162.5 Military press 3x5,1x2,1x3, 175 Back squat x 5, floor pushups, crawls, side delts

Reverse engineering what the best do naturally. It's a primary principle of StrongFirst, and what I've been doing naturally (pun intended) since I started training in gymnastics at 14. All this means is that I've always looked to the hero's I admired and wanted to be like and tried to emulate what they did as much as possible. IF it fit me. If it didn't I'd try again but I got many many many answers to training and technique questions this way.

And, when I ignored it, ignored my instincts, as when I knew that wide stance, low bar squatting with a flat shoe was NOT my leverage or my strongest position ala WSB I ignored it and suffered because of it. I still did ok but I did not maximize my competition squat.

After I realized it, in the process of rehabbing my back herniation, I vowed never to ignore my instincts again. And I haven't although that doesn't mean each thing I come up with is THE solution. And as you fix one problem another invariably arises and needs to be addressed.

So it's gone with my  press. All the changes I have made in mechanics, grip and technique have worked. for awhile ( "everything works but nothing works forever" L Simmons ) but then created new issues for me to solve

Flexing my lats hard and driving the bar straight up worked great for my flat bench press, and, for awhile, ( quite awhile actually) for my press. But it has been more and more inconsistent with the big weights, the weights over 92%- the weights that count/

And, like sumo, it's all easy til it's heavy, I've found I can do many techniques with sub max weights only to have something give way when I max. I mean I've MADE progress but it's not right; it's not optimal and I know that. But I have to keep training to figure it out

Training is the source. So that's where i figure it out

So after watching and re watching all my PR press attempts and scouring the net for all great pressers I noticed something watching Dmitry Klokov's amazing press. When the bar is in the rack position his elbows are slightly in front of the bar. Not just under the bar. Not behind the bar. In front.

I've never considered that and have always tried to keep them directly under the bar in the rack

But using my lats, as a launch pad( which works brilliantly for the flat bench- which the OH is NOT- I just figure out) sometimes pulls my elbows BEHIND my torso! this helps the start but if I just keep pushing the bar in a straight line it goes forward! as it has been. especially with max weights!

So today's practice was to try to press like Klokov, and see what happens > I had planned to try 162.5 for 5x5 but have NO comfidence in any groove right now so I decided just to take a weight and see how this new technique felt when heavy

Klokov's press that convinced me


when the elbows start like that, I surmised, pushing straight up would let the bar drive up AND keep the elbows still under the bar at the sticking point.

I've never even considered this until just then.

 I have to say it worked WAY better than expected. I think this is it. The technique change that set up all the other working parts so do their job effortlessly. Losing grip contact with the bar has been an issue, especially with a max weight at the sticking point. today I found it was right there as I was under the bar at that sticking point for the first time ever

Same with glutes which would go loose at exactly the wrong time
Fixed.

Changes
Back to oly shoe
elbows forward on unracking, keep them there, reposition for each rep
head up but still looking forward
NO lat flex at start
close grip finger on start of smooth

warmups felt GREAT. Surprisingly great . and fast. I've always said the way to know if your technique is right for you is to see if you can do it fast. Can you jump at the top of your squat? Like that

My warmups felt fast. I was shocked but didn't want to get my hopes up

I did great but just got tired on the fourth set and mentally messed up
And my triceps got their ass kicked!

Speed day on wednesday will really be key for this new groove. I need time in grade for this new technique! But I think it will hold. Very confidant. I haven't known what to do. Now I do and can concentrate on just getting the groove stronger.

Mil Press
45 x 5
65 x 5
85 x 3
105 x 3
120 x 2
135 x 1
150 x 1 ( fast!)
162.5 x 5 x 3 sets
          x 2
          x 3
wow. I really feel this could be my technique.

Using the pressing lessons learned benching have gotten me this far. Now, it's time to learn to be an overhead presser. New world

back squat


Now when my press groove is as comfortable and solid as THIS  I will press over 200.
this was great. No problems, weight felt very light, Had to keep myself from going to 200. But don't be greedy!

45 x 5
95 x 5
135 x 5
155 x 5
175 x 5 ( SFL test weight  + 5)

Floor pushups
45 x 2 sets
40 x 1 set

surprisingly strong after all that press work

crawls
3 laps of 70 ft

side delts
3 x 15 with 15

BW 169.
BF 12.8
W 56.3

finally a day off tomorrow!

datsit