Finally…a long time coming

My “after lifting” walk was ok; had some tingles but quit just before the onset of pain.

I was a bit disgusted that the second mile was as slow as it was but…what the heck.

The deadlifts that came first though: I woke up feeling a bit energetic.

10 x 134, 10 x 184, 3 x 224 …felt easy.

Main work sets: 3 x 270, 3 x 270, 3 x 270, 3 x 270, 3 x 275 none felt that hard.

So…I passed on my high handle work and tried for 300 lb (301 on my weird get up..44 lb bar so: 4 45 plates, 2 25 plates, 2 11 lb plates, 2 2.5 lb. plates.)

Miss at 301…got it ABOVE my knees but lost balance on the handle and had to set it down.
I bailed on the second attempt as I didn’t have my grip in the right position.

3rd attempt was the charm: ground it up oh-so-slowly and locked it out.

The first: didn’t lock out..no lift.

Shown: 3 x 275, miss at 301, make at 301

Bottom line: this is the fist “honest” 300 I got since 1995…26 years, and I was 35 lb heavier then. I did get 410 at this bodyweight but that was 1978-1979. Will I get there again?

Back to today: I did it AFTER my work sets; the 5 sets of 3 at 270+ is also a 60+ age group best for me too.

I still remember the humiliation of being unable to get 225 off of the ground back in August 2019. And yeah, I know how weak I am; I’d get laughed at on Instagram, etc. This is a personal victory even if it is only a “70’th percentile” age group wise, etc.

Deadlift progression

2021

2021 current milestones week by week:
5 x 255 Feb 21, 2021
4 x 255, 1 x 260
4 x 260, 1 x 265
3 x 260, 2 x 265
3 x 260, 2 x 265
1 x 260, 2 x 265, 2 x 270
3 x 265, 2 x 270
2 x 265, 3 x 270
4 x 270, 1 x 275, single 301 (April 18)

Max (bar or low handle only)

Aug 2019: 200
Nov 4 x 225
Dec 230, 233, 235, 240

Jan 2020: 245, 255, 260
Feb 260, 266
Aug: 274
Dec: 284

April 2021: 301

2021 Progression (since I started the “5 sets of 3”)

Jan 23: High handle: 5 sets of 3 x 274, 1 x 301, Low handle: 10 x 224.

Jan 31: high handle: 5 sets of 3 x 279, 1 set of 1 x 301 low handle 10 x 224

Feb 7: missed 319 badly (high handle); too beat up to do much but 5 sets of 3 x 274 high handle , 10 x 224 low.

Feb 14 regression; found that 260 low was difficult; retreated to 3 sets of 5 x 244 low, 1 set of 5 x 274 high.

Feb 21: 5 sets of 3 x 255, high: 3 x 279, 1 x 301

Feb 28: 3 x 255, 3 x 255, 3 x 255, 3 x 255, 3 x 260, high: 3 x 279, 3 x 279

March 7: 3 x 260, 3 x 260, 3 x 260, 3 x 260, 3 x 265, high: 3 x 285, 3 x 301

March 14: 3 x 260, 3 x 260, 3 x 260, 3 x 265, 3 x 265, high: 3 x 285, 3 x 301 

March 21: 3 sets of 3 x 260, 2 sets of 3 x 265, high handle singles: 285, 301, 285

March 28: 3 x 260, 3 x 265, 3 x 270, 3 x 270, 3 x 265 (heaviest set so far)

high handle: 3 x 285 (not that bad), 1 x 301 (struggle…cut it there)

April 4: 3 x 265, 3 x 265, 3 x 265, 3 x 270, 3 x 270 (maybe a bounced rep in the last set) high: 3 x 285, 3 x 285

April 11: 2 sets of 3 x 265, 3 sets of 3 x 270, High: single 290, single 300

April 18: 4 sets of 3 x 270, 1 set of 3 x 275, single with 301 (low handle)

Prior:

August 5, 2019: managed a High Handle hex dead 225 (1 rep)
August: typical sets were 4 x 175, 4 x 195 (handles up)
September: 4 x 205 head dead (handles up)
November: got 4 x 225 hex dead, handles DOWN
December: got 1 x 225 bar dead, then 4 x 225
December 20, 2019: got 1 x 230 bar deadlift
DEcember 25: got 1 x 233 bar deadlift (home)
Dec 27: got 1 x 235 dead
Dec 29: got 1 x 240 dead (bar)

2020
Jan 11: got 245 hex dead (handles down)
Jan 25: got 255, then 260 conventional dead
Feb 1: got 255, 260 Sumo, 6 x 233 conventional
Feb 8: got 266 conventional, 5 x 238 Sumo.
April 5, 5 x 244
April 18: 5 x 244

Gap for sore back: switched to low handle trap deads

May 23: 10 x 206
June 7: 10 x 217
June 20 1 x 250 trap
July 4: 10 x 222
August 1: 4 x 250 (trap, low handle)

Gap for Virtual ultra (24 hour)

August 22: 4 x 254 (trap..low handle)
August 29 1 x 274 (trap, low handle)

September 5: switched to full stop deadlifts: sets with 244
September 12: 10 x 222 (full stop)
September 27 4 x 254 5 x 244 (full stop)
October 4deficit: 10 x 134, 10 x 184, 5 x 224
regular: 2 x 259; didn’t try a 3’rd rep as I felt a tug in my right hamstring (high)high handles: 10 x 224:
October 17: High handle: 5 x 254, 5 x 264 (fairly easy)Low handle, neutral: 5 x 244
October 24: High handle: 5 x 264, 5 x 274, low handle: 10 x 224

October 31: 1 x 254, High Handle 1 x 284, 1 x 274

November 7: High Handle: 5 x 274, Low Handle: 5 x 249

November 14: Low Handle: 1 x 254, High Handle: 1 x 289, 1 x 294, Low Handle: 10 x 224

November 18; High handle 10 x 234 (by accident; added an extra 5 to each side)

November 21: Low Handle deficit: 1 x 254. High handle 1 x 301, 10 x 244. Low Handle: 10 x 224.

November 28 Low handle 5 x 254 (no bounce)

December 5 Low Handle 1 x 284, 10 x 229. (no bounce)

December 12 High handle: 1 x 274, 1 x 304 (easier than the 301 2 weeks ago), 1 x 274, 10 x 244
Low handle: 10 x 224 

December 19: 5 x 274 high handle, 5 x 254 low handle. (missed 301 low handle 4 times)

December 26: High handle: 1 x 314, 5 x 279, low handle: 5 x 254

2021

Jan 2: 5 x 279 high, 4 x 259 low, 5 x 234 deficit (lots of misses with 319 high)

Jan. 9: High handle: 5 x 279, 5 x 279 (effort) Low handle 5 x 255

Jan. 16: High handle: 5 x 285, 1 x 285, 5 x 274, Low handle: 10 x 224.

Jan 23: High handle: 5 sets of 3 x 274, 1 x 301, Low handle: 10 x 224.

Jan 31: high handle: 5 sets of 3 x 279, 1 set of 1 x 301 low handle 10 x 224

Feb 7: missed 319 badly (high handle); too beat up to do much but 5 sets of 3 x 274 high handle , 10 x 224 low.

Feb 14 regression; found that 260 low was difficult; retreated to 3 sets of 5 x 244 low, 1 set of 5 x 274 high.