Sticking Points and exercise flaws....

[Mike Robertson]

In lieu of Eric and I's "Building the Efficient Athlete" DVD Series, Kevin decided he wanted me to do a FitCast Insder episode where we discuss exercise technique, how to break plateaus, and other training related material.

Now I know before this caused a big stink, but this isn't Kevin's idea - it's mine. The reason I ask what you all want to learn is two-fold:

1) Because I really don't believe anyone wants to hear me drone on about the powerlifts the entire time

2) This way I can help real people with real problems.

Anyway, here's what I need:

- Where do you currently miss the big lifts at?
- What other common lifts do you have questions about with regards to technique?

Again, hopefully this doesn't cause any issues - I just want this to be a great episode that will help people out!

Thanks to everyone who contributes.

Best
MR

[Lost Dog]

Hi, Mike!

I'm a weak squatter. I don't do any back squats. I can Zercher squat 225 for 6 reps before my arms rip off.

I've been working on my front squats, but as the weight goes up I feel wobbly in the ol' core. I think it's because I'm vertical and in balancing you have to alternate using the muscles in the back and front to keep things balanced.

I can barely get to singles of 205 before it's just too much. My sticking point is just above parallel, but going down. I feel the wobble and go back up, rather than fall forward or drop the bar.

[bullandbear]

I can't bench to save my own life. I never do it powerlifting style with a generous arc, just the regular ones. I am now at 215 for singles, and I am usually stuck on the way back up, 1.5 inches from my chest. I don't feel any pain at all, just a lack of strength to hoist the bar up. I've abandoned dips as a supplementary exercise since last year and now try to build tricep strength with lying french presses and close grip bench presses. A former partner recommends I do JM presses for my problems but I don't have a heck of a clue how this may help.

Another question I've observed with my squatting form is that the technique is quite different when squatting 250 compared to 350. With a heavier weight, I still squat deep but I found the drive up to be more from my hips and a pronounced forward lean. Doing so seem to help me get the weight back up. Do you feel that such inconsistencies in technique with different loads to be of a problem? Some guys have remarked that irregardless of the load, the movement plane and technique needs to be the same. What is your opinion, does your technique differ when you attempt a 1RM or go for a meet?

[cappuccino]

Grip is a huge issue for me. My forearms are crying with fatigue before my legs give out, and I think it's the first thing that goes with pulling exercises. For example, with a superset of lat pulldowns and then dumbell step ups, I have a hard time holding the dumbells for all the reps. It's possible my forearms get 'pumped' cause they get hard as rocks and then that makes it even harder to hold on to things. (maybe I'm a weird chick, but if that's the 'pumped' feeling you guys talk about, I don't like it :p )

I'm reluctant to use straps cause I did that before and just got over confident and caused me to use more weight than I should for my form (this was on deadlifts), and I know I need to strengthen my grip too...

so is it best to stick with weights suitable for your weakest link and best form when it's as innocuous as grip when you feel like you could do more for the big muscles?

Edit: just caught that this was for an insider edition
maybe you could answer for those who posted here to help you out and the others who have the same problems but just didn't ask will get it on the insider scoop

[OldGuy]

Great question cappy. I always wondered about this too.

[Mike Robertson]

Thanks for the great feedback so far everyone - keep it coming!

Again, don't take this out on Kevin; it's MY idea. Why would anyone want to hear me talk about theoretical/hypothetical situations when they could hear me talk about real people with real issues? I wanted to make the show as valuable as possible to the people who listen.

Maybe I can convince Kevin that for those questions we use, those people get a free download. A little payback for their help...we'll see what I can do.

And while it may seem counterintuitive, I would imagine that people who want answers to their questions would be a lot more willing to pay $5 to download the Insider than pay an hour of my consulting rate

Thanks again everyone!

Best
MR

[jijin]

I absolutely suck at upper body pushing exercises (i.e. military press and bench press), with the exceptions of dips (which I can go till my upper arm is parallel before my shoulder feel tight). On the bench press, I can get it off my chest fast no problem, but about 2-3 inches off the chest the bar just starts to slowly come back down. With the military press, I have problems getting through the middle portion on the movement. This used to make me arch my back further back and tilt to left or right side, which leads to one ugly lift. These days, since I know better, I just abandon the rep.

With the overhead squat, I have some problems keeping the weight above my head, but I think that may be due to the fact that I have a weak upper body. Am I right?

[AFI82]

I tried yesterday for the first time on the flat bench press doing what I believe is the powerlifting style, elbows in and shoulder blades together (this may be incorrect as I've only read a little bit about it). But try as I might, my elbows kept sliding out to the side. There's a spot on the way down that, keeping my elbows in, becomes impossible because it puts pressure on my wrists, almost to the point that I have to do a tricep extension to start the bar moving back up.

I also have issues with tricep extensions from the overhead cable. My arms are strong enough to do sets with the weight that I have, but my lower back arches to the point that it hurts a little. Is this from the way that I'm standing while doing it? I stand with one leg slightly behind the other, leaning forward just a bit.

[Matthew]

I'd like to hear more about "staying tight". I know for some it's a simple concept, but it's a huge problem for me to overcome, I don't know why. Maybe I'm the only one, but maybe some others have this problem too. I know it's holding me back some, so it would be cool to get some tips to help me out there. Maybe some cues I can use myself, since I don't have a training partner to help me out.
I've read to do things like get a buddy to lightly (I don't want to say stroke, but I can't think of another word for it, my brain is fried from ex phys) the abdominal region with the tips of his/her fingers to help activate the muscle. Or to poke the area and try to harden the muscle so much that the finger can't actually dig into the area. Are there more? Are there certain cues that are good preparation for certain movements? Are there cues specific for other areas of the body, to help get your whole body tight instead of just the abdominals?
How do you know if it's a problem with "staying tight", or if you're just plain using too much weight? Or are they the same thing?


It would be great if you guys let us know exactly what questions were brought up during the interview. Or if you want to keep the mysterious thing going, maybe just PM the person who asked the question and just let him/her know "you won the draw, go purchase the episode".


edit: I don't see why everyone is making a big deal about this. He's asking us to help him make the episode better, for us. If you don't want to purchase the episode then don't, but I think we owe it to him to help out. And if you do end up purchasing the episode, then you aren't just helping him out, you're helping yourself out too. Duh.

[Matthew]

Oh! I'd also like to hear more about compensation patterns, how to spot them and how to fix em. That's just a general curiosity of mine, I'm not sure if it fits into the scope of this interview. Just throwing it out there.

[Kevin Larrabee]

Anyways,

Thanks for all who participated. Those who did ask questions, I will hook you up with the interview for free.

Again, Im not going to get into the arguing, I gtg anyways to do the interview with Mike now.

Thanks again to EVERYONE for their input in the thread. No matter what "side" you were on.

[Deserve]

Some post from this thread have been removed to keep the conversation relavant and productive.

[OldGuy]

When are you doing the interview, Kevin. I might drop a fiver down to see what it's about.

[Chris Correia]

Mike:

I'm really weak.

What should I do?


(Hey, I had nothing of real content to post, but I haven't posted in a while. )

Actually, a really perceptive person might find the unspoken questions in that.

[Mike Robertson]

Guys -

Kev and I just completed the show, so thanks to everyone who answered. I think he's going to e-mail everyone who's questions we answered to help them out, and if they have further questions regarding my answers feel free to drop me a line.

Sorry if things got out of hand - I just wanted this to be a great show.

Thanks!
MR

[Kevin Larrabee]

Originally Posted by OldGuy

When are you doing the interview, Kevin. I might drop a fiver down to see what it's about.

3 or 4 weeks. We are doing a few in advance while I am on spring break. I will announce it in the newsletter and on the podcast

[kuri]

Mike, thanks for putting yourself out there and offering to help people out that don't have personal access to someone that can provide what you do.

Though I didn't ask anything I wanna get your input so I'll be tuning in. Keep up the good work Kevin.

[Mike Robertson]

Thanks for the kind words Kuri - hopefully it helps everyone out a bit!

MR