Powerlifting

[markos]

I'll check through my phone. I normally take a lot more but we were pretty flat out. Overall we had 200+ spectators and 52 lifters, thats not normal. We have 120 chairs and they were all full plus people standing around everywhere. Also had a grill going out the front with Nina cooking burgers. She bought down 100 patties and they didn't last past the squats, all gone before benches started.

So I was too busy to take as many videos as usual

[L33SH]

I took a video of Birds squats, I'll leave it up to him to post

[r31slpr]

I'll check through my phone. I normally take a lot more but we were pretty flat out. Overall we had 200+ spectators and 52 lifters, thats not normal. We have 120 chairs and they were all full plus people standing around everywhere. Also had a grill going out the front with Nina cooking burgers. She bought down 100 patties and they didn't last past the squats, all gone before benches started.

So I was too busy to take as many videos as usual

Sounds like a good day haha

I took a video of Birds squats, I'll leave it up to him to post

Yep fair enough

[Birds]

My lifts were nothing extraordinary haha, no need for vids.

I'm wrapped Markos took vids of Leesh, though - I forgot to do this / was too busy cheering her on. To hear him describe it as incredible is quite a compliment - this is a man who has filmed a 17 year old kid pull 300kg.

Leesh's deadlift is standout because it was the heaviest female lift of the day from memory - achieved under basic training from me, so imagine what she would be capable of if she trained with the PTC crew. Might be on the cards when she moves to Melbourne.

[Birds]

P.S. It's sad to read ignorant comments on FB about Leesh's vids, carrying on about form and squat depth etc. Last I checked, 3 white lights meant a successful lift. Talk about jealousy / egos feeling threatened. I'm reminded that it's the internet, where everyone is an expert on exercise.

Have seen the same garbage posted on some of Martin Nguyen's videos. How anyone can tell a record holder they're doing it wrong is nothing short of delusional. Put up or shut up.

[TTT]

Haters gotta hate.

She could do with more depth to remove any doubt but still, it's a "novice" comp.

for "novices"

It's how you learn.

There is a degree of leniency.

Also Leesh - I really worry for your lower back.

Not sure what the fix is.

I'm sure there are some exercises that the guys at your powerlifting gym could suggest that will prevent you from rounding so much.

Upper back rounding is one thing, but you are moments away from popping a disc.

Edited July 24, 2014 by TTT

[L33SH]

really? I thought it was fine

Well Birds has said its fine

Edited July 24, 2014 by L33SH

[Birds]

My opinion is that as long as you don't feel pain in the back then you are doing okay, and to stop the moment if you do. I've always maintained that a max weight rep will naturally round the back because that's what the back does when it's being pushed to it's limits. For lower weights we keep it as straight as possible. You can see Martin rounding in a few of his vids too.

As for squat depth, whilst I say no harm in going deeper for certainty, the judges gave her one red light on the previous squat, so I don't think they were being too lenient. Plenty of red lights went up for the day too. It's hard to pick the depth from the video because Leesh's pants were the same colour as the spotter's.

[TTT]

Pause Leesh's vid on previous page at 7 second mark. this is where the plates leave the floor.

Here is Marty

at 13 seconds the plates leave the floor.

Look at where they are rounded

Rounding of the upper back is always going to happen.

But losing that lower back tightness and allowing it to round is going to lead to injury.

and believe me, lower back injury is not like a Scap injury where it will heal with rest and band work.

Totally up to you.

I just suggest you don't continuously lift maximal like that.

[L33SH]

So how do I stop it? I want to lift with correct technique and I dont want to injure myself

[Birds]

Look at Martin's other vids though

Not saying she had perfect form, but if you're not feeling pain during or after the lift, you've generally done okay. We train to be able to lift this way and Leesh's 122.5 vid was a tired third attempt that she hadn't succeeded at doing earlier in the week. Her form on lower weights is normally much tighter in the lower back, as is mine. If she has concern about it I'm happy to work with her to stamp it out and keep the form stricter, but I don't believe that anyone lifting their absolute maximum weight (as in struggling past the knees) will be able to avoid a bit of back rounding in the lumbar region. She has long levers and consequently keeping a neutral spine at max weight is much harder without it turning into squat.

A couple of interesting and scientific articles from people who don't believe it to be a bad thing, as long as you aren't reaching end flexion in the lumbar:

http://www.liftbigeatbig.com/2014/04/its-time-to-shut-up-about-rounded-back.html?m=1

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/a_strong_case_for_the_rounded_back_deadlift

[JezR31]

If I can give some advice.

The back is always going to round a little when pulling your max. If you can maintain your back form, you'd probably stall at some point in the lift where your weak point is, below the knee or lockout for example. The body is always wants to move into a shape it feels strongest, usually that's where the back rounds the back takes a beating. The back rounds to get around that weak point in your lift.

Hopefully I can make this as constructive at possible:

From watching your vid L33SH, at 6 seconds, a lot of people have this problem, the yank on the bar causes you to lose your back stability, your shoulders also round and your chest is very low. Next time you're training heavy, try pre load your back by taking the slack out of the bar, pull your shoulders back and down. Your lats and mid back below your shoulder blades should be switched on by doing this. By pulling your shoulders back you also bring your chest out.

So by starting in this position, you should be able to control your hips better, you back angle will stay relatively the same until you get to the knee then you can start extending. They wont rise too quickly like at the 7 sec mark. You want to transfer all drive you make from the legs into the bar. To do this your back needs to be as straight as possible.

Between 6-7 seconds, you seem to be pivoting at the waist, not so much at the hip which is why I've explained the above. So when your bar gets to above the knee really focus on hip drive with your glutes and upper hams.

Around the 12 second mark, in your negative, you seem to bend at the waist again. Back should stay straight and pivot at the waist with unlocked knees until you get to the knee and then sink back to start. It's almost like riding your hamstring to the bottom.

All of this should take some of the load off your back and help you utilise your leg power more, you pulled it quite easily. Hope that helps.

[L33SH]

If I can give some advice.

The back is always going to round a little when pulling your max. If you can maintain your back form, you'd probably stall at some point in the lift where your weak point is, below the knee or lockout for example. The body is always wants to move into a shape it feels strongest, usually that's where the back rounds the back takes a beating. The back rounds to get around that weak point in your lift.

Hopefully I can make this as constructive at possible:

From watching your vid L33SH, at 6 seconds, a lot of people have this problem, the yank on the bar causes you to lose your back stability, your shoulders also round and your chest is very low. Next time you're training heavy, try pre load your back by taking the slack out of the bar, pull your shoulders back and down. Your lats and mid back below your shoulder blades should be switched on by doing this. By pulling your shoulders back you also bring your chest out.

So by starting in this position, you should be able to control your hips better, you back angle will stay relatively the same until you get to the knee then you can start extending. They wont rise too quickly like at the 7 sec mark. You want to transfer all drive you make from the legs into the bar. To do this your back needs to be as straight as possible.

Between 6-7 seconds, you seem to be pivoting at the waist, not so much at the hip which is why I've explained the above. So when your bar gets to above the knee really focus on hip drive with your glutes and upper hams.

Around the 12 second mark, in your negative, you seem to bend at the waist again. Back should stay straight and pivot at the waist with unlocked knees until you get to the knee and then sink back to start. It's almost like riding your hamstring to the bottom.

All of this should take some of the load off your back and help you utilise your leg power more, you pulled it quite easily. Hope that helps.

Thank you for your advice, I'll try to take this advice on board but I don't actually know how to change my form because I do try to pull my shoulders back and my chest out. I always remember Dave Tate's cue of 'show the writing on your shirt.' So I am already trying to do these things. I don't actually know how to use my hips rather than my waist, I seem to have a lot of issues using my hips in all exercises.

[JezR31]

Thank you for your advice, I'll try to take this advice on board but I don't actually know how to change my form because I do try to pull my shoulders back and my chest out. I always remember Dave Tate's cue of 'show the writing on your shirt.' So I am already trying to do these things. I don't actually know how to use my hips rather than my waist, I seem to have a lot of issues using my hips in all exercises.

Try do some Romanian deadlifts if you don't already do them. I think they'll help you a lot. All the benefits on the dead just with less legs. You can work on maintaining thoracic extension which will keep your chest up and shoulders back whilst you tip lever forward at the hip.

I used to have the same problem not being able to use my hips properly in squads at deads

Edited July 25, 2014 by JezR31

[L33SH]

I don't do any exercises besides squats, deadlifts, bench press, lat pulldown, pullups and abs

So could give them a go

[markos]

[markos]

This is the biggest squat in History in the raw 67.5kg class, happened on Sunday at the GPC Adelaide Cup at Fuzzys Power Gym

[markos]

He is considered to have a weak bench, 130kg at 67.5kg, standards are high

[Birds]

My god what a freak, how is that even possible

Look out, Martin!

[-FIGJAM-]

strong dude.

How tall is he?