Deadlift question

[ThisisOverload]

Lots of good information in here.  I competed in power lifting for over 10 years and Olympic lifting for 6 years.  If i was in this situation and ONLY wanted to test my 1RM, this is what i'd do.

Always deadlift first exercise, except some accessory movements.

Good mornings
bar x 20 reps
95 x 20 reps
135 x 20 reps

Deadlifts
135 x 10 reps
225 x 5 reps
315 x 3 reps
365 x 1 rep
405 x 1 rep
455 x 1 rep
475 x 1 rep - If 455 goes up real easy, you can jump to 495.
495 x 1 rep

As someone who has severe problems with their lower and upper back, forget ever doing a 1RM of anything.  Save your body for the future.  I haven't done deadlifts in 5 years and i still look fine.  Squats and good mornings are plenty to keep your back strong and tight.

Ego lifting will destroy your body.  Almost all power lifters i know are completely fucked by 50 years old.  Back, shoulders, hips, neck, elbows, knees etc.

I used to deadlift over 700 pounds, not worth it at all IMO.

[Methyl m1ke]

i am not going for 1rm i am gunning to hit 495x2 then 495x4 then 545x2 then 545x4 and keep progressing upwards. its been working for me im sticking with it. i was hoping someone would point out either some type of technique flaw or ancillary muscle group ive neglected or something like that.

[residue]

i am not going for 1rm i am gunning to hit 495x2 then 495x4 then 545x2 then 545x4 and keep progressing upwards. its been working for me im sticking with it. i was hoping someone would point out either some type of technique flaw or ancillary muscle group ive neglected or something like that.

Without a video it's impossible to point out a technique flaw, if you were unable to break the weight though you might want to run a short block of heavy deficits with a 2nd day of banded speed pulls

[ThisisOverload]

i am not going for 1rm i am gunning to hit 495x2 then 495x4 then 545x2 then 545x4 and keep progressing upwards. its been working for me im sticking with it. i was hoping someone would point out either some type of technique flaw or ancillary muscle group ive neglected or something like that.

Strength is built differently than muscle.  I'm sure you know that.  Just stay consistent.

There are a lot of exercises that help your deadlift.  Depends on what point of the lift you are struggling.

Good mornings
Reverse hypers
Glute ham raises
Low deficit pulls - Stand on a 2" block or just use 25 or 35 pound plates with a smaller diameter
High pulls from above the knee in a cage
Reverse deadlifts
Chains/bands
Squats

There are a lot of tools to build your deadlift.  If you want to pull 600+ pounds, you have to train for it.

Or just up the dosage. 

[TheShape.]

I pulled 495 as a 175 lb natty, it was really all consistency. It’s a lift you really have to concentrate on, and if your mind is not in the game your lifts will suffer. I’m trying to get back to my previous max and beyond but it’s a slow process and you just be patient.

[Methyl m1ke]

Without a video it's impossible to point out a technique flaw, if you were unable to break the weight though you might want to run a short block of heavy deficits with a 2nd day of banded speed pulls

i will make a vid next attempt then.

[Methyl m1ke]

Strength is built differently than muscle.  I'm sure you know that.  Just stay consistent.

There are a lot of exercises that help your deadlift.  Depends on what point of the lift you are struggling.

Good mornings
Reverse hypers
Glute ham raises
Low deficit pulls - Stand on a 2" block or just use 25 or 35 pound plates with a smaller diameter
High pulls from above the knee in a cage
Reverse deadlifts
Chains/bands
Squats

There are a lot of tools to build your deadlift.  If you want to pull 600+ pounds, you have to train for it.

Or just up the dosage. 

strength and muscle go hand in hand is my understanding. how is this wrong? if i want to get bigger i need to get stronger, more or less. isnt this how muscle is built?

[Methyl m1ke]

I pulled 495 as a 175 lb natty, it was really all consistency. It’s a lift you really have to concentrate on, and if your mind is not in the game your lifts will suffer. I’m trying to get back to my previous max and beyond but it’s a slow process and you just be patient.

my friend said the same thing and you both are right. sleep has been terrible diet soso and i knew in my heart i did not have 495 in me but i gave it 100% anyway because it is what it is. if im not going to give 100% i just stay home. got to master my mind right now its all over the place and some days i have it other days i dont. Dorian said he had a great workout every time, i cannot say the same nor do i have a clear understanding what the difference between us is.

im also still using and it brings me shame and i suffer immensely but still its impossible to quit. i dont know where to find the strength to quit.

[residue]

strength and muscle go hand in hand is my understanding. how is this wrong? if i want to get bigger i need to get stronger, more or less. isnt this how muscle is built?

yes and no, especially bar specific strength, technique and leverages matter a lot pulling that's not so much strength related. look at someone like richard hawthorne or even steph cohen, you wouldnt call them stronger than you right? but they can smoke your deadlift

[ThisisOverload]

yes and no, especially bar specific strength, technique and leverages matter a lot pulling that's not so much strength related. look at someone like richard hawthorne or even steph cohen, you wouldnt call them stronger than you right? but they can smoke your deadlift

True.

Strength has a lot to do with leverage and technique.  I know guys who don't look like they even lift that can deadlift 500 pounds easily.

I've seen 5'3" 155 pound power lifters pull 700, they are short and compact, with proper training deadlifts are easy for them.  I've seen 6'+ 250+ pound guys struggle to deadlift 400 pounds, mainly due to having long legs.

Without going into a huge wall of text, training for strength in the 1RM is completely different than trying to gain muscle mass, but yes they both go hand in hand to a certain extent.  At my biggest, i could deadlift 585 for 2-3 reps on a good day.  At my strongest i could do a double with 660.  When i was into power lifting, my legs and chest were not nearly as big as when i was bodybuilding.  It was amazing to see how my body changed over a 2-3 year period when i switched from bodybuilding to power lifting.  I still looked generally the same, but my arms, legs and chest actually got smaller, however my strength was on another level.

The first thing i was taught when i got into power lifting seriously was that if you want a big deadlift, you need to have a big squat.  I had to learn how to sit back on my heels, drive with my legs and hips, rather than just trying to lift it with my back.  You learn to be like a piston in an engine, not just a big dude trying to yank a weight off the floor.

[IroNat]

Recently i pulled 455x4 last night i tried for 495 and it wouldnt budge. I couldnt get it moving at all. Is this mental? I know im strong enough past results show it. What gives? Any ideas?

Your nervous system was shot.

Try again in a month.

[Van_Bilderass]

Ego lifting will destroy your body.  Almost all power lifters i know are completely fucked by 50 years old.  Back, shoulders, hips, neck, elbows, knees etc.

I used to deadlift over 700 pounds, not worth it at all IMO.

It's worth it just for the exhilarating feeling from pulling a new PR, nothing better

I'm 43, been pulling hard since 15 years of age. Back is fine, lots of other problems though. One of my training partners is 55, once won the deadlift event at IPF Worlds. His body is a mess with arthritis everywhere, hips, shoulders, ankles and so on, but curiously back is fine despite extreme deadlift training for 35 years, sometimes hard deadlifts 3-4 times per week.

A while back I looked at my journals and saw that I'd been pulling at least 300kg/660lbs (up to raw conventional 770 PR) from the floor weekly for 12-13 years straight lol

I don't recommend it but I just love deads. I'd finally like to pull 800lbs raw conventional. I think it's possible even being as old as I am, might have to gain 20lbs of extra fluff though 

[wes]

You could always do 225 for 100 reps

 

[Methyl m1ke]

my gym is shut down till at least next year. back to cinderblocks, i guess ....

[Methyl m1ke]

It's worth it just for the exhilarating feeling from pulling a new PR, nothing better

I'm 43, been pulling hard since 15 years of age. Back is fine, lots of other problems though. One of my training partners is 55, once won the deadlift event at IPF Worlds. His body is a mess with arthritis everywhere, hips, shoulders, ankles and so on, but curiously back is fine despite extreme deadlift training for 35 years, sometimes hard deadlifts 3-4 times per week.

A while back I looked at my journals and saw that I'd been pulling at least 300kg/660lbs (up to raw conventional 770 PR) from the floor weekly for 12-13 years straight lol

I don't recommend it but I just love deads. I'd finally like to pull 800lbs raw conventional. I think it's possible even being as old as I am, might have to gain 20lbs of extra fluff though 

43 is not old im 40 and have no health or physical issues except for occasional tennis elbow

[chaos]

Try harder.

[Van_Bilderass]

43 is not old im 40 and have no health or physical issues except for occasional tennis elbow

I know strength can still be increased, though many feel that is over the hill and have already "given up" at that age, given up in the sense that they think they can't be hitting PRs anymore. So they just maintain as best they can.

Another friend of mine hit his first 300kg/660lbs deadlift at 56 years of age after a lifetime of juice and training. Pretty nuts if you ask me.

[harmankardon1]

I know strength can still be increased, though many feel that is over the hill and have already "given up" at that age, given up in the sense that they think they can't be hitting PRs anymore. So they just maintain as best they can.

Another friend of mine hit his first 300kg/660lbs deadlift at 56 years of age after a lifetime of juice and training. Pretty nuts if you ask me.

Yeah I think a lot just give up the drive after a certain age... We've seen that high level strength can still be possible up to 50 imo...

[ThisisOverload]

It's worth it just for the exhilarating feeling from pulling a new PR, nothing better

I'm 43, been pulling hard since 15 years of age. Back is fine, lots of other problems though. One of my training partners is 55, once won the deadlift event at IPF Worlds. His body is a mess with arthritis everywhere, hips, shoulders, ankles and so on, but curiously back is fine despite extreme deadlift training for 35 years, sometimes hard deadlifts 3-4 times per week.

A while back I looked at my journals and saw that I'd been pulling at least 300kg/660lbs (up to raw conventional 770 PR) from the floor weekly for 12-13 years straight lol

I don't recommend it but I just love deads. I'd finally like to pull 800lbs raw conventional. I think it's possible even being as old as I am, might have to gain 20lbs of extra fluff though 

Oh for sure! Deadlifts were my favorite exercise for years. I was always into the Jon Pall Sig saying "there is no reason to be alive, if you can't do deadlift".

I'm only a year older than you and my back is wrecked. Maybe it's due to a different factor, i think we all handle things based on our structure. I don't have a big bone structure like some guys do, i've always been a little injury prone.

At my strongest, i pulled 735 @ 258 pounds with nothing but chalk on my hands. It was quite a rush, i still remember seeing stars and almost blacking out afterwards.

My best competition lift was 710 @ 242. 

Good luck with 800.