How much does body weight affect lifts

whippet

I am a bit of a noob with regards to lifting, but have been tipping along for the last two months.

I had been doing SFG style kettlebells for about 12 months prior.

I was at almost 120kg body weight (over weight) but have pared that down to about 103kg now. As part of the kettlebells we alway did a small bit of deadlifting and my PB from 6 months ago was 220kg.

Since I started lifting instead of the bells the body weight has continued to fall off steadily (nothing drastic .. just watching diet and consistent exercise).

I went to test a max deadlft last weekend and I really struggled with 220kg, managed to get it up but was very messy, i would have thought that I would have added an extra 10-15kg to the previous PB. Is the drop in body weight (about 8kg since january) the difference between lifting 220kg and 230kg or so?

With the other lifts I am slowly bringing up my totals, haven't attempted a max on either of them as I am concentrating on form but at the moment I am at Squat 5x5 @ 120kg and Bench 5x5 @ 70kg.

Killgore Trout

That's a great PR deadlift! Would be interested to hear how you trained up to that weight.

You didn't say if you been deadlifting since the last test? What are the Reps / sets / frequency / weight?

If you're not training your deadlift regularly your max is gonna drop.

If you're cutting weight you're on a calorie deficit. Conditions suboptimal for hitting your PR.

whippet

Killgore Trout wrote: »

That's a great PR deadlift! Would be interested to hear how you trained up to that weight.

You didn't say if you been deadlifting since the last test? What are the Reps / sets / frequency / weight?

If you're not training your deadlift regularly your max is gonna drop.

If you're cutting weight you're on a calorie deficit. Conditions suboptimal for hitting your PR.

Cheers for the reply.

I was only training about 2 months before the original PB on the dead lift and that was just once a week .. Simple 5x5 adding 10kg each week .. To be fair I was expecting about 160kg that time but just kept lifting.

Since I've been just lifting I'm doing 1 night dead lift focused / one squat focused / one beach focused each week and then two other sessions .. Legs and mobility in between.

My dead lift routine is 60% 5x5 / 70% 5x5 / 75% 5x5 / 80 5x3 / 90 50x1

I am running a calorie deficit as my main focus is to get down to below 95kg before year end .. My goal really is to be in a position to compete in power lifting at the 90-95kg weight next year.


I've become addicted to lifting in a very short space of time .. Pity it has taken me 39 years to get there!

Killgore Trout

My dead lift routine is 60% 5x5 / 70% 5x5 / 75% 5x5 / 80 5x3 / 90 50x1

The amount of reps up to your 90% of 1RM sounds excessive for deadlifting. You'll be running out of steam before hand. Maybe try warming up in singles then just doing 1x5 on your work set.

Pretty late starter to lifting myself (38 years 88kg). Dabbled in weight training over the years but really only started progressing strength in the last year.

I just do deadlifts once a week at the moment.

I have a DL 5RM of 170Kg, planning 175 next week. (last time I tested 1rm it was 165kg, so a good while ago). I generally warm up to this with singles. Maybe 5 reps for 60/80/100 then singles for 110/120/130/140/150/160/165/ then my work set.

Mellor

Killgore Trout wrote: »

The amount of reps up to your 90% of 1RM sounds excessive for deadlifting. You'll be running out of steam before hand. Maybe try warming up in singles then just doing 1x5 on your work set.

I think you are misreading his routine.
They are the work sets for 5 weeks separate weeks, its not a 25 set deadlift session.

I generally warm up to this with singles. Maybe 5 reps for 60/80/100 then singles for 110/120/130/140/150/160/165/ then my work set.

I think the jumps between sets are far too small there.
No need to warm up with 10 different weights, even with singles.

I'd do 60/100/120/140/160...170kg work set

Mellor

@whippet, a BW drop from 120-103kg will have a huge effect on your DL, if this weight wasn't muscle.

In Jan, 220kg was about a double BW deadlift, 220kg at 103kg was a 2.15 lift. So in a relative sense strength has increased, although not in an absolute sense.
Keep at it, in another 6 months you'll hit 230kg @ 100kg BW

whippet

Mellor wrote: »

@whippet, a BW drop from 120-103kg will have a huge effect on your DL, if this weight wasn't muscle.

In Jan, 220kg was about a double BW deadlift, 220kg at 103kg was a 2.15 lift. So in a relative sense strength has increased, although not in an absolute sense.
Keep at it, in another 6 months you'll hit 230kg @ 100kg BW

that puts some clarity on it alright.

the additional weight was most definitely not muscle ..hence the primary requirement to get rid of it. I suppose I just am finding it frustrating when the numbers don't keep rising. Looking at it from a BW ratio makes better reading and should be the focus.

and the 5x5's I was talking about were the working set .. I don't think 150 squats in a single session would be a good idea!

LuckyLloyd

Mass moves mass, and when you lose 15% of yourself you're going to experience some change in levers also.

As Mellor says, keep at it and it will go up over time.

whippet

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

Mass moves mass, and when you lose 15% of yourself you're going to experience some change in levers also.

to a noob that is really counter intuitive. but does make sense when you break it down.

LuckyLloyd

whippet wrote: »

to a noob that is really counter intuitive. but does make sense when you break it down.

If you take a look on YouTube for the biggest squats, deadlifts, Olympic lifts, etc in terms of absolute numbers they are moved by super heavies, men that can top 160kgs or more in terms of body weight.

It's also worth noting that as body weight increases science dictates that what is possible in terms of the ratio of body weight : weight lifted must decrease.

There are calculators available to help keep a level playing field. Google 'wilks calculator' and compare your lift at your two body weight points.

For example, I Deadlift 240 but because I weigh 30kgs more than you do now it's barely a more impressive lift.

Sounds like your making great progress, stick at it.

Killgore Trout

Mellor wrote: »

I think you are misreading his routine.
They are the work sets for 5 weeks separate weeks, its not a 25 set deadlift session.

LOL - that makes more sense

I think the jumps between sets are far too small there.
No need to warm up with 10 different weights, even with singles.

I'd do 60/100/120/140/160...170kg work set

Will give it a whirl and let you know, thanks.

aaakev

your dead lift is insane compared to your squat and even more so your bench!

whippet

aaakev wrote: »

your dead lift is insane compared to your squat and even more so your bench!

it is ... however, I only benched and squatted for the first time about 6 weeks ago !! The deadlift I had been tipping away at for a few months.

At the moment I am all about form in the bench and squat .. probably will alter the deadlift too ..i've been advised to switch to Sumo style to see how it suits.

My form on the bench is quite poor and I won't increase the weight for a couple of weeks as I really need to nail the positioning. My squat I know could be a good bit heavier, but again I just want to nail the technique before going much heavier. To be fair I am getting fairly decent advise and instruction in my gym - they are just telling me to focus on technique and the weight will follow.

Squatman

whippet wrote: »

it is ... however, I only benched and squatted for the first time about 6 weeks ago !! The deadlift I had been tipping away at for a few months.

At the moment I am all about form in the bench and squat .. probably will alter the deadlift too ..i've been advised to switch to Sumo style to see how it suits.

My form on the bench is quite poor and I won't increase the weight for a couple of weeks as I really need to nail the positioning. My squat I know could be a good bit heavier, but again I just want to nail the technique before going much heavier. To be fair I am getting fairly decent advise and instruction in my gym - they are just telling me to focus on technique and the weight will follow.

id wager if you have a video of the first 220 from 6months ago you might see completely different form. However, to increase strenght you need a calorie surplus, so the fact that you are sustaining after dropping a significant bodyfat percentage is still a great achievement

whippet

Squatman wrote: »

id wager if you have a video of the first 220 from 6months ago you might see completely different form. However, to increase strenght you need a calorie surplus, so the fact that you are sustaining after dropping a significant bodyfat percentage is still a great achievement

100% correct, i've changed a whole lot, including the set-up, stance and breathing.

For the record I managed to pull a 230kg deadlift at the weekend @ 96kg body weight, so quite happily my weights are going in the right direction.

I haven't really focused on my bench or squat that much recently, but now that will be my goal .. to get realistic numbers on all three lifts.

For the moment I am happy with my body weight

Hanley

Couple of thoughts;

In squat and bench, mass moves mass - heavier bodyweight = heavier lifts

The same does not always apply to deadlifts

Some people are naturally good at deads, and you can get away with more technical breakdown than with squat / bench press

That means you can grunt the weight up and with poorer tekkers

When you roll at that together, it means if you just work hard and dumb, you can get stronger on deadlifts

..but not always on squat and bench

Just a few random thoughts that may or may not apply ot your particular sitch

whippet

I thought i'd come back to this post to kinda give a bit of an update.

I have started training with a very experienced power lifter in the last month or so and talk about feeling like a deer in the head lights.

In the space of a couple of weeks by just changing a few things (breathing, set up and grip) I have managed to get the squat up to 180kg for a double (no wraps) and the bench to 90 for a double.

There is a whole lot more in the squat for me, I am sort of chomping at the bit but he is holding me back until the technique is nailed down. My bench is letting me down totally, technique and probably raw strength are the problems. My wrists roll back, lack of consistenancy on hitting the right mark on the chest and my feet moving - a lot of work to do.

on the DL I have been working on deficit lifts, double over hand on thicker bars and the like. Grip strenght needs to improve.

Bodyweight is a 98kg at the moment.

whippet

its been a few months since I posted the last update. Since then I have given up worrying about my weight, the more I train the better shape the body is in rather than weighing any less, so currently sitting at 104kg and quite happy with it for the moment.

On the numbers front, a bit of progress, have the Dead lift to 255kg - changed a few little things with regards to stance and grip and pulling much more consistent. My squat is up to 210kg, I plateaued for a while but with a bit of perseverance and slight stance alterations it has come along nicely, would hope for another 15kg before xmas. The bench is still lagging behind, but I am still working with lighter weight and focusing on consistency, the 1rm is 110kg.

the goal is to do a couple of comps in 2016 and just not finish last in any of them !! and hopefully break a 600kg total

Squatman

whippet wrote: »

its been a few months since I posted the last update. Since then I have given up worrying about my weight, the more I train the better shape the body is in rather than weighing any less, so currently sitting at 104kg and quite happy with it for the moment.

On the numbers front, a bit of progress, have the Dead lift to 255kg - changed a few little things with regards to stance and grip and pulling much more consistent. My squat is up to 210kg, I plateaued for a while but with a bit of perseverance and slight stance alterations it has come along nicely, would hope for another 15kg before xmas. The bench is still lagging behind, but I am still working with lighter weight and focusing on consistency, the 1rm is 110kg.

the goal is to do a couple of comps in 2016 and just not finish last in any of them !! and hopefully break a 600kg total

Have you any Vids?

whippet

Squatman wrote: »

Have you any Vids?

i'm not really one for vids in the gym .. my coach has a couple but i'd say well deleted at this stage.

to be fair .. on boards anonymity is my safe haven, wouldn't stick vids of myself up here.

At the IPO nationals in March there will be videos and i'm sure i'll be on the platform

LuckyLloyd

Brilliant numbers, fair play.