Friday, June 12, 2015

Deadlift Accessory work.. progress!


We are wrapping up our 2nd 6-week cycle of Deadlift accessory work, and I can really feel progress happening. Last session I was able to work up to 585lbs + 115lbs of Band tension (700lb total weight) for a 40lb PR over 6 weeks ago.

6 weeks ago, I worked up to 545lbs + bands, pulling from the Knee and I was definitely at a near-max.. This is solid progress.

The deadlift accessory work is based around rotating several accessory lifts around the the primary lift of Box Squats, using a very narrow - conventional deadlift stance, using a Safety Squat bar. The safety squat bar is the game changer.. its throws the weight forward and really makes it feel heavy.

I started out about 9-10 weeks ago working up to 265lbs for the narrow SSB box squat, and I'm up to 365lbs now... 100lbs of gain.. solid progress.

This week we added in some Romanian deadlifts with no lockout, GHRs, and Sled pulls.. video below!

(Yes thats some Jimmy buffet playing in the background haha .. it was over 90 degrees in the gym so I guess we were pretending we were on a beach somewhere.......)

Safety Squat Bar squats to box using Conv DL Stance
175 x 5
265 x 5
315 x 5
365 x 8
365 x 8
365 x 8

Romanian Deadlifts no lockout
135 x 10
225 x 10
315 x 10
405 x 10

Dumbbell Rows
110 x 10 x 3 Sets

GHRs
60 Reps

Sled Pulls
3 Trips at 145lbs


Friday, June 5, 2015

How we cycle our training

We basically train in 5 week rotational blocks as follows:

Week 1-  higher rep range (either 5 or 15 reps depending on cycle)
Week 2- lower rep range (either 3 or 12 reps)
Week 3- Deload everything around 60% for a few singles, light accessory work
Week 4- Beat week 1
Week 5- Beat week 2

When in the Accomodating Resistance block, we use 50% and 55% for weeks 1/2 AND weeks 3/4 but rather than increasing the bar weight, the band or chain weight is increased for the second half of the block. During this block we will usually use variety in our presses/squats such as floor presses w/chain for bench, and camber squat bar w/bands off a box for squat.

Block 1:   Volume work (12-15 Reps)

Block 2:   Low Rep (3-5 Reps)

Block 3:   Low Rep / Accommodating Resistance (2-5 Reps + Bands/Chains)

Each block consists of 5 weeks as described above.. So to complete all 3 blocks of Volume/Low Rep/Acccomodating resistance will take approximately 15 weeks.. Then we will usually move into a 10 week meet prep cycle.


Deadlift work is done in a separate, 6 week cycles as follows:






Deadlift Accessory - Rack pulls against bands

Thurs 6/4/15 - Deadlift Accessory

Real happy with tonights session. 6 weeks ago, I hit a PR of 545 + 115 band tension, and barely completed 5 reps. This cycle I was able to go to 585+115, 700lbs total tension for 5 reps. The last couple reps were tough.. but its great to see progress.

After this deadlift training block is completed, that will finish up 12 weeks of intensive deadlift accessory work.. the training block details can be found further back in my logs, but it basically cycles Safety Squat bar squats using a deadlift stance, block pulls 4", block pulls 8", and Rack pulls against bands.. combined with 5 or 6 solid deadlift accessories such as: Romanian deadlifts, Yates Rows, GHRs, Sled pulls.

Rack pulls at Knee (20) against doubled Bands (115lbs tension)

135+115 x 5
225+115 x 5
315+115 x 5
405+115 x 5
455+115 x 5
495+115 x 5
545+115 x 5
585+115 x 5 (pr)



Yates Rows
225 x 10
275 x 10
315 x 10

Shrugs
315 x 10
365 x 10
405 x 10

GHRs
4 sets / 20 Reps

Sled Drags - Forward, wide
195
240
285