The quest an 800 (900?) deadlift and specialization

[LtL]

What about working squat variations to help the deadlift? Thinking about front squats, high bar narrow stance squats to a low box, maybe investing in a giant cambered bar or safety squat bar. Or lots of GM variations as well.

LtL

[BendtheBar]

Originally Posted by Fazc

Btb your strength in the Squat and Deadlift are pretty balanced right? 575ish in the Squat, 675ish in the Deadlift. For a heavier guy I'd say that's about right.

If so some specialisation on one lift might not be a bad idea.

While I think your current routine will keep your breaking PRs, there's no harm in looking at alternatives. What tweaks were you considering?

Fairly balanced. I would say they are right about where they should be.

Only real tweaks I was considering were squatting heavy once a week, adding wide stance good mornings on the second day, and wide stance squats on third squat day. Also was thinking of dropping to 2 bench sessions per week and one OHP.

For morning workouts adding 10 x 1 heavy DB rows twice a week the morning after heavy deads, heavy abs 3x a week, calves 2x a week, and speed work - moderate cleans and high pulls a couple times per week. Maybe some power shrugs, not sure where.

Key word considering...

Originally Posted by Lerho

I would concentrate on speed work in deadlifting and improving weak areas. What is your weak point in deadlift? If you really want to improve deadlift, dump or at least limit your bench press training. As for squat, its important for deadlift, BUT once again, what squat to do depends on your deadlift weak point.

Lockout right now. My lockout was strongest but I haven't been doing any high rack pulls lately and my pulling strength from above knees seems to be lagging. I probably need to move one of my deadlift sessions to high rack pulls.

Originally Posted by LtL

What about working squat variations to help the deadlift? Thinking about front squats, high bar narrow stance squats to a low box, maybe investing in a giant cambered bar or safety squat bar. Or lots of GM variations as well.

LtL

This is one of the options I was considering. Wide stance box squats really hit my glutes and I think they could be beneficial as a staple. I tried them last week and it went well. I was also considering swapping a heavy good morning session in for the middle squat day.

[Fazc]

Within the current set up it wouldn't be out of this world to run a bunch of upper back work on Bench days. That way you'd effectively get 6 days of back work.

I'm much more in favour of small changes.

[LtL]

That ^^^^^^^^ would work well I think.

The upper back is to the powerlifter what the bicep is to the bodybuilder.

LtL

[BendtheBar]

Originally Posted by Fazc

Within the current set up it wouldn't be out of this world to run a bunch of upper back work on Bench days. That way you'd effectively get 6 days of back work.

I'm much more in favour of small changes.

I was thinking of first adding in 10 DB row singles on the bench day after my first heavy deadlift day, and after my last deadlift day for a week.

My lockout feels like it is weakening and I can't say for certain if it's mental or from not leaving my heavy rows behind. I'm an old, stubborn man and trying to analyze things without bias. It is hard sometimes.

[Fazc]

Originally Posted by BendtheBar

I was thinking of first adding in 10 DB row singles on the bench day after my first heavy deadlift day, and after my last deadlift day for a week.

My lockout feels like it is weakening and I can't say for certain if it's mental or from not leaving my heavy rows behind. I'm an old, stubborn man and trying to analyze things without bias. It is hard sometimes.

I would say trust your instincts. Old man or not, you know yourself best.

I've been doing Power Cleans on my off days and they're certainly not my strongest card. Tried some Pendlay Rows the other day as well and couldn't even put up 300lbs which was very disappointing, so that's something to work on in my opinion.

[LtL]

I'm gonna do Pendlays tonight. I expect to get less than 300lbs as I am WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAK on those.

LtL

[BendtheBar]

Thanks for the input.

As I like to tell the younger guys, if you can Pendlay row 375 you can deadlift a mountain.

[Fazc]

Smash it Ltl.

Having said that, I'm not really sure what a good goal is for Pendlay Row? I just sorta plucked 300 out of the air.

375lbs seems great Btb, but looking at some threads online people are saying 220lbs for reps is good. I suppose we'd have to consider form, use of legs, explosiveness etc etc. Or you know, just pull. But that's too simple to work!

Thread derail over!

[BendtheBar]

Originally Posted by Fazc

Smash it Ltl.

Having said that, I'm not really sure what a good goal is for Pendlay Row? I just sorta plucked 300 out of the air.

375lbs seems great Btb, but looking at some threads online people are saying 220lbs for reps is good. I suppose we'd have to consider form, use of legs, explosiveness etc etc. Or you know, just pull. But that's too simple to work!

Thread derail over!

Never a derail here.

I always want my Pendlay row max to be close to, or a bit above my bench max.

I just pull. I think a lot of guys baby the concentric too much, fearing the explosive aspect. I did this for a long time, attached to the bodybuilding style. On the bench press I do everything I can to get the bar away from me, so on rows I do everything I can to get the bar to my chest - within reason, and using good form of course. I explode.

My Pendlays look like the video below. I would post my own video but I don't think I ever recorded a Pendlay session.

Pendlay Row 315X5 (Form Check) - YouTube

Pendlay Row 315X5 (Form Check) - YouTube