Watched set 3 of squat and deadlift

Squat:
Many of the same problems I have/had that were pointed out to me in my log. Work on your walk-out, and do it with efficiency and confidence. That timid shuffle can't be optimal. Also, it seems like your back is rounding. I think you still need to get a few inches lower. too

BP:
You seem really loose (this relates to your dl and squat too). Look at how your legs are wobbling.

PC:
It's not an upright row! Take everything I say here with a grain of salt but work on extending your hips knees and ankles. Maybe practice the motion with the empty bar against your hips. The motion should be very fluid.

Yeah, basically we've pointed out the things to work on, now its a matter of you recording every set (like your doing) and posting them - keep practicing. It is improving but its also a long process.

Keep up the good work

Awesome, thanks for the words of encouragement.

09/20/2016

Yesterday went ok. I need to do something to psyche myself up before workouts since I'm often still kind of in zombie mode after work. My microplates had arrived when I got home from the gym, so going forward I'm going to start using those for my press.

Squat:
2x5x45
1x5x75
1x5x105
1x4x125
1x2x145
3x5x170

WS1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtZn325tsqI
WS2: Forgot to turn camera on
WS3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGt4dsJ16ZA

These went ok. My main focus was on knee travel and trying to do most of my knee bending at the beginning of the descent and then sit into the rest of it. I think previously my knees were going too far forward. I was able to get the squat rack that can be reconfigured to face away from the mirror, but then I did not always remember to stare at my spot on the floor. This workout I switched to five pound increases instead of 10 since including my pre-reset workouts I've done 6 10lb increases. Depth still not as low as I think it should be, feels alot lower when I'm doing it in person.

Press:
2x5x45
1x5x55
1x4x65
3x5x75

WS1: Forgot to film
WS2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nP8-H8gM8s8
WS3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwWzQ4L4HFI

These went fineish. Trying to keep tight.

Deadlift:

1x5x135
1x5x165
1x5x195
1x5x215

last warmup: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYcw9SF4mT0
WS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rApvZki47cE

I need to squeeze my lower back into flatness more. In general I think I was rushing through these too much and need to slow down a little.

Squats, few issues still. Unrack is very loose, it should be two movements: one straight up and get tight, slight pause to steady THEN walk out. You need to be more measured.

You never really get day as a result. Lock your knees and hips prior to every rep.

Your bar path is a massive curve because your core is not tight. You need to get both your upper back right and your abdomen braces and keep it through the entire rep. You're at risk of a back injury.

Keep your knees out, concentrate on a straight up and down motion, only go as deep as you can keep your back from rounding, work on your bracing and mobility. Your also looking too much straight down, lift your chin and pack it in your next, your eyes can still look down with your head up.

Deadlift, looks like you get in the right position but lose it when you start the lift. You must keep right or you're wasting energy.

Im hopefully not coming off too negative, i hope thats ok.

Definitely not too negative, I appreciate your feedback. Especially since, as you note, there is a risk of injury with these exercises if performed incorrectly. Anyway, I focused on improving my squat today, and I think I had some success there especially on the last set. Walkout is still a little meh but my back isn't rounding as much and I'm definitely getting depth.

Squat:

2x5x45
1x5x75
1x5x105
1x4x125
1x2x145
3x5x170

Kept the weight the same as last time to focus on improving form, and in particular lower back bracing. I think it went ok. I talked last time about needing to 'wake up' from end of the workday zombie mode, and I was able to do that consciously between the second and third sets.

WS1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZm8mX0e0wI
WS2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOn_ztx0Ph4
WS3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeHRzebh8W8

Bench:

2x5x45
1x5x75
1x5x95
1x3x115
1x5x135

WS1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FVY9zvsHcU
WS2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7Te1Ow-_7E
WS3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PXAqGDARW0

These are challenging to keep or even attain tightness. Was having a little cramping in my right leg but nothing too bad. Weight itself felt fine.

PowerCleans:

3x5x45
1x3x75
2x3x80

WS1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9JjHNWPSog
WS2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJbwXJrIzJ0

I still don't think I'm doing these right. I read some more on the bus ride home from the gym and realized I'd forgotten completely about getting my elbows pointed forward. Other than that, when I missed a rep on the last set it was more to do with not timing stuff correctly then the weight actually being too heavy. Can't tell if I'm actually working out my back/legs doing these, I think I am

Worked out today. A friend of mine showed me the 'lower back positioning' video on SS. I tried to incorporate that and the 'dick towards the floor' cue into my squats. Mixed results. I think I stay tight in the descent but lost it once I get to the sticking points on the ascent.

Squat:

2x5x45
1x5x75
1x5x95
1x5x115
1x4x135
1x2x155
3x5x175

WS3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrjTe1Ro6yk

I posted to the startingstrength.com forum technique section to get more opinions on form. Mostly they said the same things I was hearing here about bracing and tightness, along with the suggestion to eat more (I weighed myself today at 196lbs, so roughly ~13lbs of weight gain since the first of the month). Anyway, they wanted a rear oblique angle so that's what I tried to film, and my first two attempts I screwed it up and didn't actually capture myself in the frame. Hence only one video.

Press:

1x5x45
1x5x55
1x3x65
3x5x77.5

WS1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DTu5a7v-KM
WS2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bv4Oj1XB_M
WS3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUq2iGxgIgc

I got to use my shiny new microplates. Beyond that I think I should get my elbows forward more, which is challenging since I have long forearms.

Deadlifts:

1x5x135
1x5x165
1x5x185
1x3x205
1x5x225

WS1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wh9-HxMBGjM

These went okish. Tried to brace lower back more.

I really hope this is a troll. Loco might have a stroke if he reads this

Good catch, A.

UDC, dont fat**** yourself

K, I imagine a little of that is water weight or whatever since there's no way I've added roughly 1/2lb per day in terms of caloric intake (that would be an excess of roughly 1700 per day right?)

Even if half of it is water weight it's still a little enthusiastic.

Lifts improving though keep working on it

i just reread part of SS and rip very clearly says to bench with flat feet, entire sole on ground. is there any particular reason why you're not? seems to make the whole movement significantly less 'secure'

The "So You Think You can Bench" video Aidan linked to earlier said to tuck the feet back and be on the balls of the feet. I've talked to other people in the gym and done some research online and it seems the consensus is that the 'feet back' method is generally better for getting tight although harder to learn at first. But yeah, you are correct that SS suggests not doing this, I think the reason given is that people will let their butt drift up into the air and off the bench.

09/26

Squats:

2x5x45
1x5x75
1x5x95
1x4x1115
1x3x135
1x2x155
3x5x180

WS1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXPHrRSUlU0
WS2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZU1tY66ErQU
WS3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNYmK40kzTE

These went ok, they feel quite heavy. I haven't failed a rep yet which is good from a progression standpoint but also I think has me a little psyched out. I think it will be a relief when I do fail one and dump it on the pins safely and 'get through that'. Maybe. I'm also not sure if I'm getting the bar securely on my meatshelf, it feels a little too low sometimes. So I need to get that squared away.

Bench:

1x5x45
1x5x65
1x5x85
1x4x100
1x2x120
3x5x140

WS1: Camera malfunction
WS2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5s0fOneiVs
WS3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5poqCI3lLQ

Looking at the video I'm really not very tight. My feet are moving a fair amount which is bad.

Power clean:

Roughly 5 reps of empty bar warmup. It feels awkward trying to PC the empty bar because it can't start out on the floor. Also the lack weight feels off in terms of the feel.
2x5x75
1x2fx85

WS1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qH1ULJPO0sw

Failed my third rep here. I might have worn myself out a little on the warmups. But my max is so low and as said before the lowest bumper plate is 15lbs, I'm not sure how to avoid that while still warming up. A guy from my gym has offered to help me with my power cleans in person this coming Saturday. Hopefully I can figure out what I'm doing wrong because in principle these don't seem like they should be super hard.

9/29

Squat:
2x5x45
1x5x75
1x5x105
1x4x125
1x3x145
1x2x165
3x5x185

WS1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nihUaTPobA4
WS2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLksT8o8qxk
WS3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttsYykJDIac

These did not go super great. I'm having a lot of trouble gripping the bar, and for the last half of the second and third worksets was worried about dropping it. That made it tough to focus much on other considerations, which meant those suffered. I think I might be misunderstanding where the scapula is or where I should be holding it because my current setup feels too low.

Press:
1x5x45
1x5x60
1x3x70
3x5x80

WS1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTVoC0W4Hoc
WS2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuJaAGm0Kb4
WS3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyyMqG-iyI8

These were fine. I think I'm leaning back a little too much. This is starting to feel heavier.

Deadlift:

1x5x135
1x5x165
1x5x195
1x3x215
1x5x235

Last WarmUp: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4XO9Q_pX6g
WS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQpg37N5-4E

These went alrightish. I'm at work so I don't have time to write a super long commentary but I wanted to get this post made.

I'm meeting a friend on Saturday to work on form. Hopefully that goes well.

10/01

Met my friend to work on form today. Primarily on PC but also on other lifts.

Squat:

4x5x45
1x5x95
1x5x115
1x5x135
1x1x155
1x2fx190
2x5x165

WS1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AmBaqAQx80
WS2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIxPv7dQ7Qs
WS3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=952xwLOpISg

So failed the third rep on the first set. I was trying to do a slower descent and stay tighter this time. And somehow a combination of doing that, being tired from previous workouts, and nervousness led to me failing my third rep. That was frustrating. My friend said I should reset at 165 and focus on tightness while working my way up. I'm also trying to make a point of bringing my grip in a little bit each workout, even if it's just a quarter of an inch. I'm also holding the bar a little higher on my back and it doesn't move around as much which is good. My left shoulder feels a little uncomfortable but supposedly that'll get better with time and practice.

Bench:

2x5x45
1x5x85
1x5x115
1x1x135
3x5x145

WS3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qbo0zyVqtZM

My friend wanted me to bench like it says in SS, instead of how it showed on SYTYCB. So that's what I did. Weight felt fine, a little heavy on the fourth and fifth reps but not so difficult that I felt anywhere near failing a rep.

PowerClean

Many at 65
5x3x80

Second to last workset: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96kPjLR8AFk

These went better I think. I'm gripping a lot wider and getting into the stance is difficult. Particularly my hamstring flexibility is stretched a lot. I sometimes want to jump a little early and I need to avoid doing that.

Squats look alright, still that core tightness to work on.

Resetting after missing once seems a bit pessimistic but I'm inclined to agree with your friend, the last set at 185 is quite ugly.

10/03

Squats:

2x5x55
1x5x95
1x4x135
1x2x155
3x5x175

WS1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaEJSW8d5mU
WS2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJ_-AgmyXoU
WS3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61i4GAyOj-Q

So I'd planned on doing one ten pound jump and then back to five pound jumps to come back from my deload from 190-165. Based on what i'd read that seemed sensible. This was the ten pound jump and went basically fine. I could have gone slower on the descent but I feel like my lower back control was better and I'm not good morning-ing the squats as hard. Trying to take a deep breath before each one and point my dick at the floor.

OHP:

1x5x45
1x4x65
1x2x75
3x5x82.5

WS1: Forgot to film
WS2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OPd96GJs6k
WS3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zp2d5HMTwTU

Return of the microplates. Tried to lean back less on these than I did last time. Felt fine. In watching it I need to actually 'bounce' back with my hip bounce more. Probably from not being tight enough.

Deadlift:

1x5x135
1x5x185
1x3x215
1x5x245

WS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ypkyUD0c-A

Bit of a regression on form here. I need to really force myself to get 'uncomfortable' in terms of hamstrings and sticking my butt/chest apart in the initial set-up. I think I was rushing to get out of the gym a little and that lead to me being lazy.

Squats keep looking better imo. Walkout is still sketchy as hell though it looks like you're gonna crash and burn any second

With OHP keep thinking about your starting position. Your elbows are way behind the bar again.

Deadlift, yeah work in progress but you know it. It looks very loose.

10/06

Squats:
WU
3x5x180

WS1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOxDj0Gg7hA
WS2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uY3ofrLaEoQ
WS3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jZ9pU6AwY0

Tried to work on the walkout although it's hard to do with the heavy weight on me. I'm becoming more secure in the grip and hand position so I think that'll help. Largely these went fine. I tried to take a deep breath each time and avoid slumping forward.

Bench
WU
3x5x150

WS1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ISb5Ezw3dY
WS2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRqtfNx-vXI
WS3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5wqCTOKylQ (kind of a bad angle)

I think I need to work on my leg positioning and remembering to drive my heels down. I tried doing all five reps in one breath since I tend to lose tightness when I breath (I think) with some success.

PC
WU
5x3x85

WS1-3: Forgot to film the first then had camera issues on 2 and 3
WS4: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5m47jSSH-4
WS5: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jZ9pU6AwY0

10/08

Squats:
WU
3x5x185

WS1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3kQ2qOGuGY
WS2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwzbQW9phYs
WS3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxipyLTfzeI

These went pretty good. My flexibility around my left shoulder is a lot worse then my right. and it's effecting my ability to comfortably grab the bar. I'm going to try and work on that over the weekend by doing some stretches. Tried to improve the walkout, but it is difficult with a heavy bar on my back.

OHP:
WU
3x5x85

WS1: Forgot to film
WS2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jV3e6SvUZPs
WS3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2jhpomVYQ8

Trying to bring elbows further forward. I have very long forearms which makes doing so difficult. This weight is beginning to feel quite heavy.

DL
1x5x135
1x5x175
1x5x205
1x2x235
1x5x255

1x5x205: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lt99JvVL588
1x5x255: Phone ran out of storage 3 seconds in

These went pretty good. Tried to focus on thrusting butt and chest apart. Wasn't rushed at the end and consciously tried to slow down before doing these. Kinda sad my phone died because I think they went good.

Squats still slowly improving, though it was hard to see what your low back was doing with that angle. I suspect it is still getting quite loose at the bottom, so keep emphasising squeezing your knees out and bracing properly. Squeeze your glutes at the top and then fight to keep your pelvis in that alignment throughout the rep.

Deadlift, you still get set in a good position but then never pull from it - the bar doesnt leave the ground until your hips have risen a lot. Stay tight and cue pushing the earth away from you as you engage the pull - make sure that movement goes into moving the bar.

10/10

Squats:
WU
3x5x190

WS1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhHfpQhisVg
WS2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vf9SwKyf_BY
WS3 (bad angle): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fO7vQajr374

These felt like they went pretty good. Left shoulder flexibility still quite poor but maybe getting better. I'm inching my hands further in each time I go to the gym and my grip on the bar feels like it is improving.

Bench:

WU
3x5x155

WS1-2 Forgot to film
WS3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uc7GUzfpiXk

These went fine. Weight is starting to feel heavy. I always think I've got my lower back arched more than I do.

PowerClean:

WU
1x3x90
1x2x90f
3x3x85

WS1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylNzXEasYJs
WS2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyDOkozupM8
WS3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yskJbdICdd8
WS4: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ff68z5YB7vc
WS5: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6tGtNgSVkA

These were frustrating as I failed a rep on the second workset. It's really hard for me to get into a good rack position, I think in part because my forearms are so long.

10/13

Squats:
WU
3x5x195

WS1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFq5IInqAoQ
WS2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkBLZB1lg3Y
WS3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UT85lWbcUs

These went ok I think. I'm trying to do the whole 'eye gaze' thing but it is difficult when I'm looking at a mirror. I've also noticed my depth is a little inconsistent when I'm not looking at myself in the mirror.

OHP:
WU
3x5x87.5

WS1: Forgot to film
WS2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8q6gv2tmAoA
WS3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lF4U2FZqNzQ

Turns out my gym has its own 1.25 lb plates. Oh well, i'm sure my colorful set of microplates will come in handy later. These felt fairly light. I was worried after the previous one that I'd miss reps and/or stall on these soon but that does not seem to be the case if this workout is any indication.

DL
WU
1x5x265

WS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-bagxveUFk

Yeah so I tried to work on that this time and I think I did ok at it reps 2-4, with reps 1 and 5 still exhibiting that issue. As I understand it, if my set-up is perfect then I shouldn't have the hips rising early, and when it does happen it's because my hips start too low in the set-up from the bar being too far forward of the midfoot (and thus the knees bending too much to get the shins to reach the bar). At least that is what my reading of SS suggests.

This was my first set that felt truly heavy and that taxed my grip strength. On the eccentric for the last rep I went down pretty hurredly because I felt like I was going to drop it.

i'm a beginner, but doesn't your OHP hurt your wrists?