Best "Deadlift" for Power Week

[ChemProf]

I have been doing trap bar deadlifts during power week. Each time I have come away with a different problem when doing shoulders (military press) the following day. Last rotations, my lower back spasmed up the day after doing these. Yesterday my traps and rhomboids were in so much pain, I could barely complete the workout (if I didn't have a training partner I would have gone home and rested.) My question is which deadlift would be the best replacement during power week? Full deadlift, partial deadlift from about mid shin or partial deadlift from about 2" below the knee. I do full deadlifts after back extesions during rep week. I also do some stiff leg deadlifts with varying food width during leg workouts. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

[Ivan Drago - aka Arny/Dolph/AM]

Dec 13, 2009 20:11:27 GMT -5 ChemProf said:

I have been doing trap bar deadlifts during power week. Each time I have come away with a different problem when doing shoulders (military press) the following day. Last rotations, my lower back spasmed up the day after doing these. Yesterday my traps and rhomboids were in so much pain, I could barely complete the workout (if I didn't have a training partner I would have gone home and rested.) My question is which deadlift would be the best replacement during power week? Full deadlift, partial deadlift from about mid shin or partial deadlift from about 2" below the knee. I do full deadlifts after back extesions during rep week. I also do some stiff leg deadlifts with varying food width during leg workouts. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

I don't have a specific answer to your exact question, because I'm not familiar with your nutrition, form, experience, or goals... but I did want to offer up a generality that I believe can still be some help in combating your confusion.

I run a risk of taking some push back by saying this, but rack-deadlifts, in my most accurate evaluation and estimation, are the most effective movement for lower/aggregate back musculature. I know it is an easy passing phrase ubiquitous within the bodybuilding scene to instantly advocate harder equals better, or to slap 'hard core' on a philosophy or product in an attempt to sell more; but this is a flawed subscription of belief. Another prime example of the misled wondering guerrilla warfare hard-core mentality for the pure sake of 'hard-corer-than-you that eventually comes forth from bodybuilders during their respective careers, is the "whole foods trump protein powder anytime!" classic line. Now, before I get far too deep in controversy and raise too many brows, I will elucidate further on what I mean, and how it can assist in your goals...

First of all, if your goals are inclusive of building bigger hips, glutes, and placing yourself at a higher risk of hamstring injury and hernia, then please disregard the following or stop reading this post altogether; because full deadlifts are for YOU!

Now that's out of the way, let's talk turkey. Rack deadlifts, when done from mid-shin, NOT the knees like a King Kamali character (in an attempt to grunt and pull weight for Mitsuru Okabe's latest iteration of BFTO, lol) is advantageous because it addresses and improves the unique and specific area/muscle-group you are concentrating on: lower back. You don't waste a few initial inches of the movement, jerking up weight with your hamstrings taking the heft of the load. You work the intended muscle throughout the range of motion. Primary Purpose of Bodybuilding: CHECK

I have to add an aside here to supplement the above paragraph though, and also to substantiate my theory regarding rack deads: I do each rep, as a DEAD lift, not a BOUNCE lift. Pull, squeeze, slowly lower, LET THE BAR COME TO REST, and REPEAT. Doing EACH rep, as a deadlift ('dead' being the operative word here) you engage the fibers to their optimal potential and of course in light of that elicit the most overt and expedient growth as well. They are harder.... MUCH harder.... so be prepared.

Oh, and as far as my earlier protein vs. whole-food conjecture... I was only trying to illustrate any seasoned weight lifting enthusiast will purport shamelessly and confidently that whole-food is a better option when offered whey powder as an alternative - INCLUDING me. The point is, no science tells us that... in fact, science tells us opposite, and enlightens us on the beneficiary properties of whey protein; some of which are highest leucine content, pre-digested, highest protein density, quickest assimilation, fastest amino-acid pool replenishment, replenishment and restorative effects of nitrogen balance, and on and on... yet, we still clutch firmly to that old axiom, regarding the holy supremacy of whole-food.

- Things aren't always cut-and-dry... case in point. Good luck!

[bigrick]

Without knowing your goals, it is hard to say what is the best to use.

[Ivan Drago - aka Arny/Dolph/AM]

Jan 10, 2010 15:10:51 GMT -5 bigrick said:

Without knowing your goals, it is hard to say what is the best to use.

Yeah, what he said. LMBO! I initially said that above, but then went on into a dissertation about the rack dead-lift. I guess I assumed his goal was to become bigger and stronger, as a generic sort of generality, so rack dead lifts are most advantageous in my opinion. Do you agree Blade?

[ChemProf]

Thanks for the input. My goals are to become bigger and compete in a bodybuilding event in June. I have been using PRRS for about 3 - 4 months and have seen some improvement. I want to continue to improve my physique so that I can place higher than I have in the past and bring the best possible package that I can to the stage.

My biggest concern was that doing the combination of trap bar deadlift on Friday then standing Military press on Saturday during power week was causing my low back to spasm and I was unable to train as hard as I would like the next week. I would have to rest in bed on ice and heat all day on Sunday and train relatively light on Monday. That is unacceptable

When I perform the deadlift, I have been following the protocol you listed of lowering the bar slowly, coming to a stop and then lifting. I have been doing this during rep week. I will try and add it to power week as well.

[Ivan Drago - aka Arny/Dolph/AM]

Jan 10, 2010 16:14:05 GMT -5 ChemProf said:

Thanks for the input. My goals are to become bigger and compete in a bodybuilding event in June. I have been using PRRS for about 3 - 4 months and have seen some improvement. I want to continue to improve my physique so that I can place higher than I have in the past and bring the best possible package that I can to the stage.

My biggest concern was that doing the combination of trap bar deadlift on Friday then standing Military press on Saturday during power week was causing my low back to spasm and I was unable to train as hard as I would like the next week. I would have to rest in bed on ice and heat all day on Sunday and train relatively light on Monday. That is unacceptable

When I perform the deadlift, I have been following the protocol you listed of lowering the bar slowly, coming to a stop and then lifting. I have been doing this during rep week. I will try and add it to power week as well.

Excellent, glad to get some feedback from you. I would think, if anything, you'd be injecting the DEAD lifting technique into power week more than anything else. You should put it into action and practice every week, no matter what the PRRS regimen calls for on any given split or week.

So you're going to compete this summer - AWESOME. You should swing over to my 2010 contest chronicle, and check out the prep (the link is in my signature). Have you been to, or know anyone who has competed before? This will be your first show I presume? YOU'RE GOING TO LOVE IT!

Deadlifts should of course be the hallmark of your overall training philosophy, and should never be diverted from solid mainstay status. So looks like you're doing things right, and you have a good foundation of training principle to build off of. What show(s) are you going to compete in, when are you beginning your diet, and do you have any pictures?

Note: Regarding your back issues with spasms, simply readjust your routine to give your lower-back time to recover; or, change your workout up every week as if often advised to avoid adaptation, and go from standing presses to seated, to Smith, to dumb bell, to Arnold Presses etc, then come back to standing (repeat). Oh, another thing I did want to mention, the trap bar is most useful for training traps, the balance and distribution along with the placement of weight and the impractical feeling of balance you might suffer while trying to use it for unintended (deadlift) movements might also be aggravating your lower back and placing you at a higher risk for injury.

[ChemProf]

I will definitely read and follow your posts. I saw your carb rotation plan and it definitely looked interesting.

This won't be my first show. I have competed 4 times before but have not been very successful (3 out of 5; 6 out of 7; 3 out of 3 and 4 out of 4). This will be the first time I am able to compete in the master's over 50 class. I am going to compete June 5th in NC. I am going to do better this time. Coach Eric is supposed to help me with my diet. I spoke with him over Thanksgiving and he told me that I have the potential to be successful. I am stoked. I have been training hard and have started adding a little bit of cardio to start reducing body fat slowly while trying to maintain my muscle.

[bigrick]

Goodluck competeting. Ivans post about makes alot of sense. However I have had a ton of excellent results doing rack pulls on rep range week doing 13-15 reps using straps. This blew up my entire back. I was using 550-600 pounds for these so the weight alone may have been a big contributing factor to my growth. However i feel that the excess weight that can be used during rack pulls is what makes the exercise so effective. One note about doing rack pulls, I always liked doing rack pulls on leg day. I do all my deadlifts on leg day however ( leg and lower back day). Doing this I dont have to wrry about my lower back being to tired on other days.

[Ivan Drago - aka Arny/Dolph/AM]

Jan 11, 2010 18:39:30 GMT -5 ChemProf said:

I will definitely read and follow your posts. I saw your carb rotation plan and it definitely looked interesting.

This won't be my first show. I have competed 4 times before but have not been very successful (3 out of 5; 6 out of 7; 3 out of 3 and 4 out of 4). This will be the first time I am able to compete in the master's over 50 class. I am going to compete June 5th in NC. I am going to do better this time. Coach Eric is supposed to help me with my diet. I spoke with him over Thanksgiving and he told me that I have the potential to be successful. I am stoked. I have been training hard and have started adding a little bit of cardio to start reducing body fat slowly while trying to maintain my muscle.

Great idea about starting cardio in order to keep fat accrual at bay and continue to add muscle. One interesting intrinsic effect of cardiovascular activity I've been reading about lately, is that it creates a favorable shift within the metabolism for protein synthesis and subsequent higher anabolism on a molecular level - which over time allows the body's use of calories more efficiently to produce notable gains in lean tissue. I started my contest prep at 210 pounds, and I have competed in the past at 200 (not that I am expecting to compete at that same body-weight this go-round) but staying lean during your down time from stage is very smart - I have never fully bought into the philosophy of adding fat, and carving out the "new found muscle" that was magically added under the accompanying new found blubber, lol! Staying in shape allows for a full circle of advantage, being able to objectively see and observe progressive changes to your physique, evaluate nutrition on a micro-managed scale and become accustomed to your specific reactions to certain calories and foods, and of course the ability to super-feed muscle with protein from lean cuts and an overall planned eating regimen (and not McDonald's) all add up to perpetual and tangible improvement in my opinion. How long until your next anticipated show? Have fun!