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Good suggestions so far.

Do you do conventional deads, Ross? And are you sure your biggest problem is off the floor or could it be a few inches up?

I would have also suggested snatch grip deads..they can help the lift off as well....but with your shoulder issues I'm not gonna go there right now. There is probably no part of your body that deads DON'T affect and hell, yes, they can be a factor with your shoulder.

If I could see a vid of your deads I may be able to improve your postioning...could be a the difference in yanking it off the floor and stuggling...but in any case, as far myself..I have always felt stronger at lockout than the bottom.

It's definitely off of the floor. I was just thinking back and this seems pretty weird, but I've never missed a lift in my entire life that I got more than an inch off the floor when grip wasn't the issue. I do conventional deads. I don't know why I haven't posted videos before...one of the guys at the gym actually has a video camera there, I believe. My positioning isn't bad, but I might be off point every once in a while. Actually, every time I've DLed during the past month or so I've had the gym owner, who is a power lifter, critiquing every single lift. So that's about 8 DL sessions where I got feedback on every single lift. That was pretty cool. Part of the problem is trying to lift the weight vs. throwing everything I have into one massive movement all at once and exploding out of the bottom. When I get that right, I'm more successful....but I still have the same sticking point.

Oh, and the guys @ the gym are going to pitch in $50 each and buy a DL bar. It's thinner & more flexible. That should be pretty cool.

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What weight class are these powerlifters, approximately?

Could be body type too...like say if you are a person with relatively short legs and arms but a long torso that would cause you to have trouble at the start and typically miss off the floor. Pulling from some sort of deficit like others already mentioned would be great plus emphasize glute and lower back strength. You want to stay with an arched lower back and don't try to rely on lower back because that would be taking your weakest link and relying on it so you'd want to place a premium on strong glutes and a very stable lower back.

And you are of course right on the money in terms of explosiveness. Speed pulls will be really good if you stick on the floor. I would start with around 40 or 50% and see what that is like but most of it should end up being done 50 to 60%, imo...

BTW, it IS okay to start out a session from a deficit to "warm up" and then switch to regular deads. As long as you are proficient and sure of your positiong. It can help you as far as sort of tricking your body into pulling a bit faster from the bottom.

I agree with the 50 to 60%. It's a lot more productive/effective IMO also. When I start to DL again, I think I will start from a deficit. I do a LOT of doubles, singles, & triples before I get to my working sets, so that will be good. I like to do a warm up set or two with bands also...it keeps me thinking about my speed.

One of the powerlifters weighs........in the 190's. He is competing this weekend in Ohio. He already flew out there earlier this week. I think he'll end up with a 375lb bench, 650lb DL, & 800lb squat (or 700...can't remember)...or somewhere around there. The other is over 300lbs...he is doing a DL competition later this year. He had a partial bicep tear, so he's limited. I've never seen him train DL. But I do remember seeing him front squat 550 for two reps. He has to have a massive DL. The other guy that trained at the same gym as Louie Simmons (he is around 300lbs) went to Ohio this week also. I don't think he was competing though...just for support. And then there is another person that competes...I don't know what her weight class is. She made it to the olympic trials & just missed out on the olympics...but that's OL. There are some other guys also that are in between, but those are the people that I have worked with the most.