RAGEfit's Road to 600 LBS (Deadlifts Only)

[drewkocak]

ROAD TO 600 LBS

I've always wanted to do a training log on here but never felt like I had enough time to do so properly. Considering my current goal of shooting my deadlift up to 600, I decided I'm capable of scrounging up some time once or twice a week to log my progress since I only deadlift twice a week max. Plus deadlifts are fun as hell to watch, soooo here we go.


Current Stats:

Best Sumo - 520
Best Conventional - 525
Best Beltless Sumo - 480
Best Beltless Conventional - 495


Note that I have not trained with a belt in a long time. I am just now about to start reincorporating it. I did an extended block of training beltless to build up a little core strength, and let me tell you, I've never felt so stable in my compound movements until after I did this training block (it's been about 6 months now).

Also note I had a minor adductor tear about a month ago so I've been avoiding sumo entirely.

My goal is to end the beltless training block once I hit 500 conventional. You'll know that this is very, VERY soon if you watch my 495 lb beltless pull in the video below.

Speaking of video, I will be filming a Road to 600 series on my youtube channel (RAGEfit) as well -- thus the name of this thread. My name isn't actually RAGEfit lolz. Subscribe there if you'd prefer to "watch" along instead of read along. I will also include them here in this thread when I post.

Anyhow here's my last deadlift session (I follow up deadlift days with arm hypertrophy stuff but that's not of importance so I'm leaving that out):


10/27/17
Beltless Conventional
10x135
8x225
5x275
3x315
1x365
1x405
1x455
1x475
1x495


P.S. Team Hookgrip




NOTE: Deadlifts start at 7:18

[drewkocak]

DEADPOOL DEADLIFTS 500 LBS (beltless)

I hit my goal today! Decided to go all or nothing with it and wear my halloween costume to the gym.

I normally would not deadlift this heavy so soon after a near max effort session.... but halloween is on Tuesday, and I wanted to do this whole costume thing.

One kid told me I sucked. The dude working told me he was impressed. The token jean-wearing italian dude who stares everyone down stared me down. And pretty much everyone judged me.

Oh well, it was worth it. I hit 500 beltless.

Now it's time to throw on a belt and start training to hit that 545

...considering the speed of 500 beltless, I think 545 with a belt might happen a lot sooner than expected

10/29/17
Beltless Conventional
5x135
5x225
3x275
3x315
1x365
1x405
1x455
1x475
1x500




NOTE: The deadlift start at 1:45 for those who don't have 105 seconds to spare

[drewkocak]

Happy Halloween folks

Update on my back after going for 495 on Friday and 500 two days later:

It's tight. I skipped squats yesterday because my squats are posterior chain dominant. Lots of lower back and glute/hamstring. Would have been doing a 3x3 at 330 I believe.

Anyway, I feel better after a couple days of rest for my erectors -- I usually don't get this tight but I also don't usually perform two new max effort sessions so close together.

Should be good to deadlift as usual by Friday so expect the next post then! With a belt this time!

Happy Halloween!

[drewkocak]

500 lb Deadpool Deadlift Bloopers

Here's the blooper reel for that 500 lb beltless deadlift I did for Halloween as deadpool.

From here on out, this thread will be a little more serious I swear . Back to regular training with a belt tomorrow.

Hope everyone had an awesome Halloween!

[JamesA1990]

You got this m99

100 lbs to go

[drewkocak]

You got this m99

100 lbs to go

Thanks buddy! Hopefully more like 60-70 lbs to go since I'm going belted now. I've hit 525 belted in the past. I'm thinking I could do more now -- just have to get used to how awk the belt feels right now

[drewkocak]

RETURN OF THE BELT

The belt really threw me off today if I'm being real.

Totally different technique now. Instead of stiffening everything up like I did beltless, I'm pushing out against the belt. It's funky

It also seems to limit my mobility.

This somehow had me setting up with my weight more over the bar than behind it like I'm used to / prefer.

Reference: https://www.instagram.com/p/BbCcFenHq8g/

And yes I used to always train with a belt. 6 months of beltless training has really got me adapted to that.

But if I can lift more with the belt long term, I'm going to keep it on.

We'll see how I adapt next week.

No set programming today. Just played with moderate weight to see how it felt with a belt.

Also note that I don't put it on until I'm at 405.

11/3/17
Belted Conventional
5x135
4x225
3x275
3x315
1x405
1x405
1x425
1x425 (straps)
3x425 (straps)
3x405 (straps)

P.s. I ended up using straps because even my hook grip felt off. Onward.

[drewkocak]

THE BELT FEELS AWKWARD + MY NEW PROGRAMMING VLOG

Here's my last vlog that I posted showing footage from my first session wearing a belt in about 6 months. Super awkward as I said. At the end of the video I talk about my programming. Starting with higher volume and higher rep ranges at a lower intensity, then peaking to a single at high intensity. Never really peaked my programming like this. But I'm curious to see how it'll affect my strength.

I've always just had periods where I try to get stronger where I just add 5-10 lbs every week. Nothing super structured and focused on powerlifting like this. I've gotten as strong as I currently am mostly doing bodybuilding style training actually now that I think about it.

[drewkocak]

THE BELT FEELS GOOD AGAIN

Forgot to post this last week/weekend, but here's the log for last week's deadlifts. The belt actually feels good again, even after months of beltless training.

SOLUTION: I shifted it down to cover my lumbar more instead of directly over my belly button. It doesn't feel in the way there, and I feel strong with it on again.

Note, this is the first week of a new program I created, so we're starting with higher volume and lower intensity.

11/10/17
Conventional Belted Deadlifts
8x135
8x225
8x275
8x315
8x367.5
8x367.5



NOTE: deadlifts start around the 4 min mark

[drewkocak]

MORE VOLUME WORK (at 400 LBS)

This volume work is really kicking my thumbs in the d*ck. Anyway, got through my warmups with double overhand and my first set with hook grip. It was one of those days where it just kept hurting and throbbing like crazy. So we switched to straps for the last 2 sets. At least I know I can hook 400 for reps on one set. No use killing my thumbs further.

I'd much rather hook 500+ for a single than 400 for 5+.... Anybody else have similar sentiments? lol

11/17/17
Belted Conventional
6x135
6x225
6x275
6x315
6x365
6x400
6x400 (straps)
6x400 (straps)

NOTE: Below is the new episode of my road to a 600 lb deadlift series. The deadlifts mentioned above are shown.

[JamesA1990]

I'd much rather hook 500+ for a single than 400 for 5+.... Anybody else have similar sentiments? lol

I think this is most peoples feelings. Once you have the technique down, just do your heaviest work with hook, then all volume work with straps

That said, im a hook grip failure. Got up to 510 hook grip before i decided fark this and im back to mixed

[drewkocak]

I think this is most peoples feelings. Once you have the technique down, just do your heaviest work with hook, then all volume work with straps

That said, im a hook grip failure. Got up to 510 hook grip before i decided fark this and im back to mixed

Man I did the same thing. Then Omar Isuf put out a video on really externally rotating your arms/shoulders on the setup to eliminate pain and activate your lats. I was very skeptical about the pain elimination portion of that. BUT IT WORKED.

I have no idea why it does really because external rotation of the arms and pain from the hook don't seem like they'd correlate. But that's what made it nearly painless for me (at least in extra low rep sets). I'd check out that video if you haven't seen it and try it out if you're still interested in getting hook grip mastered (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbYLp3KhBCY).

[drewkocak]

LOWER VOLUME, BIGGER WEIGHT

Programming called for 3x4x80%1RM today. That was about 425 lbs. Felt very low energy this day actually but the sets moved fast enough. This was the day after thanksgiving actually. The days after all out cheat days typically = bad workouts for me. You would think it would be the opposite since I'm probably loaded up with glycogen and stuff but NOPE -- it makes me sluggish.

Oh well, at least next Thursday isn't Thanksgiving lol (I deadlift on Fridays in case you haven't caught on).

Here's the first set for those interested: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bb4rWBVnC-o/

And if anyone's interested in my Thanksgiving Cheat Day Food Porn Vlog, issa here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDNOO5LS76o

11/24/17
Conventional Belted Deadlifts
10x135
8x225
4x275
4x315
4x405
4x405
4x425 (hook)
4x425 (hook)
4x425 (straps)

[drewkocak]

I HIT A 40 LB PR (565 LBS)

Sooooo, my program was in the process of peaking. I was supposed to do triples at 455. Then I got invited to this ugly christmas sweater deadlift party.... where everyone was going for a new PR. I ended up saying screw it and joining in. Gotta do it when you're in that atmosphere right ? I was kind of already into the low volume, high weight portion of the program anywaaaaay.

Plan was to just hit the 545 I planned on hitting at the end of this peak. It flew up. So I threw 565 on the bar. Also flew up. I think I had 585 in me, but it probably wouldn't have been pretty so I called it at 565. Anyhow, most I had hit before this was 525 so I'm very happy with these lifts.

Lol, time to reprogram everything and shoot for that 600. WAY sooner than expected.

12/1/17
Conventional Belted Deadlift (Hook Grip)
5x135
5x225
3x275
3x315
2x405
2x455
1x495
1x545 (ALL TIME PR)
1x565 (ALL TIME PR)



NOTE: Deadlifts start at 3:45. 565 LB Deadlift at 9:25

[drewkocak]

deloooooad

Spent this week deloading and depleting for the most part (when it came to my hypertrophy work) because a friend of mine convinced me to do the 10,000 calorie challenge with her this past Saturday.

So it was just some light gripwork on deads this week. Probably going to go light next week as well. Then hop right into a peaking program to hit the big 600 lb'er in 8 weeks or so. Yeah this thread is probably going to be shorter than expected. Or maybe will start shooting for 700... we'll see

11/3/17
Conventional Belted Deadlifts
5x135
4x225
3x275
3x315
3x335 (no hook)
3x335 (no hook)
3x335 (no hook)