April 23, 2005

7 responses to Week 16: Last of the Circuits

  1. Scott Says:
    May 22nd, 2005 at 4:05 pm

    That’s a great article - I’ll be sure to read it just before my next deadlift session. ‘Keeping the heels close to the bar’ is an excellent tip.
    Looking at the video, your form seems pretty tight. Couldn’t really tell from the side : are you doing the max work with a conventional stance? I’ve been using sumo for the heavier stuff, and a conventional stance for speed work. Seems to work well.
    There looks to be a greater use of leg drive and hip drive than your pulls of a year ago - looking good.

  2. Kris Says:
    May 22nd, 2005 at 5:11 pm

    On the older deadlift secrets video, Simmons actually says to keep the bar in line with the upper thighs when setting up, i.e. a bit away from the shins to ensure a straight line of pull. You have the newer 2003 edition; I presume he’s still with this school of setting up?

    Personally, I think my dead form lacks a bit in the leg drive department plus I let the shoulders drift in front of the bar (as seen in the accompanying pencilized photo) causing me to get a needlessly steep forward lean akin to what usually happens when I squat. Know any place where I could have my torso shortened cheap?

    Yes, I am a conventional type. I’ve only pulled sumo once and then ultra-wide. I’ve been toying with the idea of doing a bit more sumo after the Coan/Philippi routine to see how much easier that feels on the low back. Should really do some squatting too… ;-)

  3. Scott Says:
    May 22nd, 2005 at 6:09 pm

    The newer video doesn’t go into great detail on technique - instead they simply have plenty of their guys demonstrating the various styles and lifts.
    If you’re looking to do a bit more sumo work, perhaps try it when working towards a max lift - then switch to a narrow stance for the last set or two. You might find this shifts the emphasis to the legs, and makes life a bit easier for the lower back. Surprisingly, I often do this and the change doesn’t cause a loss of rhythm as you might expect.
    After the Coan/Philippi routine I suspect you’ll be doing a lot more squatting than pulling - at least for a while :)

  4. Kris Says:
    May 22nd, 2005 at 7:06 pm

    After the Coan/Philippi routine I suspect you’ll be doing a lot more squatting than pulling - at least for a while :)

    That’s for sure. Not to mention ab and grip work… Two weeks left of work, then I am on vacation until mid-August. That should allow me to kick into high gear again.

  5. Alberto Caraballo Says:
    May 23rd, 2005 at 4:37 am

    Before the bar has even crossed your knees, your legs straighten out which puts you at a risk for injury (At that point, there is a slight pause/ decrease in speed). Drop your butt a bit lower though not so low that you’re squatting the weight, and you may even gain a little more arch and some leg drive, and it may nake it easier to keep your shoulders behind the bar. Your hip drive looks very strong but needs to be done sooner (Just past the knees, your hips are away from the bar, keep them close); and the bar has a good path, otherwise. I had to slow mo the video to even spot it, and it’s slight. Otherwise, it looks like your deadlift will be your best friend again.

  6. Kris Says:
    May 23rd, 2005 at 10:55 am

    Alberto, thanks a million for the thorough analysis, it helped a lot. I am aware of the tendency to stiff-leg my deads, but I never thought about getting my hip drive in sooner. I definitively need to lean back more. No wonder I had to consciously concentrate on having the weight on the heels instead of towards the toes. I will tape my next session and see if I can turn thought into action. Thanks.
    In my bodybuilding days (when I deadlifted my all-time record of 150 kg/332 lbs) I always had bruises on my legs after deadlifting. With my current form this never happens for obvious reasons.

  7. alberto caraballo Says:
    May 23rd, 2005 at 3:50 pm

    You’ll also find that with more leg drive, you can accelerate the bar more from the bottom, which will enable you to lock out easier because momentum will carry some of the weight. Looking forward to a bigger deadlift from you.
    With less pulling distance and a better center of gravity, Rufus is still right on your tail:)

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