Q&A – 26

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PR Friday
Post your training updates and PR’s to the comments. If you’re a regular poster (especially if you’re funny), then I take more of my time to help you if you ever have any questions. Plus, when you actually post, you get immersed into this community. The guys that loiter here are all really good guys and can help you with your training. Let us know how this week went in the comments.

Week In Review
On Monday I did the first Mobility Case Study on a female lifter named Tamara. The post includes two videos (long and short version) explaining her mobility prescription, yet most of you could benefit from the same “mobs”. On Tuesday, Dr. Kilgore, co author of FIT, climbed out of his Scottish ale/research house to write an editorial on risk management and how it relates to fitness. On Thursday I gave you some insight as to why it’s important to learn and use anatomy in the fitness or strength and conditioning realm. Then I traveled for about 30 hours and my luggage didn’t make it with me, so I’ll just keep wearing the same clothes, it’s fine.

CONTINUE READING THE Q&A

I’m pretty knackered from the flight into Oz, so I’m gonna try and stick to simple to answer questions this week.

Cory Grad asks,

Whenever I do some mob work for my internal hip rotation, the inner side of my knee hurts. What is this and how do I deal with it?

Dear Cory,

It would depend on the type of mob that you’re doing. If you’re doing this (from Eric Cressey’s site), then it would be easy to see why the medial knee would be stressed. Have you tried doing the anterior banded distraction on the proximal hip, then kicking the foot out to the side a little (which internally rotates the hip), and then mobbing as normal (typically by contracting the glutes and sinking hips forward)? Your positioning and general tightness will have an effect on medial knee pain. Also keep in mind that the gracilis is the only hip internal rotator that crosses the knee, and it does so on the medial side. Perhaps you are mobbing correctly and the gracilis is strangely tight? I would assume you’re doing a mob wrong or something that you shouldn’t be doing, but you could also work the adductors and gracilis by rolling on a PVC.

Jonathan S. asks

My wife says: can you do more videos featuring the dogs?

Dear Jonathan,

I have been meaning to do some videos with them. Sadly, I am in Australia right now for several weeks and I miss the pups very much. I do have some video on my computer, so I’ll put something together when I get some down time. They are really funny and cute, but I’m obviously biased.

Old pic of the puppies wrestling

Kurt G. asks:

What’s some good mobility movements to help someone keep their shoulders back when cleaning the bar? My shoulder likes to roll forward and I have to fight like hell to keep them back and pinching the lats together is also difficult.

Dear Kurt,

Sounds like you need to search “front rack” on MWOD. If your shoulder and thoracic mobility is shitty, then start working on it. Search, find, and complete “5 way shoulder” as well. In the mean time, your grip might be funky. If you have long arms, especially long forearms, widen the grip a few finger widths. Think “elbows up and in”. The “in” part puts the shoulder in external rotation; internal rotation would promote that “shoulders rolled forward” position you’re trying to avoid while external rotation puts the shoulders back and down in their efficient spot. Update me on your progress.

Anthony R. asks

Any recommendations for a beggner weightlifter who has trouble with locking the legs completely before second pull of clean? No trouble with it on snatch though.

Dear Anthony,

It sounds like you need to learn and execute a progression. Teaching progressions typically account for this kind of thing before hand. I recommend checking out Glenn Pendlay’s teaching progression. Reduce the weight and do the progression un-weighted and then weight it slightly and complete it again (he should explain that in the videos). Update me on your progress.

Tom H. asks,

Can anyone recommend any videos on how to snatch and clean and jerk properly? Triple extension vs catapult, brush vs bang, how much my feet should move, ‘rebending the knees in the scoop’… My head is spinning from so much material.

Don’t worry so much on the discrepancy of techniques. Instead, just start learning the efficient one by watching videos on California Strength’s site. Stop thinking and just do the progressions and work from there. Update me on your progress.

Josh M. asks,

I’m a crosfitter that works in strength cycle on my own. I usually have success with 5-3-1 and use that for 3 months on and 1 off for rest cycle and to give myself a mental break from the work on top of standard crossfit sessions. I have noticed that if I go more than 3-4 weeks without heavy back squat or deadlift I struggle with the motor plan, mechanics and general feel for the heaviness. Is this to be expected? Should I stay more consistent with 3 weeks on/1 week off regularly to avoid this fall off? Following the standard of squatting 2x/week and deadlifting once is hard to fit in without overtaxing myself given the long list of crossfit things to work on. I wonder if I am trying to bite off more than I can chew. I like lifting heavy, just not the loss of numbers after a rest period.

Dear Josh,

I don’t know what your goals are. If they aren’t competing in CrossFit then you CrossFit too much if it’s included on every strength training day. This doesn’t mean I think you shouldn’t do CrossFit or that I think strength training is better, it’s that if your goal is to be well conditioned and strong, then your balance is off in the programming.

You reference going almost a month without heavy squatting or deadlifting and notice that the neuromuscular efficiency is off. You already know it’s because you haven’t done it. You won’t maintain a neurological and physiological (to include the cardiovascular system) adaptation to lifting heavy if you don’t do it.

I don’t know what type of meal you’re trying to eat, but, yes, you are biting off more than you can chew. Let me say that again: you are trying to do too much shit and you could be more efficient. Again, this doesn’t mean I don’t think you should do or use CrossFit, but if you don’t define a goal, then this will soon get ugly (you aren’t decreasing in age). I respectfully inform you that it sounds like you need to improve on what you have done in the recent past, regardless of your goal.

Okay, I’m still fucking KNACKERED and I have a workshop in the morning. Have a jolly weekend.

69 thoughts on “Q&A – 26”

  1. Missed reps on my OHP on monday after not eating all weekend or before training.

    Eaten big all week to hit my reps tonight.

    I lift shit weights as I’m still wet behind the ears so no PR’s to talk of.

    Enjoy Aus!

  2. Wife PR – she seems to have found a way to squat that doesn’t hurt her knees, which have gone through keyhole surgery in the past and are a bit dodgy. Doing light (very light) 5x5s once a week and very gradually upping the weight, making sure everything’s okay, before going into 3x5s once it gets heavier. Fingers crossed.

  4. Started a Pre-Meet cycle of 5/3/1 for Powerlifting this week. I’ll cycle this at least twice as I push towards my mid-year lifting goals. So, did some heavy singles this week after the prescribed work sets.

    DL 530
    Bench 265
    SQ 465
    Push-press 110kg/242lb

    Aiming for (at least) 510/285/550 by mid-year. I think I’m on track.

    Amped for the 105’s at the Euro Champs tomorrow. Hope I can find a decent live feed.

  5. This is my first post in forever, but I read every single article.

    My training has been in the crapper for the last 6-8 months, often weeks between sessions. I have lost a great deal of the strength and technique I had before. Busy at work, home renos, and a family does not lend itself to consistency. I know, that an excuse, I need to smarten up and get back at it.

    Parenthood PR though, my second child was born last week, a boy this time!

  6. Drinking some coffee and searching MWOD for those two terms this morning and I’ll try them this week and I’ve got some oly sessions planned so I’ll play with widening my grip.

    Never done bench press before so I’ve started about a month ago at hit 205 this week. 30lb better in just over 3 weeks. Using Bulgarian method. Always work to 1rm then take 15-20lbs off and do 3 sets of two. Seems to be working. I’d like to get this up by 15-20 a month benching 3x a week.

    41 year old male. 190lbs with previous shoulder injury due to being stupid.
    Kurt G.

  7. I’ll do this without posting videos this time. I hit intensity day on Monday for some PRs, then came down with a serious cold and have been worthless for about 4 days since then. Oh well. PR is still a PR.

    DL- 415×5 PR- could have done 6, even sick. Rack pulls are helping.
    Bench- 205×5 PR

    Slowed down my progression so that I can keep setting PRs, hopefully for the next month and a half. Also, putting in a chunk of dedicated hamstring work to bring them up.

    Hope everyone else is having a good week!

  8. cleaned 80kgs ties a PR
    front squatted 110kgs PR
    pressed 52.5 for 5,3,2

    ive been trying to teach myself how to snatch and clean as well. what helps me the most is to pick my favorite youtube video and watch it as many times as possible. specifically just before training if i can, it really helps me visualize

  10. @Gregor, congrats on the little guy! You should hang a mobile over his crib with pictures of Doug Young and Bill Kazmaier on it.

    Traveled to the Masters last weekend so consequently ate like shit, didn’t mob, and drove a ton so I figured this week would be a good light week. Therefore, no PRs this week but they’ll becoming next week as I pick back up with my squat LP. Since I was going lighter on the main lifts this week I decided to mix in some strongman stuff outside (e.g. famers walks, sled pulls, overhead pressing, etc.) was a good fun change of pace… made me think about competing in that some day.

  11. only one PR this week
    Deadlift 605 3RM
    I’ve been doing the Crossfit Football programming for about 2 years now and I feel like I’m not recovering as well anymore. I’m thinking about switching to Texas Method or 5/3/1. does anyone have a favorite?

  12. Squat: 250x3x5 [recent past] PR

    Long time reader, first time poster. After about 12 months without any lifting consistency, I’ve finally gotten back to within 5 lbs of my 3×5 PR in the squat. I’ve been doing kind of a hybrid program/starting strength. Basically I’m lifting 3 days a week, doing squat, one other lift (press, bench, clean, DL, or snatch), followed by a conditioning WOD. I’ve been doing this for about 2 months and I’m really liking it.

  13. No prs this week, starting a taper for my meet next saturday. I feel considerably more banged up this time than I did a week out last time, but I am not sure if it is from crushing myself in a productive manner or just being a dumbass. Fact is my squat is still damn weak and my jerk has been crap for about two months now. My snatch continues to improve and that is the one good thing. I recently implemented RDLs in my training and I am interested to see how they help my lifting. I will be doing a simulated competition tomorrow and then staying crisp and sharp for the competition on sat.
    Anyone use an eleiko wl belt? I have been using a valeo velcro one and I am not sure how I feel about it anymore. I have a nice and thick PL belt but I think its too big. Suggestions would be appreciated.

  14. I have been watching the European Weightlifting championships all week instead of revising (to my mothers displeasure). David Rigert has not been having a good time of things, two of his lifters have bombed out in the c+j after getting good or decent snatch attempts in. Things should be getting cooler with the increase in weight classes.
    In trainging news im at home rather that at uni so am having trouble eating as much. I literally eat my family clean out of food but it is still not as much as i get when shopping for myself. Getting some ok workouts in though. Bench is in P.R. range and so is OHP. Ramping Squat backup to previous P.R. territory but really i need more food for it to get anywhere. Nice to be home though.

  15. Looks like my back is mostly unfucked. Working my way back up to a 1 RM, before starting 5/3/1 back up. Note to self: you are not in your 20’s anymore.

    A big +1 to RDLs. I did a KB swing/Double under work out this week. My lower back usually gets severely fatigued when doing KB swings. This would limit the number of consecutive reps I could do. This time my grip was the limiting factor instead of my back.

  17. Squat
    270# x 6 (high bar)

    As a guy built like a giraffe, I am strangely proud of my meager squat PRs.

    Squatting 315 for reps will probably be more satisfying than when I first pulled 405 (well before being able to squat 225 to depth).

    Also a bunch of incline bench PRs, as I’m utilizing them for the first time.

  18. Competition PR: Doing my first gym meet tomorrow at CrossFit Annandale. They’re doing a CrossFit total (Squat, Press, Deadlift) but are running it like a proper meet with flights of lifters, submitted attempts, etc. I think there’s a few other 70’s Big guys going.

    No lifting PRs, still trying to rehab shoulder. Couple months back, developed some shoulder pain when pressing (bench & overhead). The PT said (and I agre) I had too much pressing vice pulling, which made anterior chest musculature tight, which pulled shoulder forward out of position. Per PT orders, I took a break from all pressing, addmore more pulling (pullups and rows), and stretched pecs and lats daily. I’ve reintroduced pressing, but the pain has returned, near (methinks) where the infraspinatus attaches to the humerus. I got away from the pec/lat stretching, but I’ve kept up with Five-way shoulder, which doesn’t seem to help. Anyone else experience this?

    @stronger. Most of Pendlay’s guys use a $20 Harbinger 243 4″ Velcro (http://pendlayforum.com/showthread.php?t=518). I have one and like it. It’s obviously not a hardcore PL belt, but I haven’t had any problems, feels damn sturdy for a Velcro.

  19. Earlier this week I went 160#x3x5 on Front Squat. Got a sweet center knurl rash on my throat for my efforts. I am really digging the feel of front squatting, especially after getting my weightlifting shoes. Also, I’ve started integrating push presses later in the week to compliment the monday press session, which has been going nowhere lately. Overall I’m really having a blast on my path to strength gain. Thanks to Justin and everyone here that posts for the knowledge and inspiration.

  20. Sad PR. I killed my prowler(cheap CFF one) I wore through the skis. PR for pushing it enough to use it. Going to try to eat an entire Chicago style pizza tonight, it should weight the same as Brent.

  21. @ Gumbo- thanks for the advice man. i will probably see you tmr at annadale as I will be going heavy early in the morning with the rest of the wl team. fun stuff

  23. HB squat 270×10
    Bench 240×4 so close to 5 :(
    Deadlift 370×5

    I missed my intensity day on bench. 5×5 squats were kicking my ass so I switched programming just to once a week for squats until I get home for the summer and can eat better and get more sleep. Reaching the one year mark for training. One year ago I was 130 pounds -_- up to 172 now. 200 looms off in the distance!

  25. Pulled my lower back deadlifting a few weeks ago. After 3 weeks of little to no activity beyond mobing my back, I was able to get in some light reps.

    Back squat 3×5 225# (A month ago I hit a 365# 1RM)
    Deadlift 3×5 225#

  28. First post, avid reader.

    Did crossfit for a few months, decided I wasn’t as strong as I should be, so I’m doing your 70’s Big S&C program. I did a big reset from what I was doing in crossfit, so no PRs for quite a while for me.

    Justin – noticed the S&C program pdf is no longer on your site. (had it bookmarked)Is there another routine that you’d recommend for the novice?

  29. Made some tweaks to the bench setup for a better arch and lower ‘groove.’ Benched 3×5 with 265.

    Gonna retry pulling 370×5 tonight after failing last week’s attempt.

    I’m still trying to nail down a good warmup. Lifting in the evenings, it’s tough to loosen up the hips after a day in a desk chair.

  31. Life PR: Yesterday, over at my mom’s for dinner, then we watched the European Weightlifting Championships on Eurosport together. And she enjoyed it.
    (Previous life PR and prerequisite for this one: getting her to join a crossfit gym almost a year ago)

    High-bar squat PR: 117.5kg×3×5

    Also, long time reader, first time poster.

  34. No lifting PRs to report.

    Although I did meet this week and have been training with an old school (age 73) olympic lifter. Its been really awesome learning the lifts and I’m proud to say that I’m no longer slamming my balls into the bar haha I’ve improved snatch technique!

  35. Started texas method as outlined in the ebook this week. Made a minor modification to it so i can do more curls – got get dem aesthetics.

    PRs –

    Squat – 157kg x 3 (was trying to get 5, had work the night before)

    Deadlift – 170kg x 6

    Bench – 95×5 – coming back from a rotator cuff injury, so not bad!

    BW- down to 82kg, not bad.

  42. Mobbed hip external rotation in flexion on le lacrosse ball last night for the first time. The areas all tender and swolen now. Meh.

    Still, had a good PR day today.

    Squat- 130kgx3x2
    Bench- 79kgx3x2
    Deadlift 137kgx3(x2)

    Need to learn how to deadlift, second set was real shitty, folded over like a taco big time.

  44. This week:

    Bench: 140x2x3 (PR)
    Press: 80x5x3
    Squat: 155x5x1
    DL: 235x2x1
    Weighted pull-ups: +15×3 (PR)

    Serious mobbin’ has my front rack position feelin’ realllll good.

  46. press=189 lbs, one pound off real pr, but more than ive pressed in 8 or 10 months. also
    deficit deadlift (3 in)= 455
    brent style wanna kill myself pr= having major issues w/ left knee, inside lower corner of patella. can’t free squat at all, reduced to box squatting to slightly above parallel(which caused another flare up today). been trying mob wod stuff and lots of glucosamine, kindof at a loss of what to do now.

  47. My goal is to become more powerful and stronger for football next year. I have about an hour and fifteen minutes to train between class and work. So I lift mon-fri. Here’s my schedule:
    Mon- LBS, Rdls
    Tues-bench, bb rows, db bench, db rows
    Wed-snatch, FS, tire flips
    Thurs-press, pull ups, weighted dips
    Fri-clean and jerk, deadlift, sled pulls
    If I have time to do some iso work relating to whatever lift I did that day I’ll do it, but I usually don’t have the time.
    I do a 5×3 scheme for oly lifts and 3×5 for power lifts.
    Just wondering if I could be doing this better

  49. Taking it one day at a time. My PT insists that my wrist and arm are going to be fine, and I believe him.

    There was some crying this week, but it was minor. More good things than bad.

    No PRs, obviously, but I was finally able to rack a front squat normally. I have only gone up to 75 kg that way, but I did not die.

    Power snatched 55 kg on Thursday, and the 40 kg was excruciating today.

    Power cleaned 70 kg today. No heavier jerks yet. Joints are just too beat up.

    http://youtu.be/eFqaZfbHGys

    http://youtu.be/T0G3PlqXT9o

  50. PR ‘s all around today! Started with snatch balance(60kgs) since I was going for C/J pr today I did not want to do full snatches. C/J 78kgs! FS 95.5kgs…training went well today very pleased with all my lifts. Being a meter litter and with my schedule the way it is and only being able to devote 2 days a week to training I have had to streamline my training to fit…so my training wi looks like this: M/F are my training days. Monday is volume and Friday is intensity, and I use Dan John’s beginner olympic weightlifting template: snatch, c/j, front squats andpresses.congrats

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