Jamie's Deadlift Log

[Jamie McEwan]

My max is currently 465lbs, and I'm planning on hitting 500 soon, increasing it further by the age of 20. I have until late October!

Here's the first cycle's plan:

W1- 365x3rx8s
W2- 405x3rx5s
W3- 445x3rx2s
W4- 1RM test

I'm shortening this first cycle to plan on hitting close to 500lbs prior to my next contest, which is on July 2nd.

[Jamie McEwan]

I'll be posting my entire back workout each week here.

May 17, 2005, Tuesday-

Deadlifts-
225x3
315x1 (overhand)
365x3rx8s (all hook gripped)

Shrugs-
135x8
225x8
315x8 (straps now)
These felt very easy today.

WG Pulldowns-
160x12
180x9.5 (not enough rest between these sets)

Barbell Rows-
95x10 (just to see how it felt on my lower back now, and slowly start working my lower traps more)

Pullthroughs-
185# stack x12rx2s

Thick Bar Curls-
126x1
104x5
60x10

[Jamie McEwan]

May 24, 2005, Tuesday-

Deadlifts-
225x3
315x1 (overhand to this point)
405x3rx5s (all hook gripped, and pretty darn easy except for the last set)

Thick Bar Curls-
62x5
102x5

Thick Bar Rows-
102x12

Thick Bar RDLs-
102x12

Threw in a long hold at the end with, again, 102lbs. My lats and traps are feeling pretty damn beat up right now (from Sunday's events, I think), and I saw no point in doing a full upper back workout, risking throwing off my other main lifts later in the week. Just did the thick bar stuff to try it out, and because I brought it to the gym, so it deserved at least a couple of light lifts.
Oh, and those deads were a PB for reps at 405 in a workout.

[Jamie McEwan]

Tuesday, May 31, 2005-

Deadlifts-
225x3
315x1
405x1
445x3 (PB for reps--hook grip*)
445x0 (just too dead from the last set)
405x1
So, I didn't get the rep goal, but I still tripled 96% of my max, without puking, and got a 20lb increase on my three rep max.

Shrugs-
135x8
225x8
335x2 (no straps, plus slick bar=short sets)
315x5 (PB for reps without straps)

WG Pulldowns-
170x8
200x8 (easy, think this is a PB for reps)

Pullthroughs-
185# stackx20x2s (this is kind of a PB, too--pushed myself past a 12-15 rep comfort zone)


So, looking back it was a good workout. Personal bests on everything, even though I didn't hit 445 for the second triple. I may have been overzealous thinking that I could do it right now. Next week I'm hoping to hit 485 or 500.
Should I go for 500 again, or just shoot for a 20lb PB and hit 485 next week?

[Morgan Guthner]

Nice progress. Have you conditioned your thumb for hook grips or are you doing that now? If you havent seen it, the Gillingham DL in the video section is done with a hook grip - pretty damn impressive!

[Kÿle Vezeau]

Looking forward to see what you hit Jamie ! I will be Langfordish and ask what are you doing for hamstring specific work ?

[Jamie McEwan]

Thanks guys. I do the version of pullthroughs that work your hamstrings and glutes more than lower back, Kyle. I think I'm going to drop pullthroughs, though, and go to RDLs and GMs, since my stack is WAY too light.
I'm looking for 485lbs, now, next week.