What? How do you squeeze your shoulder blades during deadlift? You're supposed to flex your lats to maintain upper back tightness. Imagine trying to bend the bar around your legs and rotate your arms as if to touch your triceps to your lats. For lower back, you brace with your core by breathing into your obliques rather than into your chest. Chris Duffin made a good video about this on youtube. Ideally, the entire back, upper and lower, is solid and moves as a single non-flexible unit.

-Deleted-

This post has been edited by RyoKenzaki: May 22 2019, 02:14 PM

Erm i dont know man, that's the only way i could keep my chest up previously, i think it's actually feels like what u described anyway. Now it's more of natural to me.

Bro, do u have the link of video u mentioned? Gonna look it up when im home. Thanks in advance

So I just did some research on flat heel vs heel up in bench press and it seems like it is not much of a concern if I'm not planning to compete in the future because some competition allowed heel up during bench press and others would demand your feet to be flat on ground. It's also easier to incorporate proper legs drive with the heel up so I guess I will stick to my form. Of course if I'm wrong please let me know, perhaps my research is not sufficient

Hey bro.

My 2 cents.

Squats - what I see is, you are bending knees first during your descend. Try to learn the "hinge" at the hip side. Unhinge (ass / butt goes to the back) your hips, and then knees down after that. On squats, it's not the knees first that make you go downwards, it's your hips, lower back, and then knees. Like how you take a shit on the toilet bowl. Don't know how to explain, haha.

Bench Press - the bar path is never straight. Don't worry about it. They say it's almost like a J.

Bend over row - this looks like you are working out only the upper back / shoulders. Try to bend up a bit more and then do your rows.

Cheers.

Is this article what you mean? Sitting back vs sitting down?
Trying to research more on how to sit back properly during squat

This post has been edited by RyoKenzaki: Feb 2 2017, 05:18 PM

Remember "Ass back first" then go down.

A few references:

https://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/strength-t...squat-properly/
http://thechalkboardmag.com/the-perfect-sq...in-2-steps#sl=4

Thank you for the link, will read up after work tonight
Really appreciate it

I am super glad that you started. Keep it up. Keep that hunger and learn the form. I am still learning and the hunger you have now will bring you a long way in every aspect. I know it did that for me.

Some of my personal q's that worked for me which might not be for you.

Squat - Put the bar latch a hole lower. So that you do not need to tip toe when you unrack. Go under the bar, tighten your shoulder blade, stabalise the bar before unracking. Don't rush into unrack as unstable bar on your back can be dangerous and energy wasting trying to stabalise it off your back. Always reset ie exhale out at the top and inhale brace core at the top before going down again. I wouldn't worry too much about foot positioning. I just squat as if I am squatting without anybar. Squat should feel natural. Start with the feeling of sitting down. When you have this feeling your ass will drive you down. Keep natural spine whenever you drive up.

OHP - Currently looks fine to me. Mark Riptoe even asked his trainee to shrug up their traps. Don't hyper extend your back when the weight gets heavier. I know I did that.

BP - I still suck at it. I am still learning what leg drive is. But I arch my back slightly, tighten my lats and let the bar briefly touch my chest. The reason is that ur upper body is like your heels when the body force load on the heels. The bar now is your body's weight.

Rows - I for some reason can't do pendelay row like you did. I only can go as low as I can while I row. Just remember to pull back not with ur hands but your back. Feel the back and not your hands. Else you will work on bicep only. To help you feel I would do some light face pull targetting the back before I row to get more mind muscle connection.

DL - The pulling up seems alright but I think you still feel weird during negative. When you go down it is not necessary to go down slow. However it shall not be free fall. If you find your knees is in the way, work on your hamstring flexibility. During negative you unconciously moved the knees forward. If your knees are at the position when you started which do not block your bar path when you pull up, it should not block you on negative. Always reset your brace and grip every rep. And oh. To me the plate stack looks too high. The next time when you go to 20kg plates a side you will have to adjust the feel again. Set up one bar with 20kg plates. Then another one with your weight. Align the 2 bars centre to center so that bothe bars only are at approximately the same height.

No problem, after I looked at your video again, if you noticed, your knees are also too far front (but some people just can't help it due to their bone structure) - if you do "ass back first" it won't be so front.
Learn to balance your weight on your back heel.

Similarly drive up with the weights on the back of your foot.

Thank you for all the advice, will take note in my next session.

I find it difficult to keep my knee behind my feet.
I did tried to focus on that and try not to get it over my feet but I still overdid it
I will practice bodyweight weight squat during my free time to make sure I get it right the next time.

3 February 2017
Workout B
Warm-up sets
Squat
1x5x20kg
Overhead Press
1x5x20kg
Deadlift
1x5x40kg

Workout sets
Squat
5x5x25kg
Overhead Press
5x5x25kg
Deadlift
1x5x45kg

Squat 25KG


Overhead Press 25KG


Deadlift 45KG


Started all workout with 1 set of warm-up using the recommended starting weight. Overall it feels better as I started to feel the added weight and challenge in weight lifting. Looking forward to my 1.25kg plates next workout!

This post has been edited by RyoKenzaki: Feb 11 2017, 10:33 PM

Squats - better. Your legs are quite long, so you may need some time to get used to sit back. I'm quite tall as well, so took me a while too once my legs are strengthened. But yea, practise it at home against a wall for example, or a chair.

OHP - looking good.

Deadlift - I think the steps should be lift up with your body first, using your hips to drive the weight to your foot heel, (ass back again so that your knees are not in the way of the bar going up), and then only your legs straighten.

Getting better

Thank you for the ass advise on my deadlift, definitely will try it next session!

Some progress


*Pictures of the before are taken at a lower angle, in reality the differences really isn't as noticable as it seems in pictures*

Haha nice.

Eat more :-) fibre, protein, complex carbs.

Squat - stick yr butt out first like this shape '>' before descent.

Deadlifts- i still think yr using yr hands to lift the weights. Try going heavier as light weight does not really show yr true form. U shud be able to do at least 60kg judging by ur video

Indeed I didn't do it well for my previous deadlift, will take note on my next deadlift session
I don't think I should jump straight to my bodyweight deadlift as my program focus on linear progression, I think I should follow the recommendation weight increment or I will stall too early in my program

6 February 2017
So today I finally got my 1.25kg plates. Decided to bump my Squat to 35kg from my previous 25kg to match my bench press and row exercises in my program spreadsheet. It does started to feel challenging but overall still able to complete it without problem.

Workout A
Warm-up sets:
Squat
2x5x20kg

Workout sets:
Squat
5x5x35kg
Bench Press
5x5x27.5kg
Bent over Row
5x5x37.5kg

Squat 35KG


Bench Press 27.5KG


Bent over row 37.5KG


This post has been edited by RyoKenzaki: Feb 11 2017, 10:36 PM

8 February 2017
Workout B
Warm-up sets:
Squat
2x5x20KG

Workout sets:
Squat
5x5x40KG
Overhead Press
5x5x27.5KG
Deadlift
1x5x50KG

Squat 40KG


Overhead Press 27.5KG


Deadlift 50KG


This post has been edited by RyoKenzaki: Feb 16 2017, 10:31 AM