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5/3/1 - Back from the Dead(lift)

Day 4 Week 2

Bench Press - 165 x 5
Pullups x 5
Deadlift - 225 x 5
Hanging Leg Raises x 5
Squat - 225 x 5

Smooth sailing today. Did the double pause deadlift. Whoever said “The lats are THE thing” deserves a plaque in the powerlifting Cooperstown.

I feel my deadlift has really improved by understanding last engagement. This explains why, in part, continued front lever practice helped improve my deadlift without lifting a while back.

Filmed bench. The reps looked good. I’ve been imagining a heavy single in my head and the proper execution. In the past, I’ve tended to rush the descent and end up trying to heave the bar too much. While a faster descent is better for me, there’s a sweet spot. Faster doesn’t mean dropping the bar so my arch collapses and my shoulder come up. It means controlling the weight to the right spot, loading the legs, lats and chest and transferring that compression into the bar.
 
Philippe Geoffrion said:
I feel my deadlift has really improved by understanding last engagement. This explains why, in part, continued front lever practice helped improve my deadlift without lifting a while back.
Click to expand...
Thinking about any max-effort deadlift that I have done and been in pain the next day, they all start with my shoulders rounding at the start of the lift, probably because my lats weren't strong enough to stay locked in. There's definitely something about getting them solidly locked that keeps the back in one good, strong piece.
 
WhatWouldHulkDo said:
Thinking about any max-effort deadlift that I have done and been in pain the next day, they all start with my shoulders rounding at the start of the lift, probably because my lats weren't strong enough to stay locked in. There's definitely something about getting them solidly locked that keeps the back in one good, strong piece.
Click to expand...
For a while, I was actually trying to practice round back deadlift, or at least allowing the thoracic spine to hunch. Even with light weights my back was like “Uh uh uh! You didn’t say the magic word!”
 
WhatWouldHulkDo said:
Thinking about any max-effort deadlift that I have done and been in pain the next day, they all start with my shoulders rounding at the start of the lift, probably because my lats weren't strong enough to stay locked in. There's definitely something about getting them solidly locked that keeps the back in one good, strong piece.
Click to expand...
On a side note, I’ve found Pendlay rows to be an exceptional SV exercisest for teaching this. Before my heavy fiver, I practiced “popping the bar” by squeezing my lats and driving my feet into the ground. While you wouldn’t do this in a meet or everytime before a max attempt, it let me know I’m good to go.
 
Day 1 Week 3

Squat - 135 lbs x 1, 225 x 1, 275 x 1, 295 x 5
HKR x 5
Bench Press - 135 x 1, 165 x 5
Pullups x 5
Deadlifts - 70 kgs x 2, 120 kgs x 5


Solid squat set today. 295 x 5 was my prior best 5 rep squat set, although, I think I’ve had the ability to do more. It was smooth. Not very hard. Mimiccked last Monday’s work sets for everything else.

Squat Set
youtube.com

February 12, 2024

youtube.com youtube.com
 
Day 2 Week 3

Bench Press - 135 lbs x 1, 185 x 1, 195 x 5
Pullups x 5
Deadlifts - 225 lbs x 5
HKR x 5
Squat - 135 x 5

A nice solid bench set today. Didn’t feel like a struggle at all. Wasn’t the fastest but smooth. No shoulder issues throughout this cycle, knock on wood. I think I’ve hit my intensity waves accurately.

Business as usual. Speed deads and light squats, treated almost like stretches - an unhurried descent and loiter in the bottom.

 
Day 3 Week 3

Deadlift - 160 kgs x 3
HKR x 5
Bench Press - 165 lbs x 5
Pullups x 5
Squat - 185 lbs x 5

I’m perfectly content pulling this set of 3 although the program calls for five. I’ve upped the weight significantly on my deadlifts and squats the past two weeks and I knew I could’ve done five but stopped. More than happy with the cycle. Now it’s unloading for the next couple weeks, a taper before testing “maxes”.

Not sure how I want to approach the testing week. Not fervent about maxing all the lifts at intensity, especially in one day. May do a sorta max or stretch testing across the week. One interesting thing about HF training is although I’ve gotten stronger, I feel indolent approaching mega weights, averse to any nervousness or psyching and instead am basically relaxed to the max, which is odd.

For my next cycle, I want to continue HF training yet incorporate specialized variety but this is puzzling as far as programming. As Robert Plant emphatically chanted, The Goal Remains the Same! To raise my power total.

The simplified Bulgarian method looks appealing. Sheiko - daunting. The Ukrainian Method - perplexing. I want something simple but effective. Still digging for the Holy Grail method.

 
Day 4 Week 4 (Unloading)

Bench Press - 135 x 3, 185 x 1, 205 x 1, 155 x 3, 135 x 1
Pullups x 3
Deadlift - 110 kgs x 3 (pause at mid-shin)
HKR x 3
Squats - 245 lbs x 3 paused

Took my time today. Prior to todays session was a bit demotivated as this week is boring. However, the influx of negative thoughts caused me anxiety as i began to fear that I’d waste my testing week.

There’s been a creak in my right upper trap which appeared mysteriously last week. I surmise a bench session - where I was a bit too zealous with “speed” - was the culprit. This brought about my old fear of “failing when it counts” and the self sabotage I’ve been battling, as the stains of my last meet’s disappointing performance have remained.

However, I was able to shift out of this mindset and reignite some vigor within me for the upcoming push week. I approached the session calmly with the mindset of focusing on the reps and adjusting as needed. Things fell in to place.

I went for a “semi heavy” bench single just to test the waters and it felt solid with minimal effort or stress. In the past when I start knocking on the door of two plates in the bench press, problems have ensued: usually in the form of nagging shoulder niggles.

Though I feel tightness in my trapezius, the bench felt unbothered. This was a win.

I’ve been nervous about the other lifts as well for different reasons. My deadlift is finicky. One good week builds my confidence when I hit heavy weights; the next crushes it when warmups move like sludge. Likewise, the lift has left me bed-bound in traction before.

The double pauses reinforced my problem region, right off the floor where I usually feel unstable and my back takes the brunt of the load. Video identified that I have a mild valgus in my right knee. Practicing spreading the floor has helped this and I felt solid as a statue today.

As for the squat, well…it’s copacetic as of now. 3 solid pauses without a belt and I’m feeling primed. Okay me more practice day to refine the movements then it’s go time.

Bench from today

 
Philippe Geoffrion said:
Day 4 Week 4 (Unloading)

Bench Press - 135 x 3, 185 x 1, 205 x 1, 155 x 3, 135 x 1
Pullups x 3
Deadlift - 110 kgs x 3 (pause at mid-shin)
HKR x 3
Squats - 245 lbs x 3 paused

Took my time today. Prior to todays session was a bit demotivated as this week is boring. However, the influx of negative thoughts caused me anxiety as i began to fear that I’d waste my testing week.

There’s been a creak in my right upper trap which appeared mysteriously last week. I surmise a bench session - where I was a bit too zealous with “speed” - was the culprit. This brought about my old fear of “failing when it counts” and the self sabotage I’ve been battling, as the stains of my last meet’s disappointing performance have remained.

However, I was able to shift out of this mindset and reignite some vigor within me for the upcoming push week. I approached the session calmly with the mindset of focusing on the reps and adjusting as needed. Things fell in to place.

I went for a “semi heavy” bench single just to test the waters and it felt solid with minimal effort or stress. In the past when I start knocking on the door of two plates in the bench press, problems have ensued: usually in the form of nagging shoulder niggles.

Though I feel tightness in my trapezius, the bench felt unbothered. This was a win.

I’ve been nervous about the other lifts as well for different reasons. My deadlift is finicky. One good week builds my confidence when I hit heavy weights; the next crushes it when warmups move like sludge. Likewise, the lift has left me bed-bound in traction before.

The double pauses reinforced my problem region, right off the floor where I usually feel unstable and my back takes the brunt of the load. Video identified that I have a mild valgus in my right knee. Practicing spreading the floor has helped this and I felt solid as a statue today.

As for the squat, well…it’s copacetic as of now. 3 solid pauses without a belt and I’m feeling primed. Okay me more practice day to refine the movements then it’s go time.

Bench from today

Click to expand...

I feel you man. Some days we have to win the battle against our own mind.
I hope your traps heal soon.
 
Spartan Agoge said:
I feel you man. Some days we have to win the battle against our own mind.
I hope your traps heal soon.
Click to expand...
Thanks brother.

It’s not a huge issue; just a nuisance. Like the feeling of sleeping on your neck wrong. Did some foam rolling and felt immense trigger in the rhomboids. Feels released a bit today.

I’m pretty certain of the cause so it’s not too bad. My right shoulder has a history and gets aggro sometimes.
 
Day 5 Week 4 (End taper)

Squat - 225 x 3
Dead bugs x 5
Bench press - 155 x 3
Pullups x 3
Deadlift - 225 x 3

Fridays have generally been my most low tier sessions as fatigue has built up, the gym is quiet and the energy is just “meh”. Get in. Do the work. Leave.

I generally do some stretching and foam rolling today because it makes me feel better. Next week, it’s heavyish singles on Monday then a push on Tuesday. I have numbers in mind, but it’ll be based on how I feel.

If I hit certain minimal maxes and don’t feel like going further, so be it. However, if I’m roaring and there’s a lifetime PR in reach, I might just snag it.

I’ll probably hold a little back on squats, maybe even bench, to allow my pill some breathing room. I expect certain numbers which were intimidating before will be casual. Hitting an easy 90-95 % of lifetime bests with no real mental or physical strain is still a victory. However, it would be nice to break a PR or too, especially for the press and pull. At this point, this certainly seems within reach.
 
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