Raising Mike's 1 rep max

[mab54]

Great job on the PR and being able to jump in without warming up!

[Pull14]

Some strong, quality work Mike. A PR every session ain't to shabby...

[MikeM]

Thanks Pull! Yup, I love it when I hit bigger numbers! Got a little too ambitious today, but oh well. Still, got a PR.

Thanks MAB! I did warmup the lift itself, but I've been trying to work in a more general total body warmup before each session, and with all the resolutionistas and college kids home on break, it's been tough just getting my workout done, much less anything extra. Said eff it and got some in today, though!

Thursday, week 9

Warmups: Bar complex of everything times 10, DB Snatch 2x 10x 40, OH DB Punches 2x 10x 20

Push Press:
10x bar, 95
5x 115,
2x 125
1x 135, 155*

1x 165 (PR)
2x 0x 165
4x 1x 160

OHP: 5x 5x 115 (+5 lb)*
ss w/ One arm DB Rows 5x 12x 60 (+5 lb, the last reps were butt hard!)

WG Lat Pulldowns: 4x 12x 115, plus 1x 5 chinups and 10 rack chins*
ss w/ 5x 5x 165 CGBP (fairly easy, will add here if Bench goes well Monday)

*That extra push press warmup was because I'm trying a closer grip on presses to see if I get more power, and I think so, but my timing was off today and that's probably why I missed so many. It'll get better as I practice more.
The closer grip (just outside shoulders, just barely outside smooth) definitly helps my OHP, though! These sets today were way easier than the 110s were last week, although the last set had a few grinders, so I'll wait to progress on these.
Lowered the weight on the Lats, and tried some other exercises to test, as I am really trying to keep my shoulder blades back doing the pulls as well as go all the way to the chest on all reps. I thought I was doing that before, but I think I slip as the set goes on. I'm trying to keep that from happening from now on.

Anyway, there you go. I'm going to crush some deadlifts tomorrow.

[BendtheBar]

Way to nail it Mike, that's a big number.

Your grip sounds about where mine is.

[mab54]

Great job pushing for the PR, and smash some deadlifts!

[BigJosh]

Awesome PR Mike! Great work in here as always!

[tank]

way to get after it mike

[MikeM]

Originally Posted by mab54

Great job pushing for the PR, and smash some deadlifts!

Thanks, I smashed some! Not all unfortunatley, but I think my form is getting much better every time I do them.
Thanks Tank, Josh and BtB!
All you guys are really helping me stay motivated. Seriously, my conservative goal was to stay healthy and hit 1000 total this year. But man, if I keep going like this, I'm going to hit 1000 by May! We'll see. Gotta stay healthy and stay smart.

My day got way out of hand, so I had to workout after dinner with limited time, so I just got in, crushed as much as I could and rolled out.

Friday, week 9

Warmups: Bar circuit x 10, High Pulls to 5x 135, Hang cleans to 3x 3x 135 all finished in less than 10 minutes. (Seriously, I am whipping up some cleans now that I got my form back).

Deadlift:
10x 115, 135
8x 155
5x 185
2x 205, 225
1x 245, 275, 315 (too many warmups I know, but I'm working on form, see below)

2x 1x 335 (PR, +15lbs)
2x 0x 335 (hands gave out)

3x 3x 275
ss w/3x 30 sec. Planks (was running out of time, so cut these short)

Quick stretches and ran to get home before wife was likely to begin fuming.

Videos:
315 first to compare with the 335 after

MVI 5622 - YouTube

MVI 5622 - YouTube

MVI 5623 - YouTube

MVI 5623 - YouTube

So, I've been reading and watching about deadlifts all week and something Diesel Crew said about narrowing your feet if you're good off the floor, helps your hips come thru better, so I did that and I like it.

However, the biggest thing most people mentioned (including Pull, thanks!)was getting a big gulp of air. As well as to not didle around getting set up. Just lower my hips until my shins touched the bar and immediately pull back on the bar while pushing my feet down. Both of those things really seemed to work! I was way tighter and I felt like I was pulling back instead of up.

I think my hips stayed lower and I felt like I had better leverage. I need more practice for sure, but the first two with 335 really felt solid. Then my hands gave out, but truth be told even if they didn't give out, those reps would have been merciless grinders if I made them at all!

Oh well, I'll hit them all next week, then I'm scheduling a deload the week after that no matter what.

Now, just a thought about my grip. Obviously, it was good on the first big one as I even held that one a bit, but after the second rep, grip went downhill quick. Maybe too many warmups (probably), but maybe I should think about straps? Maybe I should go until my hands give out, then strap up to finish the required reps? Will that mean my hands can keep up the next time around?
Or is that counter productive? Or am I destined for straps forever once you go to them? Maybe when your hands give out it's a signal that you're body is saying that's enough with that weight?

My gut says no straps, as my grip does keep improving pretty steadily. I don't want to derail that.

Anyway, there you go. 855 total to date of video'd lifts. 900 is getting very close now.

Onward and upward.

[BigJosh]

(sarcastic tone) Oh, what a surprise.....another PR.....
Just kiddig. Great work Mike. I really enjoy watching you progress. You consistently put in some really good effort.
Onward and Upward!

[tank]

the scheduled deload is regulated in your program? i only ask because (and please correct me if i am wrong guys) most i've the training philosophy shared here advocates deloads only when physically necessary. do you feel like you need a deload? i'm just curious and wanted to hear your thoughts, rather than suggest any alternative.