Thursday, January 12, 2012

Training - Squatting

Bodyweight - 238

Pause Squats -
135 x 10
225 x 3
315 x 3
365 x 3
405 x 3
455 x 3
500 x 1

Notes - That was it.  Super tired tonight and glad this week is wrapping up.  I really want to hit 500x5 in the pause squat before April.



15 comments:

  1. That's a super strong pause squat, maybe its just the camera angle but on the 500 x 1 looks like on your way up you're pushing with your left leg first before straightening up? (25/26 second mark)

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  2. Yeah if you watch on the 500x1 I try to adjust the bar. The weight on the left side felt unusually heaver than the right. I think some of the plates are a little mismatched in weight.

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  3. Fuck it, lift 'em all and let God sort 'em out!

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  4. Did you pick up some squat shoes paul? Those don't look like your usual adidas

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  5. Good Job Paul, is there any reason why you don't train without shoes?

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  6. Great session! 2 squat questions
    1. Elbow angle - I read Dave Tate's 900 lb squat article and he talks about a misconception that you need to have your elbows back. He said they need to be forward. Now in trying to make a shelf on my back the guy who convinced me to move to low bar was always like elbows back and high. This bends you over like a hunchback. And burns the shit right off my back. I'm not sure what forward means? Your elbows look like they are aligned with the plane of your upper torso? In just trying it sitting here it seems like my elbows down i can get much tighter? Any tips/pointers on that?

    2. Squat shoes. I reread your squat articles and you say they are a decent idea. Pendlays are $115 the addidas ones are $90. I mean is it worth the money? I know it's a mortal sin to squat in running shoes but I do it. I have a pair of low top chuck taylors but they don't have much grip on bottom, (slippy). and i have a pair of kmart skater shoes, doesn't feel tight around my ankle. I also have bowling shoes that i could break out. Are you better off buying like a minimal shoe like an addidas samba (that you have) or new balance minimus or vibram five fingers. I imagine some is personal preference but I'm 33 not the king of flexibility but able to reach parallel depth.

    Thanks!

    Sam

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  7. Victor - Yes, those are the VS squat shoes.

    Anonymous - I've done lots of squatting without shoes. I think it's fun but I squat in shoes because I compete in shoes.

    Sam -

    1. Elbow angle is an issue. And you're touching on something I've hit on before. Your elbow angle changes the angle of your torso. I'm going over this thoroughly in the new book. If you want to think about trying to bend the bar across your back. Your elbows will come down and in, towards your lats. You don't need to squeeze the bar like this when you squat, though I do sometimes. However you want the elbows to be in line with the torso as much as possible. If you pause my videos at the bottom of the squat you will see a straight line down my back in line with the arms, even thought my grip is out wide.

    So think about pulling the elbows down and in towards the lats.

    2. These are basically the ones I have.

    http://www.vsathletics.com/product.php?xProd=1301

    I like em. I don't think you need to spend a fortune on squat shoes. In fact, I think a dress shoe works about the same. The point is to have a very solid heel if you squat with a closer stance, more Olympics style.

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  8. Hey Paul, nice work with the squats. I've recently adopted the whole "no belt, no wraps" philosophy, simply because it's badass. So far deads haven't been much of a change but squats w/o a belt are a bitch for me. Do you feel just doing more beltless squats will be enough to adapt or do you need to add in extra ab work as well? Thanks!

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  9. The ab work WILL help. I didn't do a lot of ab work during most of my years (well, it varied) but I can tell you putting a lot of effort into it lately has really helped me feel more solid in the hole. hur hur hur.

    Any way it will just take some time. But hang in there.

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  10. i was wondering if you ever messed around with high bar squats to build up the competition low bar. steve

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  11. Steve - Yup. I will often do pause squats high bar after my normal low bar squats. The mechanics are quite different for high bar in terms of sit back and drop but I can do it just fine.

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  12. when youre in the hole on the pause squats do you hold your breath?

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  13. Oh yeah. If you let it out you will feel it. Big time.

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  14. its all about breathing when you are in the hole....

    giggity giggity

    -Parker

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  15. This is so true. Just don't breathe in their face. Most women don't like that.

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