Trouble Deadlifting DC

[chris.tan]

Hey guys, me again. Im having trouble keeping my numbers up when deadlifting. I just got done with a tour of madcow and finished pulling 400x5 before I came back to DC. I took a week off and started DC. I started with 365 and only got 3 I believe. I thought it was an off day or something so the next time it came around I dropped it to 355 and again, only 3. I have nothing to indicate that my setup was wrong. I just cant seem to muster the strength. This weight just feels like a block of lead. I have no problem with my lower weight high rep set. I'm starting to doubt myself at the bar now when deadlifts come up and this is my favorite exercise!

Any idea what could be going on? DC too taxing on my cns? Hams too fried with dc? I'm being a sissy and should just slap 400 on there and pull it for 6?

[PiKACaveman]

I know I'm not one of the experts and rarely posted, but I encountered a similar problem when I trained DC. I came to the conclusion that it was the order of the exercises that cost me a lot of strength on deadlifts. It can be tough going from doing deadlifts first or second to last on a day where you've already gone balls to the wall for 4 different exercises. I ended up just accepting the lower weight and ended up back where I was when I did it first in no time.

[theroymccoy]

I know I'm not one of the experts and rarely posted, but I encountered a similar problem when I trained DC. I came to the conclusion that it was the order of the exercises that cost me a lot of strength on deadlifts. It can be tough going from doing deadlifts first or second to last on a day where you've already gone balls to the wall for 4 different exercises. I ended up just accepting the lower weight and ended up back where I was when I did it first in no time.

Have we met before?

[Sammich]

...400x5 ...365 and only got 3...355 and again, only 3

You're not strong/advanced enough for DC.

[liftweights]

Sammich tells it like it is every time.

[vkk]

You're not strong/advanced enough for DC.

I have a question about this which may/may not relate to the ready for DC idea...

How come Dante gave some info about some clients that were 150-180 and they were on the 2 way split and got huge? He even said that the 2 way split isn't for novice or anyone who isn't an advanced bodybuilder. Is it because they had the benefit of working with Dante in person, that they were able to pull it off without fucking something up?

I may have worded that poorly..

[chris.tan]

Leave it to sammich to give me the honest blunt answer. I'm no monster, but I like DC training and for my height and frame, 400 is a decent weight.

So most of you guys just pull a significantly lower weight than your 5rm when doing DC?

[Swaminator]

"Ninety percent of this game is half mental." Yogi Berra

Translation. Don't over think it. If you THINK that DC is negatively impacting your DL it definately will.

[soapmaker77]

it may depend on your other lifts. one blast i was going great with deads and all of a sudden i crashed. i was doing rack deads for back and stiff legs for hams. i think i got over taxed. if your floor dead is your only dead style lift maybe add a rack dead or stiff in there as well

[phrozen]

my first thought would be what does your diet look like and is the only physical activity you do DC training?

[Doberman]

Has anything about your diet changed?

Also, how much do you weigh? How tall are you?

I would tend to agree with Sammich, but the definition of advanced depends on several factors. You can't just say someone that can't pull 400 isn't advanced enough. If a trainee is 5 foot tall and weighs 145 and they pull 385 and have been training for 15 years would you say they aren't advanced?

Regardless, you may not be suited for DC at this point. Even if you are advanced just because it is a good routine for a lot of people it doesn't mean it fits you.

Also I definitely think you need to take into consideration any change of the order of your exercises. That can play a big role in diminished strength. If you continue with DC I would lighten the load, still go all out, but just try to beat the log book with a new set point. Put your ego aside and remember, unless your power lifting it's about stimulating muscle with tension, and if you are doing that effectively with 315 then fine as long as you are progressing.

I still would maybe look at other programs that might be a better fit. Everyone on here can chime in and tell you what to do, but in the end you need to evaluate it yourself and be honest about what fits you best. Good luck and don't give up on dead lifts. They have been a huge factor in big improvements in back development this year.

[SkinnyMike42]

10 bucks says you are putting other lower back intensive lifts in your routine and are not fully recovered for deads. Most need a week at minimum for their lower back to recovery if you are truly taking your sets to where they need to be while doing DC.

[ShinjiG]

couldn't it be that you plateaued on deadlifts and you need to swap out exercises?

[thedunhill225]

10 bucks says you are putting other lower back intensive lifts in your routine and are not fully recovered for deads. Most need a week at minimum for their lower back to recovery if you are truly taking your sets to where they need to be while doing DC.

Would be my guess also. I would bet you have bent rows and/or rack deads in for back and are squating for legs.

I also agree with the comments about placement in your routine. When I perform deads I do them last...if I try and do them first I am wiped out for the rest of my workout... But sometimes if I was pressed for time and had to get in and out I would just do deads and on those days my deads were always stronger. Why? Cause I was fresh when I did them.

Peace

[chris.tan]

Taking a look at my other exercises. I have romanian deads which has some indirect low back. I get a pump but it's nothing taxing. I have high bar squats, and I mean on top of my traps basically on my neck. Narrow stance to emphasize quads. I also have front squats but I never feel that in my low back. It's mostly in my traps. Two of my leg widows are squats and I go for a low bar wide stance, powerlifting style. Those are all that would hit my low back, but I only see the high bar squats really hitting my low back.

My diet has been the same with maybe even more red meat in there so recover should be fine. I haven't felt hit like a bus in a while so I think I'm doing ok.

Im 5'4, so I'm a pretty short guy. That's why I consider my leg and low back strength to at least be decent. Squat max ~350 dead 400x5 last time I checked.

I spent more time last week getting my head right. I went through some good pump up songs and really got focused and was able to pull ~350 just fine. I also narrowed my stance and focused on my form more. I think I may be mentally blasted by the time I get to deads on DC.