Deadlift Dave's training log

Been quite awhile since I've tracked my training online, only on paper, but moving this online might add some additional motivation if others are following what I'm doing, particularly as I start to learn to train in lifting gear. I actually came across this place while researching a local gym via Google search, looks like a few others here are squatting there, including a few people that I recognize from other gyms.

Up until recently, I've lifted only raw, typically wrist wraps on heavy bench and a belt on heavy squats and deadlifts. I'm looking to do a powerlifting meet soon, so time to learn to use gear. Other than the steep learning curve just from the gear, I also typically train alone, which doesn't help, although I'm actively trying to find some partners.

For training, I loosely follow the Westside methology, with 4 days per week split into ME upper, ME lower, DE upper, DE lower, with lots of upper end work which should translate well over to gear. For those interested in Westside, Westside-barbell.com and elitefts.com have tons of good articles.

Here's where I'm currently at, weight somewhere in the 275-280 range at 6'4".
Raw: 600 sq/425 be/580 dl
Shirt: 475 touch, Metal Viking.
Suit: haven't maxed, getting 495 to box so far with straps down but really struggling with maintaining form when the suit catches just above parallel. I've hit 650 in loose Ace briefs, but the tighter suit is a different animal, at least until it breaks in (hopefully).

I'll post my workouts from the past couple of weeks to get this going. I really appreciate any input, questions, comments, or trash talk from the audience

And no, I have no idea what Deadlift Dave means. First name that popped into my head, and i like to train the deadlift since it scares the recreational gym go'er.

Going back to early Dec for workout log:
12/5 ME Bench

4-board press: 275 on bar + 50 suspended + blue bands 3x1
315 on bar + 50 suspended = blue bands 1x3

Blast strap push-ups: 4x10

Sled pull rows: 3 trips down and back, 70 lb in plates, concrete

12/8 DE Bench:

Flat bench: worked up to 335x1, 345x1
Speed bench: 235x3x6
Seated front shoulder press from pins: 225x6x3
DB Skull crushers: 50x8x3
Chest supported row: 180 in plates x6x4

12/10 ME Squat

Box squat (raw) worked up to 495x3
Rack dead: 545x1 (no straps), pins just below knees
Standing cable pulldown: 70x8x4
45 deg back extension: 8x3 w/45 lb plate

If I remember correctly, I had taken a week or so off from legs to help a balky hammy, thus combining squat and dead on ME day

12/12 ME Bench

2-board: worked up to 405x1, miss 455 when left bicep gave out
Rack lockouts: 455x5x3
Tri pushdown: 110x8x3
Bent row: 135x8x3

12/14 DE Lower

Speed box squat: 315x2x8
Speed deads: 315x1x6 (no bands)
45 degree back extension: 3x8 45lb plate
Pulldown abs: 70x3x8

12/15 DE Bench

Speed bench: warm up to 315x1, 245x3x6
Incline dumbbell press: 110x8x3
Dumbbell tri extension (to shoulder): 45x8x3
Chest supported row: 180 in plates x6x3
Side DB lat raise: 40x8x3

12/18 ME Lower

Good mornings: 405x2x1, 315x5x3
Leg Press: 810x10x2
EZ bar curl: 115x8x2
Hanging leg raises: 10x3

12/19: ME Bench

Flat bench(raw): worked up to 365x3x1
Incline barbell press: 275x3x2
Lockouts: work up to 415x5
Bent barbell row: 235x8x3

12/21: ME Squat

Deadlift from floor: 405x1, 495x1, miss 585 (no straps or chalk)

Bad day, was horribly distracted by outside things. Went home after this miss.

12/22 DE Bench

Speed bench: warmed up to 315x3, then 225x3x6
Incline dumbbell press: 110x8x3
DB Row: 110x8x3
DB Tri Extension (to shoulder): 50x8x3

Something I should mention to set the proper context. The gym where I typically do my DE bench work has dumbbells only up to 110, whereas I should probably be using 130 for some of the chest work and rows. I need to incorporate bands into this if I'm staying here

12/26 ME Bench

Flat bench: 365x1, 385x1
Close-grip bench: 275x8x3
DB side lat raise: 40x8x2
Chest supported row: 225 plates x5x3

12/27: ME Lower

Box squat: 495x1, 545x1
EZ bar curl: 115x8x2
Low pullthru: 130x8x3
Pulldown Abs: 70x8x3
45 degree back extension: 8x2, 25 plate

12/29 DE Bench

Speed bench: warm up to 365x1, 225x3x6
DB Row: 110x10x4
Seated front shoulder press from pins: 225x6x3

Should also mention that on speed bench, I vary my grip from close, medium, and standard from set to set.

1/1 ME Lower

Rack deadlift, pins halfway between floor and knees: 595x1 (chalk only), 615x1 (chalk only) 635x1 (straps), miss 655

Pulldown Abs: work up to 100x10

Body fried after the deads, so dropped rest of leg work

1/2 ME Bench

Shirt work (Katana): warm up to 315 raw, didn't touch 405, didn't touch 455 (inch away)
4-board shirted: 405x2x5
Lockouts: 405x5x3

1/5 DE Bench

Speed Bench: 245x3x8

Seated front shoulder press from pins: 245x6x3

Chest supported row: 5 plates x5x3

1/8 ME Lower

Box squat: 495x2x5 (suited, in monolift)

First day in the Metal Ace, and first day in awhile in monolift, so this was a very new combination, lots of variables. When the suit is catching in the last couple of inches above parallel, my knees are coming forward. My squat form has never been great, and as Matt Wenning explained to me, the suit will magnify your errors greatly. I need to fight the suit when it's pulling the knees forward and stay back.

Did band pullthrus and band abs later in the day

i like your workouts...short and to the point, of course I am sure a lot of it has to do with the weights you're using

i used to train in the westside manner, however, I seemed to have a lot more volume in there than you have. Maybe if I ever went back to it again, I should try something like you are doing.

1/9 ME Bench

Shirt work: warmed up to 315 raw, then touched 405 and 455, miss 475 when left bicep gave out. The 475 was lowered too high, which contributed to miss

Side DB lat raise: 30x10x4

The bicep thing while benching is getting worrisome as it's happened now during last 2 PR attempts. Maybe a pattern here as I had bar too far over face both times.

Stewart20 said:

i like your workouts...short and to the point, of course I am sure a lot of it has to do with the weights you're using

i used to train in the westside manner, however, I seemed to have a lot more volume in there than you have. Maybe if I ever went back to it again, I should try something like you are doing.

Click to expand...

Well one reason for the shorter ME Bench workouts is that I'm driving pretty far in order to bench with a partner, so we hit it hard and fast so I'm not away all day. Honestly, I should brush up on my Westside standard template to see how far away I've gotten. Louie does advise to keep workouts to an hour due to declining testosterone rates after an hour, and I'm usually right around an hour give or take 10 minutes. For bench days, I usually try to hit a chest exercise, then either an incline chest or direct shoulder, then some sort of row movement and finish with tricep work. One of the Westside guys directed me to do band tricep pushdowns every day as a mini workout to bring lockout up, so I do occassionally skimp on the tricep work during full workouts if I'm short on time.

Also, I am only listing working sets, no warm-ups. I warm up with multiple sets for everything, usually starting with an empty bar for bench, squat, and deads, and increasing 45-50 per set for bench, and might jump 90 pounds after a few for squats and deads. I believe this has really helped prevent injuries as I get older, although it does lengthen workouts a bit and may actually tire me a bit for working sets.

i don't think you are too far off from the template, it's just that everyone does things a little differently I guess. when I was doing it, I was working out by myself in my basement gym, so I understand why you are traveling to have a partner, cause man, any type of powerlifting workout by yourself just sucks. I managed a respectable 375 raw bench, 450 deadlift and 385 squat, all raw, all by myself. I know if I had a partner or partners and went to a hard core powerlifting gym, I could have easily had over a 405 bench and 500 deadlift without doing anything special, just having the extra motivation and expertise.

I am currently doing my own twist on a 5x5 workout, talk about volume...heh. I do miss those heavy deadlift attempts though, and someday will probably go back to it, although, now I feel that if one is not going to compete, there really isn't a reason to do heavy max attempt stuff. What good is it, just to say I can?

Solid numbers, mang.

by the way, 6'4", 280 that is pretty damn large man

Stewart20 said:

i don't think you are too far off from the template, it's just that everyone does things a little differently I guess. when I was doing it, I was working out by myself in my basement gym, so I understand why you are traveling to have a partner, cause man, any type of powerlifting workout by yourself just sucks. I managed a respectable 375 raw bench, 450 deadlift and 385 squat, all raw, all by myself. I know if I had a partner or partners and went to a hard core powerlifting gym, I could have easily had over a 405 bench and 500 deadlift without doing anything special, just having the extra motivation and expertise.

I am currently doing my own twist on a 5x5 workout, talk about volume...heh. I do miss those heavy deadlift attempts though, and someday will probably go back to it, although, now I feel that if one is not going to compete, there really isn't a reason to do heavy max attempt stuff. What good is it, just to say I can?

Click to expand...

Those are good numbers to generate by yourself in a basement gym. But you're right, a good environment really increases your potential gains, and partners are even more helpful

And I hear ya about 5x5 and volume. Been there, done that. It works well for gaining strength, but it has always caught up with me after a not very long period of time. I'll probably jump back to it at some point to change things up, but I've found that it's not for me long term.

Where do you train?

I'm a bit all over the place right now. I'm benching in a guy's garage gym right now, driving pretty far to get there so I don't make it every week, so it's not a long term solution. World on Sawmill is 5 min from my house, and I try to hit there once a week for legs to use their reverse hyper and GHR, and my DE days at the new foo foo place down Sawmill (blame the wife), where I'm the circus freak moving real rubber-coated weight. I just talked to Dan down at Lexen this week about getting into one of his public squat groups if nothing else works out. That's actually how I came across this place, Google search for Lexen to see what kind of guys are going there.

We bench heavy at Worlds on Sundays at 8:00 AM. Get your ass in there with us. We squat Fridays at 3:30 at Lexen. There's a crew of about 6 using two monolifts. I'm sure Dan can let you in. I think he has a Friday morning squat crew as well as a Saturday crew.

I normally pull every other Tuesday, either at Lexen or Worlds, depending on my work schedule, usually between 4:00-5:00 pm. Some of the other guys I train with pull every week. We do speed bench work and shoulders on Thursdays at Worlds between 4:00-5:00 pm, depending on work schedule.

I live in Big Bear Farms, about 5 minutes from the Worlds. Stay away from Lifetime, it's toxic there. Get your ass in there with us.

We have 3 full meet lifters and a bencher in our group. We're all over 40. We have a 198 with best lift of 700-425-580, a 275 with best lifts of 775-435-575 and I'm at 675-525-595. Our bencher is a 165 and he goes 365 raw. We're always looking for young guys to train. Except for the bencher, we're all certified gear whores so we can help you with your equipment.

Thanks for the offer. Will you guys be there this Sun? I'll probably take you up on it, at least the heavy bench day to start, if you don't mind me struggling to learn the shirt. Do you guys get in the shirt every week, or just leading up to meets? 3:30 Friday may be a bit difficult with my work schedule, but I'll see if I can make that work as the suit help would be invaluable. Dan has a Sat morning crew as well down at Lexen, no clue how many guys.

And toxic is pretty much spot on, although throwing in the earplugs and ignoring the surrounding idiocy as much as possible helps. And I'm hardly young in years at 35, but only a few years continuous serious lifting under my belt.