Power to the Pickle!!! (and Vodka)

[Philippe Geoffrion]

This is my first post for StrongFirst. As an avid reader of Pavel's works, I have decided to put one of his hypertrophy programs to the test! Beyond Bodybuilding is a treasure trove of knowledge and if you haven't picked it up, I highly recommend it! That is where this program can be found. As a lifter and occasional powerlifter, strength has become my focus. One thing Pavel has succeeded in bringing to light in BB, is that strength and muscle mass are two sides of the same coin. In other words, Big guys SHOULD be strong, and strong guys are usually pretty big guys. He laments how strength and mass have branched off from one another, and the modern bodybuilder has become a "collection" of body parts a la Frankenstein's monster as opposed to the symmetrical, Greek statue physiques of strength athletes of the former half of the century, not to mention that these men also possessed great strength. In other words, they were show AND go! Naturally, I sought a hypertrophy program that would do just that. Develop show AND go.

I sought out a new hypertrophy program out of need more then want. I was on a 20 rep squat routine and experiencing great results! Why did I switch off of it? My knees could no longer take the brutal assault. See, I'd strained them a few weeks earlier on heavy front squats and any deep knee bend sent them into rapid, violent protest! I figured they'd heal up during the 20 rep squats because id be using lighter weights, but it was not meant to be. After a while, standing up from a chair was agonizing. Naturally, including any type of squat was suddenly void as an option. Oh no! In the middle of a "Bulk" phase, I've lost the ability to perform arguably the most important lift to achieve this goal! What "functional" hypertrophy program would even dare exclude the squat????That's when I reread BB again in my search and found exactly what I needed...The Delorme Method.

Pavel's modified Delorme program is an exercise of simplicity and minimalism, one of Pavel's specialties, another reason I was drawn to it. Naturally, the program includes only two lifts: Bench press and Deadlifts.
It follows a specified loading scheme designed to maximize your weekly tonnage in these two lifts. Monday is the heavy day, Wednesday light and Friday a medium day, an extension of Bill Starr's Heavy/light/medium strategy. There is a two week break in program, which I've completed. This is useful for two things, preparing you for the heavy program with volume and allowing you to make adjustments before starting the actual program. I have done both.

Note: I did not wish to disclose the actual program because (classified) and I'm sure you can find it posted on the web somewhere.

I had to lower my beginning weight for bench, as my ten rep max was based off of non paused reps and as I've decided to perform the program WITH paused reps, I need a lower heavy set. This will also give me a running start to push off of, as the weight I'll begin with will be easier, a critical component of cycling. Secondly, the next adjustment is I've substituted standard deadlifts with Snatch Grip deadlifts for a few reasons. 1) I find they are greater muscle builder for a few reason, greater back involvement and longer ROM 2) They allow a lower training load for better results 3) I am a humpback deadlifter (round upper back) and the Snatch grip will force me to brace my upper back, which needs a lot of work and I am hoping will receive great results.

So there it is. I begin the program tomorrow, in which I
ll post my beginning weight and numbers, a long with the first "before " photos of the program. Stay tuned...or else!

 

[Philippe Geoffrion]

So being that this is a training log, I figure I may s well post some background info on myself.

I have loved lifting since I first picked a barbell off of the ground. I come from a heavily involved athletic background of soccer, baseball, basketball, football and track and field. It was in high school I found I had some good abilities in barbell training. Being a sprinter and long jumper of some success, I found myself naturally proficient at certain lifts. The deadlift was my natural lift, pulling close to 400 lbs in HS, with very little specific training to do so. I was hooked, but after HS ended, I lost my way.

My training became more sporadic in college years. I trained at a hardcore gym, filled with bodybuilders, powerlifters and athletes of the likes. I was somewhat of a Renaissance lifter, and still am in a sense, and didn't really fit into any particular crew. I was a fond follower of Chad Waterbury's principles, and have kept many close to heart over the years, specifically that increased size should always follow increases in strength. However, my training was sporadic. One week I'd be working on muscle ups and the next doing heavy power cleans for singles. I eschewed Bench press for the most part because of my inadequacy, posting a best of a sloppy 245 lbs at roughly 160. So I did heavy dips instead and thought I was a better man for it. It wasn't until some Giant powerlifters behind whose shadows I disappeared, did I find myself becoming enthralled with maximal strength.

These men trained together, and would inhabit a squat rack for hours. They were large men, not in height, but maybe as wide as tall! I would watch them sit for what seemed like an eternity while the generously loaded barbell sat ponderously. After they wrapped themselves up, tightened belts, chalked their hands, they'd slowly lumber towards the enormous weight. One thing I noticed, these guys were not in a rush to go anywhere and their bodies showed the fastest they ever moved, was to get in line at the buffet...after which they'd leave few survivors. After they unracked the monstrous weight, the barbell bending under heavy burden, they'd sit back onto a box and explode up at rocket speed! The plates clattered a bit. It all seemed to be held together precariously. Success was standing up. Failure seemed like a horrible doom. I was intrigued.

I eventually asked them for advice. They took me right in. I asked about the squat and they fired back. Do you know what muscles make the lift? (With raised eyebrows) Glutes, Hams, Lower back I responded....they expected me to say quads...yes I've read a little bit of Louie's writing. One of my best moments was when these monsters had me do board press. I tell you, they loaded that bar up to more I've ever unracked. The 3 board was held on my chest by one huge fellow while another lifted off the nearly 300 lb bell. I don't remember much, but I remember it being the most monumental effort I ever put into moving a weight. They were screaming into my face. I obeyed their commands. "Pause!!! Press! Elbows, Elbows < elbows. And all screamed in excitement as the barbell made it's arduous journey to lockout. The entire gym looked over. I never felt such a rush and surge of power...I was hooked.

 

[Philippe Geoffrion]

Fast forward a few years. I've changed cities, gyms, lifestyles. I'm working full time, doing many jobs, but the gym always is a mainstay. Training methods have come and gone and I'm floating around a bit. One fateful day however, things changed....forever. I'd gained a lot of confidence in the gym. I'd become more then adequate at many lifts. I could pull, press and do chins ad nauseam. I was strong for my size, and I loved when people would regard me with awe, or confusion, as I attached a 45 pound plate to my belt to do chin-ups with. The people in my new "family friendly" gym must of thought what I was doing was so bizarre. I always did full body training and used exclusively compound moves. Most guys would have a leg day, arm day, etc. I had deadlift, press, chinup day. They'd ask me "what muscle are you focusing on today" ...I'd pause and quote Dan John..."You know the muscle you use when someone tells you to go deep and you sprint with all your might and strength to catch a hail mary? Yeah that muscle." I grew a bit cocky and one day, after working on planches, dips etc I was talking to a fellow member when a young kid came up to us and proudly exclaimed..."I'm gonna try for 200 today"! SO we went on and followed the young lad to the bench where he was set up to behold his mighty effort! One guy lifted it off and the boy took several quick shallow breaths before the barbell plummeted to his chest....from where it never moved. We unglued the poor fellow and I decided to give some bench advice, having not benched in some time myself. I sat myself on the bench, talking about shoulder position, descent or something...and then proceeded to demonstrate with a rep! Don't you wanna warm up? Nah, I did some dips, planches, burnout sets, heavy rotator cuff work and stretches, I should be good. Plus, I benched 245 like 4 years ago, so it's fine. I unracked the bell, and my first thought was wow...this feels heavy....lowered it then BANG!!!!! I all the sudden felt a crippling blow to my right shoulder! Owwww, the barbell was trying to reacquaint to gravity but my torso inhibited it. Some bystander had to pull it off of me. Gah, I must have dislocated my shoulder o r something. I sat up, writhing in pain, and saw the look of sheer horror on their faces. I looked down at my arm...my chest tendon had burst and my biceps rolled up like a curtain...I headed straight to the hospital.

 

[Philippe Geoffrion]

I immediately called my work. Hey, I'm gonna be out for like...a while. I came in the next day to confirm nthis….my arm was blue. There'd been internal bleeding, and the blood had scattered about inside. An MRI confirmed I suffered a complete pectoral tendon rupture. I'd also torn my labrum and had experience tendinosis of the infraspinatus. Boy, you really did a number on yourself kid! the doctor exclaimed. You'll probably nopt lift heavy, well, ever again she said. I didn't believe her. Just re-attach my tendon lady and let me get on with it. I got it done, and spent the next 6 months in a sling. from there 6 months of not being able to use my arm, to learning to brush my teeth again, to tremendous pain, depression and frustration. This period was really challenging for me. ALl my life, I'd been able. I'd been athletic and decently strong. Now I was weak. I was so weak, I couldn't do a pushup off the wall, let alone the floor. I hated it. I was definitely motivated. I needn't to gain my strength back! So I did what has become my mantra, I started where I was. I did pushups on the wall, gradually building up. When I got better, Id move down a little bit, to a chair, a ledge til I finally got to the floor. The pain was there, and my movement pattern had definitely changed. knew my shoulder had gone through some hell, and it'd always be changed. The only way to go was forward, so I kept going. The frst time I touched a barbell, it killed me. Every lift was hard. Deadlifts, heard. Pullups, hard. Benching the bar, excruciating. But once again I pressed on. Slowly, dong one rep at a time, sometimes that was it. Moving forward, one step at a time. I got to 135 rather quickly with no pain. Now the weight wasn't so bad, the shoulder was just wonky. I read everything I could on the shoulder and pec injuries. I incorporated a TON of upper back work. We're gonna build this thing up. A few years further and my strength is now beyond where it's ever been. Only 12 months after my pec tear, I entered my first PLing meet and bombed out. I just couldn't take the bench. A year later I entered again and took home a medal. Still pressing forward. Here I am today, @ 170 stronger then I've ever been. It wasn't until the past 2 years that I became familiar with Pavel. PTTP was my intro. I loved it. I loved the writing, I loved the message, I loved the method. I put it to the test and it spawned great results in my Plifts. What Pavel was saying really resonated with me. I first learned from this book, all the powerlifting techniques. Bracing, the high tension techniques … I was on a strength mission now. It took this injury to show me how to be weak, so I could learn to become strong. And I'm thankful for that. I plan to compete again in PLifting again, n time. right now, I'm just trying to gain weight =)

 

[Antti]

Welcome to the forum! Happy to see someone else interested in powerlifting. Sounds like you've been through a lot with the injury, but have come back stronger. Great job. I look forward to seeing how the DeLorme program works for you. I haven't ever tried it myself but it is an interesting option. I really like Beyond Bodybuilding as well.

 

[Philippe Geoffrion]

Welcome to the forum! Happy to see someone else interested in powerlifting. Sounds like you've been through a lot with the injury, but have come back stronger. Great job. I look forward to seeing how the DeLorme program works for you. I haven't ever tried it myself but it is an interesting option. I really like Beyond Bodybuilding as well.

Thank you Antti! Yes, it seems like an awesome community here with many shared interests. I will keep you updated on it, in fact I need to upload my status with the DeLorme but I've been working on this other post about Old School lifts. Stay Tuned!

 

[Philippe Geoffrion]

My Old School Training
For a long time, all I had to train with was a barbell with 300 lbs of weights. While some may see this as a disadvantage, lacking in variety, I've found many ways to lift the barbell. I thought I'd share some.

You have all the basic lifts for starters. We'll go from the most basic to the more complex.

Deadlift ( all variations...Conventional, Sumo, Jefferson, Snatch Grip, Behind the Back, single leg, RDL)
Barbell Row (underhand, Overhand, Pendlay)
Clean
Clean and press (Many OH presses are possible, i.e. bent press, BTN press, Push press, OH lockouts)
Snatch
Front Squat (via cleans)
Barbell Curl
Triceps extensions
Barbell Rollouts
All types of landmine lifts (landmine press, landmine row, landmine curl, deadlift)

Now that's a pretty solid amount of lifts. Just these lifts alone can take you miles. But they miss some major muscles groups. The chest and quads don't get much work from these, and that's where creativity comes in. The old timers found many ways to train with just a barbell. In the reading of old and new text, I've found lifts that some never even consider can be done with just a barbell that can hit these muscle groups. Here are a few

Disclaimer: These lifts can be dangerous. Don't try weights that exceed your abilities! Work up with LIGHT weights and master execution. Proper precautions must be taken before attempt these. Perform at your own risk
​

​

 

[Philippe Geoffrion]

Floor Press
The floor press is the original bench press. In the latter half of the 20th century, this lift was executed with vigor. The lift was performed in many ways, including the pullover and press and bridge to press. Lifter George Hackenschmidt put up over 360 lbs in this lift! While I perform it using the bridge method, you can also elevate the plates of the barbell on blocks. This is useful for bigger lifters, who can not fit their muscular torsos under a barbell with regulation 45 plates. Just makes sure each end of the blocks have a raised ledge, so the bar doesn't roll off! The pullover to press is rather limiting. Your press is likely to be much greater then your pullover strength, and if you love your shoulders, you should not test this! Here's how I perform the lift. Crawl under the barbell and adjust your grip. With grip solid, set back by pulling shoulders down and chest up Put the barbell right in your hip groove as if to do hip thrusts. As I Bridge, I elevate my chest and utilize my torso to position the bar perfectly in the pressing groove. Maintain the tension, lower your torso and hips and press! To finish, just let your forearms fall forward, assuming your using plates big enough to allow room for your legs! 45 plus pound weights are a must for this! If you're not strong enough, get some Olympic plates that share the same diameter per weight.

Bridge Press
Similar to the floor press, the beginning set up is similar. However, instead of dropping the hips to begin the reps, you utilize a strong hip drive to propel the weight upwards! I believe Charles Smith wrote an article on this lift "Developing Full Body Power" in the archives of the online blog "Tight tan slacks of Dsezo Ban". I call it the horizontal push press. The increases hip drive allows heavier weight! While the hips hog a lot of the load, the pecs and triceps have to catch the weight and lock it out! A very satisfying overload movement for your horizontal presses. Pavel has also written of it in "Power to the People! Professional"

​

​

 

[Philippe Geoffrion]

Zercher Cycle

This was a go to for me in lower body development but in actuality, this may be the most versatile squat you can perform. Ed Zercher learned was a strongman from the earlier 20th century and said he learned this lift "Fram an Austalian....or some Austrian. Some may find it uncomfortable on the elbows, but your body adapts. I've always done these without padding. The trick is finding the right groove in your elbows. The lift starts on the ground, like all barbell only lifts, and must be deadlifted into position. I must do this style sumo, as it easier mobility and set up wise and much more stable for my knees. Some with proper leverages may do this in a conventional style with a narrow stance to target more thigh and less hip, but this way is awkward for me. Sure you could start sumo and narrow your stance after you've lifted the bar to the up position, but this is awkward with heavy weights and remember...you have to lower the bar back to the ground. You could just drop it if you care not for the bar's or your floor's integrity. Assume a sumo stance. Deadlift the bar to lockout then lower UNDER CONTROl while pushng your hips back and knees slightly out. Those with glass knees need not apply! Place the weighted barbell on your knees when in proper position and position barbell in cradle of your elbows. Once secured tightly, hug the barbell close and squeeze it up! If you have to bail, which you shouldn't if you're just starting (use the a light weight, which should go without saying) push your hips back and make sure your knees are clear! If you have reservations about a weight, be sure to take proper care and know how to bail before attempting! Smart and safe seem to go hand and hand. Be smart.

Steinborn Squat
This is perhaps the riskiest of all these lifts. A lot can go wrong, especially as weights climb up (this has been overstated at this point). I can not stress enough. Practice! The execution ability exceeds strength in this lift. Learn todo it properly! Start with a broomstick if need be! Dave Dellanave has some great articles on teaching this lift. Read them! Henry Steinborn was an awesome strongman of the early 20th century (once again overstated. Who was it who said "If you're looking for some new information, look 100 years ago?) One of his feats of strength was Squatting a baby elephant at a fair! He "invented" the barbell squat, before the invention of squat racks! Imagine that for a second. The barbell starts on the ground as usual, and is rocked onto the lifters back! He reportedly performed this lift with over 500 lbs! Back in those days, barbells were fixed weight iron cast balls, actually perfect for this lift as they allowed the barbell to roll smoothly along its rotation. These days, disc like plates may make it a little harder. Let's fix that. The rotation of the spine is key here. Similar to that of the Bent Press, the Steinborn squat requires, exceptional back flexibility. The barbell is set and loaded on the ground. The lifter then landmine deadlifts and presses the barbell up so it is vertical. This is the hard part because with heavy weight, it takes a lot to stabilize the bell while you set your squat up! Make sure your grip is even and you are as centered as possible, al though setting up close to the fulcrum allows for an easier roll, it will leave you asymmetrically loaded at the top of the first rep. Once the bar is nestled in and you are wedged, you roll it onto your back, pulling down with the opposite arm of the hip closest to the bell, and squat. Catch the bell in the bottom position and stand up! Now there are some setup techniques that may make this lift easier. If you attempt it in the wrong environment, you may be headed for trouble. Frst, make sure your floor isn't slippery. The bell will roll out from under you, throw you off balance and the bell will have nowhere to go but down, where you will helplessly under it. Rubber mats may help however, the right kind must be used. Use ones that aren't super absorptive. If the bell is heavy and you plant it down, the barbell will "stick" in the matting, and you will once again be trapped under it, waiting for the heavy eight to crash onto you. A second piece of advice I have is to elevate the plates of the bell from which you'll roll the babell off of. This will make it so you need not squat as low to roll the barbell. Make sure when you commence the lift here, the platfor you've elevated the barbell is big enough so you do not miss it when you perfrom the roll portion! I use concrete tile blocks, about 2 inches thick in the video! They will shuttle the barbell up when it's coming down! All in all, this is a dangerous lift and most should probably not attempt it! Some strongman competitions still include it as a lift. For the rest, it may merely be a novel trick to perform. It can be useful for at home 20 rep squat routines however because the weight is light, but remember, you have to return the bell to the ground and this is difficult as fatigue builds, something the 20 rep squats induce a lot of. Do with caution!

Behind the Back Deadlift
This is the safest and mot user friendly of the thigh lifts. Most should use this, but few ever consider it as a viable option! Another Hackenschmidt based lift (similar to that of the Hack Squat), few ever utilize this move. It is great for the deadlift start of a conventional lifter and forces him/her to utilize his/her legs. One problem I had as a puller, was using too much back and humping the bell. The position of the barbell in this lift forces you to push into the ground. You cannot back pull it! A great move that has been lost in time.


Log In or Sign Up to View

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10153647096221220

This ilist is nowhere near extensive but it opens doors. It's fun to try new lifts. What I'd hope to accomplish in postng this is that a barbell by itself can yield an entire year's worth of different workout's. For some, it was a lifetime worth. Creativity is fun and sparks imagination, opening new doors for a lifter. Also, the old time strongman developed their bodies in ways we often neglect these days, making full use of minimal equipment. For those with money and space constraints, using solely a barbell for training can be a lifelong journey! Remember you can still do bodyweight lifts. I did my pullups from a tree branch but most will have space and money for a pullup bar. Make shift dips were done by turning large planters upside down and doing planchet like pushups. Also great for the chest. Point is get creative with your training and have fun. New challenges will always spark newfound enthusiasm for lifting. You may find your self pulling from the herd and forging your own unique path. Power to you!
​

 

[Philippe Geoffrion]

Note: The BTB deadlift can be viewed by clicking watch on FB

 

[Philippe Geoffrion]

Delorme Method

Now, since this has been the title of my blog and although it shall include many other elements, I will report on the cycle so far. I've completed the two week intro cycle and started the actual cycle on Monday. However, I made some minor last minute changes for practicality purposes. Firstly, I've subbed the floor press for the bench. Same thing, nevermind this ROM ordeal. The bottom of my bench press is mostly leg and hip drive and the floor press allows a more pure press! Plus this allows me to train at home. I do not wish to drive 30 minutes to my gym for the light and medium days as motivation to do so is low. These days are indeed important, but traveling this distance just to use a bench with 95 lbs and same on the Snatch Grip DL seems so uninspiring. Thus, I can do the Floor press and Deadlifts at home, with no stress.

Here's my starting points before this phase. I've bulked a lot since the posts of these earlier pics. A lot for me is going from 150 of pretty lean size to 170 carrying a little less definition but far more bulk. Getting lean is easier for me. bulking up is a tortured journey. Thus, it has definitely helped me move more weight, especially in the pressing department.

I'll commence with weight and some pictures of myself at the start of this phase.
Here's my starting weight

 

[Philippe Geoffrion]

Some Pics of my bod before the program, taken Monday Morning before commencing!

 

[Philippe Geoffrion]

My goal with this program is to get to 180 lbs! This will be hard! Harder then the workouts. Right now, I weigh more then I ever have. But I eventually want to compete at the top of the 181 class in a push/pull meet. My goal is to total 900 in this meet on Deadlift/bench. This program will aid me in hypertrophy for those muscle groups that are most active in both lifts while using slightly out of the groove exercises to make the lifts harder. Here's what day 1 was like

 

[Philippe Geoffrion]

Day 1 of Delorme

Load: Heavy
Volume: High

I barely slept the night before Day 1. I was so excited to start after the two week break in phase, that I was tossing in turning in bed,, craving to feel "heavy" weight again! While the weight is really not Heavy, relatively speaking, it does push you to your limit with Volume! I woke up very tired the morning I was supposed to train for the first time. I was groggy and definitely felt sluggish. However, the weights weren't the hard part. The hard part was unloading and loading the barbell between sets (supposed to be the only rest between lifts) without a rack! My barbell has gathered a little rust and my plates were very resilient to being removed or added! Alas, the 95 lbs set 1 on Floor press was very hard to set up as it allowed very little room for me to position under the barbell. I had to elevate the plates. the snatch grip deadlift went well, however, but was indeed fatiguing due to the short rest periods! Likewise, finding a good flat spot to perform the lift was hard as I haven't trained in my backyard for some time! So it was kind of a lackluster session. However, I did complete successfully, all the work sets, so it wasn't a complete disaster. I have concluded that I will perform the Heavy day at my gym, where it is easier to load and unload and perform the lifts, and I will do the light and medium days at home. Adaptation and that which starts sour ends sweet.

 

[Philippe Geoffrion]

Here's how the first workout was laid out

Floor Press
95lbs x 5, 135lbsx5,185 lbs x 5 (5 series completed! Add 5 lbs to top set net week and adjust %'s)

Snatch Grip Deadlifts
95 lbs x 5, 135lbs x5, 185 lbs x 5 (5 series completed! add 10 lbs next week and adjust %'s)

The Floor press has become a staple for me since my pec tear. I feel it has saved and rejuvenated my career as a lifter since then. Some say it is not a great chest builder. I say Rubbish! I've always felt my pecs contract hard during this lift! They must hold and squeeze the weight up with no momentum or stretch reflex nonsense and with a strong upper back arch, the bar is barely above the chest and very close to full ROM!

The Snatch deadlift is a special deadlift to me. It's a back builder second to none! It increases the ROM of the pull and involves more quad because of the deeper start position. Now keep in mind, the Program calls for a set of 5 with 100 % of your 10 rep max. My best set of 10 in the deadlift I believe was 365 lbs. So why start with 185? Because my best deadlift for strength is a rounded upper back pull with a narrow sumo stance. The ideal method for max pulling, but hardly so if building muscle is the main goal. Thus, I've done the opposite. Gone to my weakest possible position and have focused on the form of the lift. This 10 rep max was also done more touch and go and the program calls for a pause on the floor. The Snatch grip deadlift, in order to reap the muscle building benefits, requires a very tightly arched upper and lower back. The scapula must remain retracted or the lift will not reap the same growth benefits. I start the pulling by pulling myself into the ground/barbell. Wedging Pavel calls it. My back is tightly arched and as I pull myself down, the back and lats catch the bar and the legs lift it. This is the key for me. Hold the bar with you back and lift it with your legs. I was definitely pumped after the first workout and the key to growth is to get a pump with a heavy weight! I expect to see some good results with this program!

 

[Philippe Geoffrion]

Workout 1 summary

Floor Press
Total Tonnage: 10,375

Snatch grip DL
Total Tonnage; 10,375

 

[Antti]

How hard was the first day? Just so I understand, when you write tonnage, you mean thousands of pounds instead of kilograms?

Going from 365 to 185 lbs is pretty drastic but you can now perfect technique and have a lot of room for putting more weight on the bar as the program continues. Have you ever tried out rep maxes, whether one or ten or in between, with the snatch grip?

Do you really keep the scapulae retracted through the lift?

 

[Philippe Geoffrion]

The first day was hardest because of the conditions, mostly my lack of sleep and equipment. I'd completed the intro cycle at my gym, where it was easier to perform the lifts. Yes, the tonnage is in lbs, because the weights I use here in California all come in pounds/lbs increments (in most gyms they are anyways), the exceptions beng in powerlifting meets.

Yes it s and my thinking exactly Antti. I've done "heavy" sets but never to full max amplitude. My best is 275 x 5 with the Snatch Grip. I don't use straps so oftentimes, the grip is actually the biggest limiting factor.

I believe I do. I try to complete the lift like an Olympic lifter doing the first part of a snatch. Watch them. Hips are pretty low, (almost like a squat though I'm a bit above parallel when I start) and chest puffed outwards. Of course they are not maximally contracted, just enough to keep the bar locked in.

Here is an old video of 1 x5 @ 275 lbs. It's the same execution I use now, I just pause. I'm also probably 12 lbs lighter in this video

 

[Antti]

I get you about the grip. That's why I use lifting grips with snatch grip deadlifts. Though I wonder how much it depends on the exact grip width. How wide do you go? I use the max legal bench width as it's an easy reference point and feels good.

I haven't done the snatch grip a lot yet but I've liked it when I've done it and I now do it weekly in my new program. I've never pushed myself to my limits with it, and only done it with lots of reps, but I think I'm somewhere about 80-90% compared to conventional max.

When it comes to the scapulae I like to think I pull them down towards my behind, not back.

I don't know what it is but I can't see any of your videos.

 

[Philippe Geoffrion]

Yes , the wider I go, the harder the grip. It varies but it's usually around my bench grip, ring finer on both rings. I believe the Snatch grip DL has great merit! It has especially better transfer to Conventional Deadlifters pull. And that's a pretty accurate estimate as far as strength ratios go and what I believe the norm would be. And also about the scapula, that's accurate about tucking them into your back pockets. For me, I try to achieve this with a chest up approach. I realized I made my videos private on youtube, hence no one could see them haha! Hopefully they work now? (they worked on my page before so I had no clue!)