# Stuck on deadlifts - help.



## N-Moo (Jun 11, 2011)

So...

Deadlifts... I seem to be stuck.

A few months ago I'd never really done deadlifts as my hamstrings were always really tight and felt like they were going to go pop when I did them... I gradually worked up from 45kg to 100kg.

A couple of weeks ago I did 3 sets of 130kg x 8... was chuffed...

Then, last week I struggled to do 6 reps at 130kg... decided it was just a bad week.

This morning I did 70 x 15, followed by 120 x 10... then tried 140kg.

I couldn't pick the bar up twice and then managed one rep.... but they guy i was training with said i'm pulling too much from my lower back and not my legs to get the bar up first time... not sure how else to pick it up? gotta lift it and straighten legs while lifting, right?

So it seems i'm stuck at 130kg... wondering whether I should drop the weight and see if I can figure out what this form comment is about? Or persevere with 130 and see if I can get the reps up?

Also reckon I can lift more if i start by lifting the bar off the rack rather than the floor.... is this worthwhile?

advice / comments appreciated.


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## LunaticSamurai (May 19, 2009)

There are some good youtube vids on how to deadlift. You lift with your legs until the bar is up on your thighs, whils looking up and forward all the time, never look down, never bend over to pick the bar up always squat to pick the bar up then straighten your back once past your thighs.


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## flinty90 (Jul 1, 2010)

N-Moo said:


> So...
> 
> Deadlifts... I seem to be stuck.
> 
> ...


yes mate do that, also only go down just below your knee so your keeping tension on back and not too much on hammys. you could also train hamstrings on there own to give them more flexibility and strength , it will aid in your overall deadlift performance


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## N-Moo (Jun 11, 2011)

flinty90 said:


> yes mate do that, also only go down just below your knee so your keeping tension on back and not too much on hammys. you could also train hamstrings on there own to give them more flexibility and strength , it will aid in your overall deadlift performance


Thanks.

I always train hamstrings on leg days... do deads on my back day.


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## Guest (Oct 10, 2011)

I have a rounded back a bit when i deadlift im sure it looks bad but ive never had a problem doing deads, i find them the easiest to progress on it just depends how hard you want to push, i just lift what makes me a bit dizzy, i have a fear of passing out lol


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## N-Moo (Jun 11, 2011)

willsy said:


> I have a rounded back a bit when i deadlift im sure it looks bad but ive never had a problem doing deads, i find them the easiest to progress on it just depends how hard you want to push, i just lift what makes me a bit dizzy, i have a fear of passing out lol


Deads feck me up more than anything else... have to lean on something after each set usually!


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## Guest (Oct 10, 2011)

Yea i do lean on the windowsill between sets and get some air until im not dizzy but i never push it too far


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## Cythraul (Oct 5, 2011)

If you can post a video of your form mate, can help you alot more. till then..just recommend this






Also, you seem to be doing ALOT of reps, i try to keep it between 1-5 depeding of the week, as i find my form breaks down terribley and just knackers me out, and what help'd me alot when i first started was deadlifting every other week.


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## N-Moo (Jun 11, 2011)

Cythraul said:


> If you can post a video of your form mate, can help you alot more. till then..just recommend this


so I should def start with it on the floor...? confusing forum advice attack!


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## Cythraul (Oct 5, 2011)

Ofcourse, a deadlift is from the floor.

If you put it in the rack, just below your knee's thats a "rack pull" and its used to assist the deadlfit. helps with locking it out etc.


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## Wardy211436114751 (Jan 24, 2011)

Deadlift from the floor mate especially given you're pretty new to deadlifts why would you want to neglect the bottom part of the lift that will bring up your legs bigtime and increase overall strength/deadlift strength. Also stick in the 3-8 rep range personally I think 5s are good or deadlifts not that theres anything wrong with going 6-10 ocassionally but not all the time. Also get a vid on here thats the best way to get advice mate.


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## N-Moo (Jun 11, 2011)

thanks for your help guys.

Will try and get a vid.


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## Rick89 (Feb 27, 2009)

Get a vid up pal, sound like your not dropping your hips into it to begin with and do more of a straight leg dead to me

Post a vid as there are alot of great deadlifters on here to help you mate


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## PowerMyself (Sep 29, 2011)

Sounds like a bit of confusion with the type of deadlift you're doing. If it's not straight-legged, bring it off the rack and yeah, lower all the way down. Lifting from the floor from the off can really take it out of you. I try to get the weight to hit the floor and bring back up as soon as I hear the clink, without bouncing it, and lift from the legs. Vids are invaluable though, nothing like watching an expert explain it in detail.


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## Uncivilization (Oct 3, 2011)

If your shins aint bleeding by the end of the set you aint dead lifting


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## Rick89 (Feb 27, 2009)

True deadlift are always off the floor IMO, dont see why people would take it off a rack to begin the set.


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## MRSTRONG (Apr 18, 2009)

break your squat down into sections so that when your parallel this becomes your starting point for the deadlift .... sat back ass down head up push the world away and kind of go up and back with your upper body .

arms should drag up the side of your body , drive should be through the heels .

i disagree with dragging the bar up your shins for 1 reason .... friction this will slow the lift meaning you exert more energy .


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## Uncivilization (Oct 3, 2011)

ewen said:


> break your squat down into sections so that when your parallel this becomes your starting point for the deadlift .... sat back ass down head up push the world away and kind of go up and back with your upper body .
> 
> arms should drag up the side of your body , drive should be through the heels .
> 
> i disagree with dragging the bar up your shins for 1 reason .... friction this will slow the lift meaning you exert more energy .


It's the keeping it close that counts. Your dead lifting and having to roll the bar towards you to lift will put way to much strain on your lower back. Weight should be up and down  like a hookers pants


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## Greyphantom (Oct 23, 2003)

hmmm personally lift from the floor when starting out always... think of it like youre going to jump from the squat position which will activate the legs and produce power then as has been said as the bar passes the knees lift with your back, the transfer should be automatic... dont yank at the bar either, but keep the arms straight through the whole movement and keep a smooth continuous pull from floor to lockout...


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## Uncivilization (Oct 3, 2011)

Here just copy him, you'll be getting full body workouts in no time at all


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## adsdj (Mar 13, 2010)

Uncivilization said:


> Here just copy him, you'll be getting full body workouts in no time at all


That is the best form I've ever seen. Definitely gonna do it like that from now on.

Hello herniated disc. :rolleye:


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## brianwardle (Apr 11, 2011)

Is your goal maximal strength?

Deadlifting heavy is very taxing for the CNS (central nervous system) its not uncommon to see guys regressing if they deadlift heavy too often. I tend to pull heavy, once every 4 weeks and moderate-moderately light 3 times a month.


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## 2004mark (Oct 26, 2013)

If your max for reps is around 130kg then I'd suggest you shouldn't be doing 10 x 120kg before going all out. On deads I only normally go to failure on one set.

If you want to attempt 140 then try something like this:

10-15 x 60kg (warm up)

4-6 x 100kg

2 x 120kg

then max out on 140/130kg

Think of all the sets bar your big one as a build up to the big event. This will warm you up, prep your CNS, psych you up, but also keep you relatively fresh for your working set. No point going for a max lift when you've already exhausted yourself.

If you feel that's not enough volume then do a drop set afterwards at 100 or 80kg.


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## N-Moo (Jun 11, 2011)

guys.... juat wanted to say thanks for your advice... today i did...

60 x 15

100 x 8

120 x 8

*140 x 4*

*
140 x 4*

Was dead chuffed!


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## big_skip (Aug 21, 2010)

nice one mate, but as mentioned if you are trying increase your weight then cut down on the reps you do on your first few sets and focus on your form ..you got 160kg in there easy..


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## N-Moo (Jun 11, 2011)

cheers dude... thats what I did... did 15 reps of 70 to warm up then stuck to 8 reps even though i could've done more.

be doing them tomorrow morning... cant wait!


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## Fatstuff (Mar 2, 2010)

I have a problem with deads myself, i always end up pulling with my ass in the air, i know exactly what im doing wrong but can never physically put it right, its made me want to quit deadlifting entirely lol


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## Rick89 (Feb 27, 2009)

Fatstuff said:


> I have a problem with deads myself, i always end up pulling with my ass in the air, i know exactly what im doing wrong but can never physically put it right, its made me want to quit deadlifting entirely lol


Lol, I think deadlift is a very personal lift, In terms of different limb lengths etc etc but over time just keep plugging away at it and your body will find the groove best for you, aslong as back is always curved and form is on you hips will naturally lower over time, Imagine the first 3rd of the movement like a squat from bottom, then generate hips forward.

Deadlift technique is a hard one early on but will improve constantly, everytime I train deads they get more and more natural to perform and before you know it will come together.


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## Ste7n (Jul 12, 2011)

On this topic, should your lower back be sore for a week after doing them or would my form be wrong..?


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## Rick89 (Feb 27, 2009)

SouthPaw said:


> On this topic, should your lower back be sore for a week after doing them or would my form be wrong..?


Alot of the time yes, I train my lower back very hard strength/power type training so its pretty hard to get it sore now but alot of people will have a sore back, aslong as its the lower back muscle not the spine then this is normal.


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## Fatstuff (Mar 2, 2010)

Rick89 said:


> Lol, I think deadlift is a very personal lift, In terms of different limb lengths etc etc but over time just keep plugging away at it and your body will find the groove best for you, aslong as back is always curved and form is on you hips will naturally lower over time, Imagine the first 3rd of the movement like a squat from bottom, then generate hips forward.
> 
> Deadlift technique is a hard one early on but will improve constantly, everytime I train deads they get more and more natural to perform and before you know it will come together.


To be fair, i always think i would be better off barefooted doing it, but would feel like cnut kicking my shoes off to lift some weight lol


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## Rick89 (Feb 27, 2009)

Fatstuff said:


> To be fair, i always think i would be better off barefooted doing it, but would feel like cnut kicking my shoes off to lift some weight lol


Do it mate, I always kick shoes off when doing them from floor alot more natural, even when been working all day and the pong from my feet scares off other gym members haha


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## Ste7n (Jul 12, 2011)

Rick89 said:


> Alot of the time yes, I train my lower back very hard strength/power type training so its pretty hard to get it sore now but alot of people will have a sore back, aslong as its the lower back muscle not the spine then this is normal.


That's reassuring to hear, was getting worried there that i was maybe doing some damage, as it takes about week to recover


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## Rick89 (Feb 27, 2009)

SouthPaw said:


> That's reassuring to hear, was getting worried there that i was maybe doing some damage, as it takes about week to recover


Are you doing them regular and progressing on them as maybe a whole week every week is a bit much to recover from every week??


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## Ste7n (Jul 12, 2011)

Rick89 said:


> Are you doing them regular and progressing on them as maybe a whole week every week is a bit much to recover from every week??


I'm doing stronglifts 5x5 atm, but since it's got heavy(well for me anyway) it seems to take longer to recover from, the past two weeks i've only been able to hit the gym twice a week, so i'm only doing them once weekly, before that i just assumed since i'm hitting them twice a week, every other week, that they would be a bit sore for longer. Maybe get someone to check my form...

Yeah the weights going up steadily aswell


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## Rick89 (Feb 27, 2009)

SouthPaw said:


> I'm doing stronglifts 5x5 atm, but since it's got heavy(well for me anyway) it seems to take longer to recover from, the past two weeks i've only been able to hit the gym twice a week, so i'm only doing them once weekly, before that i just assumed since i'm hitting them twice a week, every other week, that they would be a bit sore for longer. Maybe get someone to check my form...
> 
> Yeah the weights going up steadily aswell


If the weights going up I wouldnt worry it wont be overtraining IMO, keep it up mate as times goes by you should get less sore IMO.


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## paul81 (Jun 3, 2010)

drop down to just 3 working sets then chap, give yourself a bit more breathing space for rest. after that if you still struggling a bit, look at one of the next strength routines


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## TheManners (Oct 22, 2011)

I also kick my shoes off to deadlift, squat, and military press. I believe some nice converse chuck taylors with a good solid base are best, but I don't have the balls to wear em, so do it barefooted!


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## big_skip (Aug 21, 2010)

years ago we would stand on a 3" block with deadlift for a few weeks if your weight wasn't going up, also teaches you to lift more from the legs in the first part of the movement and keep your **** down..


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## Rick89 (Feb 27, 2009)

big_skip said:


> years ago we would stand on a 3" block with deadlift for a few weeks if your weight wasn't going up, also teaches you to lift more from the legs in the first part of the movement and keep your **** down..


I do these also, deficit dead lift, made my normal deadlift fly off the floor!


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## brianwardle (Apr 11, 2011)

Fatstuff said:


> To be fair, i always think i would be better off barefooted doing it, but would feel like cnut kicking my shoes off to lift some weight lol


Andy bolton deadlifts barefoot. i don't think he is cnut. lol


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## N-Moo (Jun 11, 2011)

Gah. Didn't get to do deads on back day due to two guys hogging the rack and no other bar free.... want to do them NOW 

Will perhaps chuck a few in on Friday, assuming my legs ain't too sore from tomorrow...


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## N-Moo (Jun 11, 2011)

This morning....

(kg)

70x15

110x6

130x6

150x5

150x3

Woop!


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