To Infinity.... and Beyond!

[MrKleen73]

It's that no more ice cream whoosh! LMAO!

 

[Dustin07]

It's that no more ice cream whoosh! LMAO!

I honestly feel much better at 195 than even 200. less puffy in the face etc, clothes fit mildly better. But I'm trying not to kill myself in that regard since my deadlift goal is still more important than the scale.

when I got home from mexico on sunday I made salsa with Roma tomatoes, onions, garlic, cilantro. I roasted jalapenos, serranos, and habaneros. I put one jalapeño, 5 serranos, and 1 habanero in my salsa. I also ate like 3 serranos, 1 jalapeno, and 1 habanero by themselves fresh roasted with a little olive oil and salt. they were delicious but my stomach hurt from sunday around 3pm until tuesday morning... I almost thought I had caught a bug! so the massive weight loss could be related to my homemade salsa lol. I brought some to work to share with my Mexican friends who bring some in from time to time, and they said it was muy picante lol. a little spicier than they make haha

 

[Dustin07]

Deads
15 x 135
8 x 185
3 x 225, 275
1 x 325, 375, 405, 435

Deficit 2"
EMOTM
10 x 3 x 225

EZ bar curls
15 x 60
13 x 70
10 x 80
8 x 90
20 x 60 + 15 x 50 (dropset)

Superset with hammer strength
Iso lateral front row pull downs

5 sets to failure (roughly)


Took about 50min for a lunch session.
Little bummed how heavy 435 felt but all in all monster pump today and good sesh. I could tell at 325 tho that things were a bit heavy, not concerned.


Weight 195

 

[Dustin07]

435 is 91.5% of my all time PR this summer of 475
435 is 93.5% of where I left off before my trip

so in perspective, i'm not upset about it.
My take away from this weeks training both on bench and deads was again something I complained about earlier this year, speed. I do believe that banded work, light deficit work like my 10 x 3 emotms. (general speed work) is lending a very positive contribution to my top end numbers.

I'm pretty optimistic about next week.

current training this week looks like.

Monday bench
Tuesday deads (today)
weds rest
Thursday lower speed work
friday and saturday probably rest (life schedule)
sunday bench speed work.

mostly back to normal

 

[dapack]

Your deads are at least staying consistent and close to the top numbers so that is a big positive. Probably the one thing I learned this year is average strength is way more important than top strength. If your average strength is going up then means when you do peak your top strength should be a lot better off. Hope that makes sense.

 

[Dustin07]

Your deads are at least staying consistent and close to the top numbers so that is a big positive. Probably the one thing I learned this year is average strength is way more important than top strength. If your average strength is going up then means when you do peak your top strength should be a lot better off. Hope that makes sense.

thank you, that is really encouraging to hear! I was telling my lifting buddy sorta the same thing. now days a bad day is still what once upon a time was a PR so its good to know I can walk into the gym any day of the week with a 435-450DL and build (hopefully intelligently) to that almighty 500lb+

 

[MrKleen73]

No hopefully about it man you will be hitting the 500+ soon enough. Maybe not soon enough for you, but soon enough!

 

[akboom87]

Haven’t you heard? Tubs of ice cream increases your deadlift, so there lies the secret.

 

[Dustin07]

Haven’t you heard? Tubs of ice cream increases your deadlift, so there lies the secret.

probably some truth to that lol. I do feel like the training protocol and frequency (aside from travel) seems to be nailing great progress for me, so additional calories no doubt would push me over quickly. I'm letting myself eat more in the effort of gaining strength but I'm just the tiniest bit cautious there that I don't OVER do it. plus my wife now on this keto kick so we combined are drinking less, which doesn't sound bad, except it leads to less calories both in liquid form, and in snack form. so while that's helping me stay a tiny bit leaner, it means i'm going to have to make a bigger push on solid food nutrition to increase calories intentionally. .....

it's still a mental struggle to put on weight for strength after 15+ years of trying to be leaner lol

 

[MrKleen73]

Yeah, but that means you can add 30g of carbs to your pre and post workout meals. Done with adjustment. LOL

 

[MrKleen73]

LMAO you probably drank and snacked more than that.

 

[Dustin07]

LMAO you probably drank and snacked more than that.

easily lol means I can add more rice, or even an actual sugar based dressing or something lol

 

[Hyde]

easily lol means I can add more rice, or even an actual sugar based dressing or something lol

Look man, there are obese people living on every street in America. If they figured out how to over-consume calories, so can you!

 

[Dustin07]

Bench
20 x 95
10 x 135
5 x 175
3 x 205
1 x 235, 265, 280, 290
(+5lbs from earlier this week)

EMOTM two green bands to dbs
10 x 3
(5 sets at 155, 5 at 135)

Deads
10 x 135
5 x 185
3 x 225

+Green band
EMOTM
10 X 3 X 225

Raw
10 x 225
For fun to test after band work

Seated dips
3 x 15 x +180lbs

SS with seated DB incline curls
3 x 12

21s (ez bar)
1 set

There is both rhyme and reason to this somewhat awkward looking session.

A. I needed speed work on both lifts and conditioning.

B. I can't lift tomorrow or Saturday

C. I have a bench session Sunday with my boy that will likely be semi light.


So needed to keep ball in motion for next week. Felt great.


Weight
196

 

[Dustin07]

Look man, there are obese people living on every street in America. If they figured out how to over-consume calories, so can you!

 

[Dustin07]

Sunday bro sesh with my boy.

Warm up
DB inclines
DB curls
Decline press

Bench
10 x 135
5 x 185
3 x 225
1 x 265, 285

Sling shot
2 x 300
1 x 315

Raw
8 x 230
15 x 190
20 x 135 (wide grip, no wraps)


Short session unfortunately but we hit some important metrics and the boy had a bench PR today.

 

[MrKleen73]

Nice, what was his PR?

 

[gphagan1]

Congrats on the PR.

 

[Dustin07]

Nice, what was his PR?

He put up 140 raw and 155 in the sling shot. The 155 isn't a PR but I think he had 165 in him. He logs his workouts exactly like I do, except posts them to notepad on his phone instead of here like me of course. He has a lot more in him for sure, similar to his dad he hasn't learned how to reach to his true potential. But his leg press is pushing 500lbs

I will say that after almost a year of very irregular lifting with him, and using my slingshot a lot, his form is looking much better. it takes time for a kid to learn these things but at 140 he wasn't flaring his elbows at all, wrists looked locked pretty well. aside from bringing the bar path a little low on the ribcage it looked like a really good rep for him. I think the slingshot has helped him develop form much better than I was at that age.

 

[MrKleen73]

He put up 140 raw and 155 in the sling shot. The 155 isn't a PR but I think he had 165 in him. He logs his workouts exactly like I do, except posts them to notepad on his phone instead of here like me of course. He has a lot more in him for sure, similar to his dad he hasn't learned how to reach to his true potential. But his leg press is pushing 500lbs

I will say that after almost a year of very irregular lifting with him, and using my slingshot a lot, his form is looking much better. it takes time for a kid to learn these things but at 140 he wasn't flaring his elbows at all, wrists looked locked pretty well. aside from bringing the bar path a little low on the ribcage it looked like a really good rep for him. I think the slingshot has helped him develop form much better than I was at that age.

Awesome so over the big wheel! How low on the ribs was it? With a decent arch my bar path doesnt ever touch my chest, it is at the bottom of sternum under my pecs.

 

[gphagan1]

He put up 140 raw and 155 in the sling shot. The 155 isn't a PR but I think he had 165 in him. He logs his workouts exactly like I do, except posts them to notepad on his phone instead of here like me of course. He has a lot more in him for sure, similar to his dad he hasn't learned how to reach to his true potential. But his leg press is pushing 500lbs

I will say that after almost a year of very irregular lifting with him, and using my slingshot a lot, his form is looking much better. it takes time for a kid to learn these things but at 140 he wasn't flaring his elbows at all, wrists looked locked pretty well. aside from bringing the bar path a little low on the ribcage it looked like a really good rep for him. I think the slingshot has helped him develop form much better than I was at that age.

That’s great….him working out with you and learning proper form from his Dad will help him so much as he progresses. You’ll be able to help him not develop bad habits.

 

[Dustin07]

Awesome so over the big wheel! How low on the ribs was it? With a decent arch my bar path doesnt ever touch my chest, it is at the bottom of sternum under my pecs.

his upper body form is developing well but we don't have the lower body portion of the bench dialed in yet so he's giving up a lot of leg drive. I tend to go to sternum too while arching as much as I can (which is very very little to be honest). lately I've been trying to play with a bar path that is a little higher towards the pecks just to explore differences in movement efficiencies and explosiveness but generally my bar path is pretty low, his is down close the sternum right now on a lot of reps too but I don't think it should be or needs to be on him with no arch, he might be mimicking me on accident lol.

 

[GreenMachineX]

Sunday bro sesh with my boy.

Warm up
DB inclines
DB curls
Decline press

Bench
10 x 135
5 x 185
3 x 225
1 x 265, 285

Sling shot
2 x 300
1 x 315

Raw
8 x 230
15 x 190
20 x 135 (wide grip, no wraps)


Short session unfortunately but we hit some important metrics and the boy had a bench PR today.

I don't recall...have you got 300 on bench press pr yet?

 

[Dustin07]

I don't recall...have you got 300 on bench press pr yet?

yes sir, right before the labor day holiday

To Infinity.... and Beyond! - AnabolicMinds.com

We do not speak of squats here

anabolicminds.com

 

[Dustin07]

Deads
10 x 135, 185
1 x 225, 275, 325, 375, 415, 455

Rack pulls (high shin below knee)
1 x 405, 445

RDLs
5 x 225, 275, 315

DB curls
4 sets x 8-12

Superset with
Goblet squats (same dbs)

Preacher curls
4 sets past failure
Buddy and I helping each other work a few reps fast failure.

Notes
I think I had more in me but felt a twinge mid gut where my belt buckle is and didn't want to tempt fate. Still pushed my big numbers.

 

[Dustin07]

I told my buddy that stopping heavy today is OK as long as we get good volume on Thursday. Did not feel super challenged today but felt good. I think I had a PR in me today but if I pulled 480 for a 1rm PR it would only be a 5lb PR and that to me was not worth the risk of CNS destruction setting me back, or further irritating my mid gut section above my belly button (which seems fine an hour later, I think my buckle was just pressing hard)

 

[MrKleen73]

Ugh just seeing rack deads after last week is like Damn it! I am still a bit bound up from them. Going to have to use the pendulum squat tomorrow more than likely instead of a regular back squat. I will still get stellar work in though! Just have to see what I can do. It is improving every day so tomorrow may not be too bad.

Yeah, if you thought a 5lb PR might mess you up more than benefit you then that was the right move. Sometimes it's hard not to just take the bait and that is where the risk comes in.

 

[Dustin07]

Ugh just seeing rack deads after last week is like Damn it! I am still a bit bound up from them. Going to have to use the pendulum squat tomorrow more than likely instead of a regular back squat. I will still get stellar work in though! Just have to see what I can do. It is improving every day so tomorrow may not be too bad.

Yeah, if you thought a 5lb PR might mess you up more than benefit you then that was the right move. Sometimes it's hard not to just take the bait and that is where the risk comes in.

I think seeing that I didn't take rack pulls over my conventional is evidence it was prudent to hang low for today. Still came up 20lbs from last week, only ten lbs off my current strength cycle and felt better at 455 than 435. Maybe.... Maybe I could have gone higher but my buddy was trashed at 455 with me.

I move heavier with him but I also wear him out so I'm sorta managing both of our energy levels lol. Which is funny cause he squats 150lbs more than me any day of the week but I got him on deads and bench.

 

[Dustin07]

Ugh just seeing rack deads after last week is like Damn it! I am still a bit bound up from them. Going to have to use the pendulum squat tomorrow more than likely instead of a regular back squat. I will still get stellar work in though! Just have to see what I can do. It is improving every day so tomorrow may not be too bad.

Yeah, if you thought a 5lb PR might mess you up more than benefit you then that was the right move. Sometimes it's hard not to just take the bait and that is where the risk comes in.

The goblet squats I threw in as an extra for fun accessory hit me more than anything! Lol

They weren't true goblets it was double DB in front rack clean position.

So I db curled 45s for 8, then racked and squated them for 8.

 

[akboom87]

The goblet squats I threw in as an extra for fun accessory hit me more than anything! Lol

They weren't true goblets it was double DB in front rack clean position.

So I db curled 45s for 8, then racked and squated them for 8.

Man still pulling some good numbers man! Every time I catch up on your log I’m like I need to get a slingshot to try out and then I never do

 

[gphagan1]

Deads
10 x 135, 185
1 x 225, 275, 325, 375, 415, 455

Rack pulls (high shin below knee)
1 x 405, 445

RDLs
5 x 225, 275, 315

DB curls
4 sets x 8-12

Superset with
Goblet squats (same dbs)

Preacher curls
4 sets past failure
Buddy and I helping each other work a few reps fast failure.

Notes
I think I had more in me but felt a twinge mid gut where my belt buckle is and didn't want to tempt fate. Still pushed my big numbers.

You definitely got some good deadlift numbers at 196 lbs BW. I’ve just started following your log, so I haven’t caught up, but are you planning on a powerlifting comp. in the future? I knew you had competed a lot in CrossFit, but wasn’t sure if you were training for a competition in powerlifting.

 

[PolishHamm3r77]

Deads
10 x 135, 185
1 x 225, 275, 325, 375, 415, 455

Rack pulls (high shin below knee)
1 x 405, 445

RDLs
5 x 225, 275, 315

DB curls
4 sets x 8-12

Superset with
Goblet squats (same dbs)

Preacher curls
4 sets past failure
Buddy and I helping each other work a few reps fast failure.

Notes
I think I had more in me but felt a twinge mid gut where my belt buckle is and didn't want to tempt fate. Still pushed my big numbers.

I was doing deads back in 2014. Felt a weird tweak or twinge in my abdomen. Put my hand on my stomach and my “innie” was now an “outtie”. Asked my mother and I was a colicky baby, cried a lot and had an umbilical hernia. Late 70’s solution was medical tape and a dime. Lmao. I could pop it back in and I was fine until I overexerted myself again. This went on for months, went to dr and he explained that WHEN it goes I could unzip my fascia to my sternum. But it was still classified as an elective surgery. I felt it was more like a ticking time bomb. Got it taken care of w sutures no mesh

Not saying this is your circumstance but find out if u had an umbilical hernia as a baby.

 

[Dustin07]

Man still pulling some good numbers man! Every time I catch up on your log I’m like I need to get a slingshot to try out and then I never do

do it man, it's a blast! I still have to force myself to hit my raw numbers before I "play" but I do feel like holding 315lb+ regularly with the slingshot gives me greater stability and confidence when I'm pushing 290-300 raw. 280 used to feel really heavy and unstable. now days 300lbs feels comfortable from a stabilizer standpoint. doesn't mean I'll always hit it, just that it feels very stable.

are you planning on a powerlifting comp. in the future? I knew you had competed a lot in CrossFit, but wasn’t sure if you were training for a competition in powerlifting.

I don't think so, I think generally speaking my competing days are behind me. I just lift cause I love it and I love looking big lol. Wife and I were watching I think "live to be 100" on netflix and they talked about how these people exercise and lift weights and I just laughed... I was like, wow I don't remember the last time I contemplated going to the gym for health haha I just do it cause I love it.

honestly though when I'm out of the gym for a prolonged period I do feel like a POS. When my arms feel a certain way not filling out my sleeves, my legs don't fill out the slacks, my chest or shoulders aren't popping. There is a certain addiction to feeling fit, even if "fitness" isn't the #1 reason/goal

Felt a weird tweak or twinge in my abdomen. Put my hand on my stomach and my “innie” was now an “outtie”.

mine was about 2" above the belly button, I think it was just how my belt rubbed on me, generally I just block these ideas out of my head and don't even worry about it cause if it happens... it happens. no sense in dealing with something that hasn't happened lol

But it was still classified as an elective surgery. I felt it was more like a ticking time bomb. Got it taken care of w sutures no mesh

my old coach had a double and got the mesh. he said once he recovered he was better than ever and set some squat/deadlift PRs....

 

[MrKleen73]

Some nice work, killing it in here as usual Sir!

 

[PolishHamm3r77]

do it man, it's a blast! I still have to force myself to hit my raw numbers before I "play" but I do feel like holding 315lb+ regularly with the slingshot gives me greater stability and confidence when I'm pushing 290-300 raw. 280 used to feel really heavy and unstable. now days 300lbs feels comfortable from a stabilizer standpoint. doesn't mean I'll always hit it, just that it feels very stable.



I don't think so, I think generally speaking my competing days are behind me. I just lift cause I love it and I love looking big lol. Wife and I were watching I think "live to be 100" on netflix and they talked about how these people exercise and lift weights and I just laughed... I was like, wow I don't remember the last time I contemplated going to the gym for health haha I just do it cause I love it.

honestly though when I'm out of the gym for a prolonged period I do feel like a POS. When my arms feel a certain way not filling out my sleeves, my legs don't fill out the slacks, my chest or shoulders aren't popping. There is a certain addiction to feeling fit, even if "fitness" isn't the #1 reason/goal




mine was about 2" above the belly button, I think it was just how my belt rubbed on me, generally I just block these ideas out of my head and don't even worry about it cause if it happens... it happens. no sense in dealing with something that hasn't happened lol



my old coach had a double and got the mesh. he said once he recovered he was better than ever and set some squat/deadlift PRs....

I use to see a Dentist at the gym who wore a weight belt w a block of wood/ strapping between him and the belt. He had a hernia and told me he would never get the surgery unless it “unzips”. Crazy concept

 

[Dustin07]

Bench
2 x 15 x 95
5 x 135, 185
1 x 215, 235, 255, 275, 290, 295

Slingshot
1 x 315, 325, 335 (missed PR effort)
(315 was super fast)

Raw
7 x 240
2 x 5 x 205 (paused)

Laterals
4 x 12

Superset with hammer strength dips
3 sets

Wish I had another hour to kill in here! Way too short

 

[PolishHamm3r77]

Bench
2 x 15 x 95
5 x 135, 185
1 x 215, 235, 255, 275, 290, 295

Slingshot
1 x 315, 325, 335 (missed PR effort)
(315 was super fast)

Raw
7 x 240
2 x 5 x 205 (paused)

Laterals
4 x 12

Superset with hammer strength dips
3 sets

Wish I had another hour to kill in here! Way too short

Some killer numbers man! I haven’t benched over 200 since I tore tricep in July. 5x195 this week. I’m like Ricky Bobby. I need to learn to lift w the Fear

 

[Hyde]

So did you miss the 335, or you mean you should have kept it raw to PR that today?

 

[Dustin07]

So did you miss the 335, or you mean you should have kept it raw to PR that today?

No, I was gassed. I can't even really call that one assisted. We got it up together but I definitely failed the rep and he took more than a fingers effort spotting me

I mean I didn't die. But it was a legit failed rep lol. But 315 went so fast I thought for sure....

 

[Dustin07]

Squats!
8 x bar, 95
5 x 135
3 x 185
1 x 225, 255, 285, 315, 275

Deads
5 x 225

+2" deficit
5 x 225

2" deficit + green band
EMOTM
10 x 3 x 225

Leg ext
5 x 12

Superset with EZ bar curls
15 x 60
12 x 70
10 x 80
10 x 90
10 x 80 + 13 x 50 dropset

(this was serious cardio lol. we did not break between any sets and walked from machine to barbell and back for the full 5 rounds, damn near made it a WOD lol)

Notes
Haven't squatted in months and saw this as an opportunity to throw a couple reps in on my volume day. Might have overshot but it was fun and good to know I walk around with an untrained 315 in my back pocket. My buddy however squatted 445 so fast a guy from across the gym yelled at him and said throw another plate on

our take away today was that deads have more carry over to squats than squats do to deads cause as our deadlifts continue to progress, our squats aren't stalling at all, whereas when I was squat centric my deads suffered.

 

[Dustin07]

I basically have 2 sports in my life right now, lifting and golf. Lifting takes top priority when time is limited, but I walk away from every game and session contemplating what went well, what went wrong, and what changes I would have made. I apply that to my next session or game.

I walked away today curious if I had done enough. I used all the time I had, but I felt as though hammies and glutes did not get worked enough. I also want to see how deads go next week to see if the squats in low volume like this will have any effect (good or bad). Now that I'm sitting down and postWO, I feel a bit worked and shakey, so it was a good session.

the deficit deads felt way too light, but at the same time, that's the point. and lately my banded work for both deads and bench have helped with speed on my heavy days substantially I think.

 

[MrKleen73]

That looks like a heck of a session to me.

 

[Dustin07]

That looks like a heck of a session to me.

thanks man. it was about 2-3 hrs ago and now my abs and legs feel shot LOL. my abs haven't been worked this good in a while.

 

[Hyde]

My first thought was, why did you only do a top single but no actual back off volume on squats? I mean you explained it of course & it makes sense; you were just testing. You would be better next time though instead of going up all the way up to 315, doing a set of 265 for AMRAP with a couple left in the tank. Just don’t kill yourself so you can also do some work on the deads still after.

And the deads did look a tad light as well, based on your current max strength, so maybe try 245 next time you do those?

Effort can be very high without necessarily getting a great stimulus to drive adaptation.

 

[Hyde]

That’s all meant to be constructive btw & to piggyback off your reflection. It did mirror my impression is all. It was still good work!

 

[Dustin07]

My first thought was, why did you only do a top single but no actual back off volume on squats?

That’s all meant to be constructive btw & to piggyback off your reflection. It did mirror my impression is all. It was still good work!

no worries you don't offend me at all, I always appreciate a good blunt constructive observation. historically any week I pulled 400+ i was trashed for about 2 weeks. But my volume was crazy high back then. Now days I can pull 425+ any time I want basically. So I'm trying to treat my hard monday pulls as a full intensity day and my second pull day of the week as something that is constructive and stimulating without annihilating. When real life doesn't get in the way, I love to deadlift on:

Monday - heavy day
Thursday - speed/volume day

that gives me 3 full rest days till my next pull, and 7 full rest days from ME day to ME day basically. right now, that's working as long as I don't overdo my second day and as long as I don't miss my second day.

I'm totally on board with just going up to medium weight AMRAP then following up with my pull accessories if you think that it will compliment the current agenda. My biggest goal this week was to squat, without the squats hurting my pull momentum / progress.

 

[Dustin07]

And the deads did look a tad light as well, based on your current max strength, so maybe try 245 next time you do those?

I agree. some of this is balancing lifting with my buddy. when we do speed / banded bench we throw on say one plate, then the bands. he runs his 3 reps at 135, I throw 10s on and run my 3 reps at 155 etc. we should have done the same thing with deads. at set 3 I did suggest adding weight cause it seemed to light but my workouts really crush him already. Yes he has about a 500lb squat (445 yesterday was FAST), but I have him beat on bench and deads by a small margin, and conditioning by a WIDE margin. so I sorta balance my own training needs with his training capabilities because all in all I do lift better when I train with him vs alone 9 times out of 10. (except on legit bro sessions. if I have time for a 90+ minute session I am more effective alone with my earbuds)

 

[MrKleen73]

I agree. some of this is balancing lifting with my buddy. when we do speed / banded bench we throw on say one plate, then the bands. he runs his 3 reps at 135, I throw 10s on and run my 3 reps at 155 etc. we should have done the same thing with deads. at set 3 I did suggest adding weight cause it seemed to light but my workouts really crush him already. Yes he has about a 500lb squat (445 yesterday was FAST), but I have him beat on bench and deads by a small margin, and conditioning by a WIDE margin. so I sorta balance my own training needs with his training capabilities because all in all I do lift better when I train with him vs alone 9 times out of 10. (except on legit bro sessions. if I have time for a 90+ minute session I am more effective alone with my earbuds)

Just take the extra 10-30 seconds to put your right weight on. You all feed well off of each other and it sounds like he would actually likely appreciate the extra rest. No reason to do something less than you need to for YOUR training. I lifted with my wife for years and we went from 135-185 to 400 and 500+ every set. Just take the time, it is worth it.

Also, and Hyde can clear this up more than me since he is a powerlifter, but I am not sure that deadlifts should be treated quite the same as bench or squats as far as twice a week training. They tend to be harder on the CNS, and lower back recovery seems to take a little longer after them than squats. I am not so sure you need to hit them twice a week. You could easily slide in a low bar squatting session as part of your hypertrophy training which would allow you to keep squats while also increasing the posterior chain recruitment over what high bars allow but less than a second dead lifting session. Of course I could be way off base.

 

[Hyde]

Squatting heavy singles is only really good for conditioning you to optimally take heavy singles. It’s part of peaking, but not necessarily training.

Said another way, 265x6 is 1,590lbs of work volume, while 315x1 is…315. Even if the rep set is submaximal to allow overall sufficient recovery priority for deads, that’s 500% of the volume you manage vs just working up.

I agree. some of this is balancing lifting with my buddy. when we do speed / banded bench we throw on say one plate, then the bands. he runs his 3 reps at 135, I throw 10s on and run my 3 reps at 155 etc. we should have done the same thing with deads. at set 3 I did suggest adding weight cause it seemed to light but my workouts really crush him already. Yes he has about a 500lb squat (445 yesterday was FAST), but I have him beat on bench and deads by a small margin, and conditioning by a WIDE margin. so I sorta balance my own training needs with his training capabilities because all in all I do lift better when I train with him vs alone 9 times out of 10. (except on legit bro sessions. if I have time for a 90+ minute session I am more effective alone with my earbuds)

If you have a partner, make their ass change weights with you. Every set, you each take a 10 off or on. No biggie. My wife does this with her deadlift partner all the time. Set ends, weight changes, lift, repeat.

 

[Dustin07]

Also, and Hyde can clear this up more than me since he is a powerlifter, but I am not sure that deadlifts should be treated quite the same as bench or squats as far as twice a week training. They tend to be harder on the CNS, and lower back recovery seems to take a little longer after them than squats. I am not so sure you need to hit them twice a week. You could easily slide in a low bar squatting session as part of your hypertrophy training which would allow you to keep squats while also increasing the posterior chain recruitment over what high bars allow but less than a second dead lifting session. Of course I could be way off base.

That's what I used to do but I found that 2 sessions a week on squats or 2 sessions a week on deads always seemed to have better carry over for me vs 1 hard session each. I'm still toying with it a bit, I had contemplated following my ME deadlift day with front squats, and my ME squat day with pulls accessories.

No reason to do something less than you need to for YOUR training. I lifted with my wife for years and we went from 135-185 to 400 and 500+ every set. Just take the time, it is worth it.

generally speaking that's what we do now, throw 315 on for him, strip to 275 for me. throw 405 on for him, strip to 315 for me. On bench we do the same, but reverse. Throw 225 on for him, 265 for me. 255 for him, 285 for me etc. The only place we stay pretty close is deadlifts but his grip gives out usually around 440 so I'll typically take one set beyond him, then we drop back to the same RDLs and deficits (typically)