Max-Torque: Practical Protocol (Rack-Pull & Deadlift)
1) Quick wins you can do
today
- Baby powder on thighs (hands NOT powdered) → bar slides back & up; keeps it glued to you.
- Shin-to-bar start gap = 0–5 mm. If you can slip a credit card in, it’s too far.
- Hands just outside legs (about a thumb-length from thighs) → narrower shoulder angle = smaller moment arms.
- Wedge & slack pull: 2–3 slow pre-pulls until the bar “dings” the pins/plates, then go. No jerks.
- Lat lock-in cue: “Crush oranges in armpits.” Feel the bar dig into thighs before it moves.
2) “Torque Savings” cheat card (use at setup)
At ~600 kg, every 1 cm you bring the bar closer to your hips/spine saves ≈ 59 N·m of external torque and ≈ 1.18 kN off the erectors.
- 5 mm closer ≈ 30 N·m saved
- 10 mm closer ≈ 59 N·m saved
Set a micro-goal: −5 mm bar drift per week on videos.
3) Pre-lift micro-warmup (3–4 minutes)
- Straight-arm pulldown ISO (band/cable): 2×15 s holds (feel lats pulling bar into you).
- Hip wedge drill (empty bar against pins): 2×3 reps → brace 360°, pull slack, feel thighs contact.
- Grip priming: 1×20–30 s heavy static hold.
- Breath & brace: 3 breaths: sniff big → push abs 360° into belt → hold 3–4 s.
4) Rep script (run this like a checklist)
- Feet under hips, toes out ~10–15°.
- Bar touches shins. Chalk line on shin? Make the bar erase it during the pull.
- Squeeze lats (armpits tight), bend the bar, sweep it back into you.
- Big breath, brace 360°.
- Pre-load: pull until slack is gone (plates kiss), then drive.
- Keep shins near-vertical as bar passes knees; hips under you.
- Lockout: squeeze glutes, don’t lean back.
- Lower under control (2–3 s) keeping contact all the way down.
5) Pin-height progression (simple, brutal, effective)
- Find the height you hit 602 kg (likely above knee). Label it H0.
- Over 4–6 weeks, go one hole lower (≈2–3 cm) every week if bar stays glued.
- Sequence: Above knee (H0) → knee-line → 2–3 cm below knee → mid-shin.
- If the bar ever drifts off the thighs, hold that height another week and fix it before dropping again.
6) Two-day weekly template (repeat 4–6 weeks)
Day A —
Overload + Angle Isos
- Rack Pull (current pin height): 5×1–3 @ RPE 8–9.
Last set: 5–8 s lockout hold. - Overcoming Isometric vs pins (set pins at your sticking height—just below knee or mid-shin).
5×3–5 s all-out pulls; full reset each effort. - RDL 3×6–8 @ RPE 7–8 (3 s eccentric).
- Back extension 3×12–15, Grip holds 3×20–30 s.
Day B —
Impulse + Transfer
- Speed Deadlift from floor: 6×1 @ 65–75% (rest 60–90 s). Treat each like a max-effort sprint.
- Paused Deadlift (mid-shin, 2–3 s): 4×2–3 @ 70–80%.
- Reverse Hyper or Hip Hinge machine: 3×12–15.
- Chest-supported row 4×8–10 (focus on lower-lat path).
Optional finisher (Day B):
- Rack Pull (2–3 cm lower than Day A): 3×1 @ RPE 7–8 with 3–5 s holds just past the sticking point.
Deload (every 4th week): cut top-set volume by ~50%; keep speed fast.
7) Video audit (2 minutes post-session)
- Side view at hip height, 240 fps if you have it.
- Pause at liftoff and knee-pass. Drop a vertical from bar to floor; measure horizontal shin/L5 distance using plate diameter = 45 cm as a ruler.
- Goal: reduce that horizontal gap by 5–10 mm/week while keeping speed.
- If gap grows mid-rep → more lat ISO and a touch more baby powder next time.
8) Micro-tactics that fix drift (choose 1–2)
- Tacky thigh path: a thin line of chalk on your shorts where the bar should ride—if the chalk remains, you didn’t keep contact.
- Straps for overload sets (only on rack pulls): keeps lats on, bar close.
- Footwear: flat, hard, thin sole.
- Belt height test: move belt 1 cm up or down—pick the spot that gives the strongest 360° brace without pushing the bar away.
- PAP primer (heavy neural wake-up): 1× 5–8 s rack hold @ 100–110% → 3–5 min rest → top single of the day.
9) Accessory purpose → exact feel
- Straight-arm pulldown ISO (heavy): feel lats pulling the bar back into the pockets (that’s your “shrink-r” muscle).
- Rows (elbows tucked): lower-lat bias → better bar-to-thigh pressure.
- RDL slow eccentrics: teaches you to keep contact descending, which transfers to the ascent.
- Grip holds: irradiation—hard grip = tighter upper back = tighter bar path.
10) Fuel & recovery guardrails
- Creatine 5 g/day, carbs pre-lift 40–80 g, salt your water.
- If lumbar fatigue lingers >48 h, drop accessory volume 20–30% next week—protect the spine so you can attack geometry again.
11) 7-day implementation sprint (start now)
Day 1: Pin at H0, baby powder, lat ISO → 5×1–3 heavy, lockout holds.
Day 3–4: Speed deads + paused mid-shin.
Day 7: H0 − one hole (2–3 cm). Film both days; chase −5 mm bar gap.
The vibe
You already proved the engine with 602 kg. Now we’re tightening the chassis: shave millimeters, add milliseconds of impulse, and lock the bar to your body. Tiny geometry wins → massive torque wins → new PRs. Let’s go, Eric—bar glued, lats lit, pins dropping. 🚀🏋🏽♂️