Failed 635 deadlift at lockout. Time for Rack Pulls?

[Tim K]

Third lift in this video. Could not get it locked out. My back was rounded and there was no straightening it once I was at the top. I tend to be on the rounder end of the deadlift spectrum as it is but this is actually the first time I've failed a deadlift (first time testing 1RM) and I'm wondering if doing rack pulls will help with my lockout or if this was just too much weight and I should just focus on continuing to add weight to my actual deadlift worksets. I've never done any deadlift assistance up to this point, just the main lift. I haven't really got to the point where I'm no longer progressing on deadlifts themselves, which is why I haven't considered adding rack pulls up until now.

[Meshuggah]

Nice deadlifts, especially for a first time max test.

[BBB]

I could be completely wrong here, but I think you just psyched yourself out or something. Your approach looked just slightly more 'violent' as you pulled on the bar; it looked like you rounded slightly more on the last rep and more importantly, it looked like your hips went up a bit higher prior to the weight leaving the ground.

I don't think rack pulls will solve your problems. Your problem happened when you pullled the weight off the ground, so that's where you want to work on your strength. I do this with paused-deadlifts.

I really recommend watching this video by Mike T... it gets better as it goes on, but def worth listening to the whole thing: Keeping a Flat-Back in a Deadlift - YouTube

I'm not suggesting your fix your technique to get rid of rounding, but you should at least understand that the problem likely stems from [relatively] weak erectors or glutes. Since your hips shot up further in the last lift, my guess is glutes?

[Tim K]

Nice deadlifts, especially for a first time max test.

Thanks. I did pull 600 last summer, but not really a 1RM test, just a "joker set" while doing 5-3-1. Didn't try to push the weight beyond that.

I was out of the gym for a few months last fall and started up again in January. Been doing an LP for the last three months so I wanted to see where I'm at before moving back into an intermediate program.

[Ryan Arnold]

Need to work on your form before worrying about programming, especially since you are still progressing fine. If your back starts out rounded then you will not be able to un-curl your spine with max weights in your hands. If you can get a session with a SSC that would be ideal, but if not at least post some form checks for review. Drop down to a weight that you can do with a flat back and then work back up. Some form deterioration is inevitable when testing 1RM but if a round back is preventing lockout then that's a problem