PR Friday — Post your training updates, PR’s, and questions to the comments and the 70′s Big crew will respond.
Weekly Q&A gives you a chance to ask anyone from the 70′s Big Crew a question in the comments below, on Facebook, or Twitter. Follow 70’s Big on Instagram.
Recap: On Monday we had a guest post from Australian SOF vet Shaun Trainor on a flexible training program when deployed, super busy, or beat down. Chalk Talk #7 shows how to work on the quadratus lumborum and glute medius to alleviate pain in the low back and sacro-iliac area.
Here’s a sweet video of AC hitting a PR double at the time of 600×2. You see his warm-up sets and then the final set where he loses his god damn shit. AC is, how do you say…more of an emotional lifter. He uses a big adrenaline dump prior to lifting and gets pumped when he hits his lifts in training and meets.
What is your lifting style? Do you get emotionally amped? Yell and scream? Or do you have a silent rage? A calm before the storm?
Ran linear progression using SS and have been on intermediate programming for several months. Would like to focus on high bar for awhile instead of low bar to develop my quads a bit more and get used to the motion for olympic lifts. Is it advisable or even possible at this point to run a linear progression for high bar? If not, would you recommend sticking with intermediate programming albeit at a lower weight on my squat?
I think you can ratchet the weight on the bar back and have a nice, easy progression with the high bar. In fact, I think it would be the best idea so you can accumulate some work with the different movement pattern and get the muscular adaptation you’re going for.
I like the “silent aggression” approach to lifting. It’s cool when a guy (or lady) calmly walks up to a bar and treats a PR like it’s not a big deal.
For the Q&A: I have a female friend who listens to some advice I give her on lifting and nutrition. She really loves eating fruit and eats a good amount of it everyday. Even though she is pretty sensitive to a lot of food (any potential gut irritant), she says fruit makes her feel good and doesn’t cause problems. I’m inclined to recommend to her to stop eating so much fruit because people like robb wolf and you have said this can fuck with one’s insulin sensitivity, but I’m not sure she is actually eating too much given her activity level. It’s worth noting that she is fairly active and is a former cross country runner, now she just kinda treadmills it up a good amount and has begun getting into barbell movements.
So here’s the official question: if the activity level accommodates it, and a person doesn’t feel any worse eating tons of fruit, is it acceptable? Or is it something where there should be a cap on the sugars regardless of the scenario?
“If the activity level accommodates it, and a person doesn’t feel any worse eating tons of fruit, is it acceptable?”
Why would it not be? Does she have the diebeetus? No? Then it’s probably all good. I mean, activity level and how a person feels pretty much dictates whether or not something like this is acceptable. Assigning arbitrary numbers to things is kind of silly.
The only reason I’d tell her to eat less fruit is if it’s messing with her macros for a) how she feels, b) body composition, c) health related metrics (blood pressure, blood lipid profiles, etc., or c) causing clear signs of insulin sensitivity.
It’d also depend on “what a lot of fruit” means and what else she’s eating.
I’ve been getting back in a good lifting groove the past few weeks. Cleaned up my diet and dropped from 240 to 230 in the past 3 weeks. It feels good to eat well. No weight PRs, I’ve adjusted my training to a higher sets lower intensity routine to accommodate my travel schedule.
Squats: 275x6x1
Press: 135x6x2
Bench: 185x6x1
Deads: 315x6x2
Every session I superset lower/upper lifts for 5-10 sets and do singles to triples. I only have 20 minutes during lunch to lift, so I make the most of what I have. I feel good when I’m done and the higher number of sets is helping improve my coordination and groove.
To actually answer the question in the post. I’m almost always a methodical lifter. I’ll focus when I’m at my working weight, but I don’t get huge psych ups unless I’m going for an occasional PR at the end of a cycle, or at a meet.
I’ve decided that for the next 8 weeks at least i’ll be loosely following this program while attempting to gain weight/muscle
http://70sbig.com/blog/2010/02/getting-into-weightlifting-part-3/
Would adding a hypertrophy day on saturday morning for the upper body be a major detriment to the program? Something like two press/pull supersets of 3×10 each for horizontal and vertical pressing/pulling. I am severely lacking in upper body strength compared to my other lifts, and since I’ll be eating a lot I figure it will be okay.
I have a project on the way pertaining to upper body strength and muscularity.
In the mean time, I don’t see a problem with your proposed idea. Make sure you are doing barbell rows and weighted pull/chin-ups.
Silent Rage. Sometimes I’ll flick my ears really hard a few times before a PR attend to get a little extra amped.
I used ammonia inhalants at a couple meets. Those are pretty effective.
PR: I ate 6 eggs for breakfast for 5 of the last 7 days. (Other 2 mornings I have to lift early then go to class). Playing around with egg presentation and I’m currently enjoying them topped with my neighbor’s chili sauce and some jalapeno cream cheese wedges.
Q&A: I struggled with what I self-diagnosed as “left greater trochanteric bursitis” for a good portion of last year. After resting and switching to high bar this summer, I had a few of solid months of squatting without it, but now it’s back. Any tips or experience with it? I’ve read about IT band release. But more importantly, wtf am I probably doing wrong with my squats that makes it a recurring thing for me? More info: my left ankle, quad, and glute are tighter than my right. Front squats sometimes aggravate it and sometimes don’t. I’ve basically been throwing them in depending on whether or not they feel okay that day or not.
I can still pull fine and I’ve been adding more volume to my deadlifts to get more leg work in. Power cleans are progressing fine too.
Sounds like you just answered your own question. Your left side is tighter, and you’re getting pain upstream. Sort out your ankle, quad, and glutes and see if your hip gets better.
Agree.
Glute medius. Probably quadratus lumborum (see the recent Chalk Talk on it). Address glutes, quads, and so on down to the floor on a regular basis and gauge improvement.
Let us know how it goes.
I laugh every damn time I see that AC video. It’s a classic. I take the silent rage approach the majority of the time, though I will occasionally lose my shit as well. Sometimes, if it’s been a long, shitty week, deadlift day is where all the anger comes out.
For the Q&A: Thoughts on foods like turkey bacon/sausage and some of the more processed meats like salami/pepperoni?
I’ll need a more specific question. Thoughts are: I like the real stuff. If I’m gonna have a lot of sodium and nitrates, I’ll eat the tastier version, but higher quality meat (i.e. better fed animals) will be better.
And I eat bacon every day. Not saying you should or shouldn’t, but I don’t refrain from sodium/nitrates. But I only have two pieces on week days.
I was curious as to your thoughts on their nutritional value. I’ve heard people poo on them, and I’ve heard others say the turkey versions are “healthier”, which is their way of saying less fat. I don’t care about that part, I need the fat, but I was wondering if there was any truth to them being bad. I only ask because I’m a broke ass college student, and sometimes the turkey versions are more affordable for me.
I’m mostly a inner rage type of guy, I do like to hit big weights with the perfect song (any genre, depends on the mood)
No PRs this week. Is it normal to see a significant loss in strength after a deload week? Or could it be from nixing the creatine about 3 weeks ago? Or is it a simple mind fuck situation that I’m going through? Sleep and nutrition are pretty much on point, brain is super active from school and clinicals.
No creatine. Super active brain (and likely stress)? Sounds like that would be it.
Some times coming off a deload requires almost a ramp up week. Perhaps your deload is too low stress? What percentage is it (on average) of your normal training week?
5/3/1: For the last set of the 5 week it’s 80%, then 3 week it’s 85%, then 90% for the 1 week. Deload last set it around 57%. This is percentage of just the squat at 415#. Bench and Press are not to bad, it’s the squat and DL that’s lagging.
57% could be kinda low. Maybe work with 70% IF you think doing too little weight on that week is a reason you are having trouble performing.
What other factors are going on? You seem to have a comprehensive look. Eating enough (protein or otherwise) during the deload? Your nutrition shouldn’t change. Do you drink/party more when you deload because you aren’t training hard?
I don’t party anymore and I occasionally have a beer or two. Alchohol + TBI = bad for all within screaming distance!! My diet never really changes, it’s not the best, I know I could clean a few things up a bit. I usually try to get between 3000-3500 calories a day, those are about 3/4 paleo. If I’m on the go I’ll ninja blend up 5 eggs, a handful of kale or spinach, 1/4 of oatmeal and take 3 or 4 omega 3s. My usual protein intake is about 8oz of whatever got thawed out, sometimes more.
Since I’m training to be a ninja I use silent rage. Occasionally I’ll grunt as I exhale.
PR: Press – 165lbs for 5 (I weigh 180).
Deadlift: 330 lbs for 4 (subpar form – I keep moving my ass first then good morning). 180lbs with excellent form, so I’m starting from there to build it up. Sigh, back to the pink weights for me.
I starting pushing sleds again last Monday. Threw up after 2 sets of 30 sec max print with 50lbs. Going to do it again this today and try to get to 3 sets before throwing up.
First time poster but I have stalked the pages for a few years. Never felt any of my lifts have been remotely worthy of these pages, but might as well start sometime. I have been working pretty hard the last few months and squatted 320lbs today for three sets of five . Mostly following SS, but switched to 2x weekly squats and DL on Wednesday. I’m 28, 5’11” and about 185lbs.
Love the site and and I appreciate you sharing your knowledge with us, Justin.
Totally worthy, and welcome! I ran SS to somewhere around that for 3×5 squats before I swapped squats to Texas Method. Kept bench and press on SS for another month before I tapped out 3×5 for them. I’ve deadlifted on Fridays for quite some time now, even in SS.
As I’m posting, I’m self-amping with 70’s Big motivation… About to get under the squat bar with 425 for 2×3. I’ll post it as a successful PR when finished!
Started the “Madcow 5*5” aka Bill Starr this week. Former strength guy when in my 20’s. 43 now, married,kids,etc and have finally accepted the fact that I’m a big guy and have put CrossFit to the side to focus on strength. Been a lurker for three years, will post PR’s when I get through week 4.
Made my friday a disaster by fucking up my calorie intake cused by poorly planned change to paleo. Had really bad sleep because of high stress, so I failed all my prs.
My mistke was not getting enough fat, already know how to fix it
Silent adrenaline dump I guess? Only one day lifting this week but PRed my clean at 315#
In the gym so late yesterday. With soft classic rock sweeping through the building, as always. I get psyched from within, maybe add some heavy breathing or a grunt as I grab the bar, every now and then I jump up and down in place a few times. And then it’s lift off.
PR:
Squat 425x3x2
That’s my 6th week on triples during my first cycle of running it out. Time to move it to singles across. Unless I have a great next week and decided to do some doubles.
Failed on my damn bench press. So frustrating. Those other two dudes in the gym are going to beat me to the 315 club. Grrrr.
Deadlifted 495×2. If I have a great next week I’ll up it for another double. Otherwise I’ll switch to singles across. Close, but still not a deadlift PR.
No PR’s this week (and probably not for the next month at least) as I had my first sessions back lifting in two months. I just finished an 8 week fight camp, and I didn’t lift at all during it. Benched on Thursday, and deadlifted on Friday. Both of them felt really heavy.
Life PR – Got an article published by 70’s Big. Thanks again Justin, it was a big honour.
Damnit, forgot to answer the question.
I’d say I have a deadly focus, fairly free from emotion. It’s the same feeling I have when the bird touches down on a job.
Justin,
You seem to have a lot of physio knowledge. I have a plate in my right ulna from a non union. The plate is about 7 inches long and medially placed. Fully healed. It has been three years since the surgery. I can do body weight stuff, deadlift, press and almost anything, but bench pressing puts pressure right on the spot. The pain can be worked through,but I always worry that one day its gonna pop. Its only the bench press that does it. Any suggestions. The weight that I feel it at is a paltry 185#. Any advice?
I’d be interested to see your grip. My first idea is that if you have a better grip-width, you can alleviate or eliminate the pain.
Try close grip bench too. It might be a thing you have to live with, but let’s play around with it first.
Thanks, I have played with my grip and found that the more narrow, the less pain and due to an injury and screw in my left wrist I have to put my thumbs behind the bar. I’ll go more narrow and see what happens, if it continues to hurt, I may just put an emphasis on the OH Press and decrease my benching to once a week with less weight and more volume. Thanks for taking the time to respond. Just trying to troubleshoot it before I end up hurt again.
Do you have any video of you benching?
Have you tried wearing a wrist wrap?
I get the impression you are holding the bar wrong since you have to put your thumb behind the bar (AKA a “false grip”). I’ll do a video or post on the false grip at some point and you can play around with that.
No video. Definitely a false grip. The screw is in the small bones between the distal radius and ulnar head and the hand. Metatarsals? I’ll try a wrist wrap and close grip. Again, thanks for your time and attention.