Dymanic effort has gone far in helping me drive through sticking points. The problem is, in my fifties, driving weights too hard can be a recipe for disaster.
I have espoused on this blog more than once how it was a kick ass dynamic bench cycle that finally pushed me from a 585 raw bench to an elusive 600. Also, whenever I take time away from dynamic work, I feel slow as hell with my lifting.
I have spent most of my training years for the past couple of decades using either 5/3/1 or Conjugate/Westside. Recently my training has morphed into a bit of both. Although, with 5/3/1 using dynamic effort for volume ala Wendler's FSL - First Set Last Set is totally an option.
Like I said in the opening paragraph, driving weights too hard with my age and body mileage is not something I can do anymore. Instead, I have been experimenting with "Concerted Effort."
For many the concept I'm about to detail may not be novel, but it is to me. Instead of exploding off the box for box squats or launching the bar off my chest for bench, the first half to inch of lift is methodically moved before driving it with all my might.
When I was a full meet competitor I was a grip it and rip it guy on the deadlift. However, after rupturing/herniating multiple lumbar discs, I had to take a much more cautious approach. That led me to the advice of breaking the bar from the floor on the deadlift before accelerating.
That concept was much back friendlier. Hence why I am using that same type of "breaking" or putting enough pressure to move the bar before actually executing the lift for my dynamic work. It's doing wonders for both my hips and shoulders.
If speed work has been beating up your joints too much, give "Concerted Effort" a try.
