Deadlift check

[Martin Bavngaard]

Hello.
I would like some feedback on my deadlifts.
The video is from last session, where I managed 5 reps at 285lbs. Today, I couldn't even get 1 rep with 290 - wouldn't even leave the ground.
My deadlift is also 25lbs lower than my squat, which makes me think something's wrong.


Oh, and the plates are not 45cm, they're 39cm - could be a factor.




Thanks!

[Adam Franklin]

You can do a better job squeezing up the chest and getting the back tight prior to pulling, and you need to get the bar the correct height off of the floor, but these issues would not account for your sudden failed progress in my opinion. Maybe your grip failed you for your single rep of 290lb??

How often are you deadlifting? How was your recovery (diet, sleep, stress, etc...) after your last workout when you deadlifted?

As for squatting more than you deadlift, post a squat video. Chances are you are squatting high.

[Martin Bavngaard]

You can do a better job squeezing up the chest and getting the back tight prior to pulling, and you need to get the bar the correct height off of the floor, but these issues would not account for your sudden failed progress in my opinion. Maybe your grip failed you for your single rep of 290lb??

How often are you deadlifting? How was your recovery (diet, sleep, stress, etc...) after your last workout when you deadlifted?

Noted about the extension. Regarding the bar, I just can't elevate it with anything in my gym - not even plates, because they are uneven.
Yes, maybe my grip failed me. In the video, I used double overhand grip for the first 3 reps, then switched to hook grip - first time I've ever hook gripped.
In my most recent session, I tried doing the same. It didn't feel like my grip failed me, it just felt incredibly heavy - but I could be wrong.


I just started HLM, so I'll be deadlifting once a week from now on. Didn't get as much sleep (7.5hrs) due to some stressful matters, but I ate 3.5k calories the day before my failed deadlift.

As for squatting more than you deadlift, post a squat video. Chances are you are squatting high.

This is from the same session as the failed deadlift. It's 315x4 (failed set).




Please note that while I'm struggling with the deadlift, the squat is my biggest pain. I absolutely cannot figure out how to squat - that's why the form isn't perfect.

[Charles Jenkins]

Your squats are a heck of a lot better than mine were at that point.

Your knees are sliding way forwards at the bottom. Focus on shoving them out and getting your hips back early. Careful not to look up when the rep gets hard.

[Ben Patterson]

My plates at home are not standard diameter, I use a pair of 1/2" thick horse trailer mats (really it's one 3'x4' mat cut in half). Maybe you could do something similar.

[Deepsky3539]

Not to get off topic here but how do you plan on dumping those steel plates (squatting) if you can't get out of the hole without damaging the bar and the guy doing cable curls in the corner screaming like a little girl?

UMRebalCJ nailed it on the squats. I fight the same issue a lot. I have to super exaggerate the "knees out" move from the very top and then it fixes my back angle as which you need to do as well.

It would be easier if we got a little bit of a front angle view of your DL's but they look pretty reasonable. They also don't look very heavy, so not sure why another 5lbs would be un-moveable. All I can think is recovery.


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[Martin Bavngaard]

Not to get off topic here but how do you plan on dumping those steel plates (squatting) if you can't get out of the hole without damaging the bar and the guy doing cable curls in the corner screaming like a little girl?

UMRebalCJ nailed it on the squats. I fight the same issue a lot. I have to super exaggerate the "knees out" move from the very top and then it fixes my back angle as which you need to do as well.

It would be easier if we got a little bit of a front angle view of your DL's but they look pretty reasonable. They also don't look very heavy, so not sure why another 5lbs would be un-moveable. All I can think is recovery.

Regarding the squats:

Noted, will add that to my list of things to remember in the squat.

Good question. Answer: I can't. This is something I'm very aware of, and something that keeps me from progressing. The fact that my squats are very inconsistent rep-to-rep and form ain't that great makes getting trapped under the bar a very real risk for me. I know the gym manager, and I know he doesn't realize the fact that steel plates + no safeties makes for a suboptimal squat setup.


Regarding the deadlift:

Yeah, I thought I could get another 5lbs on the bar this last workout, but it was just waaaay too heavy.

I tried and failed, waited 5 minutes, then tried again and failed, then waited 3-4 minutes, then tried at last workouts weight and failed to get 1 rep, too.

[carson]

Can you help the manager to realize that without safety bars there is a real possibility of injury to the lifters. In the US they would be an invitation for a serious lawsuit.

[Martin Bavngaard]

Can you help the manager to realize that without safety bars there is a real possibility of injury to the lifters. In the US they would be an invitation for a serious lawsuit.

With risk of derailing the thread, I'll answer this because I feel the same way:
No, I cannot, for a number of reasons.
1. (Biggest reason) I work out for free in his gym, so I'm not really in a situation to be demanding stuff. I've already brought the issue to his attention once, I can't afford to test his patience.
2. He doesnt care about barbell training (except bench). He's in love with TRX training. He'll have all his clients do TRX, and a few machines, never ever barbell training.
3. In Denmark, it's your own responsibility not to get hurt when working out. So by Danish law, I'm the one taking the risk, not him.
4. Nobody except me and maybe 5-6 other guys use the squat racks. Everyone is in the other end of the gym doing machine work or at the dumbbell rack.

Enough ranting from me, bottom line is: nope.

[ad3000]

You could try and offer to buy/contribute towards a pair of safeties and a pair of bumpers?

Or you could possibly move gyms?