Deadlift weak off floor-Whats your prefered remedy

deadlybuzzman · 03-09-2013 11:20pm #1

I would've posted this in the strength forum only its an utter car crash.
As the title says, my weakpoint is the 1st few cm off the floor. Ive never failed a deadlift that came off the floor. Ive gone back to doing Romanian DLs after noticing it me doing them might overlap with this issue.
There's now a legpress in my gym so I've started that too with the reasoning maybe I'm not just weak off the floor, it's that I'm just weak-plus Bolton does them and I'm a terrible copycat.
I keep finding conflicting opinions on deficit DLs so I'm unsure if I'll keep doing those.
Has anyone else had this problem and overcome it?

COH · 03-09-2013 11:28pm

Could be your set up, could be your tech or could be specific weakness.... have any vids?

Speed work, a tighter set up and consistency sorted out my issues off the floor... everyone is different though

Brian? · 03-09-2013 11:43pm

Are you sure your form is good? 100% sure? Post a video.

Other than that:

1. Speed work, 8 sets of 3 at about 70% of your 1rm. Heavy deads on a different day.

2. Supplemental hamstring work

deadlybuzzman · 04-09-2013 12:13am

No vids but when I was doing speed deads I was only lifting 50-60% for half that many sets, so too light with too little repetition would sound like it would lead to where I am.
On a 3rm+ set my hips rise 1st but on a 1rm Im just stuck, nothing budges. Are glute ham raises worth doing outside of eliteftsland?

Big_G · 04-09-2013 12:16am

Deficit deads?

Big_G · 04-09-2013 12:18am

Also try and engage the hamstrings and posterior chain first. Some people do this by rolling the bar towards themselves, make sure you maintain neutral spine though, no rounding or you'll do yourself a mischief

RidleyRider · 04-09-2013 1:11am

I found that once I got my hamstrings & glutes stronger that speed off the floor helped. Also, when my adductors were tight, everything felt slower.

Probably not the answer but my experience.

Deano7788 · 04-09-2013 8:10am

I definitely found doing deficits helped my speed off the floor.

LuckyLloyd · 04-09-2013 9:17am

Set up tightness and hamstring strength big factors here.

- post a vid of your set up on a heavyish pull (85% - 90%) or get a coach or PT to take a look at it. Your set up could be better because, well, the vast majority of people could have a better set up;
- RDLs, Good Mornings, Barbell rows all focussed on placing tension on the hamstrings is good assistance work to aid with your specific problem;

How are you currently training it? Basic overview of your general weekly routine? How often are you testing 1 Rep Max?

Sangre · 04-09-2013 9:36am

What is your 1RM? You might be at the stage where you'll benefit from just deadlifting more.

Hanley · 04-09-2013 10:58am

1) Set up
2) something else

Until 1 is perfect, 2 doesn't matter.

deadlybuzzman · 04-09-2013 8:24pm

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

Set up tightness and hamstring strength big factors here.

- post a vid of your set up on a heavyish pull (85% - 90%) or get a coach or PT to take a look at it. Your set up could be better because, well, the vast majority of people could have a better set up;
- RDLs, Good Mornings, Barbell rows all focussed on placing tension on the hamstrings is good assistance work to aid with your specific problem;

How are you currently training it? Basic overview of your general weekly routine? How often are you testing 1 Rep Max?

Im using a weekly progression Hanley posted a while back starting at 70% of max going to 75%, 80% etc until testing the week after 95%.

My weeks breakdown is
Mon-Deadlift
Tues-Pushpress
Wed-Rest
Thurs-Squat
Fri-Bench

On Monday the Session goes:
1.Deadlift
2.Legpress, it was Shrugs (20kg more than whatever I just deadlifted)
3. RDL, it was def deads but I wasn't sure if I was getting much out of them
4. Speed deads, now dropped but after what I read here I'm thinking they could be due to make a comeback

My 1 Rm max is 190 @ 90kg, I kept the same training max for this cycle as the last as I've narrowed my stance alot so didn't want to change too much at once.
Its up 10kg on where it was last year, ironically I got my old 180kg pr after doing no deadlifting for 4-6 months, only squatting and Good Mornings

LuckyLloyd · 05-09-2013 8:17am

deadlybuzzman wrote: »

I kept the same training max for this cycle as the last as I've narrowed my stance alot so didn't want to change too much at once.

I think refer to Hanley's post above. Get your setup looked at and if it does prove to be rock solid on review then maybe start tracking sleep / diet / recovery to see if there is anything awry.

Hanley · 05-09-2013 9:00am

Hanley wrote: »

1) Set up
2) something else

Until 1 is perfect, 2 doesn't matter.

Until we get a video of number 1, there genuinely is no point considering number 2. Not being funny here. Well I am, a bit.

But here's why;

-If your set up is off and you're not in a good biomechanical position, your body will down regulate force production to protect itself

-If you do break the floor with a rounded back, you'll get smashed as soon as it gets to your knees because you'll be relying on lumbar extension and not hip extension to finish, and almost no ones erectors are strong enough to do that with decent weight

Deadlift weak off floor-Whats your prefered remedy

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