My deadlift progress has stalled

[bigdave]

My deadlift progress has been stuck for a while now and I’m starting to get frustrated. I’ve been training consistently but adding more weight just feels harder lately.

I’m wondering if I need to change my routine, work on my form, or give myself more time to recover.

 

[Pnut]

Before changing your whole routine, I’d look at how much fatigue you're carrying from the rest of your training. Deadlifts can be pretty demanding, especially if you're also doing heavy squats and rows during the week.

One thing worth trying is backing off the weight slightly and building back up with cleaner reps. You could also alternate between a heavier deadlift day and a lighter technique-focused session instead of pulling heavy every time.

I'd also check where the lift is actually stalling. If you're struggling off the floor, that's a different issue than losing the lift around your knees or at lockout. Sometimes a small technique adjustment does more than adding another accessory exercise.

How often are you deadlifting right now, and are you struggling to break the bar off the floor or finish the lift?

 

[jaylifts]

mine stalled for like 3 months until i figured out i was just beat up from squatting heavy the day before. moved deads to their own day and it started moving again. how's your recovery between sessions?

 

[tonygetsstrong]

Maybe take a deload week man, sometimes your body just needs a bit more recovery.

 

[Pnut]

Maybe take a deload week man, sometimes your body just needs a bit more recovery.

I agree with this, take a rest dude! Deload a little and listen to your body. You do not have to stop just make it a little lighter.

 

[dannyfromqueens]

Before changing your whole routine, I'd check how much heavy pulling you're doing each week. Deadlifts can be pretty unforgiving when fatigue starts building up, especially if you're also squatting heavy.

Might be worth dropping the weight by 10% for a week or two and focusing on clean reps, then gradually building back up. I'd also record a few working sets from the side to see if your hips are shooting up early or you're losing position off the floor.

One thing I'm curious about, where exactly are you getting stuck? Breaking the bar off the floor, around the knees, or at lockout? That would probably help narrow down whether it's a technique issue, a strength weakness, or just accumulated fatigue.