Deadlift Day!

Until a few weeks ago, deadlift day was without a doubt my favorite day of the week. Like many powerlifters, I love the unequivocal nature of the deadlift. Either you can pick it up or you can't. Period. It's also the lift where I have been able to move the most weight, and the one I've always felt the most comfortable with in competition.

However, as my weights got heavier and heavier, my form was definitely suffering. I've always lifted conventional because the first time I tried sumo (probably 6-8 months ago) I felt like there was a vice grip around my hip joints and I couldn't really even get down to the bar. A few weeks ago, I assume after having watched one too many videos of me lifting anything over 240# with an increasingly rounded low back, Chris told me we were going to change my stance to something closer to sumo, but not quite all the way there.  Realizing that in the future I may want a functional spine for things other than crushing mad weight, I figured he was making the right call.

Positives about the new stance: It forces good form, there's almost no way for me to round my back out. Whereas with conventional, if my legs gave out my back would just kick in (this is BAD.) In this new stance, because of the way I have to approach the bar and the inherent stiffness in my spine and hips in this position, either my legs do the work or the bar doesn't move.

Negatives: For the past 2 weeks I haven't been able to get anything over 199# off the ground. THIS SUCKED. This also pointed out that my glutes are still pathetically under-active and weaker than they should be if I think I can throw around 280# (which I almost got in my last comp.)

Pre-stance change-up, I was raring to go and eager to hit 300# before the end of the summer, but now it feels like a major accomplishment to get 214# off the floor. Which I did. Today. And I am HELLA PSYCHED about it. If you had told me a month ago that I would be thrilled with 214# for two singles I would have laughed in your face. But that's what I got today, and it felt good. For the first time in this new stance my medial knees didn't hurt at all, I was able to self-correct on form throughout my lifting, and I feel like I'm on my way back up.  It feels good.

I also want to give credit to this breathing/bracing technique that I read about earlier this week on Girls Gone Strong (#5 under 'Barbell Box Squat'.) I have read a ton about bracing your core with breath and keeping your ribs down, but it never really made sense until now. I used it today with my deadlifts and front squats and I think it really helped maintain stiffness, as well as providing a nice pre-lift routine.

Training today:

Warmup: Kettlebells

Deadlift: 6 sets, working up to 214#x1,1

Accessory: Front squats, suitcase carries and jump rope (I actually jumped rope! I did it! Whoo hoo!)

I should spend the rest of the day doing school work, but I think it is entirely more probably that I will go see Man of Steel and This Is The End, with a totally amazeballs cheat meal of icecream and pizza in the middle. Yeah, that sounds about right.