When I do rack pulls from just under the knee I pull LESS than I deadlift! 200 vs 230 Kg
Anybody that are the same?
Sorry about the hi-jack 
[quote]Mr. Moose wrote:
When I do rack pulls from just under the knee I pull LESS than I deadlift! 200 vs 230 Kg
Anybody that are the same?
Sorry about the hi-jack ;-)[/quote]
Everyone will be the same. Just below the knee is an awkward position and you do not have the full hip drive you do off the bottom or a little lower. Myself I did those just below the knee and pulled 375. for a hard single, and the following week off the floor I did 445lbs for 3.
No deflation possible…
The rack pulls are nice and all, but it is the deadlift that I have a goal in mind for and care about.
The rack work is just to help me get there with heavier weight, lockout and grip improvements. They are simply a means to an end.
[quote]vroom wrote:
No deflation possible…
The rack pulls are nice and all, but it is the deadlift that I have a goal in mind for and care about.
The rack work is just to help me get there with heavier weight, lockout and grip improvements. They are simply a means to an end.[/quote]
I use racks for the same thing…to get used to heavier and heavier weight. I just did 3 weeks at just above knee level, up to 410lbs. After a week off, I’m gonna do the same weights from just below knee level for 3 weeks, then I’ll pull it from the floor, then maybe from a deficit after that, who knows.
Vroom, not really anything to add. I did want to offer my encouragment and relay to you that I am sure you will reach your goal.
From reading your posts regarding what you are doing and how you are doing it, it is easy to see that you set good goals and then do the work required to reach them. Keep hitting it hard Bro, Elk.
[quote]vroom wrote:
No deflation possible…
The rack pulls are nice and all, but it is the deadlift that I have a goal in mind for and care about.
The rack work is just to help me get there with heavier weight, lockout and grip improvements. They are simply a means to an end.[/quote]
Hey same here and after doing the type of rack training I told you I pulled 405lbs for 5 reps. Still have 4 training weeks before my meet. This old codger feels good about it.
Sens, will be looking forward to hearing about your meet. Maybe some pics and such too?
Lifting at home I typically do rack pulls from three heights: just above knees, just below knees and about 4 inches below knees.
Keep in mind that depending on how you set-up, it may be a very different position than the (amount of knee bend being the main factor). If your pulling from the knees or higher you should have no knee bend at all (to best mimic the deadlift).
If I were going to focus on the deadlift, I’d couple one workout of heavy rack pulls with one of fast full range deadlifts working up to the most you can move for 5 reps and still be moving the weight in a single explosive movement. You might use sets of 5 with 275, 295 and 315, but I only do this if I’m in a gym where I can drop the deadlift to the ground from the top position.
[quote]Joe Weider wrote:
bg100 wrote:
vroom wrote:
Finally, I tried the cuban press the other day. I’m able to do the olympic bar with no weights. This is a humbling lift to do in the gym – and I have never seen anyone else do it. Heh, I can’t tell if people think I’m an idiot or if they think I know what I’m doing.
Vroom,
You’re right, it is a humbling lift, as are most rotator cuff exercises. I do the bar only for 3x8-10, due to increase it soon but I am concentrating on good form and won’t increase until necessary.
Do you do the overhead press after the rotation or just do the rotation? I’ve seen both methods described, but I usually press overhead as this was the way I was originally taught to do cuban press.
Ben
small hijack, but what’s the point of the press after the rotation?
The rotator cuff is only responsible for the rotation, not the press, right?
What have I missed?
[/quote]
JW,
I’m not sure what the point of the press is, but it is definitely included in EC’s "Rotator Cuff Conundrum article, maybe we should ask him what it’s all about. I originally started doing the lift years ago after reading an article by Poliquin (I think?). His technique actually included a shrug of the shoulders first, then the upright row, rotation, press, eccentric press, ecentric rotation, eccentric row, and then release the shrug. Keeping your shoulders shrugged for that length of time was torture on the shoulders!
Vroom, I’m in a similar position as you, I recently pulled 375 for 5x5. I’m not sure how much that translates into a single, but–just as an observation–I’m much more looking forward to the day that I pull 405 than 400. Why?–because it’s going to be much more satisfying to look at the bar and see four wheels on there than three wheels and some change. I realize 400 is a milestone intellectually, but 405, I imagine, will hit those optic pleasure centers to greater degree.
As for goals, I’ve been thinking lately that I’d like to achieve one the “your strong” benchmarks. One of the most classic and oft heard is the double body weight deadlift. Now there’s a goal. Once you achieve it, you get the added bonus of being able to say, “I’m strong,” and have a legitimate basis for saying so. Sweet.
[quote]vroom wrote:
I’ve been doing hammer curls. These seem to hit the shoulders and wrists as opposed to the biceps. I’m also wondering if the motion doesn’t recruit the external rotators a little?
[/quote]
If you feel hammer curls in your external rotators, they are either weak, or you are cheating on the movement. Do your elbows move when you do the curl?
The biceps actually attach up in the shoulder joint. That’s probably what you’re feeling, unless, as before, there’s a lot of elbow movement going on.
Congrats on the rack pull PR. Man, that exercise is addicting. 400 from the floor will fall (or rise?) in no time.
-Dan
bino, having a double bodyweight deadlift is better than most of the population, but being able to pull double your bodyweight is merely a stepping stone to much bigger lifts before one can be considered strong.
[quote]vandalay15 wrote:
bino, having a double bodyweight deadlift is better than most of the population, but being able to pull double your bodyweight is merely a stepping stone to much bigger lifts before one can be considered strong.[/quote]
I hear what you’re saying, but I have a hard time imagining any situation where a person pulled double body weight and then having to poo poo the notion that the person is strong. Granted it isn’t world class strong, or even exceptionally strong, but it is strong. A person has to go through a delibrate and concerted effort to achieve that level of strength.
[quote]vandalay15 wrote:
bino, having a double bodyweight deadlift is better than most of the population, but being able to pull double your bodyweight is merely a stepping stone to much bigger lifts before one can be considered strong.[/quote]
???
WOW–so you can’t even be considered strong when you dead 2x your body weight.
I realize that even when we attain new PRs we are looking forward to the next one. But, even per your explanation he ‘is stronger than most of the population’ That to me makes you strong–regardless of bw.
Buffalo,
I’ll pay more attention next time I do the hammer curls. They’ve been a workout closer for a while now and I really haven’t given them any serious attention.
[quote]bg100 wrote:
JW,
I’m not sure what the point of the press is, but it is definitely included in EC’s "Rotator Cuff Conundrum article, maybe we should ask him what it’s all about. I originally started doing the lift years ago after reading an article by Poliquin (I think?). His technique actually included a shrug of the shoulders first, then the upright row, rotation, press, eccentric press, ecentric rotation, eccentric row, and then release the shrug. Keeping your shoulders shrugged for that length of time was torture on the shoulders![/quote]
I guess I missed that article, I saw it mentioned somewhere else. Thanks.
That other deal…man…that sounds strange as hell.
When I say rest of the population, I’m saying if some out-of-shape guys walked off the street and into the gym and witnessed someone weighing 190lbs. pull 385, they’d probably be impressed by all the plates and assume he was a strong guy. It really is all relative though, and I do not consider a double bodyweight pull very strong. I don’t believe it takes a deliberate effort either. After 6 months of wise training, most anyone should be able to pull 2*BW.
[quote]Joe Weider wrote:
bg100 wrote:
JW,
I’m not sure what the point of the press is, but it is definitely included in EC’s "Rotator Cuff Conundrum article, maybe we should ask him what it’s all about. I originally started doing the lift years ago after reading an article by Poliquin (I think?). His technique actually included a shrug of the shoulders first, then the upright row, rotation, press, eccentric press, ecentric rotation, eccentric row, and then release the shrug. Keeping your shoulders shrugged for that length of time was torture on the shoulders!
I guess I missed that article, I saw it mentioned somewhere else. Thanks.
That other deal…man…that sounds strange as hell.
[/quote]
Tell me about it, I prefer EC’s version!
[quote]vandalay15 wrote:
When I say rest of the population, I’m saying if some out-of-shape guys walked off the street and into the gym and witnessed someone weighing 190lbs. pull 385, they’d probably be impressed by all the plates and assume he was a strong guy. It really is all relative though, and I do not consider a double bodyweight pull very strong. I don’t believe it takes a deliberate effort either. After 6 months of wise training, most anyone should be able to pull 2*BW.[/quote]
You’re wrong. While 2*bw is not elite, it most certainly is strong. And I most strongly disagree that anyone could do it with 6 mos. training. What % of the population do you think can pull this amount? I already know your comeback–how many people in the gym you train in can do it? So obviously this puts someone who can do it in a catagory I would refer to as strong.
I’m more and more amazed at the arrogance shown by people who read a few articles and then trash everyone.
bino,
I have to agree on the 405 thing, I want four plates!