Getting past a mental wall....

[Debaser]

Suggestions?

Do 15-20 reps with a much lower weight.

And work on adding to that weight. You'll get stronger, just at a higher rep range. Obviously this will make your 6 rep weight bigger, but that doesn't necessarily matter until you want to go back to low reps.

 

[CollegeKid]

gymtime.... what bfold is saying about singles is pretty accurate i think. i got that "popping" thing from bad form doing 6-8 reps like what you're doing. right now how i train deads is like what bfold is suggesting (i think): warmup with lower weights (important to do so) and work your way up to 275 for 2, maybe even just one. THEN add 20lbs (or more depending how you feel) and go for a single rep max. this way you can focus all your energy on that one move. i think that's what bfold means by singles for deads. afterwards you can lower the weight substantially just to get a good pump from 6-8 reps, it's what i like to do.

 

[DanielBishop]

Actually, I think b fold was implying that he DOESN'T think 1RM deadlifts are a good idea.... hence having never suggested it.

 

[b fold the truth]

Reps on deads are killers for your spine...

I'll post a bunch of ideas tomorrow...after some food and more sleep

B True

 

[supersizeme]

alright since no one else is going to say, i'll go ahead and say it.

GT - load the bar up with 280 and do it. you've been doing 275 for the past three months...it's time. i, just like you, fucked up my lower back about two years ago when i first started doing deads because i was increasing weight faster than my body could handle. i was going up 10 pounds each week and finally my lower back said, "NOPE!" it was too much too soon. i'm guessing this is most likely what happened in your situation. after taking time away from them to let the muscle heal, i got back into them. i increased the weight i was using much slower the second time around, allowing my body ample time to get used to the weight so i wouldn't come to the same unfortunate end that i did the first time around. two years later, i'm lifting about 70-80lbs past the weight at which my lower back went out. you've given yourself three months to get your lower back stronger and more capable of handling the deads. you just need to decide it's time and go for it. i guarantee you'll come out of it thinking, "well shit, what was i worried about?" then go up to 285 in a few of weeks if you feel comfortable.

reps on deads are terrific for building mass. yeah, no doubt it's not the best thing in the world for your spine, but neither are squats. no one on this board speaks negatively of reps on squats, in fact most people advocate high reps. all the "good deadlifters" are powerlifters, so of course they are not running around talking up sets of deads over 2-3 reps. it's not the way they train. if i remember correctly, gt is a bodybuilder. sets of deads in the 5-7 rep range will work well for his goals.

 

[gymtime]

alright since no one else is going to say, i'll go ahead and say it.

GT - load the bar up with 280 and do it. you've been doing 275 for the past three months...it's time. i, just like you, fucked up my lower back about two years ago when i first started doing deads because i was increasing weight faster than my body could handle. i was going up 10 pounds each week and finally my lower back said, "NOPE!" it was too much too soon. i'm guessing this is most likely what happened in your situation. after taking time away from them to let the muscle heal, i got back into them. i increased the weight i was using much slower the second time around, allowing my body ample time to get used to the weight so i wouldn't come to the same unfortunate end that i did the first time around. two years later, i'm lifting about 70-80lbs past the weight at which my lower back went out. you've given yourself three months to get your lower back stronger and more capable of handling the deads. you just need to decide it's time and go for it. i guarantee you'll come out of it thinking, "well shit, what was i worried about?" then go up to 285 in a few of weeks if you feel comfortable.

reps on deads are terrific for building mass. yeah, no doubt it's not the best thing in the world for your spine, but neither are squats. no one on this board speaks negatively of reps on squats, in fact most people advocate high reps. all the "good deadlifters" are powerlifters, so of course they are not running around talking up sets of deads over 2-3 reps. it's not the way they train. if i remember correctly, gt is a bodybuilder. sets of deads in the 5-7 rep range will work well for his goals.

A serious reply?? Alright, who the fuck are you and what have you done with SSME???







Thanks bud. Back night tonight. I'll go 280 and pray. And yeah, I've had good luck so far (overall) with reps, and I'm obviously not going for a strength record here.

 

[Hannibal]

Deadlift for reps??!

Seriously though, if it is such a mental block have someone else load the weights as you go through your progressions. Just focus on the bar and not on the plates. Work up as heavy as you can and then find out what you did.

Or as SSME said "Just Do It"...now there's an original thought. Someone should use that for an ad campaign or something...kinda catchy.

 

[Debaser]

Why would deadlifting for reps be bad for your spine?

Of course if you used bad form, but considering if you use perfect form (obviously you should) they strengthen your erectors and other back muscles it would only prevent future back injury...

 

[gymtime]

That's what I thought too. I've got another thread up asking for responses from the powerlifting folks. We'll see what they say.

 

[Thaibox]

weenietime, I've experienced this before with a few different injuries. I've tried numerous approaches, and the best thing that worked for me personally was to simply do it. Tell your body to fuck off, and remind it that you own it. Hit abs for a little while prior to deadlifting, and slosh on a lot of icy/hot and your back will just feel better, and more supported off the line, so you're probably more apt to not think about the potential pop. I hate when little shit like that fucks with your mind.

Of course, I'm writing within the 15 minutes I'm allowed to sit following a back sugery due to my training practices, so take it for what its worth I suppose