Trouble with Scap shrugs

Let me pre-face(pronounced pree'face) this w/ apologies for the bad angle, will make another if it's a problem. I'm on Week 9 of my first 12 week cycle following the new seminar notes(from this past September) and I'm having trouble keeping up with the Scap shrugs(PL-Mob1) as the reps are increasing. I maxed out at the 5x18 during week 7, now I'm having to break sets to get through all 24 reps(17,7 seems to be the norm). I believe I should have started these from knees, but alas, it is slightly late for that knowledge to be efficiently utilized. Needless to say I'm going to repeat these for the next cycle, but I just wanted to 1) Make sure I'm doing them correctly, and 2) see if broken sets are the best option for completing the last 3 weeks. It's my core/lower back that gives out. Thanks in advance.

-Tans-

PGCZRiplxvA

When getting into higher rep ranges, I tend to think of the week's goals as more of a "when you hit this level, move on to the next week" kind of thing. So, after 18 reps, I would do 19 for all sets if possible, and so on. I am a bit more patient these days, so this doesn't bother me. Broken sets aren't bad, but you'll want to stay where you are until you get to the full 24 reps if that is what is required for your current step.

When core is the issue, I think you may need to focus a little more on the plank and hollow hold. How are your times in those?

Maybe it's just tough to see but are you activating your lower lats all the way down to your hip bones? I'm pretty sure this is necessary. Also I didn't know we were supposed to follow 12 week cycles for the mobility stuff....

You will prolly end up hating me for this, but try and get just the slightest bit more forward lean and really get those abs firing to hollow out. You should feel the motion much more. As for the reps, it's mobility I would tend not to do broken sets and stop where you fatigue, building them up as you go. Any loss of form is not worth the extra reps.

Thanks for the help fellow bodies of the gym.

Joshua Naterman said:

When getting into higher rep ranges, I tend to think of the week's goals as more of a "when you hit this level, move on to the next week" kind of thing. So, after 18 reps, I would do 19 for all sets if possible, and so on. I am a bit more patient these days, so this doesn't bother me. Broken sets aren't bad, but you'll want to stay where you are until you get to the full 24 reps if that is what is required for your current step.When core is the issue, I think you may need to focus a little more on the plank and hollow hold. How are your times in those?

I'm currently working on bent leg hollow(FL-PE1) and Straight arm Plank(PL-PE2) so I know my core is definitely lacking. I guess I was just trying to follow the template for 5x30r that coach had laid out, and it didn't pan out.

Sam Carr said:

Maybe it's just tough to see but are you activating your lower lats all the way down to your hip bones? I'm pretty sure this is necessary. Also I didn't know we were supposed to follow 12 week cycles for the mobility stuff....

Will make sure I do that, could be an issue. Also, not sure about the mobility on the cycle, I thought so.

Nic Branson said:

You will prolly end up hating me for this, but try and get just the slightest bit more forward lean and really get those abs firing to hollow out. You should feel the motion much more. As for the reps, it's mobility I would tend not to do broken sets and stop where you fatigue, building them up as you go. Any loss of form is not worth the extra reps.

I will love to hate you then . My issuse was really what to do as I was following the template from the seminar for 5x30r and I couldn't keep it up. So, as I totally understand keeping at the same reps, should I do that to the exclusion of the 12 week cycle? Is mobility more loose than the PE's, as I should follow the cycle for them, but let mobility go as it will as I build up?

Well I'm not really suggesting being loose on the reps but being honest about where you are. The program might be calling for one things and your ability at another. If you think you advanced too far then you could either step back to the previous level or you will need to see your cycle not progressing at the 12wk rate. Your build up will be shorter then you can step back a week or two and rebuild up, without seeing a bit more of the difficulties it's hard to tell which would be better. Based on what you have said it is the core strength movements that are holding you back the most and as those increase this will follow.