Deadlift - 425 Lift!
Three full days rest and little exercise left me chomping at the bit to get to the gym! The fact that I was going to deadlift and go for a new personal best heightened the anticipation all the more. I started the workout with 15 minutes on the bike and 10 minutes walking on the treadmill to get the blood flowing. I started deadlifts with three warm up sets, barx10, 135×10, and 225×6. I don’t use a weight belt up to this weight, I’ve read you get a stronger core if you don’t always use a belt. However, a belt also helps prevent injury so when I start the heavier lifts I put mine on. Hopefully this is a good compromise between core strength develpment and safety. At 315 my belt didn’t feel right so I stopped after one lift and adjusted it. I then did the 315 lift again, felt good now. I added 50 pounds and did a 365 lift. Added 30 more pounds and lifted 395. This lift was difficult. I added 30 more pounds to try for a 425 lift. This was 10 more than my previous best lift, I had no idea if I could do it, I wasn’t feeling especially strong. I took my time to think about my form and get focused. I chalked up, stood over the bar, took a few deep breaths, then got into position for the lift. Then, I went for it and did the lift! Had to give it maximum effort to get past the sticking point, but I got that sucker up there!
Finished, I walked away feeling a little light-headed for a few seconds but feeling exhilerated to have set a new personal best. In my mind I was ready to not succeed at that attempt, I was ready to accept that I had to keep working at it. Doing that lift almost feels surreal, plus I feel like that I had something left in the tank, I maybe could have handled a little more weight. That motivates me to keep working at it, I haven’t hit my ceiling yet. I’m stoked about my progress with deadlift, I’ve increased by 10 pounds in January and another 10 last night. Is it realistic to think I can keep up this pace all year? That would mean a 525 lift in December!? My goal is 500, which I had no idea if it was possible or not when I set it. My training seems to be working though, so I’ll just keep it up and see what happens!
February 21, 2009 at 7:58 am
Congratulations on your new personal best. You are an inspirational lifter.
February 21, 2009 at 8:29 am
Have you done parallel-grip deadlifts (with the shrug/trap bar)? How does it compare to regular bar?
February 21, 2009 at 9:20 am
425 is an incredible dead-lift. Way to go!
February 21, 2009 at 2:47 pm
The way you’re going I think it is reasonable to expect that you can keep up this pace all year. In any event you won’t know until you try! Keep up the great work - you’ve become a lean, mean, weightlifting and bodybuilding machine (lol)!
February 22, 2009 at 5:27 pm
Great going Tony! Keep wearing that belt.