Well, the Birthday deadlift preparation was different this year. Got off to the usual start - 235# - with enough time to increase the weight by 5#’s/week to end up with enough in the tank to do 300x2 on March 3rd. Too much time in fact. When I got to 280# and checked where I was at I had too many weeks to go. Two too many. So, I did both 280 and 285 twice to stretch it out. This would have worked out fine … then I caught a cold.
Luckily, it was just as I was doing my final heavy workout at 295#. That last heavy workout really let the cold get a foothold - When I catch cold, it lasts for at least two weeks and I am miserable. The last phase is the coughing. Ugh!
During this, I managed to get 275x2 (instead of x5) then took the last workout with 250x2. Not much speed but strength seemed OK. Meanwhile, Steve called and said he was going to Al’s on my Birthday and could I change to another day. Didn’t want to change days necessarily and suggested I go with him to Al’s and lift there - we had been planning on going to Al’s for the past two years but something kept coming up; starting with Covid.
So, I had been playing with the thought of trying for 300x5, with Steve wanting me to go heavier (Steve always wants to go heavier :-)) I mulled it around. Then the cold. I really didn’t peak well for this cycle. More mulling….
After the first rep with 300# at Al’s I made up my mind to go for 315#. He had enough old-style metal 45’s for 3 on each side. I got fired up just enough to get it for one rep. Might have gotten two if not for the cold, and letting it get out front on both reps. Just felt out of sync. And full of too much breakfast!
The diner Al takes us to serves great food, especially breakfast. Mine was a large platter with two eggs, two biscuits, two large pancakes, two sausages, two bacon, large serving of hash browns, and four pieces of toast. I was eyeing their homemade hash too but decided not. Usually this is not too much for me to eat, but when lifting relatively shortly afterwards, it turned out it was. I certainly wasn’t going to not eat all of it. And I thought we would have more time before lifting.
I am not a deadlifter. It just seems safer to do then a maximum clean, as I don’t have the flexibility or leg strength anymore to recover from the clean. Early on in this cycle, I managed to slightly injure my arm just above the elbow between the triceps and biceps. I did it with a lighter poundage because of unintended follow-through. My Olympic lifting experience unintentionally follows me into my deadlift where I will react with a shrug at the top. When the weight then drops back down it places a lot of stress on the old bones. It seemed more like a sheath injury than muscle. Not too painful, but annoying.
Thank you to Steve and Al for providing motivation. This year it just didn’t feel like a big deal; just going through the motions. Steve gave me the pep talk: reminded me of my age, that I wasn’t using any stimulants or aids of any kind, and cheered me up. Yea, I forget about being old and don't usually even think about it. We will see about next year. 70 seems like a nice round number to wrap this up.
Негізгі бет 69th Birthday Present to Myself - 300# x2 Deadlift ... Maybe?
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