Your form does look quite a bit better with the belted squats. That's kinda weird, I actually had to ween myself off of a belt during squats because it was noticeably degrading my form.

isn't your lower back rounded bigtime on the dl?

Yes, I guess I forgot to mention that in my log, I pointed it out when I put in the white board thread. I was attempting to fix that but I made it worse. Bleh.

Anyway, I just finished my workout today. And filmed it. If nothing else, I feel pretty diligent and am proud of myself for filming most, if not all, of my workouts since starting part 2. I plan to keep it up. Here is what I did today:

Squat Work Set:
230x3x5

Notes: I only filmed the first set because there were to many retard running around doing circuit training for me to find a spot to set it down. My squat rack on it's way so I won't have to worry about it any more. I'm not sure about this today. Even though I think my form is improving with the belt, I don't think I got deep enough on my reps. I will have to focus on the next time. Also, my knees might be tracking a little too far forward, not sure. Actually, watching this again I'm sure that my reps are too high.

Press Work Set:
105x3x5

Notes: Still a lower weight because I am resetting and micro-loading. I really hope to micro load all the way up to work sets of 135. I think I am just plain genetically weak when it comes to upper body stuff, so we'll see how that goes. I also noticed my lay-back gets more pronounced as the weight increases.

Power Cleans Work Set:
155x5x3

Notes: Not sure on these really. I think I am improving my starting position/back angle a little bit but it looks like it decays as I get fatigued. I strained my arm squatting, hurt it a little more pressing, and by the time I was catching the bar in the rack position it was really agonizing. It's happened plenty times before, and just like before it feels fine now, only an hour or so later. I also realize that the last 3 angles I used are pretty much pointless, and I'll stick to more side-like angles in the future.

Double Kettlebell C+J
35x8

Notes: Not even sure if that's what it's called, what I'm doing here. I didn't realize the camera angle was so bad, but I did get to lockout on all the reps. My camera freaked out when I was uploading so I don't have all the reps recorded. Bleh. Oh well. Not even sure if I'm close on these. Am I supposed to be jumping when I do these?

Kettlebell clean
70x1x each arm (Fail)
I tried to clean my 70 pound kettle bell once with each arm. I got it up to the rack position pretty easily, but as soon as I got it there it was too heavy and I dropped it. I filmed it but it didn't upload for whatever reason. Will try to do these successfully soon.

And I have been successfully eating way less calories everyday, 2500ish or so. I'm also getting lots of protein. Even though I'm getting stronger, my gut is getting disgustingly big. Hopefully it will be a lot smaller in a few months.

Post Workout Meal:

A protein shake and about 1 pound of raw fish:

Not sure how much that is but I had 4 servings of this I figure it's about 4oz each servings. I had 2 servings of salmon, 1 serving of white tuna, and 1 serving of regular tuna. There was a little cucumber with it, too. Yum raw fish.





I'll eat some more veggies and fatty nuts at work tonight

press form just looks weak. like you're just holding a bar, kinda letting it sit on your chest a little, oh wait, my elbows are behind it, i should lean back a bunch to get them under the bar. your abs and glutes should be super tight in the start position, so that if you do lean back it's more a "system wide" lean than one that starts at the lower spine.

imagine a guy is going to punch you in the stomach when you start every rep and another guy has a gun to your head and will shoot if you fail.

Thanks miles I will take that to heart and strive to succeed on the press. I asked rip over at strengthmill why I was most likely sucking so bad. He said it's because I'm a noob and a moron and tried to make too big of jumps. And now I'm reading that 2.5 pound jumps are too big??? Anyway, I'll stick with 2.5 pound jumps until I stall again, reset, and then make 1.25 pound jumps I guess.

I ran into my dad at the gym today, and he used to be my workout partner until he got hurt pretty bad and stopped for a couple months. He was squatting 185 when he re-injured a ruptured disc in his back, and today he was squatting 150 for his work set. I'm really glad he's back in it again after basically starting all the way over a few weeks ago.

Anyway, for my workout today:

Squat Work Set:

235x3x5

Notes: Sorry for the butt-cleavage, I'll work on that. I really need a 2nd pair of eyes on these, it's been a while since I've had any feedback on my form. It felt ok, maybe not deep enough, hard to tell. Over all I am happy with my form compared to how bad it used to be. Hopefully I'm not messing anything up too badly and I'm in the fine tuning stage. Hmmm, def recorded 3 sets, I guess I forgot to upload the 3rd one with the video. Oh well, it looks the same as the first set.

"Rack Pulls" Work Set:

345x1x5

Notes: I fully planned on doing rack pulls when I got to the gym, but when I set the pins on the lowest setting they weren't low enough for the bar to start under my knees. It still felt kinda heavy, I don't even know if this was a legitimate exercise or not. I should have my power rack by the next time I do these so I'll be able to set them at a better height. I don't even think I made a full lockout on any of the reps, esp #4. Oh well, that's what the camera is for.

DB Bench Work Set:
60x2x5

Notes: I was short on time so I skipped the last set. I was also pretty tired after just sort of flailing the dumbbells around wildly without resembling much of anything. I was trying to improve my form from mile's advice but I seem unable to be good at implementing anything on the first try. Wtf is wrong with me? Anyway, bleh.


I had a pretty delicious post workout meal. It was a bunch of hash browns, some bacon, and this really awesome mixture of scrambled eggs, cream cheese and real bacon bits. Seriously, so so good. Omnonomon.

you're not finishing those pulls

Yeah caught that. I think think it was because the starting position felt weird, I def could have done lockout on all the reps but just sort of failed.

Glad I got my camera. I feel like it's the most important thing I can do to improve.

I just saw this video and I remembered you use dumbbells to bench so I thought you might like to see it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AM5Nw_QBA9A

Also, please get bigger than the guy who was watching himself curl 20 lb dumbbells in the mirror while you were benching. That's the best way to deal with that sillyness

Yeah I've seen that video. For some reason there's a big gap in my ability to understand something and actually apply right away. I usually eventually get there but it takes me forever for some reason. Bleh whatever.

Anyway, my workout today, I did standard warm ups and warm up sets and as for work sets:

Squat:
240x3x5

Press:
107.5x3x5

Power Cleans:
160x5x3

I'm really tired so I'm not going to make many notes just a couple quick ones after re-watching the vids. Squats are meh, but looking better than they used to. I messed up on the press grip as I was trying to get my elbows out and got the bar too far back on my hands. And my power cleans were just sloppy. Bleh.

My Post workout meal:
3x3:


Animal Style Fries:

2nd set reps 2/3 -- on your toes

You know you're right now that I'm thinking about it. I really suck at remembering all the cues while I'm doing it. That's one that I forgot for sure. Thanks I'll def be remembering that one next time.

i don't think you ever locked a rep out at the top of the press, let alone shrugged upwards.

i have a question for more knowledgeable people than myself though. is a press w/ a very slow bar path where you are fighting it all the way up ok? or should it be a fast set of putting it up and getting under it fast before you start to add more weight.

PC

lower back start position
elbows
I don't think you ever really get great hip or knee extension
elbows

And slap your friend for talking during sets

speed doesn't matter, if you complete the rep you completed the rep. When you're getting close to stalling the last reps are going to be a real grind. Remind yourself to stay tight in your core, keep the bar close to your face on the way up, and get your head under/through the bar as soon as possible.