Road to a 545 Deadlift

Training Logs
1

Hello all,

I’ve been lurking these forums since I was maybe a junior in high school (07) and finally decided to get a forum account last year with the goal of creating a training log. Unfortunately that never happened and I feel as I recommit myself to lifting, a training log would help.

A little background about myself:

I’m 19 years old entering my junior year of college. I started lifting freshman year in high school with a height of 4’11 and a bw. of 98 lbs. I started wrestling my sophomore year but never got serious into lifting until junior year when I hit a pr at that time of 225x1 on bench. I would say my hardest lifting came during freshman and the summer right before sophomore year of college. That summer I finished up another cycle of Sheiko and had a max bench of 305, deadlift of 475 and 335 squat. Unfortunately, sophomore year came around and I started to party and drink which made my numbers go to shit. I’ve recently re-evaluated myself, my body, and my goals and really want to get back into lifting and hopefully compete in a powerlifting meet around next fall semester. I’m posting this log to follow my progress through my completion of the 5/3/1 cycle.

As of right now, my 1rms. on the main lifts are 280 bench, 435 deadlift and a 315 squat with a current body weight of 140 lbs. and a height of 5’7". My goals are to re-break 300 on bench, hit 545 on deadlift and just get my squat higher as it’s my most lagging lift.

As for my diet, I eat about 2-3 times a day, I know I’m going to have to increase my food intake and I have started to eat 5 meals a day. The way I see it, and I might get flamed for this, I’ll try to eat as much as I can within a day no matter what it is just to get the meals in. As for supplementation I am currently taking creatine monohydrate (just finished loading), muscle milk collegiate, bcaa’s, glutamine, fish oil, and a good multivitamin. I’ve used all of these in my past years of lifting but fell sucker for those expensive gaspari, bsn, etc. products during high school.

As my log progresses I plan to upload videos of my main lifts during training once I get a hold of a camera

2

Alright so today is Monday which means it is the first day of my 5/3/1 program. I input my current working maxes as a 285 squat, 410 deadlift, 255 benchpress, and a 150 military press following the rule to subtract 10% from you current max.

Pre-workout drink: Creatine Monohydrate w/ water and a multivitamin

Workout music: Behemoth and Lamb of God

Monday = Squat

185 x 5
215 x 5
245 x 6

I really felt like I could get more than 6 reps on the 245 squat but I definitely felt my quads giving out on the reppage (word?). I’m not used to doing anything past 3-5 reps on my main lifts and can clearly see I have no muscle endurance. Hopefully this program will fix that flaw.

1 legged leg press

150 x 8
150 x 8
150 x 8

These are done on a machine since we our gym doesn’t have the leg press where you can load weights on it. Man I could definitely feel my quads giving out on this exercise. My glutes and hamstrings were fine, no strain at all but my quads were screaming for no more!

Smith Machine Calf Raises

225 x 12
225 x 12
225 x 12

I felt the burn in these as well, I have very small calves and a minor goal of mine is to bulk them up

Finished off the workout with 5 sets of cable crunches and called it a day

Post-workout drink: Muscle Milk Collegiate mixed w/ bcaas and creatine monohydrate

3

Wednesday

Pre-workout drink: Creatine monohydrate w/ water, multivitamin, and fish oil

Workout Music: Gojira

Bench

165 x 5
190 x 5
215 x 8

My chest definitely could have done more on the bench it felt like but after the 6th rep my triceps started to feel “numb” which I guess means I didn’t have any gas in the tank in those muscles ala. no muscle endurance again. I’m really feeling the 5 reps on my main lifts on this 5/3/1 program and I haven’t felt a burn like this since Sheiko. The reps seem to be my weak point, not the weight so hopefully my muscle endurance will build up.

Widegrip Bodyweight Pullups

10 x bw
9 x bw
7 x bw

When reading through Wendler’s 5/3/1 book, I read that the accesory lifts should be lifts designated towards building up strength for your main lifts while working on weak muscle groups. My weakest muscle group aside from my quads. is my upper back which I found out after deadlifting with bands last friday. So my goal on bench days is to build up my upper back strength. I can do 21 regular pullups but never incorporated them into a workout as I never heard of them helping my bench until the 5/3/1 book. I was very disappointed that I only got 10 the first set and even more that I couldn’t get 10 on the other 2

Dumbbell Incline Benchpress

80 x 10
80 x 10
80 x 6

Man doing 10 reps with 80 lbs. dbs really killed my chest and I just couldn’t press them after the 5th rep but managed to pump out a 6th. I’m thinking about switching this to incline with a barbell instead but I felt that incline with db would require more individual back stabilization. Any thoughts on this?

Kroc Rows w/ dumbbell

70 x 10
70 x 10
70 x 23

After the 20th rep I started to notice myself kind of lunge the dumbbell towards my body so I decided to slow down the reppage. Never did dumbbell rows past a set of 12 so I thought I’d give these Kroc rows a try. I’ve already fallen in love with them even though I didn’t appreciate the burn in my upper back.

I thought today was a pretty good workout except for the pullups, I really thought I could do a lot more widegrip pullups. Any suggestions on other accessory lifts to strengthen my upper back?

Friday is deadlifitng day which I can’t wait for, hopefully I’ll do my sets on those with bands.

Post-workout drink: Muscle Milk Collegiate mixed w/ bcaas and creatine monohydrate

4

Wow… very nice lifting, especially at your size. It looks like you have more than enough drive to get back to where you wear, plus some.

Good luck! Ill be watchin.

5

Nice lifting and incredibly awesome music choices

6

Thanks guys!

7

Friday

bw = bodyweight

Pre-workout drink: Creatine Monohydrate w/ water and a multivitamin

Workout Music: Stretched listening to some Black Milk, worked out to Heaven Shall Burn

Deadlift

270 x 5 w/ Pro Short Average Bands
310 x 5 w/ Pro Short Average Bands
340 x 12, no bands

Deadlift day is the day I look forward to all week. My philosophy on deadlift training for this 16 week 5/3/1 program is to train my sets with Pro Short Average bands on 5 and 3 days while going without bands on the 5/3/1 days and my max effort sets all weeks. My goal is to strengthen my back and make the bar feel as light as possible when I go without bands. But boy did I feel the shift from bands to no bands today on my last set. I was supposed to do the last set with 350 which I thought I had on the bar but was later told by a friend it was only 340 (stupid mistake.) Regardless, I still think 12 reps on 340 was good but not great. Last fall I got 12 reps on 405 so I’m hoping to work my way back up there. I’m thinking about investing in new chalk since the stuff I use is rock climbing chalk and the bar started to slip out of my hand on the 9th rep. I had to drop the weight, re-set my grip and bang out another a couple of reps. It slipped again on the 12th rep and I tried to re-set; I lifted but only got to my knee level before I gave up. My back was fried after those 12 reps. I’m gonna love band training over the course of this program.

Oh I pull Sumo instead of conventional. I believe I can only pull about 275-315 conventional as I think it’s more quad. dominant than Sumo. I can just lift big ass weight with Sumo!!!

Back extensions

bw x 15
bw x 15
bw x 15

I decided to do a light exercise for my back since it was completely fried after the deadlifts. Did this with about 3 minutes rest in between so I could give my back a break

Neck Bridges

bw x 20
bw x 20
bw x 20

Haven’t done these since wrestling during high school and decided to incorporate them into my workout today. It felt good to give my neck a workout but I’ve realized it’s gotten substantially stronger since then with no direct work at all. I’m going to have to find a different exercise I think to make and gains. Suggestions?

Barbell Shrugs

225 x 12
185 x 12
185 x 12

My lower part of my traps, were feeling a bit strained from deadlifting. I don’t believe my traps are particularly strong so I’d like to build some more strength there. However, I’ll be honest, I’m more focussed on getting them bigger than stronger since I just want to look like I have no neck!

Post-workout drink: Muscle Milk Collegiate w/ creatine monohydrate and BCAAS

8

[quote]Efeguwewe wrote:
As of right now, my 1rms. on the main lifts are 280 bench, 435 deadlift and a 315 squat with a current body weight of 140 lbs. and a height of 5’7". [/quote]

Strong bench and deadlift.

9

Sunday

Gym closed early today (sigh), was supposed to be my Military Press day. I’ll work in military press with my squats tomorrow, I’m just hoping my shoulders and triceps will recover in time for Bench Wednesday

10

[quote]Efeguwewe wrote:
Sunday

Gym closed early today (sigh), was supposed to be my Military Press day. I’ll work in military press with my squats tomorrow, I’m just hoping my shoulders and triceps will recover in time for Bench Wednesday[/quote]

2 days rest between workouts would almost definitly kill your bench… I would just wait to do them on your bench day, hell you could even skip em for a week.

11

[quote]BlackLabel wrote:

[quote]Efeguwewe wrote:
Sunday

Gym closed early today (sigh), was supposed to be my Military Press day. I’ll work in military press with my squats tomorrow, I’m just hoping my shoulders and triceps will recover in time for Bench Wednesday[/quote]

2 days rest between workouts would almost definitly kill your bench… I would just wait to do them on your bench day, hell you could even skip em for a week.[/quote]

Yeah perhaps you’re right, I think I’ll just throw them in on bench Wednesday

12

Week 2

Monday

Pre-workout Drink: Creatine Monohydrate w/ water

Workout Music: Heaven Shall Burn (been listening to Invictus) and Behemoth

Squat

200 x 3
230 x 3
260 x 6

Attempted a 7th rep on squat with 260 but my chin started to drop and my back started to round, hence it started to collapse and my spotter had to aid me the rest of the lift. If you haven’t noticed by my avatar, I really like the look of neck veins and when I saw mine popping out on my 7th rep, it kind of distracted me but nonetheless, the quads. are still weak. No excuses.

EZ Bar Curls

70 x 12
80 x 6
90 x 3

I was reading the new Tmuscle articles before I hit up the gym and was reading the sure fire fixes for weakpoints: biceps so I just had to train them today. My goal with bicep training is to get them stronger and somewhat big, just proportional to the rest of my arms, not one of my major “minor” goals for this workout cycle. I’ll train them when I feel like doing them

1 Legged Leg Press

170 x 8
170 x 8
170 x 8

These felt a lot easier them I remember doing them a week ago except for the 3rd set. My quads. started to burn out and I barely got the 8th rep on my left leg

Standing Alternating DB Curls

40 x 6
40 x 6
40 x 6

These are pretty much my go to exercise for bicep training. Feels the same as always, maybe I should up the weight

Smith Machine Calf Raises

185 x 12
185 x 12
185 x 12

I used less weight than last week because I wasn’t getting a full range of motion on the calf raise with 225 so I figured the weight I was using was too heavy. I stood on a box and let the heel of my foot drop past parallel with the box and then proceed to calf raise all the way up to my tippy toes. These felt like they were getting worked a lot better than last week.

Post-workout Drink: Muscle Milk Collegiate w/ BCAAS, Creatine Monohydrate, and a Multivitamin

13

Wednesday

Pre-workout Drink: Creatine Monohydrate w/ water

Workout Music: Arch Enemy

Bench

190 x 3
205 x 3
230 x 7

I’m pretty sure I got an 8th rep on 230 but I just grabbed a random dude to spot me. I was struggling with the bar but it was still ascending upwards when all of a sudden the guy decided to spot me. I explicitly told him not to spot me unless he saw the bar coming back down. Anyways I’ll just count it as 7 rep; I guess this is a new pr from last week considering I got 8 reps with 215 last week

Widegrip Bodyweight Pullups

bw x 10
bw x 9
bw x 6

Was definitely feeling these in my shoulders after benching. I didn’t take too long of a rest between them either, about 60 seconds.

Barbell Military Press

100 x 5
115 x 5
130 x 5

I threw these in today because I missed the designated day for them last Sunday due to the gym being closed. Instead of skipping the workout altogether, I just threw them in after benching. I know I could’ve gotten more than 5 reps with 130 but my shoulders were dead from benching and pullups. The bar was getting pressed easily but my muscles were so tired I could feel them when holding the bar at an idle position. Definitely could’ve gotten at least 8 if I did them on the proper day.

Kroc Rows w/ dumbbell

70 x 15
70 x 15
70 x 10

Last set I started to feel these in my lower back, not sure why; maybe due to me swinging them on the last couple of reps of my last set. I stopped at 10 because I didn’t want to get my lower back sore for deadlifting Friday.

Post-workout Drink: Muscle Milk Collegiate w/ BCAAS, Creatine Monohydrate, and a Multivitamin

14

Friday

Pre-workout Drink: Creatine Monohydrate w/ water

Workout Music: None, iPod died and was talking with a fellow T-Nationer for the duration of my workout

Deadlift

290 x 3 w/ Pro Short Average Bands
330 x 2 w/ Pro Short Average Bands
370 x 10, no bands

Today’s deadlift workout was a bit odd. First off, my 2nd set was supposed to be a set of 3 but my form was complete shit. I didn’t pump out my chest and didn’t explode through the hips which left me with a hunched back, add that with the Pro Short Average bands and the bar was just snapped down. I couldn’t believe it. So I sought to redeem myself through the failure set on 370. I hit 9 reps pretty easily but start to feel my grip slip on the 10th, so I thought if I re-adjusted my grip I could bang out a couple of more reps. I couldn’t even get the bar off the ground after the 10th. It was a good finish after a horrid set.

Neck Bridges

bw x 12
bw x 12
bw x 12

Nothing to really say here, felt great on the neck.

Barbell Shrugs

205 x 12
205 x 12
205 x 12

My grip strength was pretty much fried after the deadlifts so I breezed through these quickly. Could barely hold onto the bar after the 10th reps on all 3 sets and just wanted to get them over with. Didn’t really feel them in my traps rather, I was focussed on the bar not slipping out of my hands.

Post-workout Drink: Muscle Milk Collegiate w/ BCAAS, Creatine Monohydrate, and a Multivitamin

15

Forgot to post Sunday’s workout.

Sunday = None, Too busy playing COD MW2, I went to the gym thinking it wouldn’t be closed before 5pm but lo and behold, it was closed. Sundays I’m going to have to workout in the mornings.

16

Week 3

Monday

Pre-workout Drink: Creatine Monohydrate w/ water

Workout Music: Heaven Shall Burn when it was possible, talked to a fellow T-Nationer and another friend for the duration of my workout

Squat

215 x 5
245 x 3
275 x 5

Tried a different bar placement during today’s squat session. I guess the way I’ve been squatting for all these years have been a bodybuilder squat where the bar is placed on the highest point of my traps between my neck and with my hands placed outside the outer rings with the opposite of false grip (regular grip?). This was my first squat session I enjoyed since I felt my form was much more solid. I didn’t have a problem with my back rounding, or buttwinks (don’t know if that’s what they’re called), while I felt a lot more power being drawn from my glutes and hips. Now the problem that was pointed out to me is that I don’t push out with the knees, they tend to cave inwards. I really felt like doing another set with 275 but I was pretty dead. I’m going to enjoy getting my form perfected through this training cycle. I’ve been debating whether or not to get my stance a little wider, right now it’s about a little past shoulder width, but I’m afraid of longterm knee problems and I really want to focus on quad. development.

1 Legged Leg Press

150 x 10
150 x 10
150 x 10

I can’t seem to come to a conclusion on what the weight I should be using for this exercise. I think it’s going to be dependent upon how fried my quads are from squatting.

Smith Machine Calf Raises

205 x 12
205 x 12
205 x 12
205 x 12
205 x 12

I raised the volume on these calf raises as I believe they need much more stimulation. I’m under the impression that they are a stubborn muscle to grow so I figured if I throw in more volume, some growth will get produced and I can start seeing some physical results.

Abs - Modified crunches

I’d really like to regain the 8-pack I used to have before I started drinking and shit, so I’m going to start implementing the core complex I used to do that got me my “original” abs. Since I’ve had an 8 pack, I’m not content with just having a 6-pack. I really should focus on the strength of my core as that’ll benefit my main 3 lifts much better than how “cut” it is, but the vanity within me wants “hawt abz.”

Post Workout Drink: Ran out of Muscle Milk, used some other weight gainer that has 30g protein per serving w/ BCAAS, Multivitamin, and Creatine Monohydrate

I just a triple whopper with cheese from Burger King, that shit is disgusting

17

Wednesday

Pre-workout Drink: Creatine Monohydrate w/ water

Workout Music: Heaven Shall Burn, Behemoth, The Devil Wears Prada (Listened to then as a recommendation from a friend, don’t really like them)

Bench

190 x 5
215 x 3
245 x 5

Not much to say here really. I attempted a 6th rep but couldn’t get the bar off my chest. When I fail on bench, it’s always at the sticking point on my chest; if I can remotely get the bar off it’s more than likely I’ll get the rep. Any suggestions on how to strengthen that part of my bench?

Widegrip Bodyweight Pullups

bw x 11
bw x 8
bw x 6

Was able to pump out 1 more rep on my first set than last week, so I guess this is a new pr. I’m really feeling the burn on these in my lats and shoulders, nothing else really.

Barbell Military Press

105 x 3
120 x 3
135 x 5

Again, like last week, I missed these last Sunday so I incorporated them into my bench workout. Just like last time, I feel like if I did these on their designated day, I would get a couple of more reps than just 5.

Kroc Rows w/ dumbbell

70 x 12
70 x 12
70 x 12

I guess these wouldn’t really be Kroc rows as I just did 3 sets of 12. I think every bench day I’ll just do one full-out set of failure reps and see how many I can instead of doing multiple sets.

Post Workout Drink: 30g protein w/ BCAAS, Multivitamin, and Creatine Monohydrate

18

Friday

Have a video for you all today :slight_smile:

Pre-Workout Drink: Creatine Monohydrate w/ Water

Workout Music: Stretched to some Lupe Fiasco, got hyped with Arch Enemy

Deadlift

315 x 5
350 x 3
405 x 5

330 x 5
330 x 5
330 x 5

I was really hoping for more than 5 this week so I’m kind of disappointed with my performance. After being told that I was bouncing too much on the deadlift and watching a couple of Matt Kroc videos, I decided to completely let go of the bar at the ground and lift from there. I think if I bounced I could’ve gotten 6 or 7 reps but this felt a lot better. I’m going to start deadlifting like this from now on. I would really enjoy some feedback/critique on the video I uploaded.

I implemented the 3 x5 @ 80% (330) as a recommendation from Fischer613 which is expounded much more on his first post of this page:

I really felt like I got a much better deadlift workout this week vs. my previous weeks and will continue to implement his modified 3x5 @ 80 on all of my main lifts.

Shrugs

205 x 10
205 x 10
205 x 10

My grip strength was pretty much shot from the volume of deadlifting so I couldn’t go any heavier without sacrificing any range of motion.

Called it a day there, the second series of deadlift felt like a totally different exercise and I’m physically spent after doing them. Reminds me a lot of the insane volume from Sheiko

Postworkout Drink: 30g protein w/ BCAAS, Multivitamin, and Creatine Monohydrate

19

Video doesn’t seem to be working, maybe if I post this it’ll show up

Edit: There we go

20

You are stronger than me so take this with that grain of salt, but I noticed for sure that upper-back work had a direct result on my bench. I didn’t do shrugs, but I did do dumbell rows and pull-ups. A fuckton of pullups. I was doing 5x10 on pull ups and I got to 110x15 on DB rows. I stuck with 5 reps on the DB rows until I maxed the weights out at my gym and then I just started adding reps. I envy your deadlift, although our benching and squatting is about the same (you beat me a little on each). Keep up the great stuff man!