Materials Science of the Barbell | Andrew Lewis

[Nockian]

Mine too. I don’t film myself, but I have some ideas when I get the set right on the next try. It seems that I fail when I am not able to keep my back tight the whole way. This usually happens because the bar rolls away from the mid foot during the set, which makes it harder to squeeze the back properly, so I can pull part of the way, but fail at the top part. It seems to me that the guy in the gym is onto something.

Mines is partly because as I fatigue I fail to lock out the knees and end up using my back. I don’t hitch it, but it becomes an inefficient lever.

[AndrewLewis]

It’s missing the upper and lower yield points that give you that small bump as you go into the plastic range.

That doesn't happen in chrome-moly steels. More in carbon steels.

[Jovan Dragisic]

Mines is partly because as I fatigue I fail to lock out the knees and end up using my back. I don’t hitch it, but it becomes an inefficient lever.

We'll get it right at some point.

[Nockian]

We'll get it right at some point.

Working towards personal excellence in the movement.

[Jason Donaldson]

This is a neat article to revisit - thanks for the re-post.

I had forgotten about your custom DL bar, Andrew. This has me thinking, more out of intellectual curiosity than anything else:

Am I right that, if you wanted the same effect, but without the custom bar, AND if you already had a bent bar for rack pulls, then you could achieve almost the same effect by setting a low rack pull, then pulling from blocks at such a height as to start the bar at the same relative height on your body as a standard DL?

With the bar resting on the pins, it's going to start deflected almost as much as when it breaks in a standard pull, since the plates are already completely off the deck. It wouldn't be quite as much so, of course, because the pins are further outboard than your hands, but I'd think it would be pretty close, and should convey similar effects.

[AndrewLewis]

Yeah, that would work. Just set up the rack so the bar is at the same height as a normal deadlift. You'll still get extra movement when the bar is jerked at all - you'll get some bouncing during the rep. But the set up off the ground would be the same. I suspect it will still feel different mid-rep than the custom short bar.

I'm glad you liked the article. Thanks for reading.

[Jason Donaldson]

Ah, yes - I was solely thinking of a single rep, not of what happens when you set it down. Still, it's been an interesting thought experiment. Thanks!