Increasing DL

LiftHeavyThings27105

giantrobot_powerlifting wrote: »

mutantspicy wrote: »

I'm just getting started with strength again, myself Doing the PHAT routine. 2 days a week I do power lifts. At this point, I can definitely squat more than I can DL. DL is at 245 and stuck currently and Squat is at 275 and could go up. But I do believe if I acquired hooks, I could probably pull as much or more than I squat. My road block with DL is grip strength not the posterior chain. Chalk and switch grip helps. But Honestly I want to progress my DL without the use the hand hooks. If it takes longer it takes longer. I just wanted to chime and say thanks for the suggestions, I'm trying to improve my DL as well. Definitely gonna try the lat and band warm up thing. I recently start adding weight to my pullups and I'm hoping that will help strengthen my DL as well.

Never use any grip,assistance if you plan to compete up on the platform. Use switch grip a sparing as possible, and when you lockout those heavy singles, hold them as long as you can — and while you’re at it — never bounce a deadlift ever.

100% agree. My grip strength was a problem as I progressed past 315lbs. It (grip strength issue) was at 285lbs or so but through work it went up to 315lbs. I implemented the "hold the bar as long as I could at lock out" on each rep and it really helped over time. And, that was not such a long time....285lbs to 315lbs took about six weeks.

I also used switch grip and did exactly what I feared that I would do - hurt my left bicep (the supinataed hand). Missed three months of gym time.

Anyway, not really doing powerlifting much more....not sure how long that will last. I keep hurting myself (at 51 I forget that I can not work at 85%+ all the time and not take any deload weeks...I feel AMAZING until I hurt myself!).

But, super good advice.

LiftHeavyThings27105

peaceout_aly wrote: »

LiftHeavyThings27105 wrote: »

@peaceout_aly - bracing and being tight af is going to help you heeps and heeps. Brian Alsruhe has some awesome youtube videos on how to bench, how to squat and how to dead lift. His videos are my favorites....but the key is to find something that works for you and stick with it. Can't have too many chefs in the kitchen, right?

How do you pull - conventional or sumo? Dang, you answered that question already: conventional. Not the time to change anything, but most can pull more sumo (I speak theoretically as I have *NEVER* pulled sumo in my life!). You might want to try that......add it in your training. I am going to do that....speak with your coach, naturally, but pulling 'the other way' every now and again helps! So I have heard from some really smart people .......

And, I was going to suggest block pulls instead of rack pulls.....rack pulls will *f**k* up the bar and the gym where you train will not be happy. Unless they have a specific "rack pull" bar! Then, if you are going to include those, have at it!

One thing that I found that really helps my dead lift is strong lats. When I first broke 365lbs my lats hurt like heck. I "protect my pits" | "bend the bar" like a mad man.....and at the higher weights the lats play a role...at least, they do for me.

As you well know, DLs strongly affect the CNS and might require a bit longer recovery period. We are all different....so, that may or may not apply to you. Adding more volume now might not be a good idea....you are essentially one month away! Now is not likely the time for that (but, your coach would be the right person to answer that thought).

If I might - I would suggest to trust the process you have in place. Don't change anything (necessarily) at this point. Inside one month! Getting close to "deload".

And, props to you! Look at those numbers compared to your total body weight!!!!!

If you do not mind me asking, in what "federation" are you lifting? I am in USAPL.....card-carrying member!

And, final note - you are a freak! Squatting more than you dead lift! LOL! I think that you will find that likely 85% of people dead lift more than they squat. Think about it.....dead lift is way more natural - in terms of body movement - than a squat is. I mean, when in the heck do we have a bar on our back with a bunch of weight on it and have to squat down and then stand up again. Not very often. But, we "dead lift" all the time.

But - and this is the key - each of these movements is a skill in and of itself. With several 'sticking points' along the way and several queues (like "protect my pits" | "bend the bar"). You have simply mastered the skills associated with the squat a little bit better than those associated with the dead lift.

Lift heavy! Be strong!! Kick *kitten*!!!

Every time I've tried to pull sumo I end up busting the heck outta my knees. That's one of my goals post-meet is to start attempting sumo a bit more. I've heard it's better for building glutes along with people being able to pull more, especially at my height. I'm the only girl in my weight class that pulled conventional LOL. I'm part of USAPL! I'll be at the Rumble on Pratt St., not sure if you'll be attending but it's a pretty fun meet on the East Coast! Thank you so much for all the tips, putting this into action today!!!

I did not go. I am in Winston-Salem, NC and Baltimore, MD is a long haul for me. I am really curious....how did things go for you?

mutantspicy

giantrobot_powerlifting wrote: »

mutantspicy wrote: »

I'm just getting started with strength again, myself Doing the PHAT routine. 2 days a week I do power lifts. At this point, I can definitely squat more than I can DL. DL is at 245 and stuck currently and Squat is at 275 and could go up. But I do believe if I acquired hooks, I could probably pull as much or more than I squat. My road block with DL is grip strength not the posterior chain. Chalk and switch grip helps. But Honestly I want to progress my DL without the use the hand hooks. If it takes longer it takes longer. I just wanted to chime and say thanks for the suggestions, I'm trying to improve my DL as well. Definitely gonna try the lat and band warm up thing. I recently start adding weight to my pullups and I'm hoping that will help strengthen my DL as well.

Never use any grip,assistance if you plan to compete up on the platform. Use switch grip a sparing as possible, and when you lockout those heavy singles, hold them as long as you can — and while you’re at it — never bounce a deadlift ever.

Thanks for the tip. I generally do as many reps as I can over hand and go to switch when I can't hang on. I will try to do the hold at the top and see if my grips improves over time. Just doing DL's period has already made improvements, I've progressively been able to do more reps over hand before having to go to switch.

And thanks for confirming what I already kinda thought, I didn't want to find myself relying on hooks.

mreichard

KickassAmazon76 wrote: »

I found that being sure to set my lats, shoulders back and down slightly, and load up my tension throughout my whole BEFORE bending down to the bar, made a huge difference. As I bend to grab the bar, I imagine as if I'm a coil building up ready to explode once I grab the bar.

If I try to set myself when I'm down holding the bar, I have little power.

Doing that, jumped me from a tough 215 to an easy 237.

Thanks for this -- it helped me. Two weeks ago my top set of one rep @350 felt really tough and like I was letting my back bend. This week three reps @345 felt easy and like my back, shoulders and grip were locked in. For some reason, the image of tightening a coil really helped me stay tight.