Ray Benemerito. One of the all time best adfpa/usapl lifters . Legit 1900lbs at 181.He knows squat.I am getting a much better balance now between Z and the corrective exercise/prehab stretches I call Rifga.One thing I've realized of late is that I have been neglecting my squatting. Not loaded squatting, as I have given that up for the near and foreseeable future, but squat stretches/poses.I was doing a lot of sumo squat stretches and really making gains in getting my left knee to flex deeper but when I started doing so much standing Z( and feeling so much better) that my floor work, and with it my squat training, declined considerably.
I get a lot out of holding these varying width squat stances for longer and longer times. Now this is something I dont mind training for timed sets instead of counting reps.I need to work up to five minutes or more in the bottom position.
This is waiting out the tension at it's best and the longer I hold the set the deeper I go, with the stiff knee and hip opening up quite a bit at sets end.It's also a chance to check for pelvic instability/asymmetry as it's very apparent if one hip is higher , or tighter, than the other.when one knee only bends 90 degrees it's VERY easy for your hips to go off.
By keeping my shins vertical( or close) I can really open up the knee joint without stressing it and that's important for recovery work.
This blends well with the doward dog work to open up the hamstrings one leg at a time and the upward facing dog, or prone cobras as I usually call them, for releasing the psoas ,lower abs and external obliques,recentering the spine in extension, getting the elbows to fully lock and the
very important but usually neglected serratus muscles with the arm support posture.
Doing so much standing z work has made the calves and legs much stronger in static poses but also can tighten up my less stable left ankle/knee. Getting back on the squat train is the perfect move right now.
Lots of 32 kg swings to do tomorrow......
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7 comments:
Squats baby!!! Squats!!!
Geoff can expand on this but there are some facinating squat drills in the other levels of Z.
Squats!
Mark, I think it is a good idea to represent the power lifting aspect of squat at RKC II. I'm beginning to sense PL aspect is inevitable for RKCs.
Takei,
lol, except Pavel doesnt like big legs( his thighs chafe!).power squats and benches are such technical lifts well suited to some and not at all suited to others.As he wrote in PtP good squatting requires so much 'extra' stuff: spotters, racks good coaching etc. Deads are the 'people's lift. everybody can do them in one form or another and everyone needs to as we all have to 'pick stuff up' off the floor all day long.Very rarely are we called upon to squat down HOLDING SOMETHING ON OUR BACKS,lol!
Now I beleive the basic squat motor pattern IS essential but heavy power squats I dont think are. Of course as Com Brett can tell you, they are powerfully addicting!
I am a squat a holic as well, just in recovery!
brett,
I saw all the squat patterns that Dr Cobb wrote about in the R phase manual, is there more about it than that?Of course with so limited ROM in my left knee I am left with just such a simple squat pattern to play with.
Yes, I recognize from a book written by a Japanese Strongman in 1930's. It mentioned very little about squat, but more on picking up from the floor stuffs.
"Very rarely are we called upon to squat down HOLDING SOMETHING ON OUR BACKS,lol!"
but the need to squat down and grab something and stand back upis often called upon... -> ZERCHERS baby!!!
:-)
exactly kenneth, deads and zerchers are about as functional a strength pattern as you can get.have you seen Louies new zercher harness?a no hands way to do zerchers.
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