Road to 400 Log - JP Fitness Forums

I. Kay · 08-30-2004, 11:41 AM

Hi guys. As stated in a previous post, my goal right now is to pull a 405 deadlift by Christmas.

Current stats:
5'10", 162 lbs.
Deadlift Best: 325 lbs.
Routine: Ian King's Limping, accompanied by a 4x6 upper-body routine in between. This upper-body maintenance day changes every 3 weeks, along with IK's Limping schedule (and also because I thought it worked well for me while doing the Book of Muscle).

My last workout, Saturday 8/28;

Wide-grip Deadlifts
Warmup:
10-95
8-135
6-185
2x6 - 225

Sumo Deadlift (adjusted from regular grip in the given routine)
12-95 (couldn't pull off the 15-20 range. I felt unwanted cramping in my hands, so I stopped before it actually hurt.)

Russian Deadlifts
Warmup 10-BAR
One work set: 10-95

Good Mornings (head to knees)
one work set: 15-BAR

King Deadlifts
6 - 20 lb DB's, each leg

I went light for the most part, as is recommended on day 1 of any Ian King phase. I also have a history of lower back problems, so all the Russian DL/Good Mornings make me a little wary.

I feel good though.

My upper-body day looks like this:

supersetted:
Neutral-grip DB bench press 4x6
BB Bent-over Rows 4x6

Weighted Chinups 4x6
Weighted Dips 4x6

No direct shoulder work yet. The bench and dips hit them well enough for now, and I don't want to risk further injury.

I. Kay · 08-30-2004, 11:48 AM

Workout nutrition looks like this:

Shake is 75g malto/dextrose, 30g whey.
I drink it from 5 minutes before the workout, throughout, and finish off the last 1/3 post.

30-45 minutes later I have another 25g/10g malto/whey shake.

One hour after that I have another carb/protein hit, usually something like a tuna sandwhich or rice and ground beef, etc. with 1 cup of of mixed peppers and canola or olive oil.

Supplementation:
Morning multi-vitamin.
Night - ZMA.
Current favorite bedtime food: cottage cheese with walnuts.

Ikan Twin · 08-30-2004, 07:30 PM

good luck with this Rockhard. i bet deadlifting 405 is gonna feel pretty damn good.

I. Kay · 08-30-2004, 07:44 PM

Thanks, Ikan! Yes it will feel pretty good. I'm flying down to see my parents at Christmas, and I've told them that they'll be able to take some digital pics of me doing the lift. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

If the picture-taking works out, I'll post it here. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

By the way, does my upper-body routine look solid? I don't want to flag too much on any important muscles... especially if it will inhibit my deadlifting.

Ikan Twin · 08-30-2004, 09:27 PM

you are definately doing quality movements there for upper body. as a fellow member of the "bad lower back" club, be careful on the bent over rows...these messed up my back on 2 different occasions, now i don't do them anymore (the last time i was carefully warming up!).

not sure what days you are working out or how many per week? if i remember from reading it, limping consists of 2 leg days/week? if so, are you doing that upper body thing one day/week?

I. Kay · 08-30-2004, 10:14 PM

Yeah. It's
Tuesday : Limping Day 1
Thursday : Upper Body
Saturday : Limping Day 2

You think adding another day for different upper body movements would be good?

Ikan Twin · 08-31-2004, 12:17 PM

i'm no expert by any means, but yeah, i don't see why not. my training age is about 20 months, & i've switched to 4-days/week (westside) without overtraining. everybody's body is different, so see how you feel. if you regret going to the gym, you are probably overtraining. if you feel you are progressing just fine as is, then maybe you shouldn't change anything. maybe some of the in-house experts can chime in on this one.

jpete23 · 09-01-2004, 09:01 AM

When maxing out on deads are you using a belt? I don't ever use one but I want to find out my 1 RM and I have never tried to max out. I am not sure if I should use a belt for this or not.

I. Kay · 09-01-2004, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jpete23:
[qb] When maxing out on deads are you using a belt? I don't ever use one but I want to find out my 1 RM and I have never tried to max out. I am not sure if I should use a belt for this or not. [/qb]

I never use a belt for deadlifts. I did use them for a short while on squats, while recovering from one of my lower-back strains.

I. Kay · 09-01-2004, 08:40 PM

Limping - Quad Day - week 5

Med. Stance Squats
10 - BAR
8 - 105 (+10 from last week)
6 - 145 (+10)
2x6 - 195 (+10)
10 - 105 (+10)

Breathing Squats
20 - 115 (+20)

Static Lunges
10 - 2-25's, each leg (+10)

Single-Leg Squats
8 each leg

Really felt it deep in my quads tday, much more so than last week. King always makes you more aware of your deeper muscles, which seems to make it easier to incorporate them into the lifts.

Breathing squats were good, though I got a little dizzy around rep 16. What a test to make myself stick to the 311 tempo, when all I want at that point is to zip through the last 4 and put that BB down!!! [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

I. Kay · 09-02-2004, 05:38 PM

DB Bench Press : 4x6 - 55's
BB Bent-over Rows : 4x6 - 145

Started my chinups, power went out, they asked everyone to leave.

Will complete the chinups/dips tomorrow morning.

*It's been an uphill climb to regain upper-body strength after hurting my shoulders and backing away from presses/rows for a while. I didn't realize that a month off would be so costly! (I checked and I'm about where I was 4 weeks before I hurt my shoulder.)

I. Kay · 09-05-2004, 04:22 PM

Wide-grip Deadlifts
Warmup:
10-95
8-145 (+10)
6-195 (+10)
2x6 - 235 (+10)

Sumo Deadlift (adjusted from regular grip in the given routine)
12-135 (+45)

Russian Deadlifts
Warmup 10-BAR
One work set: 8-135 (+45)

Good Mornings (head to knees)
one work set: 10-65 (+20)

King Deadlifts
10 - bodyweight, each side (much better ROM than last time)

I. Kay · 09-07-2004, 05:19 PM

Chinups : 6,6,5,4
Dips : with 25 lb. plate - 4x6

Rope Pulldowns : 3x6 - 100
Hammer Curls : 3x6 - 25's

Chinups caused a little wrist discomfort again.

I. Kay · 09-08-2004, 07:13 PM

Limping, week 6, day 1

Med. Stance Squats
10 - 65 (+20)
8 - 115 (+10 from last week)
6 - 155 (+10)
5 - 205 (+10)
6 - 185
10 - 115 (+10)

Breathing Squats
20 - 125 (+10)

Static Lunges
10 - 30's, each leg (+5 each)

Single-Leg Squats
8 each leg

Bought a grip-ball today. Cheap. Hoping it well aid in chinups and deadlift endurance.

DKing · 09-08-2004, 11:30 PM

Add in some thick or regular barbell holds and farmers walks. They will have a bit more carryover to the grip strength you are looking for.

Danny

I. Kay · 09-09-2004, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by DKing:
[qb] Add in some thick or regular barbell holds and farmers walks. They will have a bit more carryover to the grip strength you are looking for.

Danny [/qb]

Will do! Thanks. I have a BB here in my room. Kinda normal/thin, but I can certainly wrap an old shirt around it and hold it while wathcing TV!

GqArtguy · 09-10-2004, 12:15 PM

Good Mornings (head to knees)
one work set: 10-65 (+20)

How are you doing your goodmornings? Are you actually lowering yourself to the point where your head is to your knees? Are you bending over or shooting your butt out and bending with the hips?

I concur with bar holds and stuff. You might want to do holds for time on DL day and do something else such as 45 degree hammer holds for time for 3 sets on your squat days. That way you work forearm stength and grip with ample rest.

I. Kay · 09-10-2004, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by GqArtguy:
[qb] Good Mornings (head to knees)
one work set: 10-65 (+20)

How are you doing your goodmornings? Are you actually lowering yourself to the point where your head is to your knees? Are you bending over or shooting your butt out and bending with the hips?

I concur with bar holds and stuff. You might want to do holds for time on DL day and do something else such as 45 degree hammer holds for time for 3 sets on your squat days. That way you work forearm stength and grip with ample rest. [/qb]

I'm sticking my butt out, bending at the hips and getting my head about 6-8 inches from my thighs. I feel it big time in my hams, and it also feels great on my lower back, kinda like a great stretch after the deadlifts.

I'll be doing bar-holds for sure. I've got a bar at home with an old shirt wrapped around it from when I used to practice squat form. I'll be doing them at home in front of the ol' TV.

GqArtguy · 09-10-2004, 06:16 PM

Ok it just sounded weird. I usually do them arched and to parallel so when you said head to your knees I thought you were doing some serious rounding.

I dont remember what Russian Deadlifts are, but if those arent doing anything for, you may want to just do GMs for a few sets. And since youre more for strength anyway, possibly consider changing it to a 3-4*5 that way youre doing similar amount of reps and more work. GMs will pay huge dividens to your squat and dead down the road.

I. Kay · 09-10-2004, 08:09 PM

Gq: Until this past summer I wouldn't have been able to go that deep on GM's!

Russian Deads are basically like GM's, just to parallel, and I have the bar lower on my back. I was a little confused too when I read that King was having us do Russian Deads and THEN GM's. What's the difference? It seems it's really just a matter of going lighter in order to allow for a deeper range.

Would you say I should change the rep scheme, even though it's part of the prescribed routine?