How I improved my deadlift - thought I'd share

[muntz]

49 years old. 5'10'' ~180lbs.

So, Over the last 10 months I've lost 20+lbs, and took up running. Recently I've not been eating right and my creatine supplementation has been erratic. My squat and presses are mostly unched, which is good considering I'm 1-2 weight classes lower than in Jan. However, I'm setting Deadlift PRs now and have room in the tank after the last rep.

Before this month I'd only pulled 405 for 1 rep. I'd done it twice and failed once. Last week I pulled 405 for 3 and was able to hold it at the top of the last rep and talk to my buddy. Today I pulled 415 for 3 and definitely had more in the tank.

My only explanation for the improvement in my deads are a couple exercises I've added: the GHR machine and very heavy farmer walks. The farmer walk has done wonders for my grip.

Not bragging. Just thought I'd share. Its my only lift to go up recently and these are my main accessory lifts.

[johnnys]

49 years old. 5'10'' ~180lbs.

So, Over the last 10 months I've lost 20+lbs, and took up running. Recently I've not been eating right and my creatine supplementation has been erratic. My squat, and presses are mostly unched, which is good considering I'm 1-2 weight classes lower than in Jan. However, I'm setting Deadlift PRs now and have room in the tank after the last rep.

Before this month I'd only pulled 405 for 1 rep. I'd done it twice and failed once. Last week I pulled 405 for 3 and was able to hold it at the top of the last rep and talk to my buddy. Today I pulled 415 for 3 and definitely had more in the tank.

My only explanation for the improvement in my deads are a couple exercises I've added: the GHR machine and very heavy farmer walks. The farmer walk has done wonders for my grip.

Not bragging. Just thought I'd share. Its my only lift to go up recently and these are my main accessory lifts.

Can you share what kind of deadlift volume you were doing before? 3x5? One top set? Back offs?

[Meshuggah]

Yep, the Farmers Walk, Sled Dragging, and 45 Degree Back Raises are part of my arsenal.

[hamburgerfan]

Congrats on the PR. I credit GHRs for getting my hamstrings strong enough to pull 600. I got my hands strong enough to keep up by doing supremely unpleasant volumes of regular deadlifts. Maybe I could have saved myself some pain by doing farmer's walks too.

[Mr. Bingley]

hmmm, i'll have to add these, thanks.

[muntz]

Can you share what kind of deadlift volume you were doing before? 3x5? One top set? Back offs?

Before May I'd been running 5/3/1 with some backoff sets/RDLs/Sumos as accessory. In May I switched gyms and the new one has a GHR machine. May-Oct Ive been running HLM. Deadlifting 1x a week and only doing 1 work set. So, my volume has gone down as well.

[muntz]

so, what i've been doing is Deadlifting 1x a week with farmer walks after the deadlifts and doing GHR and KB swings 1x on the other 2 days. I've been doing progressive loading on each.

I started KB Swings around 28kgx25x5 with 1 minute rest and worked up to 50 repsx5. Then I'd add weight and work up again. These fried my forearms and at the beginning left my hams sore. Now they don't. With the GHR I started with the feet in the lowest position and did 3x10. Then I'd increase the foot height and bring the knees closer to the pad as I got more comfortable.

I'm now walking with 36kg kettlebells for 1minx5 with 1 minute rest. I currently have to pause on the last 2 sets. When there's no more need for pausing I'll go up to 40kg.

[SteveL]

49 years old. 5'10'' ~180lbs.

So, Over the last 10 months I've lost 20+lbs, and took up running. Recently I've not been eating right and my creatine supplementation has been erratic. My squat and presses are mostly unched, which is good considering I'm 1-2 weight classes lower than in Jan. However, I'm setting Deadlift PRs now and have room in the tank after the last rep.

Before this month I'd only pulled 405 for 1 rep. I'd done it twice and failed once. Last week I pulled 405 for 3 and was able to hold it at the top of the last rep and talk to my buddy. Today I pulled 415 for 3 and definitely had more in the tank.

My only explanation for the improvement in my deads are a couple exercises I've added: the GHR machine and very heavy farmer walks. The farmer walk has done wonders for my grip.

Not bragging. Just thought I'd share. Its my only lift to go up recently and these are my main accessory lifts.

This is helpful. I'm 59 and same size as you but my DL is only 320. I'd love to get to 405! I don't have access to a GHR. I assume the GHR is working your hamstrings? How often do you do them and how many reps? All body weight?

[muntz]

This is helpful. I'm 59 and same size as you but my DL is only 320. I'd love to get to 405! I don't have access to a GHR. I assume the GHR is working your hamstrings? How often do you do them and how many reps? All body weight?

The GHR works the entire posterior chain: Glutes, Hams and even calves. However, it SMOKES your hamstrings. I only do bodyweight with my hands kind of crossed over my chest. There are numerous ways to increase difficulty, what I've been doing is increasing the height of the foot plate every time I complete 3x10 with solid form. I've also been moving the footplate closer to the big pad with also increases the angle. I really don't see any exercise that compares. The RDL/SLDL is a similar movement, but just not nearly the same.

I deadlift 1x a week (either on Heavy or Light Day) then the other days I GHR and KB Swing. For several months it was GHR on Heavy Day, Deadlift on Light then KB Swing on Medium. KB Swings have the most risk of soreness so I wanted 2 days recovery after.