It’s been a while since I’ve been on this deadlifting kick. My goal is still to reach 2x my bodyweight and I am currently at 255 lbs. at a weight of 145. Only a measly 35 lbs to go!
My strength workouts look something like this. I am also beginning my RKC training so adding the overhead carry and suitcase carry to help me get through the test, which will probably take around 3-4 years to prepare for:
Bench
2x 135 lbs
4x clap push-up
RI 5:00 (RI= Rest Interval)
@ 2:00 into the RI, hold 245 off the rack for 10 count
2x 155 lbs
4x clap push-up
RI 5:00 (RI= Rest Interval)
@ 2:00 into the RI, hold 245 off the rack for 10 count
1-2x 180 lbs
4x clap push-up
Deadlift
2x 135 lbs
4x hop up 22″
RI 5:00
@ 2:00 into the RI, standing hold 315 off the rack for 10 count
2x 175 lbs
4x hop up 22″
RI 5:00
@ 2:00 into the RI, standing hold 315 off the rack for 10 count
2×225 lbs
4x hop up 22″
RI 5:00
@ 2:00 into the RI, standing hold 315 off the rack for 10 count
2×255 lbs
4x hop up 22″
Overhead carry 40 lbs dumbbell for 1:00, each arm
Suitcase carry 55 lbs dumbbell for 1:00, each arm
2x 10 reps of Assisted Glute Ham Raises
3x 4x 5 sec of Torture Twist
Along the way, I discovered a few things:
1. In my infinite inability to add up the weight of plates on the bar, I DL-ed 270 lbs by accident. This was a dumb move and glad I didn’t hurt anything. On the other hand, I am heartened that I could DL 270 lbs.
2. I mistakenly trusted the ability of my nervous system to imprint the proper activation on a lift. About 3 weeks ago, I put up 255 lbs only to realize I did something bad to my back. As my muscles recovered, the discomfort and a twinge of pain that remained in my back led me to believe that something happened to my spine itself. I used Rocktape to either side of my spine which eased some of the muscle tension, and also support the muscles as I recovered. I then iced my lower back which brought the swelling of discs under control. It took a full 2 weeks to get back into the gym, and I restarted my lifting at 245 and just got back up to 255 lbs.
3. As I built to 255 lbs, my body weight has not changed at all. It is floating around 144 give or take a pound. To me, this is real evidence that strength is not about muscle size; it is much more about nervous system activation of muscle fibers and the ability to generate tension with as many fibers as possible. Thus, as I increase weight (about 5 lbs on the bar, every 5th workout), I am causing adaptation to happen in my nervous system to adapt to generating tension/nerves firing into muscle fibers enough to DL that weight. Right now, I need about 4 workouts to adapt to a new weight. After that, I can advance, but only 5 lbs at a time, 2.5 lbs on each side.
4. I cannot lose focus. DL-ing is truly about training the brain to hold the focus on activating the nervous system, firing nerves into the muscles to hold that tension against heavy weights.
5. Crushing the bar really helps activation of muscles. I feel tension from my hands up my arms into my entire body. It hurts to try to squeeze and crush the bar and my palms are getting pretty messed up. Oh well.
6. Holding heavy weights in between the lifts helps shut off my nervous system’s natural response to loads that feel too heavy but are actually not. This is called the Golgi tendon reflex. All I need is about 10 seconds to hold, at about 2 minutes into the rest interval.
Marching onwards to 290 lbs…!