Deadlift Plan when i hit 265x5

Quote:

i understood what you mean about adding volume by doing more static sets. what would you have me do next time, then, sir?

Well, I assume that when you say volume you are talking about "volume+weight" or workload. Not really what I'm worried about right now as far as sets across equalling more weight lifted. Obviously you will not always be doing sets across with 1,2,3 progression. I was really thinking of something much more basic than that. Simply put, starting with a static weight for whatever sets makes it easier to proceed

You did:

Deadlifts
255 lbs x 8 reps
265 lbs x 4 reps
185 lbs x 10 reps (back off set)


The problem I'm seeing is the plate availibility. Ideally, in this situation I'd want you to take 260 because you could probably do 3 sets with 5 or 6 on that and then you'd have a nice solid round amount from which to proceed.

But let's assume that 265 will allow you to do at least 2 sets of 6 or maybe a bit more. So why don't you go straight to 265 and do that for 2 or 3 sets (not to failure of course). Then next time you simply add whatever seems appropriate.

Now about your progression on deads and how fast it is that is really up to you. It seems like you are out of the woods with you back injury so you should be able to move forward pretty quickly.

I'm going to give you some things to be aware of and some examples. BUT I DO NOT want you to take any of it as a PLAN. It is just examples for the sake of explanation.

When you are progressing this way you are not going to failure all the time. And with deads it is usually best to avoid failure most of the time. But, yes sometimes you can push it a bit.

Now, the problem, as I think I've warned you in the past is that "workload" taken by itself doesn't say everything. It is just one other factor, right? I mean, quite simply, if you lift 300 total pounds in 2 minutes one time and then the next time you lift 350 pounds that seems like progress. But if it takes you 5 minutes to lift that 350 pounds it's not progress at all! In fact you've done less "work" than last time. Likewise if it takes you 3.5 minutes. And especially when you are trying to stay away from failure on every set so you are leaving something in the tank. So when you allow more rest to get a little more weight another set, sometimes you are just using the 'fuel' that you already had the last time....you are not doing something you weren't already capable of.

Is there anything ultimately wrong with that? No, not always (Notwithstanding extreme examples like the 5 minute thing). You know that a tendency toward forward progress over time is what it is about. But you can't have it average out to be a snail's pace all the time . Especially during periods when you are capable of progressing quite well and quickly.

Progressing this way is great for you on deads because it covers a lot of needs plus it allows sustained progression for a longer period than would otherwise happen if only one paraeter was being manipulated. However you don't want to turn into something that is counterproductive.

Taking the example from above:

If you do 265x6x2 and that seems like all you should do, then next time you want to add a set, so you build up,

265x6x2, 265x4x1
265x7x2, 265x5x1
265x7x3

Just as an example not that you would likely move that slow. But that would be perfectly logical.

But then say you wanted to add more sets and get away from the moderately high reps so you do

265x5x5

And then you're all please because you did 2 more sets and more total reps. But look at the time, just thinking of the rest periods as total time, not the time doing the sets:

265x7 w/3 mins x 3 sets = 6 minutes rest.
265x5x5 w/3 minutes = 12 minutes rest

So the second bolded workout takes twice as long for a grand total of 3 more reps. All you've really accomplished is to DECREASE the DENSITY and add a couple of reps that you could have done with the first workout anyway given some more rest. So as far as you body is concerned you've given it a break.

Now, that may be just what the doctor ordered sometimes but the purpose of this is sustained progression not wasted workouts. So you need to be loosely aware of time.

And this is why looking at workload and volume alone is misleading.

Taking the same example but with a different choice for the second workout

265x7x3
275x5x4

So 6 minutes total for the first workout and 9 minutes total for the second bolded workout.

In the first example you increased volume a bit but decreased density to the point where there is not overload at all.

In the second workout you decrease volume a tiny bit, and density a little, but you increase intensity. So with the first workout you actually just decrease everything. Because reps for the sake of reps are meaningless in this scenario.

But the bit of of challenge in the second example over the course of many workouts is what equals to sustained progression. But also concider that in the second example it is a very conservative example of the kind of progress you will make, as you have seen in the past.

So to sum it up, these main parameters to be considered.

Intensity, volume/density, volume/workload.

The thing that ties it together is time. You do want to load the bar as often as possible and I would like to see you become more agressive in the coming weeks. Maybe just think of it as building up the agressiveness. So be careful but don't be ridiculously slow about it.

Anyway, next time use 265 for 2 or 3 sets of whatever. I'm gonna assume you can actually do 3 sets.