lifting with dumbbells

[TeeShock]

Strengthen your core with core strengthening exercises. I increased all of my lift confidence once I focused on my core.

[Ruffdaddy]

ok, thanks for the tips guys. I think I'll go lighter to build up my core a little more. I can definitely tell there's some muscles that weren't getting worked when using the bar.

After thinking about it some more, part of the difficulty, aside from the weight, has to do with my bench. It has the leg attachment so I'm left with straddling the bench like a bicycle while carrying 55's (I 'd like to try my 60's; light weight for most here), or sitting on the bench first, then holding one db on my thigh while reaching down the other side to pick up the other. Both methods gets me a little off balance.

I was avoiding removing the leg attachment but I may try that too to see if it helps a little.

Yeah i cant imagine doing what i mentioned with a leg attachment. The dumbells always go right between my feet

and now I feel like a bitch (300 NOT heavy...)

Lol its all relative.

[Big A]

I was avoiding removing the leg attachment but I may try that too to see if it helps a little.

Yeah i cant imagine doing what i mentioned with a leg attachment. The dumbells always go right between my feet.

Remove it if you're going heavy, and do them right, it's not worth an injury.

and now I feel like a bitch (300 NOT heavy...)

Lol its all relative.

300 is warm-up weight for the big guys.

[Sean88gt]

/inserts Terry Crews euro training video.

[Big A]

[Strychnine]

I actually completely agree with what he's saying.

Same goes for mobility. Fuckers never stretch. Not like a "touch your toes before going for a run" thing, but with a foam roller, lacrosse ball, etc and actually work out the tight spots and mobilize. I used to be that guy who just wanted to bang heavy weights, but after I did crossfit for a while and started in oly lifts I realized how "big picture" it all is.

Good example is when I learned how tight my hips were and how badly that was fucking my squats, hurting my knees, hurting my lower back etc. Getting that fixed and working on fundamentals changed things. Then came wrist flexibility and getting in to a good front rack position...


Yeah, I agree with him 100%.

[slow99]

Good example is when I learned how tight my hips were and how badly that was fucking my squats, hurting my knees, hurting my lower back etc. Getting that fixed and working on fundamentals changed things.

How did you correct it? My hips are unbelievably tight - I've only noticed it since doing the Shaun T workouts the last year. I don't believe they were that tight back in the day; I honestly haven't done the kind of workout to keep them loose in 19 years.

[matts5.0]

Stretching, Google tight hips while squatting, there are a shit ton of videos on it.

[Strychnine]

How did you correct it? My hips are unbelievably tight - I've only noticed it since doing the Shaun T workouts the last year. I don't believe they were that tight back in the day; I honestly haven't done the kind of workout to keep them loose in 19 years.

I actually started with a few trips to Airrosti. It's a sports rehab group that will help you get a jumpstart on fixing this stuff. 3 or 4 sessions with them (covered by insurance) was a life saver.


The couch stretch did the most for me. Sitting all day will tighten up your psoas muscles like a bitch. That's likely where you need to start mobilizing and working.



There's no way you'll be able to get into this position out of the gate. Your front leg will likely not be 90* and your back leg sure as fuck won't be this bent...





pigeon pose definitely helped me too.



also look here: https://yogainternational.com/articl...n-in-the-psoas

[slow99]

Thanks man. Yeah I guess years of sitting at a desk did a number on me. I'm doing that pigeon now with one of my stretch routines and it's pretty awesome.

[lincolnboy]

Totally agree with these guys for getting them up..

Thats what she says

[Sean88gt]

I actually started with a few trips to Airrosti. It's a sports rehab group that will help you get a jumpstart on fixing this stuff. 3 or 4 sessions with them (covered by insurance) was a life saver.


The couch stretch did the most for me. Sitting all day will tighten up your psoas muscles like a bitch. That's likely where you need to start mobilizing and working.



There's no way you'll be able to get into this position out of the gate. Your front leg will likely not be 90* and your back leg sure as fuck won't be this bent...





pigeon pose definitely helped me too.



also look here: https://yogainternational.com/articl...n-in-the-psoas

Fuck. You.
I had no concept of how tight I was/am.

[Big A]

I'm doing better than I thought I would, I do a form of the couch stretch on leg day to focus on the quad, but it gets that Psoas pretty good. I think I'll start doing the actual couch stretch before I head up there now, and it's leg day today.

Fuck that pigeon stretch though, but because my gluteus tendons and greater trochanter are tight as hell (front leg/hip extensors). Lots of work to be done there.

[lincolnboy]

So remember the days i could curl 50lb dumbbells.

[GRAYHORSE]

No spotter is needed for getting into position.
For flat bench....I usually just stand up from a deadlift position with the heavier DB's and then set them on my legs and sit down. I then pull them towards me so they are on the upper part of my legs(close to the hips). Then all you have to do is lean back/roll with them in hand and plant your feet and twist the bottom of the dumbbells outwards and you're set.

^this. Comes with a nice pop of your back as you roll back as well.