Need help with deadlift

Bro's, I've a friend in my gym that asked me for some advice on how to get past a sticking point in his deadlift and I need a few more ideas to give him as well as to make sure the advice I gave is sound.

He's stats;
Male, age 37
Weight: 135-140 (he is NOT a body builder, he likes strength training)
BF: 10%
His max on deadlift is 235.

He can lift more than 235 when using pins (setting pins just below his knees) but where he is have problems is from the floor to his knees. He'd like any tips that can help him get more weight off the floor up to his knees. He's good to go past that point. I don't work out with him but we talk now and then and I know from watching him his form while lifting is perfect. He told me he is using heavy weights for each set and his reps look like this set1-4reps, set2-3reps, sets 4,5,6 and seven are 1 rep each.

Thanks,
Jugg

here's my opinion,.....low squats or box squats...i say low squats cause you probaly don't have access to a box.your right about form,it could also have an effect if he's not pulling the bar into him,pulling back,coming off the ground fast.there are other thing to help but you might not have access to like speed deadlifts with bands,but i would say weak hams if he's having trouble off the ground......thats my .02 worth,

RCK, that was what I had in mind and had mentioned to him. I was under the impression more work on the ham's would be a good start. I mentioned ass to the floor squats but box squats might be a better thing to start with. Thanks for coming up with that one. We have a gym here at our job so we don't have bands and other items as such but we can do the box. I'll also check his form with regards to pulling the weight towards himself. Thanks again.

no problem bro,where ya at in florida? i'm orlando.....

I'm in the Tampa, St.Pete area. I like Orlando but gezzz that traffic....You find yourself in my neck of the woods let me know. Thanks again for the tips. I already ran them by my bud and he's already started working them into his program.

juger another thing that would be good is SLDL's off a box or elevated ground. Those seem to work wonders for me. Say like 3 inches above ground. A 100lb plate and a flat platform will do.

also what rich said would work good too. low box sq's are awesome

i forgot about those ,Cubanito.........good exercise too.also,what do you think about competing in Aug over here ,Oveido?????we're doing it....

juggernaut2148
,...cool bro,i'l do that.we're going to do my friends contest over this way in Oveido in Aug,maybe you can come down..let me know.....

RCK sounds good to me soo far depending on two things. One what date is it to make sure it's not when I start school again? and two What type of meet is it sanctioned? what fed? push/pull or 3 lift?

I guess I gotta start training harder. My hammie should be healed by then.

LETS TEAR SHIT UP BRO

cubanito,
it's run by my friend Brian...it's not really sanctioned by a fed.come pay and lift.he said push/pull.....i'll check to see if he means for total or seperate.doesn't matter though,come lift with us man,it will be fun.just do it to have a good time........

aigh just let me know how much and exactly when so I can start preparing and make arrangements and shit.

GOt a new email addy [email protected]

No more AOL bro

First I think he should raise the rep numbers in his first sets. Alot of powerlifting relies on muscle memory. Kinda like learning to play an instrument. The more an exercise is repeated the more adapted the body and the nervous system become. By never doing than 4 reps he is not training his nervous system to react by puuting the needed muscles into action. Basically everytime he trrains is like it is the first. Then I think he is doing way to many sets. Deadlifts take a toll on the body and I never did them more than once every 10 days. You also need to take 4 or 5 minutes between sets. Last he should not be maxing every workout. Now I trained with a guy who was doing 315 for reps after 3 months and he weighed about 155. My best was around 365 for reps and I only trained with deads for 5 or 6 months. I would train like this:

set 1- 10 reps
set 2- 8 reps
set 3- 5 reps
set 4- 3 reps
set 5- 3 reps

The 5th set should be at a weight that he can get for 3 but is difficult because this is the one that you will try to improve on each week. The first 2 should stay pretty constant with the amount of weight week after week. These sets are warmups and will also assist in getting your body and nervous system into synch.This is what works for me.

I must agree with the advice to max far less often and try some lighter weight and more reps. Let's not forget that powerlifting is about increasing your abilty to do work. This can be done with more reps (6-8).
You didn't say if this friend uses conventional or sumo style but I'll pitch my hat in the ring anyway. I have a problem with heavy stiff-leg deadlifts because I've seen too many use them only to have it affect their DL form. That's not to say that sets of 6-8 can't do the trick but what I found that works for me is sumo-style off a platform about 6 inches high. I normally use conventional style and the change to sumo and the platform really hammer the hams and help with the pull off the floor.
Another thing I've noticed is that people who tend to drop the weight once it gets below the knee's on the eccentric phase of lift, seem to have trouble of the floor because they're used to doing less work in that part of lift.
Good Luck-try the platform sumos, I love 'em

He could pull standingoff of a mat 1-3 inches.

Bro's, outstanding information. I've been feeding all this back to my bud via cell, seeing how I'm out of the gym for a while (surgery).
Cubanito17, I love the elevated SLDL's and do then myself. See what I mean? Most of these I do myself but for some reason when asked about a topic I seem to forget everything. Ha. Both you and RCK sound as though you're into the powerlifting big time so I'll pick your brains from time to time.

Markas214, He does work with lighter weights and more reps when in that cycle. Right now he's on the low rep maximum weight phase. Good call though, my bad for not stating that in the first post. :) Sumo style; Hell I haven't done these. Well, once back in the gym I will try them myself.

Thanks and keep'em comin'
Jugg

JUG yes we're into it hard and we've known each other for a long time since november 2001 I believe HELL if you ask me that's an awesome online lifting friendship. He helped me alot when I first started and it's cool how now we help each other and I know almost as much as he does. he just doesn't have much time to post with work and kids and shit i'm the same way sometime.

Just let me know when you need more help i'm here about once a day and love to help.

Too bad all the other guys have left even our own mod

SUP JAY WHERE YOU AT

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