Deadlift 'Conditioning'

[K0ld]

I just recently started dead lifting and the owner of my gym said i should do like 3x12 of really light SLDL's for 2 weeks before i start getting into lifting the heavier stuff just to get my lower back and hammy's used to the excercise.

Is this right or should i just get right into lifting heavy stuff?

(He said 3x12 of 30kg's for 2 weeks)

Also what weight should i start with after 2weeks?

[HILL]

I would do normal dead lifts not sldl. but i agree in what he is saying as this will also work on your form which is very important when doing dl. also just go up unitl you feel their heavy enough. i wouldnt do more than 8 reps for dl however when you get into them and start upping the weights as your form can start to faulter

[K0ld]

Kool thanks.

yeah i do SLDL on Back days And normal dead lifts on leg days

[deeder]

yeah i do SLDL on Back days And normal dead lifts on leg days

Shouldn't it be the other way around? I thought SLDLs worked your hams and a regular DL was mostly your lower back?

[g00dnick]

:withstupi

[HILL]

It certainly should sldl are for hamstrings mainly and normal deads use allot of back id switch round and have sldl leg day and dl back day

[Bob]

HILL's posts have the info you need K0ld...
I would add 2 more exercises though...
DB Deadlifts - both 2 and one hand
and Deadlifts on a platform - so that the weight goes past the "floor"... In my experience with younger/newer lifters, they found that the additional stretching and correct form of this exercise greatly increasing the power of the back.

And as with Squat - form determines when you can increase the weight - don't sacrifice form for weight.

[K0ld]

and Deadlifts on a platform - so that the weight goes past the "floor"... In my experience with younger/newer lifters, they found that the additional stretching and correct form of this exercise greatly increasing the power of the back.

Yeah, i been doing them on a platform from the start

Thank you very much to hill and the rest of you

[HILL]

bearwolfden thats interesting about the platform. do you think it would be a good idea to do sldl like this as it would get an even better stretch for your hams. obviously you would have to be carefull with the weight you used for balane. i may try this

[gator]

I always use some kind of platform while doing SLDL's, you get a much better stretch, if you can't find something to use, most gyms usually have like 5inch steppers that are using doing aerobics that work just fine for this.

[K0ld]

Yeah my gym owner recomended a did this as you can get down lower and work stuff more

[-TIM-]

bearwolfden thats interesting about the platform. do you think it would be a good idea to do sldl like this as it would get an even better stretch for your hams. obviously you would have to be carefull with the weight you used for balane. i may try this

A lot of people, including myself, use a platform for SLDL's. I can't do them from the floor because the 45 lb. plates touch before I decend as far as I need. But the plates might not touch for some depending on arm length, height, or diameter of plates you're using. So using one may not be necessary for some.

[Vita]

that's what i needed last night...

so using one of those step aerobics platforms will work just fine? i thought it felt odd that the weight hit ground before i felt the movement was complete. i think that'll make it feel a lot more natural as well!

when you work on the big platforms that look specifically built for DLs or oly lifts, how do you guys set up the weights, on the floor in front of it? i thought about using this platform at my regular gym, it's like a big box, but it seems that the bar would be on the platform itself, not allowing to get any type of grip...

hints for a newbie?

[Bob]

HILL - definitely go with the platform on SLDLs - if you can stretch that far with good form - when I have seen folks try SLDLs on the Platform, I see them start to bend their knees more - therefore loosing the Ham workout and going back to a back workout.

When I have been stuck with a gym that doesn't have a DL platform - I have used lots of 10lb plates - allowing more stretch then 45LBs. And you can get about 10 on each side-on a typical olympic bar-and if you can do 245LB SLDLs for reps using strict form - I would say that's a good workout.

Vita - your problem is harder.. I don't know if I would use a box like that, unless it was less then 6-8 inches... that way you can set your bar up on the floor and then pull from that depth carefully the first time...

And if you use Gator's aerobic steps - then put them vertical to the bar perhaps if can get a wide enough grip. Just be careful there is enough room for proper footing.

K0ld - if you do this deeper DLs - you will notice that if you ever do "real" DLs, you will be much stronger. My deep DLs are about a 245 x 10 - where my "real" DLs are about 70-80 lbs more for the same reps..

[dw06wu]

Keep in mind that using a platform for SLDL is very dependent on height. Eg, I am almost 6'4" and I get a huge stretch without even hitting the floor. Just be careful with that exercise.

[MixmasterNash]

Most folks' hamstrings are at full stretch long before the weight will touch the ground.

[pbfreak9999]

ya for me i dont really need a platform, and my hamstrings are stretched with sldls.

[Focused70]

Most folks' hamstrings are at full stretch long before the weight will touch the ground.

:withstupi

I'm 6'2" and have never seen the need to use a platform. Of course, I have long arms and long legs, and my SLDL form is perfect.

Now if only my squat form were.

[Focused70]

I would do normal dead lifts not sldl. but i agree in what he is saying as this will also work on your form which is very important when doing dl. also just go up unitl you feel their heavy enough. i wouldnt do more than 8 reps for dl however when you get into them and start upping the weights as your form can start to faulter

you might want to consider doing deads on their own day, and eventually incorporate them into back day.

6-8 reps is a good rep range for a typical work set, unless you're trying to increase your max dead, in which case fewer is usually better.

[K0ld]

i was using 50kg's yesterday.. = 110lbs (Us aussies with our Kg's ) and i didnt have any problems doing 5x 8 (3 working @ 50.. 2 warm up at 30 and 40).

Will try 60 or maybe 70 tomorrow
Chest day today

[HILL]

Yeh i do deads on back day and use 140 kilo (308) as a working set for 6 my max is roughly 160 (352) possibly more now. i find i dont like to go to more than 8 reps with anything slightly heavy on deads or sqauts because of the risk of injury when your form starts to go. i found as always that once you get the technique right my weight on working sets started to just go up and up even while i was/am cutting