metaldrummer
Level 6 Valued Member
I think it's something I might start practicing, but I have no idea where to fit it in my training. lol
Where would you guys fit in practicing un-racking/walkouts? (Squat)
- Thread starter metaldrummer
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Pavel.Kosenkov
Level 5 Valued Member
Just put of curiosity, how much do you squat that you need to practice walkouts? And how long do you compete?
metaldrummer
Level 6 Valued Member
I've never competed, I just want to keep getting better at squats. Lol Right now I hit 275 relatively easy after 8 months back, but obviously I'm nowhere near where I want to get to.
Pavel.Kosenkov
Level 5 Valued Member
I don't see why would you practice walking out. Honestly.
metaldrummer
Level 6 Valued Member
Get used to staying tight and having heavier loads?
Practice your unrack and walkout every set.
Basically do every set's unrack and walkout the same, as if it's your 1RM.
You didn't include the unrack and walkout in your latest video so we can't tell if it's improved.
But @Mark Limbaga recommended some practice based on this one. I agree.
There are some very specific recommendations from SFL (and similar from other styles/schools) on how to do this, but maybe we should start with this: What is your understanding of what an unrack/walkout should be?
So there are two questions: 1) do you know what a good one looks like? 2) Are you able to do that?
The fixes would be different if the gap is in 1) vs. 2).
Basically do every set's unrack and walkout the same, as if it's your 1RM.
You didn't include the unrack and walkout in your latest video so we can't tell if it's improved.
But @Mark Limbaga recommended some practice based on this one. I agree.
There are some very specific recommendations from SFL (and similar from other styles/schools) on how to do this, but maybe we should start with this: What is your understanding of what an unrack/walkout should be?
So there are two questions: 1) do you know what a good one looks like? 2) Are you able to do that?
The fixes would be different if the gap is in 1) vs. 2).
silveraw
Level 9 Valued Member
I pretty much only do these if I have a meet coming up, I don’t think they are needed really unless you are prepping for a max attempt.
assuming when you mean walk out you are talking about a supramaximal load you walk out, pause, rerack.
But they go as a primer for the main working set. Warm up, walk out and hold for a couple breaths, rack. Then do the big set of the day.
Kenny Croxdale
Level 7 Valued Member
Post Activation Potentiation, PAP
Performing "A heavy walkout before the work set.." produces elicits the Post Activation Potenitation Response.
Below is information one PAP Method, Complex Training. The primary other two are Contrast Training and French Conrast Training.
Building Strength and Power With Complex Training
Powerlifting USA Magazine - Feb/2001 Powerlifting USA
A heavy movement or load, such as a Heavy Walkout enable greater force is generated in the following exercise.
Pavel briefly eluded to it in his book, Beyond Stretching.
This article also address theories on why it works...
Althougth the mechanisms by which complex training works are not well understood, a number of possible factors have been identified. Ebben and Watts identify these factors as follows: neuromuscular, hormonal, metabolic, myogenic and/or psychomotor. These authors do suggest that neuromuscular adaptations seem to best account for the increased performance associated with compelx training. ... high-load weight training may force more motor units to be recruited...
With that said, the load needs to be heavy enough to elicit PAP but not so heavy that it drain a lifter, dampening or killing the PAP Response.
Stabilizer Muscle
Even more importantly, Walkouts increase Stabilizer Muscle Strength.
The Squat is the only Powerlift in which the lifter needs to Walk it out without assistance in most organizations.
In the Bench Press a hand off is allowed. Once completed, a Spotter can assist in the lifter in Racking the Weight.
In the Deadlift, the only movement is in pulling the weight up.
In most organization, once the Squat is completed, Spotters are allowed to assist the lifter in getting back to the Squat Rack.
With that in mind, some individual have have a hard time walking the weight out.
However, once they plant their feet and get the Squat Command, they blow the weight up
Squat Monolift
The Squat Monolift eliminate walking the weight. Which has increased the amout of weight lifting in the Squat in organization that have it.
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metaldrummer
Level 6 Valued Member
Idk, I'm still trying to learn all the cues and implement them. lol I guess for whatever reason I've always been sort of sloppy sometimes un-racking/walking out so I'm just trying to get better at it. Ironically I think when the weight starts to go up I'm not as sloppy. Maybe it's just a consistency thing, idk.
I agree - sometimes handling a heavier-than-100% weight will give you benefit to the working sets that follow.
I'd characterize this as a spice and not the main course - just a little, and maybe even not every session.
-S-
Practice every set you do. If you do 2 sets at 45, 1 at 135, 1 at 185, 1 at 225, 1 at 255, 1 at 275 - that’s 7 reps of practicing your setup and walkout.
Joel the Savage
Level 6 Valued Member
When I trained at at proper gym i always ended with loaded carries.
Farmers, Overhead, prowler, bamboo bar, yoke.
I am not a great squatter but moving 240kg with speed makes a barbell at 160kh feel light.
Heck, even slow walks with bamboo bar and a 16kg in each end (hanging from a rubberband) makes walking out with a barbell easy work.
Heaviest i have ever squatted is 155x3 (I counted wrong when first loading the bar) so take it with a grain of salt.
Farmers, Overhead, prowler, bamboo bar, yoke.
I am not a great squatter but moving 240kg with speed makes a barbell at 160kh feel light.
Heck, even slow walks with bamboo bar and a 16kg in each end (hanging from a rubberband) makes walking out with a barbell easy work.
Heaviest i have ever squatted is 155x3 (I counted wrong when first loading the bar) so take it with a grain of salt.
justinr
Level 5 Valued Member
Lots of great advice here.
Maybe it's consistency. But I'll be harsh and say it's laziness. We've all been there and rushed through warmups to get to the heavy weight. Sometimes we don't brace as tightly as we should, our shoulders aren't pulled back as much, we shuffle our feet around a bit more, etc. Be disciplined and treat 135 the same as you treat 275. So when you reach 405, you've had so much "practice" it just happens.
Have you thought about purchasing the StrongFirst Barbell Fundamentals course? I'm pretty sure this is covered, along with lots of other great material.
metaldrummer
Level 6 Valued Member
I think my problem isn't so much I don't know the cues it's just getting them in order and getting to the point I don't have to consciously think about doing them
Yeah, just focus on doing everything right every set -- even with just the empty bar. Then it becomes automatic.
Assuming you get the bar placement right, and you're positioning your feet and body under the bar before unracking it, the main things are to get tight and minimize your foot movements to get to your starting position.
So, breathe in, brace abs, drive up into the bar -- everything tight! Don't move until the weight is settled and secure. Then take one step back (recommended always the same one first), then the other right into your squat stance. Check your feet and see if they're where you want them. If not, adjust just once per foot, or maybe you can adjust only one foot. Stay tight!
Mine aren't perfect but here's a recent example of high bar and low bar, both with the walkout. Get into position with the larger step back, then smaller adjustments to get the stance just right, minimizing the time and shuffling back and forth as much as possible.
Then do your squat rep or set.
Re-rack, also worth practicing... Stay tight for that too, walk forward until you hit the uprights, then squat under to lower the bar. Don't lose your brace until the bar is in the hooks. You want this to be foolproof so the re-rack can't possibly be an issue after a very fatiguing effort.
Notice the recurring theme... "stay tight"... breathing while braced is key (we like to call it "breathing behind the shield"), for the duration of the set from un-rack to re-rack. Of course in most cases during each rep, you're going to be holding your breath. But you have to breathe in between.
Walkout are great, but much more taking on the CNS than most think. I have used them for a long time but not very often. Typically, I use them immediately before a max single to get the CNS
Hyperstimulated. Do a walkout and hold with 600lbs, rack and wait 30 sec and then unrack 550 and it seems light. I have also used them when I hit a plateau just to get the body ready for the next weight level in yraining.
Hyperstimulated. Do a walkout and hold with 600lbs, rack and wait 30 sec and then unrack 550 and it seems light. I have also used them when I hit a plateau just to get the body ready for the next weight level in yraining.
Boris Bachmann
Level 8 Valued Member
I'm going to echo the sentiment that practicing the walk-out/set-up is an every set thing. Like, each. and. every. set.
That said, I think there's a lot of value in doing a heavy unrack from time to time (squatting the weight off the pins and statically holding it). Personally I'm not a fan of heavy walkouts - I find it takes more than it gives and the risk to benefit ratio isn't worth it to me, but ymmv.
That said, I think there's a lot of value in doing a heavy unrack from time to time (squatting the weight off the pins and statically holding it). Personally I'm not a fan of heavy walkouts - I find it takes more than it gives and the risk to benefit ratio isn't worth it to me, but ymmv.