C
ctgblue
Guest
OK, so some of you do them and some of you don't.
Here's what they are, why they are, and why they are a good addition to your routine.
Everybody knows the standard deadlift.
Bar starts on the flor, you bend over and pick the damn thing up, right?
Well, not so simple.
Biomechanics of each individual person make this a difficult lift to properly master form on. Done incorrectly, it is definitely one fo the more dangerous lifts of the big three.
If you're a powerlifter, well you gotta do them.
But what if you're a bodybuilder who wants to thicken the back but has trouble pulling heavy from the floor without needing a walker for 2-3 days.
Hmmmmmmmm
That's where rack deads come in.
Basically, rack deads are a partial deadlift done in a power rack. With the bar starting from the pins set somewhere btween mid calf and upper knee level.
Realistically, you want these to be as low as you can go without compromising your lower back.
For me, this is 3-4 holes up which translates to a couple of inches below the kneecap and right at the top of the kneecap.
Any higher than this and the lift basically turns into a semi squat shrug because it's too easy to go too heavy and lose form.
OK, the lift: You approach the bar, lean over, wrap the hands, very slight bend in the knees (this is NOT a partial SLD). Get a good grip and drive up with the legs while straightening the back into the lockout position of the deadlift. Lower in a controlled fashion tapping the bars and driving back up. Not dropping it and trying to bounce it back up.
Warm up slowly, steadily increasing the weight until you hit a weight that you can only get about 6-8 reps with.
Ex my usual set: 10x135,10x225,6x315,6x405, add straps, 8x585, 6x675, 8x405.
Now this may seem like a lot of volume, but I have chronic back problems and like to get good and warm and "feel" my way up in weight. I have gone as high as a double with 805 and 2 singles with 855 (that was really dumb).
Once you get the feel down for the limit of your reps, you may be able to jump weight faster, but watch the form. Don't squat under the bar, grip it, and just stand up, this is designed to thicken the back.
If you REALLY want to feel it, try a heavy double after about 2 months of these. You'll feel it from the traps to the lumbars.
It is preferred, when going heavy, to strap in and use a double overhand grip, thus eliminating the possibility of tearing a bicep.
Give them a try, they will allow you to go heavy on back and still be able to squat heavy that week.
These are also great for powerlifters who are weak in the lockout area.
I hope you'll give them a shot, they really helped add some much needed thickness to my center back. Thanks to that, I am not a parapalegic now (after a horrible car wreck, the back muscle saved my spine)
Here's me doing some dumb stunts of 805 and 855 (yes it did start in the position that usually hits me in the top of the kneecap, don't let the angles fool you). The 855 picture had the flash go off as I was on my way back down, hard to find good help at 5am in the gym.
Here's what they are, why they are, and why they are a good addition to your routine.
Everybody knows the standard deadlift.
Bar starts on the flor, you bend over and pick the damn thing up, right?
Well, not so simple.
Biomechanics of each individual person make this a difficult lift to properly master form on. Done incorrectly, it is definitely one fo the more dangerous lifts of the big three.
If you're a powerlifter, well you gotta do them.
But what if you're a bodybuilder who wants to thicken the back but has trouble pulling heavy from the floor without needing a walker for 2-3 days.
Hmmmmmmmm
That's where rack deads come in.
Basically, rack deads are a partial deadlift done in a power rack. With the bar starting from the pins set somewhere btween mid calf and upper knee level.
Realistically, you want these to be as low as you can go without compromising your lower back.
For me, this is 3-4 holes up which translates to a couple of inches below the kneecap and right at the top of the kneecap.
Any higher than this and the lift basically turns into a semi squat shrug because it's too easy to go too heavy and lose form.
OK, the lift: You approach the bar, lean over, wrap the hands, very slight bend in the knees (this is NOT a partial SLD). Get a good grip and drive up with the legs while straightening the back into the lockout position of the deadlift. Lower in a controlled fashion tapping the bars and driving back up. Not dropping it and trying to bounce it back up.
Warm up slowly, steadily increasing the weight until you hit a weight that you can only get about 6-8 reps with.
Ex my usual set: 10x135,10x225,6x315,6x405, add straps, 8x585, 6x675, 8x405.
Now this may seem like a lot of volume, but I have chronic back problems and like to get good and warm and "feel" my way up in weight. I have gone as high as a double with 805 and 2 singles with 855 (that was really dumb).
Once you get the feel down for the limit of your reps, you may be able to jump weight faster, but watch the form. Don't squat under the bar, grip it, and just stand up, this is designed to thicken the back.
If you REALLY want to feel it, try a heavy double after about 2 months of these. You'll feel it from the traps to the lumbars.
It is preferred, when going heavy, to strap in and use a double overhand grip, thus eliminating the possibility of tearing a bicep.
Give them a try, they will allow you to go heavy on back and still be able to squat heavy that week.
These are also great for powerlifters who are weak in the lockout area.
I hope you'll give them a shot, they really helped add some much needed thickness to my center back. Thanks to that, I am not a parapalegic now (after a horrible car wreck, the back muscle saved my spine)
Here's me doing some dumb stunts of 805 and 855 (yes it did start in the position that usually hits me in the top of the kneecap, don't let the angles fool you). The 855 picture had the flash go off as I was on my way back down, hard to find good help at 5am in the gym.
