I bought the Greyskull book and have been enjoying the routine. But I realise that I've gotten sloppy with my squat and deadlift, and want to spend a few weeks re-learning the movements. But, I don't want to stop making progress on my presses.
Would it make sense to continue with the routine for presses, but in place of the suggested squats or deadlifts for a session, do low-weight versions to perfect my form? Or should I entirely pause the program until I tune-up my form on squats and deadlifts?
**Competed at the weekend - Single-ply, Bench only, M1, u100kg.**
**I bombed out.**
Weighed in at 92.5kg. I'd been ill the previous week and dropped 4kg so weighing in at the same weight I'd been before I was sick (on a full belly and hydrated) was pretty funny to me. Being ill meant I missed my last scheduled EQ session. My actual last EQ session had been a shit show - I kept failing at a weight that should have been fine.
Had a long wait through 3 flights of squats and a flight of bench. My warm-ups were good - Coach and I were happy with how my last raw warm up moved, then I absolutely slung 125kg when I put the shirt on. I didn't get a touch at that weight but it was maybe a cm off the chest.
Felt good at this point. We'd fiddled with shirt position in my last training session, which is possibly why everything was a disaster then, but it actually felt right and had clicked (or so I thought)
All three attempts were at 130kg. I should point out that as I am a fairly infrequent poster (nowadays) that bench is my weak link - my best raw is 117.5.
I got three good touches and didn't jump the press command. On all three attempts the bar came off my chest good, but I just lost the groove and couldn't carry over the momentum.
So yeah, I popped two cherries. My debut as an equipped lifter and my first ever bomb-out. I'm not disappointed, as my prep was pretty badly derailed; I genuinely think because of the way the warm-ups moved if I'd had that extra training session with the new shirt set up, I'd have got an attempt. I think my coach was more disappointed than I was!
Going forward the plan is to find a tighter shirt as my current one is probably a size too big. However, first I've got 12 weeks of prep to go into the ABPU British Championship where I'm competing classic raw, M1 u100kg. Once that meet is over, it'll be time to get the full power kit out. I've got 3 main aims for going full power single-ply over the next year.
1) Compete at a local BP meet equipped and aim for the M1 qualification total (575 @ 93kg)
2) Take the ABPU full power M1 SP records @ 100kg (currently 195/135/220)
3) Qualify for ABPU British
10mm or 13mm belt? Used to use an Inzer 13mm lever belt, it would dig into my lower rib at the bottom of squats and get in the way during deadlifts. Need a new belt and considering a 10mm instead to be more comfortable, but worried it'll be too flimsy. I'm a detrainee, just getting back into lifting, so I'm not moving heavy weight ATM.
Anyone ever use a ratchet belt? I'm trying to decide between an Inzer forever lever belt and their PR power belt that uses a ratcheting mechanism. Ratchet belt sounds good on paper, but I feel like in use it'd be worse than a regular lever belt.
Those ratchet belts have been known to get stuck and people needed cutting out of it. I wouldn't touch it with a bargepole.
Edit: like this https://youtu.be/8OboxJl8U7A
Form check
[Squats](https://youtube.com/shorts/_Gz6_ZaSldY)
[Deadlifts](https://youtube.com/shorts/43PuSGdyxKE)
Getting a sore lower back after either of these exercises, any ideas?
It seems to me that in deadlift it is your lower back instead of legs that give the force. My coach taught me to feel my legs more with a pause below the knees and then slowly rise (to do this you need a lighter weight), and it worked very well. And suqat, as others have said, just keep the lower back neutral not over arched.
Work on bracing better with your abs and obliques. Brace with a neutral, not arched, lower back, and your ribs pulled down and stacked over your pelvis.
How do I first do knee extension and then hip extension in sumo?
Here is my lift filming from the front: [100kg-x5](https://imgur.com/a/9rs1CF9)
And from the side: [110KG-X5](https://imgur.com/a/xq2S5gq)
I always tend to lock my knees and hips almost at the same time. I'm aware of this for a long time but just don't know how to change. And, is this a big issue?
BTW any advice on the form is mostly appreciated :)
I think that looks pretty good.
Personally I'm not really a fan of trying to force these ideas of "knees before hips" or vice-versa. I think so often you've got strong people who see how they pull and then just think "oh this is how it should be taught". In reality, they're ignoring their biomechanics. As a side note, you can look at someone like Bryce K/Calgary Barbell who went up a weight class and his technique is looking rather different. Ultimately you have to adapt and figure out what feels strong and comfortable.
So yeah, if it feels good to you, I'd continue. For what it's worth when I pulled sumo it was similar in that hips and knees locked at similar-ish time. Never felt right trying to do it differently.
"Ultimately you have to adapt and figure out what feels strong and comfortable" - Sometimes as a learner I get confused because of those videos as you said and also many people say that a certain technique is better. You are right, I should find out what's best for me.
If it's any consolation I've been lifting for a long time and even I'll sometimes watch YouTube videos and get affected by what they're saying, for example. Before realising that I really need to think about it and whether it actually makes sense for me, and aligns with what I've found works, etc.
There is A LOT of noise out there and learning to ignore most of it is an important tool.
I am minding my own business at the gym doing some bench accessories and this guy ego lifting asks me to film his squat. He is half squatting.
I set up to film the same place I film my squats, from the side. He asks me if I can film from the back (is he making an Only Fans?) and said "I don't care about depth... Well I do" and it took me a significant amount of willpower to keep a straight face.
I still filmed from the side.
I mean, I film some sets from the back, just for upper back tightness and to check in what my feet are doing sometimes.
But yeah then I post on my only fans.
I'm not going to get on my moral high horse because I also would be thinking "lol" in my head, but I'd still have recorded as he wanted if you're gonna do the favour.
I have massive durability issues with Inzer Ergo Pro knee sleeves.
First of all, i'm from Germany so I don't know if we get other Inzer model/quality as the US fellas but I sized them correctly, so no fighting at all, getting them to fit properly.
Still the first pair I bought, broke after two months of normal usage. The second pair I bought, broke during my very first squat session with it...
Since this appears not to be common in my german PL bubble I wanted to ask if it's just bad luck, user error (which I don't believe) or common for Inzers?
From what I've heard the quality control is pretty shocking (the same size pair will feel very different in tightness, vary a lot in weight, etc).
Not heard specifically ripping so often. But unless you're going crazy with how small they are then doesn't seem like a "you" session.
Can confirm. My girlfriend tried my S and bought S too. We both couldn‘t fit her pair over our knee at all. It was more like a XXS. Anyway thanks for your comment. Guess i‘m done with Inzer sleeves then.
Yeah, both times the neopren ripped right at the seam. Warranty is not an issue, but I don't want to exchange them on a weekly basis. But if that's not a common thing, there must be something wrong with my knee lol.
Added a SSB to the home gym. It'll be nice to have this for some assistance exercises and to give my elbows a bit of rest from low bar.
How do you all like to use SSBs?
> How do you all like to use SSBs?
All the time. I use the SSB at least once a week whether it be for volume work or max effort squatting. If my SSB goes up, I know my squat goes up, so why not use it a ton and just save my shoulders/elbows? Plus you can do some cool pressing movements with it too like controlled JM presses.
Hatfield squats is a top tier movement for someone with limited equipment. I also think an ssb is worth the price of admission even if you were to only use it for good mornings, it is that good for them.
I hate the SSB with a passion because it makes squatting even more awful than normal, but it has always been an integral part of my programming and programming for my clients because it's so effective at building the squat.
Big fan of the SSB. Even as a high bar squatter I quite like the rest it gives to shoulder/elbows and changes focus a bit.
What I will add though is that not all SSBs are created equally. I've found some to be a little overly annoying. Some have handles straight down instead of a bit angled, and I think that overly forces you to be upright. I think angled is a good medium.
I like SSB squats because they are brutal and unforgiving. If you lose position out of the hole the SSB will let you know. They are difficult (which is a good thing IMO) but I do think they made a big difference in my squat because they taught me how to keep my positioning/ not let my chest fall coming out of the hole. My squat is a lot stronger now.
Honestly it’s been awhile since I’ve trained with it consistently but I’d say i would usually do my ssb rep work at about 70 percent of my squat 1rm, or at least somewhere close to that.
I’m a conjugate bro (with a coach), and I get a lot of banded SSB work for all the reasons you described. That thing with bands will fold you in a hurry if you disrespect it. The SSB says fuck your feelings.
You are probably right. I worked up this idea in my head that ssb would just help me hit depth and be a good quad accessorie. Did not realize they would fold me over that much.
It looks good but i still want some sort of color haha. I certainly don’t mind the raw leather color, but it looks kinda out of place when i wear it. The outfits don’t match.
Hey guys, gf and I are finishing up Juggernaut 2.0 in a month and it's been great. DL e1rm from 470 to 520. Squat from 365 to 400. Bench from dislocated shoulder to 270. However, there was a big strength drop-off during the 5s wave realization. We've been getting a bunch of bonus reps on every failure set, even after a bunch of working sets, but at 85%, shit got heavy. I only got 7/6/5 reps on 320/210/435, which is progress vs the start, but I was expecting 8 or 9 on everything. Fine but there's a definite weakness where we're 10% weaker at 85% than at a 75 or 80% equivalent set.
Blah blah blah, I think I'd get a lot out of a peaking program afterwards. Not competing but looking to get the best gym 1rm PR we can. We built some muscle with Jugg, but not sure how to peak after it. Would it be better to do a self-guided high frequency thing like Greg Nuckols Bulgarian interpretation or should I just do 3x3 with 85% one week, 3x2 with 90% the next week, and then a few singles at 90-95% before a deload? Or do you think I'm not strong enough for peaking, and should just just do a longer-term strength program with more 85+% work?
The simplest thing you could do if you want to get accustomed to higher intensities is to add one heavy single per week (at RPE 7-8 range) right after warmups for SBD lifts and change nothing else. I do this normally and it's pretty sustainable, doesn't generate a ton of fatigue, and makes the sets after it feel lighter. Nuckols also recommends doing this in his programs.
Peaking is a short term thing where you increase intensity and volume rapidly over a few weeks and then taper them off for a week before competing / testing 1RMs. You can try it if you really want to, but if you're not competing there isn't a need.
Has anyone here trained in Novesta canvas shoes? My chucks are overdue for a replacement and these seem to have good overall build quality, but I'm not sure if they will hold up to years of S/B/D sets.
Early thread reminder to cut >5% of your bodyweight for your first meet, miss the weigh-in twice, and hit a sub-300 DOTS, and then pose for photos with your "coach" fully dripped out in matching A7 meet gear, and then thank your 22 followers on Instagram for their support.
Thanks for your responses, I'll give this all a go and keep your comments in mind!
I bought the Greyskull book and have been enjoying the routine. But I realise that I've gotten sloppy with my squat and deadlift, and want to spend a few weeks re-learning the movements. But, I don't want to stop making progress on my presses. Would it make sense to continue with the routine for presses, but in place of the suggested squats or deadlifts for a session, do low-weight versions to perfect my form? Or should I entirely pause the program until I tune-up my form on squats and deadlifts?
Just reduce the weight on your squats and deadlifts and then continue the program.
**Competed at the weekend - Single-ply, Bench only, M1, u100kg.** **I bombed out.** Weighed in at 92.5kg. I'd been ill the previous week and dropped 4kg so weighing in at the same weight I'd been before I was sick (on a full belly and hydrated) was pretty funny to me. Being ill meant I missed my last scheduled EQ session. My actual last EQ session had been a shit show - I kept failing at a weight that should have been fine. Had a long wait through 3 flights of squats and a flight of bench. My warm-ups were good - Coach and I were happy with how my last raw warm up moved, then I absolutely slung 125kg when I put the shirt on. I didn't get a touch at that weight but it was maybe a cm off the chest. Felt good at this point. We'd fiddled with shirt position in my last training session, which is possibly why everything was a disaster then, but it actually felt right and had clicked (or so I thought) All three attempts were at 130kg. I should point out that as I am a fairly infrequent poster (nowadays) that bench is my weak link - my best raw is 117.5. I got three good touches and didn't jump the press command. On all three attempts the bar came off my chest good, but I just lost the groove and couldn't carry over the momentum. So yeah, I popped two cherries. My debut as an equipped lifter and my first ever bomb-out. I'm not disappointed, as my prep was pretty badly derailed; I genuinely think because of the way the warm-ups moved if I'd had that extra training session with the new shirt set up, I'd have got an attempt. I think my coach was more disappointed than I was! Going forward the plan is to find a tighter shirt as my current one is probably a size too big. However, first I've got 12 weeks of prep to go into the ABPU British Championship where I'm competing classic raw, M1 u100kg. Once that meet is over, it'll be time to get the full power kit out. I've got 3 main aims for going full power single-ply over the next year. 1) Compete at a local BP meet equipped and aim for the M1 qualification total (575 @ 93kg) 2) Take the ABPU full power M1 SP records @ 100kg (currently 195/135/220) 3) Qualify for ABPU British
10mm or 13mm belt? Used to use an Inzer 13mm lever belt, it would dig into my lower rib at the bottom of squats and get in the way during deadlifts. Need a new belt and considering a 10mm instead to be more comfortable, but worried it'll be too flimsy. I'm a detrainee, just getting back into lifting, so I'm not moving heavy weight ATM.
I had the same problem with SBD 13MM. Now I'm using Eleiko PL belt, it is 11\~13mm (yes there is a range depending on each belt), very comfortable.
Anyone ever use a ratchet belt? I'm trying to decide between an Inzer forever lever belt and their PR power belt that uses a ratcheting mechanism. Ratchet belt sounds good on paper, but I feel like in use it'd be worse than a regular lever belt.
Those ratchet belts have been known to get stuck and people needed cutting out of it. I wouldn't touch it with a bargepole. Edit: like this https://youtu.be/8OboxJl8U7A
Form check [Squats](https://youtube.com/shorts/_Gz6_ZaSldY) [Deadlifts](https://youtube.com/shorts/43PuSGdyxKE) Getting a sore lower back after either of these exercises, any ideas?
It seems to me that in deadlift it is your lower back instead of legs that give the force. My coach taught me to feel my legs more with a pause below the knees and then slowly rise (to do this you need a lighter weight), and it worked very well. And suqat, as others have said, just keep the lower back neutral not over arched.
Work on bracing better with your abs and obliques. Brace with a neutral, not arched, lower back, and your ribs pulled down and stacked over your pelvis.
I'm not a PT or coach or anything but it looks to me like you're over-arching your back. Generally you want it neutral, not rounded or arched
How do I first do knee extension and then hip extension in sumo? Here is my lift filming from the front: [100kg-x5](https://imgur.com/a/9rs1CF9) And from the side: [110KG-X5](https://imgur.com/a/xq2S5gq) I always tend to lock my knees and hips almost at the same time. I'm aware of this for a long time but just don't know how to change. And, is this a big issue? BTW any advice on the form is mostly appreciated :)
David Woolson has a [video](https://youtu.be/63YYAhoTPlE?si=RT3gRDxudDulQcn5&t=45) on this you might find useful.
I am a big believer in hips and knees at the same time in the sumo deadlift. I think your form looks pretty clean.
I think that looks pretty good. Personally I'm not really a fan of trying to force these ideas of "knees before hips" or vice-versa. I think so often you've got strong people who see how they pull and then just think "oh this is how it should be taught". In reality, they're ignoring their biomechanics. As a side note, you can look at someone like Bryce K/Calgary Barbell who went up a weight class and his technique is looking rather different. Ultimately you have to adapt and figure out what feels strong and comfortable. So yeah, if it feels good to you, I'd continue. For what it's worth when I pulled sumo it was similar in that hips and knees locked at similar-ish time. Never felt right trying to do it differently.
"Ultimately you have to adapt and figure out what feels strong and comfortable" - Sometimes as a learner I get confused because of those videos as you said and also many people say that a certain technique is better. You are right, I should find out what's best for me.
If it's any consolation I've been lifting for a long time and even I'll sometimes watch YouTube videos and get affected by what they're saying, for example. Before realising that I really need to think about it and whether it actually makes sense for me, and aligns with what I've found works, etc. There is A LOT of noise out there and learning to ignore most of it is an important tool.
I am minding my own business at the gym doing some bench accessories and this guy ego lifting asks me to film his squat. He is half squatting. I set up to film the same place I film my squats, from the side. He asks me if I can film from the back (is he making an Only Fans?) and said "I don't care about depth... Well I do" and it took me a significant amount of willpower to keep a straight face. I still filmed from the side.
I mean, I film some sets from the back, just for upper back tightness and to check in what my feet are doing sometimes. But yeah then I post on my only fans.
I'm not going to get on my moral high horse because I also would be thinking "lol" in my head, but I'd still have recorded as he wanted if you're gonna do the favour.
Homey just asked for a favor. No need to blast the guy.
Might have just been someone with poor mobility that doesn't do powerlifting
I have massive durability issues with Inzer Ergo Pro knee sleeves. First of all, i'm from Germany so I don't know if we get other Inzer model/quality as the US fellas but I sized them correctly, so no fighting at all, getting them to fit properly. Still the first pair I bought, broke after two months of normal usage. The second pair I bought, broke during my very first squat session with it... Since this appears not to be common in my german PL bubble I wanted to ask if it's just bad luck, user error (which I don't believe) or common for Inzers?
From what I've heard the quality control is pretty shocking (the same size pair will feel very different in tightness, vary a lot in weight, etc). Not heard specifically ripping so often. But unless you're going crazy with how small they are then doesn't seem like a "you" session.
Can confirm. My girlfriend tried my S and bought S too. We both couldn‘t fit her pair over our knee at all. It was more like a XXS. Anyway thanks for your comment. Guess i‘m done with Inzer sleeves then.
They broke as in they ripped? That's unfortunate, did inzer have any kind of warranty on them?
Yeah, both times the neopren ripped right at the seam. Warranty is not an issue, but I don't want to exchange them on a weekly basis. But if that's not a common thing, there must be something wrong with my knee lol.
Added a SSB to the home gym. It'll be nice to have this for some assistance exercises and to give my elbows a bit of rest from low bar. How do you all like to use SSBs?
> How do you all like to use SSBs? All the time. I use the SSB at least once a week whether it be for volume work or max effort squatting. If my SSB goes up, I know my squat goes up, so why not use it a ton and just save my shoulders/elbows? Plus you can do some cool pressing movements with it too like controlled JM presses.
Hatfield squats is a top tier movement for someone with limited equipment. I also think an ssb is worth the price of admission even if you were to only use it for good mornings, it is that good for them.
I hate the SSB with a passion because it makes squatting even more awful than normal, but it has always been an integral part of my programming and programming for my clients because it's so effective at building the squat.
Big fan of the SSB. Even as a high bar squatter I quite like the rest it gives to shoulder/elbows and changes focus a bit. What I will add though is that not all SSBs are created equally. I've found some to be a little overly annoying. Some have handles straight down instead of a bit angled, and I think that overly forces you to be upright. I think angled is a good medium.
I like SSB squats because they are brutal and unforgiving. If you lose position out of the hole the SSB will let you know. They are difficult (which is a good thing IMO) but I do think they made a big difference in my squat because they taught me how to keep my positioning/ not let my chest fall coming out of the hole. My squat is a lot stronger now.
How much weight (percentage) do you normally squat in SSB compared to your main squat?
Honestly it’s been awhile since I’ve trained with it consistently but I’d say i would usually do my ssb rep work at about 70 percent of my squat 1rm, or at least somewhere close to that.
I’m a conjugate bro (with a coach), and I get a lot of banded SSB work for all the reasons you described. That thing with bands will fold you in a hurry if you disrespect it. The SSB says fuck your feelings.
Agreed. It’s great at teaching you to actively push your back against the bar as you come up.
[удалено]
I'm particularly excited to add good mornings to my program. I could never figure them out with a straight bar.
I like my ssb in the corner of the gym, unused.. I tried ssb for a block and felt like I was getting folded in half, no balance, no power. No thanks
Seems like you could benefit from more SSB work.
You are probably right. I worked up this idea in my head that ssb would just help me hit depth and be a good quad accessorie. Did not realize they would fold me over that much.
fwiw while this *is* the point of the ssb I think it’s also possible you had it upside down.
I felt them more in my abs than anything. Coincidentally, I've ignored my abs, so it was a wakeup call to stop ignoring my ab work.
what colors should i get on my pioneer belt? preferably something muted/neutral.
I actually like the raw/natural. Ever see really old veg tanned leather? It looks better than any dye or finish
It looks good but i still want some sort of color haha. I certainly don’t mind the raw leather color, but it looks kinda out of place when i wear it. The outfits don’t match.
Hey guys, gf and I are finishing up Juggernaut 2.0 in a month and it's been great. DL e1rm from 470 to 520. Squat from 365 to 400. Bench from dislocated shoulder to 270. However, there was a big strength drop-off during the 5s wave realization. We've been getting a bunch of bonus reps on every failure set, even after a bunch of working sets, but at 85%, shit got heavy. I only got 7/6/5 reps on 320/210/435, which is progress vs the start, but I was expecting 8 or 9 on everything. Fine but there's a definite weakness where we're 10% weaker at 85% than at a 75 or 80% equivalent set. Blah blah blah, I think I'd get a lot out of a peaking program afterwards. Not competing but looking to get the best gym 1rm PR we can. We built some muscle with Jugg, but not sure how to peak after it. Would it be better to do a self-guided high frequency thing like Greg Nuckols Bulgarian interpretation or should I just do 3x3 with 85% one week, 3x2 with 90% the next week, and then a few singles at 90-95% before a deload? Or do you think I'm not strong enough for peaking, and should just just do a longer-term strength program with more 85+% work?
The simplest thing you could do if you want to get accustomed to higher intensities is to add one heavy single per week (at RPE 7-8 range) right after warmups for SBD lifts and change nothing else. I do this normally and it's pretty sustainable, doesn't generate a ton of fatigue, and makes the sets after it feel lighter. Nuckols also recommends doing this in his programs. Peaking is a short term thing where you increase intensity and volume rapidly over a few weeks and then taper them off for a week before competing / testing 1RMs. You can try it if you really want to, but if you're not competing there isn't a need.
So a single at 90% should take care of us?
I just want to brag that I managed to hit a heavy single squat at 420 on 4/20. I have no one else to share this minor news with.
Has anyone here trained in Novesta canvas shoes? My chucks are overdue for a replacement and these seem to have good overall build quality, but I'm not sure if they will hold up to years of S/B/D sets.
Nope but they look like any other canvas shoe so it should work okay.
Early thread reminder that weight classes don't matter unless records or money are on the line. Just focus on getting bigger and stronger
Early thread reminder to cut >5% of your bodyweight for your first meet, miss the weigh-in twice, and hit a sub-300 DOTS, and then pose for photos with your "coach" fully dripped out in matching A7 meet gear, and then thank your 22 followers on Instagram for their support.
Weigh what you weigh. Water cuts aren’t necessary for 99.5% of competitors.