Help me fix my form log.

[bluef0x]

I'm just going to post random [censored] in here when I need help on my form. Today I did Pendlay rows for the first time in my life. Hopefully you guys can help me out.

1) How much should an untrained, 6'0 skinny 160lb 19 year old row? I just did a few with 45 and it felt way too easy. However, when I look online.... people don't seem to row that much. Obv I should be way below other people, so I don't think I'm doing it right if 45lbs is super easy.
2) I feel like the exercise is working my legs more than anything else. I have to stop because of my legs (squats = they're toast)

I kept my back arched/straight the entire time, according to my gf.

Also, I haven't done any warm-up sets. How do you guys work in warm up sets? How long of a break after your warm-up do you hit your main 3x5 or whatever? I feel like a warm-up is a workout in itself and will lower my 5RM for the workout.

Some questions for ATG squats:
I feel like my ass is working too much. I have a hard time going straight down and up. It feels like I lean forward a bit before heading back up. Also, sometimes my feet twist... this is probably super bad, isn't it?

Standing military press:
How far do you lean back?

I'm going to give the Rippetoe program a go starting on Sunday. I'm trying to get my form down for now. I'll also be starting with some low weights.

60 Squat (Don't think this can be right, but w/e. I've had surgery on a knee and my legs have always been skinny)
110 Bench
60 Standing Military Press
110 Deadlift
?? Pendlay Rows

[skunkworks]

1) Depends. Stick with 45 and just start progressively adding weight each workout. See where that goes.

2) Squats will torch your legs at first. When I warm up, if my work set is at 225, I will do 4-5 warmup sets that ramp up linearly to my work set. It would probably go something like this:

1x5x45
1x5x95
1x4x135
1x2x165
1x1x195

That's all done basically with little to no rest (besides the time it takes to add weight to the bar). After I'm done with warmups, I'll usually take 30s to a minute to gather myself before jumping into work sets, although this doesn't matter much. As long as your body temperature has risen and your muscles have warmed up (and aren't tired/fatigued at all from the warmup sets) you should be ready to do the work sets whenever.

You probably will feel like your ass is doing a lot of work, but it's mostly because your posterior chain (lower back, glutes, hamstrings) are weaker than your quads. You do not want to lean forward too much, but you also don't want your upper body to be perfectly perpendicular to the ground. It should have a slight forward tilt when you reach the bottom of the squat position to act as a counterbalance, and as you move up it should begin to straighten out gradually. You don't want to fold in half while moving up or have your weight shift to the balls of your feet. DO NOT TWIST YOUR FEET. They should stay anchored during the movement.

One thing that helped me with the up-motion of squatting was to dispel the notion that I am straightening my legs. Instead, I imagine that my hips and ass are exploding upward to propel the weight up.

3) There's a slight back lean, but not so much that you turn it into a standing bench press. Just enough to get the bar past your face without leaving scratch marks [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[bluef0x]

Thanks [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

For the deadlift, should your upper back be sore? I'm looking at the muscle it works and it covers the spine completely... yet I'm only sore in the lower back area when I do deadlifts.

[theblackkeys]

Is it bad sore (like out of whack) or just worked hard sore? It hits the lower back hard, so you will definitely feel it most there.

[bluef0x]

[ QUOTE ]
Is it bad sore (like out of whack) or just worked hard sore? It hits the lower back hard, so you will definitely feel it most there.

[/ QUOTE ]

The good soreness. I'm just wondering if I should feel sore in the upper back area as well, because right now I don't.

[theblackkeys]

I really don't know. I don't recall much soreness in my upper back area. I wouldn't worry about it.

[skunkworks]

bluef0x - I wouldn't expect much soreness in the upper back, but if you're just starting a new exercise, expect to get sore in places you didn't even know existed. In a good deadlift, your chest should be open and spread, which is basically another way of saying that you should be pinching your shoulder blades back and tensing your upper back muscles. It will also be carrying some of the weight of the bar, which just shows why it is such a great lift.