Help for a Friend - Deadlifting / Glutes

[Tom Mutaffis]

A friend of mine posted this and was wondering if anyone on here could offer some advice. I don't have any first hand experience with this issue but figured some of you might have gone through this in the past...

He is a 220 lbs powerlifter who lifts equipped.

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please anybody that has any input im up to all ideas

2 years ago i pulled both glutes on a raw deadlift attemp. ever since then heavy deadlifting off the floor has put me right back to where i was 2 years ago. here is what i have tried over the last two years, ive worked with james smith, mark bell, mike tuchscherer, scott cartwright plus many others here is what we have come up with and used.

streching the glutes and doing a dynamic warm up before deadlifting.

massage, foam roller, glute/ hip rehab type stuff.

I tried changing to sumo. it works for light weights and speed weights, also works in gear, just doesnt work when im going heavy, as soon as i strain/ the weight gets heavy i pull them

we tried working on my conventional technique, making it look more text book as aposed to rounded upper back butt high. i can pull 225 275 all day long with my butt down, back arched chest up, perfect form but as soon as i hit 3 plates i break the weight off the ground and then it stops mid shin my glutes pull then i finsh the lift. my best pull butt high and rounded back is 622. so its kind of weird.
I have played with different stances, grip widths, set up styles(dip and go, get into posistion then sqeeze ect ect)
pin pulls have worked the problem is im alittle worried about my form. i pull very rounded with my butt high. im not trying to brag or be a d bag but a back weakness doesnt make sense. when i was doing strongman i was doing 400+ farmers 900lb frame deadlifts, car deadlifts, kroc rows with a 215lb db for sets of 10 400lb stones ect ect. glutes are definetly weak problem here is i havent been successful in finding something that will stimulate them. hamstrings seam to be strong, i can do glute/ham raises with 100lb db. Goodmornings really seam to hurt if i do a high bar if i use a low bar im ok, i just dont feel them and dont notice them working.

things that dont hurt
squatting
stiff legs
RDL's
light sumo
pin pulls
again im really not trying to make excuses or be a d bag bragging about my weights just trying to give you guys as much info as possible so yopu can give me the best opinion possible.

thanks

[Eric Downey]

Umm Ok
Well if he keeps pulling them thats seems to me that there not healed completely. I think he should take time off from pulling and squatting. Start doing basic rehab on the surrounding areas. Get good blood flow to the strained area over a period of 90 days. Then evaluate and see where he's at from there. If I kept pulling pecs benching id have to take time off. He should do the same, other wise he may put himself in a spot where can never pull again b/c he would have cause permanent damage.

Pulling your glutes. that sucks. Gotta look funny walking for a few days.

[AJ Roberts]

Dane asked me the same question via myspace and my response was almost identical to Eric's.

[chris taylor]

Sounds to me like his hams are prolly to tight. I would try and work some exercises to condition all the muscles that act on the hip especially the abductors. Try doing lunges in all different angles, Lareal step ups on a 12 inch box with db's, One legged high box squats with DB's, zercher squats, top end rack pulls. Hit all these with high reps and work on your flexibility and do it 2-3 times a week.This is to help your functional strength of your hip muscles so keep weights light.
Good luck..

CT