A cry for help... and my powerlifting log

[BigBaldBeardGuy]

@Perrin Aybara has done a great job of keeping the powerlifting forum alive. That effort is paying of with a lot of good activity here recently.

I figured I’d jump on board too. I’m not too proud to not ask for a little help along the way. I’m 44 years old, 6’2” and around 273 pounds right now. I’ve been training for the past ten years, using it at first as a positive distraction to get myself sober after years of alcohol abuse.

Lol, I actually started with P90x and a treadmill in the basement but then quickly gravitated to more powerlifting training. I like chasing the numbers. Set a goal, meet it and set the next goal 50 pounds heavier. Attaining those goals leaves me with a feeling of euphoria and then it’s back to work getting the next one.

I’m going to post some training log stuff here eventually, probably the beginning of November. I just finished an 8 week short-ester cycle so there’s not much exciting going on right now.

But in the meantime, I’m going to post a couple videos for the experts to critique. I got thick skin so don’t hold back. I want to get better so I welcome all feedback.

 

[BigBaldBeardGuy]

600 pound deadlift from this morning.

I know the bar drifts too far away from my body. I’m trying to work on that. I think my hips shoot up too quick too.

Any other tips or pointers?

 

[Perrin Aybara]

I used lifting to get sober, too. Started out calisthenics in the county, jogging and a little weights in prison, then I did HIIT routines kinda like P90X stuff when I was on house arrest and had some old junk concrete weights. Then I started hitting the gym and fell in love with lifting heavy.

Maybe point your toes out a little more and that should help keep the bar closer to your body. You're tall, so a wider stance conventional might feel more natural and make the lockout easier. Probably start with hips a little lower too.

You're already really strong by any standards, just need form nailed down to really take it to the next level.

 

[Mac11wildcat]

I’m no pro, but it doesn’t look like you’re pulling the slack out at the beginning (and your hips pop up can be a result of that) and doesn’t look like you’re consciously thinking about hip drive. I could be wrong, just how it looks to me. I’m betting some accessory work for glute/hams and some activation beforehand might help.

 

[BigBaldBeardGuy]

I used lifting to get sober, too. Started out calisthenics in the county, jogging and a little weights in prison, then I did HIIT routines kinda like P90X stuff when I was on house arrest and had some old junk concrete weights. Then I started hitting the gym and fell in love with lifting heavy.

Maybe point your toes out a little more and that should help keep the bar closer to your body. You're tall, so a wider stance conventional might feel more natural and make the lockout easier. Probably start with hips a little lower too.

You're already really strong by any standards, just need form nailed down to really take it to the next level.

Thanks for the pointers. I haven’t found the right foot placement. Some training blocks I feel like wider is better and then other times I feel like a narrow stance feels better. I’ve been doing my recent volume work with a wider stance and a wider hand position too. I’m going to continue that.

I’ll point the toes outward too. Bar drift has always been a problem. I’ve never scraped my shins. Gotta sit-back more too.

 

[BigBaldBeardGuy]

I’m no pro, but it doesn’t look like you’re pulling the slack out at the beginning (and your hips pop up can be a result of that) and doesn’t look like you’re consciously thinking about hip drive. I could be wrong, just how it looks to me. I’m betting some accessory work for glute/hams and some activation beforehand might help.

I’m guilty of both. I self-taught on all this stuff. I just yank the bar and go. I know I’m supposed to take the slack out and sit back but I need to work on getting that positioning better.

I have a GHR that I use for accessory work (usually mid-week on a non-deadlifting day) but I’ll flip that to beforehand like you suggested. That way I can better “feel” the activation during the deadlift. I do it as too much of a pull rather than using the hips to “wedge” the weight up.

Thanks for the critique.

 

[Sworder]

Sick! I yelled "PULLLLLL" when you started shaking.

 

[Perrin Aybara]

Thanks for the pointers. I haven’t found the right foot placement. Some training blocks I feel like wider is better and then other times I feel like a narrow stance feels better. I’ve been doing my recent volume work with a wider stance and a wider hand position too. I’m going to continue that.

I’ll point the toes outward too. Bar drift has always been a problem. I’ve never scraped my shins. Gotta sit-back more too.

Well, there's an argument for both narrow and wide, just depends on you. Narrow is going to be more explosive off the floor, but make the lockout harder. If you're fast enough getting it moving you can be in a better position to keep it moving through lockout. Wider is going to be slower off the floor, but easier at lockout. Whichever suits you is fine, you'll just have to play with it. Definitely point your toes out more either way though.

Personally with conventional I take a very narrow stance because I'm fairly quick off the floor. I'm also quite a bit shorter than you and don't see many taller guys pulling that way either, so might be something to it.

 

[NovaFlex]

Thanks for the pointers. I haven’t found the right foot placement. Some training blocks I feel like wider is better and then other times I feel like a narrow stance feels better. I’ve been doing my recent volume work with a wider stance and a wider hand position too. I’m going to continue that.

I’ll point the toes outward too. Bar drift has always been a problem. I’ve never scraped my shins. Gotta sit-back more too.

What works for me, for keeping the bar in closer, is contracting my shoulders like you would on a bench press... pushing your sternum up and through. Coincidentally, it’s also helped keep my back more erect.

 

[Btcowboy]

I find with hips lower, chest up helps me keep bar in tighter.

 

[WeMadeItToAndromeda]

Thanks for the pointers. I haven’t found the right foot placement. Some training blocks I feel like wider is better and then other times I feel like a narrow stance feels better. I’ve been doing my recent volume work with a wider stance and a wider hand position too. I’m going to continue that.

I’ll point the toes outward too. Bar drift has always been a problem. I’ve never scraped my shins. Gotta sit-back more too.

One thing that really helped me on deadlifts was thinking about driving my heels through the floor when I pull. It really helps me keep my hips going forward rather than up and helps to recruit more leg drive in the deadlift. Think of yourself as pushing the floor away from you rather than trying to pull the bar up.

 

[Worf]

600 pound deadlift from this morning.

I know the bar drifts too far away from my body. I’m trying to work on that. I think my hips shoot up too quick too.

Any other tips or pointers?

Looks like a stiff leg , drop that ass.

 

[Seven]

I really wanted to see your face painted like the psycho in your avi, Lattimer.

I enjoy hearing how ppl stop abusive behavior and channel to something positive. Well done for stopping it when you did.

Sorry I have no advice on deadlifts bc I'm horrible at em. Just here for support...

 

[BigBaldBeardGuy]

I really wanted to see your face painted like the psycho in your avi, Lattimer.

I enjoy hearing how ppl stop abusive behavior and channel to something positive. Well done for stopping it when you did.

Sorry I have no advice on deadlifts bc I'm horrible at em. Just here for support...

Loved The Program. Steroids gave him a seat at the table!

I’ll do the Lattimer face paint if I ever get to the point of pulling 700!

 

[Perrin Aybara]

I’ll do the Lattimer face paint WHEN I get to the point of pulling 700!

Fixed that for you.

 

[Worf]

You quit lifting?

 

[BigBaldBeardGuy]

Haha. No. Just on a cruise for a couple more weeks. Boring base training just to maintain my current lifts.

Fun begins again December 1 so stay tuned! I’ll be doing a bunch of bench pressing in preparation for a bench only meet in March. Planning on running a few weeks of Smolov Jr followed by a few weeks of base lifting again leading up to the final prep leading up to the meet.

Building suspense...

 

[MindlessWork]

Haha. No. Just on a cruise for a couple more weeks. Boring base training just to maintain my current lifts.

Fun begins again December 1 so stay tuned! I’ll be doing a bunch of bench pressing in preparation for a bench only meet in March. Planning on running a few weeks of Smolov Jr followed by a few weeks of base lifting again leading up to the final prep leading up to the meet.

Building suspense...

Nice and go for it!

 

[NovaFlex]

Get it.

 

[BigBaldBeardGuy]

Thanks guys. I’m hoping it’ll be a good stretch. It’s the first time in the past 5 years where I don’t have any real shoulder pain. If I can keep that healthy I should be able to make some real nice progress.

I’ll be updating this thread more often.