A lot of little stories to hit today.
First off, watch this interview between Jim Wendler and Mark Rippetoe. Just do it.
Switching from Conventional to Sumo
Since my deadlift day two weeks ago I've been having back problems. Initially it was a common and general soreness in my lower back, which is to be expected. The following week I completely blew up on my deadlift day and felt like total garbage. In the week since I've actually felt some pain in my spine. Yeah, my spine. Not my lower back or spinal erectors or rectus abdominis. My spine.
It was a minor pain, but any pain in the spine, especially mine, warrants attention. It was a minor pulse of discomfort in the crux of the curvature of my lower spine, which is a 50 degree curvature. I'm not a doctor, but I'm also not a moron. I needed to make a change in the stress I apply to my back. Cue the sumo deadlift.
I spent some time this week reading on the technique of the sumo deadlift, including articles on making a switch from conventional to sumo. Additionally, I found comments here and there suggesting that people of a smaller body mass, short and small cats like myself, may benefit from a switch to sumo. Though it is going to take plenty of time in the gym to really "get" the technique of the sumo deadlift, I felt good about it today.
A Dude at the Gym
I was doing my warm up sets on the deadlift, trying to figure out the technique, and a guy came up to me and asked me, "Yeh pomihcigalifer?"
I took my headphones off. "What?"
"You a powerlifter?"
Turns out this cat, who seemed to be in his mid 40s, used to powerlift. He told me about a gym near the area run by the guy who heads the Illinois chapter of the USAPL. He complimented my technique and suggested that I go into a meet.
We got to talking about a lot of things, including his best lifts. He had hit 605 on the deadlift and something comparable on the squat. His bench was around 500, and this was single ply. After rattling off his best lifts he asked, "What do you bench? 350?" I laughed.
He again suggested I train at the aforementioned gym, but I told him I was moving this weekend. He asked where, and I told him, "Back home to Columbus, Ohio." "Well, fuck! You've got Louis Simmons!" He then went on to tell me about going to a meet in Columbus where Louie told him, "Geno, you're never going to be a powerlifter without steroids." I laughed, especially hard considering USAPL is a drug testing federation.
All in all it was nice to talk to someone who knew what was going on, to shit talk on the crap equipment at Ballys, and to get some positive feedback.
Warm Up:
Agile 8
Extra hip swings, hip flexor stretches.
Extra low back foam rolling.
Deadlift (Sumo):
135 x 5
135 x 5
185 x 5
225 x 5
275 x 5
335 x 5
380 x 3
425 x 1
425 x 1
Though I was obviously supposed to go for 1+ reps on 425, it just wasn't going to happen. The weight felt very light and the lift very smooth all the way up to 425, where it fell apart. I failed to get my hips under me properly and used a lot of hams and glutes to get the weight up. I'm not upset, though, as its my first day and I understandably have a lot to learn.
Good Mornings (Wide Stance):
135 x 12
135 x 12
155 x 12
155 x 12
185 x 12
Shrugs:
135 x 30
135 x 30
185 x 30
Soundtrack: SLAYER "ALTAR OF SACRIFICE" PRAISE HELL SATAN
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