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Thread: Early Intermediate Possible Deadlift Plateau

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2019
    Posts
    32

    Default Early Intermediate Possible Deadlift Plateau

    • starting strength seminar april 2024
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    Age: 42 (will turn 43 this month)
    Height: 6 feet
    Weight: 230 pounds
    Current Program: 3 day Texas Method (just finished my 7th week on the program)
    Bench Press 5 Rep PR: 245 lbs (set today)
    Overhead Press 5 Rep PR: 145 lbs (set last Friday)
    Squat 5 Rep PR: 335 pounds lbs (Set a few weeks ago but recently de-loaded by 40 lbs due to narrow 20 lb deadlift/squat differential per Santana's advice. I did 305 for 5 reps today, which was intensity day for me.)
    Deadlift 5 rep PR: 370 lbs (set today)

    Today was intensity day and deadlift was a serious grind at 370 pounds. I barely got all five reps in and it was a real struggle for me, particularly on reps 3 through 5. It was hard enough that I am already wondering if 375 lbs next Friday is even doable.

    My questions are as follows:

    1. Should I split my deadlift intensity sets into 2 sets of 3 instead of 1 set of 5 or is it too early to make that change?
    2. Instead of changing to 2x3, would it be preferable instead to add halting deadlifts or rack pulls to my program and keep my deadlifts at 1x5? If I do add halting deadlifts/rack pulls to my program, do I alternate between regular deadlifts and one of these two accessory lifts on intensity day or do I try and add them as a final lift on volume day (so I am doing halting deadlifts or rack pulls on volume day and regular deadlifts on intensity day)?

    Robert, if you happen to see this first, my intention is still to link up with you at some point to discuss coaching, it just isn't feasible for me right now for a variety of reasons.

    Thanks in advance for the advice.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2015
    Location
    Garage of GainzZz
    Posts
    3,297

    Default

    Video?

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    Phoenix, AZ
    Posts
    4,610

    Default

    What are you doing for your other pulls for the week. If you decide to go the halting/rack pull route then that would be your heavy pull and any other pull would be your lighter pull. So if your heaviest pull is on intensity day then your intensity day pull would be rack pull @ 1 x 5 one week and a halting @ 1 x 8 one week (or a deficit 1 x 5 if you prefer those). Then you'd do some lighter pulling on your volume day and do zero pulls on recovery day other than chins.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2019
    Posts
    32

    Default

    Thanks Robert. I'm doing barbell rows on volume day and chins on recovery day. If I alternate rack pulls and halting deadlifts on intensity day, would you recommend sticking with barbell rows on Monday for my lighter pull?

    Also, as for the first reply, I did not record that set but should probably do that. It has been quite some time since I recorded myself deadlifting and it would probably be good to look at bar speed and make sure my form isn't degrading.

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