Adarq.org

Yeah use your air to brace your core, so your spine doesn't move.  Some people like to exhale through the sticking point.  I find it helps you get that oomph out of the sticking point. 

The VS athletics can feel really goofy and weird. They have a 1-1/2" heel, no matter what size you are. There is no in between with the VS athletics

What size do you wear?  Have you tried other lifting shoes?

Quote from: Kingfish on June 28, 2011, 11:41:34 pm

bump!

$95 for some decent adidas weightlifting shoes.
http://www.roguefitness.com/adidas-weightlifting-shoes.php

these appear to be the same adidas power perfect 2 dynamicfitness is selling for $20 more.
http://www.dynamic-eleiko.com/

i prefer the gray/black combo.

took adidas long enough to break into the mid-price market. the heel is pretty low-profile (0.6") and seems to be rubber...give me that wood. pause.

I'm still going with the VS athletics, just cuz they're still cheaper, and I've seen reviews, b/c the shoe isn't a new product.

Quote from: PointerRyan on June 26, 2011, 12:05:17 am

Quote from: Daballa100 on June 23, 2011, 10:29:45 pm

Quote from: zbiz on June 23, 2011, 10:02:08 pm

Thanks for the tip on the RDLs! It reminds me of Yoga.
I'll also add the Good morning stretches.

Why don't you want your lower back stretched?

You don't wanna stretch your low back with your hamstrings, so that when you do an exercise that may take your ham flexibility to the limit, like say a squat for some people, or a deadlift, you're not stretching the hamstring with the back rounded(atleast you shouldn't).  Generally, you wanna make a clear difference between flexion/extension of the waist, and flexion/extension of the hip joint.  Generally if you're flexing at the hip, you wouldn't want to develop the habit of flexing at the waist at the same time.  Same goes for extension, you wanna use your glutes, not low back.

so daballa100 what if i have a stiff back, at the same time have not so flexible hamstrings and calves?

Ditto on PointerRyan's question, mostly because I just think more info will help me better understand.
To clarify what you're saying, is if I'm beding my waist i do NOT want to be bending my hip, correct?

And if I'm doing leg extensions I need to be usin my glutes

To answer PointerRyan, if your low back is really THAT stiff, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtjNDcn0flI
try one of those instead of hitting your hamstrings at the same time.  I'm pretty young and spry, so I have no idea what real back pain or stiffness feels like lol.  If anything though, I would try stretching your adductors, hip flexors, and piriformis first and see if your low back pain is gone.  Like here: http://www.defrancostraining.com/ask-joe.html  I don't know why, but the images don't appear when you look at the individual article, so just scroll down until you see the part about static stretching.

For zbiz specifically, more like the other way around.  If you're flexing(bending) at the hip, you don't want to bend too much at the hip.  Typically in sports, whether it's weightlifting, or sprinting, etc.  that involve lots of hip movement.  You want to keep your spine in neutral, you should never over arch, which is almost as bad as rounding your back.  It's better for your hip to be mobile, and your waist to be stabilized.

Also, not leg extensions, hip extension, you wanna use your glutes.

I could type an article, but I don't feel like I'm qualified, plus it'll be boring xD.

x2

damn

Well, if you're doing mostly stuff like 4x8 I would consider that mostly hypertrophy, not strength.  Once you're finished with that stuff you could do a strength block with lower reps, using ranges like 3-5x3-5.  Also, it would help a bit to specify whether that running vertical is off 1 leg or 2.  If you're better at 1 leg jumping, or just want to improve it, in either the strength/power/peak block you should think about switching from ass to grass squats to half squats(just above parallel, not parallel).  The half squat will be more specific to the knee angle used.  You're fine with the ass to grass squats now though, since it's mostly(I'm guessing) hypertrophy.  Half squats also help double leg jumps a lot too, obviously, if you look at adarqui.


Keep working at it, and be sure to read a lot about training so you can learn, which I'm sure you've done.

Also be sure to keep working upperbody, even if it's just pushups, pullups, and stuff.

I'm not a veteran on here, just giving some tips.

Edit: oops I forgot

  lol

The cheapest ones i could find were the VS Athletics ones http://www.vsathletics.com/product.php?xProd=1301

I've heard that squatting in dress shoes is very similar because of the raised heel, and I've even tried full squatting in my dress shoes, it feels nice.  I would like to hear someone else's take on this, but lifting in dress shoes feel really nice though, even if people stare at me at the gym.  The dress shoes are only temporary until I acutally get a pair of o-lifting shoes next month.

Hey I don't know if you guys have tried this, but today i just set a 1.5 inch PR on SLRVJ with caffeine on an empty stomach.  No protein, just caffeine (and tyrosine).  I usually go with 200mg tablets, but i went on an empty stomach, so i cut my caffeine tablet in half.  I just have to say DAMN.  Definitely don't need as much caffeine on an empty stomach.  Feel Great  caffeine is still in the system lol.