Jack, 3-4 xBW Squat

[RyanA]

Took me a while to get back to you on this point.

When you say it is ez to do double bodyweight is that with or without a suit? And in what weight class? Also, is that an olympic squat or a powerlifting squat? I do not powerlifting squat although I can see why one can do so much more weight after doing the GM's.

~Ryan

[jackd]

Ryan,I didn't say it was easy to do 2x BW squats....I said it was no problem......it does require some work and takes a little time but it is very attainable. Weight class has no bearing(I'm in the 181's) and yes that is without a suit and is a powerlifting squat. I never ME squat anymore without a suit......after 3 groin pulls I consider it a must have item......you can get an adequate single ply squat suit for around $40 and that is money well spent. Also when I wear a suit for ME days it's always with the straps down.

The single ply suit will add 20-30#'s to your squat if you're a novice like myself but the insurance it adds to injury prevention is more valuabe than the smaller plates you can throw on the bar.

[RyanA]

You said that is without a suit, but then you said you neve squat without a suit. <--Confusion...


Either way, I can see where a powerlifting squat could get you to double bodyweight more easily than a full squat.

I dont have a problem with the cost of the suit. Just seems like it defeats the purpose of lifting. I want all the muscles in my body able to squat whatever wait is on the bar not just some and then the suit to help. I am less concerned with overall weight than the integrity of lifting in the same conditions I would be in on the court or field.

~Ryan

[fish]

hello, Ryan,

Of course, I can not speak for Jack, but I don’t know that you hit the mark.

I read Jack to say the dbl bdy wgt lift is in range without a suit and that he uses the suit to avoid injury

I did not read Jack to say that he is not interested in the integrity of lifting.

Now I may have misunderstood either one or both of you, but while there is much that is universal in the sport, I think that the purpose of lifting is particular to the individual. I respectfully suggest that you take care before making general statements because you run the risk of being misunderstood by simpletons like me.

Yours in good humor,

fish

[RyanA]

Ok,

your response about the suit makes sense, i really didnt know what he meant which is why i said I was confused.

I said "...integrity of lifting in the same conditions I would be in on the court or field" meaning lifting without a suit or in conditions that are just like sports. I do not use knee wraps or a belt either. I did not mean the integrity of lifting as a whole; I do not even know what the really would refer too because as you said it means so many things to different lifters.

thanks for the input and clarification

[jack]

I never do an ME day without a suit and I can see where you were confused. Can I do 350 without a suit....no problem. Will I do 350's without a suit.....no,I want to minimize the chances of injury at every turn.

There is a long standing debate over "raw" and "equipped" lifting and to me it's not an integrity question,it's a safety issue. If you like to lift "raw",go for it but if you want to add a measure of safety what does it matter if you get a few more pounds out your lift. I didn't take offense at your reply but it is an individual choice and I'll choose the suit on heavy days....and it's like other sports where advancements in equipment have aided performance.......do you want to wear Chuck Taylors or Air Jordan's on the basketball court,an old leather helmet or plastic helmet with air pads and face mask on the football field,use a wood bat when everyone else is using aluminum(I still like wood bats) and the list goes on.

To each his own. There is room for both and it has nothing to do with integrity.......it's all about individual preference and the arena which one competes.

[RyanA]

I agree and I meant no disrespect to your choice; I was merely just stating mine.

I believe there to be some differences between some sports equipment and lifting although I know many of them serve even less of a safety purpose than the lifting ones, so I would prefer not to get too far into the safety vs. lifting more debate.

I do wear tight spandex when I know I am going to be lifting heavy and I do think they make a difference keeping me warm but I wear those when I play sports too so I feel like it is the same environment. If all your doing is lifting, then I think wearing more gear makes great sense.

Thanks for the discussion,
Ryan

[fish]

Hey, you guys,

A story that might fit.

With my encouragement, my son got a part time job at the Y when he was in college. So it came to pass that I found myself on a racket ball court, wearing my ChuckieT’s, never having played the sport.

So Ryan, I understand why one would lift weights to enhance performance in other arenae.

So Jack, I understand why one should wear Air Jordans.

But, since wily old men who lift weights and who get books on technique before arriving to play the game have an advantage over their strong young sons, I was competitive, despite my ChuckieT's . In fact, since age and deceit may withstand youth and truth, I got more points than he did.

Keep the faith,

fish

[jackd]

I wear Chuck T's(high tops) whenever I squat or deadlift.....hard rubber soles don't compress, they give lots of ankle support and are very affordable . They do have their place......I'm not sure that any shoes would help me on the RB court.

Keep rowing.

[fish]

Well, Jack, that’s another part of the story.

I have not been a court sport since the 70's when I played 4 wall handball at the West Side Y. Everybody wore HiTop All Stars in those days. And since then I have always felt that only sissies use racquets.

Sneaks turned into running shoes for the next twenty five years, and thank the good Lord for New Balance ...

But when I started to lift weights, I read everywhere that CuckieTs were the footwear of practical choice and so I dug ‘em out.

Then my boy issued the invite to bang it around the court and all I had were the old standards.

But I can tell you, by the end of the match I was in agony. Blisters. Red blisters.

Still rowing a coupla3 times a week. Lifted 2X last week and am shocked by loss of strength after two months off.

I hope you are keeping to your rehab plan.

Peace,

fish

p.s. I got all over the young soprano who sings in my a capella choral group. She wears psychedelic Chuck Taylors. It’s because of folks like her that CT s cost 50 bucks. Of course, if it were not for folks like her the shoes might not be made any more.

[jack]

Fish,I'm sticking to my rehab plan like glue. For the first time since May my shoulder is actually feeling better and I'll do nothing to chance another re-injury. I needed all those reminders from you and Pam to keep me on track......Thanks.

The last pair of CT's that I bought cost me somewhere around $29.95 but that was two years ago. It was odd the high tops were made in China but the low cuts were made in the good "ol" USA. I can remember,and no Pam it wasn't that long ago ,when CT's were the fashion.....maybe it was a long time ago .

I'm going to take it easy on the shoulder this week and then re-evaluate my condition next Monday. I'll just play it by ear and maybe,just maybe I can start to incorporate some better bench and upper body work back into my routine. Like you,I dread to see how much I've lost but we'll get it back soon and then some.

Let's Roll.

[RyanA]

Actually Jack,

I can remember CT being the fashion in my lifetime and I am 21 so it could not have been that long ago, maybe 10 years?

~Ryan

[jackd]

Thanks for trying to make me feel young. Unfortunately I go back to the time when only white and Boston Celtic black were available. Now that was a while ago .

[fish]

Except for the amateur lifter, and maybe skateboarders, I don't think ChuckieTs are in fashion as sport shoe anymore.

They sure are in as dress fashion.

www.classicsportsshoes.com/chucktaylorhi.html

Retro grunge ?

(I know I don't know, I'm too old to know about grunge.)

pax

fish

[jack]

Fish,my God, there were some ugly shoes in that link....what's this world coming to .