Deadlifts - I gotta be doing them wrong?

[Advaik]

Okay, this is how I do deadlifts:

I put a TON of weight on my bar (double or triple what I do for squats) then place the weight on the floor. I put my feet just to where the weight won't crush them when I put it back down. I bend my knees very slightly then grab the bar, lift mostly with my back, and bring it up until my back is completely straight, then I push my lower and upper back out a little. Lastly I slowly put the weight back down with my legs locked (once I get them locked from standing straight, there is no way to unlock them with all this weight) and repeat.

It is too easy! I am putting all my weight on my bar and still can not do a failure set. Maybe if I did 20 sets I could get a failure set, but that would be way too many sets. (I do 5x6). What am I doing wrong? It can't possibly be this easy, if it is then I need to buy more weights!

On a side note, my lower back does burn a little, but it feels like it is from my spine, not my muscles.

 

[Thaibox]

From what I can understand of your description:

You're doing stiff legged deads, not deads

Do not lock your legs, even if you're doing SL

Never push your lower back "out"

Buy more weight

 

[vinylgroover]

Bump on thaibox, but sounds very strange. If you are doing SDLS, how the hell can you do triple what you do for squats? Sounds like something wrong (unless you have a weak squat), although you are obviously lifting the weight with something.

Try doing non-lockout deadlifts and lift off a power rack. That will keep constant tension on the muscles, otherwise, buy more weight as thaibox said, but i am still concerned that you can deadlift triple what you squat

 

[painly]

so we are talking minimum about 6 plates a side, and you cant max out, you gotta be fucking kidding me, unless your benching a whopping plate a side, you gotta start powerlifting as a pro/

 

[Advaik]

I'll try to not lock my legs out. It's hard since when I straighten my back, my natural instinct is to lock out my knees.

I thought I was supposed to push out my back to kind of flex it, I saw it in a stick figure movie over at yabbo.com when it was still up. I'll stop that right away, it didn't "feel" right doing it anyways.

I did a little internet research and found that people who have very flexible hamstrings may need to stand on a box when doing deadlifts. I train for flexibility, so I can easily place my full palms on the floor which I consider to be pretty flexible. I am 6'3 so I do have a ways to lift it up, perhaps it's not enough?

I really don't see how I can deadlift so much more than I squat. I'll admit my squat is not that good (mostly due to balancing problems, which I am getting a manta ray for soon), but I have hardly ever worked out my back, and I regularly work out my legs.

I guess I'll go out and buy another pair of 50lb plates...

 

[MidwestJ]

So what are your weights man?!

 

[Haz]

Triple your squat?!! Ok, lets say you have a piss poor squat and its only 200lbs. thats still 600lbs on the deadlift! Thats fuckiing ALOT! So either you are bullshitting us, or I didn't read your post correctly.

I'll admit, deads are the easist lift to go heavy on. Just about anyone can deadlift 315 no problem. But 600 lbs is very hard to believe considering your squat.

 

[Thaibox]

I'll try to not lock my legs out. It's hard since when I straighten my back, my natural instinct is to lock out my knees.

I thought I was supposed to push out my back to kind of flex it, I saw it in a stick figure movie over at yabbo.com when it was still up. I'll stop that right away, it didn't "feel" right doing it anyways.

I did a little internet research and found that people who have very flexible hamstrings may need to stand on a box when doing deadlifts. I train for flexibility, so I can easily place my full palms on the floor which I consider to be pretty flexible. I am 6'3 so I do have a ways to lift it up, perhaps it's not enough?

I really don't see how I can deadlift so much more than I squat. I'll admit my squat is not that good (mostly due to balancing problems, which I am getting a manta ray for soon), but I have hardly ever worked out my back, and I regularly work out my legs.

I guess I'll go out and buy another pair of 50lb plates...

Again, I think you're talking about SLDL's. I do them off a block.

My dead is stronger than my squat too. That seems to be pretty common. But 3X is a little odd.

I'm 6'2" and can place my palms on the floor too. However, my max dead so far is only 500lbs off the floor.

How much are you pulling, and how much do you weigh?

 

[erickthegreat11]

Keep your back straight the entire time. Invest in a good back belt (leather) and this will help. Keep your eyes on a point higher than straight in front of you (ex. ceiling corner) and this will also help keep your back straight. A correct dead lift will work your legs to some degree. That burning feeling in your back likely is not good. Check the "Anyone ever have a back injury" thread in the powerlifting section.

 

[BodybuildingUniverse]

sounds like a scene from "Unbreakable" to me....just keep adding the weight man, maybe you are a superhero and dont know it...