Powerlifting and Strength Training

Speed Work and Sumo Deadlifts

     As I was reviewing the audio for the audiobook version of my powerlifting book, it remined me of some training ideas I used to use but have not in quite a while. One was speed work. I used to do it all the time, and my resting heart rate was lower than it is now (45 vs. 60 bpm). And with my training stagnating, I figured I would add it back in.

     My plan is to do 3 sets of 6-7, 4-5, 2-3 reps right after the main lift of the day, doing the speed work in the same fashion as it. I will start with about 50% of my top set, as recommended in my book, then adjust as needed. 

    The speed work should only add about five minutes to my workouts with only taking very short rests between sets, as described in my book. As such, I think it will be worth it. For my videos, I will still record the top two (and now only two) geared work sets then one or two of the speed sets. 

    But I’m not sure if I will tack the speed work onto the regular video or record them separately. I did the former for the first two days and the latter for the third day this week. The fourth day I skipped it due to pain in my left elbow. I think I might have to stop doing CGBPs due to it. The close grip seems to aggravate my elbow more than my regular grip, so I will substitute Chain Benches next time. 

    Also, I have not done Sumo Deadlifts in quite some time due to them bothering my tender adductors. But they are feeling fine now, so I figured I’d try Sumos this week rather than doing Conv Chain Deadlifts.  And they felt okay, so I will keep doing them, going back to training Conv and Sumo evenly. Sumos are well below Conv right now, but I am sure they will increase quickly as I reorient myself to them. 

    Note that my Sumo stance could better be described as a “hybrid” stance, as it is halfway between a what most would call a close (Conv) and a wide (Sumo) stance. But I’ve always called them Sumos, so I will stick with that nomenclature. There is no way I would even try a full wide Sumo stance, again, due to my tender adductors.

     That audiobook is Starting and Progressing in Powerlifting.

2025 Week 15 Workouts

4-6, Su: OFF (planned and needed extra day off).

4-7, M: 2B, 1-1/2” Extra Low Chain Squats: Raw: 200/10. Gear: 275/4, 287.5/2. Speed: 140/6, 145/5, 150/4. Video.

4-8, Tu: 3-Count Pause Decline Benches: Raw: 105/10. Gear: 135/4, 142.5/2. Speed, 1C: 65/7, 70/5, 75/3. Video.

For the speed work, I only used a 1-count pause.

Presses, Seated: 47.5/9. Gear: 52.5/7+, 60/3. Video.

4-10, Th: Sumo Deadlifts: Raw: 205/10. Gear: 280/4, 295/2. Video.

Speed: 135/7, 142.5/5, 150/3. Video.

Back Extensions: 8.75/14, 12.5/10, 15.0/6. Video.

It was too much doing both Deadlifts and SLDLs, so I substituted Back Extensions for the latter.

4-11, F: Close Grip Benches: Raw: 96.5/10. Gear: 127.5/4, 132.5/2. Speed: Skipped (elbow pain). Video.

2025 Week 16 Workouts

    I think it will work best to record the Speed Work separately, usually for the top two sets.

4-13, Su: Regular Squats with Sleeves: Raw: 185/10. Gear: 250/4, 262.5/2. Video.

Speed: 125/7, 132.5/5, 140/3. Video.

4-14, M: Decline Benches: Raw: 107.5/10. Gear: 137.5/4, 145/2. Video.

Speed: 65/7, 70/5, 75/3. Video.

Presses, Seated: Raw: 45/9. Gear: 52.5/6, 60/3. Video.

4-15, Tu: Regular Conv Deadlifts: Raw: 241.5/10. Gear: 330/4, 345/2. Video.

Speed: 170/7, 177.5/5, 185/3. Video.

4-17, Th: Chain Squats: Raw: 210/10. Gear: 282.5/4, 295/2. Video.

Speed: 135/9, 145/6, 155/3. Video.

    I think I’ll change my Speed Work to 3 x 8-9, 5-6, 2-3. That will give me a bit higher of reps and thus a bit more cardio effect. Also, a bit lower weights will be better for the first set, since I’m not doing a warmup set. Though I am plenty warmed up, the change from using gear to no gear takes a bit to get used to.

Lunges: 20s/9, 22.5s/6, 27.5s/3. Video.

4-18, F (Good Friday): Incline Benches: Raw: 75/10. Gear: 95/4, 100/2. Video.

Speed: 45/9, 50/6, 55/3. Video.

Super Curl Bar Curls: 40/14, 45/10, 50/6. Video.

A Super Curl Bar has different angles than a regular Curl Bar.

Wrist Roller (Underhand): 1.5/6, 2.5/4, 3.0/2. Video.

I made my wrist roller. But you can purchase one as well.

    I changed my BA workouts so as to incorporate Inclines rather than Overhead Presses. Also, even though I worked out in the evening, I continued my Good Friday tradition of listening to “Jesus Christ Superstar” during my workout.

2025 Week 17 Workouts

    Normally, Saturday is my rest day. But with Easter, I figured I’d work and work out as normal on Holy Saturday, then take Easter Sunday off. 

4-19, Sa: Sumo 2 Boards (1-1/2”) Deficit Deadlifts: Raw: 205/10. Gear: 280/4, 295/2. Video.

Speed: 135/9, 145/6, 155/3. Video.

Back Extensions: 10.0/14, 13.75/10, 17.5/6. Video.

4-21, M: 3-Count Pause Benches: Raw: 93/10. Gear: 122.5/4, 127.5/2. Video.

Speed: 55/10, 62.5/6, 67.5/3. Video.

4-22, Tu: 1-1/2” Extra Low Squats: Raw: 180/10. Gear: 242.5/4, 255/2. Video.

Speed: 120/9, 125/6, 130/3. Video.

Rocking Barbell Calves: 125/14, 132.5/10, 140/6. Video.

4-24, Th: Conv 1 Board (3/4”) Deficit Deadlifts: Raw: 240/10. Gear: 325/4, 340/2. Video.

Speed: 160/9, 165/6, 170/3. Video.

4-25, F: 3-Count Pause Decline Benches: Gear: 130/6, 137.5/4, 145/2. Video.

Speed, 1C: 65/9, 72.5/6, 80/3. Video.

2025 Week 18 Workouts

    Making a few changes to my routine, mostly to go back to what I was doing, as I liked it better.

4-27, Su: 3/4” Extra Low Chain Squats: Gear: 270/6, 282.5/4, 295/2. Video.

Speed: 135/9, 145/6, 155/3. Video.

4-28, M: Regular Benches: Gear: 122.5/6, 130/4, 137.5/1*. Video.

Speed: 60/9, 67.5/6. 75/3. Video.

    This workout started out fine but then went downhill. I also missed reps on Rows after the Benches.

4-29, Tu: Regular Sumo Deadlifts: Gear: 275/6, 290/4, 305/2. Video.

Speed: 140/9, 147.5/6, 155/3. Video.

5-1, Th: Regular Squats with Sleeves: Gear: 240/6, 252.5/4, 265/2. Video.

Speed: 125/9, 132.5/6, 140/3. Video.

5-2, F: Incline Benches: Gear: 90/6, 95/4, 100/2. Video.

Speed: 45/9, 50/6, 55/3. Video.

Deadlifts Scratch

    I forgot about an important difference between Conv and Sumo Deadlifts—I need to trim my fingernails for the latter, or the following happens:

2025 Week 19 Workouts

 5-4, Su: Conv 2 Boards (1-1/2”) Deficit Deadlifts: Gear: 310/6, 325/4, 340/2. Video.

Speed: 155/9, 162.5/6, 170/3. Video.

5-5, M: Decline Benches: Gear: 132.5/6, 140/4, 147.5/2. Video.

Speed: 65/9, 72.5/6, 80/3. Video.

5-6, Tu: 1-1/2” Extra Low Chain Squats: Gear: 270/6, 285/4, 300/2. Video.

Speed: 135/9, 140/6, 145/3. Video.

5-8, Th: Sumo 1 Board (3/4”) Deficit Deadlifts: Gear: 275/6, 290/4, 305/2. Video.

Speed: 140/9, 147.5/6, 155/3. Video.

5-9, F: Chain Benches: Gear: 125/6, 132.5/4, 140/2. Video.

Speed: 85/6, 85/6, 90/3. Video.

Super Curl Bar Rows: 95/9, 102.5/6, 110/3. Video.

2025 Week 20 Workouts

5-11, Su: OFF (planned monthly extra day off). 

5-12, M: Peaking Squats with Wraps: Gear (2.5m wraps): 270/4, 280/3, 290/2, 300/1. Video.

This first of my new Peaking workouts went just as planned

5-13, Tu: Incline Benches: Gear: 92.5/6, 97.5/4, 102.5/2. Video.

Speed: 47.5/10, 52.5/6, 57.5/3. Video.

5-15, Th: Regular Conv Deadlifts: Gear: 320/6, 335/4, 352.5/2. Video.

Speed: 170/9, 180/6, 187.5/3. Video.

5-16, F: Regular Benches: Gear: 125/5, 132.5/3, 137.5/1*. Video.

Speed: 62.5/9, 70/6, 77.5/3. Video.

Benches are not going well at all.

2025 Week 21 Workouts

Since all of my work sets on the powerlifts and variations thereof are now with gear, I won’t be marking them as such. The speed work and any assistance work are then done raw.

5-18, Su: 3/4” Extra Low Squats: 235/6, 247.5/4, 260/2. Video.

Speed: 117.5/9, 125/6, 132.5/3. Video.

5-19, M: 3-Count Pause Decline Benches: 132.5/5, 140/3, 147.5/1. Video.

Speed (1-Count Pause): 67.5/10, 75/6, 82.5/3. Video.

5-20, Tu: Sumo 2 Boards (1-1/2”) Deficit Deadlifts: 275/6, 290/4, 305/2. Video.

Speed: 140/9, 147.5/6, 155/3. Video.

5-22, Th: Chain Squats: No work sets! Reinjured my left adductor on my final raw warmup set. For the fifth time in the past four years, I will have to start all over again.

5-23, F: OFF. I thought it best to take this day off, even though I was benching. Still afraid I might aggravate my reinjured adductor. Then my normal off day Saturday. I’ll see how it feels on Sunday and take it from there.

Reinjured Left Adductor Again!

     I initially injured my left adductor (inner thigh muscle) doing Squats back in February of 2010. I injured it again doing Squats in June 2022, a week before my second shoulder surgery. It happened again last week, on Squats once again. That ends any thoughts of competing again this year. I had hoped to enter another contest this fall, as I did last fall.

     The injury happened on my final raw warmup set. When I did the first couple reps, they felt harder than expected. Then the injury happened on the third rep. Consequently, I think it will be good to add back a raw work set to maintain my raw strength. I also think it will be best to skip the speed work, at least for now.

     That said, my injured adductor felt okay for my first workout back after two days off. I did Conv Deadlifts. I figured they would be the least problematic. But to be sure, I dropped the weights down by 20-pounds, just enough so that I did not have to strain on the final reps. And my injury felt okay during and after that workout.

     Tuesday I did Squats. This was the workout I was concerned about, so I dropped the weights by 40 pounds. With that reduction the workout went okay, and my left adductor did not bother me at all. Strangely, my right adductor bothered me a bit. I reinjured it two years, and initially, a few years before that. But despite that, I could have done more, but I thought it best not to push it.

     I just added Sumo Deadlifts back into my routine. I had dropped them out after my right adductor injury two years ago, as they bothered my tender adductors too much. I debated on doing them or not. But I decided to take the same approach as with Squats to drop them by 40-pounds. Mind you, they were already well below my Conv Deadlift when I re-added them, after not doing them for two years. But with that drop, they felt okay, so I will stick with them.

     I skipped my speed work for all of these workouts and will probably wait a while before re-adding it. I just don’t think that would be wise at this point. 

    I will gradually increase my weights on all of my lifts from here. My adductors are feeling pretty good at this point, but I don’t want to push it. I’d rather come back slower than I have to and make steady progress than to try to come back too fast, get reinjured, and have to start over again.

     But it will probably take months to get back to where I was before this injury, and more time after that to get back to where I was before my problems at the beginning of the year. That is why I said I doubt I will compete again this year.

2025 Week 22 Workouts

 5-25, Su: Conv 1 Board (3/4”) Deficit Deadlifts: Raw: 225/10. Gear: 295/6, 310/4, 325/2. Video.

5-26, M: 3-Count Pause Benches: Raw: 95/10. Gear: 120/5, 125/3, 130/1. Video.

Speed: 1-Count: 57.5/0, 65/6, 70/3. Video.

5-27, M: Regular Squats with Sleeves: Raw: 160/10. Gear: 205/6, 217.5/4, 230/2. Video.

5-29, Th: Regular Sumo Deadlifts: Raw: 210*/10. Gear: 255/6, 270/4, 285/2. Video.

The raw set was a misload. It was only supposed to be 200. I only noticed it afterwards. The set went okay. But I need to be careful so as not to aggravate my adductor injury. 

5-30, F: Incline Benches: Raw: 75/10. Gear: 92.5/6, 97.5/4, 102.5/3+. Video.

Speed: 47.5/9, 52.5/6, 57.5/3. Video.

Hammer Curls: 42.5/14, 47.5/10, 52.5/6. Video.

Wrist Roller (Overhand): 2.0/6, 2.5/4, 3.0/3+. Video.

2025 Week 23 Workouts

6-1, Su: 1-1/2” Extra Low Chain Squats: Raw: 185/10. Gear: 235/6, 250/4, 265/2. Video.

6-2, M: Peaking Benches: Gear: 125/4, 130/3, 135/2, 140/1. Video.

    This workout went as planned, though my bench is down 20-pounds from my last contest.

6-3, Tu: Regular Conv Deadlifts: Raw: 235/10. Gear: 305/6, 320/4, 335/2. Video.

     This was supposed to be one of my new “peaking” workouts, but with still rehabbing my adductor injury, that didn’t make much sense, so I did a regular workout. It went well, though the top sets were a bit harder than I had expected. I guess I’m already losing strength after just a couple of weeks off of hard training due to that injury.

6-5, Th: 3/4” Extra Low Squats: Raw: 160/10. Gear: 205/6, 217.5/4, 230/2. Video.

     This was supposed to be my peaking workout, doing Squats with Wraps. But I skipped it and moved to the next workout in my rotation. And it went well and as planned.

6-6, F: Decline Benches: Raw: 110/10. Gear: 135/5, 142.5/3, 150/1. Video.

Speed: 67.5/9, 75/6, 82.5/3. Video.

2025 Week 24 Workouts

6-8, Su: OFF (planned monthly extra day off).

6-9, M: Sumo 1 Board (3/4”) Deficit Deadlifts: Raw: 205/10. Gear: 255/6, 270/4, 285/2. Video.

6-10, Tu: Chain Benches: Raw: 100/10. Gear: 127.5/6, 135/3*, 142.5/1*. Video.

Speed: 85/9, 87.5/6, 92.5/3. Video.

6-12, Th: Conv 2 Boards (1-1/2”) Deficit Deadlifts: Raw: 225/10. Gear: 295/6, 310/4, 325/2. Video.

    It wasn’t until I was doing this log that I realized I did the wrong workout here. It should have been Squats. Oh well.

Dip Bars Reverse Crunch: 3s/10, 3s/12. Video.

6-13, F: Incline Benches: Raw: 75/10. Gear: 95/6, 100/4. 105/2. Video.

    I misloaded on the final set. There was a 2-1/2 on the left side that shouldn’t have been there. I noticed it as soon as I took the bar off of the racks. That is why you see me stop then restart.

Speed: 50/9, 55/6, 60/3. Video.

2025 Week 25 Workouts

6-15, Su: Chain Squats: Raw: 192.5/10. Gear: 245/6, 260/5+, 275/2. Video.

I wasn’t paying attention and did an “extra” rep on the second geared set. It felt okay, but I need to be careful. I don’t want to inadvertently do too much and reinjure my adductors.

Speed: 135/7*, 140/4*, 145/3. Video.

This was the first time I did speed work on Squats since my injury. I went as light as I could but still had to skip a few reps. But with doing so, it felt okay.

6-16, M: Regular Benches: Raw: 100/10. Gear: 125/5*, 132.5/3*, 140/1*. Video.

Very frustrated with Benches. Getting nowhere. Just not sure what to do about it.

Speed: 63.5/9, 71.5/6, 78.5/3. Video.

6-17, Tu: Sumo Deadlifts: Raw: 205/10. Gear: 265/6, 280/4, 295/2. Video 1. Video 2.

This was supposed to be another “peaking” workout, but with still rehabbing my adductor injury, that didn’t make much sense, so I did a regular workout. It went well.

I was having a problem with the tablet I use for recording my workouts, hence the two videos and the blurriness in the first video. But I fixed it for the second.

6-19, Th: 1-1/2” Extra Low Squats: Raw: 160/10. Gear: 205/6, 217.5/4, 230/2. Video.

6-20, F: Presses (Seated): Raw: 45/10. Gear: 55/6, 57.5/4, 60/2. Video.

 Since Benches are not going well, I figured I’d mix it up and do Overhead Presses on my BA day rather than Inclines and Declines.

 Curl Bar Rows: 85/10. Wrist Wraps: 100/6, 105/4, 110/2. Video.

2025 Week 26 Workouts

6-22, Su: Regular Conv Deadlifts: Raw: 240/10. Gear: 310/6, 325/4, 342.5/2. Video.

Speed: 135/9, 140/6, 147.5/3. Video.

    This was the best deadlifts felt since my adductor injury a month ago.

6-23, M: 3-Count Pause Benches: Raw: 95/10. Gear: 120/6, 125/3*, 130/2. Video.

Speed (1-Count Pause): 57.5/9, 62.5/6, 67.5/3. Video.

    The first time I made a bit of progress on Benches in quite a while.

6-24, Tu: 3/4” Extra Low Chain Squats: Raw: 192.5/10. Gear: 245/6, 260/4, 275/2. Video (top set only):

Speed: 135/9, 140/6, 145/3. Video.

6-26, Th: Sumo 2 Boards (1-1/2”) Deficit Deadlifts: Raw: 205/10. Gear: 255/6, 270/4, 285/2. Video.

    I have a long way to go to get my Sumo Deadlift back up to par with my Conv Deadlift. But at least they felt good, as did my adductors. This will be the last time I do not do Speed Work in a Squat or Deadlift workout. I’ll be back to normal next week, as my adductors seem okay.  But I will still take it gradually in terms of re-increasing my weights just to be sure.

6-27, F: Presses, Standing: Raw: 45/10. Gear: 55/6, 57.5/4, 60/3+. Video.

    Standing Presses did not feel good at all on my messed up right shoulder, so I think it will be best to avoid them. But the Seated Presses I did last week felt okay. I think the difference is the slight angle on the latter. Therefore, I will alternate Seated Press and Inclines on my BA day, the Inclines having an even greater angle.

Triceps Bar Rows: Raw: 82.5/10. Wrist wraps: 100/6, 105/4, 110/3+. Video.

These logs are continued at: Powerlifting Workout Posts and Videos: July to September 2025 (Q3).

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