Dan John on program design

[Steve Shafley]

In actuality, powerlifters who have lost weight have tended to notice improvements in their deadlifts because their bellies no longer got into the way, and they could assume a better starting position.

If you are concerned with keeping body fat low, and 5% is really, really low, unless you are predispositioned to being that lean anyway, chances are you are going to be in a calorie deficit, and thus making it harder to maintain or even increase strength.

There does seem to be an optimal level of bodyfat for strength and muscle gains, and that's probably between 8-12%. Getting really fat improves your leverage somehow, intramuscularly, which is why you see the strongest humans on the planet around 20% or higher (reference...see the SHW OLs or PLs). Note I am talking about the strongest, period, not the strongest, relative to bodyweight.

You know, I like to run off at the mouth, there's no denying that. That 500# DL comment was one of those moments. But, chances are that if you don't think you can get to a 500# deadlift, you're not going to do so. If this is a concern of yours, my suggestion is to seek out a local group of powerlifters to lift with and to loosen up on the diet a bit to put yourself in a state of positive energy balance.

It all depends...you could state "If you are over 20% bodyfat, then you are a fat bastard with no dietary discipline" and POW! you'd have me on the ropes.

[Dave Van Skike]

[quote=Steve Shafley;5795]
You know, I like to run off at the mouth, there's no denying that. That 500# DL comment was one of those moments. But, chances are that if you don't think you can get to a 500# deadlift, you're not going to do so. If this is a concern of yours, my suggestion is to seek out a local group of powerlifters to lift with and to loosen up on the diet a bit to put yourself in a state of positive energy balance.
QUOTE]

Won't take anything away from your prodigous mouth but I have heard the 500 number in a lot of places. For a legit strongish guy,the 500 pound benchmark (or thereabouts) is reasonable. I have no question that I will get there....slowly. The 405 front squat.....a bit iffy.

I ran across a discussion that you may have been in that 3(00),4(00),5(00),is a legit and workable goal for the 3 power lifts. These number are in line with the ranges that Rippatoe has in the back of Practical Programming for an advanced (competitive) but not elite (winner) male lifter in the 198 class.

Goals are good, Standards are good. I'm a hell of a lot better off from the tsruggle of reaching for 500 than from being smug at 405.

[Steve Liberati]

Originally Posted by Steve Shafley

You know, I like to run off at the mouth, there's no denying that. That 500# DL comment was one of those moments. But, chances are that if you don't think you can get to a 500# deadlift, you're not going to do so. If this is a concern of yours, my suggestion is to seek out a local group of powerlifters to lift with and to loosen up on the diet a bit to put yourself in a state of positive energy balance.

Thanks Steve for the explanation above....however not a concern of mine at all. My last PR on the "The CrossFit Total" was 435lbs. My current bodyweight is ~187lbs. Hoping to break the 500 mark in the next few months or so. I agree with what you said about our minds being our biggest enemy in realizing strength gains. Weightlifting, like most sports are largely mental (technique, food, genes, lifestyle - all playing a huge role as well).

If not for nothing, your statement certainly motivated myself to join the 500 DL club (however, realize this was not your intention). Like Dave said below, goals and standards are good. Reaching them is even better though

[JW Luckett]

Here is an Excel I made for the Big 21. If this works and you can open it, enter your target weight for each lift in the yellow box. Most of the formulas work by subtracting from the target weight. Also, the whole thing assumes gradations of 2.5kgs, not 5lbs. I think that might be pretty important.

If this attachment business doesn't work but you would still like a copy, e-mail:

jwluckettiii <AT> yahoo.co.jp.

Careful there. That's Japan's yahoo, not DOT COM.

And finally, if anyone notices any errors in the thing, please let me know.

OK, here we go...

[Allen Yeh]

Thanks JW it seems to open fine for me.