How'd your training go?

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DCR
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Re: How'd your training go?

#801

Post by DCR » Sun Nov 13, 2022 12:38 pm

There definitely was a thread in Off Topic re: commercial gym experiences, where this may have fit better, but I can’t locate it.

Anyway, I had set as a goal a 300 lb. paused squat, no belt/wraps per my usual. Today was the day after a few weeks of peaking it up, but instead of my usual spot, today I had to lift at an Esporta (formerly LA Fitness). As expected, it was impossible to find a sentient being to call the pause and ascent (to keep me from cheating it).

There was a young woman squatting next to me who was strong and clearly knew what she was doing, but spent her entire session on the phone, on her ear buds, as in having a full on conversation with someone about last night’s activities, for everyone to hear. Two racks down was a guy squatting with his back to the mirror like a REAL POWERLIFTER, except he was doing quarter squats. So I settled for a random kid who seemed built enough but needed to be given the instructions three times and still fucked it up. Instead of just saying “up” like I told him to do, he waved his hand at me. Per my explicit instructions, I had not been looking for a physical gesture, but rather a goddamn verbal command.

Despite that nonsense, I hit the rep. Buuuuut afterward I happened to notice that instead of a 45 lb. bar, it was the one 20 kg bar in the whole place. I logged it as 300, but I know it really was 299.1, and that shit is really aggravating me.

Fuck you, LA Fitness Esporta.

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Re: How'd your training go?

#802

Post by Hardartery » Sun Nov 13, 2022 1:02 pm

DCR wrote: Sun Nov 13, 2022 12:38 pm There definitely was a thread in Off Topic re: commercial gym experiences, where this may have fit better, but I can’t locate it.

Anyway, I had set as a goal a 300 lb. paused squat, no belt/wraps per my usual. Today was the day after a few weeks of peaking it up, but instead of my usual spot, today I had to lift at an Esporta (formerly LA Fitness). As expected, it was impossible to find a sentient being to call the pause and ascent (to keep me from cheating it).

There was a young woman squatting next to me who was strong and clearly knew what she was doing, but spent her entire session on the phone, on her ear buds, as in having a full on conversation with someone about last night’s activities, for everyone to hear. Two racks down was a guy squatting with his back to the mirror like a REAL POWERLIFTER, except he was doing quarter squats. So I settled for a random kid who seemed built enough but needed to be given the instructions three times and still fucked it up. Instead of just saying “up” like I told him to do, he waved his hand at me. Per my explicit instructions, I had not been looking for a physical gesture, but rather a goddamn verbal command.

Despite that nonsense, I hit the rep. Buuuuut afterward I happened to notice that instead of a 45 lb. bar, it was the one 20 kg bar in the whole place. I logged it as 300, but I know it really was 299.1, and that shit is really aggravating me.

Fuck you, LA Fitness Esporta.
You didn't weigh the plates or the bar, so you don't actually know that specifically what you lifted unless you were somehow using calibrated stuff in an "Esporta". Plus, I have no idea what collars may have been in play... I can continue if you need more rationalization.

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Re: How'd your training go?

#803

Post by DCR » Sun Nov 13, 2022 1:47 pm

Hardartery wrote: Sun Nov 13, 2022 1:02 pm
DCR wrote: Sun Nov 13, 2022 12:38 pm There definitely was a thread in Off Topic re: commercial gym experiences, where this may have fit better, but I can’t locate it.

Anyway, I had set as a goal a 300 lb. paused squat, no belt/wraps per my usual. Today was the day after a few weeks of peaking it up, but instead of my usual spot, today I had to lift at an Esporta (formerly LA Fitness). As expected, it was impossible to find a sentient being to call the pause and ascent (to keep me from cheating it).

There was a young woman squatting next to me who was strong and clearly knew what she was doing, but spent her entire session on the phone, on her ear buds, as in having a full on conversation with someone about last night’s activities, for everyone to hear. Two racks down was a guy squatting with his back to the mirror like a REAL POWERLIFTER, except he was doing quarter squats. So I settled for a random kid who seemed built enough but needed to be given the instructions three times and still fucked it up. Instead of just saying “up” like I told him to do, he waved his hand at me. Per my explicit instructions, I had not been looking for a physical gesture, but rather a goddamn verbal command.

Despite that nonsense, I hit the rep. Buuuuut afterward I happened to notice that instead of a 45 lb. bar, it was the one 20 kg bar in the whole place. I logged it as 300, but I know it really was 299.1, and that shit is really aggravating me.

Fuck you, LA Fitness Esporta.
You didn't weigh the plates or the bar, so you don't actually know that specifically what you lifted unless you were somehow using calibrated stuff in an "Esporta". Plus, I have no idea what collars may have been in play... I can continue if you need more rationalization.
LOL at the idea of calibrated anything at that place. And I did use collars! Thanks, appreciate it :lol:

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Re: How'd your training go?

#804

Post by Allentown » Mon Nov 14, 2022 5:46 am

Squats felt really good today- target was a single w/315 then adjust the volume reps based on how difficult it felt. Did a triple instead, because it felt so good. Then, with the intent of adding 5lbs from last session to the volume, I misread the weights from last session and added 12lbs. Got it done, probably a little harder than planned but not by much.

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Re: How'd your training go?

#805

Post by DCR » Sun Nov 20, 2022 12:43 pm

I turned 44 today and wanted to hit a paused, three plate squat because. Looked ugly and I for sure jumped the dude’s command, but I’ll take it.



I’ve been feeling really good since I began squatting and benching exclusively with pauses, and using rest pause sets for nearly everything else after snaking the idea from @quikky. Optimistic about where I’ll be by 45.

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Re: How'd your training go?

#806

Post by quikky » Mon Nov 21, 2022 7:53 am

DCR wrote: Sun Nov 20, 2022 12:43 pm ...using rest pause sets for nearly everything else after snaking the idea from @quikky.
Image

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Re: How'd your training go?

#807

Post by EggMcMuffin » Mon Nov 21, 2022 2:09 pm

Am I the only one who is constantly breathing heavily? Like I'll notice it when it's quiet and I can pretty much always hear myself huffing and puffing like if I were obese lol. I noticed it when recording drum clips on my phone. Wtf

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Re: How'd your training go?

#808

Post by augeleven » Mon Nov 21, 2022 5:50 pm

That’s a thing. There’s a YouTube doc on foley sound artists and they are talking about how hard it is to record fast walking and running while holding their breath.
Crazy


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Re: How'd your training go?

#809

Post by FredM » Tue Nov 22, 2022 6:36 am

I think I'm officially team High Bar.

I tried low bar again and changed grips, kept it wide, and still ended up with discomfort the next day. Although I love my SSB I feel like it's limiting my low back strength (too upright) and I also noticed when I go really deep in the bottom 2 inches I slide forward, which is probably why it beats up my right knee more than I'd like. Also with low bar, my mechanics at the bottom break down in the other direction.

Enter high bar (without squat shoes). I'm ATG with completely fluid form (no weirdness at the bottom) and there's no shoulder or other discomfort the next day. Pretty excited to work up to some heavy stuff and get some free PRs (my high bar PR is probably 285 beltless from the 6 week period I did an Oly program, and my current SSB is 295@8).

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Re: How'd your training go?

#810

Post by janoycresva » Thu Nov 24, 2022 1:46 pm

FredM wrote: Tue Nov 22, 2022 6:36 am I think I'm officially team High Bar.

I tried low bar again and changed grips, kept it wide, and still ended up with discomfort the next day. Although I love my SSB I feel like it's limiting my low back strength (too upright) and I also noticed when I go really deep in the bottom 2 inches I slide forward, which is probably why it beats up my right knee more than I'd like. Also with low bar, my mechanics at the bottom break down in the other direction.

Enter high bar (without squat shoes). I'm ATG with completely fluid form (no weirdness at the bottom) and there's no shoulder or other discomfort the next day. Pretty excited to work up to some heavy stuff and get some free PRs (my high bar PR is probably 285 beltless from the 6 week period I did an Oly program, and my current SSB is 295@8).
I don’t understand how someone can possibly do lowbar, it feels absolutely fucked. I’ve tried to switch to lowbar like 3 times (highbar irritates my knees fairly often) and it’s always an adventure in forearm tendonitis and failure.

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Re: How'd your training go?

#811

Post by Hardartery » Thu Nov 24, 2022 2:05 pm

janoycresva wrote: Thu Nov 24, 2022 1:46 pm
FredM wrote: Tue Nov 22, 2022 6:36 am I think I'm officially team High Bar.

I tried low bar again and changed grips, kept it wide, and still ended up with discomfort the next day. Although I love my SSB I feel like it's limiting my low back strength (too upright) and I also noticed when I go really deep in the bottom 2 inches I slide forward, which is probably why it beats up my right knee more than I'd like. Also with low bar, my mechanics at the bottom break down in the other direction.

Enter high bar (without squat shoes). I'm ATG with completely fluid form (no weirdness at the bottom) and there's no shoulder or other discomfort the next day. Pretty excited to work up to some heavy stuff and get some free PRs (my high bar PR is probably 285 beltless from the 6 week period I did an Oly program, and my current SSB is 295@8).
I don’t understand how someone can possibly do lowbar, it feels absolutely fucked. I’ve tried to switch to lowbar like 3 times (highbar irritates my knees fairly often) and it’s always an adventure in forearm tendonitis and failure.
First, use a stiffer bar (I know, that's what she said). The elbow flare-ups come from bar flex more than anything. Use wider hand spacing, I literally grab the collars sometimes and have on occasion grabbed the plates when working up to work sets. Use a slower descent, the biggest bounce tends to be at the bottom after your body stops moving for most people which torques the elbows quite badly. Or, just switch to a SSB for non-comp lifting. Low bar is way more comfortable in general and I can certainly squat a lot more that way, and I get elbow bitching sometimes too if I take a narrow grip on the bar. Of course these days it takes me a lot of warmup to get to low bar position, the left shoulder is cranky with the two bone spurs still.

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Re: How'd your training go?

#812

Post by augeleven » Sun Nov 27, 2022 3:26 pm

My training? A bit like this-


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Re: How'd your training go?

#813

Post by EggMcMuffin » Sun Nov 27, 2022 4:41 pm

janoycresva wrote: Thu Nov 24, 2022 1:46 pm I don’t understand how someone can possibly do lowbar, it feels absolutely fucked. I’ve tried to switch to lowbar like 3 times (highbar irritates my knees fairly often) and it’s always an adventure in forearm tendonitis and failure.
That's part of the fun.

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Re: How'd your training go?

#814

Post by janoycresva » Mon Nov 28, 2022 12:01 am

EggMcMuffin wrote: Sun Nov 27, 2022 4:41 pm
janoycresva wrote: Thu Nov 24, 2022 1:46 pm I don’t understand how someone can possibly do lowbar, it feels absolutely fucked. I’ve tried to switch to lowbar like 3 times (highbar irritates my knees fairly often) and it’s always an adventure in forearm tendonitis and failure.
That's part of the fun.
man, I don't know about that, I think exercises that just feel like shit/awkward/painful are probably inferior to similar ones that don't feel like shit/awkward/painful in almost all circumstances

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Re: How'd your training go?

#815

Post by James » Mon Nov 28, 2022 6:12 am

A pretty big question in comfort is how low is your low bar?

Personally I don't see how some smaller powerlifters squat with the bar so low its touching their triceps.

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Re: How'd your training go?

#816

Post by Hardartery » Mon Nov 28, 2022 8:32 am

janoycresva wrote: Mon Nov 28, 2022 12:01 am
EggMcMuffin wrote: Sun Nov 27, 2022 4:41 pm
janoycresva wrote: Thu Nov 24, 2022 1:46 pm I don’t understand how someone can possibly do lowbar, it feels absolutely fucked. I’ve tried to switch to lowbar like 3 times (highbar irritates my knees fairly often) and it’s always an adventure in forearm tendonitis and failure.
That's part of the fun.
man, I don't know about that, I think exercises that just feel like shit/awkward/painful are probably inferior to similar ones that don't feel like shit/awkward/painful in almost all circumstances
I agree, if you are lifting for fitness or fun. Really low bar squats are not about either one of those and are probably a terrible idea for the average lifter who will never compete. They are unnecessary and detrimental in ways that have no upside if you are not competing. They are 100% about changing leverages and limiting ROM to maximize 1RM. It also depends on what someone means when they say "Low bar". I like the bar on top of the rear delts, it's a natural shelf and it's a stable comfortab;e lift for me. That's not low bar to some people. I dislike the bar being up on the traps, the more conventional high bar location, because it beats up my traps and pisses off the vertebrae there. I'm not training to lift in the Olympics so that's an unnecessary pain for me that frankly isn't worth doing. If wherever you put the bar for low bar causes pain that outweighs the upsides (Which may be no up side) then that's a stupid lift to use for you. Period. For me, on the rear delts is comfortable, stable, and pisses off the least number of things so that's what I do. The higher the bar, the greater the knee tendonitis for me, and that goes double for high volume on Squats. Knee sleeves help, but they don't relieve it 100%.

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Re: How'd your training go?

#817

Post by janoycresva » Mon Nov 28, 2022 8:57 am

James wrote: Mon Nov 28, 2022 6:12 am A pretty big question in comfort is how low is your low bar?

Personally I don't see how some smaller powerlifters squat with the bar so low its touching their triceps.
Probably by virtue of being smaller powerlifters. I'm just not gonna fit all 80 inches of my arms behind the bar in a lowbar position without serious discomfort, I'm not a contortionist. I'd also like to think (or delude myself, at least) that my arms and shoulders being pretty jacked is also making it more difficult.

This French lifter has it halfway down his humerus, it's unbelievable:
Hardartery wrote: Mon Nov 28, 2022 8:32 am The higher the bar, the greater the knee tendonitis for me, and that goes double for high volume on Squats. Knee sleeves help, but they don't relieve it 100%.
Same. Highbar = patellar tendonitis eventually, SSB = patellar tendonitis but faster.

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Re: How'd your training go?

#818

Post by Hardartery » Mon Nov 28, 2022 9:51 am

janoycresva wrote: Mon Nov 28, 2022 8:57 am
James wrote: Mon Nov 28, 2022 6:12 am A pretty big question in comfort is how low is your low bar?

Personally I don't see how some smaller powerlifters squat with the bar so low its touching their triceps.
Probably by virtue of being smaller powerlifters. I'm just not gonna fit all 80 inches of my arms behind the bar in a lowbar position without serious discomfort, I'm not a contortionist. I'd also like to think (or delude myself, at least) that my arms and shoulders being pretty jacked is also making it more difficult.

This French lifter has it halfway down his humerus, it's unbelievable:
Hardartery wrote: Mon Nov 28, 2022 8:32 am The higher the bar, the greater the knee tendonitis for me, and that goes double for high volume on Squats. Knee sleeves help, but they don't relieve it 100%.
Same. Highbar = patellar tendonitis eventually, SSB = patellar tendonitis but faster.
Do the PL feds not have a max allowable distance below the anterior delt anymore? I haven't paid much attention to rules changes over the years, but they used to limit how low the lifters could go.

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Re: How'd your training go?

#819

Post by cgeorg » Mon Nov 28, 2022 10:27 am

Real ones just do behind-the-back zerchers

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Re: How'd your training go?

#820

Post by SnakePlissken » Mon Nov 28, 2022 10:36 am

Hardartery wrote: Mon Nov 28, 2022 9:51 am
janoycresva wrote: Mon Nov 28, 2022 8:57 am
James wrote: Mon Nov 28, 2022 6:12 am A pretty big question in comfort is how low is your low bar?

Personally I don't see how some smaller powerlifters squat with the bar so low its touching their triceps.
Probably by virtue of being smaller powerlifters. I'm just not gonna fit all 80 inches of my arms behind the bar in a lowbar position without serious discomfort, I'm not a contortionist. I'd also like to think (or delude myself, at least) that my arms and shoulders being pretty jacked is also making it more difficult.

This French lifter has it halfway down his humerus, it's unbelievable:
Hardartery wrote: Mon Nov 28, 2022 8:32 am The higher the bar, the greater the knee tendonitis for me, and that goes double for high volume on Squats. Knee sleeves help, but they don't relieve it 100%.
Same. Highbar = patellar tendonitis eventually, SSB = patellar tendonitis but faster.
Do the PL feds not have a max allowable distance below the anterior delt anymore? I haven't paid much attention to rules changes over the years, but they used to limit how low the lifters could go.
A few years ago I wanted to do a PL meet and signed up for one; it got cancelled anyway because of Covid, but the weeks leading up I realized that I didn't care about it because of all the nuanced rules made the whole thing feel silly. I don't even remember the name of the fed, but you had to strip down to underwear to show them you were going to wear legless briefs during weigh ins (and had to wear them meet day of you would be DQ'd) and they had a whole litany of approved and non-approved gear. I wouldn't be shocked in the slightest if there was a rule of how low the bar can be because Booger McGee back in 1976 put the bar on his hip one time and broke a Fed's record. PLing rules are almost as complicated as US Tax and Gun Laws it feels.

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