It makes sense if you lack the flexibility to do the deads from the floor. But ONLY if the emphasis is on gradually lowering the weight. If you think rack pulls in and of themselves will just magically get you ready, they won't. You'll have to work on the mobility and getting it down to the floor. OR, is it just a matter of using too much weight to start on the deads? Everything has to start at the beginning. You can't say well, I squat this much so I should be able to deadlfit a certain amount. It's a new lift. You must learn it with a light enought weight to ensure proper form but not so light that it give you too much freedom in terms of form.

My flexibility sucks. I've been stretching for the past week several times a day. I want to increase my flexibility and I already know about the benefits stretching has in regards to growth. I'm going to start doing dead lifts soon. I wanted to practice the movement with a little bit of weight, hence the rack pulls. I'll definitely be going light when I start them...although not too light. I think I will start doing them along with rack pulls on that same day..and then slowly phase out rack pulls while increasing dead lifts. I agree, it's not a replacement. Squats have strengthened my lower back a LOT. Right now, I think it's not a matter of weight, it's more about the lower back strength, so I might as well start this week with low weight.

Yeah, definitely go for it. Just do the deadlifts first, before the rack pulls. And don't try to rack pull in too fatigued a state right now untill you have built up more...well everything. We have to comprimise sometimes.

Thanks

I would have probably done rack pulls before deads, but that makes more sense. My form was perfect when I did them last...100 years ago. I will need to practice a bit, but I'm not very worried about hurting myself unless I do something stupid.

I enjoyed your rant about form :biglaugh: I agree...it makes me sick when I see people doing stupid shit in the gym.

That was no rant :biglaugh:. Rants are usually things that apply mostly to the ranter who is narcissistic enough to think their emotional problems should have other people concerned :D. But it really wasn't about form in general as it was about putting the apple cart before the horses.

Haha, yeah I know Eric. I'm just giving you a hard time because it's fun. :biglaugh: And it keeps me busy.

Flat Bench Press - WU, 3X5 175, 2X5 180
Squats - WU, 5X5 245
JS Rows - 5X5 135
Incline Cable Flys - 5X8 50
Tricep Ext (bar) - 4X8 65

Superset
Front squats - 3X20 45lb plate
Russian twists - 3X20 25lb DB
Hanging leg raises - 3X20

Body weight - 167

Ugh, I felt like I overtrained today... I was in the gym for a solid two hours. There were four of us working out together, but we have all worked out in 2's or 3's before...just not altogether, so it wasn't too bad. We shared one bench, then used 2 squat racks, 2 bars for rows, and did tricep/ab work individually. Squats took a while...it was heavy. And my buddy got buried under 245 because he rocked back during one rep. He squatted around 400lbs back in high school, so it makes me feel good that he's having a hard time keeping up with me now. Although he blows me away on bench press. My diet is going to be PERFECT between now and Wednesday or I'm not going to be recovered...not that I could be anyway because of how hard I went tonight. :gay:

I never even thought about my quad during my workout. Just now remembered it. Thanks for the advice Eric

Shoulder press - 5X5 135
Deadlifts - 1X5 225, 4X5 275
Lat Pulls - 5X5 180
Curls (machine) - 4X8 130
Weighted decline situps - 4X15

Today was fun...I surprised myself. Deadlifts felt sooo natural..like I had been doing them for months now. I suppose I can credit that to squats. Form was very close to perfect..I didn't see anything wrong and neither did my lifting partner. Could have done 30lbs more for sure. Good tiring workout. Shit...just realized that I forgot to do squats....................................oh well. :arg:

For weighin in at less then 170lbs you're a pretty strong dude! I wish I could 5x5 135lbs on military press. Nice work man.

X2^^^^^^