I am really focusing on lockout out my sumo deadlift LOWER. I noticed at the meet that my pulls were locked out ridiculously high. If I focus on it I think I can lock out a couple of inches above my knees. This will be my predominant focus for deadlift during this cycle.
How are you addressing this? I would love to eliminate some/any distance on my lockout.
The only thing I’ve figured out so far is a wider stance, but it’s a very gradual process (for me anyway).
he’s been dropping his hips lower and locking out with shoulders back instead of shrugged up. that’s the changes i’ve seen so far. i’m his training partner btw.
Thanks. I’ll have to figure out the shoulders back thing to see if I have any range that could be eliminated.
Dropshot has the right idea . . . perhaps my approach isn’t quite as cerebral as he thinks though. I am basically just trying to feel my lockout with the bar as low as possible (really focusing on this with my warm-up sets). I think sometimes I keep pulling with my back, trying to pull UP when all I really have to do is roll the shoulders back and get the hips through. Your upper body lockout is one of the biggest things I am trying to emphasize.
My theory is once you get the bar above the knees there isn’t a whole lot of UP necessary in the movement.
I suppose we all have a lowest point we can feasibly lockout given our individual dimensions.
The reason I really wanted to start exploring the whole locking out lower is because my meet pull lockouts look as high as a conventional pull lockout. I’d just recommend filming yourself with 135 and see how low you can lock it out.[/quote]
Simple is cerebral enough for me!
I’ll try filming some light sets and see what I can come up with.
It’s funny you mentioned this now. I had recently sent someone a link to my competition squat in gear and he responded that he liked how I brought my hips through rather than trying to stand up with the weight. Kind of the same idea as you’re mentioning here. I’ve watched my video dozens of times and had never seen (or thought about) it. It just happened, possibly because it was a weight I couldn’t goodmorning. I’ve been trying to focus on it since he told me last week and even with light weight I noticed the squat lockout is much easier.
It’s funny you mentioned this now. I had recently sent someone a link to my competition squat in gear and he responded that he liked how I brought my hips through rather than trying to stand up with the weight.
Kind of the same idea as you’re mentioning here. I’ve watched my video dozens of times and had never seen (or thought about) it. It just happened, possibly because it was a weight I couldn’t goodmorning. I’ve been trying to focus on it since he told me last week and even with light weight I noticed the squat lockout is much easier.
Thanks for the insights. [/quote]
Sure, hope something helps.
You know it is quite funny I believe squatting in a suit naturally got me to do the same thing (focus on getting my hips through on squats). The “lockout” of a squat is seldom a problem for most people but I think focusing on how you want the squat to finish can help keep everything in better position throughout.
It’s funny, I read quite a few articles on proper squatting (most of them were absolutely horrible) but the only good information I received in print form was from Louie Simmons, squat wide, sit back, knees out, chest up.
Its hard to keep your body weight down when you powerlift.
I got past some bench plateaus by doing pullups.
Try to work up to 40 pullups in good form over x number of sets.
As many sets as it takes. Not sure why strong lats help your bench, but they definately make a difference.
[quote]dropshot001 wrote:
that’s what happens when you get those sick pumps from no-xplode[/quote]
The pumps were so crazy I thought I was having a seizure! Btw, when my muscles got tired I lifted with my heart . . . turns out my heart is weak! Any exercise recommendations?
Its hard to keep your body weight down when you powerlift.
I got past some bench plateaus by doing pullups.
Try to work up to 40 pullups in good form over x number of sets.
As many sets as it takes. Not sure why strong lats help your bench, but they definately make a difference.
I’m down to two sets on a good day.
[/quote]
I got to the point where I really didn’t like eating (that was after putting on 25 pounds in about my first 5 weeks of lifting). I think I am ready again to start eating like a madman. I’ll mix in a little cardio to make sure I don’t get too fat. The goal is to hit 190+ by the time school starts in September, then get to 198 as lean as possible by the end of January.
Wow, 40 reps . . . how long would you suggest resting between sets? I was thinking about putting into practice Poliquin’s program. He basically recommends if you can do 6 pull-ups (that’s me) then do 10 sets of 3 and progress up to 10 sets of 6. Once a person achieves 10 sets of 6 they should be able to do 12 pull-ups. I was also wondering if I should maybe do chin-ups for awhile until I get half assed at those then attack the pull-ups. Any thoughts? Two sets of 40 pull-ups in 2 sets . . . now that sounds like a great goal for the next year or two of training.
I wouldn’t get too anal about how long a rest period, as long as its reasonable like any other exercise. The main thing is volume until you can handle your heavier body weight for more than 10 reps. Then you can add some weight to your lower body if you wish, or just crank out 40 over as many sets as it takes. Even if you are so tired you can only squeak off one or two per set. I’ll sometimes finish off with chin ups after I hit 40 because I follow up with bent rows and bicep work. Trashes the upper back and biceps pretty well. I get so pumped I can’t touch my neck for about 30 minutes after the workout. Washing my face post workout is a bitch.
For bench plataeus also work on bar dips and skull crushers to build your triceps. Do them with dumbells between your knees. Once you get to 10 or more reps at your current body weight plus 60lb dumbell, you should be getting close to a 300lb raw bench. I only weigh a few lbs more than you so its definately something you can accomplish soon. Don’t worry about getting triceps strong in your bench, the chest will follow.
[quote]mrodock wrote:
dropshot001 wrote:
that’s what happens when you get those sick pumps from no-xplode
The pumps were so crazy I thought I was having a seizure! Btw, when my muscles got tired I lifted with my heart . . . turns out my heart is weak! Any exercise recommendations?[/quote]
I always hate it when internal organs hold you back in training. I think a few jumping jacks will have your heart stronger than an elephant’s in no time. If only I could figure out what to do about my jejunum…
[quote]Bagger wrote:
I wouldn’t get too anal about how long a rest period, as long as its reasonable like any other exercise. The main thing is volume until you can handle your heavier body weight for more than 10 reps. Then you can add some weight to your lower body if you wish, or just crank out 40 over as many sets as it takes. Even if you are so tired you can only squeak off one or two per set. I’ll sometimes finish off with chin ups after I hit 40 because I follow up with bent rows and bicep work. Trashes the upper back and biceps pretty well. I get so pumped I can’t touch my neck for about 30 minutes after the workout. Washing my face post workout is a bitch.
For bench plataeus also work on bar dips and skull crushers to build your triceps. Do them with dumbells between your knees. Once you get to 10 or more reps at your current body weight plus 60lb dumbell, you should be getting close to a 300lb raw bench. I only weigh a few lbs more than you so its definately something you can accomplish soon. Don’t worry about getting triceps strong in your bench, the chest will follow.[/quote]
[quote]novaeer wrote:
mrodock wrote:
dropshot001 wrote:
that’s what happens when you get those sick pumps from no-xplode
The pumps were so crazy I thought I was having a seizure! Btw, when my muscles got tired I lifted with my heart . . . turns out my heart is weak! Any exercise recommendations?
I always hate it when internal organs hold you back in training. I think a few jumping jacks will have your heart stronger than an elephant’s in no time. If only I could figure out what to do about my jejunum…[/quote]
[quote]mrodock wrote:
dropshot001 wrote:
that’s what happens when you get those sick pumps from no-xplode
The pumps were so crazy I thought I was having a seizure! Btw, when my muscles got tired I lifted with my heart . . . turns out my heart is weak! Any exercise recommendations?[/quote]
Tricep pushdowns (monster mini-band)
1x38
1x30
1x22 (90 total reps)
Recumbent bike
1 minute on, 30 sec. off
8 intervals
(level 9, stay above 110 RPM during “high intensity” phases)
Going to mix in some high rep tricep pushdowns 1 to 2 times a week to raise the work capacity of my triceps. I won’t ever do them closer than 3 days before I do bench press. Will try to do interval cardio 3 times a week and I walk 45 min. 3 times a week. Hopefully I will stay relatively lean as I gain a shit load of weight. I don’t plan on stopping the weight gain any time soon.
[quote]Alpha wrote:
mrodock wrote:
dropshot001 wrote:
that’s what happens when you get those sick pumps from no-xplode
The pumps were so crazy I thought I was having a seizure! Btw, when my muscles got tired I lifted with my heart . . . turns out my heart is weak! Any exercise recommendations?
nice.
Training is looking good brother[/quote]
Some bizarre references to guys at the gym I train at in my post but I appreciate the support!
This is advice that apwsearch gave to someone in regard to learning to lock the weight out lower in the deadlift: “Learn to let the weight settle and pull your shoulders down.”
This is advice that apwsearch gave to someone in regard to learning to lock the weight out lower in the deadlift: “Learn to let the weight settle and pull your shoulders down.”[/quote]
Yeah, I just saw that this morning. I’ll try playing around with it on my warm-up sets. It makes sense, but I’m still trying to conceptually grasp “letting the weight settle” for a deadlift. I can do it with bench and squat generally in the set up, but I’ll have to think about/play around with it for deadlift.
Tinkering with form/execution does make warm-up sets more interesting!
Squats got better the more sets I did. The first set of 330 was pretty hard and the second was fairly hard. The next two were quite a bit easier. The second squat session felt really good. I think I am just relearning my groove a little bit. Zercher squats were probably a touch too heavy for this double squat session day. I managed and kept tight form, but I think I will lower these a bit next double squat session.