Cosplay and Iron: September 2012

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Phlegm

You are an unwelcome passenger
Host to every breathe and upset stomach
Who knew I could create something so vile and keep it like a dragon covets treasure
Every cough brings me closer to sanity, but there is still so much left inside
So coughing and coughing we will go

KOFFING. Also, not really about pneumonia.

Monday, September 24, 2012

Glute Ham Raises in a Commercial Gym

If you have had the opportunity to use a real glute ham raise bench, you might also know the abysmal difference when attempting the same movement in a commercial gym. A real glute ham raise bench will lock in your feet, easily transferring the power to your hamstrings and ass. In a commercial gym, you likely sit backwards on a rowing machine (using the knee holds to quasi lock in your ankles) and pump out 5-10 shitty reps.

I have been looking to increase the weight I use on this movement (as I do on all body weight exercises), but I have found the greatest leveling up I've done is increasing the time I spend in the eccentric (negative) motion. This leads to 5 awesome slow reps, then 5 rushed awkward flops. Because I've poured everything into stopping my downwards momentum -

This, by the way, is the largest difference between a fake and real glute ham bench. On a real bench, it is easy to reverse the motion with assistance from your hands. On a fake bench, you'd best catch yourself lest you want to avoid a face to nasty carpet incident.

- in the first few reps, my eccentric strength is gone for the remainder of the set. Increasing my reps/set over time has not fixed this issue. I propose instead to decrease my total reps/set, and make each movement strong as shit.

Quality over quantity. Get stronger.

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Tips and Tricks: Sumo Power Shrug

Sumo Power Shrugs

Keep the bar CLOSE to your body. I usually scrap my thighs a lot.

The entire motion occurs in thefull extension of a sumo rack pull.
Do not bend too much at your knees. The rebound from each rep will tear them up. Instead, bend a slight amount at the knees (barely break them) and use your hips to push and catch the weight. Remember, we are just trying to move the weight as much as possible, not get a full hold/extension.
Do not lean forward to build momentum, thiswill kill your lower back and end your day very quickly.

In a full extension,the dip to build momentum occurs at the hips.

When dealing with maximal weights, range of motion is not the most important thing. Remember, you are (well...supposed to be) using weights well over your deadlift maximum. Just get the weight moving and shrug as hard as you can.
Get fucking angry
Hold your breathe until your reps are done. Lose your breathe and expect your lower back to take the brunt of the weight.

EDIT 11/3/12
Don't know why this visual helps, but it certainly did the trick for me (until my right hand exploded in a mound of blood blisters).

Imagine your body is a T-shaped crane with weights being supported on either end of the 'T.' If the weights stay close to the base of the crane, the crux of the 'T' bends but holds steady. However, if the weights gain momentum away from the crane's base, the crane releases the weights to protect the base.

EDIT 8/9/13

Squeeze your lats like you are trying to crush them into your body. Stay tight throughout the entire set.

EDIT 3/6/14
If you are having trouble powering up, start each rep from the pins (knee or slightly above knee height). Use the same explosive force to shrug the weight up. You may initially get less reps, but you will get slightly more pulling volume from successive rack pulls.

Surgeon general's recommended set/rep range

Option 1: Straight Sets
8-10x3, heavy with low rest periods

1x10 50-60 lbs less than your 8-10x3 sets (done after your heavy sets), busted out if you have the energy for it

Option 2: Top Down Pyramid

Over warmup with a static hold (somewhere in the range of > 50lbs of your top set. Hold the bar as long as possible while maintaining tension in your lats, glutes, and abs.

Work sets are 3xamap. Decrease the weight by about 40lbs each set. Increase each set's weight when you can hit 10 reps at a weight.

Option 3: Bottom Up Pyramid
Start with 135 on the bar, get 10 reps
Increase each set by 25 or 45 plates (185 or 225 will be your next set)
Stop when you cannot hit 10 reps on a set (or 5, whatever, just make it hard)

DBZ CharacterChanneled - Nappa

But Vegeta, Trix are for kids

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Tips and Tricks: Sumo Deadlift

Disclaimer:
I have read about many different 'correct' ways to do the sumo deadlift. Mine is NOT on any of those lifts. I deadlift the way I do because it keeps me injury free, allows me to pull heavy and often (well, kinda), and it lends itself well to high volume. As with any other movement you learn on your own, you can research any number of 'best ways' to do something online, but you are not going to know how your body mechanics work around and under a bar until you log some time in the gym.

Be careful, experiment, and don't be a pussy.

Keep your damn hips up.

If you find yourself 'squatting' the weight up, you are doing it dead wrong. Your quads will object to this immediately, very easy problem to diagnose and fix.

As with conventional deadlifts, keep your chest up. You should feel an isometric contraction in your lats and glutes before you leave the ground.
Prior to liftoff, you should be able to feel the weight across the entire perimeter of both feet (not just the outside or inside.
Get over the bar, not behind it. Your back should be able to pull the weight up (mid back, not lower back) while your entire lower body is pressing hard into the ground.

Surgeon General's Recommended Set/Rep Ranges

8x3 if working with submaximal weights

Sometimes, you just have to find out your max…

DBZ Character Channeled - Goku or Vegeta