The Return of the jedi-This is not Sparta. This. Is. Madness.(now incl. Race to 100kg OHP)

Incredible Bulk


Good depth, good squat... looked very easy
 
cant see 160 being much trouble, i'd say you'd be more pushed by 170.

Cheers mate
I'm probably still a bit nervous/surprised by how much better things have got over the last couple of weeks just by going back to a parallel stance and being patient at the bottom and letting the weight squeeze me a bit lower. I did do the 160 as stated but will try and nail it for perfect form next week. Didn't want to go too mad as I have to squat for reps tonight

Be good if you could pop back in a bit to look at my deadlift which is just wrong
Will get it uploaded ASAP.

No problemo!
fire it up and i'll have a gander

deadlift form is quite subjective though as i have seen some big lumps have the worst technical form according to some people on the forums but yet they shift 350kg+

Deadlift vid added.
Go back one page.
Do not pass GO. Do not collect £200.

Be....be gentle with me.

nice stiff leg dead lift!

Leg drive leg drive leg drive!
you rise with your ass first before the bar even moves mate so straight away you've taken all leg drive out of it.

you even practice rasing the butt up before you lift lol.

good lift, but you can lift better if you have leg drive kicking it off.

Cheers mate, will practice keeping my ass down.
Goddam ass.

squat not bad, though you start bending at the knee first, and your hips actually move forward slightly at the start.
looks like you're trying, initially at least, to squat "down" rather than "back".
hips should start moving back at the same time as knees bend, before even.
apart from the wobbly start the rest looks okay, hard to judge from the angle, but depth looks to be good.

Major freaky coincidence. Was just reading your latest update, followed the complicated instructions to come back and finds your vids.

Watched the first, then when i played the second i can hear the Beyonce song on - i've got Radio 1 on in my room as i watch it and the same song is on.

No big suprise due to the crappy playlist they have - but the lyrics of the chorus were synched up perfectly.

My brain took a minute to work out what was going on

Quality squatting there Jedi.

I fancy trying one of those pads, but have seen mentions of them before get cries of being effeminate

Have you been affected by this vicious torment since trying one?

daKensta


squat not bad, though you start bending at the knee first, and your hips actually move forward slightly at the start.
looks like you're trying, initially at least, to squat "down" rather than "back".
hips should start moving back at the same time as knees bend, before even.
apart from the wobbly start the rest looks okay, hard to judge from the angle, but depth looks to be good.

I usually make a conscious effort to push my hips back first but have also recently been concentrating on getting my knees moving forward over my feet. It was this that freed me off from my totally woeful wtfisgoinon disaster of a few weeks ago. Will try and combine the two in future though.

essex_chris

I fancy trying one of those pads, but have seen mentions of them before get cries of being effeminate
Have you been affected by this vicious torment since trying one?

It's just a small towel wrapped around the bar.
Some pipe-lagging would be better/easier to get on and off but
1. I always forget it
2. it lasts about 5minutes

I know some people moan on about it but all I've found is that it makes me want to do more squats and indeed heavier squats. Can't see either of those things as bad. It would be better without though, I don't dispute that but I am vair vair fragile and bruise easily so I get a massive 'bar-scrape' after squatting with just the bar
...which looks as though a lady with long finger nails has been errr enthusiastically satisfied with my company.

Incredible Bulk

you rise with your ass first before the bar even moves mate so straight away you've taken all leg drive out

I've noticed another major flaw in the deadlift which is that my shoulders move forward of the bar so that the bar even swings forward. This is deffo a legacy of me trying to clean it rather than dead it.
I believe I'm right in thinking that I should be 'sitting back' on the lift?
Ooooo will be lifting 200 next week

Friday Legs with young Michael:
Squat
60 x plenty
100 x some
120 x 3
130 x 5 (I was going to do 6 but errr didn't)
100 x 12/ 10/ 8
100 x 5 80 x 3 60 x 3

Leg Ext
77 x 12/ 10/ 8 +dropset(fairly comfortable on that may have to move up...great)

Ham Curls
62 x 12/10/8 +dropset

Leg Press
Stack x 12/10/8 + dropset (heels on bottom of plate and not locking out)

plus some calves.

Managed better than last week with the two days in a row squat malarkey.
Young Michael must be mentioned in despatches for services over and above by going from I don't squat to I squat 100kg for reps in two weeks.
Total hero.

Weekend cardio.
Not because I was feeling particularly keen
more a case of rage against the machine

20min X-trainer
20min cycle.

Hi mate, will be having a good catch up here in the next couple of days.
From the quick flick it all looks like it's going good.

Flat bench
100kg x 12 +2spotted
100kg x 8 +2spotted
100kg x 6 +2spotted
100kg x 3  +90x3 + 60kg x8

Flat Dumbbells
34kg x 10

Incline Flies (not paused)
20kg x 12
24kg x/10/8

Smith Incline
70kg x 10/8/6
+dropset

Chest Dips
12/10/8

Skull/Close Grip
35kg x 8each
35kg x 8 +4 =gimme the bar back +3more
35kg x 5 +5

+some pulldowns

15min cardio.

An elephant of doubt had crept in during the week whether I'd done 12 including the 2 spotted last week so was very pleased to push the 12 out fairly easily and not need too much of a spot for another 2. Highly delighted. Checking back I also did one rep better in the follow-up sets. The question now is whether to stick with this and work those reps on the follow-up sets up to 10 and 8 or move up to 110 for the first set? I'm thinking probably stick to 12/10/8 as it has been working so far.
It's a good job I was pleased with the flat bench as it was downhill from there again.
I killed 15reps on the flat dumbbells as a pre-exhaust for flies last week. This week a struggling 10 (or was it 12). Michael mullered me on the incline again which seems to be a weak point for me. Did okay on dips but my arms blew up like pork sausages and I totally cr@pped out on the skull/close-grip superset -much to my chagrin and annoyance. I never quit on this.
errr except for the odd time which annoys the beejeezuz out of me.
It all felt a bit like last week's curling debacle i.e. just getting too pumped for my own good. Have no idea why that could be, other than it is stiflingly hot up there at present.
Can't think of any other reason although I'm open to suggestion but I shouldn't imagine there is a lot of research into avoiding a pump in the gym

I took a photo to show the pumpetry but not uploaded yet.

Nice work Mr Jedi.
 
I'm a mahoosive fan of pipe lagging......but recently viewed an interesting plastic type thing that resembled one of those pelican bib devices that babies in the 1950s used to be forced to wear......however I believe it goes across your neck and shoulders.
 
Am going to have a look to see if it is available in a more becoming shade other than pale blue though......
 
 
I fail to mention at the start of post that this is for SQUATS......

I've seen those, I do believe it's called a MantaRay or some suchness.
I don't really like the look of it (form and function) as it seems to set the bar quite high, plus it would not fit in my bag and I would therefore forget to take it. The amount of toys I am taking into the gym on Thursdays is getting ridiculous
..looks like I am setting up for an Ann Summers party.

So, new plan is to try and organise most of the wraps, straps and accoutrements into my old spikes bag and then, for squat padding
...I have a cunning plannnnnnn involving camping equipment

would bring the bar a bit high, no?

daKensta



would bring the bar a bit high, no?

Only if you used all of it
The plan is to use just enough to go round a Nolly bar
..complete with glued on velcro straps for quick removal function.
If it works I will be all like

"Oh look they're using pipe lagging, how terribly quaint."

Hmmmmm, nice idea (even nicer shade of lavender, you may want to re-think the colour Mr Jedi)
 
I'm eyeing up the padding we have wrapped around supporting structures in our hospitals to stop idiots....errrrrrr...clients hurting themselves when they walk right into aforementioned columns.......
 
And why they keenness to fit all your worldly goods into a spike bag (which may or may not be mistaken for a mans handbag from a distance)
 
 

Hee I'm glad it isn't just me wandering round thinking 'Oooh I wonder if they'd miss some of that padding?'
The towel is definitely a bit bulky plus I find it hides the middle of the bar so the pipe lagging is better but it breaks. So, will give the chopped up camping mat a go.
As for the spike-bag, you'll notice I called it a spike-bag and not in any way a man-bag.
Nor will I do anything other than carry it at sturdy arm's length and never, ever thusly;

I need something though as I have; belt, gloves, straps, chalk, phone, drinks bottle and other items to juggle and it does look a bit like a car boot fair moving from station to station.