Deadlift check

[PatrickS]

Hey,

I'm trying to keep it short:

• 28 year old male from Hamburg, Germany
• Height: 167cm (5 foot 6)
• Did some calisthenics, TRX training & running last couple of years with some unfortunate injuries.
• Squat check thread here.

YouTube

Current numbers: -- starting numbers:

• Bodyweight: 67,8 KG (149 lbs) -- 63.2 KG (139 lbs)
• Squat: 70 KG (154 lbs) -- 52.5 KG (116 lbs)
• Press: 35 KG (77 lbs) -- 35 KG (77 lbs) >> don't know what the fuck is going on here...
• DL: 100 KG (220 lbs) -- 60 KG (132 lbs)
• Bench: 55 KG (121 lbs) -- 47.5 KG (105 lbs)

[AndrewLewis]

Keep your butt high when you go to set the bar down, and set the bar down much faster. Basically, drop the weight, but don't let go of the bar.

Don't drop your hips when you set your back.

You're gonna have to go ahead and explain your press numbers. Workout 1, you pressed 35kg for 3x5, Workout 2 ???? etc.
What increments did you use for your press and bench?
What's the time difference between start and current?

[PatrickS]

Keep your butt high when you go to set the bar down, and set the bar down much faster. Basically, drop the weight, but don't let go of the bar.

Don't drop your hips when you set your back.

Quickly to recap, so I get this right:

• In step 2 of the SS DL-setup one should bend over with straight but not locked out knees so one's hips should be on the highest point possible.
• In step 3 when bringing one's shins to the bar, the knees bend and the hip drops a little. That is the final hip position, which should not changed during the following steps and should be reached when dropping the bar in each rep.

I think I did that in the initial setup. However, when putting the bar back down my hips drop so in the subsequent reps I start to low. Therefore my initial setup is correct but I have to concentrate to keep the hips up when lowering the bar. So basically I have to bend my knees later in the movement down. Also I have to drop the bar faster.

Is this a correct assessment of what is going on or is my technique way off?

You're gonna have to go ahead and explain your press numbers. Workout 1, you pressed 35kg for 3x5, Workout 2 ???? etc.
What increments did you use for your press and bench?
What's the time difference between start and current?

I started the SS LP on 2017-09-25 with workout A and benched the first time two days later in workout B. Sorry, I forgot to put that information in the first post. I had a discontinuity of 12 days due to a injury while squatting (see squat check post).
Unfortunately I don't have a complete training log because I used the SS app and when the app crushed 3 weeks ago all data was lost. I contacted Mick Solomon and he instantly responded. Unfortunately he couldn't restore the data either. The only data that was saved in the cloud was from the first 2 workouts. Therefore I know my starting numbers. Since 2017-11-02 I'm using a hardcopy training log.
I increased on squat and DL in 10 to 15 pound steps for the first few workouts. Then used 5 pound steps. For the press and bench I started with 2.5 KG (5 pound) increments from the start since that was the smallest step available in the gym. Since I was doing dumbbell OHP and lots of burpees and pushups with TRX bands in my exercise routine prior of starting strength I guess my press and bench started out higher (squat only 10 pounds more than bench) than it would have with completely untrained populations. Maybe I started to hight I don't know. I remember increasing the bench for only 3 workouts and then missing the last rep in the third set. So I bought 0.5 KG (1.1 lbs) plates and decreased the bench and press by 1.5 KG (3.3 lbs) by reducing 1.25 KG plates on each side and adding 0.5 KG. From there I took smaller steps. That way I got up to a 55 KG (121 lbs) bench on 2017-11-08 and a 38.5 KG (85 lbs) press on 2017-11-02. I never increased the bench since than because I always get the last rep of the last set barely done.
With the press something strange happened. I was pressing 38.5 KG (85 lbs) on 2017-11-10. One week later I missed the 5th rep in the first set so I deloaded to 37.5 KG (83 lbs). Four days later on the next press day I missed the 4th rep on the second set so I deloaded to 35 KG (77 lbs) and got the last set of 5 barely done after resting for 10 minutes.
I read the 3 questions article by Rip. I increased the rest between sets from 3 to 5-7 minutes. I'm eating as much as I can. I feel full all day long. I gained 5 KG (2.5 lbs) since starting 2 months ago. I get enough protein and eat good quality foods. I try to get enough sleep which isn't always possible. I have a lot of stress at work but I don't think I need a deload week since my squat and DL are still going up. Maybe it's a technique problem, maybe I started to heavy and need to deload and start over again, I don't know man.

[Royce Nichols]

You’re too close to the bar for your deadlift. It’s very close to resembling a stiff legged deadlift.

Post videos of your press and bench.

You’re 5’6 150 pounds and have gained 2.5 pounds in 2 months. You need to eat amigo.

[Royce Nichols]

God I miss the edit button. More to add: speed up. Holy hell it was painful to watch. Have a better cadence ‘1...2....set..pull’. Your hips were too high for your first pull but got better as it went on. Make sure you get back to midfoot on each rep. Your shoulders are quite a bit over the bar on a few

[Meshuggah]

Forget the horrible advice to basically let the bar drop, it's better to control the weight at all times.

[whale]

Yeah, faster on the way down.

You are using alternate grip on 100kg. Why? I'm sure you could hold the bar. If not get some chalk.

Your elbow is not straight. Think of your arms as ropes.

[AndrewLewis]

Quickly to recap, so I get this right:

• In step 2 of the SS DL-setup one should bend over with straight but not locked out knees so one's hips should be on the highest point possible.
• In step 3 when bringing one's shins to the bar, the knees bend and the hip drops a little. That is the final hip position, which should not changed during the following steps and should be reached when dropping the bar in each rep.

I think I did that in the initial setup. However, when putting the bar back down my hips drop so in the subsequent reps I start to low. Therefore my initial setup is correct but I have to concentrate to keep the hips up when lowering the bar. So basically I have to bend my knees later in the movement down. Also I have to drop the bar faster.

Is this a correct assessment of what is going on or is my technique way off?

Yeah. That's basically right. Some people who have the form drift throughout the set have good success resetting every rep and essentially doing 5 singles with only 5 seconds of rest in between. You might benefit from that.
When I coach and people have this problem, I just say "keep your butt high" and that generally solves the problem of the bar 'riding' the thighs forward on the way down.


As for the second paragraph, there is a lot going on here.

You probably started the press too high and you're not resetting low enough, so you're just stuck in reset/get stuck limbo.

Having 0.5kg plates is a great call.

"I never increased the bench since than because I always get the last rep of the last set barely done."
If you finished the set, you increase the weight. Just because it's hard doesn't mean you don't increase weight.

"got the last set of 5 barely done after resting for 10 minutes."
I don't know your training history intimately (you've provided a lot of details here, but there are thing you see in the weight room as a coach that gets missed), but 10 minutes of rest may actually be detrimental at this point.
Just because 5min is better than 3min doesn't mean that 7min is better than 5min and 10min is better than 7min.

5kg does not equal 2.5lb. It's 11lb.

Forget the horrible advice to basically let the bar drop, it's better to control the weight at all times.

When you tell someone to drop the bar (especially at this level of experience), they don't do it. They just set it down faster.

It's very similar to if you tell someone in the press "hit yourself in the forehead". No one does it, but they do what I wanted which is getting a more vertical bar path.

[PatrickS]

First off, I want to thank everybody helping me out here! You guys are the best!

You’re too close to the bar for your deadlift. It’s very close to resembling a stiff legged deadlift.

Post videos of your press and bench.

You’re 5’6 150 pounds and have gained 2.5 pounds in 2 months. You need to eat amigo.

I think I'm over mid foot. I'll tape it form a different angele so you can see. I happen to have pretty long legs for a relatively small torso. Therefore my whole setup looks strange.

I benched yesterday and increased by 1 KG (2.2 lbs). I posted that in my Bench check thread.

Yeah, you're absolutely right! That's ridiculous. I really need to work on my weight gains.

God I miss the edit button. More to add: speed up. Holy hell it was painful to watch. Have a better cadence ‘1...2....set..pull’. Your hips were too high for your first pull but got better as it went on. Make sure you get back to midfoot on each rep. Your shoulders are quite a bit over the bar on a few

Yeah, that edit thing sucks. On the speed thing: I know. After the first I was dizzy and needed a moment or I would have lost consciousness. I'll speed it up next time.

Forget the horrible advice to basically let the bar drop, it's better to control the weight at all times.

I think speedwise this might be the sweet spot:

YouTube

What do you think?

Yeah, faster on the way down.

You are using alternate grip on 100kg. Why? I'm sure you could hold the bar. If not get some chalk.

Your elbow is not straight. Think of your arms as ropes.

Yeah. I don't know. When I reached 92.5 kg (204 lbs) the bar started rolling out off my hands. I guess I have weak forearms. Since than I use a normal grip during the warmups and alternate grip for the working set. Interestingly enough: Two weeks ago I couldn't DL 95 kg (209 lbs) with normal grip for the workset. When warming up for the pull I posted here, I deadlifted 95 kg with normal grip without the bar rolling. So I'm getting there I guess. I'm using chalk.

[AndrewLewis]

Yeah, faster on the way down.

You are using alternate grip on 100kg. Why? I'm sure you could hold the bar. If not get some chalk.

Your elbow is not straight. Think of your arms as ropes.

Good catch. Don't mixed grip. Are you unable to actually deadlift due to grip strength at 100kg? If so, do hook grip or use straps.