Help me discover my weak links

[ShredSeason]

The mission: Increase deadlift by discovering the weak muscles

The idea: Use isolation movements and compare those to strength standards.

The help: is this even a good idea? If so, what movements should I use to test strength? I want to work on the weak links.

 

[ShredSeason]

The resources: Home gym with barbells and dumbbells

The experience: Beginner (3 months of consistent training, 6 or so months of sporadic lifting beforehand)

The man: 330 lbs deadlift, 6’0”, 282 lbs (working on it). Arms and torso are (I think?) proportional to my body

The current findings: Lost my ass by not training it during the first part of my cut. Quads, hamstrings, and calves seem strong based on isolations. Abs, lower back, adductors, and abductors are a mystery. Grip seems capable of handling the current loads.

 

[BigTomJ]

It's too early to concern yourself with weak links.

Build a stronger deadlift by deadlifting.

You got this

 

[Perrin Aybara]

It's too early to concern yourself with weak links.

Build a stronger deadlift by deadlifting.

You got this

This. Don't waste your time worrying about weak points yet. Just get better at deadlift by doing deadlift. Take lots of video, especially from the side. Try to perfect your form as much as possible. Continue to add weight regularly. Once you've put a couple hundred pounds on your deadlift and really have the form down, then you can start thinking about weak points.

 

[ShredSeason]

It's too early to concern yourself with weak links.

Build a stronger deadlift by deadlifting.

You got this

This. Don't waste your time worrying about weak points yet. Just get better at deadlift by doing deadlift. Take lots of video, especially from the side. Try to perfect your form as much as possible. Continue to add weight regularly. Once you've put a couple hundred pounds on your deadlift and really have the form down, then you can start thinking about weak points.

Thanks guys, I’ll do that. What should I be looking out in my videos? The only thing I really notice is if I’m keeping my back straight, hard for me to see what’s good or bad beyond that. I won’t be able to get a coach/trainer for a while, so I’m gonna have to DIY this thing for now.

 

[BigTomJ]

Thanks guys, I’ll do that. What should I be looking out in my videos? The only thing I really notice is if I’m keeping my back straight, hard for me to see what’s good or bad beyond that. I won’t be able to get a coach/trainer for a while, so I’m gonna have to DIY this thing for now.

Upload some videos to vimeo and tag me or perrin and we can help with some general pointers if there are obvious corrections to make.

Perrin knows his powerlifting better than 99.9% of the folks here

 

[ShredSeason]

Upload some videos to vimeo and tag me or perrin and we can help with some general pointers if there are obvious corrections to make.

Perrin knows his powerlifting better than 99.9% of the folks here

Thank you!
PR sets
Warmup & Working set
Had to get a little crazy with the edits to blur my face lmao.
@BigTomJ @Perrin Aybara

 

[BigTomJ]

Thank you!
PR sets
Warmup & Working set
Had to get a little crazy with the edits to blur my face lmao.
@BigTomJ @Perrin Aybara

Hips are coming up a bit early.
Look up some videos on "pulling slack out of the bar" practicing that will help cue keeping your posterior chain and hips engaged.

A trick I learned to keep from hips coming up too soon is to do this drill with lighter weights.

-Set up how you normally would
-Sink your hips down like you're going to pull
-Hold that position and shift your weight backwards.
-get used to the feeling when you feel the weight shift off of your toes onto your heels, like you would topple over backwards if you go further.
-do that a few times to get used to that position and set up, then do a few pulls. You don't need to shift back as much when you pull, but knowing where that point is where you would fall over if you went further will help you recognize the movement pattern of keeping hips engaged.

 

[Fattyone]

hips coming up too soon

I’d like to preface this by saying I did not watch the videos.

Sometimes hips coming up first/too soon is just simply starting too far in the hole. Sometimes the solution is literally just start at the point where your hips end up after the initial rise.

 

[BigTomJ]

I’d like to preface this by saying I did not watch the videos.

Sometimes hips coming up first/too soon is just simply starting too far in the hole. Sometimes the solution is literally just start at the point where your hips end up after the initial rise.

This is true.

I just rewatched the videos and it's less to do with hips coming up too fast, but not getting set in the first place.

Lookes like @ShredSeason is losing stability through his posterior chain, or is not getting it in the first place. (Starting from a somewhat rounded position)

It's hard to tell from the angle and the filter on it, but it looks like his setup isn't quite right.

 

[Fattyone]

This is true.

I just rewatched the videos and it's less to do with hips coming up too fast, but not getting set in the first place.

Lookes like @ShredSeason is losing stability through his posterior chain, or is not getting it in the first place. (Starting from a somewhat rounded position)

It's hard to tell from the angle and the filter on it, but it looks like his setup isn't quite right.

I watched the video ( PR set) and I definitely agree. Definitely some stability issues. Probably should refrain from low rep PR sets OP..

 

[ShredSeason]

not getting set in the first place.

Yeah that sounds like a good way to describe this

Things seem to start out ok

but gets crazy once I reach reach for the bar. If I bend my knees, that rounds my lower back. If I reach with my arms, that rounds my upper back. Eventually I do both and we end up like this

 

[ShredSeason]

I watched the video ( PR set) and I definitely agree. Definitely some stability issues. Probably should refrain from low rep PR sets OP..

Yeah this shit is fucked. Idk how I started taking cues from this guy.

 

[Perrin Aybara]

Sorry, was doing Easter with family and then making the four hour drive back home.

My suggestions:

Lose the boots. Pull in Chucks, barefoot, or some type of flat soled shoe.

I'd play around with your foot position also. Personally I'd bring your heels in just a little and point your toes out more. Closer stance might not work because you're kinda tall, but experiment a little with the stance and how far your toes are pointed out. A good place to start would be where you'd naturally put them if you were going to try to jump as high as possible.

Looks like you just need to learn to stay tighter in your setup, too. Brace your core and flex your lats when you're setting up before you pull.

 

[BigTomJ]

Yeah this shit is fucked. Idk how I started taking cues from this guy.
View attachment 280371

Lmao, you're a good sport.

It'll get better as you build up strength and work on the stability.

 

[ShredSeason]

Sorry, was doing Easter with family and then making the four hour drive back home.

My suggestions:

Lose the boots. Pull in Chucks, barefoot, or some type of flat soled shoe.

I'd play around with your foot position also. Personally I'd bring your heels in just a little and point your toes out more. Closer stance might not work because you're kinda tall, but experiment a little with the stance and how far your toes are pointed out. A good place to start would be where you'd naturally put them if you were going to try to jump as high as possible.

Looks like you just need to learn to stay tighter in your setup, too. Brace your core and flex your lats when you're setting up before you pull.

Thank you!! Best deadlift video I’ve ever seen, so simple, binge watching Mark’s videos now. I was trying to brace and engage my lats in the pics I showed, must not be doing it right. I’ll try that tickle thing maybe that’ll wake them up.

 

[Perrin Aybara]

Thank you!! Best deadlift video I’ve ever seen, so simple, binge watching Mark’s videos now. I was trying to brace and engage my lats in the pics I showed, must not be doing it right. I’ll try that tickle thing maybe that’ll wake them up.

His book, Starting Strength, has some really good detailed descriptions of the main lifts and how to perform them. Could PM you the ebook if you'd like to read it.

I found that reading stuff like that helped me it understand better. Then watching lots of videos on performing the lifts. And then recording tons of videos of myself doing the lifts and analyzing them.

 

[ShredSeason]

Could PM you the ebook if you'd like to read it.

Yes!! Greatly appreciate it. I’ve been looking into that program for about a week but somehow missed Mark’s videos.

 

[The-Squat]

It's too early to concern yourself with weak links.

Build a stronger deadlift by deadlifting.

You got this

I agree, focus on the deadlift and proper technique and the rest will take care of itself.