All,

The good thing that came out of all this gripper talk is that I remembered to bring my grippers to work. This will also give me an opportunity to make propbets with my competitive boss. And since I'm not doing too much intense isometric stuff, I'm gonna throw in some thick bar work and plate pinches at the gyme*. That's right bitches: two training modalities. Now that's hardcore and advanced (cue muscletech).

blarg, thremp, aj, tbk,

There are too many technical problems with that bet, but it would be fun and productive nonetheless.

jihad,

Congratulations and good luck. Relax and go with flow.

00s,

Goodstuff on the three-plater. Legit brag as you're getting strong. I made a video when I first pulled three-wheels. Was pretty stoked. Then I added 2.5lb microplates on each side and couldn't move the mofo even an inch. Yea, I got that on video too.

fish,
See link. Shoulders forward, neck braced. Head neither above nor pushed into the bench. It's fine to regrip during DLs. Don't bounce the bar off the ground on the reps you don't (unless you have a specific reason to.)

Here's a decent video showing how dangerous it is to lower cholesterol levels with a drug. Also tells you grass fed cows produce better beef and milk for us.

i filmed a video explaining the clean and jerk.

give me feedback on it. i think my technique and teaching are pretty rock solid.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=2j0W9f_LOYg

td,

I had the same reaction. I thought j.brown was much older.

very solid jerk in that video

thanks laser. i thought that was the best part. one word: explosive.

ankle i am aging pretty well for being in my mid 30's. ty 4 the compliment.

polish soviet elbow bends

I refuse to believe that is you.

I'm going to assume you are claiming someone else's video.

do you think that it is too good to be me? thanks man.

obviously you don't constantly remember me saying that the key to the clean and jerk is the ability to squat and keep your hands at least 6 to 8 inches outside of legs (or basically as wide as you can get them).

i think videos like this will allow me to really just personal train people and i can be done with this poker thing. all that oly lifting training finally getting shown to the world, this is a proud moment for me.

btw thremp don't you think my physique is coming along nicely as well.
shemp says a cutting cycle or two and i am ready for the big time.

I haven't watched the video, BUCKO, but I don't think you should settle into too many opinions on your form until Kirk gives you some feedback.

J. Brown, out of humility i assume, you neglected to link us to your snatch video:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=KppB77...eature=related

Actual serious question. If I want to sub box squats for standard squats but still want to get work in for my quads what are some good exercises for this? Obv front squats would work, maybe lunges any other ideas?

laser: I like front squats and lunges Also if your worried about quads/balance or w/e then mix some regular squats in there. I was doing 3x5 back squat + 3x5 box squats for legs on the same day for awhile and it worked out well. Some days I would do 3+2, 2+3 or 2+2 when the volume was starting to get to be a lot for me. Currently Im trying to learn front squats and will be alternating them with speed box squats on my medium day (I have 1 heavy and 1 medium day per week, heavy is box squats usually, sometimes reg squats)

-Mike

Yeah doing both reg squats and box squats the same day is how I have done it so far. I was just reading some of Louie Simmons stuff and he was advocating to do all your squats from boxes. He was like yeah your quads will shrink but we are trying to build a big squat not big muscles. I just didn't really like that line of thinking seeing as I am not a competitive power lifter.

Just found a really great article from a fantastic webiste on the importance of vitamin A on bodybuilding.

http://www.westonaprice.org/men/vita...ybuilding.html

Heres an excerpt

Bodybuilders and other athletes interested in gaining muscle have an interest in boosting their levels of testosterone and other growth factors and maximizing their utilization of protein and its incorporation into muscle cells. Typical recommendations usually include very high amounts of protein, but exclude foods like liver that are high in vitamin A, and low-fat recommendations all but banish vitamin A entirely from the diet by excluding foods such as full-fat milk. The combination of a high-protein diet that depletes vitamin A and a low-fat diet that fails to provide vitamin A is a clear recipe for deficiency of this vital nutrient. Exercises that elicit a high demand for testosterone, such as squats and deadlifts, are often recommended for muscle growth, but without vitamin A the body cannot meet that demand for testosterone. It's high time for athletes to forget the modern mantras and remember the dietary wisdom of the past, achieving a lean, muscular physique through traditional foods such as liver, egg yolks, full-fat milk, butter from grass-fed cows and cod liver oil.

Well I sure get a lot of egg yolks and full fat milk, not much liver or cod liver oil though.

Laser: If i recall the boxes you are squatting off arent super low anyways (same height as mine i think ie. a bench) so it might be less of an issue anyways.

-Mike

Cod liver oil is great. Omega 3, Vitamin D and A.

My parents would give it to me as a kid (in pill form) and said they would drink the liquid by the tablespoon. Ugh. The smell is too bad to to describe in text.

I just bought some cod liver-oil right now which will most likely replace all the fish oil capsule stuff I have been taking. Also got some calves liver..

I had a fishoil cap open up in my bathroom sink somehow...i didnt know and i was wiping down the counter/sink and ended up spreading it all around. got wiffs of that smell for like 3 wks even after cleaning multiple times.

-Mike

Calves liver is delicious. Cod liver oil - good luck choking it down.

I hate commenting on this stuff since I don't do box squats and what I am saying is basically what others have told me... but I've asked about this both on a couple online forums, and to my training partner and a couple other people via email, and have received very decisive and consistent responses so I think it's worth repeating

basically, I don't squat like the Westside guys do in competition, and don't need the reversal strength those guys need from their wide stance squats. Box squatting as a main lift isn't as applicable to raw lifters who catch a bounce at the bottom of their squat, and I've heard this from different people over and over.

Like at LEAST 5 people said this: the time box squatting is best for is when you have a major sticking point, and then they should be performed from or right below that sticking point with your normal squat stance

Just threw down the calves liver - I saw from another forum that it was a good idea to fry bacon beforehand so I did as much chopped up an onion and then fried the liver. It was much better than I remember. Also, the whole foods here did not have any liver on display and the only reason I got some was because the one man that requests liver did not come by to pick it up and it was only about $6 a pound.

Also, the Cod liver oil made by spectrum had no taste at all

I've been going to the regular grocery store for liver. I never thought to make a request at Whole Foods. Bacon and onions is the way I eat it too.