Post: #1

Can you guys do this? Any particular tips to share?

I'm trying to do 5 reps of 300. Right now I'm up to 286x5. My grip is good, but my back is starting to curve. I seem to be unable to think or concentrate much when I'm pulling... it's like fight or flight to get it up.

Post: #2

I pull 435.

Don't let your back curve, ie you might be tempted to keep going and see the numbers increase, but you're liable to injure yourself or just plateau because you're cheating the motion.

Here are my tips.

-- Lean back. You don't want to be on your toes, nor the balls of your feet. Your center of mass should be oriented vertically with the middle of your foot, maybe even your ankle.

-- Push your ass out. This keeps your back in the right position. Imagine your boyfriend is about to fuck you and you really want it (not trolling, this is how I was taught and it works).

-- Focus on doing the motion in stages. First stage is to use your legs to drive, while keeping the angle of your lower back more or less unchanged. Second stage is to straighten out the back, kind of like a pelvic thrust into the bar.

-- Keep your head up.

-- Drive your feet through the floor. Explosive motion helps you get through the rep.

If all else fails, experiment with your grip and footing. For example, mix your grip the other way, widen your stance, narrow your hands, etc.

Post: #3

Make sure you keep everything tight ie shoulders slightly back stomach tight get a breath of air in.

Make sure your knees aren't buckling inwards work to push them out

Stretch/mobility work. I think this has been hindering me the most. I sit on my ass all day which is horrieble for you. Google "mobility for sitting on your ass all day" by lift big eat big and "mobility basics" by 70s big

And what I would reccomend most is drop the amount of weight you're using and up the volume. Work on your explosiveness with speed reps at 225x8 then do more sets of 8 reps at 250 then add 5-10 lbs every workout.

Post: #4

Use a squat rack to work in a narrower range. You probably have a weak/ sticking point as the weight is coming up off and just before it gets to your quads. Use the bars on the squat rack to strengthen up you technique and your muscles in that range. I had a sticking point in my squats, so I went lighter and moved slower through the lower portion of the exercise. I did the same thing for my bench.

Post: #5

I can walk in at any time and pull 405 for 5. My technique is not the best but little tips will help you get the technique right to maximize your strength.

Do it barefoot. Sneakers cause you to have an angle that makes you more likely to balance on the balls of your feet instead of the heels.

Just like in the squat position, that much weight will cause your knees to buckle inward, focus on pushing them outward to keep your power up.

When leaning over the bar, keep your chest up as much as possible, it should also be well past the bar with your hands and arms angling back towards you.

As you pull focus on getting your upper body up rather than driving so much with your legs. Otherwise you will wind up doing the "stripper" deadlift where your ass goes up first and then your upper body straightens out.

Post: #6

My advice is to do singles, doubles, or triples and just increase the number of sets to stay at the same training volume. Keeping the number of reps low will prevent your form from suffering as badly. I also tend to make better gains on fewer reps.

Post: #7

Yes, currently at 320x5. One thing that helped me a lot was switching to the "sumo" style setup, with a wider stance and toes pointed slightly outward. I've found that different setups work better for different body types, but the sumo stance helps me engage my ass more and prevents back curvature. Your mileage may vary, but it's worth trying..

Post: #8

One useful strategy is having certain anatomical cues to ensure your form is good.

1. Put bar over the middle of your foot (of your entire foot, not just the part that you can see from above).
2. Make sure your shoulders are directly above the bar before you pull.
3. Bend your back to grab the bar initially, and then lower your hips just enough so that you can raise your chest - excessive bending at the hips lengthens the lift and makes it harder.
4. When pulling, focus on pushing your feet through the ground rather than pulling. I found this useful.
5. The bar should have a vertical bar path.





The deadlift is a funny exercise - if you can't complete the lift, often you can't get the bar even an inch off the ground.

Post: #9

(01-27-2013 02:06 PM)Fisto Wrote:  I can walk in at any time and pull 405 for 5. My technique is not the best but little tips will help you get the technique right to maximize your strength.

Do it barefoot. Sneakers cause you to have an angle that makes you more likely to balance on the balls of your feet instead of the heels.

Just like in the squat position, that much weight will cause your knees to buckle inward, focus on pushing them outward to keep your power up.

When leaning over the bar, keep your chest up as much as possible, it should also be well past the bar with your hands and arms angling back towards you.

As you pull focus on getting your upper body up rather than driving so much with your legs. Otherwise you will wind up doing the "stripper" deadlift where your ass goes up first and then your upper body straightens out.

Lol @ the "stripper dead-lift." I never found a good way to describe this issue until now. Quite fitting.

Post: #10

Can you post a video of your lift? Could be as simple as a technique cue or some weak muscular areas.

Post: #11

Like most power movements, it's all from the hips. Focus on hip extension and driving through the heels.

I'll also add that snatch deadlifts are good.

Post: #12

Pull barefooted.

Always use chalk. Do all your warm up sets with a double overhand grip so it improves your grip over time.

I've said it before, but I can't emphasise how much doing Kroc Rows does for your grip strength and the carry over it has to a deadlift. These are heavy single arm dumb-bell rows for between 20-40 reps. Basically do as many reps as possible over 20 until failure at a given weight, I never have a lockout problem because of this.

In my opinion this is the best video on the internet for deadlift technique.

Post: #13

Keep your weight balanced on your heels, and during the initial pull visualize driving your feet down through the floor as opposed to lifting the bar up off the ground. This will help generate the leg drive you need.

Post: #14

Wear a belt if your back curves, Inzer is a good brand. Lower the weight and do a more gradual progression. A herniated disc never fully heals, and your treatment options are 1) do physical therapy and wait for the hernatied tissue to be reabsorbed after several months to a year (though fluid/mass is usually permanently lost) or 2) undergo a highly invasive surgery.

Post: #15

Deadlift is my favorite exercise. I'm decent at it due to my proportions (very long arms and short legs), and I only started a year ago and I'm up to 375x3. Here's the thing, with deadlifts, it honestly is the most primal, raw lift, so get as pumped up as possible, being angry helps.

Focus on your breathing technique, make sure you have a mirror in front of you, stretch your trapezius before the pull (I hurt mine last year doing DLs, only injury which ever occurred doing DLs), and make sure your power comes from your hips and legs, not just your back.

A balanced deadlift is the best deadlift.

Also, NEVER arch your back.

Post: #16

If your back is curving you might be rushing through the rep. I did this at first. For some reason you feel the weight stalling so your back curves instinctual to get you through the rep. If you're aware of this you can calm down, keep your form in mind, and keep applying the same amount of force and let your body push through the rep.

Driving your hips forward should be explosive, but getting the bar off the ground should not be.

Post: #17

(01-27-2013 04:47 PM)thedude3737 Wrote:  Driving your hips forward should be explosive, but getting the bar off the ground should not be.

I'd like to know what makes you say this.

The whole point of explosiveness is to generate momentum on the iron at the parts of the range of motion where you have extra strength, so that you can ride that momentum to get past weak points in your ROM. This isn't limited to deadlifts, either. Look at the olympic lifts and you'll see what I mean.

Post: #18

100% need chalk. Deadlift was my specialty, I hit 425x10 and 585 for 1.

I curve my back like crazy, it's just the way my bone structure is. And don't think during lifting, just lift as FAST as you can off the floor. IF you go slow, its not moving up...

I warm up and just do ONE hard set. Anymore and my back was out for a month...

Post: #19

Inflexibility and a weak core could also be part of the explanation. Hard to judge without a video.

Post: #20

(01-27-2013 05:32 PM)polymath Wrote:  

(01-27-2013 04:47 PM)thedude3737 Wrote:  Driving your hips forward should be explosive, but getting the bar off the ground should not be.

I'd like to know what makes you say this.

The whole point of explosiveness is to generate momentum on the iron at the parts of the range of motion where you have extra strength, so that you can ride that momentum to get past weak points in your ROM. This isn't limited to deadlifts, either. Look at the olympic lifts and you'll see what I mean.

If you're a veteran olympic lifter that's one thing.

If you're a beginner or intermediate lifter, I think you're more likely to injure yourself or lose your form with an explosive lift off the floor with deadlift. This was how I noticed my lower back curvature and this is how I fixed it. When I lift now my back stays straight, I apply constant pressure through my heels, "push through the floor" so to speak, and shortly after the bar clears my knees I push my hips forward hard.

Post: #21

(01-27-2013 05:45 PM)TheCaptainPower Wrote:  100% need chalk. Deadlift was my specialty, I hit 425x10 and 585 for 1.

I curve my back like crazy, it's just the way my bone structure is. And don't think during lifting, just lift as FAST as you can off the floor. IF you go slow, its not moving up...

I warm up and just do ONE hard set. Anymore and my back was out for a month...

You sure it was just the volume that would throw your back out?

Post: #22

Careful with your form. Better to have lighter weight and perfect form than going heavier but more sloppy. My lesson was learned, I have a fucked up back now and it'll probably never be the same. I'm in almost constant back pain now. I still work out but squats and deadlifts are off the table for me for the foreseeable future. Watch the form! You only get one back and once its fucked, it's a looooong road to recovery.

Post: #23

(01-27-2013 06:23 PM)WesternCancer Wrote:  

(01-27-2013 05:45 PM)TheCaptainPower Wrote:  100% need chalk. Deadlift was my specialty, I hit 425x10 and 585 for 1.

I curve my back like crazy, it's just the way my bone structure is. And don't think during lifting, just lift as FAST as you can off the floor. IF you go slow, its not moving up...

I warm up and just do ONE hard set. Anymore and my back was out for a month...

You sure it was just the volume that would throw your back out?

agreed. to anyone reading, this is bad advice...dont follow it



before you begin the pull, squeeze your shoulder blades together and lock down your lats. this is after you have your hands on the bar.

if you're plateaued, deload and start over.

really, 300 is nothing and you should be able to push through that with practice

read starting strength

Post: #24

Roosh, I did this a year or two ago at 160 lbs....

This was my "ONE" set after warming up. Like I said, I used to hit 425x12 reps, and 585 for one. That's how I got the nickname "captain power"...

Post: #25

Lots of good advise here, my advice is take your time moving up the weights and drive the chin back try to retract the chin to the collar bone than rather look up