PR Friday, FAQ Help

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PR Friday

Post your training PR’s and updates to comments.

Random Stuff

I’ve had hiatus from writing and eased into some today by creating a FAQ on the site menu (I’ve been meaning to put one together for months). Below is what I have so far, but if you have any other suggestions on what questions to add, then drop them in the comments. Note that I’ll likely stick to general questions about the site as opposed to specific training questions (at least for now). I’m particularly interested in questions that new people have that regular readers may have to answer themselves.

Other than that I think we’ll re-establish a weekly chat, and I will designate some regular readers and friends as people that can help in the chat (I’ll contact those people about it within a week or so).

I’ve been accumulating a list of writing topics for the site — some bad, some good — so if you have any topics that you are interested on, put those in the comments too.

FAQ so far:

What is 70′s Big? 

70′s Big is many things.

It is a source for mostly objective knowledge on training, mobility, recovery, rehab, anatomy, strength and conditioning, Olympic weightlifting, raw powerlifting, fitness, military/LEO training, and more. It is a website where like-minded people congregate to learn and talk about training, amuse each other, network, and hang out. It is a mindset that puts a premium on setting goals and intensely attacking them with grit, determination, and consistency. It is a physical prowess of muscularity achieved through strength training instead of aesthetic or vanity training. It is a community that welcomes all with support and kind words. 70′s Big is an idea put into your mind that you have the ability to be great, but you first need to believe it and then work for it.

What isn’t 70′s Big? 

70′s Big is not a place that solely plays on your emotions, gender role, or “better than thou” belief. It isn’t a catch phrase turned into a brand turned into a product turned into money for the site creator. It isn’t trying to be the next big thing on your gym wall and isn’t buying support. It won’t ban you when you disagree and it doesn’t feed you generic bullshit information over and over.

70′s Big doesn’t want disciples or drones who follow it without question — it prefers readers who think for themselves with a healthy skepticism. 70′s Big doesn’t have a primary mission to make money, but to educate. 70′s Big aims to not be annoying, though it will occasionally offend sensitive people (which is actually good for them).

What is the 70′s Big Program?

There isn’t one. Instead, 70′s Big aims to teach people how to program for themselves or others. I — Justin, the owner and editor of 70′s Big — have created hundreds of programming templates, but I insist on teaching the fundamental information of strength and conditioning instead of stock programs that people follow without question. Unfortunately teaching people how to fish isn’t as profitable as giving them a fish.

I have a question about…?

Have you searched this website? After three years of five posts per week, I would hope that you would use the search bar in the upper right portion of the screen to check for existing information. If the search bar doesn’t work well, go to Google and type your search terms followed by “site:70sbig.com” to search this site exclusively. Chances are that your question was asked in the past, so don’t be lazy and show some initiative. And if you’re asking a question about a program that I have written a book on, then show some courtesy and buy the book. I don’t write 50,000 words on a topic without reason.

 

83 thoughts on “PR Friday, FAQ Help”

  1. No PR’s this week. Tomorrow I’m tripling a 410 squat, which might be a PR for a triple? Not real sure. Doubled more than that, so I’ll assume “Nay”.

    Hope y’all had a good Christmas and ate heartily.

    • Nice lifts. Saw the vid of 215×5 also – very nice.

      Question – what benefits do you get from reverse grip benching? Does it improve issues with shoulder mobility or external rotation?

      • I experience pain in my forearms from benching with a conventional grip. Also get pain shooting down my arms from my shoulders as well.

        Reverse grip bench presses is not painful at all, which allows me to train more frequently without interruption from nagging pain.

        Also, it seems like getting the correct bench press form is a lot easier with the reverse grip. At least for me. I can get my elbows tight towards my body a lot easier (not sure if it’s even possible to flare elbows on reverse grip).

  6. FAQ

    Q: What does NBHNC mean?
    A: It means No Butthole No Care, and to send nude photos to patrick stroups email. This is only applicable to female readers and maybe even a few really good post op trans gendered people.

  9. PR on 3×5 high bar back squat…315lbs. Read your post on “everyone can squat 405lbs” a while back and got tired of having a weak ass squat…It’s going great squatting 3 times a week…Mon and Fri are my back squat days and Wed are front squats days. On your “transitioning to the olympic lifts” program…you got squats Tuesday and front squat Friday…could I add another back squat into that cycle…say on Sundays? If you have time for another question….I have an acute shoulder injury..navy diagnosis…shoulder impingement…I can’t do anything overhead…press, jerk, or even pushups without severe pain…What can I do to prevent upper body atrophy? I can pull and squat without any issues…but feel weak as fuck upper body wise. Thanks man. Dave

    • There’s a small bit of low back rounding. It’s not terrible right now, but as you go heavier it may become more pronounced, so keep an eye on it.

      I don’t think you’re locking out all the way at the top though. Your knees look slightly bent. I’m not sure if that means your hips aren’t locked or just knees though.

    • Looks pretty good.

      I would focus on a point higher on the wall/ceiling. Think about driving your shoulders up and back while pushing the hips forward.

      JD

    • For what it’s worth, I’d say you hips are a little low on the first three reps, which looks to roll the bar out a little. The bar appears to start about 4″ forward of the “H” and terminates over the “A” which is maybe 6″ out of vertical. I prefer to keep my shoulders in front of the bar at set up and my hips higher to keep a more vertical path.

  12. Justin and anyone else-

    Why do people try and argue that your knees going past your toes is terrible for you? I just find it an excuse to half squat. Appreciate it.

    • From people I’ve talked to, a lot of them don’t understand that the main issues are: keeping your knees in line with your foot (not collapsing in) and keeping the weight in your hips not your knees. So since they don’t understand that, then yea, your knees going too far forward would put a lot of pressure on them if you’re collapsing in with all the weight solely on them.

    • I mostly agree. That theory really only applies to high bar squats where you need a straight back.

      I think the key is keeping the bar in that optimal path. If you squat low bar with a lot of hip action your knees will need to be in front of your toes to keep the bar over the center of your foot.

      JD

  14. Hit some milestone work sets for me this week.

    DL 275×9
    Squat 225 2×5, 1×7

    I know it’s not heavy weight, but I still enjoyed getting the two plate squat. Onward and upward to 405.

  15. No PR’s or training this week as I caught a cold day before xmas eve and was basically catatonic for the past 4-5 days. Finally feeling better, will take a light workout tomorrow.

    FAQ suggestions (questions you might add):

    Who runs 70sbig / what is your background?

    Who can benefit from reading 70sbig?

    Where can I find 70sbig on social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc)?

    What other resources does 70sbig suggest?
    (i.e. mobilitywod, etc.)

    How can I become involved in the 70sbig community?

  16. Numbers have tanked lately despite extra holiday food/carbs so I took a life PR: 1st deload week after 2 years of lifting.

    I hope this gets me back on track for great #’s in 2013!

  18. front squat= 140 k. first pr of anything in god knows how long. really need to work on keeping my chest up with the heavy FS’s. any recommendations for that besides more FS?

    on a side note, some 19 or 20 year old kid started training people at my gym to crossfit (the hot buzz word among the moms doing bootcamp) and today he had a couple of 15 year olds he was showing how to front squat (did a good job actually besides having them work up to a very heavy singles)…anyways he cued them knees out and chest up…and to drive the point home mentioned it was just like what a pretty girl would do to show off her goods (reach your target audience, right?)

    their session ended with the ‘wod’ which was this ridiculously long 15-12-9-6-3 kettle bell swings, pushups, inverted rows, box jumps and prowler push fest that included tons of silly bad form and ended with the admiring question ‘have you made someone puke yet?’

  19. No lifting PRs. Just managed to get in the lifting & conditioning work I required for the week. I ate like a king for 3 days. However, all the holiday stuff has left me pretty beat down mentally, and I still have another few days of it to go.

  20. I was gassed from squatting on volume day (345x5x5) and I kept having to reposition the bar after every rep on the last few from getting tired/sweaty. So my shoulders/grip were weak and cramped, so I only got one set of press volume in, and one set of rows before I just couldn’t even hold the bar.

    Had to skip light day since it was on xmas eve, and that definitely fucked me over. I mobbed more to make up for it, but I was still a bit weak feeling when I squatted on wednesday.

    I hit 390×1 and fucked up my hip drive on the second rep and lost it. My goal for 2012 was 405, which I got back in september, so I don’t really give a shit. Next week should be fully on track for volume and light day, so 405×5 shouldn’t be far off..

    I pressed 185×3 (bodyweight), which I’m fine with, since again, I only did 1 set for press volume and nothing on light day. And my form felt off (bar going forward), so that should be easy to beat next week.

  21. Deadlifts – 425 x 5. Came up fast as fuck. Felt good.

    405 x 5 on the plate for squats this coming week. If I make it, will celebrate with a cigar (also partially motivated by need to celebrate with my friend who got me into cigars having beaten leukemia enough to go back to school this coming semester).

  22. I’ve been following the Outlaw Way programming for 12 weeks and this was a scheduled testing week (I’m following about 3 months behind the main site). Tested and set new one rep maxes in back squat 350 lbs, bench press 255 lbs, dead lift 440 lbs, snatch 187 lbs.

    Over 12 weeks my main lifts have increased: back squat +25 lbs, dead lift +30, front squat +30, snatch +33, clean & jerk +10, bench press +5. I also put on 13 lbs of body weight. I lifted and tested regularly before this program and was seeing slow progress, so I’m pretty pleased with the results so far.

  23. Back in early Sept, I sprained my lower back pretty badly on a squatting warm-up set shortly after hitting a nice PR at 435×1 and missing 440 due to a technical error (bodyweight ~210). I’ve re-injured it twice now just as I thought I was getting better, even after taking some time off for my wedding/honeymoon. But it’s finally moving again, and I’ll call 430 for three singles a nice post-injury PR.

    Since then, though, I haven’t been able to DL heavy after squatting — I think I’m just too fatigued to do it very well after squatting, as my ability to handle that isn’t up to par right now (no longer adapted for doing both in one day). I’m following TM Part 1 programming right now – would TM Advanced methods be a good way to switch things up and build up my adaptation level again (switch to a 4 day/week split with upper and lower days, alternate dynamic and max effort for squat and DL…)? I’ve been trying to build back up again, but it’s been slow going. My pre-injury PR was 475×1, 455×3, for context, and today I hit 440×3 and it was pretty rough. Yeah, my DL is lagging compared to my squatting, but I always DL after squatting heavy, hence the question…

  25. PR this week of 265×5 for squat and 280×5 for deadlift. Should have more in the tank for deadlift, 3 plates coming fast!

    Been trying to work on my bench arch, so here’s a video of me lifting less than a 12 year old girl. Any critiques would be much appreciated!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaBEN-9wVBA&feature=youtu.be

    PR’d by wearing flannel and making my own foam roller this week. Also split a pair of boxers when squatting down to pick something up. Right in the feels :)

  27. Don’t think I had any PRs, since it’s all percentage-based lifts lately (though I did finally front squat 220# for the first time in a long time, and it went up much better this time)..

    but I want to post my mom’s DL PR. After months of just light form work and supplemental exercises of snatch DLs and RDLs…

    she deadlifted 210# with ease and perfect form yesterday.

    She’s 63 and weighs somewhere between 140 and 145#. Her recent PR has now only motivated her to lift twice a week again in addition to her 3x/week CrossFit classes, assuming I write up programming for her (again). She’d like to pull 225#, and I know she certainly can (if not more). Go Mom!

  28. Solid week, PR on bench 255x5x3, deadlift 385×5 (4, then 1 dizzy) and finally got press at 170×5/5/4 which really pissed me off to miss the last one, should have had it.

    Just got a belt and noticed a lot of soreness in my errector spinae, hope that’s the belt and not that my form is shit, or at least a little of both.

  29. PRs in kg:

    Press: 65×7 (all-time PR!)
    Bench: 102.5×7 (rep PR)
    Squat 137.5×5 (got the first two sets, got 3 reps on the last set, all-time PR), and hit 140×3 (wanted 5)
    Deadlift: 165×5 (PR this cycle)

    Last week I trained T, Th, S, and then I jumped right back to M, W, F, which was harder to recover from than I thought. If I had had the whole weekend to rest, I think I could have gotten all 3 sets of 137.5.

    I slightly strained my left low back, so I’m doing quite a bit of MOB work while in Osaka visiting my wife’s side of the family.

    For the FAQ:

    1) Maybe a grouping together of links to certain topics (Gear, Nutrition, programming, technique, etc.)

    2) Links to places where good gear can be found.

    3) That video of you and Chris fooling around at the WFAC. I love watching that vid!

    • When making that jump from T/Th/S to M/W/F, I think it is best to do your S workout as early as possible on that day and your M workout as late in the day as possible and for the rest of W and F. Then you can readjust back to whatever time slot the following M/W/F.

      • Yeah, I was hoping to do that, but schedules just didn’t work. I’m thinking that next time that happens, I’ll train twice (T/F or something like that) and then go back to the normal MWF thing.

  30. Working back up after deloading the big 3 lifts. But, got a volume PR on press
    140x5x3 (previously got a 5rm at 140) and hit some pretty solid Pendlay Rows 175x5x3
    Excited to start the new year hungover, and then get back in the training game!

  31. Squat: 230x5x3
    Bench: 165x5x3
    Deadlift: 330×3

    I have gained about 20 lbs BW since late October due to heavy protein intake and not very much running. I don’t look too sloppy, so I think a good bit of it, maybe 7-10 lbs worth, is good muscle mass. Not bad at 38 yrs old.

    That said, my brother talked me into an ankle deep snow run today. It went as well as you would expect. Actually my conditioning and leg strength felt fine, but my lower calves were wrecked from the beginning.

    Anyone have any favorite exercises for lower calves, to really develop the push-off with the toe?

    • Do you have flat/tight feet?

      I would think the strength and endurance is ok and would stretch and roll/massage your plantar fascia, soleus and gastrocs. Go for twice a day if you can.

      • No, I have normal feet and no tightness or pain in the arches. What is happening is I have always run as well as lifted weights, but I want to push my lifts up higher and gain some muscle so I have backed off the running. So obviously, my running-specific muscles have weakened a little. I want to get as far into conditioning as possible without grinding out the miles. I am just looking for a few ways to keep those lower leg muscles engaged while I push my squat and deadlift.

        I bought this book called “FIT”, we’ll see if that has anything to say on the subject.

  33. I hurt my back a while ago, so continuing to come back from that has been progress- in a way. Hoping to get back to 100% for a meet in Feb. It will be my first meet and I at least want to match previous PR’s.

    Tagged along with my wife to a yoga class the day after volume, it felt like good active recovery. Will probably do it again… But for free in my living room next time.

  35. i forgot, also pr’ed in the push press @ 110k last sunday. and today i benched 245 lbs which is not a pr, but is the most i’ve moved since tweeking my shoulders in Aug.

    also have a giant pot of home made green chili on the stove now made w/ boneless pork ribs and 3 types of sausage

  36. Competition PR: participated in my first Olympic weightlifting meet today! I went 4 for 6, as I missed my third attempts by a smidge. Got 105 kg in the Snatch, and 125 kg in the C&J though, which considering I’ve only lifted each of those weights once before in training, I’m happy with. Competed as a 94 in the 18-20 age group. Unfortunately all the other 94s were older than that. In other words, I won by default. *sigh*

  38. Press PR 3×215

    I’ve been stalled out on my press for some time. I get a huge case of the Mondays every time I load up the bar for presses. I think all the rich holiday food did the job finally.

  39. Benched 370 today which is a 20 lb PR. Also just got over 200lbs bodyweight for the first time in my life. And while I’m certainly not as lean as I was a year ago, I’m a lot stronger. Now if I could just be lean AND stronger…..

  40. Squat: 385lb x 1 @ 150’ish bw – PR — thanks Justin for telling me how to rehab my groin — if you remember I started back in June after your workshop with JUST the bar squatting (previous pr was 360 @ 130’ish bw, so not that happy with minimal strength increase compared to weight gain, but hey, coming back from an injury and was just trying to hit 405 before end of the year)

  41. The weekly chat would be sweet.

    PR on the clean at 95#, but I need to work on getting under the bar faster. My knees are beginning to behave themselves while squatting, so the month of remedial squatting with box squats and bodyweight squats has paid off.

  44. No real PRs, but today was the first training session since the day before christmas:

    Squat: 182,5 kg (~ 402 lbs) x3x2
    Bench: 125 kg (~ 276 lbs) x3x2 –> technically, this is a PR, but I did 122 kg for 5 reps before christmas, so it´s not that great
    Deadlift: 192,5 kg (~ 424 lbs) x5

  45. End of year progress check – Squat 140 (308lbs) up from 125 a couple of months ago, fucking stoked! Bench 105, that’ll do for now. Dead – more than 167.5 – that’s all the weight I own. Time to go shopping.

    FAQing – I have a hard time searching this site, probably because the terms I would use (squat, form, knees, etc) get used so often so any search for a specific problem returns a huge number of results. Yes, I realise it’s user laziness rather than a bad system, and I have no suggestions for improvement. Just a bit of understanding when someone asks a question which you know you have answered, because the search results can be a bit opaque sometimes.

    • Also, edit to add: If you’re running out of new material, perhaps you could use a question as a jumping off point to point out the original post which you made on the subject and add some gems on top of that; I’m sure you’ve learned a thing or two in the three years since this started, your writing style certainly seems to have changed.

  47. I PR’d my all time number of coughs in a day today, with some nice gagging and dry heaving thrown in. I am over the flu that I got just before Christmas but now have this nasty cough thing.

    I am hoping to get back into the gym regularly for the first time in years in the next week. Definitely 2 days a week, hopefully 3. Gonna play it by ear as far as programming. I’m thinking squats and power cleans for the 2 centerpiece exercises. Looking to squat 405 and power clean 225 in 4 months or so if I am where I think I am. Currently weigh about 245 @ 5’8″. I used to powerlifting at 198 so I need to drop about 50 pounds.

  49. Decided to do a 1RM test of each of the four main lifts on Saturday.

    Squat: 315×1
    Deadlift 365×1
    Bench 255×1
    Press 160×1

    Goal for this next year is to hit 400 on squat, 500 o Deadlift, 300 on bench and 200 on the press. All at 42 years old.

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