GIFt us your lifts! (or other achievements!)

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  • Minion_training_program
    Minion_training_program Posts: 13,366 Member
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    jyxpgsykxzpw.gif

    This looked like warmup for you man...damn!

    It didn’t feel like warm ups Gus. I’ll do dead squats upwards of 400lbs and box squats around 365lbs but I struggle with back squats. That was only 250 there. I was doing 3x5 but switched to 5x3 to try and maintain form and depth. 🤷‍♂️.

    Well it looked solid man
  • Minion_training_program
    Minion_training_program Posts: 13,366 Member
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    cowsfan12 wrote: »
    cowsfan12 wrote: »
    jyxpgsykxzpw.gif

    Are those lifting shoes with a slight incline or just running shoes - ?

    Just regular ol’ running shoes.

    I’m a bare footer as well - if I get lifiting shoes I’ll try the squat university dudes tyr brand with wide toe box - he’s a big advocate of the wide toe box - For overall balance and such if you haven’t checked him out on YouTube give him a look - he has some great content on form - how to identify pain in lifts and what not

    Oh please don't fund that guy anymore than some people already do.
    He is such a scammer and only sells his brand.

    I remember him saying, don't buy lifting shoes, they are a waste of money.
    2 weeks later, he came with the wide toe shoe thingy...yeah mate. You are just selling your own product here and give a *kitten* about people
  • kinetixtrainer2
    kinetixtrainer2 Posts: 9,130 Member
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    jyxpgsykxzpw.gif

    This looked like warmup for you man...damn!

    It didn’t feel like warm ups Gus. I’ll do dead squats upwards of 400lbs and box squats around 365lbs but I struggle with back squats. That was only 250 there. I was doing 3x5 but switched to 5x3 to try and maintain form and depth. 🤷‍♂️.

    Well it looked solid man

    I appreciate that Gus
  • cowsfan12
    cowsfan12 Posts: 6,042 Member
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    cowsfan12 wrote: »
    jyxpgsykxzpw.gif

    Are those lifting shoes with a slight incline or just running shoes - ?
    cowsfan12 wrote: »
    jyxpgsykxzpw.gif

    Are those lifting shoes with a slight incline or just running shoes - ?

    Look like running shoes...You are braver than me Chris... I don't have lifting shoes, so i go barefoot on my squats and deadlifts since a year now

    I need to try this Gus. A lot of people swear by it. I have a pair of lifting shoes but I obviously don’t always wear them.

    Dude, you are going to love barefoot...so much more stability and you can really push up without worrying about the balance.
    I have never tried lifting shoes. Feels like a waste of money for me, knowing that barefoot gives same stability. But i understand that there are gyms that don't allow barefoot (even with socks)

    Lifting shoes are generally elevated at the heal which provides increased ankle mobility - some ppl use plates to elevate the heal - but for gyms that don’t allow barefoot this would be an alternative - limited ankle and hip mobility in your squat can be the root cause of pain in your lifts. I have to warm up my hips and ankles before squatting always - had no idea the game changer that was
  • Minion_training_program
    Minion_training_program Posts: 13,366 Member
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    cowsfan12 wrote: »
    cowsfan12 wrote: »
    jyxpgsykxzpw.gif

    Are those lifting shoes with a slight incline or just running shoes - ?
    cowsfan12 wrote: »
    jyxpgsykxzpw.gif

    Are those lifting shoes with a slight incline or just running shoes - ?

    Look like running shoes...You are braver than me Chris... I don't have lifting shoes, so i go barefoot on my squats and deadlifts since a year now

    I need to try this Gus. A lot of people swear by it. I have a pair of lifting shoes but I obviously don’t always wear them.

    Dude, you are going to love barefoot...so much more stability and you can really push up without worrying about the balance.
    I have never tried lifting shoes. Feels like a waste of money for me, knowing that barefoot gives same stability. But i understand that there are gyms that don't allow barefoot (even with socks)

    Lifting shoes are generally elevated at the heal which provides increased ankle mobility - some ppl use plates to elevate the heal - but for gyms that don’t allow barefoot this would be an alternative - limited ankle and hip mobility in your squat can be the root cause of pain in your lifts. I have to warm up my hips and ankles before squatting always - had no idea the game changer that was

    Yeah, i understand the use of lifting shoes. But like i said, for me personally i think it would be a waste of money.

    I have pretty good ankle mobility, my main problem are my hips and long legs (compared to rest of my body), which prevents me from squatting deep. Even without weight, i can't squat below parallel, at least not without holding on to the squatrack, otherwise i tip over.

    I can also not squat with narrow stance. I tried to do that in the past, and i showed it to one of my friends on here, who is a PT as well. And he said, change your stance, go wide, toes out. And that was a huge game changer for me.

    This shows, there is no right or wrong when squatting, because for every person it works differently. Some people can go ATG, and some people struggle with parallel.

    No amount of warmup can change this for me (and i have tried) My stiff hip mobility (on left side) is something i was born with, but was not threated for (baby's now get some sort of pants to put on, to loosen it) and now i am paying the price (well not really, because i can still squat and do what i want) But you get the idea i think.
  • cowsfan12
    cowsfan12 Posts: 6,042 Member
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    cowsfan12 wrote: »
    cowsfan12 wrote: »
    jyxpgsykxzpw.gif

    Are those lifting shoes with a slight incline or just running shoes - ?
    cowsfan12 wrote: »
    jyxpgsykxzpw.gif

    Are those lifting shoes with a slight incline or just running shoes - ?

    Look like running shoes...You are braver than me Chris... I don't have lifting shoes, so i go barefoot on my squats and deadlifts since a year now

    I need to try this Gus. A lot of people swear by it. I have a pair of lifting shoes but I obviously don’t always wear them.

    Dude, you are going to love barefoot...so much more stability and you can really push up without worrying about the balance.
    I have never tried lifting shoes. Feels like a waste of money for me, knowing that barefoot gives same stability. But i understand that there are gyms that don't allow barefoot (even with socks)

    Lifting shoes are generally elevated at the heal which provides increased ankle mobility - some ppl use plates to elevate the heal - but for gyms that don’t allow barefoot this would be an alternative - limited ankle and hip mobility in your squat can be the root cause of pain in your lifts. I have to warm up my hips and ankles before squatting always - had no idea the game changer that was

    Yeah, i understand the use of lifting shoes. But like i said, for me personally i think it would be a waste of money.

    I have pretty good ankle mobility, my main problem are my hips and long legs (compared to rest of my body), which prevents me from squatting deep. Even without weight, i can't squat below parallel, at least not without holding on to the squatrack, otherwise i tip over.

    I can also not squat with narrow stance. I tried to do that in the past, and i showed it to one of my friends on here, who is a PT as well. And he said, change your stance, go wide, toes out. And that was a huge game changer for me.

    This shows, there is no right or wrong when squatting, because for every person it works differently. Some people can go ATG, and some people struggle with parallel.

    No amount of warmup can change this for me (and i have tried) My stiff hip mobility (on left side) is something i was born with, but was not threated for (baby's now get some sort of pants to put on, to loosen it) and now i am paying the price (well not really, because i can still squat and do what i want) But you get the idea i think.

    Yup for sure - we can only squat based on our anatomy - I can’t get ATG - and usually just do box squats cause even with an elevated heal and warm up my right ankle won’t permit it - I myself am too cheap to buy lifting shoes cause I don’t think the juice is worth the squeeze - but for some it is - and I might try the squat university dudes just cause he’s my hero
  • nossmf
    nossmf Posts: 9,081 Member
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    I squat sumo, with feet wide apart; I can get WAY lower this way, and way heavier.

    My lifting shoe of choice is Chuck Taylor's, which has a non-compressible sole. Spent about $100, but my current pair has lasted almost a decade, figure I got my money's worth from them. Debating getting a new pair, old ones finally starting to fall apart, but I can probably keep using them for another year or so before it becomes an actual issue during a lift.
  • Minion_training_program
    Minion_training_program Posts: 13,366 Member
    edited November 2023
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    nossmf wrote: »
    I squat sumo, with feet wide apart; I can get WAY lower this way, and way heavier.

    My lifting shoe of choice is Chuck Taylor's, which has a non-compressible sole. Spent about $100, but my current pair has lasted almost a decade, figure I got my money's worth from them. Debating getting a new pair, old ones finally starting to fall apart, but I can probably keep using them for another year or so before it becomes an actual issue during a lift.

    Sumo the only way for me to squat.
    I tried narrow stance, and it started to look like a good morning.
    I think for powerlifting the wide stance is more common, there may only be a few blessed people who can squat narrow stance with heavy weight like Tom Platz did.

    At age 68 he still squats 180kg for reps.
    Altough when last time i saw his video, he doesn't squat ATG anymore, but just below parallel, and wide stance as well. So if the Quadfather does it, so can we 😇

    On the lifting shoes, i have been thinking about getting them, untill someone mentioned the barefoot thing.
    So i asked in my gym if it was allowed to squat on socks, and they said, no problem. So that's what it is now
  • KickassAmazon76
    KickassAmazon76 Posts: 4,562 Member
    edited November 2023
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    Late to the party... haven't been around on here much. Loved reading all the discussion. :) Great gifs @kinetixtrainer2 ! Great progression on your lifts @nossmf!

    I'll weigh in on the lifting shoes / vs runners / vs barefoot with a bunch of random thoughts. (If you care to read them haha)

    I cannot squat or deadlift in runners. Hard no. Even trying to do bulgarian split squats throws me off balance... The sponginess of the soles in my runners makes me wobbly and unstable and I feel like I lose my connection with the ground.

    I used to lift barefoot at home and that was fine, but I definitely prefer my adipower squat shoes. Con = the narrow toe box IS kind of uncomfy for my wide feet, but I cope with that for the rest of the pros.
    Pro: the foot is solid and the bottom has a grippy feel that means I can screw my feet into the ground when rotating / bracing my quads. In socks, my feet slip in them and I can't get as locked in as I do with the shoes. I wouldn't want to go barefoot (sockless) in the gym because dirty and even still, feet slip. The shoes are great.

    Also because the shoes don't have cushion in the soles, It feels like I'm a solid unit from the floor through to my shoulders. In all, I just feel more solid and locked in when I set up for my lift. I don't really notice the lifted heel in the shoe much, but I have decent ankle mobility (most days)

    Here's my last squat gif for reference...

    jfltnub5psdi.gif
  • KickassAmazon76
    KickassAmazon76 Posts: 4,562 Member
    edited November 2023
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    Also... I swear I'm going way below parallel when I do the squat, but upon review... I barely break it most times. 😑

    These are the last few in that set of 10...

    qlnznyunymcx.gif
  • kinetixtrainer2
    kinetixtrainer2 Posts: 9,130 Member
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    Late to the party... haven't been around on here much. Loved reading all the discussion. :) Great gifs @kinetixtrainer2 ! Great progression on your lifts @nossmf!

    I'll weigh in on the lifting shoes / vs runners / vs barefoot with a bunch of random thoughts. (If you care to read them haha)

    I cannot squat or deadlift in runners. Hard no. Even trying to do bulgarian split squats throws me off balance... The sponginess of the soles in my runners makes me wobbly and unstable and I feel like I lose my connection with the ground.

    I used to lift barefoot at home and that was fine, but I definitely prefer my adipower squat shoes. Con = the narrow toe box IS kind of uncomfy for my wide feet, but I cope with that for the rest of the pros.
    Pro: the foot is solid and the bottom has a grippy feel that means I can screw my feet into the ground when rotating / bracing my quads. In socks, my feet slip in them and I can't get as locked in as I do with the shoes. I wouldn't want to go barefoot (sockless) in the gym because dirty and even still, feet slip. The shoes are great.

    Also because the shoes don't have cushion in the soles, It feels like I'm a solid unit from the floor through to my shoulders. In all, I just feel more solid and locked in when I set up for my lift. I don't really notice the lifted heel in the shoe much, but I have decent ankle mobility (most days)

    Here's my last squat gif for reference...

    jfltnub5psdi.gif

    Nice contribution to that discussion. I will be trying this barefoot squat. I’ll report back.
  • Minion_training_program
    Minion_training_program Posts: 13,366 Member
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    Late to the party... haven't been around on here much. Loved reading all the discussion. :) Great gifs @kinetixtrainer2 ! Great progression on your lifts @nossmf!

    I'll weigh in on the lifting shoes / vs runners / vs barefoot with a bunch of random thoughts. (If you care to read them haha)

    I cannot squat or deadlift in runners. Hard no. Even trying to do bulgarian split squats throws me off balance... The sponginess of the soles in my runners makes me wobbly and unstable and I feel like I lose my connection with the ground.

    I used to lift barefoot at home and that was fine, but I definitely prefer my adipower squat shoes. Con = the narrow toe box IS kind of uncomfy for my wide feet, but I cope with that for the rest of the pros.
    Pro: the foot is solid and the bottom has a grippy feel that means I can screw my feet into the ground when rotating / bracing my quads. In socks, my feet slip in them and I can't get as locked in as I do with the shoes. I wouldn't want to go barefoot (sockless) in the gym because dirty and even still, feet slip. The shoes are great.

    Also because the shoes don't have cushion in the soles, It feels like I'm a solid unit from the floor through to my shoulders. In all, I just feel more solid and locked in when I set up for my lift. I don't really notice the lifted heel in the shoe much, but I have decent ankle mobility (most days)

    Here's my last squat gif for reference...

    jfltnub5psdi.gif

    Are those black thing actually shoes. they look like socks...awesome!
    The narrow toe box is something that holds me back from getting lifting shoes.
    I have wide, very wide feet. I can't even wear Nikes/Addidas shoes because of it, and i have tried even the wide versions of them

    PS Sandy that squat looks so solid and with good depth
  • steveko89
    steveko89 Posts: 2,216 Member
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    RE: Shoes

    - Chucks have too narrow of a toe box for me (maybe in general, tbh?)
    - Had a pair of Adipowers, maybe they were the wrong size, but felt they were too narrow, too and I'd get midfoot cramping.
    - Really liked the original lifting cross-trainers that Under Armour put out but the style had shifted some over the years against my liking.
    - Recently I've found good success and comfort with the Reebok Nano line. Had a pair of Xs, currently running X1s and there's a pair of X3s on my Christmas list.
    - Unsure if it's an age thing or the fact I scarcely wore shoes spring of '20 when working from home full time but I've needed to size up or get wides since then.
  • KickassAmazon76
    KickassAmazon76 Posts: 4,562 Member
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    Late to the party... haven't been around on here much. Loved reading all the discussion. :) Great gifs @kinetixtrainer2 ! Great progression on your lifts @nossmf!

    I'll weigh in on the lifting shoes / vs runners / vs barefoot with a bunch of random thoughts. (If you care to read them haha)

    I cannot squat or deadlift in runners. Hard no. Even trying to do bulgarian split squats throws me off balance... The sponginess of the soles in my runners makes me wobbly and unstable and I feel like I lose my connection with the ground.

    I used to lift barefoot at home and that was fine, but I definitely prefer my adipower squat shoes. Con = the narrow toe box IS kind of uncomfy for my wide feet, but I cope with that for the rest of the pros.
    Pro: the foot is solid and the bottom has a grippy feel that means I can screw my feet into the ground when rotating / bracing my quads. In socks, my feet slip in them and I can't get as locked in as I do with the shoes. I wouldn't want to go barefoot (sockless) in the gym because dirty and even still, feet slip. The shoes are great.

    Also because the shoes don't have cushion in the soles, It feels like I'm a solid unit from the floor through to my shoulders. In all, I just feel more solid and locked in when I set up for my lift. I don't really notice the lifted heel in the shoe much, but I have decent ankle mobility (most days)

    Here's my last squat gif for reference...

    jfltnub5psdi.gif

    Are those black thing actually shoes. they look like socks...awesome!
    The narrow toe box is something that holds me back from getting lifting shoes.
    I have wide, very wide feet. I can't even wear Nikes/Addidas shoes because of it, and i have tried even the wide versions of them

    PS Sandy that squat looks so solid and with good depth

    lol no.. the black things were my socks. I use those on the leg press. My squat shoes are the red ones and I use them for bench and squat. :)

    I know you are kind of cranky with squat university, but they are the only place that I've heard that does wide foot squat shoes. Everything else seems to be narrow.

    And thank you for the form compliment! :smiley:
  • KickassAmazon76
    KickassAmazon76 Posts: 4,562 Member
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    steveko89 wrote: »
    RE: Shoes

    - Chucks have too narrow of a toe box for me (maybe in general, tbh?)
    - Had a pair of Adipowers, maybe they were the wrong size, but felt they were too narrow, too and I'd get midfoot cramping.
    - Really liked the original lifting cross-trainers that Under Armour put out but the style had shifted some over the years against my liking.
    - Recently I've found good success and comfort with the Reebok Nano line. Had a pair of Xs, currently running X1s and there's a pair of X3s on my Christmas list.
    - Unsure if it's an age thing or the fact I scarcely wore shoes spring of '20 when working from home full time but I've needed to size up or get wides since then.

    I actually think that going barefoot so much (because we were in lockdown and working from home) has allowed our feet to spread more and be more like they're "supposed" to be. Mine are also wider, because I haven't been cramming them into shoes that are built for aesthetic and not fit.

    I think it's much healthier for my feet, even if it means I hate wearing heels now.
  • nossmf
    nossmf Posts: 9,081 Member
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    On the advice of @kinetixtrainer2 I increased my bench press weight another 10#, figured I'd go back down if I got stuck at 3 reps for any one set. But I didn't, I got 4-4-4-4-6 (with spotter last set), so was pretty stoked for the rest of the workout.

    Over the weekend watching TV with my wife, at one point a character took off his shirt and his fellow male characters went gaga over his washboard abs (on an otherwise unassuming physique). My wife started talking about how women never find that attractive, how guys want big muscles and 6-pack abs only for themselves, women couldn't care less. I've known for years I was getting fit for my sake and not hers, but now that I'm part of this group, gotta wonder...is that true? Do women simply not care for that muscular look guys crave? Sure, when looking for a potential spouse I can believe women look for other attributes instead, but is it only in movies where that super physique turns a woman's head, or does it happen in real life as well?
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 7,461 Member
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    @nossmf

    Depends on the woman. I always agreed with Jessica Rabbit, “because he makes me laugh”.

    But then again, not being a beauty or particularly fit myself, I didn’t have expectations of landing someone buff, but that also meant not having the exhaustion of worrying about what he was up to, either.

    “Buff” was never on my must-have list, and tbh, would probably have been on my keep-lookin’-elsewhere tot sheet.
  • kinetixtrainer2
    kinetixtrainer2 Posts: 9,130 Member
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    nossmf wrote: »
    On the advice of @kinetixtrainer2 I increased my bench press weight another 10#, figured I'd go back down if I got stuck at 3 reps for any one set. But I didn't, I got 4-4-4-4-6 (with spotter last set), so was pretty stoked for the rest of the workout.

    Over the weekend watching TV with my wife, at one point a character took off his shirt and his fellow male characters went gaga over his washboard abs (on an otherwise unassuming physique). My wife started talking about how women never find that attractive, how guys want big muscles and 6-pack abs only for themselves, women couldn't care less. I've known for years I was getting fit for my sake and not hers, but now that I'm part of this group, gotta wonder...is that true? Do women simply not care for that muscular look guys crave? Sure, when looking for a potential spouse I can believe women look for other attributes instead, but is it only in movies where that super physique turns a woman's head, or does it happen in real life as well?

    Brother that is awesome! Congrats on the new number.

  • KickassAmazon76
    KickassAmazon76 Posts: 4,562 Member
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    nossmf wrote: »
    On the advice of @kinetixtrainer2 I increased my bench press weight another 10#, figured I'd go back down if I got stuck at 3 reps for any one set. But I didn't, I got 4-4-4-4-6 (with spotter last set), so was pretty stoked for the rest of the workout.

    Over the weekend watching TV with my wife, at one point a character took off his shirt and his fellow male characters went gaga over his washboard abs (on an otherwise unassuming physique). My wife started talking about how women never find that attractive, how guys want big muscles and 6-pack abs only for themselves, women couldn't care less. I've known for years I was getting fit for my sake and not hers, but now that I'm part of this group, gotta wonder...is that true? Do women simply not care for that muscular look guys crave? Sure, when looking for a potential spouse I can believe women look for other attributes instead, but is it only in movies where that super physique turns a woman's head, or does it happen in real life as well?

    Does it turn my head, hell yes. Have I ever dated someone with a physique that perfect? No. It's not that much of a priority for me to seek it out. The guy I am dating is tall and strong, but has a definite dad bod. I find him incredibly attractive because of who he is.

    So.. head turn? YES. Must have? NO. Have I ever wished to play with a physique like that? MOST DEFINITELY. Wll I ever get that opportunity? Not likely. LOL

    I feel what you're saying though. I have extra fluff again and feel so blech. Wish I was ripped and low body fat (but not enough to live that restricted lifestyle again). My guy says he thinks I'm great as I am, but I can't help but think I'd be greater if I was more fit.

    Last note: when I was ripped and had an 8 pack... I dated a guy who ended up breaking up with me because he couldn't handle being "the fat one in the relationship" - his words not mine. He wanted someone "softer" and "less muscular". Go figure.


  • Brigit_1
    Brigit_1 Posts: 209 Member
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    nossmf wrote: »
    My wife started talking about how women never find that attractive, how guys want big muscles and 6-pack abs only for themselves, women couldn't care less.

    I don't agree with your wife. When I was dating how a man looked "over-all" was very important. He didn't have to have 6-pack abs but it sure helped. 😀🏋️‍♀️🇺🇸