Jan 13, 2015

 ** Barbell Squat **
- 45.0 lbs x 10 reps
- 135.0 lbs x 5 reps
- 205.0 lbs x 3 reps
- 240.0 lbs x 9 reps
- 240.0 lbs x 9 reps
- 240.0 lbs x 9 reps

 ** Deadlift **
- 135.0 lbs x 5 reps
- 205.0 lbs x 5 reps
- 240.0 lbs x 5 reps

** Ab Wheel **
- 3 x 10 reps

Had to leave for work at 8 a.m. this morning so had to wake up at 6 a.m. in order to fit in the workout.  Slept at 11 so had about 7 hours sleep and felt relatively ok upon waking up.  Turned off the alarm promptly, went to wash my face and then start eating my oatmeal that had been soaking in my protein shake (that way it can start digesting).  After finishing the meal, I continued washing up, including a hot shower to warm/limber up.  Did some rumble rolling, leg swings forward/back and sideways, hip flexor stretch, and a banded distraction stretch pulling backwards while I was in a child's pose type position.  By the time this was all done, it was 7 a.m.  Did my warmups with the bar, then 135, then 205.  Started my working sets of 240 around 7:10-15.  Felt pretty good.  First 5 reps were easy, 6-7 were ok, then had to take a breather before finishing 8-9.  Form held up pretty well.  Took >5 but <10 min break in between sets.  Also drank a protein shake with creatine during the workout to stay hydrated.

I find my main cues for the squat now are to walk out with feet about hip or slightly more than hip width.  Feet are flared out about 30-40 degrees, as I found that when they were pointed more forward, when I initiate the squat by screwing my feet into the ground, my toes and the inside of my foot would actually shift off the ground, which is unstable, and also by flaring my feet out more, it lets my knees push out more and I risk less impingement, so I figure I might as well just start with the feet flared, that way the toes and whole foot can maintain 3 points of contact with the ground the whole time.  I also have been trying to speed up my setup under the bar, and I found that really squeezing my upper back tight once I get under the bar helps me get the bar into the groove much faster and more confidently, as opposed to slowly wedging it in there and rubbing the bar up and down the back until it falls into the shelf.  Anyhow, as mentioned, I initiate the squat by thinking of twisting my feet into the ground, which automatically will push out the knees and open the groin, and this will also allow for an automatic simultaneous knee/hip break and a smooth eccentric.  I make sure that the weight is on midfoot/heels.  I try to do a controlled rebound out of the bottom, initiating the rebound and the initial concentric motion with hip drive up, and then just focusing on simultaneously pushing hard through the heels and pushing my back hard into the bar to keep my upper back from caving and my chest to stay up.  This prevents the bar from rolling forward and it keeps the bar path more straight/linear by preventing the bar from shooting forward upon initiating hip drive.  Also, by simultaneously pushing the back into the bar and pushing through the heels, despite initiating with hip drive, I try to ensure that the speed of hips moving up is equal to the bar speed.  If the hips were to move up faster or before the bar moves, then it'd end up being an ugly good morning.  One other note though, is I find if I cock my head back to "pack the neck", for me, this pushes the chest too high and this thoracic extension actually causes my bar path to move BACKWARDS during the descent, particularly at the bottom.  It also increases the risk of anterior pelvic tilt instead of a neutral spine.  I will instead just keep my neck neutral instead of packing it, but ensure that I do flex and tense my upper body, including the lats, upper back...etc.