Bench and deads vids - form check guys :D

[confuzzl3don3]

Hey so i taped some bench and deadlift vids as well for today's workouts and i was hoping for some insightful comments from you awesome lot :D

my squats today were 86.5kg 3 x 5 (new PR for me yay)
bench was 56kg 3 x 5 (i know its low but also new PR for me)
and deadlifts at 110kg for 1 x 5 (new PR too :D)

Squats were:

http://www.youtube.com/v/OtKe4rRv3kU&hl=en&fs=1

i accidentally edited out one rep when i was cutting out the start and end ><

Bench
first set:
http://www.youtube.com/v/bz4MArjsoc8&hl=en&fs=1

and last set:
http://www.youtube.com/v/a4WJ8GmR1Xk&hl=en&fs=1

and finally my deadlifts. i know they weren't the best of form and also my grip was slipping a bit even with chalk (dam my grip is weak). I changed to alternate grip for the last rep. Should i keep trying to go overhand or switch over to alternate?

http://www.youtube.com/v/DBX3If3l8ds&hl=en&fs=1

Anyways thanks guys for helping me out with this.

PS. i've put on about 0.5-1kg since monday (dunno how much is actual BW and not just retained fluid or what) but hopefully it's a good sign that my lifts are actually going up :D

[TomC]

Your squats look pretty good.

Keep an eye out for rounding of the back on the deadlift. As soon as you pull, your lumbar spine loses some extension. It's nothing terrible, but it becomes more prominent as you fatigue. What's the solution to that? I will leave it for others to answer. I struggle to maintain my lordotic curve on heavy deads, too.

[confuzzl3don3]

Yeah i knew that my back was rounding slightly. Would it help to set up a harder curve at the beginning so if it does degenerate it would only go back to flat? the thing its hard for me to create a curve without lowering my hips as i raise my chest as high as i can get without letting go of the bar. I don't really have that long arms i guess.

[BryanM]

Your backside does seem a little high at the start of a pull, but it might just be your proportions. Starting with slightly more bent knees could make the torso a little more vertical, reduce the travel distance, and lower the torque. Maybe.


Would it help to set up a harder curve at the beginning so if it does degenerate it would only go back to flat?Try to keep your sternum flat, don't hyperextend your back - it won't fix anything and will probably take you to a very unhappy place.


Re: bench, are you touching your shirt? It's hard to tell from this angle. The safety thingy might be too high - it should be above the neck to catch freak setting-it-down accidents and still gives room to squirm out, but lower than the top of the chest.

[misspelledgeoff]

PS. i've put on about 0.5-1kg since monday (dunno how much is actual BW and not just retained fluid or what) but hopefully it's a good sign that my lifts are actually going up :D

good work! Keep it up!

[confuzzl3don3]

Your backside does seem a little high at the start of a pull, but it might just be your proportions. Starting with slightly more bent knees could make the torso a little more vertical, reduce the travel distance, and lower the torque. Maybe.

Try to keep your sternum flat, don't hyperextend your back - it won't fix anything and will probably take you to a very unhappy place.


Re: bench, are you touching your shirt? It's hard to tell from this angle. The safety thingy might be too high - it should be above the neck to catch freak setting-it-down accidents and still gives room to squirm out, but lower than the top of the chest.

But my set up following rippetoe's description (bar over midfoot, bend over to grip the bar then lower hips until shins touch bar then stop, raise chest, then lift) so when i lower hips until shins hit the bar my back angle is set. Some people have been telling me i should lower my hips more regardless just to get a more vertical back angle. What should i do??

Also for the bench, yes i am ensuring it is hitting my chest. i know the angle of the vid doesn't let you see that well because the weights block the view.


good work! Keep it up!
thanks :D

[BryanM]

Some people have been telling me i should lower my hips more regardless just to get a more vertical back angle. What should i do??:D
I would try it just a smidgen. If it's a bad idea, it'll let you know.

My ass always lowers a bit during the setting the chest phase. Being a cautious cat, I rechecked this vid (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Syt7A23YnpA) to make sure it was normal.

[Tenbagger]

Hey so i taped some bench and deadlift vids as well for today's workouts and i was hoping for some insightful comments

Bench: Arch your back more. This will decrease the leverage in the shoulders and bring about a more vertical groove.

Dead: When you raise the chest, continue by squeezing it in between your arms before you lift the bar off the ground. This will lower your but a bit, whilst reinforcing the back extension.

[confuzzl3don3]

Argh i just have to rant about today's workout. Dam for some strange reason i just didn't have the energy. After a poor form 3 x 5 sets ot 88.5kg squats, i failed to put up 57kg on the bench so i ended up dropping to 50kg, then finished with a 1x5 100kg deadlift because i failed to even lift 110kg (weight i did last workout) off the ground. I dunno why, i ate the same, slept the same. Sigh. Don't you guys just hate it when shit like this happens!!! :(

But yeah sorry about the rant just had to get it off my chest

[GianMilano]

Argh i just have to rant about today's workout. Dam for some strange reason i just didn't have the energy. After a poor form 3 x 5 sets ot 88.5kg squats, i failed to put up 57kg on the bench so i ended up dropping to 50kg, then finished with a 1x5 100kg deadlift because i failed to even lift 110kg (weight i did last workout) off the ground. I dunno why, i ate the same, slept the same. Sigh. Don't you guys just hate it when shit like this happens!!! :(

But yeah sorry about the rant just had to get it off my chest

Don't let it get you down. Most people don't even exercise, let them be unhappy. Just get fired up for the next workout.

[confuzzl3don3]

Thx man. It just gets you down when u know you should be able to do better. Kinda like u wasted your workout. If such a situation does occur, would it be better to just scrap the workout, or still try and drag through the workout.