Stupid Questions Thread

[DanCR]

Did you try cues to fix it like not shoving knees out so hard or keeping foot pressure more even? If you can squat toes forward you most certainly don’t lack the internal rotation required.

@AlanMackey, this is the answer. Yes I would bring your foot angle in, to more like 15-20 degrees, but, regardless of foot angle, if you absolutely refuse to let any part of the tripods of your feet come up, it would be very difficult (not impossible if you’re extremely flexible but very difficult) for your knees to bow out or cave in.

I will try this ("glueing" my soles to the floor) and report back. Thanks!

Even pressure would be ideal, but if you’re going to concentrate in one portion of the tripod to address this particular issue, I’d focus on keeping your big toes pressed down.

[AuthenticWacky]

Hi everyone, dumb question re: 12 week general strength template. I did W1D1 today and got no discernible velocity decay across my sets (using iOS app). In fact my fastest reps were in sets 4 and 5. I noticed a number of comments stating one should be hitting 20% loss intraset and 15% interset for optimal training effect. Should I be doing more sets until I hit this landmark or what? Im erring on the low side of the total reps so I don’t get crushed.

And I don’t think I’m sandbagging my e1RMs as the single @8 tracks with my numbers.

Hey man, small additional detail to add to what others have said.
Notice on the spreadsheet that it gives you +/- 2% on all the lifts. So you have the range to bump the load a bit if need be. I don't know if 2% will make or break that, just an observation

Yeah good point, I’ll finish the first few sessions and adjust up if I need to. I don’t mind slower progress if need be though. Trying to avoid injury is what led me to this program to begin with.

[AlanMackey]

Even pressure would be ideal, but if you’re going to concentrate in one portion of the tripod to address this particular issue, I’d focus on keeping your big toes pressed down.

I've tried this, but I ended up curling my toes and arching the whole feet. Even pressure sounds easier to do.

[AlanMackey]

So it seems the only cue my lower body needed was even pressure:

- Movement was waaaay smoother.

- Knees tracking over toes was automatically done with no attention needed.

- Hips felt... more solid.

So, from now on it will be:

- Do not bend. Instead, sink between your legs (works way better than "proud chest" for me).

- Even pressure on my feet.

[Hardartery]

- Do not bend. Instead, sink between your legs (works way better than "proud chest" for me).

Or, as Eddie Coan puts it, "Open up the taint".

[AlanMackey]

- Do not bend. Instead, sink between your legs (works way better than "proud chest" for me).

Or, as Eddie Coan puts it, "Open up the taint".

[DanCR]

So it seems the only cue my lower body needed was even pressure:

- Movement was waaaay smoother.

- Knees tracking over toes was automatically done with no attention needed.

- Hips felt... more solid.

So, from now on it will be:

- Do not bend. Instead, sink between your legs (works way better than "proud chest" for me).

- Even pressure on my feet.

Awesome, glad it worked.

Fuck “proud chest.” All that does is put the lower back into extension and keep one from locking down the abdominals.

[5hout]

Any thoughts on minimum heart rate/minimum strokes per minute for rowing to be effective in LISS/HIIT ranges (or have a good HR to activity article?) I've been steadily propping up then end of my rowing machine b/c it makes my legs sore, but the strokes per minute is like 45ish. It's a good warm up, sweat builder (barn is 40F right now), but if I want to get some cardio out of I'm wondering what spm/HR ranges to use as variation.

[alek]

Any thoughts on minimum heart rate/minimum strokes per minute for rowing to be effective in LISS/HIIT ranges (or have a good HR to activity article?) I've been steadily propping up then end of my rowing machine b/c it makes my legs sore, but the strokes per minute is like 45ish. It's a good warm up, sweat builder (barn is 40F right now), but if I want to get some cardio out of I'm wondering what spm/HR ranges to use as variation.

Damn. How long are you rowing at 45 spm? And what’s your avg 500m split look like?

[5hout]

Any thoughts on minimum heart rate/minimum strokes per minute for rowing to be effective in LISS/HIIT ranges (or have a good HR to activity article?) I've been steadily propping up then end of my rowing machine b/c it makes my legs sore, but the strokes per minute is like 45ish. It's a good warm up, sweat builder (barn is 40F right now), but if I want to get some cardio out of I'm wondering what spm/HR ranges to use as variation.

Damn. How long are you rowing at 45 spm? And what’s your avg 500m split look like?

5m blocks b/c apparently I'm a complete idiot. I failed to google anything except for right when I bought it in spring and guess I got some crap info or failed to process it. I thought I was sweating so much b/c I'm a fatass and so out of shape that "mild" workouts were making me blow hard (probably still true), but also b/c I'm doing the equivalent of nothing but sprints.

So what I'm going to do today is go for like 20-25 (which non-idiotic websites say is a good beginner 5k pace) and see how long I can go for. Good lord.

[alek]

Any thoughts on minimum heart rate/minimum strokes per minute for rowing to be effective in LISS/HIIT ranges (or have a good HR to activity article?) I've been steadily propping up then end of my rowing machine b/c it makes my legs sore, but the strokes per minute is like 45ish. It's a good warm up, sweat builder (barn is 40F right now), but if I want to get some cardio out of I'm wondering what spm/HR ranges to use as variation.

Damn. How long are you rowing at 45 spm? And what’s your avg 500m split look like?

5m blocks b/c apparently I'm a complete idiot. I failed to google anything except for right when I bought it in spring and guess I got some crap info or failed to process it. I thought I was sweating so much b/c I'm a fatass and so out of shape that "mild" workouts were making me blow hard (probably still true), but also b/c I'm doing the equivalent of nothing but sprints.

So what I'm going to do today is go for like 20-25 (which non-idiotic websites say is a good beginner 5k pace) and see how long I can go for. Good lord.

Damn again, I think 5 minutes at 45 spm is really intense.

I’m no expert, but I shoot for around 25-30 spm during “normal” rowing. When picking up the pace, I usually add only another 1 to 3 spm. I use 5 out of 10 on resistance. What do you use?

[5hout]

Any thoughts on minimum heart rate/minimum strokes per minute for rowing to be effective in LISS/HIIT ranges (or have a good HR to activity article?) I've been steadily propping up then end of my rowing machine b/c it makes my legs sore, but the strokes per minute is like 45ish. It's a good warm up, sweat builder (barn is 40F right now), but if I want to get some cardio out of I'm wondering what spm/HR ranges to use as variation.

Damn. How long are you rowing at 45 spm? And what’s your avg 500m split look like?

5m blocks b/c apparently I'm a complete idiot. I failed to google anything except for right when I bought it in spring and guess I got some crap info or failed to process it. I thought I was sweating so much b/c I'm a fatass and so out of shape that "mild" workouts were making me blow hard (probably still true), but also b/c I'm doing the equivalent of nothing but sprints.

So what I'm going to do today is go for like 20-25 (which non-idiotic websites say is a good beginner 5k pace) and see how long I can go for. Good lord.

Damn again, I think 5 minutes at 45 spm is really intense.

I’m no expert, but I shoot for around 25-30 spm during “normal” rowing. When picking up the pace, I usually add only another 1 to 3 spm. I use 5 out of 10 on resistance. What do you use?

It was very intense, but I thought that was just b/c I was out of shape.

Did a warm up, then 10m at 26 spm at 10/18 intensity (0 boards propping the end up). This actually feels like productive cardio that I can develop up to 20m at a reasonable intensity. What I was the equivalent of going to the track 2 times a week and running until I died. I'd recover pretty fast, b/c so out of shape and do the rest of my workout, but wasn't seeing any cardio progress day to day. Just completely idiotic.

Going to shoot for 15m at 25spm tomorrow. I don't know why I didn't reach out here or google again, but all well that ends wellish.

[alek]

Any thoughts on minimum heart rate/minimum strokes per minute for rowing to be effective in LISS/HIIT ranges (or have a good HR to activity article?) I've been steadily propping up then end of my rowing machine b/c it makes my legs sore, but the strokes per minute is like 45ish. It's a good warm up, sweat builder (barn is 40F right now), but if I want to get some cardio out of I'm wondering what spm/HR ranges to use as variation.

Damn. How long are you rowing at 45 spm? And what’s your avg 500m split look like?

5m blocks b/c apparently I'm a complete idiot. I failed to google anything except for right when I bought it in spring and guess I got some crap info or failed to process it. I thought I was sweating so much b/c I'm a fatass and so out of shape that "mild" workouts were making me blow hard (probably still true), but also b/c I'm doing the equivalent of nothing but sprints.

So what I'm going to do today is go for like 20-25 (which non-idiotic websites say is a good beginner 5k pace) and see how long I can go for. Good lord.

Damn again, I think 5 minutes at 45 spm is really intense.

I’m no expert, but I shoot for around 25-30 spm during “normal” rowing. When picking up the pace, I usually add only another 1 to 3 spm. I use 5 out of 10 on resistance. What do you use?

It was very intense, but I thought that was just b/c I was out of shape.

Did a warm up, then 10m at 26 spm at 10/18 intensity (0 boards propping the end up). This actually feels like productive cardio that I can develop up to 20m at a reasonable intensity. What I was the equivalent of going to the track 2 times a week and running until I died. I'd recover pretty fast, b/c so out of shape and do the rest of my workout, but wasn't seeing any cardio progress day to day. Just completely idiotic.

Going to shoot for 15m at 25spm tomorrow. I don't know why I didn't reach out here or google again, but all well that ends wellish.

We live and learn... hopefully.

[psmith]

Any thoughts on minimum heart rate/minimum strokes per minute for rowing to be effective in LISS/HIIT ranges (or have a good HR to activity article?) I've been steadily propping up then end of my rowing machine b/c it makes my legs sore, but the strokes per minute is like 45ish. It's a good warm up, sweat builder (barn is 40F right now), but if I want to get some cardio out of I'm wondering what spm/HR ranges to use as variation.

Mike Caviston's Wolverine Plan has pieces as low as 16spm, maybe as low as 14. Nobody really rates higher than mid-40s in 2k tests and (I've read) it's good practice to maintain force per stroke, so guys end up doing steady state work at quite low rates (and low drag factors.).

I'm not sure LISS in the "indefinitely sustainable" sense is possible on a rower without a good deal of practice--the spaz factor adds a lot of metabolic cost even at low wattages. But if you're only trying to do 30min 3x/week it probably doesn't matter much.

[5hout]

I'm not sure LISS in the "indefinitely sustainable" sense is possible on a rower without a good deal of practice--the spaz factor adds a lot of metabolic cost even at low wattages. But if you're only trying to do 30min 3x/week it probably doesn't matter much.

I think Medium Intensity would be a better description TBH. Something like a good hard push, not quite high nor "just out for a jog". I've noticed (magically, as it happens) that when I started going for sane spm my stroke length/form magically increased/got better. Strange that...

[EggMcMuffin]

What kind of rep scheme/periodization scheme would work well if you only deadlift once or twice a week and still want to make some progress? I basically ended my friendship with lifting and only really run now (bench pressing is not lifting either, if you don't train legs you ARE NOT lifting) but training lower body keeps injuries away and helps with uphills and leg stamina (I was never more glad that I've deadlifted close to 500 than when I ran a trail half marathon with 3500' of elevation gain), so I've hopped back on to doing some pulls. I still want to get to 405x1, it is my dream to be the little coke bottle glasses stick man I am and drop into some random gym, pull 405x5 and then just leave. It's a vanity project but it also keeps you feeling saucy and healthy, thusly

[quikky]

What kind of rep scheme/periodization scheme would work well if you only deadlift once or twice a week and still want to make some progress? I basically ended my friendship with lifting and only really run now (bench pressing is not lifting either, if you don't train legs you ARE NOT lifting) but training lower body keeps injuries away and helps with uphills and leg stamina (I was never more glad that I've deadlifted close to 500 than when I ran a trail half marathon with 3500' of elevation gain), so I've hopped back on to doing some pulls. I still want to get to 405x1, it is my dream to be the little coke bottle glasses stick man I am and drop into some random gym, pull 405x5 and then just leave. It's a vanity project but it also keeps you feeling saucy and healthy, thusly

You can do deadlifts on day 1, something like 3-4 sets of 3-4 reps. You can do sets across, @7ish, or do an @8ish top set, followed by backoffs. Then, a deadlift variant day 2, something like RDLs or SLDLs for 2-3 sets of 6-10 @8-9, this would work well for more of a hypertrophy phase, or more closely related deadlift variants like deficits, or paused (I'd drop reps to 4-6), for more peak or strength focused phases.

[augeleven]

Got a stupid question for you all:

I tried doing one of those descending pyramid metcon type things and found an interesting level of failure. I got so winded that I had to pause my music so I could fully concentrate on catching my breath.

The workout was supposed to be 6 burpees and 6 pull-ups, 5 burpees and pull-ups, 4 burpees etc.
They removed the oxygen from the gym after I did the 4s.

The questions: how would one pace this? Has anyone gone from being complete trash at a workout like to somewhat respectable? What would be a reasonable time window to go from failing 6 down to finishing 10 down?
My default move would be to try each round on the minute, but I assume that negates the continuous work nature of the workout and I wouldn’t get the adaptations I’m looking for. I went in to the workout thinking that I would stop when I needed to, no big deal. But when I did stop my heart rate continued to increase to the point where I had to shut it down. The greyskull guy says to start at 13…

[Hardartery]

Got a stupid question for you all:

I tried doing one of those descending pyramid metcon type things and found an interesting level of failure. I got so winded that I had to pause my music so I could fully concentrate on catching my breath.

The workout was supposed to be 6 burpees and 6 pull-ups, 5 burpees and pull-ups, 4 burpees etc.
They removed the oxygen from the gym after I did the 4s.

The questions: how would one pace this? Has anyone gone from being complete trash at a workout like to somewhat respectable? What would be a reasonable time window to go from failing 6 down to finishing 10 down?
My default move would be to try each round on the minute, but I assume that negates the continuous work nature of the workout and I wouldn’t get the adaptations I’m looking for. I went in to the workout thinking that I would stop when I needed to, no big deal. But when I did stop my heart rate continued to increase to the point where I had to shut it down. The greyskull guy says to start at 13…

Two weeks, usually, unless you are somehow understating how rough it was. At that point you will probably be adding something to progress, which will also suck at first but less than what you just did.

[asdf]

@augeleven You just need to go slower. That could mean taking a breath or two after each burpee, or resting 15 seconds between your burpees and pull-ups, or breaking up each round of pull-ups into sets of 2s and 3s, or all of that combined -- whatever you need to do to not blow up and fall into a deep anaerobic hole. No different than trying to do 100 burpees straight or running your fastest mile. If you start out too fast, you'll hit a wall well short of your goal and will then waste a lot of time sucking wind trying to recover.

As far as how long it will take you to go from failing 6-down to completing 10-down, maybe no time at all. If the volume isn't too much (55 reps of each, total), then you could probably do 10-down the next time you try it. If you go slow enough. Once you can do whatever it is that you want to do volume-wise, then work on speeding things up.

I wouldn't approach this particular workout as an EMOM. If you're moving at a consistent, sustainable pace, each round takes less and less time.

I often do a similar workout: 100 burpee pull-ups. I generally do that as an EMOM. 5 reps in 30 seconds and then rest 30 seconds. Wife and I alternate on a single pull-ups bar, actually. 20 rounds and we're done. If I'm tired or sore or just feeling old and sorry for myself, then I'll just do 4 per round and go for 25 minutes.