At what point should you start deadlift warmups with 135lbs?

[Sean Herbison]

forums like this are likely to self-select for people who are above average at this
...
OTOH, as a coach, you're more likely to work with a larger percent of people who are below average

True, I was mostly talking about the forums. Though a lot, maybe most, of the people I coach are military, which bumps the average up a bit.

[Michael Wolf]

True, I was mostly talking about the forums. Though a lot, maybe most, of the people I coach are military, which bumps the average up a bit.

Ya, the exception I mentioned of coaches who work with primarily competitive lifters and athletes could also apply to other situations, like coaching mostly active duty military. There can be other specific situations that are exceptions to the rule. Hell, I'd guess that even 10 years ago the group of people who would go to a coach would be self selected as better than average. But now that lifting is so much more mainstream and well known, I think the situation is now more like I've described it above.

[Tom Narvaez]

I've pulled 600+ and my deadlift warmups start with RDLs with the bar.

[oneils]

Someone has to be on the left side of the strength bell curve.

15% of us are at least one standard deviation below average.
What's rare is for someone in that 15% to take up barbells and stick with it.

It takes an odd sort of stubbornness to stick with something you are exceptionally bad at.

I'm really proud of my 315 lb deadlift. I'm like a person with an 85 IQ who, through diligent practice, mastered long division and basic algebra. Yay me!

Haha! I hear you man. I see all of these big numbers thrown around and wonder if I am in the same group as you. I pulled 195 today and started my warm up with 25s on the bar. I've been doing this for about 6 weeks now. I guess I am unhealthy (I'm under 55).