There are a good number of deadlift issues which could keep you from having your best pull numbers.
TYPICAL DEADLIFT ISSUES
1) Improper Technique, Stance, Hand Position
Find what is right for you. Are you best suited to pull conventional or sumo? Once that choice has been made, getting right with technique should be the next issue. Head up, proper air, back arched, chest up, proper and even hand position of the bar. Find videos of top level powerlifters on you tube who pull similar to you. Watch their videos and see how you compare. For me this means watching videos of Andy Bolton and Donnie Thompson. Talk about humbling, these guys can pull!
2) Grip issues
Many dead lifters have grip issues where they lose the bar on grip alone. Here it is a necessity to strengthen ones grip. First recommendation, pull with an over under grip on the bar. Then take to doing some grip strengthening work. This does not mean wrist curls. Also I have found that heavy rack pulls, and deficit work suck as the Coan - Phillipi program really dials in the grip. I fortunately have never had a grip issue on the dead lift. MOST IMPORTANTLY: NEVER EVER TRAIN WITH WRIST STRAPS FOR ANYTHING IF YOU ARE TRYING TO IMPROVE YOUR GRIP!
3) Hitch Issues
From my experience there are 2 major causes of hitch issues. The first is upper back deficiency. Usually this is noticeable by significant rounding of the upper back region while pulling. For this guy it is key to get your spinal erectors stronger, as well as do a good amount of contributing upper back work such as heavy bent over rows, and lat pulldowns. Shrugs, upright rows, and things of that nature can also be beneficial. The second is a hip issue, which can be caused by lagging posterior chain, or lack of assistance work. I lost a lot of deadlifts that were locked out due to slight hitches in meets. As I brought up my posterior chain through commitment to posterior chain work, and hip flexion exercises, I have started to see these issues subside. See below this was my first ever 650 raw attempt in a meet at WNPF International Ironman 2009, 2 red lights:
4) Air issues
Another thing I have encountered is air issues. I'm sure many of the bigger guys have had some of the same issues with getting proper air for the deadlift. I found for me it was necessary to do some conditioning work to increase my lung capacity, I also had to begin to start setting up with my hips high and take my air before descending towards the bar. Another thing that kept me back was the thick power belt, I found for me I get just enough out of a bench shirt belt. Another issue I had here was taking too much air where I over inflate and it makes it hard for me to get down to the bar. One of my training partners Danny gave me the best advice for this. He told me to just take enough air and swallow it in to my belly. It has made a world of difference for me.
MY DEADLIFT
From the time I started the power lifts the Deadlift always came most naturally to me. I started training in bodybuilding gyms and I got in to the habit of doing sets of 10 with 315 and things like that. After awhile I got bored, and broke the threshold in to the fours. I was training at Red Brick Gym in East Newark and I got some pointers one day from Larry Mellilo a Newark Cop and a USAPL lifter, I took the advice and moved in to the fives. When I got to World Gym in Dunellen I started training with a crew of powerlifters like Dennis Vacarro who really helped refine my deadlift technique. Dennis was still pulling mid fives raw in his late 50's. It was a matter of time before I got to 600 in the gym. John Kavanaugh of the World Gym coached me in my first powerlifting meet where I got a 600 pull at the 2009 WNPF NJ States in June of 09. From there I started training at Skiba's Gym in Carteret and my deadlift continued to rise. My meet PR was a 628 raw at the 2009 WNPF International Ironman.
By early 2010 my deadlift was on its way to the shitter. I lost 2 attempts at 650 which I locked both out due to similar hitches to the top video. From there my deadlift continued to drop. I pulled 605 in a Spring 2010 APA NJ State meet where I only pulled. I opened at 580, as I got in to this meet the day of the meet at the urging of APA President Scott Taylor and training partner Billy Forrai. As I started warming up I remembered I pulled triples with 545 less that 48 hours ago. 605 was proud. That was the last time I touched 600 anywhere that day. I was scheduled to open with 580 at the 2010 APA Summer Bash but bombed in the squat, and never got to pull. My deadlift continued on the downslide. By the time I joined Eastside Barbell in October of 2010, I was grinding out deadlifts of 500 and 525. I was not proud at all of my deadlift. My best lift had become my worst.
THE ROAD BACK
Today I am able to see the road back, address where I got derailed, and share what I found that made the difference. I got derailed because I slacked on my posterior chain assistance. I got derailed because I was not doing enough conditioning work to have proper lung capacity. I got derailed because I needed technical adjustments. The point was I had become derailed. The road back began with making Wednesday's training a posterior chain day which is compiled mostly of hip flexion movements aimed at strengthening my hamstrings, glutes, lower back, and hips. Then I added conditioning work to help expand my lung capacity and to correct my air issues. The next step was becoming technically sound. My training partners at Eastside helped a lot here. We tried a lot of different styles of pulling, a lot of different hand positions, and feet positions until things came in to place. We worked on my timing, meaning when I descend, then when I pop up from the hips in relation to my pulling of the bar. We worked on my set up at the bar and found that I am better off with my hands out wide, my feet slightly wider, my hips high at set up, then spending a little extra time at the bottom before popping up.
Above was my third deadlift of 575 from my meet at Iron Asylum 4/30/2011. I was dealing with a clavicle issue that day, and the third was as much as my lowest opener in my powerlifting career previous to this meet. It was also the first time I ever went 3 for 3 in the deadlift at a meet, and the day I mark as the beginning of my road back. A lot of the adjustments I spoke of above have been made since this meet, so I hope the videos from the next meet are a lot better to watch. Sunday I smoked a 585 off the floor immediately after a max effort squat session. My training partners have taught me to never stop pulling the bar, and keep driving my hip in throughout the lift. This has minimized the top end hitch issues I had earlier in my powerlifting career. My goal for my fall meet is a 600 deadlift, which I am certain at this point in time will come with no problem as long as I am able to stay healthy.
And most importantly I am once again enjoying the deadlift. If you dread the deadlift I have found the lift gets harder and more tedious. When I am enjoying the pull, the numbers go up rapidly.
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