Thursday, February 5, 2009

Smolov Deadlift Cocktail

Smolov Deadlift Cocktail

With a deadlift and two hands anyhow competition looming at Adlington Weight Lifting club on 22nd March 2009. It is time to add some fire to my barbell routine which until now has been something like.... pick a barbell off the floor laden with weight whenever I'm passing through. The results so far have been fairly none existent.

However, I've been pondering, looking at, wondering what it would be like to start (and possibly never finish) a Smolov style cycle for deadlift instead of the squat which it's structure was originally intended.

I must admit I've never really done any serious squatting or deadlift for a long time (since my serious days of throwing), but did dabble in plenty of deadlift style training last summer when I went for the Dinnie Stones, so at least there is some base there.

I found a real interesting article on the Nightmare Halloween everyday Smolov Cycle on Dragondoor


So my plan is to modify this some how and do a slightly watered own version to suit my needs but fully intend on keeping the basic structure the same.

Here's an excerpt from Dragondoor.com


The super cycle was designed by Master of Sports S. Y. Smolov and stacks like this:


1. Layoff or maintenance training
2. Introductory microcycle -2 weeks
3. Base mesocycle -4 weeks
4. Switching -2 weeks
5. Intense mesocycle -4 weeks
6. Taper -1 week
7. Competition


The introductory microcycle shall bring you up to 90% of your personal best squat in just a week and shall prepare you for the horrors to come.
Every day is a Halloween during the next four weeks. It is worth it; the base mesocycle delivers a 10-30kg gain for big boys and 5-7,5kg for lighter lifters.

The 'switching' two-week stretch is dedicated to plyometric and compensatory acceleration training. The idea is to stimulate your nervous system with a different type of stimuli and thus make it more responsive to another round of slow and heavy training. You shall also appreciate the chance to lick your wounds after the base mesocycle.

The intense mesocycle is another cruel and unusual stretch of four weeks. It is good for another 15-20kg squat gain.

Finally you shall taper with what you could have interpreted as an overtraining program before you embarked on the Russian cycle but now will gratefully accept as a vacation.

Week thirteen: enter the platform and dominate (should read for me as being a better deadlifter than 6 weeks previous)

I plan to mix in kettlebells almost daily (to some extent) and also some clean and jerk to prepare.

Hoepfully all said this will set me up for the competition and be as superb base for a really good year in all areas.

Here's some trap bar work from last year



Smolov Deadlift Cocktail

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