Improving My Deadlift

I’m currently pulling 182.5kg at 75kg, but I’m struggling to get past that, even though I can rep 170kg for 5, maybe 6 if my grip holds out. The sticking point seems to be from about mid shin to my knees. Once I get the weight up to knee level it keeps moving upwards without too much trouble, but it’s that middle 6 inches that’s getting me. Failed twice at 185kg last week, leaving me feeling like I ought to start wearing a beanie hat and cargo pants.

Any suggestions?

[quote]ninearms wrote:
I’m currently pulling 182.5kg at 75kg, but I’m struggling to get past that, even though I can rep 170kg for 5, maybe 6 if my grip holds out. The sticking point seems to be from about mid shin to my knees. Once I get the weight up to knee level it keeps moving upwards without too much trouble, but it’s that middle 6 inches that’s getting me. Failed twice at 185kg last week, leaving me feeling like I ought to start wearing a beanie hat and cargo pants.

do some pulling at your weak point. get in the power rack and set the pins at your sticking point and pull.

meat
Any suggestions?[/quote]

Pulls while standing on a 6" box. Also if you are deadlifting every week you might want to back off every now and then.

http://www.T-Nation.com/findArticle.do?article=05-044-training

heavy box squats I like useing singels

Can you put up a video? That would help the most. What style do you use?

beef

sounds like you do sets of more then a couple reps.

Switch to singles and stop rebounding off the floor. Lots of singles.

[quote]cap’nsalty wrote:
Pulls while standing on a 6" box. Also if you are deadlifting every week you might want to back off every now and then.[/quote]

I second this. Heavy RDL’s always help me, and GHRs or reverse hypers if available will all strengthen your hamstrings and glutes.

[quote]ninearms wrote:
I’m currently pulling 182.5kg at 75kg, but I’m struggling to get past that, even though I can rep 170kg for 5, maybe 6 if my grip holds out. The sticking point seems to be from about mid shin to my knees. Once I get the weight up to knee level it keeps moving upwards without too much trouble, but it’s that middle 6 inches that’s getting me. Failed twice at 185kg last week, leaving me feeling like I ought to start wearing a beanie hat and cargo pants.

Any suggestions?[/quote]

Try some heavy (450+) rack squats (from the same position that you get stuck in).

Work on the grip too. You say that your grip fails after the fifth rep sometimes. Even just doing singles, improving your grip will help.

NEVER stand on a box when doing deadlifts.

And try straps. If your grip gives out on the last rep, you’re probably concentrating on your grip more than on your deadlift. With straps you might break your plateau and then you would know that your grip was your limiting factor. If you’re still stuck, at least you will have ruled out your grip as your limiting factor.
Either way, you learn something.

[quote]Wreckless wrote:
NEVER stand on a box when doing deadlifts.

[/quote]

Why do you say NEVER? It may not be a good idea as you get closer to your 1RM but it seems like there may be a place for it based on EC’s article. I haven’t tried it so I can’t say but just curious as to why you say never.

Given that getting it off the floor isn’t really a problem, would pulling from a disadvantage really help?

I suspect it IS my hamstrings that are holding me back (in my squat too I think), although I have been doing romanian deadlifts with 65-70% of my deadlift 1RM for reps for a good while. Should I think about upping the weight and dropping the reps perhaps?

My rep range is usually 2-3 on my work sets, although I do drop in singles once in a while. I am training deadlift every week though (I can’t help it if it’s my favourite lift) so I might switch to every two weeks and see how that feels.

I’ve added some heavy grip work in the last couple of weeks, just loading up a bar with 4 plates a side and holding it until I drop it back onto the rack, and I stick farmer’s walks in there once in a while. I don’t think my grip is a problem though - I do use straps on my heaviest set, but that’s more to do with sweaty palms and lack of chalk than actual grip strength.

I was wondering whether it would be worth dropping the weight and working on my speed for a while as that’s certainly an area I feel I’m lacking in.

If you are weakest off the floor, what other options are there besides lifting from a deficit. Thanks

[quote]MikeSh wrote:
If you are weakest off the floor, what other options are there besides lifting from a deficit. Thanks[/quote]

Anything that strengthens the hams and glutes. RDLs, GHRs, reverse hypers, Good Mornings etc.