Becoming a Squat Freak

[pjb923]

You really did make that 450 look easy. Nice work!

Originally Posted by GqArtguy

170kg is my best single, 150 is a routine single for me. So Id need about 11kg on that.

As for training, Im going squat very often.

I don't mean to hijack here, but I was hoping no get some advice on preventing upper back rounding during front squats. I have been working on increasing my FS and my upper back seems to be my weak point. I am trying to incorporate more rows and deadlifts, but don't really have any ideas beyond that.

[PowerManDL]

Practice. Lots of practice.

And make sure you're doing work to specifically target the supporting muscles of the middle back. Sometimes "rowing" just doesn't cut it, if you're not doing them to hit that area.

[GqArtguy]

Originally Posted by pjb923

You really did make that 450 look easy. Nice work!



I don't mean to hijack here, but I was hoping no get some advice on preventing upper back rounding during front squats. I have been working on increasing my FS and my upper back seems to be my weak point. I am trying to incorporate more rows and deadlifts, but don't really have any ideas beyond that.

I do a lot of back work in OLing. I will do paused pulls (pull to a certain height, pause, then finish the pull or put it down), pulls from different heights off blocks, etc.

Those pulls definitely work the static strength needed for the clean and it has good carryover to the FS because Im not rounded from the pull to begin with and have to waste energy to get upright.

Additionally, Ill do very strict rows (absolutely no hip action) pausing in between reps from these positions to reinforce the static strength but also build up general back strength. Depending on the position, the row will target different areas. I mainly work the mid back and upper back.

Beyond that, just a lot of front squatting focusing on the form. Making sure that Im braced to all hell and using my hips at the bottom. I typically let form dictate my weights so that I dont use bad habits.

400 is the intemediate goal, I have to get up to about 210kg which I really dont want to think about given that thats about 10kg over my back squat.

[Alcoholiday]

Originally Posted by GqArtguy

I do a lot of back work in OLing. I will do paused pulls (pull to a certain height, pause, then finish the pull or put it down), pulls from different heights off blocks, etc.

Those pulls definitely work the static strength needed for the clean and it has good carryover to the FS because Im not rounded from the pull to begin with and have to waste energy to get upright.

Additionally, Ill do very strict rows (absolutely no hip action) pausing in between reps from these positions to reinforce the static strength but also build up general back strength. Depending on the position, the row will target different areas. I mainly work the mid back and upper back.

Beyond that, just a lot of front squatting focusing on the form. Making sure that Im braced to all hell and using my hips at the bottom. I typically let form dictate my weights so that I dont use bad habits.

400 is the intemediate goal, I have to get up to about 210kg which I really dont want to think about given that thats about 10kg over my back squat.

what do you think about the growing trend of using parallel squats instead of oly for olympic lifters to overload the squat? IMO oly squats are the best strength builder for oly athletes, especially since it mimics the position of cleans. But, i think parallel squats can help out to get used to the weight.

Thoughts?

[L'ilJ]

Hey, when do you go to Boston?

[Alcoholiday]

Originally Posted by L'ilJ

Hey, when do you go to Boston?

we are leaving May 17th (i believe), and staying there for 5 days. We plan on driving there and back in 1 day (18hr drive/way). Why?

[L'ilJ]

Just wondering. I know you were talking about booking your hotel and such so I figured it was coming up soon, like next week. Boston is great and by mid-May the weather should be really nice.

[Alcoholiday]

Originally Posted by L'ilJ

Just wondering. I know you were talking about booking your hotel and such so I figured it was coming up soon, like next week. Boston is great and by mid-May the weather should be really nice.

ah! yea hopefully. we were going to go in march, but it would have been too cold, and nothing was open. i thought you were coming there on business and you could kick it with us!

[L'ilJ]

Originally Posted by Alcoholiday

ah! yea hopefully. we were going to go in march, but it would have been too cold, and nothing was open. i thought you were coming there on business and you could kick it with us!

What, do you need someone to buy you beer? You know, I don't get to Boston very often for biz. I wish I did, it's a great town.

[Alcoholiday]

Originally Posted by L'ilJ

What, do you need someone to buy you beer? You know, I don't get to Boston very often for biz. I wish I did, it's a great town.

hahaha! no, she's 24, i'm 23, we can both buy beer (probably w/o even getting carded) Although, i don't think either one of us drink as much as we used to. I haven't had a beer since before new years.

I've been to a lot of towns in Mass. but never boston. Last time i went with my family we were planning on going, but they had the Democratic National Convention in boston, so it was too crazy to go.

[GqArtguy]

Originally Posted by Alcoholiday

what do you think about the growing trend of using parallel squats instead of oly for olympic lifters to overload the squat? IMO oly squats are the best strength builder for oly athletes, especially since it mimics the position of cleans. But, i think parallel squats can help out to get used to the weight.

Thoughts?

Ghey.

[Frank.S]

Originally Posted by Alcoholiday

what do you think about the growing trend of using parallel squats instead of oly for olympic lifters to overload the squat? IMO oly squats are the best strength builder for oly athletes, especially since it mimics the position of cleans. But, i think parallel squats can help out to get used to the weight.

Thoughts?

I think its a great idea

If you are squating 500,600, whatever, to paralell 405 is going to feel like a peanut on your back and you are not going to be missing any lifts with it.

[Waittz]

Originally Posted by Alcoholiday

i've done 275 before for a single. not much catching up to do.

pussy.

[GqArtguy]

Originally Posted by Frank.S

I think its a great idea

If you are squating 500,600, whatever, to paralell 405 is going to feel like a peanut on your back and you are not going to be missing any lifts with it.

This never worked for me especially since I was not used to stopping in the middle of a squat and given that most of the failure in an oly squat is from the bottom.

I will say, however, that working with a yoke definitely had the effect of making a bar feel lighter. Having 600lbs constantly on my back makes 400lbs pretty light. That kind of stability and confidence at the start of a can save some mental and physical energy, enough to set a PR.

This is also all in regards to the back squat. Unless you have a thin bar for a yoke, it will be hard to do the above for a FS. I also have less inclination to stop in the middle of a FS because for me its like a freefall into a position in the hole rather than muscled lift (if that makes sense). So if you want to get around the psychology of a heavy weight, perhaps heavy holds from the rack.

[Frank.S]

may depend on squat style too, most oly lifters i know have a very fast decent in the squat and rebound out of the hole pretty quick.

I know my full squats, the decent is faster then a PL squat, but not by all that much really.. probally 2 seconds to get down all the way.

I think its going to be interesting to see what happens to me if i decide to compete in a raw comp they are having here in the summer which uses ipf rules (not a full oly squat, but way closer then what i do now).

[Alcoholiday]

Originally Posted by TheSteve

pussy.

ha! whey 2 quote teh old!!11