It's that time of the year... Let's get SCARY STRONG! + Free Suppzzzzz

borobulker

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Hibernation is imminent. It's that time of the year... Yeah, we may track our macros, but we'll allow some flex.

It's time for us to all become scary strong. We've built a hell of a team here and we can all work off of each others strength and weaknesses.

As we've always done, we believe in helping one-another so this will be a great opportunity to help the fellow meatheads at AM.com get SCARY strong. We're even going to be bringing in some of our top athletes to help us all smash it.

To enter: All you have to do it post up SOMEthing that will help us get scary strong. Post daily, hourly, minutely(?)!

This weeks topic is SQUATS and CALORIES!

I've enlisted the help of our resident SKWAT MONSTER, The Kabuki Warrior, Mr. Chris Duffin.


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He will be stopping in for the next week to assist wherever possible.

As if that's not enough.... EVERY post enters you into a random lottery to win free supps. This weeks supp stack:


1 bottle of ModernPROTEIN (BEST Vanilla EVER) // ModernCREATINE // Barbell Club T-Shirt


ENTER NOW - Post your squat and calorie consumption tips!​

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You may enter as many times as you’d like; DAILY entries = MORE chances to win!

THREE (3) winners will be randomly selected on 10/8/15 for round 1. They will each receive a full USPlabs Hookup (two bottles of USPlabs ModernPROTEIN (Vanilla), one bottle of ModernCREATINE, one Barbell Club t-shirt)!

(Winners will be announced in this thread. Winners must submit information within 5 days of selection. 18+ ONLY please. US Shipping Address’ Only. We are not responsible for packages that do not make it to their final destination. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited.)

REF#AM15-SCARYSTRONG1
 
MsBecca

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Make sure your knees do not go past your toes while squatting, no matter how low you go!
 
VWMeatHead

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CALORIES:

Many of us will be bumping our calories up in the never ending quest for gains.

Remember...any fat that you put on this winter in your quest for monster size and strength will still be there come warm weather lol...

Increase your calories RESPONSIBLY! In general, with proper nutrient timing and macro percentages, a 300 - 500 calorie surplus is all you need to grow.

Continue to count those calories (if you don't...start) and keep the BIG picture in mind.
 

averagejoefit

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If you practice intermittent fasting, you can consume all your Calories in one shot making EVERY day a cheat day :)
 
blueline438

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Wear a flat or hard sole shoe to help prevent injury and to add more stability in your squat.
 
schizm

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What is this 'squat' thing you speak of? Lol... going to a commercial gym that has one full, one half rack and draws a decent crowd at even 6 am, I've had to get creative and have been working on goblet squats and front squats (when possible) and have been making some decent progress .. so squat tip; don't be afraid to improvise when you can't get under the bar to do traditional squats
 
nickodemus

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Always warm your knees up before just charging in there.
 
MsBecca

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Don't use a weight belt when doing a Smith Machine squat. There is no reason for it.
 
kabuki

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Hi, this is Chris Duffin

I'll be dropping in here tomorrow and answering some questions.
 
datsthat

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No Taco Bell before squats
 
datsthat

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Don't be one of those dudes that have higher bench than squat
 
blueline438

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If you only squat two inches. Don't rack the weight like you're a boss. Your not a boss. Do you even lift?
 
EMPIREMIND

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Best footwear: chuck taylors, timberlands, air force ones, or the ever so classic barefoot.
 
schizm

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Another squat tip: when in doubt, sit it out and let Chris Duffin do your sets ;)
 
The Solution

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Make sure you break at your hips before descending into the squat.
 
The Solution

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Wearing flat soled shoes helps most trainees get on their heels and engage their glutes properly on a squat.
I got a pair of new balance minimums which is a hybrid of Vibrams and absolutely love them.
 
The Solution

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Biggest problem most trainees make with calories and growth.
They focus on the scale and not the mirror.
Are you making progress in the gym? Are you adding weight to the bar? If you are doing both and the scale is not moving much then why force a number on a scale? If anything it will just lead to further fat gain.
If weight on the bar and progressive overload is happeneing and you continue to get stronger why fix what aint broken?
 
Burnfire

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Squats:
Main muscle used: quads
Other muscles: glutes, hamstrings, lower back

Step by step:
- stand with feet hip width apart
- start lowering your body back as far as you can by pushing your hips back and bending your knees and pushing your weight into your heels
- keep a neutral spine at all times and never let your knees go over your toes
- the lower body should be parallel with the floor and your chest should be lifted at all times not rounded
- pause then repeat

Squat types: goblet squats, front squats, barbell squats, pistol squats
 
choccyswag

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A lot of people focus on keeping their lower back tight but I find the upper back needs the same, if not more attention. Everyy time you have to take another breath, that's when you have to fight to keep the chest collapsing, even a little bit. That little bit can make a huge difference when coming back up from the bottom!

Another thing is that I find it easy to explain hip drive by mentioning it as a combination of a twerk and back extension.. Basically focus the energy in shoving the butt up like the start of a twerk, at the same time imagining the back has to extend powerfully to throw the barbell off. But don't actually throw the weight off haha, it's just a brain cue to keep the chest up and back neutral all the way up.

Hi, this is Chris Duffin

I'll be dropping in here tomorrow and answering some questions.
Wow I can't wait to check back and ask some questions!! I have been bingewatching so many your videos on squats and core training :)
 
koltink

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When adding in calories continue to get them from nutrient dense foods, helps maintain eating habits for an easier cut
 
kabuki

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Make sure you break at your hips before descending into the squat.
Make sure that you don't break and let the pelvis tip anterioriouly when you do this. I find that when people over focus on the 'sit back' they sometimes 'reach' back with the hips kicking the pelvis forward and breaking the chain. This will lead to reduced power output, and comprised form once you hit depth.

ALWAYS keep a stacked torso over the top of the hips.
 
kabuki

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A lot of people focus on keeping their lower back tight but I find the upper back needs the same, if not more attention. Everyy time you have to take another breath, that's when you have to fight to keep the chest collapsing, even a little bit. That little bit can make a huge difference when coming back up from the bottom!

Another thing is that I find it easy to explain hip drive by mentioning it as a combination of a twerk and back extension.. Basically focus the energy in shoving the butt up like the start of a twerk, at the same time imagining the back has to extend powerfully to throw the barbell off. But don't actually throw the weight off haha, it's just a brain cue to keep the chest up and back neutral all the way up.



Wow I can't wait to check back and ask some questions!! I have been bingewatching so many your videos on squats and core training :)
Watch my video on the bad cue of the 'chest up'

Think more of a freight train coming at you from behind. At the bottom of the hole you need to STOP the freight train. If you initiate straight up it will barrel you over. To stop it you have to drive BACK into it hard. This focus keeps you focused on keeping that torso position over the hips and not breaking the chain by extending at the tspine. You will also find that your out of the hole by 3" before you realize it once you do this.

I have a video on this but unfortunately its in my private client only video library.

No... everything isn't public.
 
kabuki

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Squats:
Main muscle used: quads
Other muscles: glutes, hamstrings, lower back

Step by step:
- stand with feet hip width apart
- start lowering your body back as far as you can by pushing your hips back and bending your knees and pushing your weight into your heels
- keep a neutral spine at all times and never let your knees go over your toes
- the lower body should be parallel with the floor and your chest should be lifted at all times not rounded
- pause then repeat

Squat types: goblet squats, front squats, barbell squats, pistol squats
When driving through the heels don't forget to be 'grabbing' the floor with the other 3 key points of the foot. Yes the power is transferred through the heel!!! But if you lose engagement by picking up toes or let the heel roll out you loose the glute engagement, which is imperative to maintain.
 
kabuki

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Wearing flat soled shoes helps most trainees get on their heels and engage their glutes properly on a squat.
I got a pair of new balance minimums which is a hybrid of Vibrams and absolutely love them.
I prefer the flat sole shoe as well. But some people with ankle issues prefer the weightlifters elevated shoe.

Whatevery the choice do NOT use a cross-trainer, running shoe, or anything that doesn't have an absolute solid sole. Any instability induced between the floor and you will down regulate neural firing.

I've written some article on this on EliteFTS for anyone that wants to look this up.
 
kabuki

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If you only squat two inches. Don't rack the weight like you're a boss. Your not a boss. Do you even lift?

yep... haha.

I used to do partial squats in the old days. No carryover for anything real
 
choccyswag

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Watch my video on the bad cue of the 'chest up'

Think more of a freight train coming at you from behind. At the bottom of the hole you need to STOP the freight train. If you initiate straight up it will barrel you over. To stop it you have to drive BACK into it hard. This focus keeps you focused on keeping that torso position over the hips and not breaking the chain by extending at the tspine. You will also find that your out of the hole by 3" before you realize it once you do this.

I have a video on this but unfortunately its in my private client only video library.

No... everything isn't public.
Thank you for the freight train cue haha, I like it! I have watched the chest up video, in fact that was what started to make me think more about just how important keeping the t-spine stable is.
 
choccyswag

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Chris Duffin, I would love to get your thoughts on technique specific for squatting with long femurs? I feel my femur makes up the most of my body length and for the longest time I have been struggling with squats because everyone tells me to sit back when I am already sitting back as far I can go without falling. I havebeen leaning forward to compensate which makes coming out from the hole very hard, and is tough on my lower back.

After watching videos from Candito where he suggested squatting hybrid/high bar and also taking a wider stance, I decided to give it a try. I took a screenshot from my log for reference, I am squatting high bar for the first time here. Any tips to help me dominate this will be much appreciate!

screenb.jpg
 
The Solution

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Make sure that you don't break and let the pelvis tip anterioriouly when you do this. I find that when people over focus on the 'sit back' they sometimes 'reach' back with the hips kicking the pelvis forward and breaking the chain. This will lead to reduced power output, and comprised form once you hit depth.

ALWAYS keep a stacked torso over the top of the hips.
Awesome advice. Thank you I find people think they need to push their hips so far back but that takes away from coming out of the hole and a "Buttwink" They should just focus like they are sitting down in a chair, and exploding out of the hole.
 
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I prefer the flat sole shoe as well. But some people with ankle issues prefer the weightlifters elevated shoe.

Whatevery the choice do NOT use a cross-trainer, running shoe, or anything that doesn't have an absolute solid sole. Any instability induced between the floor and you will down regulate neural firing.

I've written some article on this on EliteFTS for anyone that wants to look this up.
Could not agree more. People who wear general gym shoes, or basketball shoes in the gym are not doing any benefit. They are simply going to be getting up on their toes more than their heels. This takes away from glute activation and doing a proper squat. These are the people that have a nasty forward lean in their squat.
 
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Focus on the big 3 when squatting. You should have power going through your heels, right under your big toe and around your pinky toe. it should be a triangle that is laced into the floor that you power through on the concentric. Do not negate the eccentric (when the muscle is under most tension) because this is when the muscle is under most tension and stimulation. Many people dive bomb on the eccentric. CONTROL your motion and stimulate the muscle properly.
 

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i have noticed that with squats, the wider the stance the more it works the glutes and takes away from isolating the quads....so keeping the legs shoulder width apart and feet forward instead of canted works best for me. if you have trouble with your form, go lower weight until you perfect it and adopt front squats into your routine as well.

never skip legs day. the bigger and stronger your legs the better because the rest of your body should try to catch up with them with proper training and diet of course. working out legs helps up your test levels as well from what i have read. please correct me if i am wrong.

my 2 cents: just cuz you can push up a ton of weight on squats doesnt mean you can skip your calves. i see too many people skipping calves and saying oh its just genetics that i have small calves.
 
Mulletsoldier

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CALORIES:

Many of us will be bumping our calories up in the never ending quest for gains.

Remember...any fat that you put on this winter in your quest for monster size and strength will still be there come warm weather lol...

Increase your calories RESPONSIBLY! In general, with proper nutrient timing and macro percentages, a 300 - 500 calorie surplus is all you need to grow.

Continue to count those calories (if you don't...start) and keep the BIG picture in mind.
Or, what about a diet structure specifically geared to increasing the functional capacity of stored adipose? Chris knows a little something about fasted training.
 
borobulker

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Bringing back the old school USP Labs boards here and the fasted training protocol right :)?
Can you imagine if we would have had ModernBCAA+ when Mullet wrote that original script? Game changer...
 
borobulker

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Keep them coming!
 
schizm

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Motivating posts last couple of pages, makes me wanna go sqwat!
 
datsthat

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Calories - As long as you are successfully progressively increasing load, but the weight on your scale doesn't change, then no need to change your calorie intake....because you are essentially recomposing your body....turning fat into muscles.
 
MidwestBeast

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Squats on deck for me, this afternoon. Good read to get me in the mood.

Whenever my shoes wear out, I think I'm going with a pair of Chuck's. In the meantime, they're low-tops, so that can be dangerous if you're not careful, but I have some Adidas with a flat sole that have worked great for years and years.
 
AntM1564

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Here is my tip for squatting:

Work on flexibility and mobility. I would really work on foam rolling and doing static stretching post workout and on off days. One stretch I like is for my hips. Stand in front of a pec deck machine. Put the seat up as high as possible. Put the outside portion of one foot onto the seat, your leg should form an L shape. Take one hand and push down on your knee, resetting your hips.

This next stretch will open up your hips, help you with depth, and help you push your knees out. Take a kettlebell and hold it in front of you. Squat down and put your elbows in between your legs. Push your elbows against your thighs, to spread them apart even more.
 
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Can you imagine if we would have had ModernBCAA+ when Mullet wrote that original script? Game changer...
If we would of gave out those secrets you would need to make XXXL's in the new shirts. we all be HUGE

Good cue on squatting:
before squatting make sure to do the following:
- Tense Glutes
- Heels nailed in the ground
- Chest and Lats Tense
- Head neutral
- Deep breath to fill your stomach
then Squat
 

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Or, what about a diet structure specifically geared to increasing the functional capacity of stored adipose? Chris knows a little something about fasted training.

Holy **** takes a warrior to get this guy to post.....
 

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wonder if anyone here understands the diaphragm...sheet of internal skeletal muscle

I could be wrong Chris, but probably the only right way to stabilize...

If you watch his channel, one video is like 100 tips in one.....so much substance probably to much...
 
MidwestBeast

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rodefeeh

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Obviously you want to increase calories drastically so you can start packing the mass on, but do so in small increments of 125-250 calories per day over a period of 1-2 weeks.
 

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