Wendler 5/3/1 program, cycle 15, week 4

• Deload – Deadlift (working max: 345#)
  • 2x5x140
  • 2x5x185
  • 2x5x225
• Asst. #1 – Pullthroughs
  • 3 x 15 x 130
• Foam Rolling

Keep deload deload. I did some light deadlifts. I added the Fat Gripz at first, but boy… that was taxing! After the 2nd set at 185 I removed them — didn’t want to risk dropping the bar. I did make sure to grip like hell and hold at the top, to give my grip a little extra workout here. Kept rest periods to about a minute between sets. And just did some pullthroughs to round things off. I did follow with a bunch of foam rolling and static stretching of my hamstrings — I really lost a lot of flexibility here, and that’s bad.

But, just keep things light and basic.

I also had some further thoughts about my training. So much of the reading I’ve been is very specific to improving at powerlifting. There’s wisdom to be learned from that training, but it’s not what I’m after. I’m after general strength improvement. I have “Starting Strength” in my reading room and was flipping through the past few days… happened to re-read some stuff about deadlift mechanics, used that today (e.g. “break at the knees first”), but Rip is kinda about general strength improvements, not really specific to any one sport or goal other than just getting stronger because if you’re stronger, you can just a lot more of just about anything. That’s been my general approach, but that clarity faded a bit because I’ve been reading so many other things. So re-reading Rip’s stuff helped bring that back into focus and yes… just onwards to getting stronger.