Well, I'm kind of ideologically opposed to straps, belts, and gloves, but I know you've given good reasons for using them before. My own take is that if I can't handle a certain weight without orthoses, then it's too much. The fact that I can do 285lb 5-6 reps without feeling it in my lower back at the bottom of the movement, to me means that I'm not yet strong enough to do 305 properly more than one rep. That's OK I think. I know I'll get there, and I also believe that most development occurs in the 3-5 rep range anyway, while pyramiding down. I usually quit at 225, when I'm sufficiently fatigued that even at this reduced weight I feel a bit of a strain at some point, usually during the second or third set, when I try to come up for another rep. Then I know it's time to quit; I'm not going to get any more benefit, and I'd risk injury if I continued. Of course, another solution would be to do deadlifts off a raised platform of some sort, so that I don't have to do that final stretch. But I'm also kind of ideologically committed to full deadlifts, touching the floor or coming close to it at the end of each rep. And I have 25-lb plates, so the bar isn't too far off the ground, maybe 8 inches, at the beginning/end of each rep.That's the idea! Yep grip always seems the first to go on Farmer's walks, once I get my hex bar I am considering doing them a little different. The first portion will be till I can't grip it and then to keep going as long as you can with straps. I think repeated sets are good for grip work but I have a fear of causing carpal tunnel or something? And I too usually do them last.
I just bought a 70lb. kettlebell to do them, so I plan to, if I keep the reps to 25 or under I don't feel them in my back. Dan John has a good tutorial on tnation http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/the_metabolic_swing&cr=
Did you start using a belt? You are doing weights at the point I would never do beltless now. I like my back too much!
As far as grip goes, I don’t think I’m at risk of carpal tunnel, and would like to increase my grip strength anyway. So far, I haven’t had any grip problems on the deadlifts, but perhaps when I move up into the 350 range I’ll appreciate having developed my grip more with the loaded carries.
Thanks for the link. So what you're suggesting is to maybe try the swings at reduced weight, but higher reps? I got a homemade t-bar, so it’s easy to adjust the weights in 5-to-10-lb increments. I think I had been doing 80-90lbs, so I’ll reduce to 60lbs and see how that feels. Still skeptical though. . . . Have you noticed a difference? My approach is always to eliminate exercises if I don’t feel much benefit after a month or two. I’m trying my best to keep things simple, and focus on the heavy stuff in my st sessions. If the swings get too light, it’s hard to see them being any different from hip thrusts, or maybe burpees, jump squats, or some other plyometric exercise. I got friends (a married couple) that are fitness professionals, so perhaps I can have them critique my form to make sure I'm getting the swing's snap right. I've also been meaning to ask the husband to check out my squat form.
Oh, forgot to mention I also did some power cleans yesterday, but at low weight--just 75 lbs. I'm going to try to develop my shoulders a bit more before I get back to attacking the power cleans for real. It's also one of the exercises I'm targeting for ExRx's intermediate level (215lbs), but I want to make sure my left shoulder is solid before I get much past 125 lb.