MN/PE2-iM

Can I add weight or is there something to improve in my form first?

https://youtu.be/uvYpQGmj7tI

Nice range of motion throughout the set. Be sure to tuck your chin into your chest before you begin to descend into the curling motion. Also make sure your legs are perfectly together (hard to tell from the side). You should be good to add 5 lbs or so!

Best,

Chris

Hey Chris

Thanks for the pointers. In fact I wasn't keeping my legs quite together as I didn't know it was required. I'll up the weight a bit then.

I've reached 50% BW (45 kg) on JCs so I thought it's time for another form check before the second half of the journey. I prefer to keep my feet just slightly apart to ensure I don't lose my balance but I can do them with feet together with otherwise the same form.

I prefer to do JCs with feet about hip width for the same reasons. They look good to me.

A question to JC veterans out there: how did you progress the exercise to get to where you are now? I'm asking because when I do these at 50% BW I don't really feel anything in my back and there's no fatigue during or after the exercise - not sure if this is ideal for long term progress or not. I'm only doing 2 x 5 reps once a week after MS or FS. Do you think I should add sets, reps or both, or increase the weight more often? I've been adding 5 kg every 4-8 weeks. I thought I might change to 4 x 5 reps once a week and progress the weight at the same rate I've been doing.

bump

First try moving to a single set of 10r. 

i am with Cole. build up to 10r. i am building up to 10r too

At what %BW are you working, Leo?

i am at 90% @Petri Widsten

Nice going, Leo!

Here's 10 reps with the same load. Still no fatigue during the set (maybe could have done 10 more in that set, depending on grip strength) but immediately after it I at least felt in my lower back that it had been worked. A feeling bit like I used to get after a set of heavy deadlifts but only mild compared to it - a nice feeling. So where to now?

Hi Petri, 

The Jefferson curl is a great strength drill combined with mobility. I have a few pointers for you. I do highly recommend that you work the Jefferson curl with your toes together. It looks as though the pressure is heavy in your heels, when you fold forward lean into the toes and dig your toes into the box to prevent you from falling over, by doing this you will also get the hips to stack right over the ankles as opposed to pushing back this will increase the stretch in the hamstring. 

Slow down a bit on each rep, articulate one vertebra at a time. On the way up start by rounding your lower back first, mid back, upper then unroll the neck last.

You may not feel fatigue from the Jefferson curls and thats ok. However, try to get your chest to your thighs and your hands past your toes as much as possible. Right now you are at wrist to toes, work to get mid forearm to toes! With good compression you will see gains with many other exercises moving forward. 

Hi Tanya

Thanks for your feedback. I kept my feet a few cms apart but I'll try them with feet together to see whether that feels different (as long as I can keep my balance). I can also try to keep the weight initially evenly distributed and carefully move it more towards the toes as I lower the weight. If this feels unsafe I'll stick to the weight on heels as I still feel a good hamstring stretch like that. In fact the intensity of that stretch is one reason why I'm not keen to progress the weight more quickly. The other is that a larger weight can prevent me from relaxing into the stretch. I'll try doing a slower set too. Next time I'll probably do 3-4 x 5 to explore the above.

Also, I think you want to keep your chin tucked throughout the whole rep

Max

3 hours ago, Maksis Riley said:

Also, I think you want to keep your chin tucked throughout the whole rep

 

Max

I usually do but sometimes get distracted thinking about some other aspect of the curl and forget it.