Stella's Adventures in Squatting Journal

She squats in beauty

This issue covers the second training day of the program. Confidence and self-motivation begin to emerge with each ascending rep and the student's perception of "heavy" begins to change. The respect for the bar is always there- but under the instructor's watchful eye, a sense of possibility permeates the gym air.

Stella: For a lot of people, training is kind of a means to an end. It's physical activity. It's exercise. It's a way to lose weight or get more muscle. For some of us it transcends that and that is evidenced by Bill's description of the feeling of the almighty squat:

Bill: There's no pause at all. It's a beautiful slow motion movement. Everything is deliberate and purposeful from the time you step back from the rack, get settled, the descent slowing as you reach depth simultaneously bringing in as much air as you can, then the smooth acceleration off the bottom, every muscle fibre in your body pulling/pushing you up again. A brief pause, deep breath in and out, then do it again.

Squat Girl reporting in-

Day Two Goal: 3 x 8 175; 3 x 5 195; 5 x 3 215

Results: 3x8 175 2 min rest
2x7, 1x8 195 2.5 min rest
3x4 215 2x5 215 3 min rest

Notes: 3x8 felt easy this go round and I felt I could've shortened the 2 min. I felt like it's not so much the weight that affects how this feels.. but your own mental perception about what that weight is and if you think that # is "heavy". If you call it heavy....suddenly, ugh, it feels ...heavy. Once you do it, well, you don't think its a big deal and it gets easier. I will stick with getting this in to strengthen the tendons etc for the progressively heavier loads as you suggested. Just noting this was almost exponentially easier from just Saturday and of course since last week when I first went up to 175. My rep range @ 175 might be higher than the 11 or 12 used for the baseline so I guess we just note this for now.

The 3x5 Sets: Well here I was wondering if I was supposed to be bleeding sweat and working to "failure" each set or just kind of kicking up dust to train up to the 5x3 sets coming next. I found at this point in the workout, at 195 I am really at 7-8 reps if I am going to be pushing it on the last rep. Am I supposed to be reaching for the stars with every set in this program or am I better off staying a little more comfortable during this section and going for broke/an extra rep or two than planned in the last few sets? One other note, I am sort of used to kind of still being at a pant when I begin the next set. I am not doing this with this program, correct?
The goal is to fully recover before the next set (breathing normally, etc), right?

The 5x3... Had something extra in the end but I felt the poundage was appropriately challenging by this point.

Weaknesses I think I need to work on:
"Stiffening" the ascension more immediately. I think the initial exertion of force is not explosive enough. I sort of sense, especially in the later sets, a slight hesitation in the power transfer (like I have already begun ascending before exerting full power).

Lifting off the rack: More practice will give me less trepidation, perhaps.

I feel the "force" inside, I know I do, I just need to figure out how to access it. I wish you could watch me and check my form. DOMS is just beginning to set in. ;-)

Stella

Bill writes back:

Day Two: 3 x 8 175; 3 x 5 195; 5 x 3 215
Results: 3x8 175; 2x7, 1x8 195; 3x4 215 2x5 215

1st comment: Great feedback. Helps me visualize what is happening and enables me to give better advice. As you noted, the heavier weight/lower rep routine is a different mind set.

Try not to think of the comparative values of what you were doing previously, what you are doing now and what you will be doing shortly. Conceptualize Day One asyour 'starting place' ignoring everything that was done in the past. Each successive workout is only an incremental movement from Day One. Then, as you progress, only be concerned with the workout to workout changes. These are 'manageable' and you 'know' you can get just 5 more little pounds, right? Kind of the lifter's version of "don't look down."

I know the temptation is to push to the max level right away. Stay the course. You feel frisky and when the weights start feeling light it seems like youcan squat the whole gym. We're going to maintain that positive feeling.

<<My rep range @ 175 might be higher than the 11 or 12 used for the baseline so I guess we just note this for now.>>

I knew you were sandbagging! <G>

<<The 3x5 Sets: Well here I was wondering if I was supposed to be bleeding sweat and working to "failure"each set or just kind of kicking up dust to train up to the 5x3 sets coming next.>>

The philosophy is the 8 reps sets are getting the body prepared for the work to come. At this stage they are still light enough for this purpose. In a few weeks, you'll be doing a couple of 8 rep sets with 135 to get the synuvial fluid in the knees warmed up. Glorified deep knee bends, if you will. It doesn't 'count' in the program. Strictly limbering up (boy,there's an old term) and form checking.

<< Am I supposed to be reaching for the stars with every set in this program or am I better off staying a little more comfortable and going for broke/an extra rep or two than planned in the last few sets?>>

The 5 rep sets are about 85% effort. Working but not destroying yourself. The last rep should be fairly tough on the last two sets.

<<One other note, I am sort of used to kind of still being at a pant when I begin the next set... The goal is to fully recover before the next set (breathing normally,etc), right?>>

You are correct. As we get the weight adjusted to where you truly are, you'll appreciate the time.<G>

For tomorrow, take the 5 rep sets up to 205 and the three rep sets to 225. Trying to equalize things a bit here. Your results from the second workout point to a 1RM of 265. You can handle the 205 & 225.

You should be descending slowly to your desired depth. As you're going down, every muscle should gradually be tightening, timing so that when you are at thelowest point every muscle is 'coiled' to the max and ready to go to work to bring you up. It's very much a coordination thing.

There's no pause at all. It's a beautiful slow motion movement. Every thing is deliberate and purposeful from the time you step back from the rack, getsettled, the descent slowing as you reach depth simultaneously bringing in as much air as you can, then the smooth acceleration off the bottom, every muscle fibre in your body pulling/pushing you up again. A brief pause, deep breath in and out, then do it again.

Once you've cleared the rack, it's only two steps back. Find your
comfortable first step (right or left) and do it the same way every time. For example,I always go backwards left then right and re-rack left, right.

As you set up under the bar, take some time to position yourself properly. If you don't feel right, step away and start over. Just like the toss for a serve in tennis. If you don't like it, do it again.

How are your shoulders? No bruising from the bar across the top? If you have and it bugs you, try wrapping a towel around the 'business' portion of the bar. Some gyms have piece of foam cut to go around the bar, but I've always found them too thick.

<< I wish you could watch me and check my form>>

So do I. The old "picture is worth a zillion words." But we'll do ok.

Bill

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