Eh, guess its time for me to give in and finally do a log.

Current approx numbers:

bodyweight: 211.5 with shorts, t-shirt, shoes, and socks on

pullups/chinups: 3x10xbodyweight, could probably do 11.5 if I went all out on one set

squats: 3x5x330

deadlift: 1x5x405

bench: 3x5x275

overhead press: 3x5x165




Short term goals: Going to my college's homecoming in early October, and we always have a "Legend's game" in which all the former basketball players play. I'd like to get in good cardiovascular shape for this game and continue to work on my basketball skills. Would be happy to maintain lifts as I do this. Also trying to cut weight, would like to be 205 or less by then.

Medium term goals: Would like to weigh under 200 by end of the calendar year. Would like to continue to make small progressions on deadlifts and squats. I'm not too concerned about overhead press or bench...I'd be happy to maintain those lifts, if I can increase them thats just a bonus. Want to get into phenomenal cardiovascular shape so that I can play basketball at a similar intensity as I did when I played in college(like 99% of people I find myself taking plays off during pickup games as I simply get too tired to give max effort on every play). I'd like to be able to do 15 pullups/chinups and then start adding weight.

Long term goals: Would like to squat 2x bodyweight, would like to dunk a basketball(I'm 5ft 10in and still need to increase my vertical by at least 4 or 5 inches to have a realistic shot), would like to look cut and ripped as possible, would like to start playing against better competition in basketball and hopefully get back to the level I was at in college(gonna be really hard to achieve that because I practiced so incredibly much back then).






I'll post form checks from time to time. Any and all critiques are welcome. Heres a few from today's workout:

Squats: 20 reps x 225 lbs: Weight is light so its definitely easier to keep good form. I'll try to get a video of me squatting heavier weights up sometime. Video cuts out after 18 reps for some reason, but I did 2 more. To my eye, these look decent. Oh and not sure where the grunting is coming from during the video, but its not me.

Overhead Press 5 reps x 160 lbs: I've done 165 before, so this wasn't too heavy for me. I've never really spent much time worrying about form on overhead press or bench....its always "felt" pretty good to me, so I just stuck with it. But feel free to tell m if I'm overlooking anything.

Deadlift 5 reps 405 lbs: Never tried this much weight before. Seems like my back is rounding way too much. You can hear my workout partner telling me to keep my back straighter. I'm not sure really how to improve this....just so much weight that its really tough to focus on form as you're doing them. Maybe I'll go down 20 or 30 lbs and post another video....hopefully my form would be better there. Definitely would like critiques here.

very wide stance for high bar squats and you're getting up on your toes.

get under the bar on the press and don't bend knees on that first rep.

you're way behind the bar on the deadlift. i actually think your hips are rising first mostly because of this. as your hips go up your shoulders move forward and the bar is under your scapula. stand like 2" closer and see how it feels.

In the press- get your elbows directly under your wrist/bar. Add weight now to the pullups/chins and get to 15 reps faster that way.

Nice thread title, lol.

As long as you keep your lower back in extension, you're fine. Your upper back appears to be what is rounding (its hard to say for sure, but it looks like that in the vid), which is not ideal, but its not likely to cause an injury.

What Miles says is right - try to keep your back at the same angle through the first part of the lift so your hips and shoulders go up at the same time. Getting closer to the bar at the start might help with that.

Using those octagon plates for the DL must be a pain in the ass.

hex plates are annoying. i've gotten used to them but i imagine i would start giggling if i could roll a bar around and lower it fast from the top.

also do you wear that tank top (lol "looks like a cape") a lot? if so i'm pretty sure i read about you in a "gym douche" thread on another board.

I wear old beat up clothing to the gym when I work out. That shirt was normal sleeveless shirt that just got old and ripped a ton so that the armholes are now huge. I don't really care about attire at the gym too much. If anything, I care about what girls think of my clothes, not whether or not some guys think I'm a douche because of what I wear.


Thanks for all critiques....keep them coming. I won't respond individually to them now, but I'll definitely keep re-read them all before my next session and try to make improvements.

Also, camerawork was easy today because my friend was there, and I just instructed him to get a variety of angles as I lifted. What is the optimal viewing angle for me to shoot from when I'm filming by myself?


edited to add: Misunderstood your comment at first, didn't realize you were saying that someone specifically was talking about me on another board. Got a link? I can't imagine what I could've possibly done to make anyone at the gym think I'm a douche...I usually go by myself, put my headphones on, and do my workout without bothering anyone else at all. I'm always polite when asking someone how much longer they have or anything like that.

if i ever start a log again i'll call it:

.01/.02 PLO, UTG, QdTh7c3s, 20BB. limp, re-raise and get it all in on any flop...profit? or something like that. i'll keep my weight on my heels and shove my knees out though.

i was just kidding assani.

bro as others have pointed, when you deadlift, it looks like you are trying to squat. put your feet under the bar, then bend back at the hips but keep your knee as extended as you can, you should feel a stretch in the hamstrings.

got some tips for the squat

wear a better shirt, the one you have is ridiculous



edit: i see this issue has already been addressed

How the hell are you lifting in those shorts.

Brag: thread title
Beat: "shirt" (smock)
Variance: much stronger than I am

This thread, well title specifically is just another reason I <3 AF

5'10" 215 lbs. What's your age? When you jump which part of you arm touches the rim?

Doesn't matter. I give you zero chance of ever dunking. If you haven't already done it, you're not going to do over the age of 21.

My hips also rise early when I DL heavy. One thing Rippetoe suggests to correct this is keeping your chest up. To me it looks like you are looking forward when you DL. I have started looking up, which helps keep my chest up and I've definitely noticed my hips don't rise as much anymore.