Phil's Journal Comments.
Moderators: Ironman, Jungledoc, parth, stuward, jethrof
-
- Deific Wizard of Sagacity
- Posts: 4424
- Joined: Thu Apr 24, 2008 7:20 pm
Re: Phil's Journal Comments.
you doing any core work as part of your warm up?
- Proper Knob
- Senior Member
- Posts: 1676
- Joined: Sun Aug 31, 2008 4:46 am
- Location: Manchester, UK
Re: Phil's Journal Comments.
Not really.
-
- Deific Wizard of Sagacity
- Posts: 4424
- Joined: Thu Apr 24, 2008 7:20 pm
Re: Phil's Journal Comments.
you should start man, a few sets of bird dogs has my back feeling like a million bucks. I wouldn't ever squat or anything like that without doing some core work first
Re: Phil's Journal Comments.
I concluded that bird dogs weren't worth much, maybe OK for a beginner, but of no value to a big tough guy like me. Seriously, they don't seem to make a difference for me. Am I missing something?
- Proper Knob
- Senior Member
- Posts: 1676
- Joined: Sun Aug 31, 2008 4:46 am
- Location: Manchester, UK
Re: Phil's Journal Comments.
Bob - I do throw bird dogs and bridges and their like into my warmup. Crossed wires with regards to what core meant.
Doc - The issue I have with BD's is that they are incredibly hard to tell if you are doing them correctly. Anyone can get on all fours, almost anyone, and extend their legs and arms but to execute the exercise properly ie, neutral spine and stable pelvis though out the extending of limbs, is hard to gauge by yourself. You really need someone assessing the movement for you. I thought I had good BD form, one side is good but my other side is a little off. I only know this as my girlfriend pointed it out to me, when she gave me some coaching cues to correct the dodgy side the exercise became a lot harder.
Doc - The issue I have with BD's is that they are incredibly hard to tell if you are doing them correctly. Anyone can get on all fours, almost anyone, and extend their legs and arms but to execute the exercise properly ie, neutral spine and stable pelvis though out the extending of limbs, is hard to gauge by yourself. You really need someone assessing the movement for you. I thought I had good BD form, one side is good but my other side is a little off. I only know this as my girlfriend pointed it out to me, when she gave me some coaching cues to correct the dodgy side the exercise became a lot harder.
Re: Phil's Journal Comments.
Maybe I'll have to post a bird dog form check video when I get back to the US!
-
- Veteren Member
- Posts: 2407
- Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2010 1:12 pm
Re: Phil's Journal Comments.
please tag it NSFW
Re: Phil's Journal Comments.
Most common mistakes with bird dogs,
Lower back arching and the rear leg going a bit wild. It'll kick out to the side, externally rotate (your toes will point out as you reach back), or you just don't get full extension (straight leg and in line with the torso - should be a straight line from leg to torso, basically).
Another is hyperextending the neck. In other words, you should be looking at the floor.
Bird dogs shouldn't be difficult but, if they are, you should probably hold back on the heavy stuff until you clean it up. It's a basic movement. For some beginners, or people you could class as "de conditioned", bird dogs can be a brutal "core" exercise but the aim is to make them effortless...
You can progress them by narrowing your base, which would involve bringing your planted/down leg and arm closer together (bring the "down" arm more in front of your down-knee).
KPj
p.s the Bird dog is part of the FMS (Rotary Stability)... Should be effortless. If it's not then you should address it, at least in my own opinion.
Lower back arching and the rear leg going a bit wild. It'll kick out to the side, externally rotate (your toes will point out as you reach back), or you just don't get full extension (straight leg and in line with the torso - should be a straight line from leg to torso, basically).
Another is hyperextending the neck. In other words, you should be looking at the floor.
Bird dogs shouldn't be difficult but, if they are, you should probably hold back on the heavy stuff until you clean it up. It's a basic movement. For some beginners, or people you could class as "de conditioned", bird dogs can be a brutal "core" exercise but the aim is to make them effortless...
You can progress them by narrowing your base, which would involve bringing your planted/down leg and arm closer together (bring the "down" arm more in front of your down-knee).
KPj
p.s the Bird dog is part of the FMS (Rotary Stability)... Should be effortless. If it's not then you should address it, at least in my own opinion.
-
- Deific Wizard of Sagacity
- Posts: 4424
- Joined: Thu Apr 24, 2008 7:20 pm
Re: Phil's Journal Comments.
it took me a long time to get bird dogs right. It just clicks after a while
Re: Phil's Journal Comments.
I'll give it a try this afternoon when I have a partner to look at them.
- Proper Knob
- Senior Member
- Posts: 1676
- Joined: Sun Aug 31, 2008 4:46 am
- Location: Manchester, UK
Re: Phil's Journal Comments.
So I've finished the '4 weeks to a bigger chest' program I was following, although it took a little longer than four weeks due to 'life' and I'm not sure if I have a bigger chest, not that I even care. It was fun but more importantly I learnt from something from it and my back is feeling great.
So onwards I've decided to go back to a straight 5x5 linear progression for a while. I'll start somewhere around 70% of my perceived max and ramp it up from there. I'll be doing Deadlifts, bench press and safety bar squats this way and and adding a speed bench also. So the new routine will look something like this -
Deadlifts 5x5
Walking lunges
Back Raises
Landmines
Bench Press 5x5
Floor press
Barbell Rows/Cable rows (depending on how busy gym is)
Arms
SSB Squats 5x5
DB RDL's
Back Raises
Rollouts
Speed Bench
Landmine Press
Chins
Vanity work
When I start stalling on 5x5 I'll switch to 3x5 and when I stall with that progression I'll switch again to 3x3. When I stall on that I'll switch to singles and see where I end up.
So onwards I've decided to go back to a straight 5x5 linear progression for a while. I'll start somewhere around 70% of my perceived max and ramp it up from there. I'll be doing Deadlifts, bench press and safety bar squats this way and and adding a speed bench also. So the new routine will look something like this -
Deadlifts 5x5
Walking lunges
Back Raises
Landmines
Bench Press 5x5
Floor press
Barbell Rows/Cable rows (depending on how busy gym is)
Arms
SSB Squats 5x5
DB RDL's
Back Raises
Rollouts
Speed Bench
Landmine Press
Chins
Vanity work
When I start stalling on 5x5 I'll switch to 3x5 and when I stall with that progression I'll switch again to 3x3. When I stall on that I'll switch to singles and see where I end up.
-
- Deific Wizard of Sagacity
- Posts: 4424
- Joined: Thu Apr 24, 2008 7:20 pm
Re: Phil's Journal Comments.
thoughts on the Dan Trink program?
- Proper Knob
- Senior Member
- Posts: 1676
- Joined: Sun Aug 31, 2008 4:46 am
- Location: Manchester, UK
Re: Phil's Journal Comments.
Firstly, I enjoyed doing it, it was nice to do something completely different. I'll bullet point my thoughts.
1. Made me utillise exercises and equipment which i wouldn't normally use, some of which will be added to my repertoire from now on.
2. It was nice to not think about percentages and rep PR's for a while and just go in and lift on the fly.
3. It was a lot of pressing, maybe not suitable for someone with a dicky shoulder.
4. Rests were minimal so not a lot of weight was needed, most of the program was supersets so it was a case of walking from one station to the other and then back again. As a result the sessions didn't take too long.
I think i'll try one of his other programs on t-nation a little later in the year.
1. Made me utillise exercises and equipment which i wouldn't normally use, some of which will be added to my repertoire from now on.
2. It was nice to not think about percentages and rep PR's for a while and just go in and lift on the fly.
3. It was a lot of pressing, maybe not suitable for someone with a dicky shoulder.
4. Rests were minimal so not a lot of weight was needed, most of the program was supersets so it was a case of walking from one station to the other and then back again. As a result the sessions didn't take too long.
I think i'll try one of his other programs on t-nation a little later in the year.
Re: Phil's Journal Comments.
Have you previously posted a link to the chest program? I'm curious, not that I would possibly want a bigger chest.
- Proper Knob
- Senior Member
- Posts: 1676
- Joined: Sun Aug 31, 2008 4:46 am
- Location: Manchester, UK
Re: Phil's Journal Comments.
I had done in my journal, but here it is again.
http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_art ... gger_chest" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_art ... gger_chest" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;