Here's my DF 5 x 5, modified

[Guinness5.0]

What shoes do you wear for 'em? The same ones you use for regular deads? I was tempted to try 'em with my Oly shoes today but I figured that would defeat the purpose I had for 'em, which is to improve my hamstring flexibilty.

 

[Jim Ouini]

I've been wearing my oly shoes since I've been squatting and deadlifting on the same day (in the case of Korte) and front squatting and RDL'ing on Weds (in the case of volume phase of current 5 x 5) for awhile.

But now that I've been able to drop my Wed squat I went back to my flat soled shoes. I like it better, especially at the bottom of my RDL I don't feel like I'm tipping forward.

I'm actually interested to see how it'll feel deadlifting again in my flat shoes.

 

[Jim Ouini]

Week 8 Day 3

Squat 1 x 3
bar x 2 x 5
135 x 2 x 3
185 x 3
225 x 3
275 x 3
315 x 3 (belt)

Just decided to go for 3 plates today. Didn't warm up that well since I was in kind of a hurry. Anyway, 275 felt pretty hard so you can imagine what 315 felt like, real grinders. Not sure I was all that happy with my depth, except for my last last rep ironically.

Bench 3 x 3
bar x 8
135 x 5
185 x 1
225 x 1
265 x 3 x 3

Had to push hard last rep of each set but no hitches at all.

BB row 3 x 3
bar x 8
135 x 5
185 x 1
225 x 1
265 x 3 x 3

Last set was best again, pulled a lot harder to my stomach.

Powershrug (from hang) 3 x 3
225 x 5
315 x 3
405 x 1
465 x 3 x 3

Good sets, nice and deliberate lowering the bar and able to get good shrug action. Hardest part is walking it back to the rack.

Overall: Eh. Not that happy with the 315 squat, I had an inkling to repeat since I felt like it was a concentration thing but time was running short. Oh well. Everything else was pretty solid. Seriously considering going M-Th-M for the next 3 workouts.

 

[Madcow2]

OHP
bar x 2 x 5
95 x 2
115 x 1
145 x 3 x 3

Heavy but solid. No leg drive but I am getting some momentum I think with the bar starting in front and finishing behind.

If the momentum is "driving your head forward" so that the bar is directly over your shoulders with your head between your arms (it's really hard to describe), this is fine. Everyone does this and if you watch someone jerk heavy weight, it's implicit in the movement. Basically you have to hold heavy weight overhead like this to center it. Just how the body works.

Powershrug (from hang) 3 x 3
225 x 5
315 x 3
405 x 1
465 x 3 x 3

Good sets, nice and deliberate lowering the bar and able to get good shrug action. Hardest part is walking it back to the rack.

Don't worry about lowering it. The OLs don't have much eccentric anyway. Get full extension and try to hold the pose for a second with traps in ears (try being the operative word but by trying to hold it you will get full extension). Don't worry about it after that, you don't need to fight it on the way down.

 

[Jim Ouini]

If the momentum is "driving your head forward" so that the bar is directly over your shoulders with your head between your arms (it's really hard to describe), this is fine. Everyone does this and if you watch someone jerk heavy weight, it's implicit in the movement. Basically you have to hold heavy weight overhead like this to center it. Just how the body works.

Yeah that's what it is - a head thrust, I call it. Picked it up from Starting Strength and Guinness also mentioned contracting the traps hard, so it all kind of came together that way. I've been having lots of problems getting appreciable weight up on the OHP so this helps.

Don't worry about lowering it. The OLs don't have much eccentric anyway. Get full extension and try to hold the pose for a second with traps in ears (try being the operative word but by trying to hold it you will get full extension). Don't worry about it after that, you don't need to fight it on the way down.

I sure can't hold that pose at the top but it's a good tip to help with the shrug action. As far as lowering, it's more that I need to be deliberate with my torso tilt getting into my hang position. The weight comes down pretty fast, and I noticed a few weeks back that if I get too bouncy getting into my hang - kind of a half 'RDL' - I lose my rhythm and the timing of my hip snap and shrug is all off.

 

[Madcow2]

I sure can't hold that pose at the top but it's a good tip to help with the shrug action. As far as lowering, it's more that I need to be deliberate with my torso tilt getting into my hang position. The weight comes down pretty fast, and I noticed a few weeks back that if I get too bouncy getting into my hang - kind of a half 'RDL' - I lose my rhythm and the timing of my hip snap and shrug is all off.

Gotcha - I thought you were talking about lowering from the shrug not getting reset in the hang. That's not something to rush with heavy weight.

 

[nelmsjer]

Jim! Dang, son! Your Romanian DL's are freaking unbelievable!

 

[Jim Ouini]

Thanks nelms! I used to do a lot of them, I think that's why my dead is ahead of my other lifts.

Altlhough my range of motion isn't that great, like I said I can only get the bar a couple inches past my knees. Maybe I'll get a vid up for critique

 

[Jim Ouini]

Week 9 Day 1

Squat (3 x 3)
bar x 2 x 8
135 x 2 x 4
185 x 1
225 x 1
265 x 1
305 x 3 x 3 (belt)

Good sets, much better than Friday. I got in a nice groove and able to hit my depth. My buddy was spotting me and told me he thought I reached my 'anatomical limit'. At least I hope he was talking about my depth.

Bench 1 x 3
bar x 10
135 x 5
185 x 1
225 x 3
255 x 3
280 x 3 (PR)

Money. I was looking around for a spotter and saw nothing but schmucks so I thought WTF and just got under the bar. I think the 'fight or flight' helped me because as soon as I unracked the bar I knew I was going to get them. For reference, I missed 295 at the end of my Korte (barely) and only got 280 for one hard rep at the end of my 2nd 5 x 5 a few months back. So I'm happy.

BB row 1 x 3
Bar x 10
135 x 5
185 x 3
225 x 3
255 x 3
280 x 3

Body english at 280. It's not like I'm raising my body a whole lot, it's more like a dip and dive. Plus I didn't smack my tummy with the bar. Ah well.

Powershrug (from hang) 1 x 3
225 x 5
275 x 3
315 x 3
405 x 3
435 x 3
485 x 3

405 and 435 were good, 485 not so great. Not able to generate much explosiveness with predictable results. The bar moved and I guess I was shrugging, but it defintely coulda been better.

Overall: Good start to Week 9. Happy with my squat and bench; row and PS were just alright.

 

[Guinness5.0]

Good stuff.

That row wasn't a PR?