Deadlifts
135x5
185x5
225x3
275x3
315x3
335x3
335x1 (thought I could get three more here, but I got one ugly one and decided to call it a day)
Usually this is followed by a unilateral leg exercise, but Sean wanted to try Zercher squats out, and I decided to front squat a little. This turned out to be pretty rough, for a couple reasons
- I can't hold the bar in a clean grip because of my lack of wrist flexibility, so I never felt like the weight is truly stable.
- I kept losing the weight forward, which I guess indicates a weak fucking core.
- I used a shoulder width stance which felt weird as fuck, and I think contributed to me feeling unstable.
135x5
155x6
135x10
135x6
I didn't feel like I worked my legs as much as I wanted to here, so I decided to do a couple sets of Olympic squats, high bar, close stance, as far below parallel as I could get, etc:
135x12
155x12
I think I was going lower than my mobility really allows, because my low back sorta hurt after this.
For posterior chain work, I took a page out of the Drew Cook Notebook:
Waiter's Bow
45x20
90x5
70x12
I had trouble keeping the weight close to me, and just in general, hanging onto the plates, so I tried to do a set of GMs to make sure my big ass got enough work done. I got 135x8, but I felt weak, and like I couldn't get as low as I usually can. I took this as a sign that I should probably call it a day, so Sean and I did some crunch variations to get the sick ab pumps and I went looking for the thin mints.
A couple things:
ReplyDelete1. I can't do front squats in the clean grip either, and for the same reason. I don't do front squats too often, but when I do I use the crossed arms variation, and I don't have any problem with the weight shifting.
2. With the Waiter's Bow you could try a wider stance, like a sumo deadlift stance. It will likely allow you to bend further over.
3. Can't hold the weight? How are you holding it? When I use 2 25s I hold the plates in a manner that I will attempt to describe thusly: Put one hand on top of the other, both palms facing you, as if you're about to receive Communion. Now put your hands close to your chest, similar to the way people do Zerchers. Put the weight in the crook of your elbows.
When I do 2 45s I can't hold them that way, because the diameter of the plates is too great. So I just hold them against myself like I'm just holding the contraction of a bent over plate row.
Try out the first way. Or get a stronger upper back.
4. Why didn't you, Clayton, just do Zerchers?
1. It just never feels steady, especially after a few reps.
ReplyDelete2. I will
3. I tried to hold the 45s like you described holding the 25s, and had the same problem as you - the plates were too big around to get a good hold of. I switched to two 35s and was sort of able to hang on to them.
4. Because I wanted to do front squats.
I guess then just try to hold the plates against you, with a hand on the left and right outer edges of the plate, just like the contraction would be if you were to row those plates.
ReplyDeleteI should probably do all sets like that, it really burns the biceps and upper back.
Zercher squats, by the way, are awesome.
ReplyDeleteLearning curve is way easier (though maybe that's because I have experience with regular squatting) and it seemed to remind me more to keep my core tight, as the weight was a bit more further laterally from my center of gravity.
I'll probably use that in the progression to teach squat when I coach.
I'm still pissed I didn't hit 405 for 3 today though.
Yeah, Sean's Zercher squats:
ReplyDelete135x5
225x5
275x3
315x3
375x3
405x1 - at this point, he failed because his arms snapped off