Strong Lifts
- Thread starter mjsanta83
- Start date
Make the amount of the weight a distant second concern. You want to put enough on the bar that you're getting resistance and not tempted to get all jerky and goofy with your form because it's too light. As mentioned, deadlift does work just about every muscle, but the primary will be the quads, hamstrings, glutes and back. Soreness should be expected, pain should not. Ideally the bar should move in a straight line from floor to lift completion. Your back should be straight through the lift. Watch some videos and you'll likely find guys covered in chalk from their chest to their ankles because they're basically dragging the bar up their bodies to maintain that straight line lift.
A lot of guys make their first move on the lift to straighten their legs. Locking out of the knees is the LAST move of the lift. You want to move in a linear fashion, thrusting the pelvis forward as the legs are straightening, keeping the back straight. Not hunched, not overly arched, but straight.
I think straightening my legs too soon was a mistake I was also making. Today I adjusted my focus on the lift and I felt much better about my form. Something I read suggested to think more in terms of pushing the floor away with your feet rather than pulling the bar up with your arms, and I think that slight refocus helped my form. I wasn't quite so hunched over the bar so I found it easier to keep a straight back.
If you start pulling with your arms you are going to end up with a lot of issues on biceps and forearms. What type of deadlifts are you using?
You might want to take a look at some of these Mark Riptoe videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Syt7A23YnpA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MX8jgCFXYTU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ht363HslwnM
There are plenty others and they should give you a lot of useful tips on how to improve your form.
I love Rip's SS. It s a great program. I did it for a 2 month span (a self-imposed time frame) between CrossFit during one of my deployments a few years ago for a change of pace. This program works. In that short amount of time my 5x5 squats went from 155 to 305 and my 1RM was 370, 5x5 deads went from 285 to 420 (I have t be careful here due to a previous back injury). I'm sure I was nowhere near finding the end of the program for myself. The gains in strength you make pay huge dividends in other arenas. If I wasn't paying to use a box I would do this program again and see it through to the end. Good memories.... I forgot to add that the deads were with iron plates, not bumpers. So no slamming the floor for me.
lol
lol
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To those who have questions about their form on DL or anything else: you can post a video of yourself performing the lift in question on Rip's forum, starting strength, and people can give you tips to dial it in. Happy lifting!
EDIT: Alias, don't add weight until you get your form down. You will develop bad habits which can be painful when the weight gets heavy. Also, take your time and don't rush the jumps up in weight on the lifts. You will be tempted to but resist. This will become evident later on as the lifts get harder and harder to do. By not making big jumps early you will prolong your gains before you have to reset. This program is a strength marathon (I like my juxtaposition
) not a sprint. It hasn't been mentioned yet so here are 2 more things to consider. Get a chalk ball (really helps with grip) and also learn the hook grip (using your thumbs). It will seem weird and a little uncomfortable at first. This grip will surprise you with the amount of weight you can pick up without using wrist straps. I never use straps (I know they do have a place in the gym, just not something I choose to use). I also like to wear long socks when doing DL and cleans. If I don't, my shins tend to get scraped up and bleed.
EDIT: Alias, don't add weight until you get your form down. You will develop bad habits which can be painful when the weight gets heavy. Also, take your time and don't rush the jumps up in weight on the lifts. You will be tempted to but resist. This will become evident later on as the lifts get harder and harder to do. By not making big jumps early you will prolong your gains before you have to reset. This program is a strength marathon (I like my juxtaposition
) not a sprint. It hasn't been mentioned yet so here are 2 more things to consider. Get a chalk ball (really helps with grip) and also learn the hook grip (using your thumbs). It will seem weird and a little uncomfortable at first. This grip will surprise you with the amount of weight you can pick up without using wrist straps. I never use straps (I know they do have a place in the gym, just not something I choose to use). I also like to wear long socks when doing DL and cleans. If I don't, my shins tend to get scraped up and bleed.
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I am at the point where I feel my form is slipping and I have hit my first plateau on squats. Legs are strong enough but the back and glutes aren't so I "fold up". As per the SL 5x5 program, I missed my squat weight three consecutive workouts, I am deloading 10% and restarting. I am considering changing the weight increase from 5lbs to 2.5lbs to make sure that I am maintaining form. I have already done this for OH press. Next I think will be the barbell row. I can feel the upper body starting to bob to keep the weights moving.
I guess the newb gains are slowly coming to an end.
I guess the newb gains are slowly coming to an end.
If you can identify a weak point in your lifts then it's time to start adding in some assist exercises that target those weaknesses.
My basic program seems to move back and forth between a Rippetoe/Madcow base and kettlebells. For the most part, I stick to the weights. If I get bored or feel like I'm in a rut, I switch over to the kettlebells for a while. I have a gym at work that has a great selection of weights, so I haven't accumulated much Olympic weight at home. I have kettlebells, a homemade medicine ball, some homemade sandbags, and a heavy bag in my garage. That's my refuge from the world.
I have no gym at work, just a deal with a local commercial club, but for almost the same cost I bought the power rack (~$300) and a 300lb Olympic weight set (another $300), I can workout whenever I feel like it and no waiting or worrying about anyone else. The rack lets me lift without the need for spotters. The only thing I can't do is standing overhead presses because of the ceiling height, so it is seated.
I still look forward to every workout. We'll see if that hold in the New Year.
I still look forward to every workout. We'll see if that hold in the New Year.
That's the only problem with the basement workouts -- ceiling height. I find that the standing version of any exercise to be so much better since you get a better core activation but seated will work to in a pinch.
Agreed the standing version activates the core, but the sitting does eliminate the tendency to push-press when the lifting gets tough.
yikes! At that angle, that's an incline press without the bench, not overhead. Ican't see that ever being a legal lift in competition.
I do mine with the incline bench as vertical as I can get it so I don't do that.
I do mine with the incline bench as vertical as I can get it so I don't do that.
That is a legal lift, likely in the Olympics way back. You can also see what it was removed.
Exactly, I've seen even worse bending in some photos. It was becoming a standing bench press so it was removed. Of course, I the one handed stuff was amazing and I wish they still had those events.
I can only imagine what their discs must have looked like after they retired
It's a bit of a generalization but I'd say any professional lifter is going to have knee, back, joint issues by the time they retire.
Check out Jim Wendler's 5/3/1. The book is great and the program is very simple. Google "black iron beast calculator" and you can create a customized workout mapped over a 4 week period. At the end of the 4 weeks you can set the values across a higher percentage and repeat or start playing around with Joker Sets and such. I've found this program to be great for gains and mobility. I run the standard 5/3/1, fresher, and "boring but big" assistance. Give it a try.
I've heard of this a few times, how advanced is that program?
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