incorporate chin ups/pull ups to help balance out the amount of benching I do.
Ah that's great, thanks mate very helpful!
Yeah I've experimented with different tempos and pauses, I actually like doing pauses at the bottom of heavy lifts, takes all momentum out of it. Have never experimented with slow concentrics, but then am not too sure how many people do that, or whether there's much benefit... maybe for constant tension or metabolic work it would be good for.
Cool thanks for posting your warmup, I was actually gonna create a thread asking everyone what their routine was. That's a great idea doing a BB complex as a warmup, I may steal that
.I really wanna get back into overhead presses... my overhead shoulder mobility isn't great though... anything you'd recommend (apart from working on overhead mobility/ flexibility)? I could probably do seated overhead BB presses (and arch my back so that I'm slightly leaning back, but still well-supported by the seat), or steep incline BB presses (which I've been told aren't the best for shoulders/rotator cuff...)?
And I've never been certain about leg extensions... I keep seeing too many conflicting views... I guess just not doing them with heavy loads. My knee has been playing up of late, perhaps high rep leg extensions I should give a go? Have been doing some other stuff like iso wall sits, foot touchdowns, banded (laterally) bodyweight squats, banded external rotations etc...
Unsure of what the issue is with the knee however or what caused it..
Browner
Well-Known Member
Ah that's great, thanks mate very helpful!
Yeah I've experimented with different tempos and pauses, I actually like doing pauses at the bottom of heavy lifts, takes all momentum out of it. Have never experimented with slow concentrics, but then am not too sure how many people do that, or whether there's much benefit... maybe for constant tension or metabolic work it would be good for.
Cool thanks for posting your warmup, I was actually gonna create a thread asking everyone what their routine was. That's a great idea doing a BB complex as a warmup, I may steal that
I really wanna get back into overhead presses... my overhead shoulder mobility isn't great though... anything you'd recommend (apart from working on overhead mobility/ flexibility)? I could probably do seated overhead BB presses (and arch my back so that I'm slightly leaning back, but still well-supported by the seat), or steep incline BB presses (which I've been told aren't the best for shoulders/rotator cuff...)?
And I've never been certain about leg extensions... I keep seeing too many conflicting views... I guess just not doing them with heavy loads. My knee has been playing up of late, perhaps high rep leg extensions I should give a go? Have been doing some other stuff like iso wall sits, foot touchdowns, banded (laterally) bodyweight squats, banded external rotations etc...
Unsure of what the issue is with the knee however or what caused it..
Taking the momentum and stretch reflex is the intention of pauses at the bottom. Some powerlifters incorporate tempo and pause squats as a way of getting more squat volume in to drive strength progress and also to limit the weight so their recovery isnt taxed as much.
I think though that 99% people waaaaay over complicate stuff and the simple compound movements with progressive overload always has the desired effect with both strength and hypertrophy (assuming your calorie intake is in keeping with your goals). Then when plateaus come, or strength levels get to be more advanced then thats the time to incorporate more advanced movements and tempos etc...
With regards to improving mobility, then doing the movement itself is a way of training the mobility for it. find a range that you can do without pain and do the movement in that range with a very light load, then from set to set or session to session gradually increase that range of motion. Push to the point of discomfort, but dont push your self into pain.
Personally im not a fan of seated overhead stuff, i think that that is a more unstable base than a standing overhead press, plus your not having to engage your "core" If you must sit then try and sit unsupported.
Overhead squats are a great corrective exercise for the upper and lower body, but I would be hesitant to recommend anything to much as I'm just flat out not qualified lol
The leg extensions I do are VERY light. Literally a weight I could do for about 30 reps but do 15-20. My aim isnt to build size or strength but just purely to get the blood flow into the area. It may be that if you have been squatting then to check that the form has been correct ie knees tracking over the toes. Its amazing the amount of people I say complain about knee pain, do loads of stuff the physio has told them to do with mini bands and 1kg dumbells, but then go straight back into their crappy shallow squats and f*ck their knees up all over again lol
Yep well said regarding overcomplicating things before the basics have been implemented!
Ah cool cheers for the suggestions! Yeah that's precisely another reason I'd wanna do seated, exactly so that I avoid using the core or any sort of abdominal tension/bracing with load (still struggling with the same pelvic pain issues). I figured seated and supported would eliminate my need to fire the core tremendously, whilst also being able to work with my current mobility capability (without injuring myself), and could then still work bit by bit on increasing my shoulder mobility through doing the exercise... hmmm I'll ponder that, maybe start with the bar only and see how we go.
Ah I'd love to do overhead squats one day, seem like such a cool movement, and so beneficial
.I see, yeah I might give leg extensions a go, but very light. And regarding knees tracking toes, I'm naturally quite duck-footed (feet turned out), so I never know the best way to go about squats etc, but more than ever I'm moreso just conscious of not collapsing inwards with the knees, and my feet just have to point outwards a bit so this doesn't happen. Not sure if being duck-footed is a genetic thing or a hip rotation issue.. nor whether it's a real issue, but has been like that for as long as I can remember.
Browner
Well-Known Member
Feet out isn't a bad thing, key is that knees go the same way as the toes.
6 second eccentric sounds a bit long for me, I’m thinking more 3-4 seconds. I basically want to expose myself at my weak point (transition from below to above knees) for longer, as pausing there does nothing for me.
My left knee has been repaired once after I tore cartilage off the bottom of femur - cause was impact, not lifting. Walking, LISS bike, elevated rest are my go-to’s. Avoiding front squats and HBBS at high frequencies is also key for me now.
Yep well said regarding overcomplicating things before the basics have been implemented!
Ah cool cheers for the suggestions! Yeah that's precisely another reason I'd wanna do seated, exactly so that I avoid using the core or any sort of abdominal tension/bracing with load (still struggling with the same pelvic pain issues). I figured seated and supported would eliminate my need to fire the core tremendously, whilst also being able to work with my current mobility capability (without injuring myself), and could then still work bit by bit on increasing my shoulder mobility through doing the exercise... hmmm I'll ponder that, maybe start with the bar only and see how we go.
Ah I'd love to do overhead squats one day, seem like such a cool movement, and so beneficial
I see, yeah I might give leg extensions a go, but very light. And regarding knees tracking toes, I'm naturally quite duck-footed (feet turned out), so I never know the best way to go about squats etc, but more than ever I'm moreso just conscious of not collapsing inwards with the knees, and my feet just have to point outwards a bit so this doesn't happen. Not sure if being duck-footed is a genetic thing or a hip rotation issue.. nor whether it's a real issue, but has been like that for as long as I can remember.
You will use your core a LOT more doing a seated OHP, especially lower back. Exception is if you are leaning against the back of an adjustable bench etc. I just stick with standing, never felt seated BB OHP did anything better than standing. Don’t neglect straight arm raises either. Delta are such tiny muscles that I think raises are still useful for hypertrophy.
Yeah for deadlifts 6s I wouldn't want to do personally, and yeah that makes sense.
Ah youch... yeah I might just work on getting more blood flow in there, even though they get a bit of use. Still might work on hip rotation stuff. If my feet/toes face forward my knees turn and collapse in, so trying to purposely walk the way my feet are designed and push my knees out so my knees are in a straight line with the hips moreso.
Ah yep true, I was definitely thinking of having my back supported. Although have heard somewhere that it causes a bit of compression in the spine (as the load now is taken solely by upper body with no lower). Yeah I did DB lateral raises in my last cycle I just finished, even got cheeky and worked up to 6RM! But will keep that in mind, cheers!
I wouldn’t stress about spinal compression, just about everything involves some measure of spinal compression - other than maybe pull/chin ups with stricter torso angle to be more vertical? Dips are probably fine, but that’s about the end of your list.
Your spine re-elongates during horizontal sleep anyway.
If you’re worried about injury, I would suggest doing Bulgarian lite ala what @Browner is doing right now. Work up to an RPE 8 single to begin with. Higher rep works leads to sloppier technique in my experience and observations. Get the strength first, reps second.
Cool, cheers for that
Yep great idea, breaks are well-needed and rejuvenating hey