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Deadlifting to “Failure”

By Coach Dyer
We’ve been doing max reps to failure on deadlift recently. This can be dangerous if you are not checking your form on every rep. For most, technical failure on the deadlift occurs several reps before you simply can’t lift the weight. Most commonly, the back becomes too fatigued to maintain a proper position and begins to round. As soon as you feel your back start to round on these deadlift sessions, you’ve reached technical failure and you should stop even though you might possibly pull out another rep or two. These lifting sessions are training, not tests. There’s no glory in injuring yourself just to put an 11 instead of a 9 on the board for your last set. Stop once you hit technical failure and save your back so that you can come back to fight the next day.

Strength cycle adjustments

Each week, you’ll adjust your weight on a lift based on the last time you did that lift. Here’s how to adjust this month:
If you did less than 5 reps, drop 5# on a DL or squat. Drop 2.5# on press (strict or bench).
If you did exactly 5 reps, keep weight the same and shoot for a PR on reps (6+).
If you did 6-9 reps, add 5# total to DL or squat. Add 2.5# to press.
If you did 10-13 reps, add 10# total to DL or squat. Add 5# to press.
If you did 14+ reps, add 15# total to DL or squat. Add 10# to press.
IMG_7880Warming up for Helen on Saturday.

Workout of the Day (WOD)

A. Deadlift: 5-5-5+
B. Every min on the min for 16 mins: Even – 8 Lateral box jumps
Odd – 10 wall balls 20/14

And coming tomorrow…

A. 3 sets max ring rows.
Rest/mobilize 5 min between rounds.
B. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 reps of:
Russian KB Swings 2/1.5 pood
Ring Dips

WED 8.14.13 Deadlifting to “failure” Read More »

New Strength Program:

It was great seeing everyone’s progress last week as we retested several benchmarks for quarterly progress checks!
This week, we’re starting a new strength cycle, based on a percentage of your 1-rep max on certain lifts. We’ll also be establishing a max on a few more lifts (bench press & overhead squat this week) to use for future strength work.
We’ll be doing lots of lower-rep sets, to put a focus on great technique and lifting HEAVY and explosively.
On today’s back squats, use the 1-rep max chart (or a calculator) to figure out 80% of the 1RM you established on Friday. If you didn’t max out, we’ll work with you to determine a good starting weight.
For the first two sets, lift five reps at 80% of last week’s one-rep max. On the third set, you’ll do as many reps as possible (5+)… shoot for at least 5, then as many as possible beyond that, in the same set, until you fail.
Don’t worry, we’ll practice proper technique to bail out/dump the bar once you get to failure.
RECORD TODAY’S RESULTS. Your performance this week (and specifically how many reps you get on your 3rd set) will determine how much weight you add (if any) next week. More on that later…
GET STRONG!

Congrats to all who set new PRs and set and/or achieved goals in April. Now it’s time to help us update the board for May. Add your goals this week if you haven’t already!

Workout of the Day (WOD)

A. Back Squat: 5-5-5+
Rest 3 minutes between sets. DO 1-2 WARM UP SETS. Use 80% of your 1 rep max on all sets. On the third “burnout” set, go to FAILURE… as in, until you fail a rep and must bail/dump the bar. Record weight and reps on set 3.
B. 7 rounds:
Handstand hold for max time
10 supine ring pull ups

Score is total time accumulated in handstand hold.

And coming tomorrow…

A. Snatch: 2-2-2-2-2
Rest 2-3 minutes between sets. DO 1-2 WARM UP SETS. Use 80-85% of your 1 rep max from last week.
B. For time: 20 rounds
10 double unders or 20 singles
10 abmat situps

MON 05.06.13 May Goals Read More »

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