vicarz | (no subject)

Posting because poor Veronica probably can't stand any more of my whine-bragging about how gym-tired I am because I'm so ragingly obviously proud of it.

I'm at or above where I was on all my lifts. I think it ... would be time to throw in the labral tear tag, but I still feel it, am still tight in some weird ways, and still doing that yogashit because of it.

I've learned a little from yogashit. I have some moves that warm me up from completely cold, enabling more morning workouts and under less than ideal conditions. I think I need...no I know I need to research a better warm-up routine (maybe scan Cressey) and save the wacky stretchy crap for the end of my workout. Working out in the morning would make for a nice routine - opens up the whole day.

So, scanning videos and Mike links I found a bunch of info debating buttwink and what to do about it (or whether to do anything) and I walked away with a new mission to really arch my back on my squats. Mike was notorious for calling me on my form, but I was still being the worst kind of stubborn; trying to keep my "big" lifts while only fixing form as an afterthought. So, since I was in rehab anyway, and since I pulled a hamstring in rehab, I upped the reps and really tried to nail the form. So now my squats are squats, good form only asshole, then reps, then front squats, and if I really am still alive lunches. In so doing, I'm arching the shit out of my back and trying to hold it the whole time (I used to just arch, but it was more a shoulder movement). The tricks I learned on setting up bench helped too - trying to squeeze the shoulders together while also arching as if my I could stick my ass on my back. Then the icing is trying to push my legs apart / spread the floor to keep my ankles from rolling and my knees from buckling.

And I think I'm having success. With what I think was good form, subject to review, today was
Squats for warm-ups and 5 at 285; 5x5 at 225, front squats 135 at 5x10 (working on that from scratch), and lunches with 2x30lb dumbbells 3x10 each side (one side at a time, not alternating of course).

And my ass is tired on the side, my quads are tired, and shit my back was tired when I started from Thur's deadlifts.

I need to get some more equipment. Sadly I still have sore elbows from my one return to the heavy bag for only 3 rounds. Seems that shit's permanent...but hey surgery is going so well, maybe I should revisit the elbows' issues?

This...isn't worth writing about but it feels so intense right now. I'm still pumped with endorphins, hard. I still feel great, strong, happy, confident, even though the guy before me was squatting around 400 while injured.

Labral? I am far better off than I was. I am beyond happy I did the surgery - it's a no brainer. I write this because I'm so happy with the results and my gym time that I'm in danger of forgetting what I had to do to get here, how different things were a short time ago. Labral tear - it doesn't hurt to squoot anymore. I can pick things up off the floor. It's been 6 months and I'm probably stronger now than I was before the surgery.

Girl's about ready to go so I'll have to stop this particular form of self-indulgence. We're going to do chores and watch a stupid movie as she recovers from her surgery. By 50 I may be all replacement parts - I'm thinking my next ones should be in blue chrome. Then I'll be dying my hair in ultra-violet ink. My tattoos will be LED so I can change the art...

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Congrats on returning to your happy place. I know the surgery was taking a toll on your endorphins. Very cool.

I'm-a try that; I'm sure my form on squats is crap.

omg (said like a panting tween) I cannot overstate how important form is on a squat. Fuck weight - form is everything.

I should have known how bad I was because I could do it better with weight than with no weight. Hint, if using no weight causes you to fall over backwards...

See form tips on exrx.net, cressey videos, rippetowe videos...and watch tips from several folks (youtube search "squat technique" or similar to get a spread of into, then try it, take any comments you can in the gym, then look again and repeat.

will do... one thing I want to try is getting the rack in the corner so I can check back-arching sucess, at least peripherally. I usually FEEL like I'm holding it right, but there is the tendency to get sloppy when tired.

As I think we talked about at last once, one of the reasons I love the hex bar so much is because it really helped me with form on deadlift.

Could work! I find mirrors a plus and minus - nice to check but most of the time you can't both keep alignment in your back and check in the mirror. Buddy with video works much better.

Yea, i was thinking about peripheral glances, not trying to do whole reps while looking sideways, but you're right, having someone watch would be more productive.

I miss free personal trainers. :/

I've seriously thought about a t-shirt that says
"I totally take pointers"
across the back or something similar.

I guess the front could be "Ask me for unsolicited feedback" (never mind that asking...)

My gym is pretty unfriendly, I really don't interact with anybody in there except GymBro and he is hard to pin down, but I can try asking him.

"In so doing, I'm arching the shit out of my back and trying to hold it the whole time (I used to just arch, but it was more a shoulder movement)"

You do know you can overdo that, right? Anterior pelvic tilt can cause all sorts of issues (as I know from personal experience).

This "more isn't always better" concept eludes me.
Good point, thanks. What I'm doing right now feels better and more solid (I've also re-positioned a bit so I'm not falling over when not loaded with weight) but I better make sure I don't overcompensate / overdo it.

Unrelated - 40% sale at power systems today.