[squishy]

I personally like to get on the treadmill and put it on an incline at 12.5 (2.7 speed) for 25 minutes before my weight lifting sessions. Gets my heart rate going and wakes me up a bit...

When I just stretch and go right into weight lifting, I'm not there mentally and wind up having a crappy workout.

Do what works for you.

I'm also cutting, hence why I'm on it for 25 mins. Maybe 10-12 minutes at an incline would be better for someone who's maintaining/gaining weight.

You won't be burning more than 125-150 calories at 10-12 mins with 12.5 incline, 2.7 speed, and have a ton of energy left for your workout

[richardbb85]

Originally Posted by squishy

I personally like to get on the treadmill and put it on an incline at 12.5 (2.7 speed) for 25 minutes before my weight lifting sessions. Gets my heart rate going and wakes me up a bit...

When I just stretch and go right into weight lifting, I'm not there mentally and wind up having a crappy workout.

Do what works for you.

I'm also cutting, hence why I'm on it for 25 mins. Maybe 10-12 minutes at an incline would be better for someone who's maintaining/gaining weight.

You won't be burning more than 125-150 calories at 10-12 mins with 12.5 incline, 2.7 speed, and have a ton of energy left for your workout

i be worn out by the time i am done with 25 mins, wtf. lol

[squishy]

Originally Posted by richardbb85

i be worn out by the time i am done with 25 mins, wtf. lol

25 mins of walking...?

Then clearly you need to do more cardio to improve your cardiovascular health!!

[richardbb85]

Originally Posted by squishy

25 mins of walking...?

Then clearly you need to do more cardio to improve your cardiovascular health!!

i mean i wont be worn out but i know i wont be able to go 100% at the weights. i rather spend more energy at the weights than cardio.

[UncleWede]

I would go into the cardio theatre and hope for a shoot-out or sexually charged scene for my 5-10 minutes. Not only gets the heart rate up, there tends to be some extra testosterone floating in the blood then.

The alternative is to creep a hot chick on one of the bicycles. . .

[Sedan_Clan]

I'm curious to know what everybody's numbers are where the Big 3 lifts (....squat, bench and deadlift) are concerned. I don't get the impression that most of the people here lift for maximal strength/power (...or size).

[UncleWede]

I don't do free squats, the pressue on my neck always way exceeded anything I felt was reasonable to squat with. On the incline squat rack, my max of the pyramid is 5 plates a side

Bench I limit myself to 135. That is the only weight I can do reliably without the rotator cuff area starting to really be painful

Dead I've never really done much, maybe plate and 25.

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by UncleWede

I don't do free squats, the pressue on my neck always way exceeded anything I felt was reasonable to squat with. On the incline squat rack, my max of the pyramid is 5 plates a side

Bench I limit myself to 135. That is the only weight I can do reliably without the rotator cuff area starting to really be painful

Dead I've never really done much, maybe plate and 25.

Have you taken a closer look at your free weight squat and bench press form?

[UncleWede]

For squats, I tried foam, I tried holding in front, it just wasn't worth it to me when I can do what I felt was quite well on the incline rack.

My bench is limited to 135 to ensure I stay in a much better form. The younger days of poor form trying to lift heavy weight have taken their toll. I always harken back to the first trainer I worked with, I was 18-20 and he was probably in his 70s. He saw me trying to muscle extra weight into the air and challenged me to a bench contest. I went first and got probably 235 into the air 3 times. Then he put 135 on the bar, pressed it 15-20 times and said while I lifted < 750lbs, he just did nearly a ton. Lesson learned and remembered to this day.

[Sedan_Clan]

I try to keep people away from foam. It puts the bar in a bad position. I just tell the guys to stop being sissies and to build up the tolerance for the bar; the body adapts (...usually in the form of an impressive set of traps).

Unfortunately it is hard to critique and/or help with your press form over an internet message board, but I have a feeling that with some tweaks you could press more weight comfortably........and without exacerbating rotator cuff pain. I used to have rotator cuff issues too due to improper bench form, but those days are long gone. Hanging out with PowerLifter's over the past few years has taken my lifting to an entirely different level. I can now deep squat 450 lbs., dead lift 500 lbs., and bench 350 lbs.....all while weighing 192-ish lbs. I'm working to get my squat at/over 500 lbs.; hopefully I'll be there by the summer. The SMOLOV squat program is paying dividends.

[Sedan_Clan]

Here's my 1RM @ 350 lbs. on the bench press and a 455 lb. dead lift.

[squishy]

^nice!

My max lifts are:

Deadlift: 405#
Squat: 270#
Strict standing military press: 170#

I don't do flat bench press, I only feel it in my shoulders and triceps, even though I worked tirelessly on improving my form so that I put myself in the best possible position...

I can do 80# incline dumbbells for 6 or 7 reps though haha

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by squishy

^nice!

My max lifts are:

Deadlift: 405#
Squat: 270#
Military press: 170#

I don't do flat bench press, I only feel it in my shoulders and triceps, even though I worked tirelessly on improving my form so that I put myself in the best possible position...

I can do 80# incline dumbbells for 6 or 7 reps though haha

Nice numbers. With a 405 lb. DL, I think you could probably 1-rep a 315 lb. squat.

[UncleWede]

I'm more in tune with the guys behind you in the dead lift picture

I'm 48, so I'm not in it to get big any more. I just want to be able to open the lids in the house for the wife, be able to carry the feed bags to the chicken coop, and still dig up my garden, all with my shirt off.

One thing I have modified on the bench is to adjust the width of my grip on every set. That has helped me keep a good mix and help protect the rotator. With the lighter weight, I don't bounce off my chest, and I can keep the elbows in a good line the whole time.

For squats, no matter how much muscle I had over the years, the bar always high-pointed right on my spine. When I swapped around to putting the bar on my chest, it pulled my hair and I spent so much time concentrating on keeping it in place that I couldn't do the squats right.

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by UncleWede

I'm more in tune with the guys behind you in the dead lift picture

I'm 48, so I'm not in it to get big any more. I just want to be able to open the lids in the house for the wife, be able to carry the feed bags to the chicken coop, and still dig up my garden, all with my shirt off.

One thing I have modified on the bench is to adjust the width of my grip on every set. That has helped me keep a good mix and help protect the rotator. With the lighter weight, I don't bounce off my chest, and I can keep the elbows in a good line the whole time.

For squats, no matter how much muscle I had over the years, the bar always high-pointed right on my spine. When I swapped around to putting the bar on my chest, it pulled my hair and I spent so much time concentrating on keeping it in place that I couldn't do the squats right.

LOL! Funny stuff.


Are you correcting at the elbows before beginning the eccentric portion of the bench press? On your front squat, are you using the "Clean" grip? Elbows up? Thoracic extension? Bracing the core with a deep breath?

[squishy]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

Nice numbers. With a 405 lb. DL, I think you could probably 1-rep a 315 lb. squat.

Squats have always been a weak point for me, but I'm definitely working on it!

As I've probably said a billion times, I only started weight lifting 8 months ago, so I'm still just bringing up my strength!!

[squishy]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

Bracing the core with a deep breath?

I did that once, but ripped a gnarly fart

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by squishy

Squats have always been a weak point for me, but I'm definitely working on it!

As I've probably said a billion times, I only started weight lifting 8 months ago, so I'm still just bringing up my strength!!

The fact that you're addressing it says a lot. Do you squat that 270 lbs. below parallel?

[squishy]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

The fact that you're addressing it says a lot. Do you squat that 270 lbs. below parallel?

Slightly below parallel, yup yup

Any tips on improving squats, other than just squat, squat, and squat some more?

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by squishy

Slightly below parallel, yup yup

That's my boy. Solid! Most people squat horribly......half reppin' [more weight than they should have had on the bar in the first place] & stuff.

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by squishy

Slightly below parallel, yup yup

Any tips on improving squats, other than just squat, squat, and squat some more?

Yes. Deep breathe [and hold it], externally rotate your hips, weight your heels and the outer portions of your feet.......and break at the hips first, not the knees.

[UncleWede]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

On your front squat, are you using the "Clean" grip? Elbows up? Thoracic extension? Bracing the core with a deep breath?

That was part of the problem, and I have to admit I took the easy, but safer, way out. I couldn't keep alignment, breathe properly, AND keep the front grip. It seemed it was always T-Extension that suffered of all those, so it just wasn't worth the risk to me.

Even when I do the hack squat machine, I come home with bruising on the contact points of my shoulders when I get enough weight (2-3 plates) to make me feel I do something in my quads.