What do you find the biggest <profanity> of an excercise?

marathonic · 03-03-2012 7:21pm #1

From the five main Starting Strength excercises, which do you find the toughest and why?

Squat
Bench Press
Overhead Press
Deadlift
Power Cleans

If you find it tough, feel free to comment why and, if you've mastered it, feel free to comment how?

marathonic · 03-03-2012 7:24pm

Deadlift

For me, the squat is the one I am having great difficulty progressing on. I spent a long time today trying to figure out why.

My legs are pretty muscular from doing squats and deadlifts as well as a lot of cycling.

I think it finally clicked today that the problem doesn't appear to really lie with the legs - I find that I end up "good morninging" the bar up. For that reason, I think I'll start adding some CORE work because I think that's my issue. Any thoughts?

Edit: Scratch the above, I don't have a clue what I'm talking about when it comes to squats

I'll look out the next session to see if I can get a better grip of what's wrong.

Burkatron · 03-03-2012 7:45pm

Power Clean

marathonic wrote: »

For me, the squat is the one I am having great difficulty progressing on. I spent a long time today trying to figure out why.

My legs are pretty muscular from doing squats and deadlifts as well as a lot of cycling.

I think it finally clicked today that the problem doesn't appear to really lie with the legs - I find that I end up "good morninging" the bar up. For that reason, I think I'll start adding some CORE work because I think that's my issue. Any thoughts?

Edit: Scratch the above, I don't have a clue what I'm talking about when it comes to squats I'll look out the next session to see if I can get a better grip of what's wrong.

I'm gonna hazard a guess & say tight hip flexors are your problem! General posture in work & home predisposes most people to this problem. On top of this cycling is bugger for it! Any back problems?? Mobility WOD is your new best friend!

Edit: Oly shoes or raise your heels with plates should help negate this when lifting! This is what I've been doing & I've slowly built my squat back up with better shape & technique, it was a car crash before!!

Edit 2: I still suck at squatting....and everything else on your list!!!!

Atleast you don't have Snatch on the list

dylbert · 03-03-2012 8:11pm

I'd say the power clean, because I have to think allot more about all the different components of the lift, with squats, overhead squats and deadlifts I don't have to think too much, their starting to become second nature, I don't bench. Also the power clean seems a much more technical lift?

Rossin · 03-03-2012 8:12pm

Deadlift

as a sort of noob

squat, only in the gym regularly since may and I always avoided the deadlift and squat as they look quite daunting and seem to require more technique than most exercises. but decided a few weeks ago to start practicing them and i find it quite hard to do a full squat without feeling like im going to fall over, i like to think if i keep practicing this will get better! do most people squat lower then the knee yeah?

dylbert · 03-03-2012 8:21pm

Rossin wrote: »

do most people squat lower then the knee yeah?

Yeah, you should go bellow parallel, hips bellow the knees, though I think in power lifting you only need to go parallel.
Do you feel like your going to fall forwards or backwards?

Scuba Ste · 03-03-2012 8:43pm

I don't really hate any of those exercises but I could take or leave the bench.

As for how I mastered the squat, god gave me short femurs

.

Good morninging squats sounds like poor technique to me. Try to keep more upright, keep your chest up and head up. Never look down even if it says so in SS.

dylbert · 03-03-2012 9:00pm

Scuba Ste wrote: »

Never look down even if it says so in SS.

why never look down? I was taught to look down when low bar squating.

Hanley · 03-03-2012 9:08pm

dylbert wrote: »

why never look down? I was taught to look down when low bar squating.

It teaches you how to smash your face off the floor and increases torque and injury potential on your lower back.

Scuba Ste · 03-03-2012 9:18pm

It doesn't matter in my opinion if it's low or high bar. Where your head goes the body will follow. Look down and it's harder to keep your chest up and upper back extended and then your lower back as a result.

I'm not saying it can't be done but I think unless you have a coach there cueing you every time your going to end up with the problems above. Imo there's no reason not to look up and almost every good squatter will look up. If you look down and are having problems good morninging, keeping tight or upright then look up and see if it helps.

Also the power clean seems a much more technical lift?

That's because it is. Try not to think too much of the different parts of the lift while doing heavier sets. It's one movement, if you break into too many parts your probably going to mess something up or do it as a two or three part lift. And just to throw a cat among the pigeons I probably wouldn't do it the way SS suggests either.

Scuba Ste · 03-03-2012 9:20pm

Hanley wrote: »

It teaches you how to smash your face off the floor and increases torque and injury potential on your lower back.

More succinct than my reply.

dylbert · 03-03-2012 9:40pm

Scuba Ste wrote: »

It doesn't matter in my opinion if it's low or high bar. Where your head goes the body will follow. Look down and it's harder to keep your chest up and upper back extended and then your lower back as a result.

I'm not saying it can't be done but I think unless you have a coach there cueing you every time your going to end up with the problems above. Imo there's no reason not to look up and almost every good squatter will look up. If you look down and are having problems good morninging, keeping tight or upright then look up and see if it helps.

That's because it is. Try not to think too much of the different parts of the lift while doing heavier sets. It's one movement, if you break into too many parts your probably going to mess something up or do it as a two or three part lift. And just to throw a cat among the pigeons I probably wouldn't do it the way SS suggests either.

I see what you mean about not looking down now, but I do have a coach there with me so I'll keep following his advice, seems to be working well so far

.

About the power clean, I don't know how starting strength teaches it? I'm trying my best not to over think it but it's hard when your learning, but I'm getting there

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