New and a Couple Questions
Options
veganbaum
Posts: 1,865 Member
Hi everyone. I just completed my first 3 sessions of stronglifts! Yay! I have a couple of questions. I'm sure these have been asked before, but since search doesn't work in the groups it can be hard to find topics. I'm sorry it's long, but I'm especially having trouble with squats. (My boyfriend and I started the program together. He has lifted before.)
1. Are we supposed to alternate the workouts A-B-A, A-B-A, or just A-B-A-B-A-B? At first I thought it was the first option since I thought deads were only supposed to be once a week, but I was rereading one of the site pages and it seems to say just to alternate A-B-A-B-A-B? So some weeks you're doing deads twice a week?
2. Stronglifts.com says the first four weeks are supposed to be lighter weights to get used to form and prepare for heavy weights. I wonder if I'm lifting too heavy, especially on squats and pendlays and have had issues with both.
a. In terms of rows, I've done two days of rows. The first day we didn't do pendlays since we didn't know we were supposed to. The second time we tried pendlays, but neither of us felt good on them and actually seemed to sort of pull a muscle in the same area next to our shoulder blade, so we went to regular barbell rows (or whatever they are). Any suggestions for learning these correctly other than watching videos? (I was at 50lbs but think I would have to go lower for pendlays). Maybe some trick you learned that helped? Does it matter if we do the regular vs the pendlay?
b. In terms of squats, I have been working on the smith machine to help me get form down. The first day was learning and I used a box to get to parallel. The second day was nearly perfect and I was able to use the low box to get below parallel. The third day was a disaster. I couldn't get the form I had the second time. I don't know if maybe I was just tired or if it was something else. We alternate the gyms we go to because my boyfriend lives 30 minutes away in another town. The second time we were at his gym and the smith machine had a mirror. The third time we went to the larger gym in my town that has a smith that's sort of at an angle and another one that's straight, if that makes sense. The third time we started on the straight one because it was open but then moved over because the straight one wasn't working for me, but the angled one doesn't have a mirror and I think that helps me.
A female trainer came over and was saying that I should work on sissy squats (is that what they're called, on that thing that holds your ankles/calves?) and also use a medicine ball against the wall to go to parallel and build up my leg strength before trying weighted squats. I don't know how I feel about that. I had one perfect day but then was off, but maybe my body was just tired? I know I'm not strong enough to use the 45 bar free weight. Does anyone have any suggestions? I was thinking that maybe I should try a lighter free weight (like 20, lol) and work on form rather than using the smith machine or doing what the trainer suggested. Ideas from those of you at this longer?
Thank you so much! I'm sure you get a lot of newbie questions.
1. Are we supposed to alternate the workouts A-B-A, A-B-A, or just A-B-A-B-A-B? At first I thought it was the first option since I thought deads were only supposed to be once a week, but I was rereading one of the site pages and it seems to say just to alternate A-B-A-B-A-B? So some weeks you're doing deads twice a week?
2. Stronglifts.com says the first four weeks are supposed to be lighter weights to get used to form and prepare for heavy weights. I wonder if I'm lifting too heavy, especially on squats and pendlays and have had issues with both.
a. In terms of rows, I've done two days of rows. The first day we didn't do pendlays since we didn't know we were supposed to. The second time we tried pendlays, but neither of us felt good on them and actually seemed to sort of pull a muscle in the same area next to our shoulder blade, so we went to regular barbell rows (or whatever they are). Any suggestions for learning these correctly other than watching videos? (I was at 50lbs but think I would have to go lower for pendlays). Maybe some trick you learned that helped? Does it matter if we do the regular vs the pendlay?
b. In terms of squats, I have been working on the smith machine to help me get form down. The first day was learning and I used a box to get to parallel. The second day was nearly perfect and I was able to use the low box to get below parallel. The third day was a disaster. I couldn't get the form I had the second time. I don't know if maybe I was just tired or if it was something else. We alternate the gyms we go to because my boyfriend lives 30 minutes away in another town. The second time we were at his gym and the smith machine had a mirror. The third time we went to the larger gym in my town that has a smith that's sort of at an angle and another one that's straight, if that makes sense. The third time we started on the straight one because it was open but then moved over because the straight one wasn't working for me, but the angled one doesn't have a mirror and I think that helps me.
A female trainer came over and was saying that I should work on sissy squats (is that what they're called, on that thing that holds your ankles/calves?) and also use a medicine ball against the wall to go to parallel and build up my leg strength before trying weighted squats. I don't know how I feel about that. I had one perfect day but then was off, but maybe my body was just tired? I know I'm not strong enough to use the 45 bar free weight. Does anyone have any suggestions? I was thinking that maybe I should try a lighter free weight (like 20, lol) and work on form rather than using the smith machine or doing what the trainer suggested. Ideas from those of you at this longer?
Thank you so much! I'm sure you get a lot of newbie questions.
0
Replies
-
1. A B A B A B, just alternate the workouts! Nothing complicated here.
2. No one can tell you. It all depends on where you start and how fast you progress. If you feel like you're using too much weight and it's messing with your form deload. It's very important to get your form right first to avoid injuries!
Pendlay rows are a bit akward first. Practice practice and practice some more. You'll get the hang of it soon. For the pendlay rows keep your back parallel to the floor, every rep hits the floor, pretty much like a DL. If you can't figure it out maybe ask a trainer? Here's a link from the SL website, it explains it really well:
http://stronglifts.com/how-to-perform-the-pendlay-row-with-correct-technique/
About squats, first I'd ditch the smith machine. I'm no fan of that thing and it won't really help you get the form right. Just start out with the bar on the rack. Once you get the balance and the movement right you will progress quickly.
I just looked up sissy squats and I don't really see the point in doing that lol.
http://stronglifts.com/smith-machine-squats-power-rack-free-weights/0 -
Thanks! For some reason I thought I read somewhere that deads were only once a week, just wanted to make sure I'm following the program correctly.
Thanks for both of those links. I have read through the ones in the introduction thread (and watched youtube videos) but I haven't seen the ones you posted. The smith machine one is especially helpful. I actually looked up sissy squats, too. I think that's what the trainer called them, but she showed us a "machine" that holds your calves so you can squat. She told us I should try to build up my quad strength before doing weighted squats, but I didn't really know what to think. Is it better to do that, or just start with free weight squats at a very low weight? I know not all trainers are that knowledgeable, so . . .
After using the smith machine for a week, and before the trainer came over, I was talking to my boyfriend about how maybe it would make more sense to do it free weight even if I have to go really light. There is no way I can go below parallel with the bar, I'm a total wimp. I'll have to use something ridiculously light like 20 lbs if I want to be able to get back up! But I think that's what I'll try next time.0 -
If you really have super weak quads for some reason (which frankly is not actually that likely, since most people are stronger there than anywhere else, but the trainer has actually seen you so maybe its true) then you MAY find it beneficial to do both, but I wouldn't ditch the weighted back squats altogether.
Try them first with lighter weight, if you feel like it really is your quads that are holding you back, you could add some quad heavy assistance (although I'd probably just leg press, something that holds your calves actually sounds kind of not-great since your calves SHOULD move when you squat - mine do, anyway. And my ankles bend.) You could even do 3 sets of squats and 2 sets of assistance.
Also don't be scared of that 45 lb bar - I think a lot of people are used to doing stuff with dumbbells and think 45 lbs sounds like a LOT but dumbbells are actually a LOT harder to lift because they require so much stabilization. 2 x 30 lb dumbbells is MUCH harder than a barbell loaded to 60 lbs.0 -
For Pendlay Rows, I use little stands that keep the bar high enough that I don't have to squat or bend over to get the bar all the way to the floor. It helps a ton. Also, I had a friendly guy in the gym last week tell me to keep my head up (back flat) which surprisingly helped a lot.0
-
Don't be afraid of the 45lb bar, it sounds more than it really is like tameko said. Even 6 months into squatting I still found things to tweak about my form, it takes some time to learn how to squat and find out what works for you.. Something I found helpful was to widen my stance, when I first started squatting my stance was too narrow, helped me with my balance too. You can give it a shot.
0
