View Full Version : Scourge's No-Nonsense Journal
Starting on Monday - no fancy routine or new-fangled silliness - just basic lifting, hard work and the continuation of my ever-failing attempts to eat enough to gain weight. Split to look like this.
Monday - Squat
Oly squats 4x6
GMs 4x6
Wednesday - Bench
Whatever I'm told to do.
Friday - Squat/Dead
Front squats 4x6
Deep deads 4x6
Saturday - Bench
Whatever I'm told to do.
I'll maybe throw some ab and core work in there if I'm feeling frivolous.
PikeKing
10-10-2004, 13:46
Deep deads being what? Standing on plates I assume?
Deep deads being what? Standing on plates I assume?
That's the plan.
PikeKing
10-10-2004, 14:04
I'm always a bit dubious of them, are you able to get the extra depth while maintaining your alignment?
I'm always a bit dubious of them, are you able to get the extra depth while maintaining your alignment?
Naja... It obviously depends on a few things namely 1) your stance and 2) the depth.
I think the conventional stance will make it easier to hold onto your technique than the sumo stance as with the sumo I suspect the extra depth will be made by bending over further rather than crouching down deeper. I usually use the sumo stance but I'll be switching back to the conventional stance for these.
If you've lowered it by an inch, it'll obviously be a lot easier to maintain your alignment than if you've lowered it by four inches. I'll only be lowering it by 1-2 inches.
I know the exercise has it's limitations but I think I can work around them for the minute.
PikeKing
10-10-2004, 14:26
ok cool, I'm assuming your weakness on the deadlift is off the floor then?
ok cool, I'm assuming your weakness on the deadlift is off the floor then?
Definitely - I've done raised deads (about 5") with a quarter of a tonne and I'm definitely stronger now that I was.
I think it's part of my general weakness at the moment (chicken legs), hence all the narrow squatting, front squatting and conventional deadlifting.
PikeKing
10-10-2004, 14:33
Definitely - I've done raised deads (about 5") with a quarter of a tonne and I'm definitely stronger now that I was.
you mean like a rack pull? pulling from blocks? basically a partial?
you mean like a rack pull? pulling from blocks? basically a partial?
Yeah... Instead of standing on the plates, you stand on the floor and put the plates under the barbell.
PikeKing
10-10-2004, 14:40
Yeah... Instead of standing on the plates, you stand on the floor and put the plates under the barbell.
right ok i was getting confused, what about those suspended GMs help does? Arent they for bottom position strength?
right ok i was getting confused, what about those suspended GMs help does? Arent they for bottom position strength?
Good exercise, but my gym doesn't have a powercage to do them in...
Nice routine, just don't burn yourself out with all the benching. Ilike the fact your doing some quad work, looking back, you haven't done any in about half a year. Do you feel they are a weakness?
Nice routine, just don't burn yourself out with all the benching. Ilike the fact your doing some quad work, looking back, you haven't done any in about half a year. Do you feel they are a weakness?
Sure... I'll probably be building up the tonnage slowly on the bench so that shouldn't be a problem. Saturdays should be more of a technique-training day to start with.
Legs are weak. I can do 4x6x120kg on the ATG back squat and 4x6x80kg on the front squat but 4x6x140 on the GM. Go figure.
Monday - Squats.
Shit session. I'm not even going to justify this one by posting it up.
Changed my technique (again), tried using a pair of oly-lifting shoes and cut the weights right down - This was of approximately ****-all benefit. It must have kept me a little more upright as I haven't skinned the back of my neck as per usual, but it also killed my depth and beat the crap out of the tendons in my knees, hips and right calf.
God, I'm beginning to hate squatting. Bench specialisation seems more appealing after every session. If only my bench wasn't so piss-poor.
Maybe I should have stuck to cross-country running when I was 16...
kinkymisspinky
11-10-2004, 23:32
it wasn't as bad as you think, silly boy. you should post it up anyway so you can look back on it and see your progress (you're so crap right now you're bound to make progress).
maybe the shoes need some getting used to?
was it your right knee that was turning in?
kinkymisspinky
11-10-2004, 23:33
btw, remember to eat.
it wasn't as bad as you think, silly boy. you should post it up anyway so you can look back on it and see your progress (you're so crap right now you're bound to make progress).
maybe the shoes need some getting used to?
was it your right knee that was turning in?
It was pretty shitty... You'd think the only way is up, but I thought that when I was back down doing 120 for triples. It could get a lot worse before it gets better.
Not sure about the shoes - If anything, they should make it easier to get deeper and hold my form. I dunno what's going on.
Yeah - My right knee turned in occasionally, probably to take the stress of my tendons.
Man of Steel
12-10-2004, 11:07
What's wrong with your training Scourge, you been injured or something?
What's wrong with your training Scourge, you been injured or something?
Grrr... Yes. I was putting up 200kg for a raw single until I started Smolov. I tore my hamstring early on it that. When I came back I'd lost a fair amount of flexibility and started in a new gym with some proper lifters. They promptly tore me a new one over my squat depth, which has led to near-endless tweaking of my squat technique over the last two months. I essentially haven't done any strength training on my squat since Smolov and I'm approximately where I was four years ago in terms of technique and more than a little ****ing despondant.
Erm... have a beer on me mate.
Matt Jones
12-10-2004, 13:03
I'm approximately where I was four years ago in terms of technique and
But you're not though are you ? as I understand it - yes , you have gone back to square one - but four years ago you were setiing off down the wrong path - At least now you are starting off on the right foot
more than a little ****ing despondant.
Now this could be more of a problem than the physical side of things - You have to accept you have taken a step back (even though it is a step forward in a roundabout way ) and you have to be happy about it ! - otherwise you will get caught in a spiral of negativity
Just my take on it anyway
:048:
Just my take on it anyway
I wish my doc would put me on happy pills too... :D
I'm probably not starting from where I was, as muscle memory should be important once I get back lifting weights of any significance, but I have come full circle - I'm now using similar weights and a similar stance with similar problems (knees turning in) to what I was doing years ago, which sucks. I also appear to be making no progress - As soon as I change one factor of my technique, something else pops up.
Oh... and I have to do stretching. God I hate stretching.
Patience. Patience.
Man of Steel
12-10-2004, 22:54
You need to look forward to the day you'll make new 1RM, no matter how long it takes. The Smolov routine looks like a bastard, you know anyone who's finished it?
You need to look forward to the day you'll make new 1RM, no matter how long it takes. The Smolov routine looks like a bastard, you know anyone who's finished it?
Sure, but at the moment I'm actually regressing in terms of the weights I'm lifting - I having to watch out for setting a new 1RMi (1 rep minimum).
I dunno anyone who's completed Smolov. I don't even know anyone who's tried it. It's a bastard.
Was having a look at my squat technique in the mirror yesterday (bodyweight squats) - As long as I keep the arch in my back, my depth is always the same, regardless of the stance I use. Once I let my back round I can get extra depth on the narrower stances, but with the my back straight it's the same whatever I do - Anyone know what that indicates?
This also raises a question over my oly squatting i.e. what's the point? I was doing it so I could get extra depth with it but as I don't seem to be able to do that, I dunno what I should be doing.
Man of Steel
13-10-2004, 11:32
Poor glute/ham or ankle flexibility? Why don't you start Box squatting just below parallel (if you've recovered) untill you improve your ATG Squat form.
Black Knight
13-10-2004, 11:43
I can empathise with you SOG. My progress on back squats and deads has been shite since I started messing around with my form.
I'm now resting since injuring my back-almost certainly because of poor form/weak glutes. Its incredibly frustrating in the short-term and I think you have to console yourself with the thought that sometimes you have to take a few steps backwards to make long term strides forward in the long-term.
I know what you mean by becoming a bench specialist! It seems so much more straight forward and easier to make progress. Though ultimately I cant regard myself as strong till I'm squatting/deadlifting respectable numbers.
Poor glute/ham or ankle flexibility? Why don't you start Box squatting just below parallel (if you've recovered) untill you improve your ATG Squat form.
How would ankle flexibility be an issue? I don't think it's my hamstrings as they've been getting a lot more flexible since I started stretching and that's made no difference. Could be my glutes, but the main place I seem to feel it is in my hips.
I was doing box squats for a while but they didn't seem to be helping at all. Also, my bench coach will probably give me abuse if he sees me box squatting again. ATM I'm just thinking of going back to my regular wide stance, and just squatting high until my flexibility improves. Being able to squat 200kg to parallel has got to be better than squatting half that with a narrower stance to the same depth methinks.
I can empathise with you SOG. My progress on back squats and deads has been shite since I started messing around with my form.
I'm now resting since injuring my back-almost certainly because of poor form/weak glutes. Its incredibly frustrating in the short-term and I think you have to console yourself with the thought that sometimes you have to take a few steps backwards to make long term strides forward in the long-term.
I know what you mean by becoming a bench specialist! It seems so much more straight forward and easier to make progress. Though ultimately I cant regard myself as strong till I'm squatting/deadlifting respectable numbers.
Yeah... With you in the struggle man.
Bench specialisation would be great if my bench weren't so poor... I'm good at deadlifting, but what the hell's a deadlift specialist? (Some poor chump that can't squat methinks).
Deadlift specailist sounds cool. Bench specialist is for homs that can't squat or deadlift.
Deadlift specailist sounds cool. Bench specialist is for homs that can't squat or deadlift.
Dunno about that... Since we're upped the intensity on our bench days, I'm finding it pretty tough. I've been warned in advance of evil things like bench marathons which we're due to doing in the next month.
You'll be training for the burn next. :) (joke)
Also, i don't understand your sig.
You'll be training for the burn next. :) (joke)
Also, i don't understand your sig.
Not burn - Intensity. And not Big Les-style intensity. Big compound movement intensity.
There was a quote from Joseph Vissarionovich Djugashvili (Stalin) that went "The death of one is a tragedy; the death of millions is just a statistic". It's a play on that.
http://www.exrx.net/Stretches/HipFlexors/Lunge.html
http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=459743
http://www.exrx.net/Stretches/HipFlexors/Lunge.html
http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=459743
Thanks for that mate... I'll have a proper read through them later.
Man of Steel
13-10-2004, 16:10
I've got a bad ankle that doesn't bend very far, so my left leg points further up when I try oly squats and that makes my back bend at the bottom. I don't think it'll be a common problem though.
I've got a bad ankle that doesn't bend very far, so my left leg points further up when I try oly squats and that makes my back bend at the bottom. I don't think it'll be a common problem though.
Nah... I think that must be a fairly uncommon reason for it.
Bench.
Bench: 2x5x20, 2x5x60, 5x100, 2x5x110, 4x110
OH press: 2x5x50
Tough session today, although strength is clearly improving, (I was scraping 110kg for doubles recently) so I'm not complaining. Benching took a lot out of me, especially as I did two heavy sessions last week, hence the pitiful weights on the OH press.
Yeah... With you in the struggle man.
Bench specialisation would be great if my bench weren't so poor... I'm good at deadlifting, but what the hell's a deadlift specialist? (Some poor chump that can't squat methinks).
People do pull/push comps don't they?
People do pull/push comps don't they?
Yeah... Bench & Dead comps.
Friday: Shite.
Squat: 2x6x20, 3x60, 3x100, 3x120, 3x130, 2x3x140
Squats were wide-stance power squats. My suspicions have been confirmed. After two month fecking around with box squats, oly squats and other assorted nonsense, I am actually a weaker squatter than I was a week after coming back from tearing my hamstring. Motivation has just about bottomed out, although I've gained a certain resolve from that.
Scourge's New Resolution: Damn the IPF. I'll squat wide and I'll squat high if I want to.
I've decided that's it better to be squatting a little too high and making progress than doing all manner of assistance exercises and gaining precisely squat (ahaha!). I'll work at building up my wide-stance squat strength back to where it was by squatting wide and I'll work on my flexibility by stretching and hopefully the two will come together at some point and I'll be able to squat heavy to IPF depth, or that's the plan.
On the plus side, I am apparently fractionally more flexible than I was (more upright in the hole) and I saw one guy squatting 290kg for 5 earlier, which is more than a little inspirational.
Oh well... Patience. Patience.
Blow this - I'll resume my progress journal when I start making some progress.
kinkymisspinky
19-10-2004, 00:10
?? today wasn't that bad, was it?
Matt Jones
19-10-2004, 08:33
From reading your post in the food forum , I would guess your lack of progress is down to lack of food
maybe you could use some form of appetite stimulation ? I am not sure exactly WHAT you could use (as I have never has a problem myself )
But I am sure there is a B vitamin that is reputed to stimulate appetite (anyone?)
If you can get into the habit of eating big(ish) regularly , I'm sure the progress will come
I had a good search on the net a year or two ago about appetite stimulators. Could'nt find much. Arnt fatty foods meant to be good at increasing your appetite?
Blow this - I'll resume my progress journal when I start making some progress.
Don't fall into that trap. I nearly did yesterday (thanks to help and mike i am ok now). Like you i have bags of drive, it just needs re-focusing from time to time. You know what you want and how to get it, so don't fcuk about, do it. Lately you don't seem to appreciate that you are still recovering form a semi-serious injury (ham tear), progress is hardly likely to be phenomenal right now. Give things time, you have the next 20 years to compete, just concentrate on what you are doing. (you are doing things right). Don't keep adjusting your form or trying new shoes or listenin to the kind gentlemen at your gym/whatever, just do what used to get you good progress. (IIRC) Low volume, triples and singles, minimal assistance and plenty of rest.
Good luck mate.
From reading your post in the food forum , I would guess your lack of progress is down to lack of food
maybe you could use some form of appetite stimulation ? I am not sure exactly WHAT you could use (as I have never has a problem myself )
But I am sure there is a B vitamin that is reputed to stimulate appetite (anyone?)
If you can get into the habit of eating big(ish) regularly , I'm sure the progress will come
Like creatine, it only has that effect on some. They did sh1t all for me.
?? today wasn't that bad, was it?
It wasn't bad, it was just kinda pointless - A continuation of fecking around and not being able to do any back squatting.
From reading your post in the food forum , I would guess your lack of progress is down to lack of food
maybe you could use some form of appetite stimulation ? I am not sure exactly WHAT you could use (as I have never has a problem myself )
But I am sure there is a B vitamin that is reputed to stimulate appetite (anyone?)
If you can get into the habit of eating big(ish) regularly , I'm sure the progress will come
I don't think so... I've been making progress for years with this kind of diet. I also made good progress back at school, when my diet was infinitely worse. It's not that I'm not eating enough to recover properly, just not enough to gain weight. Obviously not gaining weight will limit my strength gains, but progress in p'lifting isn't just about strength, but strength at a given weight.
Don't fall into that trap. I nearly did yesterday (thanks to help and mike i am ok now). Like you i have bags of drive, it just needs re-focusing from time to time. You know what you want and how to get it, so don't fcuk about, do it. Lately you don't seem to appreciate that you are still recovering form a semi-serious injury (ham tear), progress is hardly likely to be phenomenal right now. Give things time, you have the next 20 years to compete, just concentrate on what you are doing. (you are doing things right). Don't keep adjusting your form or trying new shoes or listenin to the kind gentlemen at your gym/whatever, just do what used to get you good progress. (IIRC) Low volume, triples and singles, minimal assistance and plenty of rest.
Exactly... I don't need to be messing around and tweaking my training or being given advice from all angles on what I should be doing. I need to get on with squatting.
Good luck mate.
Thanks...
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