Totentanz Makes a Comeback

<div>
(abarlament @ Apr. 22 2007,10:20)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Over on elitefts.com they are having a sale on their instructional DVDs, the bench one and the squat/dl one, which are normally like $54, are only $6. I just got both. You could check one of them out if you want to learn visually instead of just reading articles.</div>
Thanks. I'll definitely check that out.
 
<div>
(quadancer @ Apr. 21 2007,20:58)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">All the rules in the world for bench brought me down to 3 things: slightly arched back, butt on the bench, and press from the sternum, using the lats as a springboard for the triceps. I guess you could add pinching the shoulderblades together as a fourth.
Can't go far wrong from there.  
smile.gif
 But I still hate benching.  
sad.gif
</div>
i used to put my legs up on the bench for strict form.but in the end,once i planted them on the floor pinched my butt and shoulders in,the pounds went on.

still hurts my shoulders going heavy,might go back to dumbells next cycle.
 
<div>
(Totentanz @ Apr. 22 2007,11:50)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE"><div>
(abarlament @ Apr. 22 2007,10:20)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Over on elitefts.com they are having a sale on their instructional DVDs, the bench one and the squat/dl one, which are normally like $54, are only $6. I just got both. You could check one of them out if you want to learn visually instead of just reading articles.</div>
Thanks. I'll definitely check that out.</div>
Well shoot, they seem to be sold out...
 
Did a workout early today. It was hot out today and I was sweating like crazy...

Deadlifts
5x5x255 lbs

These were &quot;hard&quot; but were actually easy to complete. I mean, I could tell that it was 255 lbs, but it was pretty simple to complete all the sets. I don't know, I may have started too low with deadlifts on this cycle. I might start increasing the loads by 20 lbs per workout soon for deadlifts. Probably should have used 20 lb increments anyway...

Chins
5x5xBW+10 lbs

High Pulls
5x5x155 lbs

After that, I did some pullovers 3x5x105 lbs, a set of 10 curls with 40 lb DBs, and rack pulls. Rack pulls were fun. We were just messing around, but I ended up doing 3x315 lbs, 3x385 lbs, 2x435 lbs and much to my surprise, 1x485 lbs. That last one felt like I was dying, and my lower back was useless for the rest of the day.

I've had a huge appetite the rest of the day, and I don't think I'll have any trouble sleeping tonight!
 
Good to see your strengths returning: won't be long now. More than an ego buster, I just find it disappointing to lose ground due to sickness or work. All that hard work melting away. Thank God for MM.
 
The Deadlift as a priority - that's great. The gym where I do my cardio doesn't even know what a deadlift is...Sad state of affairs. Good luck with the goals.
 
Well... 485 is more than I've ever even put on the bar. So that was pretty cool. I won't lie, I didn't think I was going to make it. The lockout was really hard...
I passed out almost immediately when I climbed into bed, slept eight hours and had to get up for work. I was so tired when I got up that I'm sure I could have slept another four or five hours. That seems to happen the next day whenever I max out on deadlifts, so... going to go to bed a little early tonight.


At this point, I think I'm actually stronger in most of my lifts than I was before I got sick. Deadlifts, rows, dips, chins all seem a breeze lately. It's just that damn bench. Maybe I'll specialize and focus on bench next cycle... maybe, I'm not going to say for sure though, because I really hate that damned bench press.
I guess I could start doing very light benching on my off days just to practice form. I've been thinking of doing that with front squats and with some olympic lifts that I am considering eventually doing in a real cycle. The light work should at least get me used to the movements. I may start doing clean and press with lighter weights in this manner, on offdays only as well, and do push presses instead of clean and press for my working weights. I think my form is decent, but thinking about it, I'm sure it could be better.
 
Deadlifts are better than any drug for some real good deep sleep. I need to get a tivo, because I deadlift on Wed's and the Soprano's come on late and I always miss most of the second episode.
biggrin.gif


thesopranos.jpg
 
<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">At this point, I think I'm actually stronger in most of my lifts than I was before I got sick. Deadlifts, rows, dips, chins all seem a breeze lately. It's just that damn bench. Maybe I'll specialize and focus on bench next cycle... maybe, I'm not going to say for sure though, because I really hate that damned bench press.</div>

We all have that one exercise that we hate... best of luck. Great strength gains thus far. I have had similar results rebounding from being sick and hurt through the winter.
 
Last night's workout was okay...

BB Bentover Rows

1x5x195 lbs - this set was harder than it should have been, so... did things a little different for the rest of the sets.
7x3x195 lbs

Weighted Dips

8x3x25 lbs

High Pulls

8x3x160 lbs

I didn't feel like doing much after that. I had a headache all day and was feeling weak during the whole workout. I slept like crap the night before, so that might be why. After the workout, all I did was good mornings 3x10 with a mere 90 lbs.

I'm going to keep the weights the same for the next few workouts. I've been increasing them every workout for some reason, but I think I am heavy enough now that the weights should be effective for quite a while. At least a week or so anyway. I'd like to hold off peaking for a while.
 
<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Deadlifts
5x5x255 lbs

These were &quot;hard&quot; but were actually easy to complete. I mean, I could tell that it was 255 lbs, but it was pretty simple to complete all the sets. I don't know, I may have started too low with deadlifts on this cycle. I might start increasing the loads by 20 lbs per workout soon for deadlifts. Probably should have used 20 lb increments anyway...</div>

Tot, do you ever do higher than 5 reps for deadlifts? They wipe me out... for example I am in the middle of 10's right now and did deads pyramid style...

10 x 45
10 x 135
5 x 225
8 x 225
10 x 185
10 x 135
10 x 45

I didn't hit 10 reps on the 225, but it was better than my 205 pull earlier in the week. I thought it was the gloves, but the high reps are just plain tough!
 
Impressive Tot!

I am going to do just what you are doing come the end of July. Basically I am going to keep my gut in check for about 3 more months and then I am off to 1 full year of nothing but bulking! No fear of fat!
biggrin.gif
 
<div>
(colby2152 @ Apr. 26 2007,21:50)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Tot, do you ever do higher than 5 reps for deadlifts? They wipe me out... for example I am in the middle of 10's right now and did deads pyramid style...

10 x 45
10 x 135
5 x 225
8 x 225
10 x 185
10 x 135
10 x 45

I didn't hit 10 reps on the 225, but it was better than my 205 pull earlier in the week. I thought it was the gloves, but the high reps are just plain tough!</div>
I go up to 10 reps but that's about it. I refuse to go any higher than that. 10 reps is pretty rough, even with the light weights. I have done 15s in the past with deadlifts... I guess if you actually trained that way for a few weeks, it may not be so bad, but what's the point?
I'm thinking that there isn't really any reason to do continuous reps anymore. You can cluster or max-stim and get more volume in with less fatigue... It doesn't seem to be any more time consuming either.

When you do 3 sets of 10 with deads with your working weight, it takes a fair amount of rest between sets, right? It does for me anyway. But if you do 10 sets of 3, you don't have to rest as long between sets, you are stronger for each rep and able to maintain form better.
That's my experience at this point anyway.

But yeah, high rep deads = me laying on the couch for a half an hour after the workout.
 
<div>
(colby2152 @ Apr. 26 2007,09:50)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE"> <div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Deadlifts
5x5x255 lbs

These were &quot;hard&quot; but were actually easy to complete.  I mean, I could tell that it was 255 lbs, but it was pretty simple to complete all the sets.  I don't know, I may have started too low with deadlifts on this cycle.  I might start increasing the loads by 20 lbs per workout soon for deadlifts.  Probably should have used 20 lb increments anyway...</div>

Tot, do you ever do higher than 5 reps for deadlifts?  They wipe me out... for example I am in the middle of 10's right now and did deads pyramid style...

10 x 45
10 x 135
5 x 225
8 x 225
10 x 185
10 x 135
10 x 45

I didn't hit 10 reps on the 225, but it was better than my 205 pull earlier in the week.  I thought it was the gloves, but the high reps are just plain tough!</div>
Colby am I understanding this correcty?

You did 63 reps of deadlifts in one workout?
 
Worked like 13 or 14 hours yesterday... something like that. Didn't feel good today, so I'm going to work out tomorrow instead. Today was supposed to be deadlift day, so I'm kind of disappointed about that.
I'll be going to sleep real early tonight so hopefully that will clear things up by tomorrow.
 
So I've been thinking about what I plan to do after my current training program is over. In considering what I want to do next, other than just setting my new maxes and starting over, I decided to set some rough goals.
What do I want? Bigger lats, check. Bigger deadlift, check. My arms are still only 15.25 inches, despite the weights I'm pulling, so maybe a bit of focus on them? My bench sucks, might be due to triceps? Maybe, maybe... So, say by year end, I'd like to hit 16 inch arms, 250 lb bench and at least a 500 lb deadlift, though ultimately I want 600.

My current thought is that maybe trying to bring everything all up at once isn't a good idea anymore. So low and behold, the modification to HST that I am currently toying with.

My workout days are Friday, Sunday and Tuesday, instead of the standard Mon/Wed/Fri. In my setup, the cycle will last 12 weeks minimum, with 4 week blocks focusing on specific areas. Sets/reps will be 10 sets of 3 for everything starting out, and going to clustering when necessary.

Sunday workouts will always be the same throughout the cycle. This day will start at around 65% of my 1 RM or so, for each of those lifts and will progress each week throughout the entire cycle.

Deadlifts
Dips
Chins
Push Press

Friday and Tuesday will vary depending on what I am focusing on. Each four week block will focus on a different thing. Progression would start at 10 RM and progress to 5 RM evenly over the four weeks.

So the first block might be an attempt to bring up the lats and strengthen the back overall. Since I am already doing chins on Weds, I might do something like Pendlay Rows, Pulldowns, Pullovers and then some arm work, BB curls or something since the biceps are getting worked with the other stuff anyway.

The second four week block could be chest/triceps focus. So Friday and Tuesday switches to Bench, Close Grip Bench and then something else for triceps like pushdowns or tricep extensions or whatever. Maybe some light stuff like flies or whatever afterward.

I'm not set on what lifts I would use for the focusing days, but whatever. I think the point is somewhat clear.

The third four week block might be exclusively deadlift focus, with just bare maintenance work for the rest of the body on Sundays. Friday and Tuesday might be working on lighter deadlifts for form/technique, along with rack pulls, maybe good mornings or SLDLs for ham strength, possibly some lighter back or front squats or something. I don't really know yet.



Then for the third four week block, I'm thinking of focusing exclusively on deadlifting, doing only deadlifts and other lifts to assist in the deadlift. So I start doing lighter deadlifts on Friday and Tuesday, along with rack pulls, good mornings, maybe throw rows back in at this point. Work like this until I eventually start hitting max singles on Sunday

I'm still playing with this idea, but I've started laying it out in a spreadsheet so it's easier for my mind to process and simpler for me to modify everything for.

Some of the drawbacks? The stuff on Sunday might not be enough for maintenance of the rest of the body while I focus on those few areas. I think deadlifts, dips, chins and push press pretty much hits everything, and I highly doubt my legs will shrink from only being hit by deadlifts once a week, but it could be possible.
I'm thinking this kind of thing would work well with a 12-16 week cycle of test. Heh. Too bad that whole legality thing is in the way.

There is a chance that I might end my current cycle sooner than I thought. Weights are all over the place due to coming back from the sickness/layoff, so at this point, it might be a better idea to just take a couple weeks to max out on everything, record the new maxes and plot out my next cycle. If so, I'll likely hammer out a more concrete version of this plan and implement it. It's only 12 weeks or so. Might as well test it out and see how it does.

Thoughts, criticisms?
 
I was going to suggest narrow grip bench, but you've thought of it. Some westside work for the deads would be neat to improve them. I just don't know if you could implement that with HST.
How high is the bar when you do the rack pulls?
 
Back
Top