I agree with all the positive words written by everyone else. After all the injuries and your surgery, you've come back even stronger. You're a great example to us less experienced lifters on how to approach injuries and -more importantly- how to be patient, trust the process, and gradually build yourself back up to the heavy weights.
And I know that you are especially known for your exceptional sumo DL, but 800+ conventional is INSANE. Do you find that there is a very large carry over in strength between conventional and sumo? Or maybe your back strength is just incredibly strong, and once you are able to regularly train sumo again, you will be pulling even more than 800 easily. Either way, INSANE!!!
In the past I've been close to 800 conventional. But right now it's easier to train my back than my legs so I've been just focused on the "pet" goal of an 800 conventional. I should see a nice carryover from the conventional strength, but maybe not. I was seeing a lot of improvements in back strength the past few months, but only 2 weeks ago was the first squat day that really felt productive where I could use a decent weight (518) and also load my legs equally with my back not just use the hips and back to compensate for the knee's quality or use a knee-dominant position but with only 100kg bar weight. So basically hitting 760 x 3 sets of 3,3 and 4 just 2 weeks prior but slightly tearing my teres on an awkward second rep, and then deloading the deads then next week when it was still tight and painful, I was able to rack up 2 strong squat days in a row, and then transition all that new-found leg strength into the recent deadlift day which was 760x1, 804x1 no straps, then 804x4 w/straps
Dan "Boss" Green
WR 2099 raw total @220
WR 2083 raw total @242
WR 2210 raw w/wraps total @242
Hey dan, when prepping for a meet, would you recommend increasing volume on accessory lifts as you do on the competition lifts? It always seemed to me that if I go and bench more reps/sets of a weight than I did previously, and do the same volume of accessory work, I've undergone more stress than before. But...I've been wondering about gradually increasing accessory volume before tapering and peaking, but am concerned about not being able to properly recover.
Hey dan, when prepping for a meet, would you recommend increasing volume on accessory lifts as you do on the competition lifts? It always seemed to me that if I go and bench more reps/sets of a weight than I did previously, and do the same volume of accessory work, I've undergone more stress than before. But...I've been wondering about gradually increasing accessory volume before tapering and peaking, but am concerned about not being able to properly recover.
You're on to the right track here... Progressive overload is the name of the game. Building a bigger foundation is the key to peaking better. My advice is building up a foundation of lighter stuff then building more volume of heavier stuff. The lighter (accessory) stuff helps you to tolerate the heavier stuff better, so build that base first or as you start building the main volume.
Dan "Boss" Green
WR 2099 raw total @220
WR 2083 raw total @242
WR 2210 raw w/wraps total @242
For the digestion I'd start with some digestive enzymes as a supplement, then maybe get some kind of work done by a doctor if you want to establish which foods are causing you problems. If you can just pick the right choices and get your cals, a Dr visit would be well worth it.
Don't just use the safety bar only, at least have a couple sessions on a regular bar to get the rust off at the end even if you're stronger from the SSB. There've been a couple people at Boss who've suffered upper body injuries then just trained the SSB for 4-6 weeks and then gotten way way stronger upon returning to the regular bar
Have you or any clients ever had those food intolerance tests done, and if so did it help a lot?
Have you or any clients ever had those food intolerance tests done, and if so did it help a lot?
Just myself and one other. The other one it helped her dramatically, but she is not a powerlifter, just a general fitness trainee. For me it was very helpful to learn about all my food allergies and how extensive/strong each was. Sometimes mild allergies still affect you more than you think
Dan "Boss" Green
WR 2099 raw total @220
WR 2083 raw total @242
WR 2210 raw w/wraps total @242
I find your videos very inspiring. Man you're coming back strong on the Squat!!!
Thanks man, I'm just trying to get strong and feel good. I'm not really "squatting" per se, just doing them on the safety bar, which really helps my back strength the most. It's only a matter of time before I start pushing the regular squats though; my knee cap is starting to sit more and more in the normal spot, the more I'm able to actually squat. Right now it's slowly migrating up from being too low post-surgery. This is normal because the tendons are so tight that it's easier for the muscle to stretch more to accomodate. But as the tendon loosens up and I'm able to create more tension in the quad muscle, it slowly moves up to it's proper position
Dan "Boss" Green
WR 2099 raw total @220
WR 2083 raw total @242
WR 2210 raw w/wraps total @242
Thanks man, I'm just trying to get strong and feel good. I'm not really "squatting" per se, just doing them on the safety bar, which really helps my back strength the most. It's only a matter of time before I start pushing the regular squats though; my knee cap is starting to sit more and more in the normal spot, the more I'm able to actually squat. Right now it's slowly migrating up from being too low post-surgery. This is normal because the tendons are so tight that it's easier for the muscle to stretch more to accomodate. But as the tendon loosens up and I'm able to create more tension in the quad muscle, it slowly moves up to it's proper position
Dan, did you major in Human Physiology??? You sound like a scientist! LOL!
Dan, did you major in Human Physiology??? You sound like a scientist! LOL!
No lol I just majored in economics in college. I've learned a lot from reading. I've studied anatomy pretty well and I've been a personal trainer for 11 years. Lots of different clients and lots on the other end of the spectrum from weightlifters. I've also hurt myself a lot of times so I've gotten very real experience with injuries. All my knowledge is what I've learned and synthesized together myself
Dan "Boss" Green
WR 2099 raw total @220
WR 2083 raw total @242
WR 2210 raw w/wraps total @242
Hi!
So i saw a old seminar highlights video of you
And it cut short!
I really admire your knowledge and skill in lifting
But if you do a strength phase
Like 12 x 4. How do you progress? Just go heavier each workout?
Squats 12 x 3, Hack Squats 15-20 x 2, Extensions, Curls
Bench 8 x 3, Db Incline 12 x 4, Flyes
Deadlift 1 top set, 12 x 4 bent over rows, 4 sets pullups
Db Press 12 x 4, Laterals, Front Raises, 15x7 Skullcrusher, 10x4 Pressdowns, Dips 3xAMRAP
Something like this was written before in this forum.
Is this a good routine for a strength phase?
And will you hit 900 squat, dead or 600 bench ome day?
Hi!
So i saw a old seminar highlights video of you
And it cut short!
I really admire your knowledge and skill in lifting
But if you do a strength phase
Like 12 x 4. How do you progress? Just go heavier each workout?
Squats 12 x 3, Hack Squats 15-20 x 2, Extensions, Curls
Bench 8 x 3, Db Incline 12 x 4, Flyes
Deadlift 1 top set, 12 x 4 bent over rows, 4 sets pullups
Db Press 12 x 4, Laterals, Front Raises, 15x7 Skullcrusher, 10x4 Pressdowns, Dips 3xAMRAP
Something like this was written before in this forum.
Is this a good routine for a strength phase?
The problem with that question is it's very simple. Nothing will always work as far as a set program. What needs to be in place is PROGRESSIVE OVERLOAD. This means that the workouts must always create a new stimulus for the body to keep wanting to adapt. This means either adding sets or reps to the same weight or reducing rest time, increasing weight, adding additional volume or additional other exercises. Basically do more, lift more, or do it in less time. A good way to progress in the long term is by adding work in the form of added down sets (high reps after main sets), added secondary exercises. Basically building a bigger base. More training days per week. Increasing the frequency of the workouts by adding in more days (lighter days first), like adding in some lighter deadlift days or squat days between the heavier days, etc.
And will you hit 900 squat, dead or 600 bench ome day?
That's the plan
Dan "Boss" Green
WR 2099 raw total @220
WR 2083 raw total @242
WR 2210 raw w/wraps total @242
Hi!
So i saw a old seminar highlights video of you
And it cut short!
I really admire your knowledge and skill in lifting
But if you do a strength phase
Like 12 x 4. How do you progress? Just go heavier each workout?
Squats 12 x 3, Hack Squats 15-20 x 2, Extensions, Curls
Bench 8 x 3, Db Incline 12 x 4, Flyes
Deadlift 1 top set, 12 x 4 bent over rows, 4 sets pullups
Db Press 12 x 4, Laterals, Front Raises, 15x7 Skullcrusher, 10x4 Pressdowns, Dips 3xAMRAP
Something like this was written before in this forum.
Is this a good routine for a strength phase?
And will you hit 900 squat, dead or 600 bench ome day?
The problem with that question is it's very simple. Nothing will always work as far as a set program. What needs to be in place is PROGRESSIVE OVERLOAD. This means that the workouts must always create a new stimulus for the body to keep wanting to adapt. This means either adding sets or reps to the same weight or reducing rest time, increasing weight, adding additional volume or additional other exercises. Basically do more, lift more, or do it in less time. A good way to progress in the long term is by adding work in the form of added down sets (high reps after main sets), added secondary exercises. Basically building a bigger base. More training days per week. Increasing the frequency of the workouts by adding in more days (lighter days first), like adding in some lighter deadlift days or squat days between the heavier days, etc.
Dan "Boss" Green
WR 2099 raw total @220
WR 2083 raw total @242
WR 2210 raw w/wraps total @242
Hi Dan,
Did you ever have problems (pain) with your iliosacral joint(s)?
If yes, what did you do to solve these problems?
Yes I've had it dislocated for 4 months and terrible sciatic nerve pain because of it. I wasn't able to get relief from anything except sitting basically. Standing was excruciating and got more painful by the minute, and lying on either my stomach or back was worse.
Basically nothing helped until I returned to lifting out of frustration--basically a loss for anything else to help. Fortunately one day I did some deficit deadlifts and the tension on the hamstrings pulled it back into place! After that it hurt mildly for a few months as though the ligaments had been stretched out too much (because they were) but the nerve pain was basically gone. Most people dislocate theirs in an anterior motion but mine happened in a posterior motion, so a little different than most
Dan "Boss" Green
WR 2099 raw total @220
WR 2083 raw total @242
WR 2210 raw w/wraps total @242
Yes I've had it dislocated for 4 months and terrible sciatic nerve pain because of it. I wasn't able to get relief from anything except sitting basically. Standing was excruciating and got more painful by the minute, and lying on either my stomach or back was worse.
Basically nothing helped until I returned to lifting out of frustration--basically a loss for anything else to help. Fortunately one day I did some deficit deadlifts and the tension on the hamstrings pulled it back into place! After that it hurt mildly for a few months as though the ligaments had been stretched out too much (because they were) but the nerve pain was basically gone. Most people dislocate theirs in an anterior motion but mine happened in a posterior motion, so a little different than most
That's a blessing!
I pray I don't get seriously injured; however, I have been over training my posterior chain to see what I could take and now I've got pain in my low back/hammys at all times. Going to leave work early (I'm taking tomorrow off for my Bday/Holiday weekend) and go see my chiro before he has to leave at 4:00. Just hope it's not a damn disc issue! A friend/training partner is struggling with 2 bulging discs and he can't Pull or Squat anything remotely heavy as he keeps aggravating it. I'd hate that.
I pray I don't get seriously injured; however, I have been over training my posterior chain to see what I could take and now I've got pain in my low back/hammys at all times. Going to leave work early (I'm taking tomorrow off for my Bday/Holiday weekend) and go see my chiro before he has to leave at 4:00. Just hope it's not a damn disc issue! A friend/training partner is struggling with 2 bulging discs and he can't Pull or Squat anything remotely heavy as he keeps aggravating it. I'd hate that.
Always something. LOL!
I've mentioned this before, but your friend would be a good candidate for some reverse hypers. Even if he doesn't have a machine, even if he can just get on a table and do the motion with just his legs 3x15 he'll start to get relief from that
Dan "Boss" Green
WR 2099 raw total @220
WR 2083 raw total @242
WR 2210 raw w/wraps total @242
I've mentioned this before, but your friend would be a good candidate for some reverse hypers. Even if he doesn't have a machine, even if he can just get on a table and do the motion with just his legs 3x15 he'll start to get relief from that
Yes sir! He has been utilizing a Rogue version (which is still not a Westside RH) at his gym and can only hit it twice a week or his back acts up.