- Had I not finally pursued basic and abbreviated training I probably would
not have gotten past pounds bodyweight and a -pound one-rep
deadlift.. On June I deadlifted . kilos (. pounds) for reps, all of them rest
pause. I was ecstatic.. ough I had been doing -rep sets, I had long harbored a thought that
reps would not be enough and that I would need to do the “magic” to feel
that the job was complete.. On June I poured it all out and did so-very-demanding reps with
the -pound brute. ough it was summer we had a relatively cool and
breezy day on the th—only ° (or °). I could have done the entire
reps, but held back because I wanted witnesses other than the usual teenag-
ers at the gym. Except for some local soreness and heavy systemic fatigue, I
had no negative reaction to this × workout.The peak
. Once there was around pounds on the bar, the thought of the next
deadlift session caused me considerable anxiety, even fear. I would have five
regular days and then, hours before the deadlift, my mind could settle on
little else except for the deadlift. My intestines literally churned in anticipa-
tion.. On July, just before midday, I was to peak. My wife and a photographer
were there to witness the event, and activity in the gym ceased as I got into
the set. I did not feel as strong as I was for the previous deadlift workout, and
it was very hot, with no air conditioning, and zero breeze coming through
the open windows of the third-floor gym. I was later to find out that July
was, till then, the hottest day of in Cyprus. e local meteorological
office reported .° (or °). All this took its toll because getting from
rep to rep was hellish. My deadlifting style cracked up more and more
with each rep—excessive rounding of my back and some asymmetrical pull-
ing. My style had been much better at the previous deadlift session.. My audience was appalled, my wife was fearful for my well-being, and I was
so possessed that nothing, and I mean nothing, was going to stop me get-
ting the reps. is was the epitome of “blood and guts,” and “train till you