Thoughts on Block Pulls

After posting my heavy deadlift training from the other day, I got some questions about why I am block pulling and it made me start thinking about why I really am. So, let me address some thoughts I have about it and why I do what I do.

Historically, I fail my competition style deadlift right around my knees. I put about 50lbs on my deadlift in the last year just by working on technique. My coach, Dustin, convinced me to start my pull off the floor slower, get to my knees, and then explode. That idea, coupled with pushing my knees straight out and going down to the bar, has proved to be successful. I used to push my hips back first and really load up my hamstrings, but now I think more about sitting down on to the bar.

I started adding in block pulls when I started the cube method. I thought: "Great, I'll get to overload an area that I suck at." Many people might wonder how these are different at all from rack pulls. Well, let me tell you that they are very different. Rack pulls serve more as an ego lift for me, and I think it's safe to say many of you agree. A major difference that I have found is the way that the weight is spread over the pins in a rack pull makes it so much more...well, stiff. Rack pulls just don't simulate a deadlift from the floor like block pulls--block pulls allow for that natural feeling of being able to pull the slack out of the bar.

So now I'm thinking: "Nice, I've got a lift that will let me overload my sticking point in the lift and strengthen the weak parts." On my max effort days, I'll hit something heavy off of a high block, then next max effort day hit something off a lower block, then on a third max effort day hit something off the lowest block in my training cycle, then finally I will take a heavy deadlift off the floor. Naturally, I would expect to hit the heaviest weight off the highest block and work down from there until I get to the floor. Whats puzzling, yet pleasing to me is that I was able to hit 550 off a 4" block @rpe 10, and 565 off a 2" block @rpe 9-9.5.

Range of motion is increasing, and so are the numbers? I'll take that. I also am really attributing the increases to a ton of volume in high bar paused squats that I have been doing lately. I wonder if anyone has had similar experiences with range of motion training like this, too?

Check out my YouTube channel, too. I will be regularly adding training sessions throughout my off-season and in-season training
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_PbGtsx2AdFmSEeyd8hiSQ