What's everyone been up to lately?

[rydra_wong]

We haven't had a check-in for a while, and I thought an informal one might be nice. So:

What have you all been up to lately? What are you getting into? What's your latest discovery regarding the lifting of heavy things? Got any new toys or tricks?

Who's got a new achievement to brag about? Who's just getting started and would like some encouragement and cheering? Who's had to take time off owing to injury or life and could use some sympathy? How's it going?

Comments

[rydra_wong]

rotations, and sideways curls (the other rotational axis).

Ooh. Tell me more of this; wrist strengthening is Relevant To My Interests.

it seems weird that they would be that close to each other.

I dunno; I think it can vary a lot depending on body proportions. Some people can deadlift and squat almost the same amount, whereas my max effort squat hasn't even reached the weight I use for my warm-up set of deadlifts.

And being able to squat deep is a very good thing, IMHO; personally, I wouldn't sacrifice that range of motion just to get more weight.

If I get my act together, bodyweight squats while my chest is healing would probably be a good call.

And/or goblet squats with a light weight, if your chest's okay with that. I found them invaluable for figuring out how squats work.

http://www.ehow.co.uk/video_2351724_doing-squat-lower-body-exercise.html

ETA:

when I do I seem to end up pushing through the ball of my foot on the way up.

Just a thought: what sort of shoes are you wearing at the gym? If it's anything cushioned, like a running shoe/trainer, it may be making you less stable and making it harder to transmit force through your feet properly.

[quartzpebble]

Rotations are, I think, similar to your "elbow pronators" that I seem to remember you talking about (palm up, slowly flip over so palm is down, repeat). What I called sideways curls start with the palm perpendicular to the ground, thumb up, and then move hand up (thumb towards wrist) and down (pinky towards ground). I think that a wrist roller with plates or wheels to grab instead of handles would work similar muscles.

Not fancy, but covers rotation in all three planes. I've been advised that, as flexible as I am, if I practice wristlocks regularly it's a really good idea to have the muscles there to push everything back into place.

Thanks for the squat advice. It's also that the lower I go, the more my knees start to cave in if I don't pay close attention, and getting to where I automatically don't do that is a good idea. Still, I guess that's what healing time can be for...

Shoes vary between an ancient set of trainers and a pair of army boots with a small heel. I know this is not ideal (though boots are better) but shoe shopping sounds hard. :P

[rydra_wong]

I've been advised that, as flexible as I am, if I practice wristlocks regularly it's a really good idea to have the muscles there to push everything back into place.

*nods* Climbing works the wrists quite hard in certain positions and not at all in others, so I suspect it'd be a good idea to balance it out a bit.

It's also that the lower I go, the more my knees start to cave in if I don't pay close attention, and getting to where I automatically don't do that is a good idea. Still, I guess that's what healing time can be for...

Sounds like a plan. If you have to go back to bodyweight, might as well use it to work out all the form issues. Plus you can do it barefoot at home. *g*

[quartzpebble]

Asked my PT, because somehow I was engaging my SC joint when I tried to lead with the chest coming up! And ohboy, she was all "yer doin it rong!" (Well, more "You will hurt your back if you keep doing this archy wiggly hyperextendy thing. Don't even try to keep your back from rounding, just try to stand up *straight*.") So that's good I guess, even though I feel fairly foolish for apparently getting it so very wrong. Sounds like it is in fact time for bodyweight while I figure out wtf on form. Argh.

[laurashapiro]

And being able to squat deep is a very good thing, IMHO

I always thought so! But my trainer was all YER DOING IT RONG -- she said I would hurt my knees if I went below a 90-degree angle, even though the rest of my form was correct. When I asked about the "your butt should kiss the floor" rule I had been taught, she said that was only for people who had been working hard for a long time and had built up very strong stabilizer muscles. It sounded fishy to me, but I like my knees, so I've been squatting shallowly since.

[chaostheory635]

guhwhah? and how exactly does your trainer recommend you develop awesome stabilizers, if not by working through a full range of motion?! i've been told exactly the opposite, and also that more depth will help drive up heavy weights because at the bottom your hamstrings are "loaded" (i.e. under a lot of tension and capable of producing a lot of force).

[laurashapiro]

You raise excellent points! I kinda thought she was fulloshit at the time, but it was awkward. The whole experience with her was so awkward, in fact, that I nearly posted a rant about it in this very comm. But then I collected myself. (:

[rydra_wong]

But rants are fun! *g*

[laurashapiro]

Hee! Well, I'll remember that next time. I do have a new posting topic in mind, actually, but I am too busy to answer comments right now. :p Soon!

[rydra_wong]

http://www.nsca-lift.org/HotTopic/download/Squat%20Depth.pdf
http://www.stumptuous.com/learning-the-squat-1-debunking-the-myths
http://ask.metafilter.com/129091/Are-full-squats-bad-for-the-knees (extensive argumention)
http://www.acsm.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=current_comments1&Template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=8652 (the American College of Sports Medicine summarizes research and recs going to where the tops of your thighs are parallel to the ground)
http://www.apec-s.com/Deep%20Squats.pdf
http://gubernatrix.co.uk/2008/11/how-low-should-i-squat/

Short summary: in the early 60s, there was some research suggesting that squatting past 90 degrees was bad for the knee ligaments. This has subsequently been disproved, with indications being that unless you have pre-existing knee damage, squatting full depth is okay (and it engages muscles that don't get fully involved if you stop higher up).

Note: I am not a doctor or trainer and do not play one on the internet, and I am a strong believer in finding out what works for your body in practice, and if something hurts, not doing it.

But having read the info that's out there: I squat below parallel, as low as I can go with good form (no back rounding or knock-knees, etc.). I do have a history of knee problems, and squats have never aggravated my knees.

[laurashapiro]

See, that's what I remembered from Stumptuous! TBH, I was pretty dubious about a lot of what the trainer told me. Which is a shame, because she was physical therapist-required and damned expensive, too.

Nevermind. I did proper squats today and my knees felt fine.