Alex_uk: 40 years in the making

Training Training Logs
4093

For the first time ever I used a laptop to reply, wanted to give a full response - took about half an hour typing, the laptop crashed and I lost the response, super annoying.

Back to the phone (because this keeps the reply even if it does crash!) and a less full response.

Again massive love to this forum for the collective wisdom, time and effort given to helping me.

@KonsuTheTraveller you’re right I don’t think I’ve ever done targeted accessory work for deadlifts, I’ve always felt like I wasn’t at a place that warranted it, like I just need to get stronger all over. Looking back at how badly my deadlift has progressed it might well be time to try something different.

Weakness wise, I’d say I can’t really put my finger on it, since my form always seems to be the first thing to go, however @wiseman83 mentioned glutes and just from a visual, they’re lacking, so I think it makes sense to at least start with some targeted work there. You mentioned the rack pulls, funny thing is any time I elevate a bar, regardless of height, I feel significant increase in lower back pressure/pain, deficit truly is easier than elevated for me.

That table’s great as well, keeping that!

Form wise, I’m really inconsistent, I think @simo74 is right, shoulders forward over the bar, shins probably too close, but it changes most pulls.

Wiseman mentioned cerebral and I would like to say I do try, which is why my form shifts mid set on some of the videos, but definitely something to work on as well. You also mentioned KB swings and connecting the muscles during the movement (or waking them up!), my most productive program ever was dark horse, which had KB swings in a giant set immediately prior to deadlifts, might well be on to something there.

The plan is:

Accessories - glute work: reverse lunges and Bulgarians give me glute DOMs, that’s got to be worth something, I’ll start there. I want to build on daily work, well let’s add bw GHRs and light banded pull throughs, won’t impact recovery (after initial acclimatisation) but will help build awareness and hopefully some strength and size.

Technique - I’ve always just been a meathead here and thought that as long as it isn’t hurting grind it out and get bigger and stronger and it’ll be fine. Problem is I’m not progressing and I want to, my form it’s so inconsistent that I have to find out what technique works for me and ingrain it so that I pull consistently with that form. I’m going to be spending a session just pulling with a variety of different set ups and recording them all, finding which one is best and then working on really drilling that form.

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4094

On a different note, shockingly to me, my weight this morning went up - 207, which might mean the 205 from the other day was a fluctuation, or today’s might be (probably why weighing daily is a bad idea) or I’m inflamed and carrying extra water - my guts have been a bit off (too much garlic), could also be that even with single ingredient healthy, non dense foods I now possess the ability to overeat (which would be novel).

I got the walk done this morning, about 40 mins just over 2 miles.

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4095

I agree about some pre deadlift work for the glutes. And maybe hams.

And about the Cerebral Effort to lift “right” and avoid the “wrong” technique on each rep. That’s probably the biggest thing. Then using weights low enough to avoid the “fight or flight” desperation shift to form.

The deadlift variations are cool, but you’ll need to think about driving hips to bar vs ramping whichever stance or bar height you use.

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4096

Fuck that bar. Literally.

RE weighing daily, I actually recommend that. It will be different everyday, we just take an average over a week, or longer, for adjustments, or not.

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4097

From Brian at 10:55, “the problem is pulling the bar back towards the butt, instead of pushing the butt to the bar.”

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4098

17/01/25 - AM

A) ab rollout - 6
B) press up - 12
C) chin up - 6
D) 24kg KB swings - 12
E) 24kg KB goblet squat - 6

X3

54 cals on the rower (@SvenG this isn’t to beat you by 1 cal, it’s just that when I stop the thing carries on for a few secs and give me the extra).

With the KB swings I made sure to focus on really engaging the glutes, particularly at the top, was thinking of @wiseman83 and @FlatsFarmer comments above about butt to bar, and treating the the top of the swing as though I was locking out a deadlift, and at the bottom of the swing trying to generate the movement from the glutes.

Moved slower and focused on movement quality throughout, still got the lungs and heart going, I’m I’m poor condition!

The last 24/48 hours have been a little low on the drive/motivation front, I took the farmers handles, weights and sandbag to the station last night, but come end of drill I sat down for a cup of tea and a chat instead, took to 11am to get up and do this little bit this morning, haven’t eaten yet (tend to keep walking and this kind of work fasted) but really I should have either gone back to the station first thing and done the carries and loads session or got this done earlier and eaten already! A couple of poor nights of sleep makes me want to join procrastination nation instead of T-nation.

Going for a walk now, then breakfast at lunch time.

Daily weigh in at 207.75 - I agree @wiseman83 I track my weight daily regardless of gaining/losing just so I know my body and it’s reactions, that’s why I was surprised it went up, really unusual for me, normal service resumed today though.

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4099

I get some crazy swings on days where I’ve altered my diet. Such as a night out with friends for dinner, or a grubby take out with the wife. Despite it all being tracked well, the fluctuation the next day is WILD Wild. Wild, but in capitals. I’m talking up 2.3kg, or over 4lbs.

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4100

Haha you should try to see if you can PR a weight swing, next time you’re planning a takeaway in advance (dunno if that’s a thing, takeaways are mostly spontaneous for us) spend a week doing something like PSMF, get real low carb and all depleted.

Hit a 40 min walk and ate some slightly less clean than usual food, bacon eggs and beans.

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4101

17/01/25 - PM

45M W2 B5 D24 (23 owing)

Strength
SSB squat: 60, 100kg x 5, 120, 140, 160kg X 2
S/s
Bandy twisty things: black band x 5 e/s x 5 sets

140kg:

160kg:

Volume:
SSB squat: 130kg x 2 X 8 sets + 4 reps EMOM
(Felt good enough to hit 4 reps on the penultimate minute so just rolled the two sets together).

Change to schedule, shift the gym around, create some space to film and
Deadlift technique fun:

Change of camera location

Watch through the vids after every section of video, the first few were at a crappy angle but coupled with how I felt about it, I had a few things in my mind, and 1 thing I came it with, I came in with the thought that I divebomb my deadlifts, I feel uncomfortable in the bottom position, but that is probably psychological, because my mobility isn’t that bad. It’s probably come from the fear of missing a lift and trying to take advantage of stretch reflex, so I tried to get comfortable slowing down the set up.

From the videos and the playing around with set up, I decided things felt better with my hips slightly lower to start, kept my feet very slightly further back than normal, which I think did keep the bar path a little straighter, I focused on getting tight at the bottom and trying my best to get my bum to the bar, rather than vice versa. I kept getting heavier because it all felt very smooth and didn’t feel like form was breaking down, then 180kg happened and it was ramped, if you have volume up you’ll hear me laughing at myself.

More practice needed, comments very much welcome.

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4102

Dude!
That’s awesome. In my opinion you’re 100% on track and I can 100% see you trying to do what you’re supposed to be doing. Great work. The lightest sets look good, each rep improves. The single with 140 looked really bad, but then 160 looked really good. Improvement!

Thinking about “practice”; a couple days ago Konzu mentioned pulling reps “Touch n Go” style. As you’re practicing moving forward you might think about using multiple sets of 2-3 reps, in the touch n go style. That way you still get good “dead stop”, first reps. Plus you get practice lowering the bar and staying engaging in the bottom position on the 2nd and 3rd reps.

Also, have you checked out Wiseman’s deadlift? He does a great job of being patient, but not slow and of fucking the bar, but under control in the deadlift. good timing. Check it out.

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4103

Thanks Flats! Appreciate it.

I’m trying to initiate every rep with my quads infact. I don’t want my hips or low back moving at all first. I want all that locked in, and I can’t have that if I try and do a rep any faster.

I still stuff it up occasionally. Usually a second rep is my best rep if you watch a few.

I’ve worked with a few deadlift coaches, some want higher hip, some lower. But the constant is that patient execution, squeeze the weight off the floor, rather than pull it.

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4104

To add, I often get sore Abs also after a session with a little more volume. Such is the pressure I’m accumulating there also. The squeeze is immense. And it’s everywhere.

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4105

Your home set up is sick! How long did it take you to put all that together?

4106

Fantastic to hear thanks flats.

I read your comment and thought, wonder what’s wrong with the 140, they felt good, then I checked turns out I uploaded the 180kg twice and labelled one of them 140, must have accidentally deleted the 140 footage.

Great idea, will do.

I have now (well I had before but now checked it out with a view to my own) very deliberate pulling, impressive control.

[quote=“wiseman83, post:4103, topic:267729”] if I try and do a rep any faster
[/quote]

Interesting, I had loads going through my head with that last deadlift session, I don’t really think quad engagement was very high there, more to think about, particularly this:

Yup I actually noticed this yesterday, it was a first for me, really being intentional with getting tight, I’m sure that’ll improve as well as I’m practicing it.

Thanks, it’s a bit messy, but it works. I got the rack, weights and my first barbell in 2017 added to it over the years, it’s like a neverending process once you start, there’s always something shiny and new! I tend to add one or two big purchases every 12-18 months, I’ve got room to expand the footprint of the garage (which would be ideal, get the treadmill and rower out of the conservatory) but that’s a bigger project and it’s not a big enough priority to commit the finances to, unfortunately.

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4107

I only do touch n go for multiple rep sets. I think it forces me to replicate my form in reverse as I go down for the next rep. I can also get more reps thanks to a bit of stretch reflex.

My coaching cue for my students is “hips down, chest up”. I’m using it to teach what a flat back feels like. From there I want the bar, their hips, knees, and shoulders to all move in unison. To do that, your hips and chest should stay in the same relative position to one another as you lift.

Lastly, what are you thinking when you lift the bar? I think of pushing the floor away like a leg press machine. That mental cue helped me defeat my habit of letting my hips shoot up during a tough rep. It also got my quads involved. If I do an all out heavy set (like back when I did 400 something for 11 reps), my quads are toast when I finish. Hips down, chest up, lock everything in, push the floor away and don’t let anything move in regards to your chest or hips.

That’s what works for me.

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4108

Agree with this. I saw 140 and though errmmmmm !! But 160 was much much better

I would hang out at that weight for a bit and get in lots of reps. I always like sets of 6 for deadlift.

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4109

Yea I think I’m going to take Flats recommendation here, TnG for 2-3.

I have a suspicion my form would break and I would be too stubborn not to finished the set by this point, I think whilst I’m really trying to ingrain good form I’ll keep it slightly lower.

I think 2-3 reps will allow me to get a good TnG effect whilst allowing me more sets so I get the set up practice.

Looking back I still don’t have a particular “up” chest, I can see that I’m trying to force it, by lifting my head and then correcting that because I don’t want my neck at that angle whilst lifting.

I feel this, when I get a set that feels really good and locked in, particularly TnG I feel like I’m in a leg press, I’ll try and keep that in mind for every set/rep.

Haha that was the 180 mislabeled, but yea big ermmmm! 160 for reps seems like the sweet spot of where I challenge myself but keep the form good.

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4110

I didn’t train yesterday, I was carrying a fair bit of fatigue (lower back particularly, slightly stiff but nothing major and to be expected after doing heavy squats immediately followed by heavy deads). I didn’t get a dedicated walk in either, but ran some errands and probably hit a few thousand steps.

I don’t generally train on Sunday’s either, but did get the walk in, I put Strava on, turns out a route I previously thought was 2 miles was 1.8, good to know I suppose.

Morning weight 204 point something.

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4111

Musing - this is 4lb down since start of T-ransformation (photos uploaded 26 days ago), this will be the slowest I’ve ever lost weight, I’m ok with that as it’s intentional, I don’t want to get flat and look washed out/scrawny/stringy, as I’ve felt previously.

This was initially intended to be a small fluff cut until the end of the month, followed by a return to gaining for 10-12 weeks and then a slightly more aggressive cut for 4-6 weeks before a cruise.

Now I’ve got a weekend away with friends and there’s a pool, I’ll be the most in shape person there and the pool may not even be a big thing on the weekend, but part of me is tempted to push this on, it’ll be an extra 3 weeks, it’s probably pointless, but here’s my musing/rambling:

  • I can step it up a little and see how the pre-cruise cut will fair, see if it’s enough time - it’ll be 7 weeks so that will give me a really good handle on that can be achieved in the timescale.
  • The above will probably make the pre cruise cut shorter in duration, but also makes the window to gain shorter (I much prefer gaining).
  • I can keep it as is and reassess in two weeks, I’ll probably be 7lbs down total, I’d like to think this would be mostly fat, but not sure it’ll have as much visual impact as I’d like.
  • I can go all in on a longer slower cut, aiming for the original goal of shredded for cruise, keeping this rate of loss I’d be about 185, I’d really hope that was getting into shredded territory, might also make me look skinny - probably both? :man_shrugging:
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4112

For what it’s worth, I vote for the slow and steady approach. You’ll feel better while you’re cutting and you’ll lose less muscle if you take it slow!

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