In these photos Jim Todd shows how he performs his squat with the hip belt. At present he does not use the chairs to balance with but uses ropes fastened to the wall in front of him. Jim is a new man at the game but should have a fine physique when he fills out. He has already made great gains and weighs near 180 at six feet in height.
Note from Peary Rader:
So many have written in asking for more information on the use and results of the hip belt for squatting that Mr. Teagarden has arranged for the experiments of one of his pupils gleaned from correspondence for the benefit of those readers who have hip belts or are desirous of using them.
March 30, 1945
Friend Chester,
In a while I'm going to do 3/4 squats, 4 sets of 25 reps. This will take longer but I think I need more in this direction. I work out twice a week now.
The SLDL on box is coming okay. Once a week I do 2 sets of 7-9 reps. The other day I did 2 or 3 sets of 3-5 reps using 320 pounds. Note: legs kept straight thru out, one breath to a rep. Will you straighten me out on counting reps? If I do 10 reps SLDL on box do you take for granted the first rep is a standard DL? Does 9 reps SLDL plus one regular DL add up to 10?
April 7, 1945
Friend Chester,
In this letter I want to go over my training with the belt and the stiff legged dead lift. First I want to take up the hip belt. In August of last year I purchased a hip belt from you and started to train. It was not until the middle of September that I found a way to build a pair of workable stands. Then using a pair of chairs and a two by four I did not quite 1/4 squat, using chairs to help me lower and raise myself. In a little while I worked up to 435 pounds. During this period of my training I did no other exercises and exercised twice a week. In October I wrote you telling of my progress. You answered with a helpful and interesting letter, suggesting doing full squats. But before I received your letter I was not sure what to do, so I went back to the deep knee bend with bar bell in the conventional style on shoulders. After receiving your letter though, I went back to the hip belt.
Then I did 1/2 squats, of should I say I thought I was. Also I started doing the stiff legged deadlift without a box. At this stage of my training, the idea of leaning forward presented itself to me. The belt did not seem to hurt so much when I leaned forward and it seemed the right way. When I leaned forward I kept my trunk parallel with the floor, hands on a box, feet on a 2x4. After a while you suggested in one of your letters to do the SLDL on a box. I may be wrong on this, but this was about the time I started doing them.
When you found out I was doing 10 reps with 300 pounds, leaning forward with trunk parallel to the floor you asked why I didn't stand erect and do them. I again stood erect, and the exercise seemed easier for me. It was then I did 35 reps with 300 pounds and started to jump my poundage 25 pounds at a time. I honestly thought I was going low enough, but alas, I was doing a little more than 1/4 squats again. At this time or a while before I believe, you asked me if I was bending my knees when doing the SLDL on box. I was it seemed, so I dropped the poundage and started again. Shortly after this my first pictures were taken.
In a few days I started using two flower boxes set on end for support and deep breathing at the top between repetitions, plus going 1/2 to 3/4 of the way down. once in a while I did a full squat. I had to drop the poundage a great deal (to 265) which was a blow to my pride, but I wanted to do it right and not cheat. During workouts I had my mother of a friend come down every other exercising period to check my positions on both the HBDKB and the SLDL. My deep breathing and correct performance of the HBDKB was causing my chest to really grow. The SLDLs were going up too. It was at this time I had the last pictures taken.
After the pictures I started to increase the HBDKB weight and did 5 sets of 20 reps, using my limit the first two sets, then dropping the poundage 50 pounds and doing 2 sets of 20 reps, then dropping 25 pounds more and doing 1 more set of 20 reps. This was a great deal of breathing, puffing like a locomotive.
I do 5 to 10 breaths after I do 4 or 5 bends to create a condition of breathlessness. This deep breathing is causing me to grow all over. I can't place too much importance on deep breathing when doing the HBDKB. My Mother says, "You would think someone is killing you to hear the grunts and groans."
When doing the squats my feet were 18 inches apart as you suggested in a recent letter. When I lowered the poundage I put my feet farther apart to encourage greater growth of the quadriceps femoris or front thigh muscles.
In my SLDL I would do 2 or 3 sets or 7 or 8 reps doing one breath to a rep, and keeping knees stiff. Also throwing shoulders back when erect. Now I'm trying to throw the chest out as you suggested. This is on Wednesday. On Sunday I do 2 sets of 3-4 reps with 300 pounds. Then I lower the weight and do one set or more with 100 pounds less doing 20-30 reps. With this system I'm gaining in leaps and bounds. It is hard for me to believe Maurice Jones did 16 reps with 480 pounds on box or didn't he use a box?
Just a few exercise periods ago I discovered a way which gives much greater leverage in the HBDKB. I spent three hours trying various ways. As you already know I tried to use a hopper with the HBDKB but with no luck. You know why. I have been leaning forward when doing the bends and I was wrong. This has been my great mistake I believe. This put a great deal of unnecessary leverage on the legs. The idea I got from one of your letters in which you stated that the HBDKB pulled you backwards, and you thought you would use a rope to hold on to around a post to keep erect. You were right I now believe and to put it briefly you hit it on the nose. So I put a rope around two posts down in the cellar and used them for balance. These were about shoulder high. I put pads on the rope so it would not cut into my hands. I also had a 2x4 under my feet. The bends went so easy I had trouble believing it. To make sure I had a friend and Mother come down to check my position. They said my thighs were parallel with the floor and at times slightly below this. Sometimes the plates hit the floor, which proves I was going low enough. After my 4-6 sets of 20 reps my legs feel like rubber, but the next day I'm alright. My chest feels like it is tearing itself apart. I use 300 pounds at present doing 1/2 to 3/4 squats and these have been witnessed by more than a few people. It is not just my say so, if you want their names I'll send them. By June 15, I hope to make great progress, but at the same time do them right. I fully expect to hit 400 pounds or more before my 18th birthday in September 1945 when I'll be drafted.
In the SLDL I expect to use 320 pounds for 2 sets of 3 or more reps in the next workout. I've done more writing than I should have in this letter, but hope I'm at least coherent. If my letter isn't so hot of has mistakes in it, forgive me. I hope your training is coming along okay and you are in the best of health. Until my next letter I remain,
Your sincere friend,
Jim.
P.S.
At present I use 300 pounds for 2 sets of 20 reps then drop 50 pounds to 250 and do 2 more sets of 20. After this I drop the poundage another 25 pounds to 225 and do 1 or 2 more sets of 20 reps. About eventually hitting 500 pounds before going into the service I don't know. I will hit 400 pounds anyway. If nothing happens. If the new way is as good as I think, I may hit it, but I can't promise anything.
April 11, 1945
Dear Chester,
The only way to perform the HBDKB is by leaning back slightly or stand erect using two ropes to hang on to. The ropes give greater range of movement I believe, but both the bar and the rope are good. First of all I don't think a person should do a HBDKB leaning forward! The reason being that it creates unnecessary leverage. I can do 1/2 to 3/4 squats or more standing erect or leaning slightly back when doing them. When doing my routine the muscles above the knees want to pop right through the skin. When I get through with my routine of 4 sets of 20 reps I can hardly walk but the next day I am alright. I do my limit on 2 sets then drop the weight 50 pounds and do 2 more sets of 20. I'm starting to grow all over from them. The SLDL is coming okay too.
April 26, 1945
Dear Chester,
Just a short line to let you know of my recent progress. The new way of doing the HBDKB is without doubt the best (with ropes to hold on to). I now do 4 sets of 20 reps using 325 pounds.
In SLDL on box I recently did 8 sets of 10 reps with 225 pounds.
June 1, 1945
Dear Chester,
I have just done 400 lbs. for 20 reps in the HBDKB. Thighs do down until they are level with the floor or lower. Take 3 to 10 deep breaths between each repetition. Am going to stay at 400 lbs. for a while until I work up to 30 repetitions before advancing the poundage again.
Enjoy Your Lifting!
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