Need training advice please

Hey guys,

I am 19 years old 6 ft 5 and 220lbs. I have been on and off training for three months now. My short term goal is to lose about 20 lbs and gain some basic strength.

My diet is in check and I workout 4 times a week and use all of these lifts: Deadlift, Bench Press, Squat, Powerclean ( Need help with form), Barbell Row, Dips, Chinups, Military Press,

Problems I am having:

1. Upperbody is much weaker than lower body. I can deadlift 315 and squat 225 but my bench press is stuck at 135lbs. I feel that my chest is weakest muslce group by far. Any input??

2. My right shoulder is considerably stronger than my left. This is making military pressing, and db pressing very dificult. For example, I know that i can db press 55's but my left arm cannot clean the dumbell to shoulder level. What can I do to catch my left shoulder up with my right??

3. Dips and Pullups/Chinups are almost impossible for me. I am not sure if this is because of my weight and/or height (6ft 5) or just because I lack the strength. I know that these movements are essential in gaining strength. I am currently doing negatives but it is not helping much. How can I increase my progress in these movements?

4. How the hell do I perform a safe powerclean?

Appreciate all input

Thanks

Originally Posted by RubberSoul

Click to expand...

4. How the hell do I perform a safe powerclean?
Put your feet at a comfortable stance(this varies depending on your body). For me, my feet are shoulder-width apart and centered, vertically, with the bar. My grip is a little wider than shoulder-width. Suck as much air into your belly as you can and hold it. Clench your abs/butt/lower back. Don't worry about speed so much during the first pulling motion. Pull the weight off the floor quickly but make sure you're in complete control. My first pull is pretty similar to my deadlift motion. As the bar passes your knees, increase your speed. Your whole body should be moving here. Spring on your toes, straighten your back, shrug your shoulders. Your momentum is what moves the bar upward. Don't try to lift the bar with your hands. As the bar moves upward, again in the same motion, bend at the knees slightly, bend your elbows, and drop your shoulders. Your wrists will bend with the bar. Push your shoulders down and back. Push your elbows forward, past and under the bar. Your elbows need to be fast, fast, fast. The bar will be hovering in mid air at its apex for a fraction of a second. This motion gets you under it and allows you to catch it on your shoulders. Straighten your legs, pull your hips through. The bar is sitting on your shoulders. You're done. (As an aside: Try this. Stand straight with your arms limp at your side. Shrug your shoulders as high as they'll go. Your arms and hands probably reactively move forward. Now drop your shoulders and bend your elbows as fast as you can. Push your shoulders down and back. That's the position you want to be in when you catch the bar.) I've found that I have a hard time practicing this with light weight. I either try to lift the bar with my arms, or I lift explosively and end up banging the bar into my chin (which hurts a whole lot). It's better to practice each motion separately. Do a few pulls, do a few jumping shrugs, then do a few cleans from the hang. Then do a power clean. For real fun, add a jerk to the end of the clean.

^ Or better yet, Dan John's free ebook on Oly Lifts:

http://danjohn.org/bp.pdf

Originally Posted by James Bond

Click to expand...

http://exrx.net/WeightExercises/OlympicLifts/Clean.html

that's a full clean. powercleans are only half squats.

I think it's easier to learn the lift by doing half squats. Ultimately, though, full squats are better because your body has to move so much faster. Full squats also prepare you for heavier weight. When the weight is heavy, the bar won't rise as high, and you'll have to squat to the floor in order to get under it.

Originally Posted by RubberSoul

Click to expand...

Hey guys,

I am 19 years old 6 ft 5 and 220lbs. I have been on and off training for three months now. My short term goal is to lose about 20 lbs and gain some basic strength.

My diet is in check and I workout 4 times a week and use all of these lifts: Deadlift, Bench Press, Squat, Powerclean ( Need help with form), Barbell Row, Dips, Chinups, Military Press,

Problems I am having:

1. Upperbody is much weaker than lower body. I can deadlift 315 and squat 225 but my bench press is stuck at 135lbs. I feel that my chest is weakest muslce group by far. Any input??

2. My right shoulder is considerably stronger than my left. This is making military pressing, and db pressing very dificult. For example, I know that i can db press 55's but my left arm cannot clean the dumbell to shoulder level. What can I do to catch my left shoulder up with my right??

3. Dips and Pullups/Chinups are almost impossible for me. I am not sure if this is because of my weight and/or height (6ft 5) or just because I lack the strength. I know that these movements are essential in gaining strength. I am currently doing negatives but it is not helping much. How can I increase my progress in these movements?

4. How the hell do I perform a safe powerclean?

Appreciate all input

Thanks

Have no fear Rubbersoul, for I am here. I am the one people come to for useful concrete advice.

Firstly your analysis is right. You can stand to lose 20 and even 30 more pounds. How do I know and why didnt anyone else pick up on it? Because I am good. Thats why.

1. You are strong in your other lifts other than upper body because your long limbs aid you tremendously in that regard. In the past, I trained with many people like you who are tall and lanky and can squat more than me but lack half of my upper body strength.
Hence you may have good numbers for your other lifts but your bench is lacking.

You can stick to your routine if you find it still give you growth. When it comes to bodybuilding, you cannot expect overnight success. But if you want to increase your bench, you can do what powerlifters do ie. increase by 2.5 to 5 kg every bench. Within a few months you will increase your PB.

The other way is to do more chest exercises like incline presses and dumb presses.

2. Right side stronger than left is very common due to right handed people emphasising on right side.

Cleaning dumbbell to shoulders is a technique and not due to strength. You have to place dumbbells on thighs, put your feet on rack and use your legs to push dumbbell up one at a time to your shoulders. If you cant even do that, its too heavy!

To increase strength on left side, you have to do more military presses and concentrate on the even pushing of the bar up rather than pushing with right side.

3. See answer in answer 1.

To improve, use latpulldown machine and assisted dip machine.
For dips, do with your legs bent and on the ground if you are doing it to target your triceps.
For chins, get someone to help by holding your legs.

Unless you are experienced, doing negatives would not help you that much.

4. Waste of time for you. Concentrate on the basics.

5. You can thank me later after you got the results. My job is done here as usual.

start with simple exercise like streching and I advice u not to go for lifting weights incase you join a gym.. go for ab work outs and pushups and some thread mill will be just fine. try to take some healthy meal rich in protein.

Originally Posted by ehealthyshopper

Click to expand...

start with simple exercise like streching and I advice u not to go for lifting weights incase you join a gym.. go for ab work outs and pushups and some thread mill will be just fine. try to take some healthy meal rich in protein.

Great advice.

Originally Posted by Eason

Click to expand...

Great advice.

Nice sarcasm.

Originally Posted by beasty

Click to expand...

Have no fear Rubbersoul, for I am here. I am the one people come to for useful concrete advice.

...

4. Waste of time for you. Concentrate on the basics.

beasty, why don't you just man up and give olympic lifts a try even if, god forbid, your idols, Jay Cutler et al. have not weighted in on the subject? Are they too hard for you or what?

Originally Posted by whacked

Click to expand...

beasty, why don't you just man up and give olympic lifts a try even if, god forbid, your idols, Jay Cutler et al. have not weighted in on the subject? Are they too hard for you or what?

Yawn. Firstly aint no one my idol.

Secondly, Ronnie and Johnnie Jackson (I do believe) do incorporate many olympic lifts into their routine. Whether it is incorporated or not has nothing to do with one's manlihood.

i do powercleans with my feet on 5lb plates. helps me from a stability standpoint.

heels up or whole feet?

heels up