Quick question huh? lol when to use and not use a belt could be a pretty hefty discussion, but I'll try to be concise:
Normally I hit all warmup sets without my belt on squats and deads, and use it on every work set. If you are hurt or are competing then using the belt earlier is a smart exception to that.
The only time I'll train without a belt is sometimes after a comp or a string of comps I'll do a few weeks of no-belt training just to force the training weights down to be able to still train hard but with lighter loads to give the body a break.
Last, I'll usually do all my stiff leg deads without a belt, but that's really just accessory work.
Hey Dan. I'm running 531 right now and would like your opinion on something. I want to add in flat dumbell press and seated dumbell press for assistance work. Which days would u put them in on? Flat dumbell presses after bench and seated after ohp for volume? Or rotate them, seated dumbell a after bench and flat dumbell press after ohp, for frequency as well ?
Hey Dan,
I love your "bench more by benching more" article. My question is, do you complete most of those benching variations in a single workout or do you rotate a few depending on how you feel? Also, I've heard that DB flat presses can really help with drive off of the chest, because it allows you to go deeper than with the barbell. Do you think that would transfer over and have a benefit to benching? The reason I ask is because form and technique is going to be different with DB's, right?
Hey Dan. I'm running 531 right now and would like your opinion on something. I want to add in flat dumbell press and seated dumbell press for assistance work. Which days would u put them in on? Flat dumbell presses after bench and seated after ohp for volume? Or rotate them, seated dumbell a after bench and flat dumbell press after ohp, for frequency as well ?
Hey Dan. I'm running 531 right now and would like your opinion on something. I want to add in flat dumbell press and seated dumbell press for assistance work. Which days would u put them in on? Flat dumbell presses after bench and seated after ohp for volume? Or rotate them, seated dumbell a after bench and flat dumbell press after ohp, for frequency as well ?
Yeah probably doesn't matter too much. Just pick a day for each and do it that way for a while. I always benched and then hit incline DB bench... that always felt best to me.
Dan "Boss" Green
WR 2099 raw total @220
WR 2083 raw total @242
WR 2210 raw w/wraps total @242
Hey Dan,
I love your "bench more by benching more" article. My question is, do you complete most of those benching variations in a single workout or do you rotate a few depending on how you feel? Also, I've heard that DB flat presses can really help with drive off of the chest, because it allows you to go deeper than with the barbell. Do you think that would transfer over and have a benefit to benching? The reason I ask is because form and technique is going to be different with DB's, right?
You're an inspiration man! Keep it up
Yes there are usually 3 bench variations in one training session plus dumbell incline bench or dips. DBs are good for building your pecs and your stability, so that should help with your strength off the chest.
Dan "Boss" Green
WR 2099 raw total @220
WR 2083 raw total @242
WR 2210 raw w/wraps total @242
Dan, I'm a huge fan of yours and hopefully can make it to BBC one day to train! I'm fairly new to powerlifting and have a problem with the bar rolling off my shoulders when I front squat. Could this be a matter of form? Or just strengthening certain muscles to accommodate the weight? My maximum front squat is 385 due to the bar rolling off! Thanks so much, good luck training for GPA!
Dan, I'm a huge fan of yours and hopefully can make it to BBC one day to train! I'm fairly new to powerlifting and have a problem with the bar rolling off my shoulders when I front squat. Could this be a matter of form? Or just strengthening certain muscles to accommodate the weight? My maximum front squat is 385 due to the bar rolling off! Thanks so much, good luck training for GPA!
It's either a problem with form or that you're just not strong enough to go heavier.
First you should make sure that you've positioned the bar properly against the collarbones and that your shoulders are protracted so that your delts are IN FRONT of the bar and that the bar is not resting ON your delts. That's very unstable and incorrect. If you go on youtube I made a video regarding 3 common front squat mistakes that should help
As far as strength, if you wind up unable to hold the bar because you lean forward then that means your quads are not strong enough to stay underneath you in an upright position. The way I train these is with mostly sets of 5-8. It will build strength steadily and allow you to do so with good form. Trading bad technique for bigger weights will be a bad long term plan for a big front squats. Stay mostly upright and make your quads do the work. Be patient. It takes time to strengthen the upper back and the quads. Front squats are not easy.
Dan "Boss" Green
WR 2099 raw total @220
WR 2083 raw total @242
WR 2210 raw w/wraps total @242
Hey Dan, I'm a converted body builder and I'm looking to do my first full power meet in December. I've pieced together a rough draft of my training program and was wondering if you could critique it a bit?
Monday:
Squats is going to be plain and simple. Using Sam Byrds philosophy here and not lift heavy very often, all sets using CAT. Starting off using 5x5 off my predicted one rep max of 405. Only going up in weight when each rep feels fast. Maybe using bands first and then weight then bands again etc.
6ish weeks out from the meet if I'm moving weights well then start working down to 70%x4 and then 80%x3, no singles. I'm not wanting to train heavy very much because I had my left ACL reconstructed last year. I'm recovered but still building strength.
SLDL after squats. 3-5 sets of 5 again with 60%
Tuesday:
Pause bench sets of 3 working up to 80%ish for a single heavy set of 3. Maybe 2 if I smoked the first set.
CAT bench using 60% 5x5
3 sets of incline bench for some volume. 8-12 reps
light to medium weight pulldowns, sets of 12-20
Wed:
4-5 sets of 8 on front squats trying to increase weight each week.
Some bicep work Like 3-5 sets of curls.
Friday:
5 sets of 3 at 80% on deads. BUT not from a rack OR the floor... Instead I'm going to pull the weight out of the squat rack, and only go down till the bar is mid shin/just below my knees. This way the muscles stay under constant tension and don't unload. I tend to stall/stick after coming off the floor and thought these might help.
Then 5x5 of speed/CAT deads working down to 5x4 and 5x3 at 60/70/80% as the meet draws closer.
3-5 sets of BB or DB rows
3-4 sets of BB shrugs.
Sunday:
Work up to a heavy triple on standing military, the 2 to 3 back off sets.
Some tricep assistance work. 3 to 6 sets.
Hey Dan, I'm a converted body builder and I'm looking to do my first full power meet in December. I've pieced together a rough draft of my training program and was wondering if you could critique it a bit?
Monday:
Squats is going to be plain and simple. Using Sam Byrds philosophy here and not lift heavy very often, all sets using CAT. Starting off using 5x5 off my predicted one rep max of 405. Only going up in weight when each rep feels fast. Maybe using bands first and then weight then bands again etc.
6ish weeks out from the meet if I'm moving weights well then start working down to 70%x4 and then 80%x3, no singles. I'm not wanting to train heavy very much because I had my left ACL reconstructed last year. I'm recovered but still building strength.
SLDL after squats. 3-5 sets of 5 again with 60%
Tuesday:
Pause bench sets of 3 working up to 80%ish for a single heavy set of 3. Maybe 2 if I smoked the first set.
CAT bench using 60% 5x5
3 sets of incline bench for some volume. 8-12 reps
light to medium weight pulldowns, sets of 12-20
Wed:
4-5 sets of 8 on front squats trying to increase weight each week.
Some bicep work Like 3-5 sets of curls.
Friday:
5 sets of 3 at 80% on deads. BUT not from a rack OR the floor... Instead I'm going to pull the weight out of the squat rack, and only go down till the bar is mid shin/just below my knees. This way the muscles stay under constant tension and don't unload. I tend to stall/stick after coming off the floor and thought these might help.
Then 5x5 of speed/CAT deads working down to 5x4 and 5x3 at 60/70/80% as the meet draws closer.
3-5 sets of BB or DB rows
3-4 sets of BB shrugs.
Sunday:
Work up to a heavy triple on standing military, the 2 to 3 back off sets.
Some tricep assistance work. 3 to 6 sets.
It sounds like based on your rationale--coming off of a major surgery and following the style of Sam--that the squat training should be alright. As for the deads, I'm not convinced that romanian deadlifts or a variation of the romanian deadlift as the main lift is going to be ideal, but I've never tried that so maybe it'll work great. As for the bench it doesn't sound like you'll be lifting heavy or with very high volume so I have a hard time seeing that working well. But then I also don't know anything about your training background or build so it's hard to guess what you'll respond well to.
Dan "Boss" Green
WR 2099 raw total @220
WR 2083 raw total @242
WR 2210 raw w/wraps total @242
It sounds like based on your rationale--coming off of a major surgery and following the style of Sam--that the squat training should be alright. As for the deads, I'm not convinced that romanian deadlifts or a variation of the romanian deadlift as the main lift is going to be ideal, but I've never tried that so maybe it'll work great. As for the bench it doesn't sound like you'll be lifting heavy or with very high volume so I have a hard time seeing that working well. But then I also don't know anything about your training background or build so it's hard to guess what you'll respond well to.
Dan, thanks for getting back to me, and for your frank answers. I've been watching some of my training vids (regarding deads) and I get hung up just before my knee when I start to go heavy. I had been thinking it was upper back weakness, but if I'm honest my upper back is actually decently strong. I can BB row 315 for 6 to 8 reps right now. I think I'm actually not pulling as hard as I can off the floor and losing momentum. So I think the CAT or speed deads as a secondary movement will work well to reinforce technique and maybe build some strength too. What would you have me do as a first deadlift exercise? What kind of weight/reps/sets? I'm 11 weeks out from my contest right now.
As far as the bench, I though 80% WAS kinda heavy... LOL, but I'm not a crazy beast like you. I just know if I go too heavy too much I'm going to beat my elbows up and not be able to train. I broke the 400lb bench (405 to be exact) by never benching more than 335 for reps. I was doing 3 working sets for bench, one heavy then the next two I peeled off a little weight so it was like heavy, medium and light. I tried to increase the reps or the weight on the heavy set each week, that's how I got up to 335. 2 weeks before the bench only meet where I hit 405 I started doing some heavy doubles with 365.
Paused bench 2-3 top sets 3-6 reps heavier each week
Speed Bench 4-6 sets 3-4 reps heavier each week
Paused wide grip bench 2-4 sets 5-6 reps
Incline pressing
Do you use percentages on those pause benches or do you just kind of wing it with something that's heavy but you know you can get and try to progress each week? I feel like I could start with somewhere between 295 and 315 for sets of 3-6 and do 2-3 sets with that.
Dan, thanks for getting back to me, and for your frank answers. I've been watching some of my training vids (regarding deads) and I get hung up just before my knee when I start to go heavy. I had been thinking it was upper back weakness, but if I'm honest my upper back is actually decently strong. I can BB row 315 for 6 to 8 reps right now. I think I'm actually not pulling as hard as I can off the floor and losing momentum. So I think the CAT or speed deads as a secondary movement will work well to reinforce technique and maybe build some strength too. What would you have me do as a first deadlift exercise? What kind of weight/reps/sets? I'm 11 weeks out from my contest right now.
As far as the bench, I though 80% WAS kinda heavy... LOL, but I'm not a crazy beast like you. I just know if I go too heavy too much I'm going to beat my elbows up and not be able to train. I broke the 400lb bench (405 to be exact) by never benching more than 335 for reps. I was doing 3 working sets for bench, one heavy then the next two I peeled off a little weight so it was like heavy, medium and light. I tried to increase the reps or the weight on the heavy set each week, that's how I got up to 335. 2 weeks before the bench only meet where I hit 405 I started doing some heavy doubles with 365.
Paused bench 2-3 top sets 3-6 reps heavier each week
Speed Bench 4-6 sets 3-4 reps heavier each week
Paused wide grip bench 2-4 sets 5-6 reps
Incline pressing
Do you use percentages on those pause benches or do you just kind of wing it with something that's heavy but you know you can get and try to progress each week? I feel like I could start with somewhere between 295 and 315 for sets of 3-6 and do 2-3 sets with that.
That weight range would be fine to start. I'd just increase by 5 lbs each week. As for the deadlifts I'd recommend pulling reps from the floor as the main exercise! No touch and go reps though--every rep from a dead stop. Start with a weight that you can hit for 4-6 reps... that's usually pretty good. Pulling from a 2-4" deficit should be very helpful as that will force you to do more work with the bar below the knees where you say you struggle. Don't overthink it with percentages. If you get stronger the percentages will be irrelevant. Just keep adding weight each week... that's it.
Dan "Boss" Green
WR 2099 raw total @220
WR 2083 raw total @242
WR 2210 raw w/wraps total @242
Dan for the chest supported row machine, what brand do you use at your gym? Also do you do any direct neck work such as a neck harness? I notice you have a very thick neck
Hey Dan,
What are some of your favorite barbells to lift with for each exercise? Is their a single barbell that works for all 3 of the main lifts or do you prefer to switch depending on the exercise?
Hey Dan,
What are some of your favorite barbells to lift with for each exercise? Is their a single barbell that works for all 3 of the main lifts or dio you prefer to switch depending on the exercise?
Also, what's your favorite bible verse?
Take care man!
Hello,
a little question regarding squat bars? Are they 35mm?
and how important is it, to pick the right bar?
Got a question about my sumo pulls, I have made significant improvements to my form and strength, but my back still rounds a little bit, nobody really notices it but I sure do, on the initial moment off the floor, I was wondering if this has to do with me being 6'5" and having long arms? What can I do to fix it if there is anything?
Got a question about my sumo pulls, I have made significant improvements to my form and strength, but my back still rounds a little bit, nobody really notices it but I sure do, on the initial moment off the floor, I was wondering if this has to do with me being 6'5" and having long arms? What can I do to fix it if there is anything?
I find block pulls with the weights on 3-4" boxes as well as front squats the best for building up the strength to get weights moving in the sumo pull. But it may just come down to needing to brace the abs more against your belt. Shouldn't have anything to do with your height. And long arms are really an advantage here anyway.
Dan "Boss" Green
WR 2099 raw total @220
WR 2083 raw total @242
WR 2210 raw w/wraps total @242
Dan for the chest supported row machine, what brand do you use at your gym? Also do you do any direct neck work such as a neck harness? I notice you have a very thick neck
I have the bodymasters "t-bar row" even though it's a chest supported row. It's the best as the arm is free to move more than the ones with a fixed arm and the body position is pretty good. I don't use a neck machine. Lots of cleans, snatches and sumo pulls build the upper traps.
Dan "Boss" Green
WR 2099 raw total @220
WR 2083 raw total @242
WR 2210 raw w/wraps total @242