Fitness Whole Pizza In My Mouth

[CaptainHenreh]

Anyone who wants to join me at UREC at lunchtime, I'm about to start a new Cube cycle for building strength, but I'm happy to walk people through SS or 5x5 or 5-3-1 if you wanna get stronk like bull.

Adding strength is pretty simple too, and way simpler than most people make it out to be. Move progressively heavier weight to adapt your body to moving heavy weight (aka: building muscle.). This is all well understood. Deadlifts, presses, squats, and cleans. All you need is a barbell and some weight to mount on it. Anything outside of those lifts is for aesthetic tuning which is fine, but know it's not going to give you the best "bang for buck" for getting stronger.

I finally took this to heart and did a little research on the 5x5 and came across the Stronglifts 5x5 program. I picked up a cage and some weights and started two weeks ago. My 14 yr old did some classes at a strength and agility place and wants to work more with more weights too.

It's a real beginner focused program with a lot of detail on the lifts and starts you off with light weight. It's allowed me to focus on technique instead of jumping in with heavy weight and bad habits. You're supposed add 5 lbs every workout but I've been adding a little more to certain moves where the technique is easier.

I need some advice on squats. I read all the stuff, watched his videos, watched Alan Thrall videos and when I watch myself the bar is definitely coming forward, rather than straight up and down. Even with no weight, my balance point in a squat is more over my toes than middle of foot. Probably because of where I carry my excess weight, in a squat I need to move my upper body forward to not tip backwards. I've been working on flexibility and getting deeper each week so I'm working on that too.

Squat pros - anything I can do to improve this? I don't get back pain, I feel it working, but it's not pain. Should I do front squats for now if they help me "get back" a little more? Is this good enough for now and I should work on ??? to improve?

I've seen way worse. I woudln't sweat your bar path too much, everyone's looks like a shepherd's hook. It's why the smith machine sucks for squats. BUT you'll need to clean up the ole "on the toes" thing. It isn't because of where you carry your weight, it (IMHO) has everything to do with your hip, hammy, and ankle mobility, which all can be improved. You're coming forward because your body isn't letting you move in a way that keeps the weight over midfoot 
This is why I wear Lifters when I squat:


Hard, raised heel offers a solid foundation. Is that carpet under your cage? I can't tell, but if it is, that will need to be addressed as well. 

Anyway, practice two things for me:

1: Start the squat by moving your hips backwards. There's a string on your tailbone, and the universe pulls it when it's time to squat. The first joint to have any movement should be your hips. It's a ball and socket, the king of movement...let it drive the action.

2: Spend some time in a "paleo chair". Spend time in it every day. Work up to being able to slav squat for 10 minutes without standing up.