MAB's 4 Day Powerbuilding Extravaganza

[glwanabe]

Originally Posted by MuscleandBrawn

Doubt I'll get there, but I'll keep trying.

You keep talking like that, and grandpa here will catch you.

[BendtheBar]

Originally Posted by glwanabe

You keep talking like that, and grandpa here will catch you.

Have at it gramps!

[BendtheBar]

11/22/2009: Back

Workout Grade: B+

Workout Time: 57 minutes

I thought I would test my deadlift max today. I have been hitting multiple reps with 405 the last several months, and the bar had been feeling light. I thought for sure I would hit 530. I was wrong.

What I learned today is this...the deadlift, for me, gets stronger when I train front squats, good mornings, and heavier squats. I haven't been going nuts with these for a while, and my deadlift strength is suffering. I also get stronger from "slow grinding" my deadlifts. This is a more lasting approach for me, and one I believe I need to stick with.

Frustrated, I just hit some back exercises and escaped the gym. My strength was good on the back exercises, but I wasn't in the mood to hammer my posterior chain any longer.

Deadlifts
225 x 3
315 x 1
405 x 1
455 x 1
510 x Miss
500 x Miss
455 x 1
400 x 1

Yates Rows - 1 minute rest
175 x 9/7/5/5/5

T-Bar Rows - 1 minute rest
145 x 8/5/4/4/4

[Jesse Polanco]

Originally Posted by MuscleandBrawn

11/22/2009: Back

Workout Grade: B+

Workout Time: 57 minutes

I thought I would test my deadlift max today. I have been hitting multiple reps with 405 the last several months, and the bar had been feeling light. I thought for sure I would hit 530. I was wrong.

What I learned today is this...the deadlift, for me, gets stronger when I train front squats, good mornings, and heavier squats. I haven't been going nuts with these for a while, and my deadlift strength is suffering. I also get stronger from "slow grinding" my deadlifts. This is a more lasting approach for me, and one I believe I need to stick with.

Frustrated, I just hit some back exercises and escaped the gym. My strength was good on the back exercises, but I wasn't in the mood to hammer my posterior chain any longer.

Deadlifts
225 x 3
315 x 1
405 x 1
455 x 1
510 x Miss
500 x Miss
455 x 1
400 x 1

Yates Rows - 1 minute rest
175 x 9/7/5/5/5

T-Bar Rows - 1 minute rest
145 x 8/5/4/4/4

dont get frustrated shit happens ... keep hitting those gm's and squats hard bro

[glwanabe]

455 is pretty darn good. Nice effort.

[BendtheBar]

Thanks guys. It's just frustrating because all my other lifts move with ease.

[Bodybygamma]

Reps and Deadlift maxes past doubles and triples never translated well to my max pulling abilities. Maybe your the same way.

Try pulling 500+ from a higher position, off boxes or hit some rack deadlifts to give your C.N.S a good jump start!

Also next time try throwing in an in between weight like 475 to better gauge yourself for the grind. Lots of times I would pull 455 off the floor like its nothing, but 495 would feel heavy as hell because my body wasn't ready for the weight increase.

[BendtheBar]

Originally Posted by Bodybygamma

Reps and Deadlift maxes past doubles and triples never translated well to my max pulling abilities. Maybe your the same way.

Ditto that. I've never received more then back strain from that method.

Originally Posted by Bodybygamma

Try pulling 500+ from a higher position, off boxes or hit some rack deadlifts to give your C.N.S a good jump start!

Also next time try throwing in an in between weight like 475 to better gauge yourself for the grind. Lots of times I would pull 455 off the floor like its nothing, but 495 would feel heavy as hell because my body wasn't ready for the weight increase.

Thanks for the advice and feedback. 455 felt fairly easy, so I thought 500 was a lock. I'll take smaller steps next time.

[BendtheBar]

11/24/2009: Fullbody Madness

Workout Time: 75 minutes

Workout Grade: C+

This was actually a very good strength workout. But I had the worst back pump of my life. After front squats, I literally felt like I was birthing a baby through my lower back.

With that said, I loved the workout. It would have been close to an hour, but it took me (literally) 10 minutes between sets just to load weight...the back pumps were THAT bad. I had to sit down after moving each 10 pound plate and scream.

My overhead presses felt STRONG. Insanely strong. The bar was a feather.

Seated Overhead Press
185 x 4/4/4/4/4

Romanian Deadlifts
225 x 4/4/4/4/4

Front Squats
185 x 8/8/8

DB Bench Press
85's x 12/8

Closegrip Bench Press
185 x 8/8/8

T-bar Rows
120 x 12/12

[glwanabe]

That seemed pretty intense, based on your description.
Solid numbers all around.