??? On Your Worst Lift.....

[SisterSteel]

OK lets hear them!!! What is the one lift that you struggle the most with?

I've done well with Powerlifting and I have a pretty extensive background in strength sports so I'd like to help the members of MC with their problem lifts. I also hope some others will jump in when they can. Everybody has a lift that they are "good" at... we don't want to hear about that in this thread.

I assume everyone hear is trying to improve on one lift or another... so lets see if we can't help each other out a bit!

[MuscleAddiction]

Bench...very weak in this department. Lagging triceps don't help either...before my first bodybuilding competition in 2005 my bench was 425...a lot of PL technique to help with it, now I have not been able to get close.

[SisterSteel]

Bench...very weak in this department. Lagging triceps don't help either...before my first bodybuilding competition in 2005 my bench was 425...a lot of PL technique to help with it, now I have not been able to get close.

What are you doing to train your bench? You use a lot more than just your triceps when you bench. You use your legs, triceps, lats, shoulders, chest, etc.

What set/rep scheme are you implementing in your bench training?

How's your shoulder strength? What assisting lifts are you performing to help increase your bench and get it back to where it was? Are you doing any CGBP, Floor Press, Standing OHP? How's your set up? Are you getting an arch? Are you driving your traps into the bench with your legs? Are you getting leg drive? Where are you bringing the bar down to?

One cue that will help you is... chest up. Get that chest up and that will help with your arch, help get some lat involvement, and keep your traps "locked" in place.

[iwrkout]

Dead lift! My 1RM for dead lift is 245. My bench is 185 and my squat is 275. My form was horrible and been workin on it but still struggling. I tend to use my back more than my legs and recently (as in yesterday) switched to the Sumo stance and that felt better so hopefully with a lot of training I can get my dead lift were it needs to be.

[Orange24]

Squat... I'm not by any means huge but my lifts are all 300+. Squats are dreadful...horrible balance and very tight hips. I suffer because I'm horribly inflexible

[SisterSteel]

Dead lift! My 1RM for dead lift is 245. My bench is 185 and my squat is 275. My form was horrible and been workin on it but still struggling. I tend to use my back more than my legs and recently (as in yesterday) switched to the Sumo stance and that felt better so hopefully with a lot of training I can get my dead lift were it needs to be.

Interesting that you are trying sumo since it's less back than conventional. You use MUCH more leg when pulling sumo. If you are flexibile and have wide hips sumo you'll be much more suited for sumo. I don't have wide hips and from all my years of Olympic weightlifting I'm much more suited to pull conventional.

If you having issues with leg drive when you pull conventional, try pulling off a 45lbs plate to create a deficit. This will force you to drop your hips and use more leg drive to itiate the lift.

Remember when you pull conventional.... shoulders behind the bar, hips down, and shoot your hips to finish the lift.

[SisterSteel]

Squat... I'm not by any means huge but my lifts are all 300+. Squats are dreadful...horrible balance and very tight hips. I suffer because I'm horribly inflexible

Orange, if mobility is your issue and it's a common issue amoung lifters I suggest you go to mobilitywod and look up hip mobility. You can even write that in the search box in youtube and watch some videos from Kelly Starrett. He has worked with a ton of athletes ranging from pro athletes, to powerlifters, to cross fitters.

It also may not just be your hips. It could be your ankles to. So check that out and I'm sure it'll help.

[SFDan]

I'd have to say squats have been the slowest to come around for me. For years my bench and squat were weak. I've had trainers and training buddies all along and nothing helped until I read Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe. Changed everything for me. Haven't had an issue with either since and best is there's no more flying blind with form. The guy is amazing at coaching the basic barbell lifts and has a program with them similar to a 5x5. If anyone has joint issues or problems with deads, bench, pressing or squats I'd get the book and video.

[OldGoat]

I thought deads and squats would be my worst lifts going into this meet this weekend, but they have come up tremendously. I feel like what Sister said, doing 2 and 4" deficit deadlifts, along with working the hips and glutes have really helped. For hips I have used Dimel Deads at 4x15 every other week, sub in rope pull-through's on the opposite weeks. Then for Glutes I do G/H kickback every week at 4x20. That's high volume for prep, but it has worked. If I had a GH raise I would have used it over the kickback machine.

[BigGuns]

Starting my journey I thought my dead would have been my worst but I has been my squat that hasn't come up the way I would have liked! but I am new to PL and I'm working with some good guys including old goat and with their help and support I think my squad will improve and potentially become my best lift! I'm currently benching 365 squat 465 and dead at 550!

[MuscleAddiction]

My ass off the couch on some days ;)...some days need extra motivation!

[BigGuns]

My ass off the couch on some days ;)...some days need extra motivation!

Im right there with ya on that one! I get up so early to go to work.... so when Its time to hit the gym im already wore out and tired

[zedhed]

Hey bro bench press is not necessarily the best or only way to train chest. This guy is kind of a clown but check out his chest development. He does not bench at all ever!

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CCwQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fscoobysworkshop.com%2F&ei=LkLLUZzMOInxygGG5oCADA&usg=AFQjCNHY7vqAolIr88LmkYPGLpYn7BwiwQ&bvm=bv.48340889,d.aWc

Bench has screwed my shoulders so all I do now is flys, incline and flat. Also do floor presses with elbows at 45° out from bod. Check it out, maybe some help for you.

[zedhed]

Squats and deads.
Just to let you know I have had multipls kness surgeries on both knees and I know that I will never a gr8 squatter or prolly dlifter.
But...on DL I have found that if I modify the height of the weight by 3" my knees dont hurt at all afterwards. So thats what I do. I will not compete so I dont think it really matters too much.

Back squat, I think I lean too far forward but if I dont lean I feel like Im gonna fall over. I do use the low bar wide stance and I know that I keep my back very slightly concave. I have taught myself to break at the hips first.
But it still feels like Im doing a good morning while squatting down to just below parallel....

Front Squat, same thing, leaning forward but not nearly as bad as in back squat.
But I see pics of guy holding their arms out str8 in front of them with some pretty dam big weights and the bar not moving...def not me.
Ft squats does not hurt my knees btw, back squats def does afterwards.
On Ft squats my back remains slightly concave.
Any help appreciated.

[SisterSteel]

Zed, have you tried working on your hip mobility? Leaning forward to compensate is usually an idicator that you're immobile in your hips. I'd also work on knee and ankle mobility to.

[SisterSteel]

I thought deads and squats would be my worst lifts going into this meet this weekend, but they have come up tremendously. I feel like what Sister said, doing 2 and 4" deficit deadlifts, along with working the hips and glutes have really helped. For hips I have used Dimel Deads at 4x15 every other week, sub in rope pull-through's on the opposite weeks. Then for Glutes I do G/H kickback every week at 4x20. That's high volume for prep, but it has worked. If I had a GH raise I would have used it over the kickback machine.

Here's a trick to get more glute involvement in your conventional deadlifts.... duck your feet out just a lil bit. That will open the hips and make it easier to activate the gluts.

Something you should also try OldGoat to strengthen your hips.... glute bridges from the floor and you can also do them off a bench. Dimels aren't bad but I feel I got more from glute bridges.

[SisterSteel]

Starting my journey I thought my dead would have been my worst but I has been my squat that hasn't come up the way I would have liked! but I am new to PL and I'm working with some good guys including old goat and with their help and support I think my squad will improve and potentially become my best lift! I'm currently benching 365 squat 465 and dead at 550!

There's a lot you can do to increase your squat. Like I've been telling everyone.... don't forget to work on your hip mobility.

[zedhed]

This is exactly how I DL except that I start from the floor.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnBREGM7pE0

Unfortunatly this is pretty much how (I think or at least I feel like I look) doing squats too.

[Encino_Mang]

Deads.......I'm a short squaty guy with short arms (think T-Rex ;)) anyway I love them I just can't pull......tried sumos also.....still just sorry :(

[SisterSteel]

This is exactly how I DL except that I start from the floor.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnBREGM7pE0

Unfortunatly this is pretty much how (I think or at least I feel like I look) doing squats too.

You need to work on your hip mobility. When you're pulling conventional you want your shoulders behind the bar and to accomplish that you have ot drop your hips.

Another thing that is often overlooked when pulling conventional is how to properly finish a pull. You don't pull back extending your lower back. You shoot your hips forward. I see many people doing this incorrectly and they miss the top of the lift when in fact that shouldn't happen if they have strong hips.

[SisterSteel]

Deads.......I'm a short squaty guy with short arms (think T-Rex ;)) anyway I love them I just can't pull......tried sumos also.....still just sorry :(

You just have to work on it. Lets be honest.... none of us are built for all 3 lifts. At best some of us are built for 2 of the lifts so that means we ALL struggle with a lift. Don't say... I'm going to suck at deads because of blah, blah, blah. Instead say I'm going to kick the shit out of deadlifts and believe it. If you say you can't than you won't. Believe in yourself and you'll be surprised what you can accomplish.

[zedhed]

You need to work on your hip mobility. When you're pulling conventional you want your shoulders behind the bar and to accomplish that you have ot drop your hips.

Another thing that is often overlooked when pulling conventional is how to properly finish a pull. You don't pull back extending your lower back. You shoot your hips forward. I see many people doing this incorrectly and they miss the top of the lift when in fact that shouldn't happen if they have strong hips.


Thanks SS, working on the hip mobility. Doing tons of research right now. Appreciate your advice too suga!:cool:

[zedhed]

Hip Mobility

http://www.mobilitywod.com/2010/11/episode-97-improved-hip-mobility-for-better-squatting-tomorrow/

[SisterSteel]

That's actually a VERY good video Zed. You should work on those 2 stretched 3x week for 2+ minutes a time and you'll see a difference in your hip mobility.

Don't forget to work on the rest of your body (upper and lower body).

[zedhed]

Much thanks suga am on it both upper and lower.

[SisterSteel]

Much thanks suga am on it both upper and lower.

Kelly Starrett and Chad Wesley Smith both have good vids of mobility for the upper and lower body.

[BigBones]

Hip Mobility

http://www.mobilitywod.com/2010/11/episode-97-improved-hip-mobility-for-better-squatting-tomorrow/

Awesome. Need to stretch and flex like this. My squat is tight and weak - this is useful ^^^

[zedhed]

OK a question on Good Mornings.
Do you keep you hips stationary or do you move them horizontally from front to back with your legs slightly bent?

[SisterSteel]

OK a question on Good Mornings.
Do you keep you hips stationary or do you move them horizontally from front to back with your legs slightly bent?

You move your hips back as the bar descends. You also want to keep a slight bend in your hips. If you kept your hips fixated in one position, you would topple over as you lowered the bar.

One more thing... If you're not performing GM's you should be. They are great for strengthening the lower back. It's a staple lift of mine and all that I have trained (which includes some big names in Powerlifting).

[zedhed]

Thanks suga!

[gahr]

My bench press lags in comparison to my squats/deadlift, I got long arms can never seem to get my arms under the bar comfortably

[bionic redneck]

my bench press.... mine is only 315lbs x 10 where as i can dead lift 500 x 12

[Encino_Mang]

my bench press.... mine is only 315lbs x 10 where as i can dead lift 500 x 12

Depends......what's your weight?

Besides that how many people walking around can push up that weight?

[bionic redneck]

6ft1 268lbs at 12.44%bf

[Encino_Mang]

6ft1 268lbs at 12.44%bf

Sounds like a pretty good number to me.....You don't see average joe doing that

[SisterSteel]

my bench press.... mine is only 315lbs x 10 where as i can dead lift 500 x 12


My bench press lags in comparison to my squats/deadlift, I got long arms can never seem to get my arms under the bar comfortably

A lot of people don't realize that bench pressing is also lats, delts, triceps, and not just your pecs. So, you want to look and see where you're weak. Perhaps you need to work on those areas.

Bionic Redneck, there isn't going to be a linear correlation between pulls and bench. Where are you getting stuck?

Gahr, don't focus on tucking your elbows because you may tuck them to much. I want you to keep your chest high. That will help get your body into position. You can tuck your elbows a bit as you lower the weight and after you touch your sternum you press upward and flare your elbows out.

For me to help I need to know where you're weak. Are you having issues off your chest, halfway up, near the top? That will help paint me a picture of what to target to help you increase your bench.

[bionic redneck]

my goal is to drop to 12 before i bulk to 285lbs and cut back to 265lbs or as close to 10 percent as i can.... strength goals are 630lbs x 10 and 405lb x 8 on bench.....

idk where id be gettin stuck... i mean as far as shoulders i arnold press 95 x 10 and military press 230 x 10, and i do incline and decline on hammar strength due to the fact i work out alone... i flat db press 140 x 15 so idk ...lol

[SisterSteel]

my goal is to drop to 12 before i bulk to 285lbs and cut back to 265lbs or as close to 10 percent as i can.... strength goals are 630lbs x 10 and 405lb x 8 on bench.....

idk where id be gettin stuck... i mean as far as shoulders i arnold press 95 x 10 and military press 230 x 10, and i do incline and decline on hammar strength due to the fact i work out alone... i flat db press 140 x 15 so idk ...lol

You'll want to figure out you're weaknesses so you can attack them to reach your goals. You'll also find that as your numbers increase your weaknesses change so your assisting lifts will change to accomodate that.

I see you're doing a lot of higher rep sets. Are you doing any lower rep, higher weight sets to help overload your CNS and prepare it 1RM attemps? You want to work your CNS as well as your musculature.

[bionic redneck]

yes ma'am im doing higher reps right now cause im still cutting, as my trainer slowly adds food my rep range will lower.. i have always lifted for power till i started cutting..but i still like to see and have been seeing strength increases.. i pulled my pec last october and have slowly worked my way back up to where i am.. i am not currently doing low rep ranges at the moment though