One of the ways I actually get myself to do enough volume is density training.
I saw a challenge somewhere online, I believe an anecdote from Dan John, saying deadlift 315 for either 30 doubles emom or 60 singles every 30 seconds.
It was talked up like it’s hard. I didn’t buy that.
I’ve pulled 365 emom for about an hour before.
I gave the 60 singles in 30 minutes a whirl.
The first half I pulled conventional, the second half sumo.
It’s like rushed technique work.
I was properly using my quads to break the weight conventional.
With sumo I played around with the stance width, shin angles, how low I put my hips, grip width (slightly narrower is better), if not other variables. The sumo deadlift is highly technical, and I may have had my leverages changed to it being a more favorable lift now. Breaking the weight off the floor didn’t feel like shit.
I did the entire session double overhand.
That’s how I feel to progress this.
Stick to double overhand and add weight.
I like the parameters, this style to me is enjoyable.
I feel that the volume is not high enough, and that the weight is light enough that one could do this more than once weekly.
Note : I wrote this awhile ago, but after hitting some damn fast sumo deadlifts and pulling 385 double overhand in both sumo and conventional stances yesterday (I’ve pulled 405 doh on a handful of occasions generally conventional, but never 365+ that easily) decided to post.
Think of the deadlift you missed because it was too slow. Now most will name a slew of reasons, but they’ve missed one:
They missed it because their grip wasn’t strong enough to hold it at a faster speed at which the rest of their body is capable of.
(While the body, likely the lower back, wasn’t strong enough to finish the lift with that time under tension ie by grinding.)
I find as my HANDS get stronger deadlift SPEED improves.
As my hands get stronger so do my olys.
Strong hands allow a smooth moderate speed to fast deadlift and a nice crisp oly variant.
Hands are what keep me from hitting a 155-185 one arm barbell clean or snatch.
I can one arm deadlift these weights easily, I regularly high pull them, yet often enough the bar will slide right out of my hand near waist height.
It’s a matter of my hands not having the requisite strength at the higher velocity.
While I don’t know the exact physics and math involved, it’s quite obvious higher velocity/speed of movement adds a big multiplier to the force required by the hand to hold onto the weight through the completion of the lift.
To put it simply the higher velocity requires more sheer force/more hand strength to hold on and complete the lift.
This is a pro in favor of the use of bands while deadlifting. The increase in required velocity to lock it out tests the hands considerably building them in a way superior to the equivalent in straight weight.
I’ve found 315 straight weight + 200 in band tension at the top harder on my grip than my 515 deadlift PR.
The bands feel like they’re trying to pry your fingers open.
Likely this is an unspoken reason kettlebells are touted as a great grip strengthener. By design it is an implement of velocity, and therefore causes this grip effect.
Try holding 2 kettlebells in one hand vs 1 in each hand. You’ll see a drastic difference in speed of movement illustrating my points.
A weakness in the hand limits velocity, and higher velocity tests the hands even more.
I’ve held two 55lb kettlebells in my right hand and proceeded to swing them practically in slow motion. (Yes, thickness of grip comes into play too.) The contrast to one in each hand is staggering.
If you’re struggling with speed during pull movements you may be in need of stronger hands.
Dueces & scary screenshot eyes.
The relationship between hand strength and bar speed :
I’m 3 maybe 4 weeks into this current squat every day phase,
it’s Sunday in the early AM, ain’t no one around and I thought back to two conversations :
1. A few days after the Arnold comp this year a beginner was telling me how cool the steinborn squat is. Me? I said it looks cool, but likely isn’t as impressive as most think.
2. A buddy saying he’d like the Rogue Steinborn bar, and me ribbing him saying due to the awkwardness of the movement that even if he had the bar he’d eschew the movement anyway.
I decide to try it.
135. I tip it over, easy. Its off center, but light weight, I stand easily. I take it off to the side I picked from it comes down awkwardly.
“Huh, I need to concentrate on the “racking” of the bar. ”
Ok, onto 2 plates.
I honestly thought I’d have 315 in the bag, possibly as high as 405 in this, I have mad oblique and good bottom position strength…
I tilt it, and stand…with the bar way high on my neck and far more of the bar to my right. It was nowhere near centered, but unlike the time I pulled 495 like that there were no eye witnesses. 🙂 or 🙁 ?
Try to properly lower it, I’m not going to get reps like this. It comes down awkwardly, I wasn’t bent to the side enough or squatting deep enough.
2nd attempt same general description, but…I’m standing there at lockout and kinda shift the bar left to center and mentally freak. I think of my buddy pinching a nerve in his neck and lose it mentally. The bar starts swaying around, I follow…
Survival mode kicks in, I ugly and shy of lockout behind the neck push press or maybe jerk it over my head dropping it like it was a snatch.
(That movement needs work.)
I crack my neck. Mentally check myself, give my body the once over. I’m not hurt, my mind is just a little shaken.
Ok 3rd attempt…
Stand it, and fail to wedge under well.
4th…the bar standing is trying to run away from me.
5th…similar and I almost let it pull me over.
6th…I wedge under, start to tilt, and…..
Yep, I considered if this will kill me.
I restand it.
I realize…
These may in fact kill me or paralyze me or something.
My headphones are in the way of positioning, I toss them aside.
7th attempt (or so, could be #8 or #9).
Rechalk the hands…
I realize the form pointers, mental pointers, whatever you want to call them aka how to successfully do the lift :
•calm yourself
•stay aside/on side of bar, this is mental
•wedge in tight
•make sure you’re centered
•now get lower
•drop down atg as you tilt
•trust in your abilities, it’ll come down center and softly as you’re properly positioned
•stand
•now do set
•take a few breathes, mentally refocus on placing it down well
•squat atg
•tilt over/lean sideways hard
•keep hands on bar
•support it upright next to you with one hand and celebrate
•set it entirely on the floor
This is likely the most mental thought I’ve put into any odd lift I’ve goofed around with, at least in the first session. I have done a lot of one arm snatches after all.
That good set I picked well, squatted 5 reps(hardest 225×5 of my life), then lowered it well, held it vertically with one hand celebrate and “show control” and put it down nicely.
Physically I’d have been good for 315, likely more, though mentally I decided it smarter to wait till another day.
Give it time…there’s serious potential for good video here.
This was an interesting squat every day session.
-J
Training for this thoughts :
Actually focus on form.
Never fail.
Bottom position rack squats heavy
Landmine standing ab twists
Heavy high rep side bends
To myself : If you almost catch a clean YOU CAN catch it, and jerk it.
It’s a mostly unconscious fear of getting pinned causing the close misses. When you go up to a “heavy” clean know you CAN get under it, and you WILL. Then you’ll easily stand up with it, and jerk it.
Ah, okay, now with that out of the way…to the post…
I read this anecdote of a 17 year old kid cleaning and jerking his front squat max.
The details were it being a double bodyweight rep of ~350lbs at a lanky ~175lbs.
That’s an eye opener ain’t it?
Cleaning and jerking his front squat max.
Crazy right?
Now I’ll one up it…
There have been international caliber weightlifters who out clean and jerk their front squat.
Uncommon, but true.
There’s no need to fear getting under the bar…the missing link!..the third pull!..pulling under the bar.
If you can pull it high enough to get under it, you can stand up with it.
No fear.
It makes all the difference.
-J
7/6/18 Third time cleaning 275. A buddy saying I should give it one more shot after failing twice, realization of the above as I put my hands on the bar, success, and jerking it for 3.
7/10/18 Got it on a regular bar after 2 fails with only one jerk this time.
I’m staring at the wall clock, it’s been less than a minute.
I hate rest periods, you see I came to the gym to do work, not to stand around waiting the proper length of time for my next set.
I almost always stay on my feet between sets…the issue is filling in that 45-120 seconds.
“I took powerlifter length rest periods the other day, I can see the value in training with a crew; then there’s someone to shoot the shit with during those 4-5 minutes” – me
Solitary, training with a partner, or in a packed gym…it doesn’t matter, likewise it doesn’t matter if I talk to others, keep changing the song, stare at the clock, move, bounce around, sit, drink, or pace…
I hate rest periods.
EMOM singles are the simplest thing for me.
“How much longer”, as I’m about to attempt pulling out buzzed short hairs…tick “YYYYEEEAAAAHHHH, GO TIME!”
Density training is literally focused on short rest periods (in a way, you can also just focus on more reps).
My use of no warmups? Likely in part due to the boredom of rest periods.
I can easily fit 3-5 warmups, a few work sets, and a heavier single all in about 10 minutes…using a pace that feels mostly natural.
Rest periods? They suck 99% of the time. Only use them if you want to talk or purposely want to see the extra strength granted by the extra recovery, otherwise I agree with old school bodybuilders…
