He might be overstating it a bit by saying the lats are a primary mover and the pecs are not, but I know where he's coming from. The platform achieved by getting and staying tight is a huge factor in how much you bench. If you could do it right (its really hard to get right - I think I've come close a few times, but never got it 100% yet), you'd understand better what he's saying.

The strong bench press back/platform is not necessarily direct correlated to how many pullups you do, although they are good as an assistance exercise for the bench. I can maybe do ~8 right now, but I'm heavy & my back is pretty strong as far as being able to row and DL. I think rows might be the most important back assistance exercise for the bench.

I know that if my back gets stronger and tighter when I bench, that not only makes my shoulders safer, it allows me to get into a position that will let me push more weight.

I'd be interested to hear from someone else who benches more than me on this subject.


is that you bruiser?

This girl got 250x10 at 125lb bodyweight. I am going for 2x5 this week with 250. Should be doable. I am coming after you Beata.

These are pretty good and probably relevant to you:

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_...115e3cd1159ff9

http://articles.elitefts.com/trainin...the-hip-hinge/

Yeah, that sounds much more accurate to me. It's not so much the upper back muscles (and not just the lats) actually assist by contracting to push the weight up, but having a strong upper back allows a lifter to get a more optimal and stable setup which in turn leads to a higher bench press.

I mean you can compensate for weak pecs by having stronger triceps or vice versa, but at some point more upper back strength will do virtually nothing absent improvement in delt/pec/triceps strength.

Thx Cha, I will take a look at these. I showed my swings to my Coach and he would like me to go lower. He is obviously on a different page than Dan John regarding the movement. I saw some studies on the swing done Dan John style versus squatty style, and the Dan John version was superior. If done heavy enough, they produce the same horizontal force as maximal sprinting by elite sprinters. And probably safer. However, I am not going to have this conversation with my Coach. I am so whiny and bitchy already that I don't want to question everything.

Was day off today but got full blown Bustoitis and I am having problems taking a day off.


Back and Bicepticons

Weighted Chin Ups
+30lb Dumbell 10,8,7

Pendlay Rows
2x10 115

DB Rows
2x20 60s

Other accesory work for back and some biceps/forearms stuff

Maybe this 3 consecutive days of weightlifting wasn't such a good idea. I figure my volume isn't that high anymore, so I could handle it. But nah, halfway through the workout I started feeling exhausted and pooped and AIDSy. Probably will take off the next couple of days. And by off I mean go do some swimming and ab work. See you guys on thursday.

IIRC, Dan John style Swings emphasize the hips/glutes/hamstrings more while the Squatty/CF style emphasizes the back more. I believe that's what I read.

I hear you. I had a trainer when I started posting in this forum. Several people were telling me to fire him and follow their advice. I had just paid ~$1200 for him, and he was a highly competitive powerlifter, squatting ~700 and benching ~475 @ 198. I figured I'd go along with what he told me to do for a while. I learned a few things from him that are still good, and he provided some motivation as well.

Its fine to follow what your trainer says - I'm sure he knows a lot of stuff we dont, even if we do know a few things better. Just dont do anything stupid and get yourself hurt.

not sure if you're just being facetious, but if my feet are off then my squats are off.

boss. i've done 225x10 but I haven't done 10 reps of anything more than 185 for a long time. I pulled 305x2 last week and 320x1 too.

No, I was being serious. Look at this video from October. Look at my left foot.



Its always doing **** like this. That's why you noticed it was off last week. So I took a long time to setup to put that beatch back in its place. This problem goes way back. My taekwondo instructor told me back when I was a teenager, in ridiculous Korean accent,

"What wrong with you legs? Why you sidekick only little bush high? Side kick like these"

He then throws a side kick that misses my nose by an inch. What can I say? I hate squatting and its not just because they tax my CNS like no other but because I have mobility issues. Getting better though, still attacking.

Full case of Bustoitis. Couldn't take the day off. Its okay, we are going to this all you can eat Indian Food Festival at some fancy hotel with some fancy chefs. Going to destroy their chicken supply. Hope they have some cow also.

Lower II
Deadlift 2x5 250

I really was going to puss out after the first rep. But the ghost of KC made a cameo in Panama and started calling me a vagina so I WIM'ed these. The problem here is that my regular gym has some fat bars with the rough being super smooth. I can't grip the bar very well. Its not a grip problem because I destroy the skinny bars at the other gym (they are also much rougher). Maybe I'll try straps. Not sure. I am tempted to just pay $10 next week and go back to the other gym with the skinny bars. I can get 255 for 2x5 for sure on the skinny bar.

Speed deadlift 5x3 185

I don't know, they look like they lack speed and power. But coach said to pump up the weight last week when I showed him some at 175. He said I should be using 60% of my 1RM so add more weight because they look light. I didn't have the heart to tell him 175 IS 60% of my 1RM.

Zercher Squat 2x8 155

Still doesn't feel comfortable. Gonna keep attacking though.

Other accessory work
Weighted Planks +35lb plate 60s, 50s, 45s

Hit the buffet pretty hard. Found some lamb. Usually not a fan but it was decent. Found tons of chicken. Found some chick peas and spicy potatoes for carbs. Also found some bastardized bread pudding. It was okay.

We'll pull a YTF and just call it 2000 calories. 200 g protein. For the day 280 g protein, 3400 calories.

Not gaining any weight, so I am guessing I am going to get pumped up to 3200 daily calories next week.

The legendary adversary of Loco's serratus muscles....



also lamb is like omfg amazing all the time imo.

If you really want to pull a YTF, just pay some extra calories forward since your day was confirmed crap anyway. I'd add at least 3-5 bananas onto that bad boy just in case you turn into a monkey tomorrow.

Also. Lamb is only amazing when it's amazing. When it's average it's pretty ehhhhh imo.

yeah you can **** up lamb for sure.

Looking at that squat video, I would guess your body has a pretty significant asymetry, which is not that uncommon. So when you line up symetrically your body cannot function, so it involuntarily moves to a more optimal position. You would probably be better off lining your left leg in the position it involuntarily moves to anyways.

no pullups? smh

I like all posts so much and agree with you all.

Yes, I have this too. My right leg turns out a lot more than my left.


Anyway, I would narrow way the **** down and if you want to go wide go lbbs or some **** but there's no real reason to go wide anyway unless you're a powerlifter.

and lol @ bots trolling loco's log.

My right foot almost always winds up a little in front of my left when I squat. I think this is due to the right hip flexors still being a little tighter after the back injury I had - for ~6 weeks, I had to have that right leg bent forward at the hip because straightening it would cause excruciating pain. That made my hip flexors get all tight and full of adehsions, and maybe some atrophy went on too. That stuff is getting better, but its still not all the way gone a year and a half later.

The point is, you probably do have some mobility issues somewhere that you should try to identify and work on. Yours could be somewhere in the hips and/or ankles, maybe issues in the quads, ITBs or calves too.

Thursday
Decline leg raises 4x20
Rope pulldown crunch 2x20
Grip work (plate pinches)
light mobility drills
light basketball shooting drills 15min
light jogging 25 min


This is what my days off look like when I am at home. Or replace the basketball/jogging with light swimming. Usually burn about 350 calories. Not much, but that adds up at the end of the year. Allows me to eat my bread pudding without much guilt.

As for my lower body mobility issues, this is what I found that addresses the problem.




Its getting better. Squatting shoulder width certainly helps. Wide stance really feels like my abductor is going to blow.

How did I miss this thread

Went with my girlfriend's brother (Noel) to the gym today. So strayed off from my normal workout.

Chest, Back, Triceps

cable work for rotator cuff
shoulder dislocations

Bench Press 2x5 185 (Powerlifting style)

This was fine but I need to film before moving up to 190. I am guessing I am doing a combination bodybuilding/powerlifting style.

Bench Press 215x3 (bodybuilding style)

I got a 4th rep but bastard spotter helped a little

Incline Bench Press 3x8 135

Decline DB Flys 2x10 30s

Light shoulders (Dumbell military press + DB reverse flys)

Super wide pullups 3x10

Tbar Rows 2x10 45lb plate (LOL)

I am stronger than Noel at every exercise except he blew me away over here. He did two 45lb plates. Confirmed, I stink at all rowing movements.

DB Skull Crushers 2x10 30s

Unilateral DB Kickbacks 20sx20 reps each arm


Going to go get 3000 calories now.

If this is actually true then I think it is a massive leak for you. Nothing says "YIEL" like a thick back, rear delts, and traps. Also from a postural standpoint rowing is basically the only movement it is impossible to do too much of.

IMO every back day from now on should include a minimum of: 3x8 heavy tbar rows, 3x10 cable rows with a squeeze at the top, and 3x12 DB rows with a stretch at the bottom.

Its a big leak, but legs is even bigger leak. So many leaks, so little time.