Week 12 was the week I finally got my 120kg deadlift! Here’s how the week unfolded
Monday 21st March – Julia Buckley workout
Six Pack Shred #5 – the latest installment of Julia’s core focussed series. It didn’t disappoint
Tuesday 22nd March – PT session
The night it finally happened! After starting off with some rack pulls we then moved onto the floor for the full lift. I lifted 100kg, 110kg then 115kg and then decided to go for the 120kg. As I approached the bar I wasn’t feeling that confident that I’d make the lift but then a mental technique that Julia taught me sprang to mind. ‘What if I could?’ What if I could get that bar off the floor? What would that look and feel like?
It worked. The bar came up, slowly but surely. It was a bit of a grind as the video shows but I don’t care because I locked out at the top and it therefore counts!
Wednesday 23rd March
Rest day. Foam rolling and hip focussed yin yoga in the evening.
Thursday 24th March – gym session
Overhead pressing with the barbell – from just the bar @20kg up to 1 rep @52.5kg. The 55kg just wouldn’t go up despite several attempts. I haven’t pressed with the barbell for a while and it showed, but my max weight for the comp is a 55kg log so I’m not too worried.
Neutral grip shoulder press. Sets of 5 with 2 x 14kg then sets of 3 with 2 x 16kg
Lat pull down. Sets of 3 at 47 then 52 kg
Friday 25th March – deadlift assistance
Warmed up with some ‘light’ deadlifts up to 90kg just to keep practicing – my back was a bit achey so didn’t push it higher.
Romanian Deadlifts @60kg for 3 sets then some KB windmills @ 14kg.
Loosened up on the cross trainer with a few light intervals before lots of stretching. Feeling quite tight so I need to pay more attention to that on my non lifting days
Saturday 26th March – strongwoman training
This session nearly broke me – I had to have a nap in the afternoon!
This session we started putting the moves together so I can practice for my comp.
Yoke into farmers walk. Worked up from empty frames to 170kg yoke into 130kg farmers. I tried the 140kg farmers which is my competition weight but it just wouldn’t come off the floor -it’s much more difficult straight off the back of the yoke and also after half an hour of training!
Sandbag carry – last week I could barely move the 50kg sandbag let alone pick it up and carry it. This week after some technique coaching I managed to carry it. The 70kg bag is a complete dead weight and I can barely lift it let alone carry it.
We finished off with the overhead medley
18kg kettlebell
30kg keg
37kg axle
40kg log
25kg dumbbell
I tried but couldn’t manage the 40kg keg – I need to work on that technique. These weights were all lighter than my competition weights but it was good to work on the medley and see what it feels like to do them one after another.
Sunday 27th March
Rest, rest, rest!
I’ve got just two full weeks of training left before the competition as I’ll take a good few days of complete rest in the run up. I know which parts I’m feeling confident about and which I still need to work on. Last night I had a dream about log pressing – I think I need to do some more work on that, and probably get out a bit more!
From Strength to Strength 