Wed 20th May: Deadlifts

I dont have time for full workouts at moment due to a work deadline. In fact I will be taking Thursday and Friday nights off as I will more than likely have to pull an all nighter on Thursday. From looking back at my journal I have not taken a rest day in a while so not overly bothered.

Deadlifts: Warm up with 60, 100, 125, 143 and then did 3 sets of 10 with 170kg/375lb, 174kg/385lb, 170kg/375lb.

The 375 and 385 weights were both new PBs for ten reps.



I met a forum member, Simon Campbell, from St Gabriels while I was at home. He is primarily a powerlifter but is doing some weightlifting under Ronnie Whiteways watchful eye. He is a really friendly chap, weighs about 90kg and is a strong brute when it comes to deadlifts so have been emailing him to get some motivation to try and get a stronger deadlift which I hope will lead to a stronger pull off the floor. I think his best is 200kg for 5 reps which is well outside my limits at the moment.

On another note I was in communication with Frank Rothwell by email. My respect for this guy goes up everytime I speak to him. The guy was simply a beast and it is little wonder he represented Ireland at the Olympics. I have included an excerpt from his reply:

My best Clean was 177.5 Kg which I did on a training week end at Tony Ford' s gym in 1971. I then loaded 180 Kg but missed three times. I weighed 87 Kg. ( I never made the 90 Kg bodyweight limit as I always had great difficulty in keeping my bodyweight up)
I never had any trouble cleaning weights. I did a lot of power cleans and heavy clean pulls in training. I used a very ''pure'' style in the power clean (a long pull and very little dip, see attachment) I did 160 Kg in this style.

A 160 power clean just blows my mind. The 161 I did a few days ago pinned me to the floor. Much work to do to get anywhere near his standard in cleans.

So all in all between Simons and Franks emails I am determined to quit being such a pussy and actually try lift something of worth in the next 12 months.