Commanding My Body

[President Wilson]

Man, thats Text book form! You make 316 look like nothing!

[Commander]

Originally Posted by Fahsy

Form on both looks good to me. Good work!

Thanks Fahsy, I appreciate that!

Originally Posted by President Wilson

Man, thats Text book form! You make 316 look like nothing!

Thanks Prez, glad to know the form is on point! I've been trying to keep it tight.

[superbilt]

The video makes your form look a lot better than the pics. I say your dealift looks pretty good. The only thing I would recommend is not to waste so much effort on the negative. All you have to do is control the negative on the way down to get a good lift. However, you might be doing this because you train or your garage/basement. If you watch videos of powerlifters and strongmen you will se they basically drop the weight on the way down fast while keeping their hands on the bar to please the judges so they don't waste any energy. In a pl competition you only got to do one rep tho. But your deadlift form looks real good tho.


On the bench it is hard to tell if you have any arch because of your shirt. A few things I would recommend on the bench tho are
1) Pull your feet back more and spread them wider. (this takes time and practice but if you get your feet closer to your head you will be able to push harder into the floor and generate more leg drive)
2) Shrug your shoulders into your head and tuck your neck into your chest it will help.
3) Grab the bar as hard as possible and try to rip it apart on the way up.

Your elbows look good and they look they are close to your body which is good.

[Commander]

Originally Posted by superbilt

The video makes your form look a lot better than the pics. I say your dealift looks pretty good.

Thanks, I appreciate you taking the time to check it out.

The only thing I would recommend is not to waste so much effort on the negative. All you have to do is control the negative on the way down to get a good lift.

I definitely won't waste the energy at the competition, just trying to be careful with the weights.

However, you might be doing this because you train or your garage/basement. If you watch videos of powerlifters and strongmen you will se they basically drop the weight on the way down fast while keeping their hands on the bar to please the judges so they don't waste any energy. In a pl competition you only got to do one rep tho. But your deadlift form looks real good tho.


On the bench it is hard to tell if you have any arch because of your shirt. A few things I would recommend on the bench tho are

I have been consciously arching more than I used to, but probably not as much as I should to push max weight. It is taking some getting used to.

1) Pull your feet back more and spread them wider. (this takes time and practice but if you get your feet closer to your head you will be able to push harder into the floor and generate more leg drive)
2) Shrug your shoulders into your head and tuck your neck into your chest it will help.
3) Grab the bar as hard as possible and try to rip it apart on the way up.

Thanks for the tips, I have been trying these, but I could definitely improve on them all, especially #1.

Your elbows look good and they look they are close to your body which is good.

I try to keep them about 45 degrees from my body.

[Commander]

Lower Power:

Squat 155-210 (ascending sets) x 5 reps SS w/ Donkey Calf 5 sets of 8 reps

Glute Ham Raise BW x 5 reps (I can't do these completely, I have to push off at the bottom) SS w/ Seated Calf 3 sets of 8 reps

Deadlift 208x5, 258x5, 308x2

The next few weeks be an odd assortment of exercises. I have tried to plan it out to be easy on my lower back, so I am fully rested up for the contest January 10th.

My left lateral deltoid hurts from Military Presses on Upper Power day. It is irritating because I am left handed and constantly feel it. Also, my right foot is been hurting, I think it may be from the bare footed squating/deadlifting, which I don't want to give up. But I think, the pressure on my foot with no arch support my have caused the pain. I plan on still lifting bare footed, but I may try to find a gel insole to put in my dress shoes that I wear at work.

[Commander]

As 2009 approaches (and I notice others posting it, too ), I have thought about some goals to be attained by the end of the year:

Bench 300
Deadlift 470
Squat 350 plus (this is where much of my focus will be)

I would love to do 1000x5 by sometime in 2010, meaning deadlift 420x5, Squat 310x5 and Bench 270x5. To do that, my squat needs major improvement.

There is one more goal, and that is to manipulate my diet more and see how my body responds. I have never done any type of cycling. I plan on trying it for both bulking and cutting cycles.

[will-work4andro]

TEAM ABC...that's what i'm talking about brotha

[superbilt]

on the glute ham raises do you do them the natural gh or do u have a glute ham raise bench. The natural way is super hard I cant do them without pushing off either.

Either way i wouldnt do them before deadlifts because they are assistance and exhausting. i'd go squat then dl then glute ham.

[plagana]

Originally Posted by Commander

I have never done any type of cycling. I plan on trying it for both bulking and cutting cycles.

Hey Commander,

Thought I'd mention a method I used to lose the majority of the weigth I initially dropped, before I started traveling a lot and couldn't keep up with the strict diet.

It's the idea of "carb cycling" or "re-feeding" your body. The basic idea is three days on reduced carbs (and perhaps calories as well if you are trying to burn fat and get really lean), and on the fourth day eating a well planned diet that is high in calories, low in fat (under 10% of your total calories), moderate in protein (no more than 1.25 grams per pound of Fat Free Mass), and relatively high in carbs. Some people tend to think of this cheat day with carb cycling as a free for all, but that can ruin all your efforts.

One of my goals is to go back on a nutrition plan that includes this method periodically to try and burn some fat.

[Commander]

I am very happy I started a journal. This is such an awesome site and especially with all the great journals going on right now with everyone giving feedback, encouragement, etc. Well, enough rambling....

Originally Posted by superbilt

on the glute ham raises do you do them the natural gh or do u have a glute ham raise bench. The natural way is super hard I cant do them without pushing off either.

Either way i wouldnt do them before deadlifts because they are assistance and exhausting. i'd go squat then dl then glute ham.

I don't own a glute ham raise bench. I do them ghetto style, load up smith machine, set it at about the height of a bench, then go to town with my calves under the bar and knees on the bench. It is REALLY hard!

Good tip on the DL before glute ham. I am just experimenting with a new split for the beginning of 2009 at this point so this is the type of feedback I am looking for.

Originally Posted by plagana

Hey Commander,

Thought I'd mention a method I used to lose the majority of the weigth I initially dropped, before I started traveling a lot and couldn't keep up with the strict diet.

It's the idea of "carb cycling" or "re-feeding" your body. The basic idea is three days on reduced carbs (and perhaps calories as well if you are trying to burn fat and get really lean), and on the fourth day eating a well planned diet that is high in calories, low in fat (under 10% of your total calories), moderate in protein (no more than 1.25 grams per pound of Fat Free Mass), and relatively high in carbs. Some people tend to think of this cheat day with carb cycling as a free for all, but that can ruin all your efforts.

One of my goals is to go back on a nutrition plan that includes this method periodically to try and burn some fat.

Thanks, that is basically what I was contemplating. Except I would also use it for bulk cycles.