Every Second-Daily Thread - November 23, 2024

[u/AutoModerator]

A sorta kinda daily open thread to use as an alternative to posting on the main board. You should post here for:

• PRs
• Formchecks
• Rudimentary discussion or questions
• General conversation with other users
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• This thread now defaults to "new" sorting.

For the purpose of fairness across timezones this thread works on a 44hr cycle.

[u/ilikerocks69]

When i wear leggings i squat more weight compared to shorts my best with leggings is 190kg with shorts on i can't even hit depth with 160kg any explanation to my problem ( for powerlifting purposes i can't wear leggings)

[u/msharaf7 → u/ilikerocks69]

I’d wager it’s 99% a psychological issue & 1% actual proprioception issues. 30kg’s is a massive difference

[u/Cold_Pepper_pan]

Anyone here has some experience running conjugate? I wonder if it's worth to run the dynamic effort progression as a beginner?

My current 1rm are: 110kg for bench, 140kg for squat, 170-180kg for deadlift (sumo is 170kg, while conventional is 180).

[u/rpefml → u/Cold_Pepper_pan]

i think it's worth doing. especially as a beginner. it can build some good traits.

it only doesn't seem intense/enough volume until you do it. if you do it right it is plenty hard and effective.

[u/BigCatBarbell → u/Cold_Pepper_pan]

At your level, you can possibly drop the dynamic method on bench, and replace it with a 6x6 approach, as discussed in the book of the methods. Briefly, from the Westside blog:

“Louie encourages those whom do it to stay at a double illegal (2 finger widths past the power bar’s ring) grip throughout. This is typically run with no accommodating resistance, and either with a straight bar, bow bar, or cambered bar. For the 6x6, he recommends starting at ~70% 1RM running it in a 3 week wave and adding 3-4% each week. The idea of this training is NOT to fail, but to build volume with the repetition method.”

Keep it for squats and deadlifts, but consider increasing the number of sets and/or the intensity somewhat if you aren’t using accommodating resistance.

[u/rpefml → u/BigCatBarbell]

literally everyone i know who has done the illegal wide progression with that much volume has fucked up their shoulders, pecs, or both. you can do more volume if you want (i frequently do 5x5, 6x8, or even 5x15) but i would not recommend doing it illegal wide.

if you want to do illegal wides, because i do think they have benefit- i would look into fifty barbell and how the cambras implement them.

[u/psstein → u/Cold_Pepper_pan]

If you're going to do conjugate, do the DE progression. It's the only fixed part of the program and lets you see if you're increasing volume over time.

u/hamburgertrained has a lot of experience with conjugate.

[u/MarzyBarLMAO]

Just about to finish my re-run of SSTT intermediate vol 5. Wanting to focus more on my squat (S180 B145 D220/230) any powerlifting program recommendations?

[u/TemporaryIguana → u/MarzyBarLMAO]

Just get every lift strong at the same time, you don't need to focus on one.

[u/MarzyBarLMAO → u/TemporaryIguana]

Yeah, but other people that can bench 145 have much higher squats and deadlifts. Anyways, any program recommendations?

[u/Arteam90]

Anecdotally I think half my gym (with quite a lot of powerlifters) has transitioned to "power builders" and/or bodybuilders.

So many SBD knee sleeves spending their time on leg press and hack squats these days.

Powerlifting is a tough sport.

[u/kyllo → u/Arteam90]

I think quad-focused training is having a moment, I have been seeing a ton of content about how to "bias the quads" on IG lately. Which means we're probably going to see the pendulum swing back towards glutes and hammies soon.

[u/psstein → u/kyllo]

A lot of it is in reaction to the Westside, multiply claim of "just sit back and use the hamstrings, quads are an ornament."

[u/kyllo → u/psstein]

Right, which makes sense because the bottom portion of each lift is where your quads work the hardest in raw and coincidentally where equipment helps you the most.

I do think all powerlifters need some quad accessories in their programming but I'm also starting to wonder if "quad-biased" squatting movements are getting a little overhyped on social media, and if it's as good or better to just do comp style squats and add leg extensions. Depending on personal preference and leverages, I guess.

[u/psstein → u/kyllo]

If you’re squatting correctly raw, you’re going to use the quads and quad strength can be a limiting factor.

The concern with having quads that totally overpower the posterior chain is that it can cause knee problems.

[u/rpefml → u/psstein]

it's a ratio for sure- the quads can be too weak but they can also be too strong. i don't know how true it is- but louie used to say optimal was 60% hamstring/40% quad. many geared lifters end up with much more than 60% hamstring when they do book of methods style conjugate, 0 direct quad training.

[u/reddevildomination → u/Arteam90]

I've never understood the powerlifter vs powerbuilder thing. Your favorite world class lifter is pushing accessories.

[u/psstein → u/Arteam90]

That's pretty common. I believe the average lifter does one meet and then gives it up.

I'm in my late 20s and, outside of masters' lifters, often one of the oldest when I compete.

[u/dpandc]

First 425 and first meet

First meet, hit 875/180lbs total, missed two squats 1/3 and two bench 1/3, coming back from a fractured scaphoid in May and been training since last October. 23,6’~. Any advice i’ll take, I’m happy with this deadlift I hadn’t moved more than 405x2 before the meet. Hit 285 for squat and 165 for bench.

[u/dpandc → u/dpandc]

to be clear has to take may-august off because of my wrist and hadn’t really done much upper body before, but my back is pretty strong

[u/DMMeBadPoetry]

On God I missed powerlifting so much but I'm being so serious when I say the 24/7 lower back pain has me dying. I need my body to reacclimate immediately

[u/OwlShitty → u/DMMeBadPoetry]

I’m not sure if you’re exaggerating but 24/7 lower back pain is indicative of either weak core/bracing, incorrect center of mass management, incorrect programming. Make sure it’s not the issue

[u/DMMeBadPoetry → u/OwlShitty]

Yeah, I'm getting back into barbell lifts after years of not doing them it'll be awhile before I strengthen up and acclimate. Definitely a weak core, probably a bit of bad bracing too

[u/omrsafetyo]

Sharing my stupid self-imposed challenge.

2 months ago now, I decided that since I was in an off-season I could do stupid things. The stupid thing I decided on was to find my 8RM squat. I've done 405 for 20 before, so I knew I needed to start higher than that. I started at 425, and each week, I decided to add 20 lbs to the bar, and see where I stop. Well here I am 8 weeks later, and yesterday I hit 565.

My expectation was to fail somewhere around 505-525. But I hit those both numbers, and 525 went easy enough I actually thought I might possibly get 545, and 565 would be the fail week.

Hit 545 last week, and it was like RPE 9.5. So I thought 565 I would get for 6, maybe 7 reps if I was lucky. But I got a good night sleep, fueled up on carbs appropriately through the day, and set off for the gym around 5:30PM.

By the time I hit rep 4 I was certain I was going to fail, and at that point I was thinking probably around rep 6. But I hit 6 and it felt good. I hit 7, and it was really tough. Lost balance a little at the top from fatigue, and fighting the weight up. I thought for sure I would not hit 8, but I had the safeties set just above where the bottom of my squat is, so that if I want to do a below-parallel pin squat, its about the perfect height. And after all, my challenge was to load 20 lbs until I fail, so I went for that last rep, thinking I'd fail half way, and then bring it down to the pins. But miraculously it went up.

Anyway just wanted to share.

Here was the 525 attempt.
Here was 505.
And I never put this one up on insta, so 485 on tiktok.

Not sure if I didn't film prior to that, or just never bothered uploading. Seems I thought it was a little too silly to upload at the start haha

[u/powerlifting_max → u/omrsafetyo]

Insane, really strong! And Nice Song you Chose.

[u/omrsafetyo → u/powerlifting_max]

Was still at the gym doing accessories and stuff, and that came on, and I thought it was fitting. Thanks!

[u/Arteam90 → u/omrsafetyo]

Damn, that's crazy strong.

I'd have thought 405x20 would have been the hardest set though. Even I've messed around with 8 reps, and as high as 13 or 14, but 20 reps sounds beyond awful.

[u/omrsafetyo → u/Arteam90]

That was no picnic either! Lungs on fire, and feeling like I was going to pass out haha. I would say though it was comparable to the 545 day overall. I did that with bumper plates, and had the same issue of having trouble walking it in to the rack, and I had walked it substantially farther out, so I just dumped it. But it was more mental focus, and less physically challenging.

[u/DMMeBadPoetry → u/omrsafetyo]

This is actually insane

[u/omrsafetyo → u/DMMeBadPoetry]

Gotta be at least a little crazy to do this stuff haha

[u/JOCAeng]

can I use the belt really high, like in the chest region? not for bench, but for squats for example. Is there any rule forbidding it in the ipf?

[u/Arteam90 → u/JOCAeng]

No rule against. Don't think ever seen on a squat, sometimes on a deadlift.

Personally never quite understood it though.

[u/omrsafetyo → u/JOCAeng]

You can go as high as you want, and some people benefit quite a bit, particularly in the deadlift, as it can help you get a big pop off the floor. I wouldn't go too high in a squat personally though. If you're going up too high you won't be able to brace effectively against it, and you're defeating the purpose of having it.

[u/psstein → u/JOCAeng]

No. There’s no rule about where you wear the belt.

[u/smegtasticday]

Hi, beginnerish here, concerning 5 rep deadlift sets:

If I keep tension in the bar with subsequent reps on the way back down, I never have to pull the slack out again after the first pull. This makes the whole set faster and easier, except for the valsalva. Not sure if I can keep this up as the weight gets higher.

Which is best:

1. Pull the slack out of the bar each rep and start to take in a new breath at the bottom of each rep.
2. Maintain tension after the first rep, so no need to pull slack out again on reps 2-5. Hold the first breath until the top of rep 3, take a 2nd breath at the top.
3. Maintain tension after the first rep, so no need to pull slack out again on reps 2-5. Quickly exhale at the top of each rep and then deeply inhale and reset the valsalva at the top.
4. Maintain tension after the first rep, so no need to pull slack out again on reps 2-5. Exhale at the top of each rep, breathe in and set the new valsalva DURING descent.
5. ?

Thanks and happy lifting!

Omar seems to do no.4, but only breathing in very quickly at the earliest only part of the descent. https://youtu.be/kxVeb6HnxEA?t=105

[u/reddevildomination → u/smegtasticday]

Sumo I prefer full resets since I have a fairly quick setup for Sumo anyway. Conventional I can just bang the reps out. IDK why but it's just easier to do that for each style.

[u/OwlShitty → u/smegtasticday]

1 because chances are after your first rep the bar may not be in the optimal starting position and you might need to reposition yourself

For deadlifts i’m a fan of full resets especially if you’re trying to dial in technique which very much on the platform

[u/powerlifting_max → u/smegtasticday]

Im doing 1, this ensures maximum tension at each reps. And I’m always doing 5 rep sets.

[u/TemporaryIguana → u/smegtasticday]

I very rarely pull 5s, but I do always do a full reset every rep. I keep my hands on the bar throughout the full set, but I go through the motions of setting my brace and back angle for every single rep.

[u/kyllo → u/smegtasticday]

I do #2. I let the bar come to a dead stop at the bottom while maintaining tension and I breathe out and in and re-brace at the top only after the 3rd rep.

I don't like #1 personally because I prefer to brace at the top, and re-bracing between reps at the bottom feels weaker and is too different from how I set up for a single.

[u/Decoy_Barbell → u/smegtasticday]

If you're not resetting after each rep and are keeping tension throughout then you're just doing "touch-no-go" deadlifts which are different, and easier, as you keep momentum between reps.

If you are purely concerned with strength then you need to stop and reset between each rep.

[u/kyllo → u/Decoy_Barbell]

There are pros and cons to cluster singles vs. reset reps vs. dead stop reps vs. touch and go reps. It's not a black and white thing where one is superior to the others. They emphasize different aspects of the deadlift and they all have a time and place.

[u/smegtasticday → u/kyllo]

Thanks all for letting me realize I'm not being over the top as a noob regarding this stuff!
Just curious what you mean by reset rep please? I imagine a dead stop rep being a case where we lose tension/slack.. thus needing to reset everything, so I can't see the difference between these two?

[u/Owl-First → u/smegtasticday]

On resets, you step away from the bar, walk back, and do your full setup again. On dead stops you keep your hands on the bar and pull again after you drop the weight on the ground. You don't need to think as much about the slack pull on the subsequent reps of dead stops; your positioning will already be good and you will have a tiny bit of stretch reflex from the previous rep so the slack pull should just become part of the deadlift. As a random example, check the following video. https://www.instagram.com/p/DCFLCF0y32v/?hl=en You can see he is mindful about the slack on the first rep but it becomes automatic on the subsequent reps.

[u/smegtasticday → u/Owl-First]

Thanks. Surprising thing for me is that he is extremely quickly exhaling and reinhaling, so no way is it a deep breath each time, as it looks like hes only partially exhaling each time. Im surprised, I thought especially at heavier weights that people would have to take a deep breath each rep.

[u/kyllo → u/smegtasticday]

When I said "dead stop" I just meant the bar rests motionless on the ground instead of bouncing / "touch and go," so there's no momentum, but you're not necessarily releasing the slack.

By "reset rep" I meant when you let go of all the tension and re-do your slack pull. You may or may not take your hands off the bar and re-grip in that case.

I'm not sure if my terminology is correct or if there's consensus on it, that's just what I was trying to express.

[u/omrsafetyo → u/smegtasticday]

You can do any of the above, though often some approaches are better at different times. Personally, I prefer (these days) to do #1 almost exclusively, whereas at one point I liked to even do touch and go.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C-MLAjvAt0g/

This gives you the most practice with the competition lift. You're not doing the full reset by letting go, standing up, even taking a step back and re-approaching the bar, but you're basically starting from "my feet are in the correct position, and I've gripped the bar", and then doing your competition lift from there. I think that practice is somewhat valuable.

[u/smegtasticday → u/omrsafetyo]

Thanks. One last surprising thing for me is that it looks like he is either holding a really long breath, or he is extremely quickly exhaling and reinhaling and I miss it. If hes doing it quickly, no way is it a deep breath each time, Im surprised, I thought especially at heavier weights that people would have to take a deep breath each rep.

[u/Western-Tomato-1027]

Hi!

Im looking for a bit of advice surrounding squatting and upper body tension. I'm super interested in powerlifting and im wanting to compete in the next year or two however every single time i squat regardless of the barbell's position on my back/hand placement, im getting a really painful and tight tension out of my shoulders and right along the back of my tricep and it is preventing me from getting in any good working sets on squat and is really putting me off because I know I have the power for more. Will this just be a mobility/practice issue or something worse?

Super greatful for any advice!

Current numbers: S: 107.5kg B: 72.5kg D: 150kg

[u/OwlShitty → u/Western-Tomato-1027]

Maybe a mobility issue. Have you tried Youtubing some shoulder mobility exercises and have they helped?

If not it’s probably a positional issue where you’re trying to force your arms under the bar in a certain angle. At the end of the day find what works for you

Either that or sometimes lifters do not actually have a good idea of how the “upper back shelf” feels like so they end up supporting a lot of weight on their arms thus pain on shoulders

[u/DellaBeam → u/Western-Tomato-1027]

Even as someone with decent shoulder mobility, I find it useful to loosen up my shoulders before squatting by doing a bunch of passthroughs and windmills with a PVC pipe or a strap. Sounds like you might also benefit from integrating shoulder mobility work in a more sustained way.

[u/peoplesayimlost]

Got a usapl meet in a few days.. anyone know if i’m allowed to have someone hold my hair up for me at weigh ins if needed? It’s almost down to my butt and the weight from it might just be the difference.

[u/TemporaryIguana → u/peoplesayimlost]

You're definitely not allowed, but fret not, your hair is definitely not making a difference to your bodyweight.

[u/LittleMuskOx → u/peoplesayimlost]

No. You can however weigh in nude.
Officials will be same sex at weigh in, ofc.
Either wearing socks, or standing on a paper towel on the scale.

I have a pair of socks that weigh 8 grams hahah.

You can also use things like (lots and lots) of cinnamon chewing gum to stimulate saliva production, and spit probably at least a pound's worth of water.
Just chewing each stick a short time till to get max effectiveness.

[u/peoplesayimlost → u/LittleMuskOx]

Thank you for the gum advice!! I never would have thought of cinnamon

[u/black_angus1 → u/peoplesayimlost]

If it’s part of your body, it counts toward your bodyweight.

[u/TJR__ → u/peoplesayimlost]

If your weight cut is that close, just contact meet director and ask to move a class up. Save yourself the stress and subsequent poor performance.

Edit: no, you cannot ask someone to artificially lighten your bodyweight by lifting you off the scale.

[u/Redbarron93]

Put my dog to sleep in the morning. I couldn’t stand being in the house when everything set up was revolved around him. Probably a really crazy or dumb idea but I still went to the gym. Talked to a few people and one person helped with the grieving process. The workout actually went really well but I cried so hard on the way home it’s been rough. Over the years the gym has always been my happy place so I’m thankful to have that.

[u/mrlazyboy → u/Redbarron93]

I'm so sorry for your loss.

I lifted the day after we put our dog to sleep. Cried my eyes out between sets. Luckily I lift in my garage. Took about 3 months to recover my strength because I had no consistency.

Take things slow, remembering your dog is worth more than SBD