T Nation

Bringing up DL

Powerlifting
#1

Hi, I am a newbie (less than 1.5 year of serious training) and I am looking for a program that would help me bring my 3 lifts up (mainly the deadlift).I know how to design a bodybuilding program (CT how to design a damn good program) but I don’t have any ideas of how to design a more strenght oriented program. I am looking for something complete (with chin-ups, rows and overhead press. I train 5 times a week. If anyone can share with me their routine it would be very appreciated

my numbers: bench: 245
front squat: 285 (dont know for my back squat)
Dead: 315 (I am very limited by my grip)

my deadlift used to be 365 with straps 3months ago but someone stole em. I feel I can get to 405 pretty easily with straps.

thank you

#2

With your numbers, I would do a search for madcow’s 5x5. I had good luck with that program early on. Also forget the straps. Use a mixed grip with chalk and you will have no problems.

#3

[quote]westnile wrote:
With your numbers, I would do a search for madcow’s 5x5. I had good luck with that program early on. Also forget the straps. Use a mixed grip with chalk and you will have no problems.[/quote]

Agreed.

Personally I’d also recommend avoiding pulling for heavy singles for a while, instead focusing on progressing using a 5x5 scheme with strict form. Do this, and do this for a year or two and you should help bulletproof your back with enough volume that when you start attempting heavy singles your form SHOULD stay solid.

#4

I’m also in agreement with the other post’s, 5X5 program. In addition, I have also found that when I invested in some Powerlifting Bands, my DL shot up. I realize that is not your goal to be a PL, but there’s nothing saying that you can’t use some of the techniques later on down the road once you complete a cycle of the 5X5 program.

I would like to also say, leave the straps alone when doing DL and learn to make chalk your best friend; trust me after a while you won’t notice a grip problem.

#5

Wanted to also add, don’t try making crazy jumps in weight at your level.

Go in there, add 5-10lbs per week if possible. Over time, this will add up to some serious poundage. This should also allow your grip to progress as well.

And, it should go without saying, but since it doesn’t…Eat enough to recover, grow, and get stronger.

#6

Ideas above aren’t to bad, but to really boost ur dead i would try ed coans dead lift program.
http://tsampa.org/training/scripts/coan_phillipi_deadlift/. Its pretty intense and will get ur deadlift up pretty fast. Its definetly tough, but i ran through it and in 10 weeks went from pulling 335 to 405. Along with this program i ran his bench and squat program too. here is the link to the squat program http://www.joeskopec.com/coancalc.html and here is the link to his bench program http://www.joeskopec.com/edcoanbench.html.

When i ran it i did sun-squat monday- heavy bench tuesday shoulders, wednesday deads and thursday light bench. The program is different in the aspect that you do a lot of warmup sets and then hit ur worksets that u can calculate using these links. For the squat and bench u enter your max by clicking on the space below the 1rm place and clicking on the word calculate, i couldnt figure it out at first thats why i am telling you just in case. Definetly a different approach to training bc u only hit a few hard sets on each lift per week, but once you get used to the mentality, it really is a cool new way to train.

#7

Platform deads worked for me.

#8

If you only deadlift 315, anything will work. A few years ago, I went from 315 to 405 in 6 months using the standard westside template.