blackwatch

I've been doing gym/weight workouts for a few years, and I've decided to make 2 of my 3 days primarily bodyweight for awhile, but my 3rd day is going to be deadlifts primarily and maybe bench, too. I'll do kettlebells the other days before doing my bodyweight. I just wanted a change and didn't want to lose strength. I was worried about some of the same things in this thread, but I think that I shouldn't have too much to worry about.

I drink so much water, I double posted.

Most of what I drink is water. Milk, in smaller doses (part of a shake, or maybe a cup with one meal a day). I have an occasional little bit of soda.

I like BaconHunter's idea and had independently found his site, looking for information about bodyweight progressions. The Thoracic Bridge feels pretty good, and the other stuff is fairly easy to implement.

The more I read about it and think about it, the more I feel that GSLP is in my near future.

What I saw first was that I feel you should unrack the bar with a firm, locked in position - including getting your glutes under there. Right now it's probably not a problem, but I feel you'll likely tire out or hurt your back unracking like you do. I moved to high-bar recently, so I'm still working on the form myself. I think that with what has been advised, your form will probably tighten up quickly.

I don't have experience with Greyskull. I do have some lifting experience with a couple different programs. Stronglifts, Wendler, and Madcow are the programs I've used/am using. I recently looked at Greyskull, as another forumite posted about it. It looked interesting and I can see the draw. I'll probably try it in the future, after I complete my current program. It seems well thought out, but I won't really know until I try it. With the goals you mentioned and the experience level you mention, my suggestion would be to start with Stronglifts 5x5, which is a very good beginner program/progression. With it's focus on the primary lifts only, it gives the opportunity to gain a lot of strength and practice form regularly. Hope that helps.

I was on 5/3/1 for a year or so. I did make gains, but started to realize that I needed to squat more. Every week was like I'd forget just a little how to squat. I moved over to Madcow and most of it is working for me. Squats are at least feeling more locked in and I am making progress. I switched from low-bar to front squats (when I started madcow) and now high-bar, so I'm still decently below my low-bar numbers. Goals! I've never heard of greyskull, I'm going to go check that out now.

Huzzah! Leg day!

It seems like it would be. All of that.

It is very interesting watching someone get a bar on their back from the floor. I have seen it only online. They lift up one side until it's [near] vertical, then basically position their shoulders to the bar and lower it back to horizontal. I searched and found they have a name - Steinborn squats.

No, you are right. It's really either gotta be in a rack or cleaned.

I started having issues when I hit heavier weights (for me) and now I'm wondering if I was overusing that cue as well. Cuz I know that it felt like my chest was falling forward as my hips were up.

Nothing wrong with doing it yourself. I don't always have the resources, but sometimes I do. Usually that is for car work and the like. Sometimes I'm just a fool for marketing.

Yeah, I'm sure it could be done and done easily and well . Sometimes I just like to buy gear.

I think that since most low-bar squatting goes just past parallel, it's not usually seen fo the knees to go forward. Recently, for me, I've realize that going A2G is much better than just-past-parallel, and that it does move the knees forward a bit. Like Papa Raf C said, it shouldn't be a problem. I'll add that, so long as you aren't getting pain and that you are beginning the whole movement with hips breaking, it should be no issue.

I workout by myself, which is part of the issue in my thoughts, too. I'm at a Gold's and do talk to people there, but don't have a workout partner anymore. They both moved to other cities and either go to a different Gold's or elsewhere. I did end up adjusting my workout for now and am stil making strength progress. Some weeks, though, it's just harder to overcome that voice in my mind and to pin it to the wall. To be honest, one of the reasons I'm happy I found this forum is to find like-minded people to share my successes and failures with.

Thank you. Your advice is sound. I do lift incrementally. But I get up into the 300s and start thinking "I'm not sure I can do this". I look at my log and make myself realize that it's only 2.5# more than last time. It still doesn't always help.

For around $10 (probably plus shipping), you could get a DeadWedge, which works well.

I usually just eat a good helping of some protein (usually cottage cheese) an hour or so before my workout, and at/after lunch I've started to up my carbs a bit to prep for me workout.

I think that the OHP in a rack is fine, especially if the other ones are not being used. There are definitely worse things to do in the rack. People do need to properly rack their weights after. And put the clips somewhere accessible. Very valid points.

Stronglifts is kinda it's own thing. Kettlebell swings are great, but will definitely tire out the glutes and hamstrings decently. It is possible that it may slow your overall SL progress a little at some point.

Fear of the weight is, frankly, my biggest obstacle. I don't always have a good answer to msyelf when I get that way. I saw it posted: Fear makes the wolf look bigger. And it's true.

If I can, I use the rack for benching. I always have the rack for squatting. Deads are as easy as letting it go. Like it was said, start light. Your body will have a fair amount to get used to, so light will help in many ways, including what to do when things don't go according to plan.

Sometimes the hardest part if you are on the fence is getting the energy to try. It sounds like you at least did that, so kudos. I haven't seen that Cressey scale before, but I like it. It at least grounds me in the knowledge that I'm not the only one who tries to figure out if I'm going to survive the gym day while not feeling well.