November 10, 2010 - ME LB

Dynamic Warm-ups

Deadlifts
135x5
185x5
225x3
275x3
315x3
365x3
405x3
455x1
495x1
545x1
585x1
625x0
527x3

Safety Squat Bar Step Ups
85x3/3
105x3/3
125x3/3
145x3/3
165x3/3
185x3/3
205x3/3

Glute Ham Raises
bw+10x12 PR+5lbs
bw+10x12
bw+10x12

36 Minutes of Stretching

Comments: At the time, I was very, very pissed off with how this workout went but now that I've had time to reflect on it, I'm not as pissed. I was actually debating whether to do banded rack pulls and save going for a max on deadlifts until after Thanksgiving break. Well everything felt good and easy. I felt like I could do 405 for 20. Hell I did 545lbs double overhand. But 585lbs felt pretty tough. That made me angry. My goal was 625lbs. I had to get that. I'm so much stronger than I was back in late march when I got 605lbs. I set up for 625lbs and pulled. Only came up a few inches. Disgusted with that and nearly killed all motivation for the workout (I hate when I get like that). Did 527lbs for my downset (based off of 585lbs) and was going to stop at two reps but luckily Bentz was yelling at me and I pulled another rep for a triple. I felt like crap even doing step ups. I started way too light on those and didn't feel like I was doing anything until 185lbs. Probably not going to keep those. Ghrs were tough but I got all the reps with 10lbs and went home to stretch.

Now upon reflection, I can see some places where I went wrong. I am stronger than last time but I couldn't show it on the deadlift. Grip was stronger, hips were stronger, legs were stronger but back was fatigued. My dad reminded me that I had done heavy atlas stones on Saturday and then did heavy simulated car deadlifts on Sunday. I had even told him that the simulated car deadlift rep felt tougher than the car deadlift I had done at Brute Strength (which was around 700lbs in hand). Also I have changed how I pull. Before I just did a grip and rip style pull but it has become more and more apparent that this style isn't the most beneficial in strongman events. In most pulling based events, I have to set my grip and can't do the grip and rip. That is why I'm now using a deadlift bar for deadlifts and using straps for the rack pulls to get used to being fast from a dead start. That actually seems to knock a bit off my pull doing it that way as well. Back in March I did 495lbs this style and it felt slow so I went back to grip and rip (ended up pulling 605lbs). That 495lbs felt like 545lbs today and 585lbs felt tougher than 585lbs grip and rip style. So in actuality, my dead start style deadlift could have been closer to 545lbs but that is just speculation. I will be using this style of pull from now on so I had best get used to it. Obviously, I'll need to make some tweaks to allow for adequate recover. May have to drop simulated car deads for something that isn't so tough on the lower back. We'll see.