Post by Deleted on Jun 4, 2009 8:47:34 GMT -5
Well, I see this forum has been kinda dead, so I thought I'd throw in my update and see how everyone else has been progressing, since the weather has been getting nicer out.
End of March, my competition bench was 330lbs. Now, I've got a long history of back issues and flat feet, so I've never been one to get really serious about squats or deadlifting, so I've stayed away from those, as everytime I have started, my back spasms so bad I can't walk for a week. Needless to say, my bench hasn't exactly taken off the way I wanted to.
Since the beginning of the year, I've been working on hitting my abs pretty hard. Crunches, ab wheels, static holds, etc. Anything to get my abs punched up. I figured that if I could my abs strengthened up, maybe I could start deadlifting.
About a month ago, I started adding deadlift again to my workouts. I started out really light. Working sets were only 135lbs for three sets of eight. The good thing was that my back held up, FINALLY! At this point, I'm up to a "huge" (hold the laughter here) workout of 325lbs for three sets of five, and my back is still holding in there. In fact, it feels better then it ever has in my life. I'll be adding squats back into the mix here probably in a couple of weeks.
Bottom line... on my Monday bench max effort, I did three sets of singles at 335lbs with a pause, and I'm pretty sure I could have gotten 345 or 350, the speed off the bottom was that good. The deadlifting has definitely paid some dividends for me, and I wish I could have made use of that when I was in my 20's, but hey, better late then never! Who knows, maybe next year, I'll be able to do my first full power meet (didn't start bench meets till last year).
How has everyone else's work been progressing?
Kim
End of March, my competition bench was 330lbs. Now, I've got a long history of back issues and flat feet, so I've never been one to get really serious about squats or deadlifting, so I've stayed away from those, as everytime I have started, my back spasms so bad I can't walk for a week. Needless to say, my bench hasn't exactly taken off the way I wanted to.
Since the beginning of the year, I've been working on hitting my abs pretty hard. Crunches, ab wheels, static holds, etc. Anything to get my abs punched up. I figured that if I could my abs strengthened up, maybe I could start deadlifting.
About a month ago, I started adding deadlift again to my workouts. I started out really light. Working sets were only 135lbs for three sets of eight. The good thing was that my back held up, FINALLY! At this point, I'm up to a "huge" (hold the laughter here) workout of 325lbs for three sets of five, and my back is still holding in there. In fact, it feels better then it ever has in my life. I'll be adding squats back into the mix here probably in a couple of weeks.
Bottom line... on my Monday bench max effort, I did three sets of singles at 335lbs with a pause, and I'm pretty sure I could have gotten 345 or 350, the speed off the bottom was that good. The deadlifting has definitely paid some dividends for me, and I wish I could have made use of that when I was in my 20's, but hey, better late then never! Who knows, maybe next year, I'll be able to do my first full power meet (didn't start bench meets till last year).
How has everyone else's work been progressing?
Kim
