It depends on what kind power that you want to build and how you are going to use that power for.
If you want to develop
Twisting power then it’s better to twist a heavy object
Pushing power then it’s better to push a heavy object.
Pulling power then it’s better to pull a heavy object.
Rotation power then it’s better to rotate a heavy object.
…
Even in the simple push and pull situation, it’s still better to work with an “free object” that you can add your footwork and body method into it instead of just work on the iron that most gym provided.
This way the power that you develop can be applied directly into CMA application and you can kill 2 birds with 1 stone. I don’t like to separate my gym work out from my CMA training. May be I’m just lazy.
Dang, GDA, I want an onion butt too! that all the girls can grab. Maybe I’ll get one
from just squatting and deadlifting.
Today I tried overhead squatting for the first time with the bar (45 pounds). It was interesting but with my upper body at 45 degrees that bar was pretty far forward and seemed to put pressure on an upper back vertebrae. Think I’ll stick to regular squats, deadlifting, upright row, lat pulldown, flatbench, incline bench, sidepresses, and farmers walks for now (on alternating days)/.
i can see where you might think there’s a foward lean, but its actually the hips moving back which is a lot different. youre not good morning’ng the weight up … this starts to happen to the best of us due to exhaustion, but its not technichally sound.
check some EFS and t-nation for pulling per your body type- the short answer to your question is- it depends on how you’re built.
Short arms, long torso- tends to pull better sumo style
long arms, short torso, short legs- ideal conventional pulling build, I believe (think lowland gorilla)
Phoenix,
ditch the upright rows- there are better ways to hit that motion without shoulder issues (clean and snatch pulls), trade the lat pulldown out for a pullup/chin variant if you can, and if you want to hit your hammies- RDLs are beautiful, as is high rep kb work.
I wasn’t leaning forward intentionally, it just seems to happen- I guess a lack of flexibility somewhere.
Lately I’m really digging my farmers walks- like the way they feel. I’m up to 30 pounds/hand, working on 5 minutes, do some calf raises and shrugs during that time too.
Andrew-
Thank you for your input, its appreciated. I made a mistake, the exercise I do is not called upright rows, I don’t know the name. You sit down and grab some handles attached to a cable and pull them towards your belly, kind of like you’re rowing a boat. And as for chins/pullups, I have some elbow issues at the moment so I do the pulldowns so I can limit the weight/work with less than bodyweight (about the third or fourth bar at the moment)
Olympic lifting looks intriguing but I’m uncertain of its long term safety and I’d want someone to show me the ropes before I started doing it.
check some EFS and t-nation for pulling per your body type- the short answer to your question is- it depends on how you’re built.
Short arms, long torso- tends to pull better sumo style
long arms, short torso, short legs- ideal conventional pulling build, I believe (think lowland gorilla)
[/QUOTE]Thanks andrew, that makes sense. I don’t suppose its anything to worry about too badly, but its nice having a target to aim for. you’ll have an email coming your way soon…
seated cable rows is the name for them- nice upper back exercise.
As to Oly lifting- learning pulls, overhead squats, and push-presses will give you most of the benefits of olympic lifting, while being a good bit safer and easier to learn than working on the full lifts which are pretty technically demanding.
As to where you met Pavel- you know a dude named Steve, also goes by Ajax- 6’, 250s, beard?
No, I don’t know any Steve/Ajax. In regards to your post above concerning getting the benefits of Oly’s from other lifts, when you say pulls to you mean deadlifts? When you say push-presses, do you mean military press and bench pressing?
I tried some light overhead squatting last week and both times it seemed to compress or make uncomfortable a vertebrae or disc between my shoulderblades- I can feel it days after and feels like I need a chiropractic adjustment.
Pulls- the explosive 2nd pull of the olympic lifts done without the catch. You can pull from the floor or blocks, clean or snatch grip, and go for a preset height if so desired.
Push-presses- from a front rack position jump with the bar to drive it into the air, then lock out your elbows without re-bending your knees (rebend and you’re doing a power jerk, go all the way down, squat-jerk, split to a lunge position, split jerk).
OH squats rock, but they need a lot of work. Starting with a broomstick is not a bad idea, then the bar for sets of 3-8, then add weight as you get comfortable with the lift. The stuff you’re feeling in your upper back- probably some underdeveloped piece of lower trap or rhomboid protesting being put to work. Lie down on a medicine ball, resting on the affected area, and roll around some, that should help.
OH squats rock, but they need a lot of work. Starting with a broomstick is not a bad idea, then the bar for sets of 3-8, then add weight as you get comfortable with the lift. The stuff you’re feeling in your upper back- probably some underdeveloped piece of lower trap or rhomboid protesting being put to work. Lie down on a medicine ball, resting on the affected area, and roll around some, that should help.
Andrew[/QUOTE]
i’ve also found that being able to put something against my chest and pulling towards myself helps stretch it out too. if that doesnt make sense let me know and ill try to explain it better. theres a doorway at work thats perfect … i put my chest against the frame and grab on to a window ledge on either side and the stretch between my shoulder blades feels awesome.
