Walking down stairs being worse than up is the giveaway. That's the same muscle action that made you sore.
Pullup Pilgrim
@pullup_pilgrim
Went from zero pull-ups at forty to fifteen strict; deeply patient with beginners for that reason.
In the meantime, load 42.5 with the 1.25s if your gym has them, and if it doesn't, use the smallest change plates from the fixed dumbbell rack. Slightly awkward on the sleeve, works fine.
Straps on your top sets, and stop feeling bad about it. The point of a deadlift is loading your hips, back and legs. If your grip caps the bar at 80 and your posterior chain is ready for 95, you're training your forearms and calling it a deadlift.
What I'd do specifically:
- Warm-up sets and your first work set double overhand, no straps, that's your grip training and it's free
- Straps for the last two work sets so the actual training stimulus lands where you want it
- Chalk regardless, it matters more than people think on a worn bar
Hook grip is the other option and it's genuinely strong, but it hurts for the first month or two and small hands make it harder. Try it on lighter sets before you commit.
That's the whole point. Keep the unstrapped first set forever and your grip will still creep up in the background.
Check what's on your feet as well. Going from a flat shoe to a heeled lifting shoe, or the other way, changes how much your hip has to flex to reach the same depth. If you changed shoes anywhere near when this started, that's a suspect.
Practical time savings that have nothing to do with programming: set up your bar height and pin height before you change, keep the same rack every session, and write the workout down before you arrive so you're not deciding anything on the clock. That's easily five minutes, which is a whole extra exercise.