New Squat 1RM Form Check

[Gary Gibson]

It's been a while, Coach. Wasn't going to submit this one, but then a denim-loving PL buddy criticized the vid. Said I'd never master a suit and wraps with this kind of form. Thought I'd run it by you to get your opinion. I plan to compete once more raw locally as a 165 in the USAPL, but then I'm going to do local meets in bottom-line Inzer gear (none of the fancy new single-ply for a while). I look forward to competing at Raw Nationals when I'm heavier and much stronger.

This is a new max attempt after six weeks of the Russian Squat Routine (I LOVE Russian volume routines). I got the promised 5% increase. I did my old max for 2 of 2 a few days before this attempt. Missed 405 at the sticking point on the next.

wDkARhiBCZU

One thing I have to add is this: while I do bounce out of the hole off my hamstrings with hips leading, I quickly start pushing my traps against the bar to make sure my back angle doesn't deteriorate too much. Louie and a couple other respected powerlifters say to lead with the traps. I lead with the butt as you coach, but once the butt (and hams) get me moving, I push those traps against the bar. It may be a simple cue thing that helps me keep my back from getting parallel to the floor and turning it into a good morning.

You'll be happy to know that I'm planning to compete as a 181 and eventually at least a 198. I'm 169 in this vid and will be competing at least one more time as a 165. No way in hell I'm planning to stay this small.

Thanks for reading and watching.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Fix the video link, Gary, dammit.

[milesdyson]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDkARhiBCZU

[Mark Rippetoe]

Gary Gets Strong. The traps-into-the-bar cue will keep your back angle from deteriorating after the hip drive, true. But so will more attention paid to keeping our chest "up" -- your thoracic spine tight -- on the way down, and it will also make your bounce more mechanically effective by keeping your hamstrings more firmly anchored proximally.

[Gary Gibson]

Thanks, Coach.

1) Turns out my PL buddy meant the speed of my descent, not my overall form. He uses multi-ply and denim and that stuff requires more deliberate lowering and a stop as opposed to the bounce.

2) Today was Day II of my latest Smolov cylce (hoping to test at 440 at the end of the month) and I got a chance to work really hard on holding the back angle. It worked. The Smolov stuff is increasingly high intensity for insane volume and frequency. It's the perfect way to perfect form issues because you just get so much practice. Got to stay focused, however, or you get sloppy and reinforce bad form.

I hadn't read your reply yet, but I can definitely understand your point about chest up and midsection tight because of today's session. I find that if I just concentrate on "HOLD THIS BACK ANGLE" and push out on my belt as hard as possible and pinch my shoulder blades as tightly as possible (tight thoracic spine), the correct back angle is maintained. I didn't need to think about "traps into bar" so much. I know I was doing it right because I felt every single rep in my hamstrings. A lot. And the weight seemed to get easier as the sets progressed (295x7x5) even though I was getting a bit winded.

3) Apologies for still being so skinny. I'm trying to set a couple more state records in the squat, deadlift and total as a raw 75 kg. If this Smolov-Feduleyev cycle goes well, I have a chance of totaling at a raw Master level in the Maryland States and then raw Elite in the Navy Open (both USAPL). Won't be with help from the bench, however; that lift depends more on bodyweight than squats do. Need to gain a few pounds to get it moving again.

(And I could have sworn that the Preview showed my vid as rendering properly.)

[Mark Rippetoe]

Damn, Gary, you don't look like the kind of guy that would know so many Russian things.

[Gary Gibson]

Damn, Gary, you don't look like the kind of guy that would know so many Russian things.

One of the many benefits of ordering a Russian bride.

[OITW]

Two questions: One, how does a guy so skinny move so much weight? And two, Navy Open--are you active duty, or is just a regional event?

Either way, you're still my hero.