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Performance Area => Strength, Power, Reactivity, & Speed Discussion => Topic started by: Raptor on December 05, 2012, 03:58:59 pm

Title: My quads suck
Post by: Raptor on December 05, 2012, 03:58:59 pm
So I went to the gym to do my "volume day" of squats and thought "OK, let me try some ATG, heel elevated narrow stance squats to hit the quads more" - also with a more upright torso.

Well guess what? 85 kg x 8 reps was HARD... this coming from a guy with a wide stance, heels not elevated, low bar squat 1RM of 160 kg. I'm also at 87.5 kg so I'm struggling to do 8 reps with a weight LOWER than 1x.

If anybody was wondering why the hell I suck at jumping off two feet and why my half squat is so bad well - there you go.

I think in the half squat I'm lifting as much as my quads allow - the same happens with the full low bar squat - I'm limited in both of these exercises by the quads, so there's no difference in between them (not such a big difference, that is).

I will continue to use narrow stance, ATG squats and 20 rep slow tempo leg presses to build my quads (as long as my right knee will allow it).

If anybody has any other ideas it'll be appreciated. :raging:
Title: Re: My quads suck
Post by: LBSS on December 05, 2012, 05:17:56 pm
TKE? front squats?
Title: Re: My quads suck
Post by: Raptor on December 05, 2012, 05:19:45 pm
Meh... TKEs are too easy... front squats - I can't do them. My knee hurts while doing high bar back squats so... but even if that wasn't an issue, my lack of upperbody flexibility wouldn't allow me to hold the bar on the shoulders... I'd have to keep the bar on the chest using my arms. I'd also probably start to bend forward while going down etc... unless I get some O-lift shoes.
Title: Re: My quads suck
Post by: LBSS on December 05, 2012, 05:26:57 pm
what's wrong with your knee that it hurts even on HBBS? try leg curls, maybe? BSS with front foot close to the bench, so knee flexion emphasis?
Title: Re: My quads suck
Post by: Raptor on December 05, 2012, 05:32:50 pm
what's wrong with your knee that it hurts even on HBBS? try leg curls, maybe? BSS with front foot close to the bench, so knee flexion emphasis?

I have no idea what's up with my right knee. There's "something" moving in it and it hurts there. It happens after the first 20 degrees of flexion or so (basically 1/4 to 1/8 squat). If you push your finger in that area and keep... whatever it is out there from moving it's OK. But if you take the pressure off it moves and it hurts. Maybe it's a piece of meniscus that's loose? The doc didn't know what to make of it. He said I need an MRI but it's about 200$ or so. And I'm afraid of going into a weird, claustrophobic tube.

But that right knee is a HUGE factor in my sucky two leg jumps... I put a ton of force into the ground but before the take-off I decelerate to take pressure of it... it's pretty much automatic, like the body is trying to protect it. So I guess there's no hope in me jumping well off two feet considering all this.

Yeah, the narrow stance BSS is one of my ideas as well. I really like the slow tempo leg press though - I can put my feet in a series of ways on the platform.
Title: Re: My quads suck
Post by: vag on December 05, 2012, 06:14:30 pm
FWIW , i couldn't do a proper front squat even with an empty bar before lifting shoes. After getting them i lifted 3*60kg and 1*70kg at my first front squat session ever. 2nd session i did 10*50kg and 3d session 3*8*55kg. So yeah, if you can get those shoes, they make a world of difference, i witnessed it in front and HBB squats.
Title: Re: My quads suck
Post by: Raptor on December 05, 2012, 06:43:41 pm
Yup, I was actually thinking about what you said... I definitely need to get these shoes... hopefully I won't get the sucky powerlifting shoes.

I'm thinking of getting the Adidas ones from eastbay, even though they're expensive.
Title: Re: My quads suck
Post by: pelham32 on December 05, 2012, 07:18:57 pm
FWIW , i couldn't do a proper front squat even with an empty bar before lifting shoes. After getting them i lifted 3*60kg and 1*70kg at my first front squat session ever. 2nd session i did 10*50kg and 3d session 3*8*55kg. So yeah, if you can get those shoes, they make a world of difference, i witnessed it in front and HBB squats.


What kind of Olympic shoes did you get Vag? I think we are the same height and have more or less the same body structure.
Title: Re: My quads suck
Post by: LBSS on December 05, 2012, 09:08:53 pm
Yup, I was actually thinking about what you said... I definitely need to get these shoes... hopefully I won't get the sucky powerlifting shoes.

I'm thinking of getting the Adidas ones from eastbay, even though they're expensive.

just get rogue do-wins. they're like $80 cheaper than the adidas ones.
Title: Re: My quads suck
Post by: TKXII on December 05, 2012, 10:13:01 pm
did heel elevation help with knee?
Title: Re: My quads suck
Post by: vag on December 06, 2012, 03:34:11 am
I got the adidas power perfect ii. Be careful NOT to confuse them with the adidas powerlift trainer, they look almost idenical but they are different shoes ( e.g. powerlifts have deformable lower heel ), hence the price difference.

Here are both on the official US Store :

http://www.adidas.com/us/product/mens-training-power-perfect-20-shoes/EV210?cid=G17563

http://www.adidas.com/us/product/mens-weightlifting-power-lift-trainer-shoes/SN823?cid=G45631

Title: Re: My quads suck
Post by: Raptor on December 06, 2012, 08:23:33 am
I'm not living in the USA so I don't have access to all these stores. Even if I did, it's really complicated to get them here. My only choice is getting whatever it is on eastbay.com since I have friends that bribe the custom house to pay less tax.

So... I only got those few choices on www.eastbay.com

Don't bother with any other US sites or whatever.
Title: Re: My quads suck
Post by: vag on December 06, 2012, 08:52:50 am
^^^
I was answering to pelham, the US store hyperlinks were to clarify they are different shoes and show which is which , US official store is the most efficient for that purpose.
Did you check the german and english ebay? There were also a few in amazon.co.uk but amazon doesn't ship shoes to Greece , check that out too, maybe they ship to Romania.
Title: Re: My quads suck
Post by: LBSS on December 06, 2012, 09:44:40 am
living in america rules. everyone ships here and you don't have to pay VAT so shipping usually ends up being "free" after you take off the VAT costs.
Title: Re: My quads suck
Post by: Raptor on December 06, 2012, 11:33:18 am
Well yeah... but no, I'm only limited to eastbay. I plan on getting these:

http://www.eastbay.com/product/model:178808/sku:24382/adidas-adi-power-weight-lift-mens/red/white/?cm=searchmenstrainingshoes

Interesting that eastbay sells these kinds of jumpsoles now:

http://www.eastbay.com/product/model:141509/sku:2009141/ati-training-shoe-mens/white/blue/?cm=GLOBAL%20SEARCH%3A%20KEYWORD%20SEARCH
Title: Re: My quads suck
Post by: Dreyth on December 06, 2012, 11:35:14 am
LBSS, what is VAT?

Also, Raptor, where exactly is you knee pain? What movements cause it?

I've pretty much eliminated all of my knee pain so maybe I can help.
Title: Re: My quads suck
Post by: arnoud on December 06, 2012, 11:42:51 am
www.nerlinger.com

Title: Re: My quads suck
Post by: Raptor on December 06, 2012, 11:45:37 am
LBSS, what is VAT?

Also, Raptor, where exactly is you knee pain? What movements cause it?

I've pretty much eliminated all of my knee pain so maybe I can help.

1/8 to 1/4 squat range. First 20% of knee flexion, starting from an extended leg. The pain is on the lateral side of the knee, in the "knee hole" on the lateral side (basically to the right of the patella, in that "hole" in the knee). Some thing in there "snaps" when I get past a point of flexion.
Title: Re: My quads suck
Post by: Dreyth on December 06, 2012, 11:52:49 am
i cant seem to find a "hole" in the lateral side of the knee but I do in the medial side.

well if it were just under the kneecap i coulda been of help
Title: Re: My quads suck
Post by: arnoud on December 06, 2012, 12:10:33 pm
Sounds like a lateral meniscus issue/lateral collateral band/plica syndrome. No instability in the knee, or locking of the knee in extreme flexion/extension? No swelling?
Title: Re: My quads suck
Post by: Raptor on December 06, 2012, 12:18:15 pm
None. Just that. And some mild pain that is just enough to shut down my quad when trying to be explosive. I can still put out force with it though. I also have Osgood Schlatter on that knee, a pretty big lump, ever since I was 13 or so. Never got better since then. No wonder my right quad is so dead, I guess I'm involuntarily protecting that knee when moving around so my quad has gone down in terms of size, for such a long time.

Probably some kind of compensatory thing is going on too, with the right glute firing pretty well, and also with the left leg getting stronger. When I do depth jumps I never jump straight up - I always end up jumping a bit to the side.
Title: Re: My quads suck
Post by: LBSS on December 06, 2012, 12:44:54 pm
VAT is value added tax. most european countries charge it for clothes and shoes and stuff, i dunno what else. can be like 16 or 17%. makes shit REAL expensive, in addition to the euro being worth more than the dollar.
Title: Re: My quads suck
Post by: Raptor on December 06, 2012, 12:59:50 pm
I don't have a problem with VAT tax. The problem is that stuff that comes from the USA come up with HUGE transport taxes, customs taxes and warehouse taxes, and you need to go to some kind of warehouse to get it from.

Thanks but I'm not available for that kind of an effort.
Title: Re: My quads suck
Post by: LBSS on December 06, 2012, 02:17:40 pm
I don't have a problem with VAT tax. The problem is that stuff that comes from the USA come up with HUGE transport taxes, customs taxes and warehouse taxes, and you need to go to some kind of warehouse to get it from.

Thanks but I'm not available for that kind of an effort.

what are you talking about? i was gloating about things being cheaper and more freely available in the US, nothing more.  :trolldance:
Title: Re: My quads suck
Post by: Raptor on December 06, 2012, 02:27:38 pm
I don't have a problem with VAT tax. The problem is that stuff that comes from the USA come up with HUGE transport taxes, customs taxes and warehouse taxes, and you need to go to some kind of warehouse to get it from.

Thanks but I'm not available for that kind of an effort.

what are you talking about? i was gloating about things being cheaper and more freely available in the US, nothing more.  :trolldance:

We also pay for our own medicine here. If you end up in a hospital, even if you pay medical insurance, you will need to pay the doctors, nurses, your meds, everything, otherwise they won't look at you and pretty much let you die. This while paying your ensurance. It's pretty cool.
Title: Re: My quads suck
Post by: Dreyth on December 06, 2012, 09:34:16 pm
basically, stay out of eastern europe.
Title: Re: My quads suck
Post by: LBSS on December 06, 2012, 10:46:03 pm
said the albanian.
Title: Re: My quads suck
Post by: Dreyth on December 07, 2012, 01:35:01 pm
the romanian would say so too.
Title: Re: My quads suck
Post by: Raptor on December 07, 2012, 03:30:19 pm
the romanian would say so too.

Are you crazy?! I can go to my police neighborg and install him pirated games... pretty cool eh?
Title: Re: My quads suck
Post by: Dreyth on December 08, 2012, 11:18:04 am
the romanian would say so too.

Are you crazy?! I can go to my police neighborg and install him pirated games... pretty cool eh?

ha i know in some ways its awesome.

my cousin was driving his unregistered car from USA overseas... cop stops him. he woulda had to pay a $5,000 fine and have his car impounded. my friend cousin him $25 bucks and the cop just said "this never happened" and left.
Title: Re: My quads suck
Post by: Raptor on December 08, 2012, 11:55:20 am
the romanian would say so too.

Are you crazy?! I can go to my police neighborg and install him pirated games... pretty cool eh?

ha i know in some ways its awesome.

my cousin was driving his unregistered car from USA overseas... cop stops him. he woulda had to pay a $5,000 fine and have his car impounded. my friend cousin him $25 bucks and the cop just said "this never happened" and left.

"Cousing" him? Sheesh, I don't want any more details!

Not but I bet your friend was like "hey if the cop says it didn't happen then IT DIDN'T HAPPEN!" :D
Title: Re: My quads suck
Post by: Dreyth on December 09, 2012, 02:07:57 am
lol i meant my cousin gave him 25 bucks and he got away with it.
Title: Re: My quads suck
Post by: Raptor on December 10, 2012, 11:34:40 am
OK so I guess these suck?

http://www.eastbay.com/product/model:167265/sku:46532/adidas-powerlift-trainer-mens/grey/black/?cm=searchmenstrainingshoes#sku=456300

Or are they good enough for my purposes?
Title: Re: My quads suck
Post by: LBSS on December 10, 2012, 12:19:48 pm
hack squats

that's actually a good suggestion.
Title: Re: My quads suck
Post by: Raptor on December 10, 2012, 05:19:31 pm
Never did hack squats. What are they good for?
Title: Re: My quads suck
Post by: Raptor on December 11, 2012, 08:17:42 am
Well apparently they have the same name as these:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCDFdNqg0I4
Title: Re: My quads suck
Post by: LBSS on December 11, 2012, 09:30:07 am
yeah that's what i was thinking of raptor. it's basically a quad-focused dead lift. but if leg presses are working for you, stick with 'em.
Title: Re: My quads suck
Post by: Raptor on December 11, 2012, 09:53:29 am
What? What I posted or what hyperdunk posted?
Title: Re: My quads suck
Post by: LBSS on December 11, 2012, 10:21:41 am
What? What I posted or what hyperdunk posted?

what you posted.
Title: Re: My quads suck
Post by: Raptor on December 11, 2012, 10:37:50 am
Sissy squats
Title: Re: My quads suck
Post by: LBSS on December 12, 2012, 04:44:15 pm
machine squats and quarter squats are a way to go for quads.

FTFY
Title: Re: My quads suck
Post by: Raptor on December 12, 2012, 05:49:48 pm
Fixed that for you. I know because every woman seems to say that to me.