The general idea is to set an end goal and then start out with a low weight and perform eight sets the first week. Then each week you increase the weight by lifting an increasing percentage of the end goal while gradually decreasing the number of sets and repetitions. Then you test your one rep goal for week twelve. Since, as I said, I haven’t deadlifted with a barbell in quite some time, I decided upon a goal that would be easy for me: 225 lbs. or a little over 102 kg.

Sun, July 25th

Afternoon Walk: 8.97 miles.

Mon, July 26th

• Morning Walk: 3.48 miles
• (Morning Workout) Warmed up with dynamic stretching, indian clubs and light calisthenics
• BB Deadlifts (Week 1 of 12): 123.75 lbs. x 8 sets x 6 reps; used double overhand grip
• (Combo Set): DB Bicep Curls: 20 lbs. x 4 sets x 8 reps, DB Reverse Wrist Curls: 10 lbs. x 4 sets x 12 reps, Face Pulls: 15 lbs. x 4 sets x 12 reps, One-Handed Deadlifts (Rolling Thunder Handle, ea. hand): 61.88 lbs. x 4 sets x 5 reps; finished workout with a timed hold: 20 seconds with left hand and 30 seconds with right hand. (Handle, carabiner and pin weighs 6.88 lbs.)

Tues, July 27th

Morning Recumbent Bike: 30 Minutes, Hill Program, Level 11. RPM’s: 70 – 80.

Wed, July 28th

• Morning Walk: 3.26 miles.
• Afternoon Recumbent Bike: 30 Minutes, Hill Program, Level 11. RPM’s: 70 – 80.

Quite some time before I purchased the barbell, I found a new-looking barbell jack at the thrift store. I was surprised that they were almost giving it away for free, and when I went up to the checkout I learned this was because no one in the store knew what the heck it was.** I told the clerk it was a “barbell jack,” and then she and I (and the guy standing behind me in line) talked about barbell jacks for about five minutes until someone else stepped into line. Anyway, they are far from essential, but they are a nice thing to have laying around.***

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The purpose of the jack is to make it easier to load and unload multiple plates of the same size onto the bar, especially multiple 45 lb. plates. The way you use the jack is to position it near one end of the bar as pictured in the above left picture. Then you push down on the top lever with your hand or foot (I find using my hand safer) so that the bar is as pictured on the above right. Then you can load or unload plates as needed.

Thur, July 29th

• Morning Walk: 3.28 miles.
• Afternoon Workout
• Captains of Crush Gripper (Trainer, 100 lbs.):
  • (Set 1): Left = 4 mm x 4 + 1 reps, Right = Closed x 2 + 3 reps
  • (Set 2): Left = 4 mm x 3 + 2 reps, Right = 4mm x 5 reps
  • (Set 3): Left = 4 mm x 3 + 2 reps, Right = 2mm x 4 + 1 reps
  • (Set 4): Left = 4 mm x 1 + 4 reps, Right = 4mm x 4 + 1 reps
  • (Set 5): Hold Guide (60 lbs.) closed with piece of paper for time: Left = 31 sec, Right = 35 sec
• (Afternoon Workout) Arnold Press: 30 lbs. x 4 sets x 8 reps
• Lateral Raises: 12 lbs. x 4 sets x 8 reps (Supersetted these with my bench press warm-up sets.)
• BB Bench Press: 65 lbs. x 12 reps, 75 lbs. x 12 reps, 85 lbs. x 8 reps, 95 lbs. x 8 reps
• (Superset): BB Standing Skull Crushers (ez curl bar): 51 lbs. x 4 sets x 8 reps +
  • Set #1: Dead Bugs (2-ct): 20 reps
  • Set #2: Standing Side Crunches (2-ct): 12 reps
  • Set #3: Heavy Spring Bar: Hands Pronated x 4 reps + Hands Supinated x 4 reps
  • Set #4: Face Pulls: 17.5 lbs. x 12 reps

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The red plate on the ends, in the picture above, come from a set where you can add 2.5 lbs. on each side in quarter-pound increments. These are handy when doing routines like the 12 week deadlift program where one is doing different percentages each week of the eventual maximum attempt, such as 123.75 lbs. for week one. I could have just rounded it up to 125, but I tend to like precision in such matters so the little, vinyl weights are something I like having around.

Fri, July 30th

Morning Walk: 3.30 miles.

Sat, July 31st

Morning Walk: 7.35 miles.

• (Afternoon Workout) Cable Lat Pull Downs (Hog Bar): 70 lbs. x 4 sets x 8 reps
• Standing Cable Rows (Hog Bar): 60 lbs. x 4 sets x 12 reps
• (Superset) DB Bicep Curls: 20 lbs. x 4 sets x 8 reps +
  • Set #1: Dead Bugs (2-ct): 12 reps
  • Set #2: Standing Side Crunches (2-ct): 12 reps
  • Set #3: Full Squats: 12 rep
  • Set #4: Face Pulls: 15 lbs. x 12 reps

I am the same weight as last week. My total loss thus far is 28.4 lbs. I’m currently on a maintenance food plan until either the book is finished or I start feeling some enthusiasm to drop some more weight again.

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* Including a 10,000 word bit of horror entitled “Mother Winter” about the misadventures of an unfortunate private soldier named Herrick, who is getting a taste of cold weather (and something far more sinister) on the eastern front during World War Two, which I’m editing today.

** I found it in the automotive section. Their best guess was that it was some kind of weird, specialized tire chalk block.

*** They also make “full” barbell jacks so you can lift both sides of the barbell at once. A gym I used to go from 2014 – 2017 had one of these and I became quite addicted to using it.