Podcast – Ep. 5 – Q&A 1

Posted on by

I asked the 70’s Big Facebook Fan Page folks to ask some questions for a podcast (the thread started on June 2). This is a solo podcast I did answering both good and horrible questions. Enjoy.


LINK(right click and “save target as”)
46:16 long. iTunes feed is all ganked up, but I’m working on it.

Oh, and Happy PR Friday. Training updates, PR’s, whatever. I don’t really care. Oh, and this post needs a random picture:


71 thoughts on “Podcast – Ep. 5 – Q&A 1”

  1. You talked about squatting 400lbs from genetics, and no training somewhere in there. True story, my little brother came to visit me in Wichita Falls once, and he, having no experience squatting or weight training, asked if he could try what I had some of the kids doing. Wearing jeans and a button down shirt, he unracked 275lbs, squatted it all the way down, stopped, looked over at me and asked if he was deep enough, then stood back up. Five minutes later he did exactly the same thing with 405lbs, including the pause and question at the bottom. This happened at Rip’s old gym, before he moved to the one he has now.

    My guess is the Pendlay clan is descended from valiant mead drinkers.

    –Justin

  2. ^^That is incredibly difficult to believe (not saying that I don’t, but it is just so outside of anything that I’ve ever seen that it amazes me). What were his other starting numbers (Bench, Dead, Press, etc)? How strong did he become (assuming he became at least moderately serious)?

    Justin, great podcast, very worth the listen (I actually put it on in the background while I made a batch of homemade protein bars). Only thing is that I get the impression that you really care too much…

    Dom, don’t you remember I put up a vid of a dude pulling 600 without much emphasis on strength training? It’s definitely possible, it just doesn’t happen that much.

    –Justin

  6. Very cool, look forward to reading ot over the weekend.

    Do I ask you some “horrible”, or what?

    I can’t remember a lot of usernames plus real names on Facebook, but let’s just assume yes.

    –Justin

  7. For you folks that are stronger than me:

    Do you think a single top set of 3 is enough volume for the deadlift?

    Currently at 385# x 5, first three are pretty smooth, last two are pure grind.

    It is, and it’s what I switch people to (said it on the site, as well as the TM E-book). In the event you wanted some more work load on the musculature, you could always do a back off set. So, if you were going to do 405×3, then 315×5 is a nice little back off set that isn’t really going to exacerbate what you just accomplished with the 405, yet still gets the related musculature some work (helpful for a bit of swollertrophy).

    –Justin

  8. new training manager PR. he’s gonna let me bring a tire inside instead of keeping them all outside. big deal for an la fitness. also, I’m doing a squat clinic on Tuesday. hopefully we can get people interested in not squatting dumb… (quarter squats, staring at floor or ceiling, not using hips, etc)

  9. On a side note, I’m leaving in a second to go to the ATL airport to go to Canada (flying to Florida first, oooKAY).

    I wanted to do a quick something, but only had a minute. So I pressed 135 for reps cold (I spun my arms around as warm-up).

    I was going for 20, but only got 15 barefoot and without a belt. Damn it.

  10. Always interested in your podcasts, will listen later.

    Also, I’ve been having a problem with my presses; I feel extremely lightheaded at the end of my set and sometimes at the beginning, idk wtf is going on. I was pressing 135(kept failing at 3-4 reps each time, I know I need to reset but I was fucking pissed off; damn your 15 reps :( ) and it was seriously a problem for me. I mean, lots of times I feel lightheaded after a hard set of squats or deadlifts but never to this extent. Anybody else ever experience this?

  11. No lifting PRs this week but had some throwing PRs (HG throwing) in practice ehih should amount to across the board tomorrow at the games. This games I will be unfatigued, better trained in the throws, and stronger. Should be fun.

  15. Great podcast. I actually have a two questions.

    Due to various medical issues and scares I had to stop weightlifting for an extended period (almost a year) now I am ready to start over, as someone who was a few weeks into a Texas method style program when I stopped, I would assume that I would benefit from a linear progression in order to get my weights back to where they were, what are your thoughts on timescale for the LP? I feel I already know the answer and I guess I’m just looking for an informed voice to agree, I also think the greyskull LP is what I’d be going with over SS this time around, seems like a far more flexible program.

    Question number two, I lack the facilities to overhead press while standing (basement roof is too low) however from the seated press position I find that I overextend my back trying to get under the bar rather than being able to lean back slightly, is this simply the same as what you talked about in the podcast, and I need to simply man up and keep my back straight?

  17. No PR’s yet, working out tomorrow morning for my intensity day.

    Story time:
    There once was a runner in the gym doing quarter squats. He bought a new pair of shoes. Nike Shox. He now bounces up and down every time he moves the weight. It is humorous. The end.

  19. Hey Justin,

    Thanks for the podcast. I was particularly interested in the part about squats and elbow pain. I can’t seem to find a grip that alleviates it. And I’ve looked through the book again to make sure I’m doing it right. Every time I squat it flairs up. High rep curls seem to help. Any ideas?

  20. @Real_Scots unless it is raining buckets, just take the barbell outside. Clean it into position, then press it for reps, then put it back down. Rinse and repeat. It’s inconvenient, but it works. My gym is in the upstairs unfinished area above my garage (reinforced floor, but dropping bumpers is LOUD), and I have to take my barbell down to the driveway to do snatches and the like so I can drop it without making a shitload of noise. Inconvenient, but it works. Plus, carrying the plates and such = teeny farmer’s walk! Win-win!

  21. i had a PR of shittiest week lifting ever. all this eating and now instead of a skinny weak dude i’m a fat weak dude. man i suck, i need a new hobby, one i don’t suck so bad at… maybe i’ll take up frolf, that looks pretty easy…

  26. Wife PR – one of the presents she got me for our five year anniversary today was a mug inscribed with the message:

    ‘My wife asked me to pick either her or weightlifting.

    I sure do miss her.’

  29. Bigness PR: I clocked in at 172.6# this morning. I was 150# in March. A lot of that has come on in the last week (I finally said screw it and started GOMADding).

    Justin, I saw your note about pullups, and I’m going to keep working at my body weight pullups until I can do sets of 10 before adding weight. It might be a while, I was only able to do a 5 pullup AMRAP today (OTOH: this was the equivalent of strapping a 5-10# plate to my waist since the 6 AMRAP…).

    SQUAT: 175#x3x5. The first time I did a 1RM test for Squats, I failed at 175#. I’m still stacking 10#/workout on my squat, so I’m hoping to hit 205# for next week (we’ll see if I get stuck).

  31. Jake,

    I used to have horrible elbow pain from squatting when I started. What I found is to focus on keeping my wrists straight and allowing the bar to be supported by my back and shoulders. If you try to support the weight in your hands and allow your wrists to bend back it will cause the elbow pain.

  34. @ terrible – i’ve been lifting 3 months. just pissed i failed on this progression at 290 squats on the last set, then went on to fail on the 225 bench 5 x 3. i’ll stick with it, but it would nice if i had youth and genetics on my side.

  35. @mike

    3 months to a 290 squat and 225 bench?? Sounds like you have this lifting stuff figured out. It took me at least 12 months to hit those levels, and with pretty bad form to boot.

    Fail/setbacks are just part of the game.

  38. I’m hitting my first round of stall with squat and deadlift, so I’m Greyskulling things up. I’m still going to give my deadlift another shot next week to see if I really did stall on that lift, since this week was the first time I had trouble this whole time.

    PRs (mostly rep PRs):

    Press 135×6
    Bench 200×9
    Squat 270×9
    Deadlift 405×1 (frustrating. I was hoping to get this for 5 after pulling 395 for 5 last week).

    I may look in to doing DLs for a set of 3 with a back off set as has been discussed here before.

  39. hey guys and gals.

    what a good day.

    check this shit out:

    i squatted 200×1 and 205×1

    both were big time PRs (previous best was 195 since january or so)

    i also blacked out completely under a press for the first time. i mean, i’ve seen stars and stumbled before…but this was complete hobbly wobbly high as a kite darkness.

    oh and i finally hit a heavy deadlift again. i am thinking a PR is on its way either a week from today or two weeks out.

  45. Puke that is some good shit. Excellent work.

    PR: Actually from a few weeks ago, never posted it though. Drank a freaking ton of Shiner Bock while I was in Dallas for adult volleyball nationals. It was great, everywhere had it on tap.

  48. @ThunderThighs – Hi5 big fella! Bummer about the blackout? Maybe you need more sugar in your diet?

    @Puke – Fucking sick work mate, congratulations.

    PRs
    3×5 @ 315lbs Squat
    5, 5, 7 @ 209lbs Bench

  49. @television: She probably needs more oxygen in her lockout.

    PRs:
    Deadlift 413×5
    Press 83kgx3x5
    Curl 125×12
    Pull-up 45×21
    Power Clean 275
    Squat’s up to 455 a high for the past year.

  50. HT: 5’10″
    BW: 216
    3rd week of 5,3,1 May 30-June 3

    MON: SQT, 1@365+12=13
    TUE: BP, 1@280+8=9
    THUR: DL, 1@405+12=13
    FRI: SP, 1@170+8=9

    Repeat 5,3,1 Cycle add 5 lbs, June 6-10
    MON: SQT, 5@330+14=19
    TUE: BP, 5@250+10=15
    THUR: DL, 5@370+12=17
    FRI: SP, 5@160+10=15

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.