Help Me Fix My Effing Deadlift

[Dave Joksimovic]

Rippetoe wrote an article about it:

The Belt and the Deadlift | T Nation

Seems to me that - when you use the belt - you never get your back set at all. The belt is giving you feedback that's messing up your ability to volitionally extend your lumbar spine.

Warmups and workset look quite different.

Funny you should link that, I actually stumbled on to that same article earlier. I mean I guess anything is possible, I just don't know if it would have the same effect as described in the article because honestly its one of the cheaper thinner belts. One good way to find out I guess.

[AdamAZ]

Eventually I will get straps but for now I'm gonna give the hook grip a go and do what I can to keep developing my grip...

The deadlift works your grip, so keep in mind that even if you need straps on your work set, I assume you don't on your warmups sets. If the straps help your deadlift go up, then your warmups will go up too, thus your grip will go up.

[AdamAZ]

This, oh so much this. I've got grip issues starting at around 295 lbs and ended with a dropped bar at 315 with a lot of the same issues I'm seeing in your video. Used straps and rocketed 315 for five without any issues.

I think Rip talks about this in the book. Something like when the grip starts failing, the brain starts worrying that you might drop heavy shit on your toes or knees, so it tries to position you that if the bar slips out of your hands you'll be fine, thus screwing with the optimal deadlift form.

Anyway, don't forget about chalk. For me, the bar started slipping out of my hands at 185. After investing in chalk I was able to go to 250 double overhand before needing to try straps.

[Satch12879]

I think Rip talks about this in the book. Something like when the grip starts failing, the brain starts worrying that you might drop heavy shit on your toes or knees, so it tries to position you that if the bar slips out of your hands you'll be fine, thus screwing with the optimal deadlift form.

Anyway, don't forget about chalk. For me, the bar started slipping out of my hands at 185. After investing in chalk I was able to go to 250 double overhand before needing to try straps.

The quote is, "the back won't pull what the hand can't hold."

Which is really profound if you think about it.

[Meshuggah]

djoksimo, make sure you only listen to advice from SS Coaches, Satch12879 is a Fraud that doesn't even train anymore.

[BBB]

Already a lot of good advice... and you should definitely prioritize your form OVER grip strength. That's easy enough to develop, it's much harder to re-train technique. Spend the $10, get wraps. Get your form perfect, then worry about grip. Start learning to hook grip now during warmups... it takes a long time to grow on you. It hurts initially and usually for good reason - most people don't do it correctly right away. I didn't. Use chalk.

Anyway, here's the 2-cents I wanted to add: instead of doing 1x5, switch to 5x1 for a few weeks. Come to the bar fresh and nail down that form. Everything else can wait. To help with your proprioception with the belt, while you're doing your 5x1's, video every rep and review the rep right after you finish it. You need to ingrain in your head how things look vs how they feel. Especially since you don't use a belt with lighter weights (consider using the belt during warmups, video/review those as well).

Good luck

[Dave Joksimovic]

Already a lot of good advice... and you should definitely prioritize your form OVER grip strength. That's easy enough to develop, it's much harder to re-train technique. Spend the $10, get wraps. Get your form perfect, then worry about grip. Start learning to hook grip now during warmups... it takes a long time to grow on you. It hurts initially and usually for good reason - most people don't do it correctly right away. I didn't. Use chalk.

Anyway, here's the 2-cents I wanted to add: instead of doing 1x5, switch to 5x1 for a few weeks. Come to the bar fresh and nail down that form. Everything else can wait. To help with your proprioception with the belt, while you're doing your 5x1's, video every rep and review the rep right after you finish it. You need to ingrain in your head how things look vs how they feel. Especially since you don't use a belt with lighter weights (consider using the belt during warmups, video/review those as well).

Good luck

So yesterday I attempted 345 and I started using the hook grip (the correct way, not the way I thought it was) and chalk on the 1x5 and I'll say this, my grip was not an issue like it was before. Rock solid. I did actually try the belt on the warm ups but to my detriment or not ended up ditching it for my two heavier warm ups. I just felt like I wasn't getting my back set as well as I thought I could and wanted to see if it made a difference. Used it on the 345 attempt and reps 1-3 were OK... 4 and 5 were a shit show. I was squeezing my chest up like my life depended on it and I just could not keep my upper back tight. Lots of swearing followed lol.

I will consider switching to 5x1's for a while, the other thing being considered is cutting out a set and a few reps from the warm ups to try and conserve what I have in the tank for actual work.

Frustrated but not discouraged or dismayed.

[Sean Kibler]

Can't help your deadlift but sweet Gary Johnson sign.

[Dave Joksimovic]

Can't help your deadlift but sweet Gary Johnson sign.

Ha, thanks. Literally the only time I ever endorsed a candidate with a yard sign.

[Sean Kibler]

Ha, thanks. Literally the only time I ever endorsed a candidate with a yard sign.

Same here. One of mine was smashed and I live in a pretty nice neighborhood.