Deadlift Max...any powerlifters...?

cal · Aug 10, 2006

My deadlift has been awful from day one. The first time I deadlifted I did 365 (150 lbs) easily. Many years later my max is about 495 (210). One week to the next it varies greatly, one week 495 isnt too bad, the next week 405 feels like hell.

My training for deadlift has been very sporadic, ...or very regular (every week)...

My training has usually been a couple of sets from 1-12 reps. I have also done rack deadlifts (which I think are a waste) My weakness is not the lockout but the start. I have done stiff legg dealifts with heavy wts...and it has NOT transferred over much at all.

Any ideas?

I think Im gonna experiment with lower reps only, as in 1-5 reps, and deadlifting every other week, and keeping all the reps explosive,...in the past I have done way too much deadlifting to failure to or close to it...

joshbarnett · Aug 10, 2006

try deadlifting off the floor with 25's on the bar instead of 45's

Tom · Aug 10, 2006

get on a box

deadlift off a 4 inch box using a wide grip for heavy sets of 5 once weekly. warm up and do 3 sets of five. wide grip should be like an olympic lifter grip for the snatch. after 8 to 10 weeks go back to normal grip off the floor and you will have broken out of that rut.

sonis9 · Aug 10, 2006

what Tom said will do the trick every time!! good luck-

cal · Aug 10, 2006

should the reps but very explosive...?

or just nice and controlled? I seem to sort of get stalled when i got close to failure even with great form....the wts (even same wt) seems to feel progressively heavier as the weeks go by...

Tom · Aug 10, 2006

start light

using a 10 week program as an example and a goal 375 for 5 off the box, start at 275 and go up 10lbs a week for 10 weeks. technique should be well controlled and not explosive or you risk injury. definately use straps so you can maintain a wide grip. i have seen this method take a 550lb deadlfter to 700. yes he was juicing but he was when he could only do 550 as well. just give yourself a running start so you'll be able to progressivly add that 10lbs per week.

Big_O · Aug 10, 2006

It very well could be your form also...if the form aint right you'll never reach your true potential....

Pinned power rack work...sets of 5..with plenty of rest in between sets.....and keep your deads and squats as far4 away from each other as possible....dont over work your lower back

Now your squats can actually help your deads...I know guys that rarely dead lift and they gain every cycle...your assistance work is very important...i cant empasize this enough..

I dont belive in straps for dead lifting...if you want to use them doing shrugs then go ahead.....you'll need to work your grip and straps will not help you

joshbarnett · Aug 10, 2006

i used the 1% solution that i learned from charles poliquin and it got me up to a 650lb dead. just another option for ya.

Kahn · Aug 10, 2006

What the hell, Josh. You say that and don't explain? C'mon brother, details....details.

Cal - Deads are no real feat. I don't like the wide grip the guys are talking about but my 14 yr old son deads 305. Wednesdays I alternate sets of 5 and 10 every 6 weeks and they do grips just wider than their knees, drop the ass and look at the gym ceiling. I make sure they trace the front of their leg from the shin to the thigh with the bar. I warm them up with just the bar for 10 for the stretch, then they hit 95, 135, 185 and 225. Then they hit T-Bar rows and lat pull downs. Friday is squat day to support leg strength. I try to keep their form as close to perfect as I can so when they go out of form for a max, it isn't far enough to injure them. Make sure your form is great and you eat to support working out.

OuchThatHurts · Aug 10, 2006

had the same problem

my problem was always that first 3-6 inches off the floor. The suggestions at the beginning were good from Josh and Tom... both using 25's and standing on a platform. I switched to doing them bent legged instead of stiff because it was more like a normal dead. I got that advice from big_byrd a long time ago and I still use it.

Also, a mega-strong set of calves will help you in this area. That first part of the pull your calves, quads, and glutes should be doing the work as long as you're not hunching over. I couldn't do the wide grip because it made me bend my back over too much.

Watching someone hunch over on a heavy lift makes me wince.

bigman1 · Aug 10, 2006

everything that has been stated will work, but you have to first find out what are your strong points. Meaning is a sumo deadlift better for you or is a conventional style right for you? Are you hips stronger then your lower back? Your height has a big role in it as well. There is more to deads then just heavy training. Believe me I was ranked 34 in the top 100 in the US when I was 27. I had deadlifted 745 at 260. But I was trained under some very well known PL and it was not about weight until I got the correct form and all of my weak points stronger...i.e. hips, hams, lower back, bis and yes Bis play a huge role in DL.

So do you sumo or conventional? How tall are you? how much do you weigh? how is your squat?

cal · Aug 11, 2006

My squat is good.

5 plates and change...with a belt. Shoulder width and well below parallel. I do not use a powerlifter style squat. Sort of more like Kirk Karwoski's stance.

My weakness is the start of the deadlift. Id say about first 5-6 inches or so. I can lockout anything that I can start with ease. Lockouts seem to be a complete waste as that is certainly not my weakness. Seems odd, because Im very strong out of the hole on squat.

I think Im just terrible at using my hips properly and leaning back into it, but I dont want to squat down too deep either...or else my leverage is terrible. I have shorter arms...and a very long torso. I don't want to do sumo... Ive done it and I can lift about the same, though I feel like im gonna tear my groin or something.

im 5-8 and 210 right now.

M21SL · Aug 11, 2006

yah, my hardest part of the deadlift is the first few inches, but then after that first rep, i can put the weight on the ground for a good second (no momentum) and the other reps wont be tough through the first few inches. So, for that first rep i guess my advice would be try to use as much of ure quads, then hips as possible to power that weight up and get it going. You're lower body id assume would help you go through those first few inches better than your lower back. Im no great deadlifter by any means, but obvioulsy theyre a great great lift, so i try to do them as much as i can while trying to keep them away from affecting my squat. That standing on a platform routine that was mentioned earlier could help too, just to focus on those first few inches. Similar to the purpose of lockouts but designated for the beginning not the end. Anyways, keep training hard Cal. Sounds liek you are a great squatter so I'm sure you're deads will go up in no time.

White Gorilla · Aug 11, 2006

deadlift

I'm no expert, but it sounds like you may want to work your speed/explosiveness. Getting out of the hole is half the trick.

Deep squats with a pause and big explosion. 8 sets of 3 at 50% 1RM.

Same with deads. 8 sets of 3 at 1 RM max.

alternate these with a heavy hypertrophy routine, and only do one of these per week. For example, for deadlift do the 8 x 3 and that week do a higher rep squat routine. The next week do the squat 8 x 3 and a different movement (SDL.off box ..etc) for deadlifts for higher reps.

Really concentrate on moving the bar as fast as possible out of the hole.

VIdeotape yourself and watch your form. Maybe it is something you can't feel.....

Again.... I'm no expert!