Stella's Adventures in Squatting Journal

Testing the Water

Stella writes in brackets; Bill responds:

In this "episode" Bill dispenses some of pointers on form and Stella responds
back to some of his concerns with some of the things she's been doing to
prepare for this journey. A mutual respect for the squat begins to emerge in
the relationship between two friends.

Adventures in Squatting #5: Day 1 DOMS Part 1
October 7, 2001

Bill: "Now that you are feeling more confident with the load, work on
getting that 40# spread rather than working faster BUT what you've got to
guard against is your muscular strength overpowering the ligaments and
tendons.

As much as I love bench presses, the most satisfying feeling I've ever had in
lifting is coming out of the hole with a PR squat. Fool around with 135 on
your back to find that 'point'to focus on that will maintain your form."
(excerpt)

Adventures in Squatting #5: Day 1 DOMS, Part 2
October 7, 2001

Bill, All hail to the King of Squats! Crouch down before the master!
The quads and glutes are feeling the love today, let me tell ya.

I don't know if I am aware of your background with all of this. Is it just
years of training & experience? (EDIT: Bill has a knack of being able to
calculate lower rep range poundage based on current routines)

I'm gonna have to control the behavior pattern of feeling like I need to
hurry back up there right after I've re-racked the bar and stay focused on
what I am doing. On the tendons & ligaments issue, I was thinking about this
when you mentioned it on the phone. I think some of the other leg work I do
has actually prepared me for this endeavor. For example, over the last year,
I've been varying the spacing, placement on platforms, and angle of my feet &
toes- whether it's been squatting, leg pressing, or leg extensions. That is
kind of the way I've given my leg workouts variety and challenge other than
just through poundage increase. You mentioned the adductor/abductor machines
and how that can help with some of this. I haven't done those in forever but
do often do Sumo squats or even wider stance leg presses with my feet higher
or lower on the platform depending on if I am trying to get more hammy in
there or not.I see a lot of people do the same exact leg routine over and
over- even more than their upper body routines. It will actually be nice
though to specialize for a little while. I promise to be careful. ;-)

I love squatting or any leg training too. Part of it may be because it just
always makes me feel like I'm so in my own little universe. It may have
something to do with the fact that you see so many folks chicken out on their
leg training if they even do it at all. I like to feel seperate from all of
that. I'll be honest, it will be a great feeling to earn the sight of a
couple of 45s & a quarter on each side of my bar.

Got the focal point. There is a smudge mark on the gym mirror and I just try
to focus on that. When I don't, I can feel my lower back break away from its
proper placement.

Something else I meant to say...was just this new sense of respect for people
that train to lift very enormous amounts of weights. As I go through this, I
think I will gain an even greater sense of appreciation for squats.

I'm already visualizing Weds night.

Stella
(stuck sitting on the floor right now, LOL)

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