No PR today, but improvement (and a realization).

“Week 3” 5/3/1

• 5/3/1 – Squat (working max: 230#)
  • 2x5x45 (warmup)
  • 1x5x95
  • 1x5x115
  • 1x3x140
  • 1x5x175 (work)
  • 1x3x200
  • 1x4x220
• Asst. #1 – Squat
  • 5 x 10 x 95
• Asst. #2 – Leg curls
  • 5 x 10 x 50
• Metcon – jump rope
  • 1 Tabata set – all single hop

No PR today, but that’s expected given the reset I did back on PPNP Novice. And I didn’t do as well as I wanted to, only getting 4 reps. I will say, my form is improving and that was really the big issue that’s been hitting me all along in the squats is my form. I even re-watched Rippetoe’s “Starting Strength” DVD last night, the squat section, to put some cues back in my head. Watching it was useful because I picked up on things that I missed the last time around. It’s also interesting to work to reconcile what he talks about vs. what guys like Wendler, Tate, and Wenning talk about with squats.

Here’s the thing: I have a mental block. I make no bones about not liking to squat, and I think it’s due in part to years of baggage that squats are going to hurt or kill me. The reality is bench pressing is far more dangerous and a failed bench is going to hurt you a lot more than a failed squat. Nevertheless, the mental block remains. I’m getting over it, but like anythin with years of mental baggage it’s going to take a while. I think I could have gotten 5 reps, maybe 6, if I was attacking the weights and didn’t have that shred of mental doubt. I felt my form start to falter, and I should have just went for working the movement, push the weight up even if the form slipped a bit. But I didn’t want to risk hurting myself or dumping the bar (I should care about hurting myself, I shouldn’t care about dumping the bar), and so my brain bailed and that was that… 4 reps, uncertainty killed me. *sigh*

I’m getting better, but I know I’ve got a long ways to go to get over it. One thing I’ll watch to see is how the next cycle goes. I’ll bump to 230 and 230 was where I stopped last time because while I was moving it, my form was horrible so I backed off, then switched to 5/3/1, so it’s been slow to get back. But the slow progress was good because my form, while still improving, has improved. I don’t feel my quads doing all the work, I do feel my hams and glutes and other parts of my posterior chain getting worked hard, so that’s good. I’m slowly finding my groove, where to position my body, how everything should come together. So, slow but sure I’m getting there.

The assistance squatting actually helps a great deal here. I’m glad I went to 95# because it’s working me hard, but not so hard that I slip up on form…. it hurt today at the end of it all, and I appreciated that. Getting more reps, more time under the bar on squats, it’s helping me really track my form.

On curls, 50# finally felt like it was pushing me. I’ll go to 55# next workout, even tho it’s a deload week.

And yes, deload starts. I don’t like deloading, but I know it’s critical so I do it. Just like squatting. 🙂