You sure are reset adverse. Think you've been doing 235 bench for quite awhile.

Yeah I suppose I am when it comes to bench. What's the purpose?

http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wi...nd_Progressing

Eh, I don't have real strong convictions on it. But that's the program, and I think it works, so why not give it a shot?

Squats look better. Still seems to me like knees go too far forward, but someone else would have to comment on whether that could be a proportions thing. Should get another vid from the back with the wider stance.

Damn, so a 10% decrease is a standard reset? So I'd be going down to like 205? I realize that's the program but I guess I don't really get it. I would do that easily, so why not do more, like 215? I could do 215 easily so why not more? etc. But, I have stalled, so maybe it is time to try a reset. :/

Yeah I thought they looked better too. The bar is going straight up for the most part which made me happy.

295 was hard btw. Probably bc I was using my hams more than I was before. I think I should do 300 next time, what do you think?

Yeah, like I said, I don't have a great argument. Something something about allowing you body to adapt. You could probably post on the SS forums and get Rippetoe to yell at you.

Going up 5lbs on squats is good. It's still 15lbs a week.

Interested to see some more input on your form.

Almost looks like you squat HBBS-style to me, butt doesn't really go back, knees go forwards and you don't have much/any hip drive. You're trying to do low bar right?

On the DL, your shoulders are too far in front of the bar, meaning you lift with your back more than necessary. Shoot your chest up, lean slightly backwards and do this by resetting between every rep. I've seen people get more and more in front of the bar as a set goes on, very common mistake.

squats: yeah trying to do lbbs. so my knees shouldn't be going forward as much and instead my butt should be going back further? As if I was sitting down into a chair?

I feel like the location of my feet dictate how the rest of me moves. When I had them closer my knees went out further. Now that they are wider, they go out less. But aside from that, I don't feel like I can really control anything else. I mean, I'm basically just doing the only natural movement, or so I think. I feel like if I were to stick my knees out less and my butt out more then I'd just fall backwards. The bar does stay very centered over my mid-foot in these squats so my center of gravity is on point, right?

DL: Yeah, I still use my back more than my hips/butt/hams. Is my form better in the 315 video?

Squat: bolded is not low bar. Review the SS material. Have you even read the book? No hate, but hip drive + knees not going forwards is pretty essential to a LBBS.

DL: no, you're still too far forwards. It's not a huge deal, just rock your body back a couple of inches. See page 123 in the book.

You're also not following Rip's setup. See http://startingstrength.com/resource...0063#post70063.

No hate taken, and I really appreciate the advice. I just suck I guess. I have read it, and I've reviewed the squat section a couple of times recently but before I squat again I'll review it again. I really want to learn proper form early on. I've only been doing this stuff since February-March-ish so it's all fairly new still. I hope that by the end of the year I can beautifully squat and DL correctly. I think that would be a pretty big accomplishment.

And speaking of DL, do you think I need to drop my hips more during setup? That would bring my shoulders back and my make my knees more vertical.

BtM --

With respect to resets, I like the GSLP model, whereby you reset by 10%, and the final set is AMRAP. I think it would address your concerns about "only" benching 205, because you'd get to try to bust out 10+ reps in your 3rd sets as you ascend. Essentially you're replacing the heavier weight with a bit more volume at a lighter weight, but you're almost certainly going to be lifting more total weight across the three sets combined (at least at first).

I found this approach particularly useful for upper body lifts, but it works equally well for squat and DL imo. Especially with press, where stalling happens to everyone relatively quickly, it gives you something more to do than failing your fifth rep at 160 for 8 consecutive weeks, and even if you microload up in 1.25 lb/side increments, it won't take that long to make that 10% back up.

Just my 2 cents.

This video is instructional wrt hip drive: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yha2XAc2qu8

If you follow Rip's setup, you don't need to drop your hips more - though I do find that for myself I stand like half an inch further back than Rip advises. Squeezing your chest up automatically gets you into a better position. I'd try his setup first then adjust as needed.

Didn't realize you started in feb/march - I wouldn't beat myself up over this at all. Learning good technique takes a fair amount of time.

ETA: I do like AMRAP as well, particularly since you're fairly advanced already. Dunno if you still squat 3/week, if so you might consider moving to the GSLP program which has squats 2/week.

Yeah getting AMRAP on the last set makes sense. I guess I'll try resetting then. It can't hurt I guess.

That video is great, ty! I definitely need to get me somma dat sweet hip drive action going since I have none.

I just looked into GSLP and it seems interesting. SS + curls + weighted chins with AMRAP on the last set basically. I already do curls and pullups on the days I go to the gym and don't do SS so this isn't really too terribly different from what I'm currently doing.

I thought learning proper technique would be a pretty quick process but I'm learning it's a lot harder than it sounds. I'm also learning that as bad as my technique is it's still better than almost everyone else squatting or deadlifting at my gym.

Your technique is ok, and getting to that level isn't too bad. It's getting a super sweet <lift> that usually takes a fair amount of time. My squat still isn't a thing of beauty at heavier weights. And yes you're obv miles ahead of the general gym pop.

May 14:

Weight: 205

Squats:

300x5x3
Felt good and strong. I think I finally figured out proper foot placement last time so that's helping a lot. No knee pain or anything. I tried to work on the hip drive that Soulman mentioned. Next time I'll take a video to see where I'm getting any better.

OHP:

145lbs: reps of 4,5,3. I moved up from 140 last time despite not finishing all 15 last time but I guess I'm not ready. Getting that 5 was a great feeling but my 3rd set just sucked. Rep 2 was v hard and 3 was a struggle. Did not even attempt #4. Wasn't happening.

After this I did lateral raises, bicep curls, and dips.

i think the squats look pretty good and are improved. For the most part, your work set bottom position matches that of your paused squat. You still get a little loose and let your knees and thus weight fly forward on a rep here or there, but not as much as before.

Agree with soulman that those are pretty quad dominant squats. you could sit back a bit more and get more hams and ass involved.

Fairly standard dinner for me. Two 1/3lb beef patties drenched in frank's red hot and covered in grey poupon. Tastes great but we can do better.



660 cals, 46f/0c/60p

That makes me a sad panda. Get some veggies in there at least.

I ate about 10oz of microwaved frozen peas afterwards. It was an extremely pathetic meal.

May 16:

Weight: 205.5. FU fluctuations. Why can't I just constantly decrease in weight??

My hip flexors and butt were so sore last night from my last round of squats. I think my widened stance engages those muscles more bc I had a serious case of the DOMS. Today I felt a lot better but still was a little tired and sore in my legs.

Squats:

305x3x5

Last two reps were quite hard. I blame the DOMS.

Bench Press:

Decided to deload here so I did 3 sets of 210 which is 10% below what I was doing at 235.

210x2x5
210x1x9

Prob could have done a tenth had I gotten a spotter. Next time 215 I suppose.

DL:

405x1x3

Felt better than last time but the next time I do this I hope I can get 4 reps. I almost attempted it and probably should have, but I knew my form would suffer so I didn't try for it.

Other: Did some hanging leg raises and some chinups for variety. 3 sets of each. with HLR should I be bringing my feet to an L shape or as far up as possible? I was bringing them close to my head but that's as far as I was able to get them.

Takes some serious work to get your legs all the way up. I prefer that way. If you do them from a chin bar, also can be a great arm workout since you have to hold yourself up. Maybe you're already doing them that way. When I can get on gym rings, I also get a lot of mileage out of going full half-twist upside down, hold, drop, repeat. If you're on a straight chin bar, you can twist over the bar and flip back down, repeat.

yeah, going all the way up sounds pretty intense. I don't think I can do it but I haven't tried, either. Perhaps it wasn't a great plan to do the HLRs on a day when I did DLs since my grip was already tired...

Never know until you try

May 19:

Weight: 204?? I'll take it. Hope it's accurate!

Squats:

I deloaded and am working back up to 315 but today was my first hiccup. Last time I did 305 for 15 reps over 3 sets so today I naturally moved up to 310. Unfortunately I could only get 5, 3, 5. The 3 was rough. I almost failed on the 3rd rep so I gave up on the set instead of trying for a 4th. On my 5th rep in my 3rd set I almost failed as well. Man, 310 is hard for me. I may need to do 305 again until I'm comfortable to move up.

OH Press:

I am just terrible and can't improve. I really want to start focusing more on my OH Press and get my #s up. This time I started at 145 just like last time but only could manage 4 reps and then 3. It was so hard that I moved down to 135 and only got 3 reps. Terrible. I am going to deload at OHP and do 135 again next time. Somehow I'm going to try and get more shoulder work into my schedule. Just need to figure out how now

DL:

405x1x3

Still only managing 3 reps. Next time I DL I'm going to attempt a 4th rep no matter how I feel. I think I can get it