Rehab Squats and Deadlifts

Workout 1 May 2009:

Back squat, five sets of five reps
Deadlift, three sets of five reps

Results:
Squat 135/135/135/155/155
Deadlift 135/135/135

Although my back is doing significantly better, I still need to ease back into the heavy lifts. Today's workout was kept light in order to focus on form. The squats were slow, deep, and I paused at the bottom. The deadlifts were done to maximize work done by the hamstrings and hips instead of the lower back. I should be able to go up about 25lbs on the squat and 50lbs on the deadlift next time if I repeat this workout within the next week.

Hip Capsule stretch:
I recent stumbled across a new stretch that is absolutely amazing. Most Americans, unless they have a background in dance or gymnastics, have very tight hip capsules with significantly reduced range of motion. This stretch is ideal for those who want to improve hip flexibility, especially as it applies to squatting deep. Check out Kelly Starrett's blog post for more information and pictures.

Mark Rippetoe Quote of the Day:
In response to a question about a protruding tailbone making bench pressing painful:

"I recommend that you grow an ass. This will solve many of your problems with training."