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anotherbutters
New member
Stitched up like a kipper again, dammit! 
AB's Happy Smiley Thoughts journal
- Thread starter anotherbutters
- Start date
anotherbutters
New member
SF 5x5 Week 3, Monday
Fun, fun, fun - there's no time like the present for starting OH squats!
1. OH Squats (kg) - for real
bar x 10
25 x 5
30 x 5
35 x 5
40 x 5
I was a bit wobbly on the top set, but it wasn't too bad. Nothing to worry about. It was a bit tricky to get the bar up there in the first place and to lower afterwards. I did a bit of a muscled-up snatch, also trying not to smash the light above me. Awkward. I think I'll keep these in for fun and core stability, but I won't push them because I don't have the room and I'm only going to damage something if I screw up. Still, I'm really happy to have done these.
2. Squats (kg)
(warmup: bar x 5)
40 x 5
50 x 5
60 x 5
70 x 5
74 x 5 ..... up 4kg from last week
Still easy.
3. Squat cleans (kg)
(warmup: bar x 5)
30 x 5
35 x 5
40 x 5
45 x 3
50 x 3
55 x 3 ..... up 5kg from last week
I dropped down to 3 reps because I was toying with 60kg, but stuck at 55 in the end. I can see these increasing for a long time, just due to practise and form improvements.
4. Bench (kg)
(warmup: bar x 5)
40 x 5
45 x 5
50 x 5
57 x 5
64 x 5, up 1kg from last week
Bench was hard again. I'm just happy for it to go up by 1kg each week.
5. Core work
Double leg lowers - 3x8 reps
I do these with a bare back on the rubber mats, so I can tell when my lower back lifts off the mat. I managed to keep my back flat on the floor for every rep apart from the last one, which is excellent progress.
Comments
I'm glad to have found my problem with OH squats. What's the best way of getting the bar up there and lowering it after? I'm wondering whether I can clean and push-press it, then lower it to the clean position after, but I'm not sure I can do all that with a wide grip.
My conditioning is much better now, but I want to start doing more work on the off days. I just generally want to be more active, since I have a desk job and don't play any sport. MILO had an article on swinging a weight plate from between your legs up to shoulder height whilst walking with it. I'll try that tomorrow, but I know I'm going to break something, walking round the house.
Fun, fun, fun - there's no time like the present for starting OH squats!
1. OH Squats (kg) - for real
bar x 10
25 x 5
30 x 5
35 x 5
40 x 5
I was a bit wobbly on the top set, but it wasn't too bad. Nothing to worry about. It was a bit tricky to get the bar up there in the first place and to lower afterwards. I did a bit of a muscled-up snatch, also trying not to smash the light above me. Awkward. I think I'll keep these in for fun and core stability, but I won't push them because I don't have the room and I'm only going to damage something if I screw up. Still, I'm really happy to have done these.
2. Squats (kg)
(warmup: bar x 5)
40 x 5
50 x 5
60 x 5
70 x 5
74 x 5 ..... up 4kg from last week
Still easy.
3. Squat cleans (kg)
(warmup: bar x 5)
30 x 5
35 x 5
40 x 5
45 x 3
50 x 3
55 x 3 ..... up 5kg from last week
I dropped down to 3 reps because I was toying with 60kg, but stuck at 55 in the end. I can see these increasing for a long time, just due to practise and form improvements.
4. Bench (kg)
(warmup: bar x 5)
40 x 5
45 x 5
50 x 5
57 x 5
64 x 5, up 1kg from last week
Bench was hard again. I'm just happy for it to go up by 1kg each week.
5. Core work
Double leg lowers - 3x8 reps
I do these with a bare back on the rubber mats, so I can tell when my lower back lifts off the mat. I managed to keep my back flat on the floor for every rep apart from the last one, which is excellent progress.
Comments
I'm glad to have found my problem with OH squats. What's the best way of getting the bar up there and lowering it after? I'm wondering whether I can clean and push-press it, then lower it to the clean position after, but I'm not sure I can do all that with a wide grip.
My conditioning is much better now, but I want to start doing more work on the off days. I just generally want to be more active, since I have a desk job and don't play any sport. MILO had an article on swinging a weight plate from between your legs up to shoulder height whilst walking with it. I'll try that tomorrow, but I know I'm going to break something, walking round the house.
Guinness5.0
New member
For OH's you can take the bar from the rack like a normal backsquat, then grip it out wide and 'pop' it up like a push press. That's what I've been doing so as to not ingrain bad habits for when I start to learn the snatch. It's been working out great so far.
anotherbutters
New member
Duh! Why didn't I think of that?
Protobuilder
New member
ab said:
Awesome! I saw that article too. Do it, and report back. LoL
Great job on overhead squats, my friend! They're the one lift I just can't bring myself to even try. I dunno why. Maybe it's that time I tried 'em w/ the bar and fell over. LoL
anotherbutters
New member
Just pick up a broom, lift it overhead and squat down. Practise!
BiggT
New member
Guinness5.0 said:
That's exactly what I do.....it is really a behind the neck jerk....doing this or a snatch balance/drop squat are about the 2 most efficient ways to get the bar into position for oh squats....you can power snatch it, but when you start working w/ more weight than you can PS, then that won't work obviously.
I just dropped by to say Hi b/c II like the name of your journal 
Good luck with the OH Squats
anotherbutters
New member
SF 5x5 Week 3, Tuesday - GPP work
Circuit x 1 (total time: 15 mins)
30kg (66lb) bar:
* Front Squats x 10
* OHP x 10
* BTN press x 10
* Rows x 10
Then one at a time, carry four plates through the house, up the stairs (running up two steps at a time) and dump them in a bedroom.
3 mins on the rowing machine (which, luckily, happens to be upstairs) at a fast pace (2:00/500m for me).
Carry said plates back down stairs.
Comments
I was going to do two circuits and started the second one, but after a few front squats and rows, I had to quit. I think the rowing finished me off, even though it was only 3 mins. I'll lower the pace and do two circuits on Thursday, then hopefully I'll get a good 30 mins in. I hate to say it, but I was completely out of breath after the above.
I've always run up stairs two at a time ever since I was a kid, but doing it with a plate in my hand was knackering. This is way more fun than any kind of cardio I've done before!
I have a problem with lowering the bar on BTN presses though. I hit the base of my neck a couple of times, whilst trying to do it quickly. I had to slow down and lower the bar slowly to lower it to the right place. For anyone who does these (BiggT), do you just drop the bar to your back or lower it under control?
Circuit x 1 (total time: 15 mins)
30kg (66lb) bar:
* Front Squats x 10
* OHP x 10
* BTN press x 10
* Rows x 10
Then one at a time, carry four plates through the house, up the stairs (running up two steps at a time) and dump them in a bedroom.
3 mins on the rowing machine (which, luckily, happens to be upstairs) at a fast pace (2:00/500m for me).
Carry said plates back down stairs.
Comments
I was going to do two circuits and started the second one, but after a few front squats and rows, I had to quit. I think the rowing finished me off, even though it was only 3 mins. I'll lower the pace and do two circuits on Thursday, then hopefully I'll get a good 30 mins in. I hate to say it, but I was completely out of breath after the above.
I've always run up stairs two at a time ever since I was a kid, but doing it with a plate in my hand was knackering. This is way more fun than any kind of cardio I've done before!
I have a problem with lowering the bar on BTN presses though. I hit the base of my neck a couple of times, whilst trying to do it quickly. I had to slow down and lower the bar slowly to lower it to the right place. For anyone who does these (BiggT), do you just drop the bar to your back or lower it under control?
