Squatter's Journal-The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

[MikeM]

Great work Jim. Nice bench PR. You're right, bench is such a tightness thing. If you hit it right, it's easy(ish). If you don't get tight enough, it's a merciless 50-50 grind and you almost had that 285. Nice deadlifting the other day too.

Sorry to hear about your eyes, but you have the right idea. Just prepare for whatever may come. I hope I do that if I ever get news like that.

Rock on. Keep killing it.

[Squatter]

Originally Posted by Paradox

Same boat dude, saaaame boat.

And sometimes it's a bigger bitch than Ma Alien.

Originally Posted by BigJosh

Jim, your positive outlook and figher's spirit will see you through this. Your attitude is something of inspiration. You are in my thoughts and prayers. If anyone can beat this, it is you. The human will is a powerful thing. I wish you the best.

Thanks Big J! It means alot. QFT on the human will for sure. I got to witness alot of that at the Vegas meet.

Originally Posted by BigJosh

Solid bench session. Solid PR. Great progress. If you keep it up, 5lbs here, 5lbs there, you'll be at 3pps in no time at all.

Thanks again Big J! I'll keep picking away at it like a prisoner making an escape hole in his cell with a makeshift knife.

Originally Posted by KD5NFW

Yo Jim congratz of the PR buddy!! Getting closer and closer to that 315 Looked great coming off your chest and pushing through that sticking point :flex:

Thanks Rich!! It wouldn't have counted at a meet, but it sure is good training. I hope to be able to paus eit soon.

Originally Posted by MikeM

Great work Jim. Nice bench PR. You're right, bench is such a tightness thing. If you hit it right, it's easy(ish). If you don't get tight enough, it's a merciless 50-50 grind and you almost had that 285. Nice deadlifting the other day too.

Sorry to hear about your eyes, but you have the right idea. Just prepare for whatever may come. I hope I do that if I ever get news like that.

Rock on. Keep killing it.

Thanks Mike!! It sure is easier to hit the tightness with a liftoff. I have to get more consistent with it, especially when repping.

Indeed, eyes seem to be terminal, but you never know and I have a chance at beating the odds. People win lotteries, so why can't I win eyesight?

The doc sure doesn't have a good poker face.

[EliteDreams]

Hey there Big Squatter! I saw those lifts on youtube. Great work! So sorry about the bad news,but like you said,there is always a chance it will stabilize.

I have a question. If worst came to worst,and your vision left,would you still be updating us. Perhaps with the help of someone who can read for you?

Stay strong!

[Paradox]

Originally Posted by Squatter

Thanks Mike!! It sure is easier to hit the tightness with a liftoff. I have to get more consistent with it, especially when repping.

It definitely is. Do you mind telling me what you're thinking while benching? All the cues that go through your mind? We can try to see what you can do better to 1) get tighter and 2) get tighter more consistently.

As for reps, I find anything over 5 and it just goes to shit.

[Squatter]

Originally Posted by EliteDreams

Hey there Big Squatter! I saw those lifts on youtube. Great work! So sorry about the bad news,but like you said,there is always a chance it will stabilize.

I have a question. If worst came to worst,and your vision left,would you still be updating us. Perhaps with the help of someone who can read for you?

Stay strong!

Thanks Ben! Indeed, there is always hope, but it didn't seem like it yesterday. It is sinking in somewhat and I'm feeling better today.

I will always be around here, no matter what. I have zero worry this site will go south since Steve is in charge. I am sure Mrs Squatter will be bale to do my typing and reading. There might even be software around that can help the visually impaired.

Originally Posted by Paradox

It definitely is. Do you mind telling me what you're thinking while benching? All the cues that go through your mind? We can try to see what you can do better to 1) get tighter and 2) get tighter more consistently.

As for reps, I find anything over 5 and it just goes to shit.

Don't mind at all Dave! The 2 cues I think of are squeeze the life out of the bar and squeeze buttocks. I am more than open to any suggestions that will help!

[Squatter]

Since I am now on a committed cut with a goal of 205-210 lbs, I thought I better post up a pic of what I looked like at my peak of 238 lbs last summer. Since then, I lost 7 lbs before my Vegas meet November 7th, when I weighed in at 231 lbs. Since then, I gained 4 of that back. Thus, my official weight for the beginning of this cut is 235.

My first weigh-in was Sunday - 232 lbs. Down 3 in the first week. A bit too much, but I think it was mostly water. I was too afraid of cutting in 2012 due to entering my first competitions. However, these same meets have given me the confidence that I can be as strong, if not stronger, at a lighter weight. There were many competitors, and for that matter members here, that are lighter and stronger than me. I just don't feel the extra weight is doing me any good. I used to think it was.

I thought this picture illustrates my thickness very well. I didn't really feel like taking one of me in my underwear at this point. Haha. Besides, the extreme glare off of my Arctic white skin may cause some of you to go blind.



This is what I looked like in August of 2010, before my big 2+ year bulk from 183 to 238.

[ravimolasaria]

Awesome transformation

[Paradox]

Originally Posted by Squatter

Don't mind at all Dave! The 2 cues I think of are squeeze the life out of the bar and squeeze buttocks. I am more than open to any suggestions that will help!

Squeezing the bar is definitely a good cue, as is squeezing your glutes.

On your set up, make sure you're really pulling your scapula "together" and "down." Feel all the pressure on your traps, and keep that pressure there by driving through your heels.

When you unrack the bar, think about pulling it out with your lats, this will help lat activation for later. Let the bar settle, keep squeezing, keep your scapula together. When you break for the descent, think about pulling the bar apart and tucking your elbows a bit (you don't need to a huge amount, you're a raw lifter), this will help engage your lats and triceps even more. All the while keeping tight both upper and lower body.

When you reverse the weight, drive through your heels, but instead of thinking push the bar away from you, think about pushing yourself away from the bar. I started doing this really recently and found a tremendous increase in how much back/lat I was using. It works great (at least, I've found it did!)

[Paradox]

Originally Posted by Squatter

SBesides, the extreme glare off of my Arctic white skin may cause some of you to go blind.

I feel your pain, man.

You can definitely be strong at a lighter bodyweight. Some of the strongest lifters I know of are no more than 93kg. Good luck and don't be scared if your numbers take a slight drop in the beginning, they'll come back up!

[Squatter]

Originally Posted by ravimolasaria

Awesome transformation

I transformed alright, a little bit too much. Now to lean down to reveal all that extra muscle!

Originally Posted by Paradox

Squeezing the bar is definitely a good cue, as is squeezing your glutes.

On your set up, make sure you're really pulling your scapula "together" and "down." Feel all the pressure on your traps, and keep that pressure there by driving through your heels.

When you unrack the bar, think about pulling it out with your lats, this will help lat activation for later. Let the bar settle, keep squeezing, keep your scapula together. When you break for the descent, think about pulling the bar apart and tucking your elbows a bit (you don't need to a huge amount, you're a raw lifter), this will help engage your lats and triceps even more. All the while keeping tight both upper and lower body.

When you reverse the weight, drive through your heels, but instead of thinking push the bar away from you, think about pushing yourself away from the bar. I started doing this really recently and found a tremendous increase in how much back/lat I was using. It works great (at least, I've found it did!)

Thanks so much Dave! I will have to start implementing these cues asap. I think they will all help.

Originally Posted by Paradox

I feel your pain, man.

You can definitely be strong at a lighter bodyweight. Some of the strongest lifters I know of are no more than 93kg. Good luck and don't be scared if your numbers take a slight drop in the beginning, they'll come back up!

Thanks Dave!! The Vegas lifters really started me thinking about this. Although some may have been on juice, they were alot of lifters in a weight class below me that were a lot stronger. Plus, I look at guys like Fazc. Finally, I just want to look and feel a bit better. Nothing drastic really, as I am quite sure I will always be above 200 lbs. It would be nice to sneak in and lift in the 93 kg class at a meet tho.