Deadlift - shoulder/arm strength is limiting

madammags
madammags Posts: 97 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
My lower body is much, much stronger than my upper body. I know this is common, but it seems disproprotionately so for me.

I want to do deadlifts as part of my routine, but I can't get enough weight on the bar to challenge my hips/legs without my shoulders/arms screaming before I'm done with my set.

Do you guys reckon it would be more useful for me to lower the weight or do an alternative exercise? (e.g. weighted hip thrusts)

I have similar issues with dumbbell lunges and am planning on changing to using a barbell across the shoulders for those.

Replies

  • kathrynjean_
    kathrynjean_ Posts: 428 Member
    edited September 2015
    With deadlifting, you should be adding weight gradually ... So it makes sense that it wouldn't be very challenging at first. Are you DL ing as part of a progressive program?

    My upper body is also comparatively week and my bench and OHP are progressing slower than a snail's pace, but I'm still adding weight each week to my deadlift. If you're doing a good full body program and add weight slowly, your upper body should be able to keep up for when you get to the heavier weights.

    At least that's my understanding - if someone more well versed in this wants to jump in, please do!
  • hanymamdouh
    hanymamdouh Posts: 123 Member
    Do you do bench press and bent-over barbell row? Try SL5x5 and you will progress.
  • V_Keto_V
    V_Keto_V Posts: 342 Member
    edited September 2015
    I'm curious if you have the same issue when hack squatting. I too am relatively weak upper body vs. lower body and also lanky/tall...the lift off/1st rep is what kills me most. I personally prefer hyper extensions and hack squats...trail and error, there are tons of exercise variations
  • madammags
    madammags Posts: 97 Member
    edited September 2015
    kathrynjean_ wrote: »
    With deadlifting, you should be adding weight gradually ... So it makes sense that it wouldn't be very challenging at first. Are you DL ing as part of a progressive program?

    ah, yes, sorry, should have mentioned that. I'm doing NRoL Supercharged. I'm just about to finish the first program and have been working up. Before I started the program and renewed my gym membership around the same time I was doing kettlebell workouts at home. The reason I joined the gym and started the program was because I could easily do 20 reps DL with my two heaviest KBs together (28kgs in total). When DL start getting challenging for my hips/legs, I'm sitting at about 60 kg.

    hanymamdouh: I have been doing incline push-ups and standing/half-kneeling cable rows (EDIT: alternating each workout between horizontal push/pull and vertical push/pull, I do lat pull-downs and pike push-ups for vertical), I only just the other day got to doing push-ups on the floor. My upper body is weak, I know.
    Hence why I'm wondering if it's best to, in a sense, slow down on the lower body and let my uppers catch up (go down in weight and progress slowly), or do an exercise where I challenge my lower body by doing something that is less demanding of upper body strength (like weighted hip thrusts/glute bridges).

    V_keto_V: I haven't tried hack squats (just double checking that I'm looking at the right exercise: essentially a squatting movement with the barbell held behind your legs, yes?)
  • harlequin0318
    harlequin0318 Posts: 415 Member
    edited September 2015
    If it's too heavy for your upper body, just increase the time under tension aka lower the weight and do higher reps until you get your upper body up to par.

    Thngs to do that will help improve your shoulders/arms: Pull ups, bent over rows (pronated and supinated), lat pull downs, rear delt flys and other rear delt work. Just some ideas

    and remember to keep that mind/muscle connection :)

  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    Deadlift does need a strong back and even shoulders.

    Kettlebell swing: for strengthening the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back
    Plank: Get tight from head to toe with planks.
    Rows of all kinds: essential for a strong lockout on the deadlift...build the lats and upper back.
  • pinkiemarie252
    pinkiemarie252 Posts: 222 Member
    I'm a pear shaped female so I'm definitely stronger in my lower body but my PR deadlift is 180 lbs and I just took the time to work up to it. It wasn't a fast progression, either. It took probably 4 months of gradual increases. But if you need/want more leg work, have you tried a deadlift variation like sumo deadlift to see if it works better for you? Or maybe Romanian or Straight leg deadlift? Then there's always the good old squats.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
    Interesting. My upper body is not as strong either, but I have never had any issues with it when dead lifting. It makes me wonder how your form is, actually.
  • pinkiemarie252
    pinkiemarie252 Posts: 222 Member
    arditarose wrote: »
    Interesting. My upper body is not as strong either, but I have never had any issues with it when dead lifting. It makes me wonder how your form is, actually.

    That's a good point. If you're in the wrong position you could have failure in your back area when you shouldn't be experiencing failure.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
    OP, are your lats squeezed, shoulders back, and elbows locked? If you're starting with bent elbows and straightening them when you pull, you could be placing too much emphasis on arms/upper back. Especially if everything is not engaged properly.
  • madammags
    madammags Posts: 97 Member
    I will definitely re-check my form, but I think it's not too bad. I have this problem with any exercise for the lower body where the weight is carried by my arms. Traditional squats are fine (I squat about 35-40 kgs/80-90lbs), and I do those on alternating workouts.

    The program has you do 1 or 2 core exercises (e.g. planks, roll-out etc), 1 power (e.g. jump squats) or combination (e.g. lunge and press) exercise, and then 4 main strength exercises: 1 lower body on both legs (alternating squat and DL type movements between workouts), 1 lower body split leg (e.g. lunges, step-ups), 1 push, and 1 pull (alternating horizontal/vertical between workouts).

    Looking at my logs, I've been progressing every movement since I started, though not always by a lot, so that's something.
  • KittensMaster
    KittensMaster Posts: 748 Member
    My legs are rediculously strong

    It is always that way

    Just go with it and let time balance your body out slowly.

    I do lots of cycling so it will never balance out. But I just work deadlifts as moderate reps with no wrist straps, like 225 for 3 or 4 sets of 10 reps.

    Then wrist straps for a few sets of 315 and 365 and call it good

    Kettle bell swings may be good to add. They hit your upper body and also work your torso really well.

    Hip flexors get lots of work as well as working on buns of steel!!

    Good luck and work it !
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    madammags wrote: »
    I will definitely re-check my form, but I think it's not too bad. I have this problem with any exercise for the lower body where the weight is carried by my arms. Traditional squats are fine (I squat about 35-40 kgs/80-90lbs), and I do those on alternating workouts.

    The program has you do 1 or 2 core exercises (e.g. planks, roll-out etc), 1 power (e.g. jump squats) or combination (e.g. lunge and press) exercise, and then 4 main strength exercises: 1 lower body on both legs (alternating squat and DL type movements between workouts), 1 lower body split leg (e.g. lunges, step-ups), 1 push, and 1 pull (alternating horizontal/vertical between workouts).

    Looking at my logs, I've been progressing every movement since I started, though not always by a lot, so that's something.

    Are you doing the exercises in that order? If so, I'd reorder it all. I'd arrange it something like ohp/deadlift/lunge/pull/power movement/core and bench/squat/pull/step-up/power/core. Your grip strength should increase as you go but you could either hang from a pull up bar or just lift and hold onto a heavy barbell or dumbbells if you want to do a specific exercise for it.
  • pinkiemarie252
    pinkiemarie252 Posts: 222 Member
    I always do my deadlifts first so my hands and legs aren't tired for it :)
  • XavierNusum
    XavierNusum Posts: 720 Member
    arditarose wrote: »
    Interesting. My upper body is not as strong either, but I have never had any issues with it when dead lifting. It makes me wonder how your form is, actually.
    arditarose wrote: »
    OP, are your lats squeezed, shoulders back, and elbows locked? If you're starting with bent elbows and straightening them when you pull, you could be placing too much emphasis on arms/upper back. Especially if everything is not engaged properly.

    ^^^

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