The Road to 500lb Deadlift and Beyond

[quote]Pistol Pete wrote:
Im 30 years old.

I just started doing Wendlers 5/3/1. 4 days a week. Each day starts with one designated main lift. Dead lift, Military press, Squat, then Bench. Each workout I add two sometimes three assistant lifts after the main lift.

I just started, so I cant say much else about it. From what I have read a lot of people have had success with it.

My Squat has been a problem due to injuries. I am going to try to train squats on Friday. I hope with enough warm up and stretching and perhaps some knee wraps I will be alright. I also just started taking joint supplements. Surgery is the last option.

My squat max is probably around 330 or so. Hard to say. All squats are done below parallel. It is definitely a weak point I need to work on.[/quote]

Well if you’re 30 then I’d say you have about 20 more years of lifting in you easy so hopefully I’ll be seeing a Road to 600lb Deadlift Log soon.

What exactly is wrong with your knee? I know from personal experience and reading other logs that squat strength and deadlifting strength are highly correlated. Its terrible that your knees give you trouble and probably prevent you from putting up the poundages you are capable of.

I hope it doesn’t come to surgery. Just on this site alone there are literally hundreds of prehab exercises and tissue repair methods that probably could do you a world of good. It amazes me sometimes that doctors are quick to recommend surgery or inactivity when just a few months of the right things can make the problem almost disappear.

I know when I squat I go ATG and it really works my glutes once I got below parallel and especially on the way up. That probably really helped with my pulling ability. So how’s your glute firing? Do you engage them when you pull or do you feel it more in your hammies and lower back?

If anyone is inspiring anyone here its that you’re inspiring me.
Most people in our society are content to live a life of nothing. Nobody wants to do anything that is hard or that isn’t instantly gratifying. The group of people probably most guilty of this is folks in your age group. They have a job they hate and they think its too late to change careers. They’re in debt and just accept it as a fact of life. Most of all though they are alot fatter and out of shape compared to when they were young and they have zero will power to change.

You sir are spitting in their fucking face. Most people are settling into their death routine at 30 and you are on a quest to pick 500lbs up off the ground. I’m young and have drive but what I really want is to have drive when I’m your age. You have it and I know you’ll achieve your goal.

[quote]Pistol Pete wrote:
I was feeling like I needed a pick me up. You know what I mean? Thanks to coming from a long line of people with mental illness…Life can be hell. Depression is a bitch.{Putting it mildly} What better way to pick myself up I thought than a new personal record. Better than laying in the fetal position rocking back and forth staring at the wall. Seems I never get any better doing that.[/quote]

Ha! Well I don’t know what you’re dealing with but it seems like to me you’re doing just fine because you are consistent with your working out and you are trucking along towards your goal. Sounds like you’re doing good to me.

[quote]
Dead Lift
135-5
225-3
315-1
365-1
405-1
435-1PR
445-1PR Up from 425 two weeks ago or so. Anger is good.

I feel better now.[/quote]

Out fucking standing! Pretty soon you’ll be using the 25s on there. Keep at it.

I don’t know if you want any advice at all, but I used to train much like you and at 30 I keep getting so injured I had to take about 2 years off from anything heavy. Part of my problem was too frequent lifting, not enough high rep accessory stuff.

I am now doing 1ME movement 3 times a week and then accessory stuff above 10 reps for that ME movement.

If you look at the over 35 lifter page and go to Fat guy in a little coat, maraudermeat talks about this a few pages back and he is wicked strong.

Just a thought.

Well if you’re 30 then I’d say you have about 20 more years of lifting in you easy so hopefully I’ll be seeing a Road to 600lb Deadlift Log soon.

What exactly is wrong with your knee? I know from personal experience and reading other logs that squat strength and deadlifting strength are highly correlated. Its terrible that your knees give you trouble and probably prevent you from putting up the poundages you are capable of.

I hope it doesn’t come to surgery. Just on this site alone there are literally hundreds of prehab exercises and tissue repair methods that probably could do you a world of good. It amazes me sometimes that doctors are quick to recommend surgery or inactivity when just a few months of the right things can make the problem almost disappear.

I know when I squat I go ATG and it really works my glutes once I got below parallel and especially on the way up. That probably really helped with my pulling ability. So how’s your glute firing? Do you engage them when you pull or do you feel it more in your hammies and lower back?

If anyone is inspiring anyone here its that you’re inspiring me.
Most people in our society are content to live a life of nothing. Nobody wants to do anything that is hard or that isn’t instantly gratifying. The group of people probably most guilty of this is folks in your age group. They have a job they hate and they think its too late to change careers. They’re in debt and just accept it as a fact of life. Most of all though they are alot fatter and out of shape compared to when they were young and they have zero will power to change.

You sir are spitting in their fucking face. Most people are settling into their death routine at 30 and you are on a quest to pick 500lbs up off the ground. I’m young and have drive but what I really want is to have drive when I’m your age. You have it and I know you’ll achieve your goal.

[/quote]

I appreciate the encouragement my friend. It helps.

I definitely feel it in my glutes and hammies. I have huge glutes.{Dont hear too many dudes bragging about the size of there ass, I know}and my hammies are ahead of my quads.{Maybe my hammy quad imbalance is a cause for some of the knee pain???} My genetics are such that my glutes and traps grow like crazy and the rest of my muscles need to get the hell beat out of them to grow at a slow rate.

My line of work was very physically intensive for over 10 years. I was moving over 15 tons of material{hay bails} by hand a day at times in very awkward positions. I also had a number of hard falls from high up that didnt help. I fell over 15 feet face first on to solid steel plate. This is the cause of my knee problems. I had surgery on my right knee 4 years ago. They both hurt…but mainly my right.

I am taking Universal joint supplements and cissus. I just ran out of Flameout. I will be ordering more today, I notice a difference when I dont take it. I also bought some knee wraps. I will be trying them out tonight.

[quote]Free2Be wrote:
I don’t know if you want any advice at all, but I used to train much like you and at 30 I keep getting so injured I had to take about 2 years off from anything heavy. Part of my problem was too frequent lifting, not enough high rep accessory stuff.

I am now doing 1ME movement 3 times a week and then accessory stuff above 10 reps for that ME movement.

If you look at the over 35 lifter page and go to Fat guy in a little coat, maraudermeat talks about this a few pages back and he is wicked strong.

Just a thought.[/quote]

I appreciate the advice. One of the main reasons for doing this log is for advice from guys like yourself.

You have a very good point. I aint 20 any more. Maybe some adjustments to my training are in order. I will check Maraudermeat’s comments out. You got me thinking. Thank you.

Squats
135-5
185-5
225-5
255-5
285-3
315-2
Taking it easy on these still. Didnt have much pain. Maybe the supplements I am taking are working.
Single Legged Presses
3 sets each leg/high reps

Bent Over Rows
135-8
165-8
185-5-2
Felt weak today. Sore as hell from the shrugs yesterday.

Bench Press
135-5
155-5
185-3
225-3
255-2
Dead Lift
135-5
225-3
315-3
365-2
405-2
455-0 Got it to my knees. Backing off next week
405-2

Hyper Extensions
4 sets of high reps with 20 lb ball

T-Bar Rows
90-8
115-8
145-8
145-6

Standing Abdominal Pull Downs
4 sets ramped to 110lbs

Im pooped. Should have never gone for that PR on the Dead Lift. Dont know what I was thinking. I will back way off next week.

I cant seem to stick to a set program.

Squats
135-8
185-5
225-5
275-5-2
225-8

Seated Military Press
135-5
155-5
185-5
195-3

Barbell Rows

135-5
225-5-3

Power Shrugs

225-8
365-6-3
Knees felt fine. Maybe the supplements are working? I haven’t gone all out on squats in a while. Next week I will go full intensity with knee wraps. Im hoping for 315 atg for five reps.

Been in a slump mentally. Im hoping to get my head out of my ass and really start focusing on my training like I want to. My diet has been shit at best. Thats got to change.

Bench Press
135-5
155-5
205-5
245-3
235-3
225-3
Incline Dumbbell Press
80s-8
90s-6
Had pain in right delt, stopped there.

Pull Ups
25 body weight reps done with in three minutes or so.

Skull Crushers
105-8
135-8-2
135-6

Grip Work

Plate Pinches with 25s and 35s
First time doing these. I figure it cant hurt. I recently purchased and am using a heavy gripper 250 as well.

My knees are doing great. I think the foam rolling and supplements have worked, along with backing off the intensity a bit. No pain at all!! Best they have felt in a while.

Tomorrow will be ME squats. I think I am going start working on my squat and bench more and back off the dead lift volume a bit.
May be instead of the standard dead lift I will do some variations.

Feeling good for now.

You have some really strong shoulders. We have about the same bench, yet you MP atleast 40 more lbs.

Training is looking good bro…How much fish oil you taking in a day?

[quote]Alpha wrote:
Training is looking good bro…How much fish oil you taking in a day?[/quote]

I take 3-4 flame out capsules a day. Although I just ran out. I ordered two more bottles today.

[quote]BlackLabel wrote:
You have some really strong shoulders. We have about the same bench, yet you MP atleast 40 more lbs.[/quote]

I have always had a really weak chest compared to the rest of my body. There was a time many years ago I could bench 340 or so though. Hopefully in a couple months I will be back in the three hundreds again.

[quote]Pistol Pete wrote:
Alpha wrote:
Training is looking good bro…How much fish oil you taking in a day?

I take 3-4 flame out capsules a day. Although I just ran out. I ordered two more bottles today.[/quote]

To try and help the inflammation of your joints ( you mentioned earlier in the log) you may want to up that amount…it is the only thing that keeps me able to do what i do bro. Without it my body aches a LOT!

[quote]Alpha wrote:
Pistol Pete wrote:
Alpha wrote:
Training is looking good bro…How much fish oil you taking in a day?

I take 3-4 flame out capsules a day. Although I just ran out. I ordered two more bottles today.

To try and help the inflammation of your joints ( you mentioned earlier in the log) you may want to up that amount…it is the only thing that keeps me able to do what i do bro. Without it my body aches a LOT! [/quote]

I will keep that in mind. I will try that next time I get some extra inflamation in my joints.

Dead Lift
135-5
225-5
315-3
365-1
415-1
415-1
415-1
415-1

I tried something different.
I took a barbell, loaded it with 5 35lb plates, jammed the empty end in a corner…got in a sumo stance…choked the bar right below the plates. I focused hard on pulling the bar back, jamming the bar in the wall as hard as I could as well as pulling it up. Kind of a sumo dead lift barbell row. I was surprised at how well I could feel my lats working on this…especially the harder I would pull and lean back. I also got good tension in the hams glutes and calves.

I dont know if that made sense. I definitely will try that again. Kind of fun to experiment a little every now and again.

5 sets 6-8 reps

Hammer strength rows and reverse grip pull downs/high reps

The high rep stuff felt good. Been a while since I have done it. Im getting older. I will probably incorporate it more in my training.

Squats
135-5
185-5
225-5
255-5
295-3
255-7

Single Legged Presses
4 sets with high reps

I need to start squatting more.

Standing Overhead Press
85-5
95-5
120-5
130-5
150-5
170-5

Pull Ups
BW-5
BW-25-4

Every day that goes by that I dont stick a gun in my mouth, is a blessing.
Happy Happy Joy Joy. Training is shit. My life is shit.

Dead Lift
185-5
225-5
265-3
275-5
320-5
365-5

Im in survival mode. Making it to the gym is a victory.

At least you are not making lame excuses and are getting there to grind some training out. That’s something in itself–I hope things get better for you soon