# Heavy Lifting Help



## MusicMedic (Jan 18, 2010)

Ok heres the story: I applied with gerber ambulance, i took their physical test and failed, their physical test comprises of a deadlift of a patient(on a spineboard)  who weights 175lbs, 6 times from the floor,  to waist height. 

i was only able to do it once

now ive been hitting the gym more, and working on my legs, doing leg presses as well as lots of sumo sqauts, i tried deadlifting today and i can only dead lift a measly 100lbs. 

i take the phsyical test in about a week and a half. im going to be hitting the gym about everyday

Is there any tips u guys can give me that will help me lift more? any work outs i should be doing? 
would you guys recomend any suppliments/powders that will help me? 

btw i only weight about 125lbs and im 5'8


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## Akulahawk (Jan 18, 2010)

It's too bad I'm about 6 hours north of you... I'd enjoy the chance to take a look at your body mechanics as you do the lift. I'd also need to see how they set up their lift test to see what, if anything, there is for you to do to maximize your lifting ability for that test. AVOID hitting the gym every day, unless you rotate muscle groups. If you're hitting the same muscles every day, all you'll do is damage them. The body does NOT get stronger because you lift weights... it becomes stronger because you stress it with the weights and during the recovery process, it repairs the damage you caused it and adds a little bit more in an attempt to compensate for when you next stress it. 

This close to the test date, just eat good, nutritious meals and ensure that you're getting good, high quality proteins, and adequate calories. No powders, pills, or supplements will produce much difference in this short amount of time. 

The reality is that chances are that you're not going to be able to increase your lifting power in the next week or so, but if your technique is poor, concentrating on improving your lifting technique can improve your lifting ability substantially.

Another hint: don't do any heavy lifting using the muscles you'll use during the dead lift the day (maybe 2 days) before the test. If you do, your muscles will be still in repair mode... and you won't lift as well as you could. 

Good luck!


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## MusicMedic (Jan 18, 2010)

well the way the lift was set up was: an emt strapped on to a spineboard, flat on the ground, i had a partner at the legs i was at the head. the test giver was an EMT and showing me how to use my legs when i try to lift him and not my bad, pretty much my Butt was almost to the ground and my legs a bit of a wide stance. straight back

yeah i think another bad thing i did was i hit the gym hard about 3 days before the test and when i took ti i was still sore, ill make sure not to make that mistake agian

i will deff make sure to check out my form and work on it


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## Akulahawk (Jan 18, 2010)

That "sounds" like what I was envisioning. If you're able to deadlift 100 lbs, and you have good form, you might able to pass the test. Try to duplicate the test condition (position they put you in and where they want you to lift to). If the EMT on the board weighs 175 lbs, and you're lifting with a partner, you'll actually be lifting less than the whole weight. Given typical weight distribution, it'll still be >50% on your end though! 

Remember to lift with your LEGS!!!! Your back will thank you....


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## MusicMedic (Jan 18, 2010)

yeah i was thinking since most of the mass is from the torso up itll be lifting most of it
thanks for ur help akula!!


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## fit4duty (Jan 19, 2010)

Did you not get it off the ground at all or you couldn't do it 6 times?


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## MusicMedic (Jan 19, 2010)

i was able to get it off the ground a measly one time 

but then agian i was sore from working out a few days prior, and on top of that i wasnt on some working out scedule, so now i should be a alot stronger


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## fit4duty (Jan 31, 2010)

MusicMedic said:


> Ok heres the story: I applied with gerber ambulance, i took their physical test and failed, their physical test comprises of a deadlift of a patient(on a spineboard)  who weights 175lbs, 6 times from the floor,  to waist height.
> 
> i was only able to do it once
> 
> ...



Update?????


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## downunderwunda (Jan 31, 2010)

Call a fireman - they lift heavy things.....


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## MusicMedic (Jan 31, 2010)

fit4duty said:


> Update?????



well i didnt get to take the test because they decided to find somone else to fill the position

the HR lady was a bit shiesty

but i still continue to go to the gym, i have been making constant gains
i go 3x a week, working on legs one day, shoulders and back second day, and third day i work on my arms and chest 
one day of rest in between each day 

(it really helps to have a gym buddy too, we motivate each other and push each other to their max) 

i havnt deadlifted in a few weeks but i will let you guys know


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## harkj (Feb 2, 2010)

The first thing and one of the important factors of lifting weights that I didn't do in the beginning was protein, and complex carbs rather than simple. Also eating enough (and right foods) to gain muscle mass. You can work out 5 days a week and it go to waste if you do not eat right. Your body does feel it trust me.


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## Don Gwinn (Feb 2, 2010)

I don't quite understand . . . do you somehow have to lift the backboard, or do you just need to lift your end with the other end on the ground?

You're doing well building strength.  If you need to test again in a short time, though, the fastest way to improve is by building skill.  That means, if possible, practice with a back board doing the lift exactly the way you will on the test.  If you can get familiar with the way the board balances, slides, the grip, the hand spacing, etc. it'll be worth a surprising amount of strength. No one applies all the mechanical power they're capable of applying with their muscles and skeleton, or even very close to it.  But an athlete performing a skill they've performed many times before, especially with similar (not necessarily equal) weights can increase that maximal strength output by a lot, just as a car with 200 horsepower and all-wheel drive can apply more power to the road than a car with 250 horsepower and front-wheel drive.

In theory, though, your 100-pound deadlift means you're still short on strength.
(if I've understood correctly, the backboard is a 2nd class lever with 175 pounds between you and the fulcrum.  I don't know how to allow for spreading the weight over the length of the lever, but say there's 100 pounds on the top half of the lever and 75 on the bottom half . . . call it 175 pounds 4 feet from the fulcrum.  That means the effort arm is 6 feet, the resistance arm is 4 feet.  That means the mechanical advantage is 6/4 or 1.5x.  So it's a near thing for your strength level to get it up the first time, and if you really hit it you could probably do it again, maybe even three times.  But you will need more endurance at a higher strength to do it six times, as you suspect.)

It's not a great answer, but the answer is that you're doing the right things and now you have to do them for longer.


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## 46Young (Feb 5, 2010)

Have you addressed your core? I'm not talking about that bosu ball garbage, I'm talking about prone planks, side planks, full contact twists, renegade rows, front squats olympic style (bar on top of palms, elbows out, not the crisscrossed bodybuilding style). 

Your leg drive needs to pass through your midsection. If it's soft, you won't transfer your lower body force through your arms to lift the load. The same goes for a weak grip. If the bar, or the object your lifting is slipping from your grip, you can't transfer as much force to that load. Wasted energy. Anyone who uses chalk for heavy pulls and olympic lifts knows firsthand what I'm talking about. 

A tight core and strong grip will allow you to optimally express what pulling power you do have.

BTW, BB romanian deadlifts (like the straight leg DL except for a slight break at the knees) will build crazy posterior chain strength, just what you need.


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