deadlift woes

[sothex]

hey i know some of you guys have this same problem.
i do deadlift on my back/biceps day first excercise so i am fresh when i hit it. i do sets of 10 and when i go heavy (for me is like 220lbs-250lbs) i have alot of trouble with my grip. My body doesn't go out, i could complete the set, but after 6 or 7 reps my fingers just start to slip and i am holding alot of weight in a very awkward position on the end of my fingertips and it is incredibly hard to hold on and usually i have to put it down and adjust my grip before continuing, which sucks because the initial lift is strenuos and throws off the rhythym of the set. Is there a practical solution to this or would you guys recommend gloves? would gloves even make a significant differnce, i have never used them.

 

[thebadguy54]

keep doing what you are doing and your grip will get stronger. some guys will say to grab a pair of wrist straps but i'd advise against it.

 

[beerdrinker]

The absolute first thing is chalk. Chalk is a must, and if you aren't using it, I think it will add 50lbs to your grip immediately.

After that, you have to add in some grip training. Rack holds are good for this. Set the bar just below where your hands hang, add weight, pick up the bar and hold it for time. This works pretty well.

Gloves just don't work for deads. They slip too much, and they in effect make a larger surface to grab around which makes it harder.

 

[PoweredUp]

The absolute first thing is chalk. Chalk is a must, and if you aren't using it, I think it will add 50lbs to your grip immediately.

After that, you have to add in some grip training. Rack holds are good for this. Set the bar just below where your hands hang, add weight, pick up the bar and hold it for time. This works pretty well.

Gloves just don't work for deads. They slip too much, and they in effect make a larger surface to grab around which makes it harder.

Well I would say that the first thing is to make sure that you are using a mixed grip (one palm facing toward you and one palm facing away from you). This will neutralize any slippage that you might be having with a strict overhand grip. But other than that, I completely agree that the next most important thing is to make sure that you are using plenty of chalk. I was losing my grip after 4-5 reps at 355, but then got some chalk and I'm now doing over 400 and still haven't had any issues with grip. I also agree that gloves won't help. I tried them first and actually felt that I had better luck bare-handed.

 

[fallingeggs]

+1 for alternate grip and chalk.

 

[al420]

Why would you do sets of 10 on a compound movement? That is ill advised IMO.

SO you are doing somewhere between 30-40 reps on the Deadlift? That would take me almost 2 training sessions.

Deads are best worked in a low rep range for maximum strength. This is the exercise where your body can move the most ammount of weight. If you want a thick, dense back and traps I would suggest adding some weight and dropping the reps.

Try:

Week 1: 5x5, 1x3
Week 2: 8x3
Week 3: 5x5, 1x3
Week 4: 1x5, 2x3, 5x1 (5 singles)

You will grow if you eat.

Also - get rid of the 'back/bi' day way of thinking. A body needs several pulls and pushes a week to grow. Try the 5x5 or a 4 day split w/ 2 press days (bench, squat, overhead press) and 2 pull days (power clean, deadlift, BB row, DB row, etc)

 

[Lee]

also, not sure how you start each rep, but make sure you arent yanking on the bar when starting a rep, it puts a lot of strain on your fingers. nice smooth movements is a must for deads.

 

[al420]

which sucks because the initial lift is strenuos and throws off the rhythym of the set.

There is not a rhythm to a set of Deads. It is called a DEADlift because you shouldn't be bouncing... not touch and go either (that is called speed work)

I do my rep, reset my ass, dip and drive. It is cbasically like doing 5 singles, just w/out rest.


You are all welcome.

 

[theguy351]

Why would you do sets of 10 on a compound movement? That is ill advised IMO.

SO you are doing somewhere between 30-40 reps on the Deadlift? That would take me almost 2 training sessions.

Deads are best worked in a low rep range for maximum strength. This is the exercise where your body can move the most ammount of weight. If you want a thick, dense back and traps I would suggest adding some weight and dropping the reps.

Try:

Week 1: 5x5, 1x3
Week 2: 8x3
Week 3: 5x5, 1x3
Week 4: 1x5, 2x3, 5x1 (5 singles)

You will grow if you eat.

Also - get rid of the 'back/bi' day way of thinking. A body needs several pulls and pushes a week to grow. Try the 5x5 or a 4 day split w/ 2 press days (bench, squat, overhead press) and 2 pull days (power clean, deadlift, BB row, DB row, etc)

good advice....any chance u can venture over into my thread, look at my info and help me set up a split?

 

[skullcrushin22]

There is not a rhythm to a set of Deads. It is called a DEADlift because you shouldn't be bouncing... not touch and go either (that is called speed work)

I do my rep, reset my ass, dip and drive. It is cbasically like doing 5 singles, just w/out rest.


You are all welcome.

Agree. Your lifting DEAD weight each rep. So your actually deloading the weight each time so you can adjust your grip each time if you had too.

 

[Powerbuilder333]

What's your goal?
If your training for a bigger deadlift for powerlifting competition than use a mixed grip with chalk, and perhaps let the bar die between the reps - I don't, but there are enough good deadlifters out there that do to give that theory a try. Also keep your reps at 5 or less. Example: 255x5, 455x5, 605x3 - near failure, 655x1 - near failure.
If your goal is overall muscle size and even development then deadlifting with wrist straps and a double overhand grip is fine. Start with a weight you can get 10 reps easily with (touch and go technique works great for developement), then increase the weight and slowly lower the rep range. Example: 225x10, 365x8, 495x6, 585x5 - total failure.
Lots of sets aren't needed, and can be counter productive as deadlifts exhaust the central nervous system quickly.
Good luck.

 

[silver_shadow]

this is what improved my grip:
1) deadlift with an over over grip till i can't take it anymore then switch to mixed
2) heavy jump shrugs with an over over grip has improved my grip to levels where i don't need chalk for 4-500lb deads.
3) in the place of jump shrugs you can do some direct work like static holds.

 

[sothex]

thanks for the advice. i think i will just keep doing what i am doing, but increase the weight and lower the rep range and rest the bar on the floor at the end of every rep.

 

[Jimmy_Dean]

much good info in this thread guys thanks for the tips
myself when I do deadlifts thats all I do that day
a warmup set and then 5x5

 

[mm107]

Why would you do sets of 10 on a compound movement? That is ill advised IMO.

SO you are doing somewhere between 30-40 reps on the Deadlift? That would take me almost 2 training sessions.

Deads are best worked in a low rep range for maximum strength. This is the exercise where your body can move the most ammount of weight. If you want a thick, dense back and traps I would suggest adding some weight and dropping the reps.

Try:

Week 1: 5x5, 1x3
Week 2: 8x3
Week 3: 5x5, 1x3
Week 4: 1x5, 2x3, 5x1 (5 singles)

You will grow if you eat.

Also - get rid of the 'back/bi' day way of thinking. A body needs several pulls and pushes a week to grow. Try the 5x5 or a 4 day split w/ 2 press days (bench, squat, overhead press) and 2 pull days (power clean, deadlift, BB row, DB row, etc)

Damn Al, next time leave me some room to give some sort of answer lmao.

Al is right on this one, i agree with him 100%. Deads are best worked in the low range IMHO.

Also, Al mentioned, that a deadlift, is exactly that. a DEAD lift. I like to make sure the bar has no bounce in it. I actually let go of the bar, regrip, and then go for the next rep.

Always use some chalk. No matter how good your grip is, chalk will always help.


+2 , for the recomendation for the use of double overhand, untill grip gives out, and then going for over/under grip.

+1 , for the recomendation of NOT using gloves. This will not help your grip AT ALL.

+1 , for powerbuilder, he is right, the Deadlift will crush your central nervous system. Especially at these low reps. So make sure to eat and get plenty of rest around deadlift day.

Also, what style of dead do you do? Sumo? Conventional?

mm