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Thread: Deadlift is stuck

  1. #1
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    Default Deadlift is stuck

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    Several others have asked in these forums why their dl’s aren’t progressing while their other lifts still are. Depending on the person’s situation, the advice given seems to have been to do more DL volume for some, and to do less for some others. I’m hoping you can help me figure out which category I’m in.

    Background: 51 yo intermediate, 5’9”, 185 lbs, did an NLP in the fall. My squat and bp are going up weekly, my ohp goes up every 2 weeks. My numbers are low for this group (squat 235x5x3, bp 210x5x3, ohp 125x5x3) but they’re a hell of a lot better than before I discovered SS. My dl has been stuck at around 280 for 3 weeks. I should mention I have long legs and short arms; bad anthropometry for squat and dl; so be it.

    My programming for the dl is to do 1x3 at a given weight one week, 1x4 the next, and 1x5 the next. On the 4th week I add 5 lbs and start back at 3 reps.

    I do hook grip for warm ups, but still do double overhand for the work set since hook grip feels like my thumbs are being ripped apart. I sneak chalk into my gym.

    As for dl form, I think this is ok. I met with SSC Cody Annino in December and he was satisfied with my dl form.

    My grip was a weak point, but I’ve been doing farmers walks for HIIT once a week, and a couple of long sets of RDLs each week. I have to admit to myself: my grip is probably no longer the weak link; instead, it seems to be my strength level in general (my back, maybe?).

    Thank you in advance.

  2. #2
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    Oct 2018
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    Quote Originally Posted by Al Copersino View Post
    My dl has been stuck at around 280 for 3 weeks.

    Actually, it's been 6 weeks, just checked my log.

    Thanks again.

  3. #3
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    Not to be a smart ass but...The First Three Questions | Mark Rippetoe.

  4. #4
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    Al,

    From your post it is not clear what the totality of your DL training is for a week. Are you doing 15 DL reps total in 4 weeks? If so then that seems like too little DL volume to me. Are you including any DL variations, rows, cleans, chins, etc in addition? Re-reading the Barbell Rx again, I see that generally most programs have just one DL session per week with usually just one set. However there is a section on programming pulls in the Texas Method that gives some advice on individuals that need more volume by adding backoff sets at about 10-20% less than the working weight. Personally I usually end up doing at least 15 DL reps/week and sometime 15/day if it is a volume DL session. Generally, my volume DL are somewhere around 15-20% less than my working 5 rep high intensity weights. I usually DL 2x/week and do rows on the in between session.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Al Copersino View Post
    Several others have asked in these forums why their dl’s aren’t progressing while their other lifts still are. Depending on the person’s situation, the advice given seems to have been to do more DL volume for some, and to do less for some others. I’m hoping you can help me figure out which category I’m in.

    Background: 51 yo intermediate, 5’9”, 185 lbs, did an NLP in the fall. My squat and bp are going up weekly, my ohp goes up every 2 weeks. My numbers are low for this group (squat 235x5x3, bp 210x5x3, ohp 125x5x3) but they’re a hell of a lot better than before I discovered SS. My dl has been stuck at around 280 for 3 weeks. I should mention I have long legs and short arms; bad anthropometry for squat and dl; so be it.

    My programming for the dl is to do 1x3 at a given weight one week, 1x4 the next, and 1x5 the next. On the 4th week I add 5 lbs and start back at 3 reps.

    I do hook grip for warm ups, but still do double overhand for the work set since hook grip feels like my thumbs are being ripped apart. I sneak chalk into my gym.

    As for dl form, I think this is ok. I met with SSC Cody Annino in December and he was satisfied with my dl form.

    My grip was a weak point, but I’ve been doing farmers walks for HIIT once a week, and a couple of long sets of RDLs each week. I have to admit to myself: my grip is probably no longer the weak link; instead, it seems to be my strength level in general (my back, maybe?).
    Thank you in advance.
    Yeah, you need to deadlift more often and/or more rep per session/week.
    If your grip is failing, and you do NOT intend to ever compete, just use straps.

    If you made up that deadlift scheme and are really set on that type of set up I'd do ...
    week 1 3x3
    week 2 1x4; 2x2
    week 3 1x5
    then increase 5#

    on top of that, I'd try to add a light pull day somewhere else in the week: light DLs, RDLs, SDLs, hypers, or something.

    The first 3 questions answer might be valid too of course.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Al Copersino View Post
    My dl has been stuck at around 280 for 3 weeks.


    Actually, it's been 6 weeks, just checked my log.

    Thanks again.
    Just to give you perspective my DL been stuck for almost 3years, I cant tell you the weight, its degrading.

  7. #7
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    Oct 2018
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    Thanks, guys.

    I definitely can say yes to 2 of the 3 questions. As for eating enough, I’m pretty close. And like I said, the other lifts are progressing, so my dl seems to be a unique problem right now.

    Great points: yes, I’ve suspected I’m not doing enough dl volume, but I’ve also kept in mind the Rip/Sully/Baker advice not to add too much volume when you get older. You’re correct: I’m only doing 12 dl work reps over 3 weeks (15-17 reps over 4 weeks). I wasn’t clear though: I also do 2 rdl work sets, 3 chins sets, and 3 rows sets per week. If that doesn’t sound like enough pulling each week I’ll gladly add a bit more:

    Tthe two choices I’m hearing are:
    1) add 2 backoff dl sets (maybe 2x5 at 80% of my previous dl weight?) on a non-dl day; or
    2) use the dl programming Fulcrum laid out, above.
    I’M GUESSING the advice here would be to try option 1 first?

    As for straps, I haven’t used them yet. I’m never going to compete so if the view here is that the benefits of straps (even at my fairly low dl weight) outweigh lost grip strength, I’ll gladly try them.

    Thank you again.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by 57bergstrm View Post
    Just to give you perspective my DL been stuck for almost 3years, I cant tell you the weight, its degrading.
    Ha - yeah, I checked and it was 6 weeks. 3 weeks does sound kind of ridiculous.

    I don’t know how old you are or how long you’ve been lifting but at a certain point maintenance is great. I think that’s mostly what Rip aims for. I just started deadlifting this last summer though so it’s a little too early for me.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Al Copersino View Post
    Thanks, guys.

    I definitely can say yes to 2 of the 3 questions. As for eating enough, I’m pretty close. And like I said, the other lifts are progressing, so my dl seems to be a unique problem right now.

    Great points: yes, I’ve suspected I’m not doing enough dl volume, but I’ve also kept in mind the Rip/Sully/Baker advice not to add too much volume when you get older. You’re correct: I’m only doing 12 dl work reps over 3 weeks (15-17 reps over 4 weeks). I wasn’t clear though: I also do 2 rdl work sets, 3 chins sets, and 3 rows sets per week. If that doesn’t sound like enough pulling each week I’ll gladly add a bit more:

    Tthe two choices I’m hearing are:
    1) add 2 backoff dl sets (maybe 2x5 at 80% of my previous dl weight?) on a non-dl day; or
    2) use the dl programming Fulcrum laid out, above.
    I’M GUESSING the advice here would be to try option 1 first?

    As for straps, I haven’t used them yet. I’m never going to compete so if the view here is that the benefits of straps (even at my fairly low dl weight) outweigh lost grip strength, I’ll gladly try them.

    Thank you again.
    Ultimately the choice is up to you and how you think you respond best. Fulcrum's advice seems solid to at least get a start toward determining what might work. If my goal is to increase my 5 rep working weights over time, then generally I seem to respond better if my volume sets are at least 5 reps or more. I saw less success with heavy triples driving 5 rep weight increases.

    I have never used straps but the advice from others with experience is that using them for the working weight is fine if that is necessary for whatever reason. Good luck and let us know what ends up working for you.

  10. #10
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    Mar 2012
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    starting strength coach development program
    I'm also 51 and 5' 9", so we're in similar boats (though I don't have to fight the anthropometry problem that you have).

    Your deadlift volume is definitely too low. I ran into a similar problem around 500 lbs. and had to try various expedients to solve it. For me, sets across at full work weight was too much to recover from, so I settled into 1 top set and a couple backoff sets of five each week. I'd suggest trying that first.

    Other possibly irrelevant tidbits: I've been running a split program for a while now, and my pulling accessories include RDLs, chins, and db rows. I haven't yet had to switch in any rack pulls or haltings, and I stopped power-cleaning a couple of years ago; my lousy form kept them too light to help move my deadlift along.

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