Topic: Training/Learning

[Jesse Gibson]

Matt:

I'll see what I can do on the video. I used to have a camera but separated from my wife and no longer have it. Maybe my cell phone has one... not sure, lol... I will try this weekend.

Thanks for the kind words; sometimes I get discouraged.

[Jim Hooper]

Jesse, I think those goblet squats are a good flexibility/warmup move for the hips (great), knees/quads (fair) and ankles (fair).  Try it with a 25# plate held at your chest if you don't have a kettlebell.  Sit there a long time, "sink in" and let your butt go down and forward, between your ankles.  Once your hips sink, work on getting your torso vertical. 
In the hole, you want your butt BETWEEN your legs (not on top of them), and your shoulder joints in the same vertical plane as your ankle joints, torso basically upright -- like the guy below -- very different from a PL squat.  Stay at it, it will get better.  Goblet squats are a good tool to develop that position, as are any squats where you hit those parameters.  Belt squats might also be good -- put your feet on blocks and hang the load between then.  The weight in these movements is just assisting your stretch; you don't need an assload, just enough to sit in there long enough for the connective tissue to relax the stretch-reflex and lengthen.
Hang in there and remember -- 10 hours of good position specific flexibility work works a lot better than 10 minutes of it.  (Takes time.)
  Jim
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[Jesse Gibson]

I've been trying this with the 'Jump Stretch' bands (webcam pic)

[Jesse Gibson]

Well, they finally have power restored...

So I ventured up for some olympic style squatting in my monolift.

Oly Squat (bar at base of neck, upright back, feet ~12 inches apart, deep):
135x3
225x3
315x3
405x3
500x3
550x1

Romanian Deads (first time to ever try these):
135x3
225x3
315x3 (straps)
405x3
500x3 (not a bad exercise)

PC & Jerk:
145x10 singles (done for form... first one was crappy, last one was best, still not perfect by any means)

Still tryin'...

[Jesse Gibson]

Felt slow and sluggish today...

Incline Press:
135x3
225x3
315x3
365x2
405x1
425xX (weird)

Power Snatch (just still trying):
135x1
135x1
135x1
155x1
165xX (no speed)

Leg Ext.:
Stack x 8 X 3 sets

I'm feeling stiff and sluggish, as I stated. I think I'll stretch periodically all day tomorrow- while watching football- and relax.

You guys ever watch the 'World Class Coaching' vids or the Arthur Drechsler vid? Seem to be helpful. Watching Shane lift in the WCC is helpful...

[Kevin Stafford]

I don't mean to burn you out on the stretching but here is some thing you can do at home for more flexibility. To get lower into the squat position, try resting your upper back against your wall (human chair style, except lower) while in a rock bottom position. Make sure your butt is not touching the wall (only slightly off the wall). Your goal here is to get your heels to touch the wall, inching your way day after day until this happens. Reverse shrugs done on a dip bar are great for shoulder flexibility, as well as doing overhead squats with a shoulder width grip.

[Jesse Gibson]

Heels touch the wall? Good Lord!! I think I'll just look up and ask to be dismissed... 

This could take forever.

Thanks for the encouragement and tips. I'll give it a go.

[Kevin Stafford]

I'm not saying it will ever happen, just try to move as close as possible. My heels are still about 1/2 inch or so away with out any other improvement for a few years now.