I think you can get your back flatter than that throughout the deadlift reps. You get in the right position to pull and then let yourself get loose right off the floor.

You need to continue to work on keeping a tight core for the squat reps too. It is contributing to some of the forward bar travel at the bottom in addition to the buttwink.

Thanks Aidan. I think you're right. I certainly try to think about taking a big breath and bracing properly but I clearly am not doing it properly.

Beyond thinking about keeping my core tight, are their particular cues or exercises that would be helpful to developing this? I've seen this Mike Robertson video on breathing and bracing posted and will re-watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEJ-vJpiOY4.

Jun 14, 2015

Bench Press
Cycle 2: 5/3/1
5x165
3x185
4x205

Pendlay Row
3x5x165

Track workout:
100m sprint
100m walk
200m jog
x10

Decent workout all things considered. I will get form vids up for both bench and Pendlay row soon as I'm sure I need a lot of help.

Track workout was good. I'm slow. It was much needed after a long weekend of boozing with old friends (high school reunion + wedding).

Yeah, that vid is good. Chris Duffin uses basically the same principle:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcY3YSW9vX4

A much longer incorporation into squat technique (you don't need to watch the whole thing, the good stuff is towards the beginning): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibH_B0ZGvrU

Thanks a lot Aidan. Will watch those before the next time I lift (and then several times thereafter since I it always seems to take many viewings for things to sink in).


Jun 15, 2015

HBBS
Focus on speed - exploding up as fast as possible
7x3x215

4 rounds
Power snatch 7x95
Row 500m
Took me ~15 min

Jun 18, 2015

HBBS
5x255
5x265
3x275

Bench Press
5x185
5x195
4x205

Some pullups and tried swinging heavy ropes for the first time

My man got any specific lifting goals or just generally getting stronger?

Yo brother. Don't really have specific goals right now -- just trying to maintain strength and look good enough at the beach this summer. Very busy with life stuff so just treading water. Things should settle down a bit in a few weeks at which point I'll plan something out.

Jun 22, 2015

Crossfit - hollow body holds, hollow arch holds

Metcon with handstand pushups, knees to elbow, 35# kettlebell thrusters

HBBS
Cycle 2: 5/3/1
5x235
3x265
1x295


These stunk. No tightness. 1 rep on my 2nd cycle 5/3/1 AMRAP -- ugh. This is 40 lb less than my 1RM of a few months ago. Obviously wasn't ideal to do these post-Crossfit WOD but schedule limiting right now.

3x265


1x295

Jun 24, 2015

Track workout
3 rounds:
400m run
21 burpees

8:56


Pullups 3x7
Dips 12, 8, 8


Should be lifting but amazingly nice out. Cooped up inside for work all day so a bit of vitamin D good for me.

Nice grinds!

Thanks Aidan.

Jun 25, 2015

Deadlift
Cycle 2: 5s
5x285
5x305
7x325

OHP
Cycle 1: 5/3/1
5x95
3x110
5x125


Deadlifts didn't look good. Back wasn't set. Hips were too low. Will keep working on form.

Jun 27, 2015

Crossfit. Very fun. Included a bunch of power cleans at 135.

Been lazy about updating. Have been fairly consistent about getting to Crossfit, less consistent about lifting.

Jun 29, 2015
Crossfit. Bunch of snatches and OHS at 95#. Bar gets way out in front of me on my snatches; need to work on keeping it close.

Jul 2, 2015
Bench Press
Cycle 3: 5s
5x185
5x185
11x185

Deadlift
3x305
5x305

Long light metcon.

Ditched the prescribed weight on DL to work on setting my back. Someone at the gym suggested I try pausing at my knee as that forces you to maintain a tight back so I tried that. Failed. Back still quite rounded.

Fri Jul 3, 2015
Crossfit. Tough metcon including heavy thrusters (135#; dropped to 115# after a couple sets of 8) and rope climbs. Thrusters crush me -- I will work on them more. Ditto rope climbs.

Sat Jul 4, 2015
Crossfit. Metcon. Fun.

Mon Jul 6, 2015
Crossfit. Elizabeth: 21-15-9 reps of cleans @ 135# and ring dips. Took me about 3 minutes longer than when I did same WOD in March; ugh. I was a bit stronger then I guess but still frustrating. I took more rest than necessary between clean reps.

Tue Jul 7, 2015
HBBS
5x225
5x245
5x265
4x265

Superset (90 sec btw sets)
Pullups: 8, 8, 5+3+1, 4+2+2, 3+2+1+1+1
Dips BW+25#: 5x8

Superset (30 sec btw sets)
Straight leg raises from chin-up hold
KB thruster right 35#
KB thruster left 35#

The HBBS technically counts as my first failed set on 5/3/1, but I've been so spotty I can't really call it that. I'm going to try to hit the prescribed set next time.


Wed Jul 8, 2015
Bench Press
Cycle 3: 3s
3x200
3x200
5x200

Deadlift
3x275
3x305
3x305

Superset
Incline DB BP 3x10x60
Bentover DB Row 3x10x60


Again tried to keep DL light-ish to work on form. Again failed to set my back. I suck.

3x275:


3x305 set 1:


3x305

Jul 12, 2015

OHP
Cycle 2: 5s
5x115
5x115
6x115

Push Press
3x5x135

Superset (60 sec rest):
Chin-ups BW+25: 6, 5, 5, 3+2, 3+1+1
Instability pushups: 12, 12, 12, 7+5, 7+3+2


Meh workout after a long weekend of drinking and eating poorly (bachelor party). I liked the pushups -- I put my feet on a Bosu ball and my hands on a medicine ball.

Those chins and pushups = boss

Thanks dude!

Jul 13, 2015

Bench Press
5x185
5x195
5x205

Superset
Push Press 3x3x145
Bentover Dumbbell Row 3x12x53

Superset
Push Jerk 3x1x165
BB Curls 3x8x65

Crossfit today. Workout was oddly similar to the one I did on my own yesterday. I subbed BP for OHP.

Got help on my form on the DB row. Worked on setting my back and not losing tightness. Kept it controlled.

My push jerk form stinks. I can jump the weight up but I do a poor job of getting under it (same problem as all my oly lifts). Need to keep working on it.

Jul 14, 2015

HBBS
Cycle 3: 5s:
5x240
5x255
5x275

Deadlift
3x275
3x5x275

Squats felt ok. Deadlifts still need a lot of work. Kept it very light today to work on form. Looking slightly better I thought but long way to go. I think I'm going to go back to experimenting with a top-down setup since I don't seem to be able to set my back from the bottom position.

It also seems like I could open my hips slightly more at the top to get my shoulders behind the bar.

Set 2:

Jul 16, 2015

4.75 mile run in 38 min.. 8 min/mile

Jul 18, 2015

Overhead Squat
5x95
5x115
5x135
5x155
3x165

15 min metcon - knees to elbow, wall balls, pushups


OHS felt good. I don't recall ever trying to go heavy so I think 5x155 and 3x165 are both PRs. I think I can hit at least 5x165; I just lost the bar forward at the top of my 3rd rep.

Just got back from a week on vacation. Ate and drank a lot. Did not do much fitness.

We did go mountain biking one day which I loved. Thought it was a great workout and quite challenging. Not sure I'll be able to do it with any regularity since I live in a city but I'll keep my eyes out for future opportunities.

Dropped into a crossfit gym another day. Worked on C&J triples up to 175 lb (or 80kg as it was my first time lifting in kg!) which I was happy enough with given I haven't been doing much oly lately. My split is poor at heavier loads; I cut short the length I spread my feet. Need to work on this.

Then did a fun metcon with a bunch of power cleans and full cleans at 135#.

Jul 27, 2015

A. Max box jump
42"

B.
1. Bulgarian split squat (front rack)
12x45
12x55
12x75
8x85
8x95
6x105

2. Ring Dips
6x8xBW

C
1. Chin-Ups 3x5x BW+25
2. GHD Situps 3x10

Jul 28, 2015

4 rounds:
Run 400m
20 pushups
20 situps
20 air squats

3 rounds:
7 pullups
10 dips
13 light incline leg raises
20 box jumps (~18")

Nice outside so hit a track workout with my brother. Took it fairly easy.

On my leg raises he pointed out I favored my right side significantly. I've noticed imbalances on HBBS and split squats as well. I need to focus on correcting these so more single-side work and general core work with a focus on symmetry are in my future.

Jul 29, 2015

DL
3x305
3x325
3x345

OHP
3x125
3x125
5x125

Still struggling to set my back on DL. Tried to experiment with a top-down set-up today; sort of did it for my first rep each set then lost it. Will keep working at this.

DL 3x325 (apologies for poor video angle)


DL 3x345

Bar looks like it might be slightly too far away from your shins at the starting point. I think your hips are too low on the worst looking reps, contributing to the back thing a little bit.