Within the last month I’ve started doing heavy low rep deadlifts. I’d say it’s going well and I have made great progress since I’ve started, but now that the weight is getting up there, at least for me, I seem to always have trouble getting the bar up for the first rep.
I’ve started wearing some doc martin work boots to give myself a little heel lift and I’ve also tried putting my heels on 5 lbs weights to lift also; both seem to help.
I always try to get my shins up as close to the bar as possible and try to get my ankles directly under the bar. Any tips for me?
Second question is, when should I start wearing a belt?
The reason the first rep is trouble is there’s no stretch reflex. The only way to really change this is doing dive bomber style pulling but even this wouldn’t effect it that much. You can try starting the weight from the top position from a rack, but this sort of eliminates some of the benefits of the lift.
Also, It’s generally recommended that you use soles with a flat heel that are low to the ground to help with pulling. The flatter you keep your heels and rock back on them, the better transfer of power you’ll get.
Hmm, I thought it was beneficial to have lifted heels to help prevent rounding of the back and help power up straight up through the hips, no? It seemed to help me out, anything wrong with doing it?
I understand that the first is the hardest seemed while I was doing it today that the first was harder than normal. Up until today I was repping 315 and then I would go up to 385 for a burnout set but today I stepped up the repping to 355 so maybe I was just imagining things.
Why is it that you want to keep heels flat though? It really did seem to help me throw my hips up and help me from rounding over.
Also, when should I start wearing a belt? My back only tweaks occasionally and it’s only on that first rep because I think I’m rounding over. Should I wear one just to be safe or should I only use one if I’m experiencing more pain?
IMNSHO if you are doing low rep deadlifts you should always do each rep from a dead start. (That’s why it’s called the deadlift.) I usually even step back from the bar and reset my feet for each rep.
I do all my deadlifting in bare feet now (I lift at home) and have found it very effective in strengthening my feet and keeping my lower back in shape. You really start to feel what your feet are doing and where the weight is balanced after a while. Give it a try if you can.
PS the problem with wearing heels (for most people) is that it shifts your balance point forward, so you use some of your strength to keep the bar from getting away from you. Ideally you want the bar to travel in a straight line from the floor to lockout.
If you think about where the bar is when it starts and where it will be at lockout, you actually need the bar to be travelling slightly backwards as well as up to get to the required destination. Most people find this easier with their heels as low as possible.
WRT the belt issue, this is really up to you. If your technique is good, you are unlikely to prevent any injuries by wearing a belt. Your best prevention is good technique and being strong around your core. Remember that good technique includes getting really tight and building up pressure before you pull.
You might lift a bit more wearing a belt, but unless you are competing or have a fragile ego this is not important. It doesn’t mean you are any stronger.
[quote]sharetrader wrote:
IMNSHO if you are doing low rep deadlifts you should always do each rep from a dead start. (That’s why it’s called the deadlift.) I usually even step back from the bar and reset my feet for each rep.
I do all my deadlifting in bare feet now (I lift at home) and have found it very effective in strengthening my feet and keeping my lower back in shape. You really start to feel what your feet are doing and where the weight is balanced after a while. Give it a try if you can.[/quote]
This is a very good point. That first rep is hard off the floor cos its the only one where your not bouncing the weight to help you. Without pausing in between reps most people end up bouncing the bar off the floor, in the same way that when people bench press without a pause they usually bounce the weight to some degree off their chests.
Drop the weight down a little and start pausing, its a bit humbling but at least you know your not kidding yourself about how strong you really are
[quote]sharetrader wrote:
PS the problem with wearing heels (for most people) is that it shifts your balance point forward, so you use some of your strength to keep the bar from getting away from you. Ideally you want the bar to travel in a straight line from the floor to lockout.
If you think about where the bar is when it starts and where it will be at lockout, you actually need the bar to be travelling slightly backwards as well as up to get to the required destination. Most people find this easier with their heels as low as possible.
WRT the belt issue, this is really up to you. If your technique is good, you are unlikely to prevent any injuries by wearing a belt. Your best prevention is good technique and being strong around your core. Remember that good technique includes getting really tight and building up pressure before you pull.
You might lift a bit more wearing a belt, but unless you are competing or have a fragile ego this is not important. It doesn’t mean you are any stronger.[/quote]
Good point. And if you read Paul Chek’s articles on the belt debate you’d prob come to the conclusion that you should never where a belt…I certainly never will.
Try Snatch-grip deadlifts. They are ideal for people who have problems getting the weight off the floor but no problem locking it out. You can even do them on a four-inch platform. Read the January issue of A Question of Strength by Charles Poliquin.