To anyone who reads this: at 10:00 Bromley talks about bracing, there's a video on @megsquats channel called "Don't be a domer", it explains how to engage your TVA muscles - it's a game changer for taking your deadlifts to the next level
I found an exercise that I really like for upper back stability and strength. I call it the Zertcher morning. I found it almost by accident. I was just trying different movements with the bar across my elbows like a Zertcher squat. I hinged over like a good morning and really liked how it hit the hamstrings and glutes. I find that I feel it mostly in the posterior chain while performing it but in the upper back the next day.
I've been looking for ideas on how to improve my deadlift a bit. Just purchased your Superior Deadlift book. I wanted to say thanks for all the info. I've never used Romanians but I'm looking forward to incorporating these seriously after reading your book and watching your videos. Thanks again man.
Two biggest cues that fixed my deadlift were scapular position (working on protraction and depression without much T-spine rounding) and rib down bracing. In my experience, these two factors go hand in hand, and it has totally changed my setup and strength off the floor. In the same vein, working on pulling out slack aggressively has really helped off the floor. I used to never get sore in my lower body from deadlifts, and now after fixing my setup, my glutes and hamstrings are consistently disrupted, if not outright DOMS-ridden, after a deadlift volume session. No lower back pain, tightness, or soreness. For reference, I'm a taller lifter with a long-ish torso. I used to do a lot of deficit DL as my primary accessory since I thought would improve my power off the floor, but it wasn't my lower body limiting my strength, it was 100% my setup and brace. I've found RDL to be the best deadlift accessory.
I've consistently been one to not take the bracing aspect serious enough. Really eye-opening about the pelvis and ribcage stuff. Ive also been bad at doing my core work bc I hate it... Paying for it now with lower back pain bc max attempt deadlifts that were not so sound. Anyway my question was about the plank: I start shaking after 5 seconds or less when I commit to a rock hard brace. I loose it not long after and get soft. Is it better to take a short rest and go at it in sets of 5-10 seconds, lets say making the total time about 1-2 minutes?
Loooove zercher squats. Front squats (barbell, not harness or safety bar), will have a similar effect, especially beltless. Just make sure the soreness is from keeping posture and not fatiguing into a rounded back.
I will say this about the bent over row, with body English... I did strict rows for a long time maybe years .. and really didn't get a lot out of them... and killed my back... So I added in some heavy rows with body English or cheating ,,and every thing got better... especially my grip.. I still do the strict rows but I really love heavy rows with some cheating...
The SSB pushes the weight forward which heavily taxes your upper back when used on a good morning. There really isn't another way to reproduce that effect on a good morning that I'm aware of. Straight bar good mornings will still hit the upper back to a degree and you can intensify the effect by putting a tempo on it and pausing at the bottom.
@@AlexanderBromley how do you see heavy block pulls from just below knees to target upper back? I think if torso goes close to parallel at start then it can be good alternate to good mornings
My sticking point is just below the knee. I can get the weight off the floor but that's where my issues are...would that be hip or lower back issue? Maybe good mornings would help with this? I can do hyperextensions all day doesn't seem to matter for me.
Assuming your setup is tight and you dont slip into a rounded back position as you fatigue, its hip, specifically hammies. You can attack the muscle with stiff leg deads, rdls, HEAVY back extensions, band assisted ghd or good old fashioned ham curls (try hitting 20s with a 30 second stretch in between). Or you can attack the position with block pulls or pause deads at the knee, light and quick for a lot of sets, taking several weeks to get heavy. GMs are great, use a cambered bar and you will feel all of it in your hips.
Superb content mate! Im probably a bit thick, but if the weight comes of the floor with OK speed, then I struggle with the lockout, that means it's a bracing issue or not necessarily?
I got patellar tendonitis and can't train quads at all, so I guess I'll go all-in on deads this winter. I thank the all-mighty that I at least can do conventional deadlifts pain free. Edit: I find front squats and front rack holds to be amazing for deadlifts, if your weak point is the upper back.
Im sure youve fixed this issue by now, but i found heavy squats and hack squats helped all but cure my patellar tendonitis. I just had to warm up with “deadmill” before hand and stretch
dude this channel hits me literally perfect i was making analogies to armwrestling to what you've been saying in mutliple videos and then you fucking drop an analogy to it yourself wtf
I have to set my hips really low, trying to find the perfect height, but when I focus on leg driving through the floor I feel so incredibly strong I don’t even feel the weight
The problem with rack pulls is that (even subconsciously) people start in a way more upright position than a deadlift, so it doesn’t really transfer well unless it’s such a low rack pull it’s essentially a block pull. This however can also be the reason some people are so much better at rack pulls.
I gave up on deadlifts because I can't put more than two plates without breaking my fucking back. Honestly so frustrating. I love the exercise so much but I had to stop it. Same with squats. My lower back is just fucked I think. I switched to sumo deadlift and I lift 4 plates on each side with all the strength in my body without causing any more damage. That was the unfortunate solution i was able to find.
I used to do deadlift better 2 years ago than today. Not sure what happened but nowadays I am using more lower back than my legs. I think I have to blame my sitting position 12h job, my ass looks like it belongs to a young Latina dancer, it's that tilted.
To anyone who reads this: at 10:00 Bromley talks about bracing, there's a video on @megsquats channel called "Don't be a domer", it explains how to engage your TVA muscles - it's a game changer for taking your deadlifts to the next level
You have really upped your stick figure game👍
Just discovered your channel. Love the simplistic "no fluff" content.
I agree!
Very good content! No BS and "woho". It's reason, intelligence and experience
Lol I think you mean "woo-woo".
Every time I do deficit deadlifts, it’s like everything gets super powered the next week. My sticking point is always off the ground.
Thats a great place to be!! Mine is just below my knees 🤦🏻♂️ feels like its going up then bang bye bye 😂
I found an exercise that I really like for upper back stability and strength. I call it the Zertcher morning. I found it almost by accident. I was just trying different movements with the bar across my elbows like a Zertcher squat. I hinged over like a good morning and really liked how it hit the hamstrings and glutes. I find that I feel it mostly in the posterior chain while performing it but in the upper back the next day.
They're great!
They are deffo a mindset........
I've been looking for ideas on how to improve my deadlift a bit. Just purchased your Superior Deadlift book. I wanted to say thanks for all the info. I've never used Romanians but I'm looking forward to incorporating these seriously after reading your book and watching your videos. Thanks again man.
I like your channel man! It just came up on my youtube feed, like a hidden gem. Keep doing what you do.
Thank you thank you thank you ! You deserve more followers man! Road to 100k!!
I appreciate it!
Two biggest cues that fixed my deadlift were scapular position (working on protraction and depression without much T-spine rounding) and rib down bracing. In my experience, these two factors go hand in hand, and it has totally changed my setup and strength off the floor.
In the same vein, working on pulling out slack aggressively has really helped off the floor.
I used to never get sore in my lower body from deadlifts, and now after fixing my setup, my glutes and hamstrings are consistently disrupted, if not outright DOMS-ridden, after a deadlift volume session. No lower back pain, tightness, or soreness. For reference, I'm a taller lifter with a long-ish torso.
I used to do a lot of deficit DL as my primary accessory since I thought would improve my power off the floor, but it wasn't my lower body limiting my strength, it was 100% my setup and brace. I've found RDL to be the best deadlift accessory.
Can you please elaborate more on the the protracting and protacting the t spine
Alexander, great post! I have hurt my back from Deadlifts in the past because I didn't focus on stability first.
This was more helpful than any glossy video I've watched (which is a lot). Thank you!
+1 highly recommended video!
great tips and information :)
I have that comic issue of xmen. It's thr Jim Lee cover from thr 90s!!
Exactly the video I needed!
I always fail right before the knees. Thanks for this video
Nice video, thank you.
Great videos.
New viewr here great content Bromley! I'm an old fu..er been "lifting" now a long trying to fix what's broke. Much appreciated!
Really nice channel man. Learn a lot from you!
"a Jack gentleman at the bottom position of a deadlift"." Fantastic
Great video. So informative, thank you
wonderful content
Great video, made me question what I could do to get my deadlift stronger.
Seriously good video
Really great information
fantastic video
I've consistently been one to not take the bracing aspect serious enough. Really eye-opening about the pelvis and ribcage stuff.
Ive also been bad at doing my core work bc I hate it... Paying for it now with lower back pain bc max attempt deadlifts that were not so sound.
Anyway my question was about the plank: I start shaking after 5 seconds or less when I commit to a rock hard brace. I loose it not long after and get soft.
Is it better to take a short rest and go at it in sets of 5-10 seconds, lets say making the total time about 1-2 minutes?
I wish this would have been answered. I feel this comment so hard.
Can you maybe do a 12 week strength peaking program and do videos like this to add with it?
What about Zercher Squats. When i go heavy on them is the only time i got doms in the upper back
Loooove zercher squats. Front squats (barbell, not harness or safety bar), will have a similar effect, especially beltless. Just make sure the soreness is from keeping posture and not fatiguing into a rounded back.
Front squats have the same effect but seems less fatiguing for me... also doesn’t hurt my arms lol
so informative
I will say this about the bent over row, with body English... I did strict rows for a long time maybe years .. and really didn't get a lot out of them... and killed my back... So I added in some heavy rows with body English or cheating ,,and every thing got better... especially my grip.. I still do the strict rows but I really love heavy rows with some cheating...
Awesome video! What would be a good replacement for SSB good morning if you do not have access to a SSB?
The SSB pushes the weight forward which heavily taxes your upper back when used on a good morning. There really isn't another way to reproduce that effect on a good morning that I'm aware of. Straight bar good mornings will still hit the upper back to a degree and you can intensify the effect by putting a tempo on it and pausing at the bottom.
1 AMRAP of buying an SS yoke bar from elitefts
@@AlexanderBromley how do you see heavy block pulls from just below knees to target upper back? I think if torso goes close to parallel at start then it can be good alternate to good mornings
Hey Alexander. I have a question:
I had multiple SI joint issues after my deadlifts and now I want to start again.
What would you do in that case?
See a specialist
“You can even go higher than that if youre a sadist” 😂😂😂😂😂
My sticking point is just below the knee. I can get the weight off the floor but that's where my issues are...would that be hip or lower back issue? Maybe good mornings would help with this? I can do hyperextensions all day doesn't seem to matter for me.
Assuming your setup is tight and you dont slip into a rounded back position as you fatigue, its hip, specifically hammies. You can attack the muscle with stiff leg deads, rdls, HEAVY back extensions, band assisted ghd or good old fashioned ham curls (try hitting 20s with a 30 second stretch in between). Or you can attack the position with block pulls or pause deads at the knee, light and quick for a lot of sets, taking several weeks to get heavy. GMs are great, use a cambered bar and you will feel all of it in your hips.
@@AlexanderBromley awesome thanks man. Well definitely try these.
Love this
Superb content mate! Im probably a bit thick, but if the weight comes of the floor with OK speed, then I struggle with the lockout, that means it's a bracing issue or not necessarily?
Do you let your back round somewhat at the bottom? A flatter back makes lockout easier.
I got patellar tendonitis and can't train quads at all, so I guess I'll go all-in on deads this winter. I thank the all-mighty that I at least can do conventional deadlifts pain free.
Edit:
I find front squats and front rack holds to be amazing for deadlifts, if your weak point is the upper back.
Im sure youve fixed this issue by now, but i found heavy squats and hack squats helped all but cure my patellar tendonitis. I just had to warm up with “deadmill” before hand and stretch
This Video is great and all...but the real highlight is that x-men shirt lol
dude this channel hits me literally perfect i was making analogies to armwrestling to what you've been saying in mutliple videos and then you fucking drop an analogy to it yourself wtf
Could you use pin squats be used instead of a box squat?
Has x-men shirt, must be legit!
The free download is not available.
I have to set my hips really low, trying to find the perfect height, but when I focus on leg driving through the floor I feel so incredibly strong I don’t even feel the weight
This may be a dumb train of thought on my part, but would it be beneficial or too much to brace while ruck marching?
Too much. Walking is all posture - you want to be as tall and relaxed as possible.
Hello mister Jacked Gentleman
Didn't mention grip strength
Hi Alaxander what about Rack Pulls?
The problem with rack pulls is that (even subconsciously) people start in a way more upright position than a deadlift, so it doesn’t really transfer well unless it’s such a low rack pull it’s essentially a block pull. This however can also be the reason some people are so much better at rack pulls.
I gave up on deadlifts because I can't put more than two plates without breaking my fucking back. Honestly so frustrating. I love the exercise so much but I had to stop it. Same with squats. My lower back is just fucked I think. I switched to sumo deadlift and I lift 4 plates on each side with all the strength in my body without causing any more damage. That was the unfortunate solution i was able to find.
Is this for conventional only?
Or we can use it to assist sumo work
Fear of back rounding is killing your gains.
deadlifts drain my glutes more than anything
Thought the video was rewinding a few times at about the one minute mark. So its very important to be aware...
Hard to imagine someone who fails anywhere other than off the ground for me
I used to do deadlift better 2 years ago than today. Not sure what happened but nowadays I am using more lower back than my legs.
I think I have to blame my sitting position 12h job, my ass looks like it belongs to a young Latina dancer, it's that tilted.
100th like
Didnt know this video got 100 views lol