Workout: Shoulder Press 5 x 5

Warmup:

• 5 min moderate effort - Row, Run or Bike.
• 10 Jump Squats
• 10 Jump Pull-Ups
• 10 Double Unders

Workout: 

Work up to as heavy as you can manage for 5 reps. 

• 5 sets x 5 reps Shoulder (Military) Press (rest 2 minutes between sets)

Finisher:

Treadmill Drivers (5 x 10 second rounds)

1 Rep Max Deadlift - Gym Jones Cert (Video)

Click here for more details on the 1 Rep Max deadlift session with Gym Jones

1 Rep Max Deadlift - Gym Jones Cert (Day 2)

It's Day 2 of the Gym Jones Cert and today (amongst other things) we worked on the 1 Rep Max for The Deadlift. This is a test of maximal strength.

Of course it is not something you step into cold, we 'warmed' up with 10 reps, then 5 reps, working up to 3 reps, then onto 5 single rep efforts. Increasing the load at each stage until we could lift no more.

First a little background, my previous PB (Personal Best) was 148kg which I deadlifted in May. I am now recovering from a hamstring injury so I was not expecting too much today.
However, I was pleasantly surprised with the result:

• 10 Reps : 60kg
• 5 Reps : 80kg
• 3 Reps : 120kg
• 2 Reps : 140kg
• 1 Rep : 150kg
• 1 Rep : 160 kg
• 1 Rep : 170 kg
• 1 Rep : 180 kg (just exceeds twice my bodyweight)
• 1 Rep : 190 kg/418lb (new PB)

At the 1 rep max efforts, there was a minimum of 2-3 minutes rest for recovery. I tried 2 attempts at 200kg/440lb, the bar moved an inch on the first attempt. No movement on the second.

This lift today made me realise I was far stronger than I previously thought. Of course peer pressure (as well as support) played a part and anyone who knows me personally acknowledges I am very competitive.

To be honest this was not about competition. It was a practical experience of removing some of the mental limitations to performance.

No excuses about:

• not being built to deadlift,
• or that I hadn't done it for a few months,
• or being too old to do this 
  
  - regardless of what happened today I knew it was my best effort.

Today I focused more on the act and experience of lifting, not on how much I was lifting or by comparing myself to others. I just enjoyed the journey.

Thanks Mark and Rob of Gym Jones for the experience today, it reinforces my belief that we impose artificial limitations on ourselves far too often. I wasn't the only one to experience this. Many people surpassed their previous PB's today.

190kg (418lb) Deadlift (Photo: Mark Twight - Gym Jones)

The worrying thing was shortly afterwards we did a workout called the 'Jones Crawl'! I will post a video of this max lift and the subsequent workout in the next day or so.

Update on Tuesday, November 9, 2010 at 15:37 by Darryl Edwards

Video Link as promised:

http://www.thefitnessexplorer.com/home/2010/11/9/1-rep-max-deadlift-gym-jones-cert-video.html

Strength: Go Heavy

Go Heavy

Today lift or carry something heavy.  What does heavy mean?  It means something you can lift only for a few reps or carry for a short duration.  Of course there are the usual disclaimers here, be safe and sensible.  This isn't a competition.

If you're a gym bunny it could be a barbell, dumbells or kettlebells.  If you train at home or outdoors improvise with a backpack filled with stones, a sandbag, a large rock, tree trunks or a duffel bag filled with lead shot.  

If all else fails grab one of your kids or training partner and perform an exercise bearing their weight - such as a squat.  Be adventurous and enjoy.

Progressive overload is what's important here.  In order to get stronger you have to continually challenge the body with progressively heavier loads.  In Greek Mythology, Milo of Croton became the strongest man in Greece by lifting a calf on his back every day until it grew into a full grown bull.  

Use Milo as your inspiration.