Front Squat
- 240lbs: 3,3,3,3,3
Dips
- 55lbs: 10,10,9
Pull Ups
- Bodyweight (189lbs): 9,7,6
Archives For front squats
Front Squats
- 220lbs: 3,3,3,3,3
Push Press
- 225lbs: 1,1,x
- Lost balance attempting the 2nd rep on the 1st set
- Failed on the 2nd rep, 2nd set
- 3rd set, 1st rep went up about 3/4 before I lost balance
- 205lbs: 3
Pull Ups (palms facing together)
- Body weight (189.5lbs): 12,8,6
Notes
I'm going to do push press instead of regular military/overhead presses during my recovery day.
The reason why is Glenn Pendlay says:
The push press has more carryover to pressing in general – bench press etc. – than any other upper body exercise.
He also points out:
With a push press, you can put 10 to 20% more weight over your head. You're forced to develop the ability to recruit those muscle fibers very quickly because you're pushing the bar off your shoulders with your legs and then your arms have to come into play, fast, so it doesn't stall. The ability to do that is very, very valuable.
Second, with the push press there's just a huge overload at the top. That last six inches at the top is like doing a partial. That has a powerful effect on the body.
Works for me! Good thing I didn't end up push pressing the bar directly under my chin this time.
Front Squats
- 205lbs: 3,3,3,3,3
Dips
- Bodyweight (189lbs): 12,12,12
Notes
- Dropped the bar while I was changing plates. The edge of the bar hit the cuticle on my left thumb, cutting it and making a bloody mess.
I experimented with power cleaning the bar for over head press and front squats this week.
I felt way more explosive doing the press & front squat AFTER I cleaned the bar as opposed to lifting it off the rack. It actually felt a lot easier. And for a couple of days, my traps were sore as hell.
I got this idea from Zach Even-Esh's blog. He wrote:
I remember when I trained at Diamond Gym & began power cleaning the bar from the ground before every set of military presses and my back, traps, shoulders and arms got seriously THICK in a very short time period.
That sound's like a pretty damn good idea! It also seems like a manlier way to lift weights.
Cleaning the Bar for the Front Squat
Elbows Pointed Forward
For the front squat, getting the bar in position is the same as a regular power clean. ie. the bar will be racked on your front deltoids with your elbows raised & pointed forward.
Cleaning the Bar for the Over Head Press
Elbows Pointed Down
Cleaning the bar for the over head press is different compared to cleaning the bar for the front squat (at least for me). My press my grip is wider than I normally use for power cleans, so I needed to clean the bar with a wider grip.
Also, because I'm pressing it up, I don't rack with my elbows up. I rack it with my elbows down, and I'm in a position where I'm ready to press the bar over my head.
It looks something like this (note this is not me; it's some strong dude from Singapore):
I won't be cleaning the bar for overhead presses during intensity days (where I try to hit a 1,2 or 3 rep max). But for volume (5x5) & recover days (3x5) I will.
Anyways, enough about cleaning and check out these links:
- Christine aka "thecookiemonster" gives her thoughts on powerlifting
- Charles Poliquin explains how to increase your squat, and gives me some more reasons to consider (finally) taking whey protein
- Brent Contreras shares 50 commandments that should be obeyed in the gym: http://bretcontreras.com/2011/08/50-commandments-commercial-gym-etiquette/
Keep lifting, keep progressing & have a great weekend!
-JP
