Gamechanger: Gain 30, Pull 500.

Just to add on to that a bit, max-stim for rack pulls is another viable option as long as you stay on top of your nutrition and sleep so you don't wreck your CNS and by extension, your immune system. Working up to 15 max stim reps on rack pulls with something around a 3-5 RM load will strengthen up your back nicely. I would recommend you do some metabolic work for the erectors and the general back after this. A few sets of 12-15 rep rows or possibly even some hypers would be a good idea.

Or... just do the rack pulls HST style right along with your other lifts. This is also a great idea. It kind of depends on what you respond best to. When I was a few months in to doing rack pulls, I was doing max 1 RM attempts on rack pulls once a month and doing basically 5s or triples on them the rest of the month. My 1 RM kept increasing month after month. Not sure where my logs are for 2010 but I'm pretty sure I eventually pulled an 800 lb single on rack pulls during my bulk the fall of 2010. About a year after that single, I pulled my first >600 lb dead.

As for starting position, I prefer right about kneecap level or slightly above the knee if you want to focus primarily on the top half, which will hit your erectors pretty hard. Obviously there is going to be an impact on glutes and hams as well, so be warned about that part when programming the rest of your routine. Slightly below the kneecap if you want to focus on that changeover point in middle of the deadlift.
 
Thanks for that write up. My legs and hips used to be my weak link, but doing lots of leg presses, its no longer the case. My glutes are really big now. I remember being a skinny teenager with pathetic gluteus muscles, but now my glutes are one of my best muscle features! So now, it's clearly my erectors that need to be strengthened.

What I plan on doing is to do a combination of rack pulls for my back, and leg presses for legs. By driving these lifts up, I will automatically drive up my Deadlift. I am going to really push these lifts, as I am able to hypertrophy all the necessary muscles, without burning out my CNS, as full ROM deads seem to do to me. This way I can make Deadlift gains every workout, without actually doing deads. Then once/ month or so, I can do some full ROM deads to see where I am at.
 
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@Totez/Sci - do you work up to the load for 15 Max Stim reps, ala if my 4RM is 200kg (and it is atm), should I do my obv. work up 140-160-180 and then the 15 reps? Or am I counting 180 ?

Also, guesses for the M-time ?
 
Yes, do the warmups and then once you reach your working load, start counting the reps. It may sound excessive but when I do rack pulls with a 3-5 RM load, I usually start with a 30 second m-time and extend as necessary, which can easily go up to 1-2 minutes m-time by the last rep. If you are working with lower loads or feeling particularly strong that day, you could probably just do 5 sets of triples, clustering as necessary to get all reps.
 
Actually, last question; which bar setting do you think is most effective? If you had to go w/below knee, above knee ... which is best for deadlift improvement? It's asking how long a piece of string is of course, but if you had to do one? Which were you doing with your 600 --> 800lb load progression?
 
I prefer just below knee for rack-pulls as it forces me into a position where posterior chain gets hit hard; knees have to move back just as they would do for deadlift. Above-knee is fine for low back work but I think torso position can be a bit different to deadlift if you're not careful, ie. you can get into more of an upright position and use leg drive once the bar has lifted off the pins, akin to hitching.
 
Below knee will help the deadlift more as that portion of the lift is a major sticking point for many people. The only other big sticking point is getting it off the floor.
 
Below the knee. Hits my back harder that way actually, with my proportions and form, above the knee becomes a sort of squat-shrug. Though I might try it, to see how much I can do that way.

For me, the floor is my sticking point. But working on rack pulls should still work. My hips and quads can push my torso up fine, but lower back has a difficult time locking up the posterior chain once the weight gets above 385 lbs. So I think heavy rack pulls, will strengthen up that weak link of the chain.
 
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Alright, things are going really well with my plan. Ever since I got the foot-lift, my lower back has been feeling fantastic. Now I can push it again, and break some personal records!:D Bodyweight is around 215-216 lbs, I can basically eat whatever I want all day long now without gaining fat, which is pretty awesome.:p

I have a solid workout plan, for the 5s and post-5s, which will basically entail 2x/week frequency, ramping up to personal records, and pushing the envelope in the PR department for as long as possible... I will be doing a 90 minute fullbody session, tuesday night, and Saturday morming, for the forseeable future. my schedule is pretty tight lately, but that is fine. Lowish volume, HIGH intensity, medium frequency, which has always worked well for me for breaking personal records. I feel awesome, my physique is larger than ever, which is encouraging. I definitely think this bulk has been successful and in just a few more weeks, I think it will truly be the "GAMECHANGER" for me. Of course, after this, I am going to have to do a somewhat long, disciplined cut, so for now I am enjoying all the foods that I know will be off-limits.:o
 
I'm trying a few different things here and there. Sometimes I don't get enough drive through legs and glutes, meaning it's much closer to a SLDL than a conventional. I'm also focusing on 'pulling' the weight, rather than lifting it, from mental and visualisation perspective.
 
AlexAustralia said:
I'm trying a few different things here and there. Sometimes I don't get enough drive through legs and glutes, meaning it's much closer to a SLDL than a conventional. I'm also focusing on 'pulling' the weight, rather than lifting it, from mental and visualisation perspective.
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Yeah, from reading your log, it seems like your back is already really strong, your legs are the weak link. Some squats and/or leg presses should be a staple, then you'll likely shoot up to your 200kg goal pretty quickly.
 
It's also a question of getting them involved by improving technique. Sometimes I know they're not fully activated/involved until the 2nd work set. I'm sticking w/leg press because a) it's a great piece of equipment, this particular plate loaded one and, b) squats are just not going to cut it for lower back static tension. I'm already doing about as much as I can right now, although I suppose I could add in a set or two on leg days after deadlifts.

Is it just the phone camera angle, or do you have a proportionally shorter torso and quite long legs (for your height) ? I'm the same height as you, 6'1 // 185cm, and my proportions are a bit strange. My torso is probably considered 'long' for my height, thighs about average and if anything, maybe the lower half of my legs is shorter than it ought to be.
 
It's the camera angle. My torso is really long and my hips narrow, so conventional is not for me. I end up too bent over with conventional. I feel a good groove with my current form.
 
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Rack Pull: 435x3 PR!
Chinup: 220(bw) x6,5,5
Cable Row: 180x8
Hammer Pulldown: 270x10
Leg Press: 520x5, 470x6, 430x8
WG Dip: 265x6, 245x7, 220x10
DB Press: 75s x8 PR! 70s x8, 65s x8
Front Lateral: 12.5s 3x10
Rear Lateral: 12.5s 3x10
Concentration Curls: 40s x8
Rope Pushdowns: 95 (stack) x8

I was quite surprised to get 8 reps with the 75 pound dumbells for shoulder press. I was hoping to get 5, but they felt quite light so I just kept going. I might try pressing the 80s overhead soon! :)
 
Nice rack-pulls. Your deadlift will be over 400 in no time.

Good progress on db presses too. Every bit of shoulder improvement is hard to earn.
 
Lol said:
Nice rack-pulls. Your deadlift will be over 400 in no time.

Good progress on db presses too. Every bit of shoulder improvement is hard to earn.
Click to expand...

Thx. I think all the work on my rotator cuff is finally paying off. Laterals and such may not look impressive, but all those tiny shoulder muscles are VERY important, as most of us know from injury and such.
 
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