So NSUNs include front squats, however, they have been horrible on my knees so I'm going to substitute with either a deadlift accessory or a power pull. IMO front squats are really only necessary for Oly lifters
I'm not a huge fan of front squats myself. For me, I have issues with shoulder mobility, so getting into that front rack position is tough. But it's brutal on the knees. Definitely the hardest squat variation on that. Personally, if I'm subbing a lift, I like to try and sub it for something that works mostly the same muscle group as the original lift. So for example, I used to hate lunges (and not be able to do them well), so I would substitute Bulgarian split squats or single-leg leg press instead. So for front squats I usually sub with leg press (when I was going to a gym that had a leg press and not doing my workouts at home), or high bar back squat. That way it didn't stray too far from the program, but I could still do a lift that I liked more or was easier on my body.
Heck ya man, I'm no competitor but I love traditional strength training. I have enough stuff at home to get all the lifts I want to do in for the most part. I love it though, and it's a really good way for me to get some anger or aggression out. Walking into the garage and pulling up a new deadlift PR will really take it out of you lol and it feels awesome when you get it.
Hell yeah! Nothing like going in and just picking up some fucking metal to really get those emotions out. I know I always lift heavier when I'm angry. I've always resonated with the notion that I heard from somewhere (I can't remember where exactly): a 45 pound plate doesn't give a shit about the color of your skin, your sexual orientation, your religion, your beliefs, or even whether or not you've had a good or bad day. A 45 pound plate will always weigh 45 pounds no matter how you approach it, so just lift it. It's a good way to equalize myself at the end of a tough day.
Saturdays are for the Bench!! For the first time in my powerlifting history, I pause benched above my body weight. Bench has always been my absolute worst lift, and has plateaued around my bodyweight, continually fluctuating with it. But I finally pushed through, and I'm feeling pumped about it.
Thanks man. Been a long ass time for me to get there. Next milestone is 3 plate bench, which will put me at the 3-4-5 club (3 plate bench, 4 plate squat, 5 plate deadlift)
Nicely done! I finally cleared out my gym area in the garage last week, I've gotta get back into my lifting routine. I've been off for about 2 or 3 weeks now. Pretty much all the shoulder pain I was having is gone so I think I can get back into it again.
Aw man, shoulder pain is the worst. I don't think I've ever had a 100% healthy shoulder, so I can definitely feel your pain man. Let's get it!!
Back at it, arms today. Finally trying to get back in the groove. Hoping I haven't lost too much strength lol
Squats today. I have a question. What is your typical back angle on squats? I try to follow mostly what Rippetoe says about it but I've experienced some major back pain in the past so I'm curious how you guys approach it. A flatter back or more upright? I tried a bit flatter today, focusing on hip drive, and got more weight up, but last time I did that I went too heavy and strained my back.
I actually work a bunch of different variations into my training. For competitions and the most weight, I do low-bar squats. So I'll have a wider stance, put the bar a bit lower on the back, and lean the torso forward (probably closer to 45 degrees or so). Some days I'll do high bar squat where I'll sit the bar on the traps, bring the feet further in, and the knees will go further out over the toes. That's just to train more quad development. And then I'll also do front squats occasionally (but I really, really don't like them). The more upright the torso, the more your knees will have to come over your toes to keep the bar in the right place (over mid-foot), and the more quad-focused the movement will be. The lower the bar, the more you recruit the hips, hamstrings, and back into the movement, and you (ideally) should be able to move more weight (since you're using more muscle groups). I've found it takes some experimentation. You've gotta find the right combo of bar placement, torso angle, foot width, heeled shoe vs flats, grip width, etc. to get just the right feeling. Hell, mine still changes, tbh.
Good to know haha, I didn't think about the fact that your knees have to go that much farther forward when your back is more vertical to keep it over mid-foot. That's usually my main goal is just keep the bar moving in a straight line the whole time, above mid foot.
Did 225 x 5 on the squat today which may not seem like much, but is something I've been wanting to get for awhile. Struggled with form for awhile and now that I finally got that dialed in I'm making some good progress. Hopefully can get up to the high 200s by the end of the year.
Fucking right dude, that's awesome!!! Don't let anyone tell you otherwise, repping two plates is a big accomplishment!! Keep on crushing it.
Heck ya dude that's awesome. I'm working to get where you are right now. Anyone do incline barbell presses? I include them to work on my upper chest but noticed my shoulder popping during each rep last week. It didn't hurt at all but it was a little concerning.