problem with pulling

[Starkraven]

well my sticking point is at the bottom. getting it up. its been several workouts where my lower back just feels so fucked, like i throw it out or something. like i cant even bend over to pick something up without it hurting. thats when i go heavy like 4-5 reps on the last 2 sets. and i need to work on that more. i dont know if its my hams or lower back thats weak, i dont work them much, i dont do hams (just deadlifting works them out) and i never do hyperextensions or good mornings or any of that. should i?

i weigh like 160 and pull 290 from the floor for 4 reps today. so i cant even increase my weights, ive been pulling this weight for like 2 months now. i did rack pulls last friday and enjoyed it. felt a better workout and was more sore than regular deadlift. i rack pulled 290 for 5 reps but i pause after each rep. doing so makes it harder its like resetting the lift.

i know platform deadlifts work so should i start with standing on a 45 plate? im trying to picture platform deadlifts and i keep getting this image that it will be even worse cuz its a longer pull. any advice? all welcomed. thanks.

 

[Starkraven]

i also read stiff legged deadlifts are great. i did these prior to switching to deadlifts, i guess it added strength because i really never pulled more than 225-245 for like 6-8 reps. now that i train for strength (and muscle, but focus on strength/form) id like to make sure i am training all parts of the lift and strengthening areas that i need..

if anyone could advice me on my pulling routine, that would be great. (i.e. should i stiff legged one week, then platform the next and repeat or just do one exercise for a while and do a regular deadlift once a month?) thanks.

 

[blackbeard]

block pulls would be excellent..
obviously its a harder exercise since you are lengthening your normal pull hence you should not be able to use more weight than your max dead..youll use less!!

heavy back work and posterior work as well
also do not overlook heavy ab work since you need to create serious IAP (inter abdominal pressure) for big lifts

 

[Starkraven]

i dont do abs so should i do some weighted crunches or something after squats (mon) and after pulling (friday)?
and should i lift with a belt when doing block pulls and how high should the blocks be? thanks.

 

[shortz]

Sounds like it's your core that needs worked on, like BB said. The upper half of the lift is mainly lower back and abs, the lower is alot of legs.

Another good indication is that your rack pull is so weak. I can pull almost 100lbs more from the rack than I can from the floor. This should be the logical thing, since you are pulling with a shorter distance and starting from an easier location.

IMO, Work on your core and then make sure you don't negect that ham work, it is very important. Some actually forget tokeep working on their strong points while trying to build teir weak points. On leg day, make sure you are squating deep, legs wider than shoulder width and possibly use a bench as a referance as to how low you are going.

I know of two guys who are training balls to the wall for a comp coming up and they are actually doing stiff legged deads from a platform. That's some serious stuff!! LOL

 

[Starkraven]

i think i noticed something about my form. i dont bend down much to get the weight up. that means i dont even use much legs. i was looking at some videos and i noticed that i use mostly back so thats another thing to be looked at.

for ham work, should i do leg curls after squatting or after pulling? or what is the best ham exercise i could use right now? and is it better done after squatting or pulling? what about doing GM's or hypers?

and finally, will crunches suffice for ab work?

 

[shortz]

Two best ham exercises I have ever done were ham/glute raises, but these are difficult to find a good place to do them, and stiff legged dead lifts.

Here's another tip, don't pull heavy every week. If building your deadlift is your goal, then this is beating up your cenrtal nervous system. Pull heavy every 4-6 weeks. On your deadlifting days, instead of pulling heavy from the floor, first, do some light pulls and conentrate on form. Going heavy is the worst way to get your form down. Then, after those sets, work on GMs and/or SLDLs, then abs.

For abs, you realy want to use weight. Doing endless reps of crunches are ok for the beach body, but for strength, it's not the best. Do abs twice a week and use heavy weight, 8-12 reps.

 

[Starkraven]

so just do light sets [every week right?] from the floor and then follow that up with GM's or SLDL's then abs?

when is the time for block pulls and would i not be pulling heavy? how will i increase my strength if i never train heavy? or if i just pull heavy every 4-6 weeks? just trying to understand this. will the assistance exercises eventually make me stronger on the deadlift? i read somewhere u dont always have to deadlift to increase your deadlift, or bench to bench, squat to squat, etc but i will have to be SLDL'ing or doing GM's heavy to build up the dead, no?

i squat mondays and im into building up my quads and my strength as well, not just strength.

 

[Mudge]

You need abs to get started with the deadlift. Why dont you do abs???

 

[shortz]

Yes, you still need lower back work in order to keep up your deadlifting strength. GMs and SLDLs just happen to be the best exercises for the job. Hypers are ok, but you need to make sure you are adding weight to them.

As for pulling from a platform, you do this on heavy deadlifting days. If you wree getting ready for a meet, you would realize that on the day of the meet, from all of those times from pulling from the platform, pulling from the floor will feel so much easier. In fact, you could pull a few sets from the platform on light days if you wanted to also.

 

[Starkraven]

i think ill alternate pulling from the platform and the floor each week (light like 8-10 reps?) and should i focus on increasing the weight for this or always keep it light, and how many reps is considered light?

i will do GMs or SLDL or both every friday and follow that up with heavy bent rows and dumbell curls. and for legs, i will just do squats and an exercise for calves.

i never cared for abs at like 14-15% BF but now i realize they are important for these lifts and will be doing them after squatting and after pulling.

 

[pullinbig]

i think ill alternate pulling from the platform and the floor each week (light like 8-10 reps?) and should i focus on increasing the weight for this or always keep it light, and how many reps is considered light?

i will do GMs or SLDL or both every friday and follow that up with heavy bent rows and dumbell curls. and for legs, i will just do squats and an exercise for calves.

i never cared for abs at like 14-15% BF but now i realize they are important for these lifts and will be doing them after squatting and after pulling.

check out my log for some training tips on posterior work.

 

[blackbeard]

Abs- meaning strng abs are extremely important..i treat tem like anyother muscle and do them heavy one day and a little lighter the next..ill do sets of 5 reps for abs just like i would if i were doing shrugs..

if youre ripped then thats great too but we train them for strength not cosmetic

 

[Starkraven]

does the same apply to squats as well? should i not squat heavy each week or is that just for deadlifting? i think deadlifts are harder to do and incorporate more muscles but the squat works the biggest muscles of your body: legs. anyway, i vary my reps, i go heavy mostly but sometimes will do the 20 rep breathing squats like once a month but the rest heavy,

goals: mass and strength, not just strength so my stance is more narrow to build up the quads.