My deadlift is relatively the lowest of all my lifts. At my next meet (September), I plan on qualifying for nationals, and wasn’t planning on competing again till Nationals in July.
But I was thinking last night to maybe build up my other lifts and keep training them raw, but doing one or two meets single ply deadlift only to prioritize training for it and overload it.
I guess all this being said, do you think it would be advisable, or would I be better off spending most of this time doing off-season with more bodybuilding work?
Deadlift seems pretty straight forward for single-ply (compared to suited squatting or shirted benching). Do I risk any significant increase in risk of injury to reconsider this idea? I’d also do one lift only so I can go to another gym for my suited deadlift, and then do my other stuff at my main gym.
This doesn’t sound like a great idea. First of all, deadlift suits don’t add nearly as much as a squat suit or bench shirt, so there isn’t going to be nearly the same degree of overloading. Then the other thing is that if overloading the top end of your deadlift is going to benefit you that much, it would be easier to just do a lot of work with bands (chains too but they are more expensive, unless your gym has them).
You don’t necessarily need to be doing a whole lot of bodybuilding work to build your deadlift. Other deadlift variations can help, or just some higher rep work perhaps.
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Yeah, I basically do mostly bodybuilding work off season with variations of the mainlifts
But thankfully the gym has bands and chains for me to use.
But as far as progressing, what if I did raw deadlift only meets in between full power meets?
so I agree with Chris on the benefit (or lack thereof) of wearing a suit. Aside from the fact that putting on a suit just sucks, and I personally train with it as infrequently as possible, the reason I do some training in the suit is to get acclimated to it for events where it’s allowed, not to overload the deadlift. Learning to use the suit is really all you’re trying to do when you train with it on. So it seems pretty counterproductive to me to train with it if you don’t plan on using it at big meets.
As for doing raw deadlifts between meets: is this something you’re trying to use as a motivating factor? If that’s the case, then do whatever you need to do, and just don’t worry too much about ‘peaking’ for those meets. I can relate this to how I train for strongman. I’m training a lot of things throughout the year, and when I’m getting ready for a smaller contest, I’m reacclimating to the specific implements I’ll be lifting, but not the extent that I do for, say, a National or International contest. I want to be strong enough to compete successfully at a regional show pretty much anytime, and then save the peaking for big contests. Peaking just doesn’t really help a whole lot for building strength long-term. It’s about prepping the nervous system.
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Yeah that makes sense. Plus more involved training with logistics, buying a suit, and then trying to get into it.
I was hoping to peak my deadlift for each meet to fast track progress, but I might get alot more value just by training as I would to prepare for a big meet almost a whole year down the road. Plus saves me money from having to do meet registrations and all.
More bodybuilding offseason = less injuries. Put on as much muscle as possible. Don’t prioritize strength until you are in the prep phase.
I wish I would have done more bodybuilding when not prepping for a meet. I’d still be competing instead of waiting for surgery in January.
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Briefs are all you need. Use them on squats and deadlifts now and then to save your hips.
But largely there’s no direct carry over. Also if you squat medium to narrow and pull conventional you’re not going to get as much hip protection as a wide/sumo person.
So ultimately its up to you to test out and see if you get any benefit.
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Hmm, maybe I’ll just stick to my current plan of spreading out the comps. I’ve been doing the off-season bodybuilding mostly for injury prevention.
Yeah, I squat medium and pull conventional, so not any hip protection needed that much.
But I might also change my mind mid-year and do SP deadlift only just to set the state Drug Tested record since there is none haha.