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@alexander bromley i been stuck doing 245 workingset of 3x5 for the whole year no straps. What do you think my 3rm is? Also what can I do better… use straps?
Sure do! 5 years into what I will call "my gym membership' up to now since it turns out I don't know shit. I'm a guy that got ahead of myself through excitement. But, I love it so I'm starting from scratch with a few movements is actually gonna be fun.
Last year I pulled ~450 lbs and then took deadlifts out of my rotation. Did 3x8 good mornings, RDLs, and different types of rows for a few months, and first time back deadlifting pulled 500. New gym has a reverse hyper and GHR which I've never used before, I would think a similar result is possible.
Imagine how much more it would have gone up in that time if you kept at least 1 deadlift day in still while hammering those other accessories. Probably would have been 525+ all things considered
Don't let perfect be the enemy of good. A lot of people intuit that if you maintain some type of specific work in the midst of some off-season cycle that it's better, like keeping in some singles in volume phases. That pattern of though is how people get to concurrent training where you just do everything all at once. Could very well be that the recovery from not deadlifting allowed growth that wouldn't have occurred otherwise. When you see a 50lb jump in a few months, don't try to figure out how you could have made it 75.
@@AlexanderBromley I’m not saying I disagree with you. However someone who is sub 500 on deadlift in most cases could become somewhat detrained in the movement with a long term hiatus from preforming it. Keeping one deadlift day doesn’t mean you have to be performing heavy singles. It could be something as simple as 60% for speed reps to work on technique and speed while also keeping fatigue low. Theres obviously many ways to skin a cat which is as true for training. The point of my comment wasn’t to take away from gaining 50 pounds on deadlifting because that is an amazing achievement.
People hate doing rows? The fuck I love barbell rows, rowing 365 for reps feels incredible, working on 405 Nothing like gripping and ripping, Krofk rows too hell yeah brother
RDLs have excellent carry over to locking out both sumo and conventional deadlifts. I'm at 650 on deads and I use 315 for sets of 10 on RDL. I love following RDLs with lying hamstring curls to build hamstring size and strength.
How slow are doing your RDLs? I ask because I hit 355 for a top set of 12 and I really don't think I could pull 600, maybe a bit over 520ish though. But I feel like I can get almost as much from the movement if I drop 100lbs off of it and do much slower and even paused reps
@@stephen8996 I do a 3 second eccentric, concentric is faster but not all out explosive. I pause at the top and squeeze the glutes hard for a second. Lots of TUT.
@@DNO_Fitness fair enough that's almost exactly what I do unless I'm going for an amrap and just keep the hinges clean but without as much emphasis on lowering and pausing
Glad to see rows mentioned here. I remember when I used to wrestle the strongest guys I trained with all had one thing in common; a huge upper back. I think pendlay rows helped my deadlift a lot but I also think rows offer some of the best functional brute strength for athletes.
Picked up the paperback versions of Base and Peak Strength this week -- just wanted to say thanks for writing them. It's nice to see someone demystify programming in a way that's really easy to understand and not full of a bunch of gimmicks or trying to push one specific training methodology.
I'm so glad I was told about all these movements when I started lifting at 16yrs, especially RDL's, GM's, BOR and Hyperextenions. Upper back in general I think is overlooked too. Even though I missed years of lifting, (still did pull ups/chin ups & dips) these accessory movements do build a great base, so when I did get back on that horse I was a lot stronger then I thought I was gonna be lol. Even though I'm by no means a world class lifter, I love the gym! It's such a great way to handle depression 😃
I've only tried RDLs once and did a pathetic weight. I'll start adding these back in with bigger weight. My main assistance has always been stiff leg DLs; GMs were always a squat assistance for me.
The line should probably be drawn for barbells rows in that they are probably have a more synergistic carryover to deadlifting because of the need for a strong posterior chain to hold your body stable, while also providing an upper back stimulus, but if you want to just grow your upper back, cable and machine variations are just as valid and have their place. It’s really a spectrum of specificity at the end of the day I would say. That being said, I could try to do more Dumbell Rows or even Seal Rows!
I can't speak highly enough of this video. I peaked with my max DL years ago and spent ages trying to force my way past to no avail. I stopped deadliftong and worked an accessory exercises and it helped so much. Hyer ys and hammy curls
Hypers/back extensions are one of my go-to deadlift accessories; I genuinely attribute my smooth lockout to that movement. You got me with the barbell rows, though... I used to hate them, but have been trying to incorporate them lately. Literally did any other type of row just to avoid having to be in that bent over position and holding it for a prolonged time. But I'm getting accustomed to them... hopefully, they'll do something positive for me.
I automatically found RDLs to be more maintainable in a program(fatigue) so I switched to RDLs and actively progressed them. My grip and deadlift max went up pretty fast.
Awesome tips. One of the best things i've incorporated was zercher good mornings to help with my bracing & core strength since that was always a weight point
Great presentation. For my training (41 ys old), I am a weightlifting hobbiest/enthusiast. It has always been my favorite form of exercise. That said, I have also considered the DL as king of all exercises, since I was in my early 20s. It is the most functional for everyday life movements and can prevent injury when you're lifting a box, or furniture, or your girlfriend. Additionally, it's a total shred for the posterior chain. Thanks to John Meadows' videos and legitimate folks like this video, I have rearranged my back/pull days to work from the upper back to the hams in one session, doing two sessions in a given week (noting recovery, of course). In my older years of lifting, I found that heavy back should be my third or fourth exercise, with the first two or three being "supported" or iso movements for the upper back, lats and hams (I also warm up for 5-10 minutes on a cardio machine that hits these, plus glutes). Heavy movements are then either a DL, RDL, Pendlay, or BB/DB row, finishing the workout with a couple "easier" iso movements for the glutes/hams, like KB swings, bridges, and then hypers or now reverse hypers. I find this gives me enough warm-up to get to those heavy lifts, with enough energy to sustain the rest of the day. Next Pull day, I will do whatever movements I didn't get to do the session before. Example: DL one day, RDLs, the next, sometimes even two smaller sets of two heavy movements. But, I think it is important not to kill your back with a ton of unsupported rows and heavy pulls. This method of pyramiding up and down has worked well for the last year. I lost 50 lbs, several inches around my neck and waist, and became really improved strength and stamina, even in everyday life. I gained a lof "covid era weight" and now that is gone. I love coming across solid videos like this to keep the ideas flowing and learn new approaches, or to reinforce some of the priorities in a program. This material is much better than the sales pitches you see on IG, where every week a new exercise completely snatched someone's waist, or rippled their back, while they use lighting and clothing tricks to convince everyone of their bullshit. Great job explaining the detail here and nice to come across a true pro's instruction.
Great video once again , the shoulder training video u put out is gold my strict OHP is steadily getting better from all the types of over pressing and front raises You had suggested !
The best movements for me for pushing my conventional up are: -RDL -Weighted decline situps (could sub in any heavy ab work but I like these) -Hip thrust machine (I started doing them mainly just out of curiosity but they really have made it easier to push my hips through at the top). -Safety bar squats
There are also just very few things more sickeningly badass than heavy bent rows. I’ve been hitting some conventional deadlift prs near the mid 500s, all pretty smooth and fast. But what really got people’s attention was my 315 x 4 pendlay row pr, minimal body english, beltless. Always funny when people wonder how I don’t have back pain, when they’re watching me do the exercises that are responsible
@@eskim0brand Bro what!!!??? How you get so strong at rows? Heaviest I've gone was 135lb for 3x10 last week, but my deadlift max is probably around 345(testing next week).
@sejo5057 Great but not freak genetics for strong lats and a shitload of work. Best thing I'd recommend is to get your lats strong to move the weight and your core and lower back to support it in a static hold. Pullups by volume, then Weighted Pullups, Inverted Rows, solid Benchpress to keep things even in the same plane of movement. I spend a decent amount of time firing up, and maintaining mobility for my rotator cuffs and wrists. I'm 170lbs for some context
Really enjoyed this video, excellent reminder of how important and conducive to growth (in terms of deadlift performance) the RDL and rows are, i will keep these lessons in mind as i return to a consistent training schedule. Thank you for continually inspiring and providing us with content!
Been hitting hammies real hard recently to try to benefit my deadlift. I think I may have fallen into the habit of using rdls as too much of a mind muscle exercise and worrying about keeping 'textbook' form. I've pulled 585 and I don't think I've ever done a set of rdls at over 225.... thanks for the knowledge.
I totally agree that people sandbag RDLs. So much so that as a beginner i seriously questioned if i was doing it wrong because I was busy RDLing 2 plates when the bigger guys next to me are doing 135-185.
Thanks for the advice ! Revers hypers really helping me with my low back strength! Hopefully I can see more of ur vids with other things I need help on
I'm big on doing upper back focused rows for a block or two and then doing lat focused rows for a block or two. One day in the 8-10 rep range and the other day in the 12-15 with a deficit or a pause at peak contraction - being almost parallel to the floor is key here.
I agree with the rows being apart of a good deadlift. I row around 200lbs for 10 reps give or take a rep and how I feel that day. Trying to get to that 1000lb deadlift club 😊
glad to know i’m doing pretty much all this already, god i wish my gym had a reverse hyper tho i might just have to pull the trigger and get one for the home gym
I don't think it's the magic pill Lou sold it as, but if you have specific trouble getting your erectors/low back to catch up I think it's great. I was skeptical for a lot of years. I recommned getting the Titan economy one; I think I caught it on sale and got it $350 shipped, though that was a few years ago. Its plenty sturdy.
I have a mental block for deadlifts at the moment. Just hit 585 and pulled a hamstring, and hurt my low back running a marathon. The injury primarily came from a squat mis-spot. One of the guys “helped” me rack the weights after I completed the lift and it tweaked my low back.
@@apeleverages And unlike regular deficit deadlifts the lift becomes way harder for every inch. I'm touching resting the bar on top of my shoes, maybe I can get 1 more inch.
@@apeleverages 3-4 second eccentrics, really pulling the hips back at the bottom. I've had many hamstring pulls and the soreness I get deep inside my right hamstring feels like it's piercing deep in the scar tissue regions. I've only done 2 sets a workout and even that is tough.
@@ProphetFear yeah managing the fatigue with those can be a little tougher. I think the volume really has to be get out if you’re increasing the weight but the reward is definitely worth it once you find out a recoverable strategy
To make good mornings even better, place safety pins at the rack at the height that would be at the bottom of the movement. When descending, try to lower the bar and rest it there for a 1 second, while maintaining core/spine tensions. Then, explode using your glutes and driving upper back into the bar behind you, toes jammed into the ground.
So should I stop deadlifting completely for a while and do these accessories instead, because deadlift takes a huge toll on my recovery and I notice I'm hitting a plateau in this movement? I will still develop my deadlift doing those right, especially rdls and Barbell rows? Btw I'm surprised you didn't mention pull-ups or lat pull downs in this category bur overall very valuable info, thanks.
You don’t have to deadlift to build the muscles involved in the deadlift, old school Westside lifters rarely pulled from the floor and there were quite a few 7-800lb pullers. I would say that is it a terrible idea to skip deadlifts completely. You do need to do them to actually be efficient at the movement. Either that is a submax top single and some back offs or a set of 5, it really doesn’t matter and it’s up to you but it’s worth keeping some pulls from the floor in there. Also saying things like I can’t recover from x’y’z is pretty deterministic. Toughen up and smarten up.
Always great content Bromley. Been taking a break from powerlifting to do muay thai and bodybuilding, but when you were training me you introduced me to a lot of annoying ass movements that definitely pay off big time if you can drag yourself to put in the work.
Looking to find fitness again at 50. Cycling aka bike riding was my thing. So here I am back In the garage working on deadlifts and spinning. The mountain is taller than a remember but I think I can make it.
Stiff legs and rdl’s are life. Ghr and reverse hyper have been a staple for me for about 6-8 months after squats and deads and the difference has been huge. The good girl bad girl machine has been big for me too in helping my hips feel less beat up and helping develop the adductors
GVS preaches on this. Abductors and adductors are very good for size and strength of the legs, and they're often overlooked, and instead they'll train quads and hams and call it a day.
Grate video. Funny enough i've been doing these exact movements in my training, to work my spinal erectors, lower back ect. and i improved deadlift max by 20 kilos in 2 weeks without doing any deadlifting meanwhile.
Barbell finger curls has been really big for my deadlift. My grip is easily the weakest part of the deadlift, so a movement that strengthens my whole grip & hypertrophies my forearms more than a rack pull
It made me pretty happy when you said a 600lbs deadlifter should be RDLing in the 400s. I recently did a 418lb 3x6 on RDLs nice and deep and haven't hit a max since i was at 350 for 3x8 on RDLs (which granted me a 517 dead at the time). Hoping this increase translates to something even remotely close to 600. Haha!!
This is awesome dude. Just started learning deadlift liftin light as hell (so I don’t get jacked up lol) going to start incorporating these into my program.
I'm interested in the deadlift to bulletproof my back. I've had too many back spasms and I'm tired of it. So I started training the lift. So far I'm at 255x8 for the Romanian deadlift up from 125x6 and I feel WAY better in my back!
Any tips on overuse issues in the bicep at the shoulder from heavy power rowing such as Kroc Rows? My biceps have been killing me during presses and bicep isolation and especially during the power rows? Do them more strict for a while? Cut out a little isolation for a while?
Do isometric single arm hammer curl and bicep curls, at mid range position, 3-5 sets of 45 secs every day, to a fairly hard effort, as long as you feel minimal pain. if the upper tendon hurts, trying putting the elbow against the torso, like a preacher
Have you considered just doing a deload or doing more light work assuming you're fucking up some tendon or ligament? Nothing should be fucked up like that
Rows are fucking godly. Big heavy ass barbell rows. strict on the warm up sets, little bit of momentum on the heavy sets. That's how U get strong. Let yo nuts hang out
Not on barbell rows; the weight is light so it's a great opportunity to get reps in where you are bracing without a belt. For RDLs, do 90% of them beltless. Save it for when you start really pushing them; heavy sets of 5 reps or less.
Might try some good mornings after squats tomorrow (main squat / quad day & secondary deadlift / hamstring day except no deadlifting lol) I’ve never tried good mornings honestly (except from the fact that my squats for years had a good morning out of the hole) If good mornings give me a strong hamstring pump then that would cover some deadlift muscle work without additional fatigue having to pull off floor since I’m doing deadlifts later in week. Also doing some deep ass BB rows too, should be a nasty combo
Nice video Bromley! Just wanted to say thank you for all the amazing content you put out. I've made pretty good gains across the board using volume phases that I drew together from a few of your past videos. I am working on getting my lagging lower body up to snuff. What would you suggest as a replacement for reverse hypers and back extensions towards the end of the video? I'm training in a home gym at the moment with decent equipment but missing those. Also any ideas for quad development for someone who has a bone spur blocking their ankle? Do I just do all my squats with a plate under my foot? Lol. Thank you for the amazing content as always!
I program myself for 4 different lifts - deadlift, bench, squat, and clean and press with at least a day in between. Can I safely program a row variation on all 4 days?
Would doing Straight-legged RDLs be helpful for deadlifts as well? Perhaps even as a substitute to RDLs if one wanted to really isolate and work on the hamstrings and glutes? Would these be helpful in increasing DLs? Thanks!
You have to consider the fact that an SLDL starts from a deadstop, which is exactly the opposite of what makes RDLs RDLs. From a hypertrophic and (powerlifting) strength standpoint they are pretty much close however. Some people do feel their hamstring a lot more in stiff legged deadlifts though. I'd say that SLDLs give you bigger stimulus per unit of volume, but RDLs are easier to recover from. If you are an athlete, however, or coming from an injury, or trying to have something that won't beat you as bad, then RDLs are definitely the better option, especially since they allow you to train while utilizing the stretch reflex cycle (aka the bounce at the bottom). Very important for jumping and other athletic endeavors. And a stable in olympic weightlifting because of how it doesn't interfere with nailing down clean pulling mechanics. As for the mobility and flexibility part you can always increase ROM in an RDL, or round your back/bend your knees during an SLDL to reach the ground (making the extra ROM useless for hamstring development). The thing that truly differentiates the two is the starting position and the pause at the bottom.
^^^ What OSigma said. SLDLs are a great deadlift variation, but having to float the weight and control the change of direction at the bottom is one of the most valuable parts of the RDL. Also posture gets heavily emphasized the whole way through, where many will let their back dump just a bit to accomodate getting to the floor on an SLDL.
@@AlexanderBromley so the only problem I see with the stiff leg is letting the posture slip in order to reach the floor as well as reaching the floor in the first place instead of letting the weight hover. Correct?
What do you think how mich weight is good for good mornings with a straight bar ? I am doing good mornings regularly and serious since a month and already getting benefits of learning how to brace and getting the elbows in the right spot (More in line with the trunk to prevent the bar from rolling) for the squat 🙂
Hey Alex, just found your channel and I’m enjoying the content and training tips. Will give the banded back extensions a shot tomorrow. Do you have any guidelines on how much someone should Be able to good morning with around a 500 pound deadlift? I have a pretty long torso and I’ve always found the GM to be really uncomfortable. I love doing RDLs though! Been repping 315 on those, need to grind that a bit higher.
Great video as usual !! Do you think all these are necessary if your doing strongman events weekly..without going overboard and doing too much ? Thanks
Thanks for the video! Useful information as always! I rotate Rows, RDL, and hip thrust in one of my slots for pull, every 6-8 weeks or so. Helps tremendously.
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@alexander bromley i been stuck doing 245 workingset of 3x5 for the whole year no straps. What do you think my 3rm is? Also what can I do better… use straps?
Sure do! 5 years into what I will call "my gym membership' up to now since it turns out I don't know shit. I'm a guy that got ahead of myself through excitement. But, I love it so I'm starting from scratch with a few movements is actually gonna be fun.
Last year I pulled ~450 lbs and then took deadlifts out of my rotation. Did 3x8 good mornings, RDLs, and different types of rows for a few months, and first time back deadlifting pulled 500. New gym has a reverse hyper and GHR which I've never used before, I would think a similar result is possible.
Same thing happened to me for my first time from 400lb to 450lb
I’d be too stressed to completely take out the deadlifts for a few months. Good work though
Imagine how much more it would have gone up in that time if you kept at least 1 deadlift day in still while hammering those other accessories. Probably would have been 525+ all things considered
Don't let perfect be the enemy of good. A lot of people intuit that if you maintain some type of specific work in the midst of some off-season cycle that it's better, like keeping in some singles in volume phases. That pattern of though is how people get to concurrent training where you just do everything all at once.
Could very well be that the recovery from not deadlifting allowed growth that wouldn't have occurred otherwise. When you see a 50lb jump in a few months, don't try to figure out how you could have made it 75.
@@AlexanderBromley I’m not saying I disagree with you. However someone who is sub 500 on deadlift in most cases could become somewhat detrained in the movement with a long term hiatus from preforming it. Keeping one deadlift day doesn’t mean you have to be performing heavy singles. It could be something as simple as 60% for speed reps to work on technique and speed while also keeping fatigue low. Theres obviously many ways to skin a cat which is as true for training. The point of my comment wasn’t to take away from gaining 50 pounds on deadlifting because that is an amazing achievement.
LATE FOR CLASS, LOOKS LIKE IM ABOUT TO BE 15 MINUTES LATER 😎😎💪🏻💪🏻
You are in the class listening to this.
@@thestrongmanhistorian n-n-nnoooo😳
Take your wins, where you will
Go to ur class bro, the vid will still be here when u finish class lol
Need a video like this for squats too.
Agreed!!
Yes!
Yes
Yes!
Would be a short video. "Squat More", then roll credits
People hate doing rows? The fuck
I love barbell rows, rowing 365 for reps feels incredible, working on 405
Nothing like gripping and ripping, Krofk rows too hell yeah brother
RDLs have excellent carry over to locking out both sumo and conventional deadlifts. I'm at 650 on deads and I use 315 for sets of 10 on RDL. I love following RDLs with lying hamstring curls to build hamstring size and strength.
Me too, I'm currently doing 3 x 5 for RDL and 1 x 20 to get some nice pump
How slow are doing your RDLs? I ask because I hit 355 for a top set of 12 and I really don't think I could pull 600, maybe a bit over 520ish though. But I feel like I can get almost as much from the movement if I drop 100lbs off of it and do much slower and even paused reps
@@stephen8996 I do a 3 second eccentric, concentric is faster but not all out explosive. I pause at the top and squeeze the glutes hard for a second. Lots of TUT.
@@DNO_Fitness fair enough that's almost exactly what I do unless I'm going for an amrap and just keep the hinges clean but without as much emphasis on lowering and pausing
@@stephen8996 I should mention I rarely do RDLs fresh. I add them after squats/deads. That's partly why the weight is lower.
Glad to see rows mentioned here. I remember when I used to wrestle the strongest guys I trained with all had one thing in common; a huge upper back. I think pendlay rows helped my deadlift a lot but I also think rows offer some of the best functional brute strength for athletes.
Picked up the paperback versions of Base and Peak Strength this week -- just wanted to say thanks for writing them. It's nice to see someone demystify programming in a way that's really easy to understand and not full of a bunch of gimmicks or trying to push one specific training methodology.
I'm so glad I was told about all these movements when I started lifting at 16yrs, especially RDL's, GM's, BOR and Hyperextenions. Upper back in general I think is overlooked too.
Even though I missed years of lifting, (still did pull ups/chin ups & dips) these accessory movements do build a great base, so when I did get back on that horse I was a lot stronger then I thought I was gonna be lol.
Even though I'm by no means a world class lifter, I love the gym! It's such a great way to handle depression 😃
Dude, your channel and Wennings are the two most understated in all of fitness and ALL of TH-cam! Great video brother
I appreciate that!
Pete Rubish and Ben Pollack too! Bromley's channel is one of my favourite!
@@paavoilves5416 Pollack is great - he lives in my area too. Pete’s alright
I use weighted back extension for my track athletes and seen great improvement especially coming out of the blocks
man you have no idea how excited I get when you post this informational gold!
I've only tried RDLs once and did a pathetic weight. I'll start adding these back in with bigger weight.
My main assistance has always been stiff leg DLs; GMs were always a squat assistance for me.
1 out of every 3 max effort squat days should be a good morning variant, minimum
Training vs testing is a great point
The line should probably be drawn for barbells rows in that they are probably have a more synergistic carryover to deadlifting because of the need for a strong posterior chain to hold your body stable, while also providing an upper back stimulus, but if you want to just grow your upper back, cable and machine variations are just as valid and have their place. It’s really a spectrum of specificity at the end of the day I would say. That being said, I could try to do more Dumbell Rows or even Seal Rows!
I can't speak highly enough of this video. I peaked with my max DL years ago and spent ages trying to force my way past to no avail. I stopped deadliftong and worked an accessory exercises and it helped so much. Hyer ys and hammy curls
Hypers/back extensions are one of my go-to deadlift accessories; I genuinely attribute my smooth lockout to that movement. You got me with the barbell rows, though... I used to hate them, but have been trying to incorporate them lately. Literally did any other type of row just to avoid having to be in that bent over position and holding it for a prolonged time. But I'm getting accustomed to them... hopefully, they'll do something positive for me.
45 Degree back raises for the win!
I automatically found RDLs to be more maintainable in a program(fatigue) so I switched to RDLs and actively progressed them. My grip and deadlift max went up pretty fast.
Awesome tips. One of the best things i've incorporated was zercher good mornings to help with my bracing & core strength since that was always a weight point
Great presentation. For my training (41 ys old), I am a weightlifting hobbiest/enthusiast. It has always been my favorite form of exercise. That said, I have also considered the DL as king of all exercises, since I was in my early 20s. It is the most functional for everyday life movements and can prevent injury when you're lifting a box, or furniture, or your girlfriend. Additionally, it's a total shred for the posterior chain.
Thanks to John Meadows' videos and legitimate folks like this video, I have rearranged my back/pull days to work from the upper back to the hams in one session, doing two sessions in a given week (noting recovery, of course). In my older years of lifting, I found that heavy back should be my third or fourth exercise, with the first two or three being "supported" or iso movements for the upper back, lats and hams (I also warm up for 5-10 minutes on a cardio machine that hits these, plus glutes). Heavy movements are then either a DL, RDL, Pendlay, or BB/DB row, finishing the workout with a couple "easier" iso movements for the glutes/hams, like KB swings, bridges, and then hypers or now reverse hypers.
I find this gives me enough warm-up to get to those heavy lifts, with enough energy to sustain the rest of the day. Next Pull day, I will do whatever movements I didn't get to do the session before. Example: DL one day, RDLs, the next, sometimes even two smaller sets of two heavy movements. But, I think it is important not to kill your back with a ton of unsupported rows and heavy pulls. This method of pyramiding up and down has worked well for the last year. I lost 50 lbs, several inches around my neck and waist, and became really improved strength and stamina, even in everyday life. I gained a lof "covid era weight" and now that is gone.
I love coming across solid videos like this to keep the ideas flowing and learn new approaches, or to reinforce some of the priorities in a program. This material is much better than the sales pitches you see on IG, where every week a new exercise completely snatched someone's waist, or rippled their back, while they use lighting and clothing tricks to convince everyone of their bullshit. Great job explaining the detail here and nice to come across a true pro's instruction.
Great video once again , the shoulder training video u put out is gold my strict OHP is steadily getting better from all the types of over pressing and front raises You had suggested !
Great to hear!
The best movements for me for pushing my conventional up are:
-RDL
-Weighted decline situps (could sub in any heavy ab work but I like these)
-Hip thrust machine (I started doing them mainly just out of curiosity but they really have made it easier to push my hips through at the top).
-Safety bar squats
I love RDLs. I also like the variant where you just go from ankle to knee , it fries your hamstrings and I think helps with off the floor strength.
Great video, going to implement some of this in my training. Hanging around a 555-560lb deadlift, and want to drive it up over 6 eventually.
There are also just very few things more sickeningly badass than heavy bent rows. I’ve been hitting some conventional deadlift prs near the mid 500s, all pretty smooth and fast. But what really got people’s attention was my 315 x 4 pendlay row pr, minimal body english, beltless. Always funny when people wonder how I don’t have back pain, when they’re watching me do the exercises that are responsible
humble brag
I'm honestly a Row specialist at this point, one year plus plateau on Deadlift at 300lbs and I can hit 255lbs on Rows for reps 💀
@@eskim0brand Bro what!!!??? How you get so strong at rows? Heaviest I've gone was 135lb for 3x10 last week, but my deadlift max is probably around 345(testing next week).
@sejo5057 Great but not freak genetics for strong lats and a shitload of work. Best thing I'd recommend is to get your lats strong to move the weight and your core and lower back to support it in a static hold. Pullups by volume, then Weighted Pullups, Inverted Rows, solid Benchpress to keep things even in the same plane of movement. I spend a decent amount of time firing up, and maintaining mobility for my rotator cuffs and wrists. I'm 170lbs for some context
Really enjoyed this video, excellent reminder of how important and conducive to growth (in terms of deadlift performance) the RDL and rows are, i will keep these lessons in mind as i return to a consistent training schedule.
Thank you for continually inspiring and providing us with content!
Need a video like this for bench! My bench is terrible!!!
Flies, overhead press, and then pin press followed by skullcrushers, kachow accessories
Been hitting hammies real hard recently to try to benefit my deadlift. I think I may have fallen into the habit of using rdls as too much of a mind muscle exercise and worrying about keeping 'textbook' form. I've pulled 585 and I don't think I've ever done a set of rdls at over 225.... thanks for the knowledge.
I totally agree that people sandbag RDLs. So much so that as a beginner i seriously questioned if i was doing it wrong because I was busy RDLing 2 plates when the bigger guys next to me are doing 135-185.
Thanks for the advice ! Revers hypers really helping me with my low back strength! Hopefully I can see more of ur vids with other things I need help on
Thank you so much. Amazing content as always thank you Alexander ..
I'm big on doing upper back focused rows for a block or two and then doing lat focused rows for a block or two. One day in the 8-10 rep range and the other day in the 12-15 with a deficit or a pause at peak contraction - being almost parallel to the floor is key here.
Really amped me up .. great motivation as always to add 🔥 to my workout ..
Also snatch grip deads. Same benefits of a deficit deadlift but with emphasis on the upper back muscles.
I’m on it, Bromley. I’m awarding myself 3x 3-rep pulls of 500 for my 65th birthday.
Ngl I love this dude …thx Brom again for all your info
Excellent!!
Front squats are extremely underrated for developing strength off the floor as well as preventing injury to the back.
what brand of hyperextension machine is he using at 9:35 anyone know ?
great content, thanks
I agree with the rows being apart of a good deadlift. I row around 200lbs for 10 reps give or take a rep and how I feel that day.
Trying to get to that 1000lb deadlift club 😊
This is great information! Thanks!
glad to know i’m doing pretty much all this already, god i wish my gym had a reverse hyper tho i might just have to pull the trigger and get one for the home gym
I don't think it's the magic pill Lou sold it as, but if you have specific trouble getting your erectors/low back to catch up I think it's great. I was skeptical for a lot of years. I recommned getting the Titan economy one; I think I caught it on sale and got it $350 shipped, though that was a few years ago. Its plenty sturdy.
For the second section: what do you recommend for isolation movements if you have a home gym?
I have a mental block for deadlifts at the moment. Just hit 585 and pulled a hamstring, and hurt my low back running a marathon. The injury primarily came from a squat mis-spot. One of the guys “helped” me rack the weights after I completed the lift and it tweaked my low back.
Deficit stiff leg deadlifts and good mornings are all I do really. All else is secondary and tertiary.
Dude deficit stiff legs are the shit. That hamstring stretch is outta this world
@@apeleverages And unlike regular deficit deadlifts the lift becomes way harder for every inch. I'm touching resting the bar on top of my shoes, maybe I can get 1 more inch.
@@ProphetFear I do them the same way bro bar all the way to the feet. Gets really difficult to build that power off the floor
@@apeleverages 3-4 second eccentrics, really pulling the hips back at the bottom. I've had many hamstring pulls and the soreness I get deep inside my right hamstring feels like it's piercing deep in the scar tissue regions. I've only done 2 sets a workout and even that is tough.
@@ProphetFear yeah managing the fatigue with those can be a little tougher. I think the volume really has to be get out if you’re increasing the weight but the reward is definitely worth it once you find out a recoverable strategy
Could you do a video like this for the overhead press?
To make good mornings even better, place safety pins at the rack at the height that would be at the bottom of the movement. When descending, try to lower the bar and rest it there for a 1 second, while maintaining core/spine tensions. Then, explode using your glutes and driving upper back into the bar behind you, toes jammed into the ground.
Awesome video mate cheers from🦘🦘🦘
Great video!!!
So should I stop deadlifting completely for a while and do these accessories instead, because deadlift takes a huge toll on my recovery and I notice I'm hitting a plateau in this movement?
I will still develop my deadlift doing those right, especially rdls and Barbell rows?
Btw I'm surprised you didn't mention pull-ups or lat pull downs in this category bur overall very valuable info, thanks.
You don’t have to deadlift to build the muscles involved in the deadlift, old school Westside lifters rarely pulled from the floor and there were quite a few 7-800lb pullers.
I would say that is it a terrible idea to skip deadlifts completely. You do need to do them to actually be efficient at the movement. Either that is a submax top single and some back offs or a set of 5, it really doesn’t matter and it’s up to you but it’s worth keeping some pulls from the floor in there. Also saying things like I can’t recover from x’y’z is pretty deterministic. Toughen up and smarten up.
Thank you a lot.
Always great content Bromley. Been taking a break from powerlifting to do muay thai and bodybuilding, but when you were training me you introduced me to a lot of annoying ass movements that definitely pay off big time if you can drag yourself to put in the work.
Keep the vids up.
Love the ones like this
Looking to find fitness again at 50. Cycling aka bike riding was my thing. So here I am back In the garage working on deadlifts and spinning. The mountain is taller than a remember but I think I can make it.
Is your Breathing and Bracing book still available somewhere?
Thanks
Stiff legs and rdl’s are life. Ghr and reverse hyper have been a staple for me for about 6-8 months after squats and deads and the difference has been huge. The good girl bad girl machine has been big for me too in helping my hips feel less beat up and helping develop the adductors
GVS preaches on this. Abductors and adductors are very good for size and strength of the legs, and they're often overlooked, and instead they'll train quads and hams and call it a day.
I needed to see this.
Grate video. Funny enough i've been doing these exact movements in my training, to work my spinal erectors, lower back ect. and i improved deadlift max by 20 kilos in 2 weeks without doing any deadlifting meanwhile.
Really cool hat there Bromley hanging on the rack and really good video as usual!
Barbell finger curls has been really big for my deadlift. My grip is easily the weakest part of the deadlift, so a movement that strengthens my whole grip & hypertrophies my forearms more than a rack pull
Push/Pull comp coming up. Will be implementing these tips.
Great video! Very true.
It made me pretty happy when you said a 600lbs deadlifter should be RDLing in the 400s. I recently did a 418lb 3x6 on RDLs nice and deep and haven't hit a max since i was at 350 for 3x8 on RDLs (which granted me a 517 dead at the time). Hoping this increase translates to something even remotely close to 600. Haha!!
This is awesome dude. Just started learning deadlift liftin light as hell (so I don’t get jacked up lol) going to start incorporating these into my program.
Great video and advice.
I'm interested in the deadlift to bulletproof my back. I've had too many back spasms and I'm tired of it. So I started training the lift. So far I'm at 255x8 for the Romanian deadlift up from 125x6 and I feel WAY better in my back!
I love RDLs & GMs I do GMs on Squat Day & RDLs on Deadlift Day.
Back extensions are really great.
Any tips on overuse issues in the bicep at the shoulder from heavy power rowing such as Kroc Rows? My biceps have been killing me during presses and bicep isolation and especially during the power rows? Do them more strict for a while? Cut out a little isolation for a while?
Do isometric single arm hammer curl and bicep curls, at mid range position, 3-5 sets of 45 secs every day, to a fairly hard effort, as long as you feel minimal pain. if the upper tendon hurts, trying putting the elbow against the torso, like a preacher
Have you considered just doing a deload or doing more light work assuming you're fucking up some tendon or ligament? Nothing should be fucked up like that
Needed this!!
Great recommendations...I definitely have to do more RDLs.
Any thoughts on weighted pull-ups?
For back extensions, dumbbells and barbells work very well, can take to to super low reps as well, super good movement.
Would you do all these accessary movements in one training day or in a couple? Because you listed more than 3 exercises?
Rows are fucking godly. Big heavy ass barbell rows. strict on the warm up sets, little bit of momentum on the heavy sets. That's how U get strong. Let yo nuts hang out
Really? Momentum/sway is okay on heavier sets?
@@purpleye2608 Ed coan promotes the use of momentum. good enough for me
Doing a set of 12 rep rdl when do you breathe and brace again or do you hold your breathe the whole time
This is what Coach Blaha does. It would be awesome if Alexander and Coach made a collaboration video together!
Rubish rows are excellent also , back extensions holding a barbell out in front
Would you recommand using belt for RDLs and barbell rows?
Not on barbell rows; the weight is light so it's a great opportunity to get reps in where you are bracing without a belt. For RDLs, do 90% of them beltless. Save it for when you start really pushing them; heavy sets of 5 reps or less.
Would you add pendlay rows to help a deadlift? Would imagine it would help with the power from the floor
I’ll always co-sign a good RDL/SLDL. I recently started messing with the SSB Good Mornings. Keen to get 315 for 10 on those very soon
Of course you're here lol
@@lorenzogiani7190 Bromley is an invaluable resource. I would be a fool not to
Might try some good mornings after squats tomorrow (main squat / quad day & secondary deadlift / hamstring day except no deadlifting lol)
I’ve never tried good mornings honestly (except from the fact that my squats for years had a good morning out of the hole)
If good mornings give me a strong hamstring pump then that would cover some deadlift muscle work without additional fatigue having to pull off floor since I’m doing deadlifts later in week. Also doing some deep ass BB rows too, should be a nasty combo
SSB good mornings are gnarly. Feels like your whole body is getting top rolled lol. At 315 for 10, you're gonna have bread-bowls for erectors.
What is your breathing/bracing like for larger bent over row sets
Nice video Bromley! Just wanted to say thank you for all the amazing content you put out. I've made pretty good gains across the board using volume phases that I drew together from a few of your past videos.
I am working on getting my lagging lower body up to snuff. What would you suggest as a replacement for reverse hypers and back extensions towards the end of the video? I'm training in a home gym at the moment with decent equipment but missing those.
Also any ideas for quad development for someone who has a bone spur blocking their ankle? Do I just do all my squats with a plate under my foot? Lol. Thank you for the amazing content as always!
Definitely gonna try crock rows instead of my cable rows i do on my back day. Great video.
Get ready for sore obliques.
I program myself for 4 different lifts - deadlift, bench, squat, and clean and press with at least a day in between. Can I safely program a row variation on all 4 days?
Amazing video
Would doing Straight-legged RDLs be helpful for deadlifts as well? Perhaps even as a substitute to RDLs if one wanted to really isolate and work on the hamstrings and glutes? Would these be helpful in increasing DLs? Thanks!
I do nordics instead of hamstring curls, garage work around 🤙
Thats better anyways
Would you do your rdls on the same day as your deadlifts ?
Another class video! My hams really blow up doing goodmornings!
Would a stiff leg deadlift have the same results as an RDL? I’ve read somewhere that it just depends on how flexible you are
You have to consider the fact that an SLDL starts from a deadstop, which is exactly the opposite of what makes RDLs RDLs. From a hypertrophic and (powerlifting) strength standpoint they are pretty much close however. Some people do feel their hamstring a lot more in stiff legged deadlifts though. I'd say that SLDLs give you bigger stimulus per unit of volume, but RDLs are easier to recover from.
If you are an athlete, however, or coming from an injury, or trying to have something that won't beat you as bad, then RDLs are definitely the better option, especially since they allow you to train while utilizing the stretch reflex cycle (aka the bounce at the bottom). Very important for jumping and other athletic endeavors. And a stable in olympic weightlifting because of how it doesn't interfere with nailing down clean pulling mechanics.
As for the mobility and flexibility part you can always increase ROM in an RDL, or round your back/bend your knees during an SLDL to reach the ground (making the extra ROM useless for hamstring development). The thing that truly differentiates the two is the starting position and the pause at the bottom.
^^^ What OSigma said. SLDLs are a great deadlift variation, but having to float the weight and control the change of direction at the bottom is one of the most valuable parts of the RDL. Also posture gets heavily emphasized the whole way through, where many will let their back dump just a bit to accomodate getting to the floor on an SLDL.
@@osigma-5713 that’s actually a really good explanation, thank you
@@AlexanderBromley so the only problem I see with the stiff leg is letting the posture slip in order to reach the floor as well as reaching the floor in the first place instead of letting the weight hover. Correct?
Anyone tried rotating variations from workout to workout? Like doing RDLs day one, good mornings day 2, conventional day 3, hip thrusts day 4 etc?
What do you think how mich weight is good for good mornings with a straight bar ? I am doing good mornings regularly and serious since a month and already getting benefits of learning how to brace and getting the elbows in the right spot (More in line with the trunk to prevent the bar from rolling) for the squat 🙂
Hey Alex, just found your channel and I’m enjoying the content and training tips. Will give the banded back extensions a shot tomorrow. Do you have any guidelines on how much someone should
Be able to good morning with around a 500 pound deadlift? I have a pretty long torso and I’ve always found the GM to be really uncomfortable. I love doing RDLs though! Been repping 315 on those, need to grind that a bit higher.
Couldnt agree more
What is your opinion on doing DL with totaly straight legs? Given one is flexible enough
Great video as usual !! Do you think all these are necessary if your doing strongman events weekly..without going overboard and doing too much ? Thanks
Thanks for the video! Useful information as always! I rotate Rows, RDL, and hip thrust in one of my slots for pull, every 6-8 weeks or so. Helps tremendously.
Just found your channel, BadAss!!!!