Day 4 Week 2
Morning Light
Clean and Push Press
115 x 1 (took long break as it was early, hot, and this was hard)
115 x 2, 3 (These reps felt much better)
Yates rows
115 x 6 x 2
Hanging from a tree branch (each arm once for time, then both arms)
Movement drills
lunges (forward, reverse, lateral) , high knees, high kicks, side shuffles
Evening Session
Deadlift (Texas Bar/Conventional)
135 x 5, 225 x 5, 275 x 5
Dead starts (pull to knees then drop)
315 x 3,340 x 3
Deadlift
365 x 3 (no belt/mixed grip) 365 x 3 (belt/Double O.H.)
Dead starts (again followed by full pulls)
265 x (3+1) x 2
Dips
3 x 10
Hang from bar again and left.
Another long deadlift session. Did a bit two days ago, but wanted to do some more work on it, namely my start. Today consisted of a lot of technique toying, new grips, stances, etc. A lot of adjustments were made and practicing of some new skills. Reviewing my deadlifts, they look different a lot of the times. My 365 two days ago looks quite different than today's. I find it hard to repeat the same deadlift set up, and have found different methods working at different times, the rock and pull, the slow dive, slack out at top/vs bottom, etc. Had a chat with another lifting buddy about my pull. Today I did a rocking style deadlift. I find this style really helps me off the ground, my hardest portion. Too him, it looks like a lot of wasted energy. I pull the bar slack out at the top, almost squat, and rock into the beginning of my pull. the benefit is momentum, and a good leg drive to start the lift. In this motion, my hips rise until I "catcth the start position", then the bar moves. He suggested I practice a slower descent to bar, and pull the slack out at the bottom of the wedged position. In this way, the hips start exactly where they would as the bar elevates. So I practiced this on the 265 sets. It felt very odd. Two different methods, with different strengths. In the end, should I just choose one style, or does it benefit to train both. I remember at my last power meet, technique wasn't really on my mind before my max lift. All I thought about was picking the d@mn thing up. Is this a flaw in my approach? Perhaps. I suppose time will tell.
Didn't feel like pressing much after the deads. Dips were a good choice. They unload my back, and let my shoulders move freely, a good choice for a light day on pressing. I like to keep my relative strength in BW lifts healthy as well. I know my back will feel it from the deadlifts and dips don't force me to put more stress on my back like a barbell press. Speaking of which, the belt helped a lot on later set, but definitely rounded on 3 rep of first, beltless set at 365. I rarely use a belt, but wanted to do more heavy work. It helped a ton. Using a belt, I feel adds quite a bit to my deadlift, as it does to my squat. As things get heavier, I will probably employ the belt on heavier days. I pushed a bit on deads today. I'll take some light/light sessions later this week, depending on how I feel. Sometimes I'm fresh just after 2 days of a heavy lift. This is why my training has evolved into a freestyle plan.
Dead Starts (315)
1st set @365 (no belt, mixed grip,rocking start)
2nd set (belt, D.O)
I like the rocking start, but it does have some issues. My knees push the bar at the start sometimes, and some think the hip movement before the lift is "wasted energy". Could be, but the weight definitely moves easier, at least for me. But maybe the issue was in me pulling the slack at the top in that last set. When I practice my rocking style, different things happen as in the back locks first until the hips and knees find the right groove, then the bar moves. Practiced the other method, the wedge, which constists of starting the lift with no motion. The slack is pulled at the exact moment you reach position and the hips stay through the lift. It is a sharp shoot with this style. Bottom position must be immaculate and if timing is off by a millisecond, it drastically changes the outcome. It starts loose at the top, then accrues to max tension right at the bottom. It is the grinder method, and I practiced it on my dead start sets, by suggestion by a fellow lifter. There was a lot of team work and analysis on the deadlift today. It was nice training with the guys and getting feedback while giving it too.