Dr. Squatlove, or How I Learned to Stop Wasting Away and Love [Strength Training]

Dead Legend

Did I do that right?

Anyway, once upon a time there was a man named Giles Corey. He invented lifting heavy things. On his death bed, he cried out, "More weight!" and so the people added another boulder to his chest. [Note: he was accused of witchcraft.] To this day, men and women pay tribute to Giles Corey and ask, shout, nay, demand "More weight," as they step under a bar.

I'm gonna put some useful links in here but doing this on the phone sucks.

FrylockHolmes

Maybe I'll actually get strong before this thread is done.

Hahaha

Dead Legend

http://articles.elitefts.net/ --- these folks put out fine articles and ideas and their videos on YouTube "so you think you can squat " and bench are solid.

http://70sbig.com/ --- another fine website with solid ideas grown from humble beginnings.

http://exrx.net - excellent resource for their muscle and exercise directory

jklong

Love the new title. @Peen thanks for the slingshot writeup. If my bench stalls hard I'll look into it.

So I stuck my reps from last night into a 1rm calculator and it came up surprisingly high. I think I accidentally made gains.

Magus`

While I'm putting my workout ideas together and looking into two local gyms, I have a question.

Now that I can afford it, are protein supplements something you should start taking as soon as you start overall, or is that something that really only helps/is necessary when you reach a certain level?

Dead Legend

Protein supplements are great. Useful for everybody

Magus`

Alright, cool. Any suggestions for stuff you find works well?

FrylockHolmes

I'm actually kind of liking the idea of setting a goal for myself to reach by the time this thread is done, even though I have no idea when that'll be. Maybe something front squat related.

Magus`

Hey that's a good idea. I think my goal will be to have worked out every week (starting next week) at least 3 days a week with no missed weeks (outside special circumstances). Maybe as I go I can add more specifics like weight amounts or reps or something.

Tube

That's a really good goal because it focuses on the journey rather than a necessarily meaningless end point

Magus`

Yeah I was thinking about it and with my 'diet' there is no going back to what I was eating, so I thought why the same with exercise. I'm gonna see if I can somehow find something to do while working cause my god I have enough downtime.

ToddJewell

Get a ball or hand device for grip strength

SkankPlaya

How much do you guys work mobility/stretching? I've been getting tons of knots and aches, and I feel like the stretching that I have been doing isn't working.

Dead Legend

I do my warmup which takes about fifteen minutes of shoulder dislocations with a dowel, a whole slew of dynamic stretches prior to lifting, foam roll when I'm hurting and a post lift stretch with an emphasis on any body part I hammered.

Mobility and stretching is the light.

Methuselah

Magus` wrote: »

Alright, cool. Any suggestions for stuff you find works well?

Buy whey protein. Optimum Nutrition is great. Whey metabolizes quickly (great pre- and post-workout) and has a solid amino acid profile.

Jimmy Marku

Turns out that creatine works, or I'm getting stronger. One or the other:

100x2x3 then 105x1 pb push press and 150x1x3 squat yesterday!

The only mobility I do is whatever exercise I'm doing with a light'ish weight and perfect form. Maybe some pauses too to lock in the positions.

Nogs

still figuring out what i can actually lift.

taking it 'safe' for the most part and starting out 'light'

last week did 3x10 squats at 115 lbs.

just did 3x10 135 lbs. though the very last rep was a little slow going

i guess next week ill try 145 lbs.?

Dead Legend

I cannot recommend enough a proper warm up routine. I firmly believe it allows me to start hitting good positions from the get go, very rarely do I spend the first couple of sets on squats sinking my hips down cause they're tight.

Being able to drop into that bottom position in the snatch first rep is better than finding out your hips are too tight and catch it in a power snatch.

Arthil

I'd say I'll be able to deadlift 300 lbs or more by the time this thread closes, but first I've gotta figure out how to get that much weight on the bar.

That Dave Fella

I deadlifted 160kg the other day, i'm 10kg away from 2xBW

Dead Legend

Arthil wrote: »

I'd say I'll be able to deadlift 300 lbs or more by the time this thread closes, but first I've gotta figure out how to get that much weight on the bar.

Buy heavier plates?

Arthil

Dead Legend wrote: »

Arthil wrote: »

I'd say I'll be able to deadlift 300 lbs or more by the time this thread closes, but first I've gotta figure out how to get that much weight on the bar.

Buy heavier plates?

Need a couple more 10 lb plates.

Maybe another set of 25's too.

Dead Legend

Also deadspin has an article up about a 92 year old benching 187.5# for the record.

It's impressive, and the dude is a badass, but he's wearing a bench shirt.

Dead Legend

Arthil wrote: »

Dead Legend wrote: »

Arthil wrote: »

I'd say I'll be able to deadlift 300 lbs or more by the time this thread closes, but first I've gotta figure out how to get that much weight on the bar.

Buy heavier plates?

Need a couple more 10 lb plates.

Maybe another set of 25's too.

You know 6 45's and a 45# bar is 315

Arthil

Dead Legend wrote: »

Arthil wrote: »

Dead Legend wrote: »

Arthil wrote: »

I'd say I'll be able to deadlift 300 lbs or more by the time this thread closes, but first I've gotta figure out how to get that much weight on the bar.

Buy heavier plates?

Need a couple more 10 lb plates.

Maybe another set of 25's too.

You know 6 45's and a 45# bar is 315

That's an olympic bar, my bar and the plates are all standard. It weighs 18.

Peen

Just had my first fish oil capsule popped in a pants pocket. Truly I have the most dangerous legs.

Dead Legend

Arthil wrote: »

Dead Legend wrote: »

Arthil wrote: »

Dead Legend wrote: »

Arthil wrote: »

I'd say I'll be able to deadlift 300 lbs or more by the time this thread closes, but first I've gotta figure out how to get that much weight on the bar.

Buy heavier plates?

Need a couple more 10 lb plates.

Maybe another set of 25's too.

You know 6 45's and a 45# bar is 315

That's an olympic bar, my bar and the plates are all standard. It weighs 18.

Well that sucks

Jimmy Marku

Dead Legend wrote: »

I cannot recommend enough a proper warm up routine. I firmly believe it allows me to start hitting good positions from the get go, very rarely do I spend the first couple of sets on squats sinking my hips down cause they're tight.

Being able to drop into that bottom position in the snatch first rep is better than finding out your hips are too tight and catch it in a power snatch.

Oh yeah, I agree; I always do five mins or so of drills with the bar then work up from 50% to warm up before snatching. I'm lucky in that I don't really have any mobility issues though, so can get into the positions without much work.

rockrnger

Goals: besides the obvious (gains!) this thread I am going to throw in more Olympic style lifts.

I am always hesitant to do them because, while not exactly banned, they are frowned upon at the gym and I am horrible at them. That is probably part of it.

Jimmy Marku

On the upside, they're fun and super satisfying, also unparalleled for developing power, and to top it off they look ridiculously awesome.

Besides, with your strength you'll be totalling 300 kilos in no time!

P.s. Why are they frowned on? Does your gym not have platforms?

P.p.s. My thread goal is a bodyweight snatch...

Peen

My thread goal is to figure out what exactly is wrong with my squat, pick a form and stick with it for long enough to have some decent progression, and get to 350. I can probably accomplish one of those things.

Peen

Also today's not even my bench day and this makes me want to go bench. This guy is the best at these.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSnq0c8KVo4

rockrnger

Jimmy Marku wrote: »

On the upside, they're fun and super satisfying, also unparalleled for developing power, and to top it off they look ridiculously awesome.

Besides, with your strength you'll be totalling 300 kilos in no time!

P.s. Why are they frowned on? Does your gym not have platforms?

P.p.s. My thread goal is a bodyweight snatch...

They have all the equipment but the runners and machine people bitch to management when I make enough noise to hear over their headphones. Annoying but there's 20 of them and only one of me.

Jimmy Marku

You're kidding? Fuck them and their stupid whirring, thumping cardio bullshitmachines. If there are proper platforms and bumper plates, and no rules about dropping weights then I'd slam those bars as hard as I could.

Dead Legend

Not da noise!!!!

Yeah I had to control some of my cleans when there were instructors in the classroom...they were complaining.

Fuck you!!

Peen

I was poking around and I noticed that the Inzer Groove Briefs and Power Pants are both pretty cheap. I am enjoying being a mild cheater and am thinking about getting one or the other. Does anybody have experience with them, or basic single ply briefs in general, that could comment? Would I be better off getting some knee wraps and playing with those?

rockrnger

Jimmy Marku wrote: »

You're kidding? Fuck them and their stupid wirring, thumping cardio bullshitmachines. If there are proper platforms and bumper plates, and no rules about dropping weights then I'd slam those bars as hard as I could.

I'm sure that it would be a rule as soon as they realize that all their money comes from people who come once a week to run and that I'm the only one who uses the platform.

Anyway, I can do most of what I want to do with my stuff at home it's just a matter of getting it in my head to do it.

SkankPlaya

I'm going to put my current numbers here, the when the thread is done I'll check them to see progress. I don't have any specific goals right now, otherwise I'd post those.

Squat: 235lbs. (x4)
DL: 275 (x3)
Press: 105 (x3)
Bench: 185 (x5)
Body weight: 155

Borommakot

I've noticed since I switched to a five day split where I squat and deadlift once a week, instead of two or three my lifts are consistently going up week to week. It really doesn't mean much since it's just for calf raises, but loading that bar up and seeing it bend over your shoulders is a pretty great feeling.

Hooray for heavy accessory lifts.

Dead Legend

rockrnger wrote: »

Jimmy Marku wrote: »

You're kidding? Fuck them and their stupid wirring, thumping cardio bullshitmachines. If there are proper platforms and bumper plates, and no rules about dropping weights then I'd slam those bars as hard as I could.

I'm sure that it would be a rule as soon as they realize that all their money comes from people who come once a week to run and that I'm the only one who uses the platform.

Anyway, I can do most of what I want to do with my stuff at home it's just a matter of getting it in my head to do it.

But I really don't understand if you have a platform why they would bitch.

And you know what makes loud annoying noises? Treadmills and TVs

Peen

Also the annoying people on the treadmills who are somehow able to carry on a normal phone conversation while they're walking.