Started with strict press. Warmed up not enough, then hit the bar and 95 for warmups. Then, hit 120 x 5, 140 x 5, and 155 for a tough but solid 5. After, set the timer and hit 140 x 5 and 120 x 5 with long pauses, on the 3 minutes.
Next, moderate weight rows. Did 4 sets of 12 at 155 yates rows on the 2 mins, focusing on a really tight and straight back.
Next, bench. 170 for 3 sets of 8 on the 2 minutes. did really well, and even pushed out an insanely hard 9th rep on the last set.
THEN, I started deadlifting. Knew I shouldn't, but I couldn't get it off my mind. I needed to figure out a solution to my problem, and my "hey, I'll just make my back straight!" solution wasn't cutting it without feeling it out for myself. SO, I started pulling, trying to focus on a flat back. Hit 155, 245, then started filming at 315. Hit a solid single with a flat back.... not as fast as I wanted but not bad. Then I watched the video and realized my back wasn't even close to flat. So, did a couple more reps and managed to make my back almost completely flat... but speed suffered a ton. I was UNHAPPY.
So here is what I have come up with, talking to my mom, josh, and other smart people. I think that ,y speed and agression has gotten so strong that my back can't handle the forces on it. Yes, I have pulled 405 with a flat back, but that's at a slow speed. Now, I have gotten so fast that my back isn't strong enough to stay flat under the forces on it. My back has become my major weak point.
I have been deadlifting more and more lately, and loving it. AND, in looking for a solution to this problem deadlifting LESS doesn't appeal at all because I always think I will get better by doing MORE. But lets look at the situation: first of all, HISTORICALLY deadlifting less has always been good for me. When I was having major dead lift problems last time, I solved them by stopping all the volume and heavy deadlift work. I did deadlifts once a week - speed work at like 200 lbs - and my max went up, up, up. Because I worked on my weak point - speed and explosiveness off the floor.
Now, I am reluctant to stop speed work, because it has worked so well for me before. But this is the truth: speed and explosiveness aren't an issue anymore. Those are my STRONG points now. Perhaps the worst thing I can do for my deadlift is to keep hammering speed and agression at the expense of form. And If I keep doing deadlifts, even at the LIGHT speed day weights, I will have some shitty form.
SO, the plan is to cut out deadlifts all together, and instead HAMMER my back. I am talking heavy as fuck work, for tons of volume, with my back as flat as possible. I am goign to make my back as close to invincible as I can, while focusing only on my squat. I get my legs strong, I get my back strong, I already know that speed and aggression are in me.... That's all it takes for a good deadlift. It's a scary route to take, but I think it is going to be the best way to get my deadlift STRONG.
So the plan is - focus on keeping my back as tight as possible on my upper body rowing. On monday, I am going to stop speed deads AND the snatch dead progression, and instead work snatch-grip, stiff-leg deads with a flat back. I'm not going to plan what I do, I'm just going to HAMMER them, whatever sets, reps, weight I want, so long as it is a LOT of all three. Then, on thursday I am gogin to keep squats and front squats, but instead of heavy deadlifts do romanian deadlifts - same story as monday, doesn't matter how many or how heavy, just gonna do a TON. We will make my back invincible, get my squat stronger and stronger, and come my next mock meet I will DESTROY deadlifts with the same rage and intensity I have been destroying them with lately. Only difference will be my body's ability to protect itself from my power.
A storm is coming. Lets keep at it.
No comments:
Post a Comment