Training: Zercher Deadlift

The Carny — Sun, 17 Feb 2019 01:45:43 +0000

Prayers are all that get these up.

So I am back on a hunt for a triple body weight dead lift. At around 175lbs I need to pull 525lbs off the floor, which will not be an impossible feat but won’t be done in a day. So I am currently running myself through a deadlift rehab program. The four exercises I will be focusing on include the zercher deadlift, a box dead-lift, a rack pull, and the almighty classic dead with a straight hook grip.

Yesterday we did rack pulls from the center of the knee and I racked out our bar at 565lbs. Other than inspiring the purchase of more metal plates this proved to me that the finish was not the problem with my deadlift. It also ruled out my grip as being the weak link, as I was comfortable pulling and holding the weight at the lockout. This of course left the bottom end of the dead pull as my sticking point. My solution today was the zercher dead-lift. In other words I decided that I wanted to suffer.

The Zercher dead-lift takes a slightly wider than normal leg stance, and changes one other crucial factor: the grip. With the zercher dead you lift the weight from the crook of your elbow. For very obvious reasons this makes the lift far harder than the more traditional lift. I spent most of my day pulling triples in the range of 225-265lbs and at no point did these lifts feel easy. It may be that my CNS had not yet recovered from the heavy work the day before but with the low angle, open hips, rounded back, and longer pull this was a bundle of happiness.

For those trying out the zercher dead-lift I would recommend starting with a stupid light weight. If you happen to have access to bumper plates I would recommend starting as low as possible while still getting the bar set at the proper height. This lift will destroy your posterior chain in ways you can only begin to imagine. It is a good super set with one arm-pullups, one arm statics, or any of the whole wide array of pull-ups that I have mentioned in the past.

Erika Stark

The Carny — Tue, 12 Feb 2019 23:33:18 +0000

Profile: Power lifter, climber, bad ass.

Injury: Back, head.

Issue: Stronger than she has yet to realize.

Ian’s an asshole. He’s made me cry and swear and bleed and cry some more. But he’s also made me into the best athlete I’ve ever been. I joined the gym in April, 2017 with a nagging back injury I’d sustained at some point during my last six years of competing in various strength and power sports. I was at the point where I couldn’t walk up stairs without back pain, much less squat heavy, climb, or do anything else I wanted to do. And then I went and got a concussion. I went from training six days a week to being unable to ride a stationary bike for more than ten minutes. I wore tinted glasses to the gym to protect my head from fluorescent lights, and often trained while hiding in the quietest corner of the gym, avoiding any kind of human interaction because that was too much stimulation for my brain to handle. Ian worked with me through all of that, finding ways to keep me moving despite my injuries and reminding me to be patient with my recovery. Once I got to a point where I was able to train hard again, we sat down, set some goals, and got to work.

He’s made me cry and swear and bleed and cry some more.

I got back on the powerlifting platform in January, 2019, the first time in five years I’d competed in the sport and the first time in nearly three that I’d competed in anything at all. I felt strong, confident, and left hungry for bigger lifts and better results. And thanks to Ian’s relentless (and devilish) enthusiasm for suffering, I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been and am only getting stronger. That’s worth a few shed tears in my books.

Cult’s probably the better word.

Ascension’s not for everyone. When you go into the gym, there’s an expectation you’re going to work hard and suffer. A lot. If you don’t want to get better – as an athlete and as a person – don’t bother. This place tests your physical, mental and emotional strength, and it’s built some of the best athletes around. Ian knows what’s wrong with you before your body’s even figured it out, and is always one step ahead when it comes to programming and movement. I’m consistently amazed by his depth of knowledge about the human body – as well as his capacity for cooking up soul-crushing workouts. But more than anything, he genuinely gives a shit about his athletes. Ascension is more than a community; it’s a family. Or a cult. Yeah. Cult’s probably the better word.

powerlifting – Ascension