Adjusting Deadlift Workout and New Personal Best!
Looking at my recent blog posts you can see I write about deadlifts a lot…that’s because there’s nothing else I do at the gym that gives me such a sense of accomplishment! When I’m doing deadlifts it just feels so natural, it’s like what I’m supposed to be doing. Since I can’t ’shout it from the rooftops’, writing about it here is the next best thing!
I’ve been having great success these last couple of months, doing deadlifts 2 or 3 times a month. On other days I make sure I get in some good hamstring workouts, and also do hyperextensions for lower back. My new goal is to lift 400 by the end of September, and if I keep progressing like I have been I know I’ll get there!
Last night I decided to change up my deadlift workout to see how it would feel. For awhile now I’ve been doing about 6 sets, with the last three at heavy weight and 3, 2, or 1 rep, and the last set being an attempt at a new personal best. This has worked well for me, and I’ve been able to add about 10 pounds a month. Last night, I did warmups 135×10 and 225×10, then jumped right to 315 where I did three strong reps. Could have done more, but I wanted to save my strength for the next lift. I added 50 more pounds for a total of 365. That would be 10 pounds more than my previous best lift. Setting up for the lift I felt a mixture of confidence and caution. I thought I could do it, but I wasn’t going to sacrafice good form or risk injuring myself just to get it up. I think I took longer to set up and focus for that attempt than I have for any deadlift I’ve ever done. I started the lift and it felt good, but I had a problem with the palm-up grip on my left hand. The bar started to slip and I had to abort. But I felt like I was going to get it so I couldn’t stop there, I had to try again. I took a small break, then I got into position again, making sure to tighten my grips with the straps as much as I could. I took a few deep breaths, and then I did the lift! I even locked it in and leaned back at the top of the ascent, like is required at power-lifting competitions. Then I was able to lower it smoothly back down with good form, hardly making much noise when the plates hit the floor. I pumped my fist in triumph, feeling wonderful that I had reached another personal best! I stayed at the gym another while and had a good biceps and forarms workout, then left for home feeling on cloud 9.
For me I don’t think it matters how many warm-up sets or how heavy I go in my lifts before trying a new maximum. What’s important is that I warm-up enough to get comfortable with my form, and not do too many lifts so that I use the best of my energy before I get to the maximum lift. I don’t think any set workout will work for me, I just have to be aware of how my body is feeling and responding to what I’m doing at any particular workout and do what I feel is best to get the most out of it. So, it’ll probably be another 2 weeks before I do deadlifts again, and next time I’ll go for at least 370, who know, maybe 375 if I feel good!
