I wanted to begin a training regimen to increase my dead lift numbers. Right now I can only pull 150lbs. i want to get to 400lbs though by next year this time. I was told it is achievable. How much can you guys pull? how long did it take you to get to your max, and what weight did you start at?
Mate that's a bit of a jump... Deadlift can be dangerous without good technique, focus on that before you focus on numbers
I started pulling at around 135 as a young teenager. But I didn't put the focus on it that I should have. I started powerlifting at around 15 and my deadlift shot through roof as I learned how to approach the lift. I know a lot of the guys here will tell you that 150-400 is too much but they dont know ****. The deadlift is your most powerful lift. If you are only at 150lb that tells me that you have a lot of potential strenght that you aren't even able to access right now. Once you get some form and mentality issues cleared up you deadlift will shoot up. The 400lb deadlift is a lot like the 300lb bench. Its seems like a really big number to a lot of people but it really isn't that hard to acheive. I had a freind who trained athleats in a very competative area for highscool football. Almost every kid he got would be pulling 400 within a year.
400lb deadlift, I don't know anyone who has trained for around 18-24 months and eats decently, starting from your position, who won't end up pulling that with good technique and no hitch. Its a milestone and will be a great lift, but in the scheme of things with proper strength training, it really isn't that far. Work steadily though, keep your technique solid, ask things if you aren't sure, and you must squat and strengthen all of the notoriously weak areas, hamstrings, glutes, lower back. 300lb bench is a lot harder to get to than 400lb deadlift, in my experience. It doesn't matter where anyone starts from, rather where they end up and what they do to get there, so don't worry about anyone else and focus on your goals, and make a plan backwards from those. Educate yourself and read a variety of sources, especially from people who have gained abilities you want to gain, this is crucial. If a pencil neck bencher of 60kg tells you how to bench 100kg, and a big powerlifter who benches 180kg tells you what to do, you should follow the logical route. I started at 100kg aged 17, and I am now 22, and I have pulled 230kg, I will pull 235-240 by the end of this year. I haven't been consistently strength training in that time, but it is what it is.
end of the day though, deadlift is the most variable lift. what I mean by this is, lots of guys will have the numbers, but no real athletic ability or any real carryover to go with it. In my experience its better to pull 220 solidly with good technique than it is to do an ugly hitched 240 - that's just chasing numbers and doesn't really get you anywhere. you can do this in competition when you need the points, but in training, not needed. having goals is different than chasing numbers like that.
My PB is 215kg (3 weeks ago) but i only deadlift once per week, and test my max's once every 6 weeks or so. Took me almost 2 years to build up to this from around 90kg, but ive took it steady, and like the other lads have mentioned, i worked on form a lot before i started trying to hit big-ish numbers. the key for me was strengthening my lower back and core, and found front squats, zercher's and leg press helped a lot to bring up my deadlift.
I can barely deadlift 400 lbs, but I used to routinely make a guy who lifted that for 10+ reps look foolish in sparring. Then again the guy had overall poor technique so I'm sure had he continued to train boxing he'd eventually murder me in the ring.
I agree that 400 is achievable for most people but at the moment he is talking about 150 being his max.. he's excited about maxing out at 400 within a year. I just think he should have more short term goals before thinking about 400. As you said technique should be the focus.
I think the DL is great for developing punching power. It develops the posterior chain like nothing else. Get on a good 5/3/1 program, eat everything in sight, and you will be amazed at your gains. *Make sure your techinique is spot on. It can be dangerous if it's not.
Most I've ever done is 152.5kg. At the moment due to a lower back injury I did laying a patio, I'd be shitting myself if I had to attempt anything over 90kg.