Think back, actually think way
back. Do you remember trying to pick up heavy trees, adults and rocks in
the woods? Oh yeah, you would grab a tree that looked impossible to
lift, and you would find your inner strength to get the tree off of the
ground. After lifting the tree you felt like a freak that should be
apart of Ripley's Believe it or not. If you were one of the kids that
liked picking up trees and rocks, it shows that you have had the
hardcore powerlifting mentality way before the gym and way before you
knew what weight lifting was. This mentality of pushing yourself in the
woods has stayed with you all of your life and is now being displayed in
the gyms up until this day. Maybe you are still using this mentality on
the deadlift, but it all started way back as a child, back when you were
maxing out in the wilderness.
So then you take this attitude that you learned from the forest into the
gym to see how much weight you can deadlift. Unlike the trees, the
weights have numbers, so you know what you can lift and what you need to
beat for the next time, and then the inevitable happens. One day you set
a personal deadlift record and the gym owner comes up to you and says
"No deadlifting"! What has just happened? Gyms across the Country say
"No deadlifting"! Why? The deadlift is the lift that intimidates
members, it's the lift that turns common men into monsters, it's the
exercise that makes mankind crazier than a gorilla and it's the lift
that smashes the floor so hard that the members feel like an earth quake
has just erupted. Oh yeah, the chalk on the bar makes the casual members
feel like they have entered a pig pen, giving the recreational crowd no
other option but to go back on the couch and get fat again.
deadlift You on the other hand are working so hard that you cannot talk
after sets are over and you are becoming super strong! What most men
fear is the excitement for victory. Deadlifting teaches us that the weak
will crumble and that the strong will survive. The deadlift is the lift
that separates the strong from the weak and it's the lift that defines
hardcore. Thus, even though deadlifting does wonders for us, it's also
the least popular of all lifts, but it is also the lift that has the
most respect. The deadlift has the most respect because nobody wants to
deadlift because deadlifting will wear out your whole body, it's going
to blisters your hands, cuts your shins open and drain out the occipital
lobe of the brain, so the lifter cannot see anything! It's also the most
nerve wrecking and the most thrilling of all lifts because it's the main
event in powerlifting. It's like the 4 th quarter in sports, the
deadlift is the final test to determine who is victorious in the
powerlifting meet.
In addition the deadlift is the lift that can raise someone's confidence
over night. Think about it, take the average guy off of the street and
put him on the squat and what happens? His form is off, he is
uncomfortable and he needs to build a base. Now put the average beginner
on the bench and you will be lucky if he can even bench press one fifth
of what you do. Now tell this person to deadlift and what happens? They
pick up 315lbs out of now where and all of a sudden they want to train.
They are now inspired to become stronger in powerlifting and overcome
their fears to make it in real life!
When I was a teenager I deadlifted 405 and before that during my earlier
days I was constantly picking up 135s and this gave me my first
impression of training. These were the days when I finally knew I could
become something. And not only was the deadlift the big starter for me,
but it's the starter for others because it's the lift that we can use a
lot of weight on before all the other exercises. It's also the exercise
that teaches you the mentality to get strong. Deadlifting is also the
exercise that teaches you how to eat like an animal and train like one.
Instantly deadlifting will turn kids into powerhouses very fast.
Now that we are all naturally strong at the deadlift, let's discuss what
it takes to become scary strong! Let the games begin!
Tips To Become Better At The Deadlift
deadlifting tips
1) Strengthen your grip- if you have a weak grip perform grip exercises
for counts of 15-20 with power rack grips on barbells and dumbbells.
2) Farmers Walk- Take 2 100 or 150lbs dumbbells (depending on your
strength level) and walk around with them! This is also a strongman
event.
3) Clamp Work- Buy a pair of clamps and start squeezing them together!
Not only will this make your forearms huge, but this will also make you
an amazing arm wrestler. Many of us can lift a lot with straps, but we
cannot do a lot without them. This means that we need to strengthen our
grips.
4) Rack pulls- Rack Pulls are important for the intermediate deadlifter
and the advanced deadlifter. These will work on the finish! So let's say
you just deadlifted 475lbs and you missed 500 at the lockout. Well rack
pulls will allow you to finish that 500lbs deadlift that you were always
trying to hit.
In order to perform a rack pull, find where it is that you are weak.
Some deadlifters are weak towards the lockout and others are weak at the
half way point of the lift. So go into the power/squat rack with the
adjustable safety bars and pins and put the pin where your weakness is,
or 1 inch below your weak point. Start practicing your pull from the
height where you struggle. Use a lower rep range and get ready to pull
some massive weights. You should load the 45s and 100s up on the bar
when it comes to deadlift rack lockouts.
5) For the bottom half of the Deadlift-
Some deadlifters struggle getting the weight right off of the floor. If
this is the case then set the pins to about knee level and lift off the
floor to the pins. This will work the bottom phase of the deadlift. The
weight you use on these probably won't be as heavy, but as you
strengthen the bottom phase of the lift, the weights will increase with
time.
6) Rep Ranges- Keep the reps low and keep practicing singles, while
resting between sets.
7) Do Shrugs- A strong shrug is very important as well. I recommend
barbell shrugs, since the traps definitely play a large role. Go for
reps of 5 and train heavy. Remember to raise your shoulders and pause to
make the most out of your efforts. This will really help you finish
heavier weights when deadlifting.
Other Exercise Options
Another exercise to try is using bands during your dumbbell work. This
means hook some bands to the dumbbell and you can either hook them from
under a rack, to a dumbbell on the floor or under your foot. You can use
mini chains to perform these exercises too. Keep switching things up
though, especially as you get to more advanced levels.
Special Deadlift Assistance Exercises
Key stone deadlifts-
The key stone deadlift will develop the posterial chain, which means all
of your back muscles. The lift is started by taking a weight out of a
rack (the position you do your shrugs). Then push your butt and belly
out as you bring the weight down just below your knees and back up to
lockout position. Your knees should be slightly bent and you should feel
this in your hamstrings and glutes, but not in your lower back.
Zercher squats-
Pick the bar up, wrap your arms around the bar and hug it close to you
and perform a front squat. Then repeat this motion. For video evidence
check out: http://www.weightliftingdiscussion.com/regzerch.html And this
site- http://www.abcbodybuilding.com/exercise3/zerchersquat.htm
Kneeling squats-
This is an exercise where you stand on your knees and, put a bar on your
upper back, squat down and back on your knees then come up so you are
standing on your knees again. Go for 6-10 reps when your strong you can
use quite a bit of weight and you will automatically increase your squat
and deadlift. See example below:
kneeling squat
Other lifts to check out:
Spider Lifts-
Kneel low to the ground and wrap your arms around the bar in a butterfly
like motion while also keeping your legs in a butterfly like motion.
Then stand back up- http://www.weightliftingdiscussion.com/spider.html
For Jefferson lifts-
Put the bar between your legs, with your legs in a split like motion.
Put one arm in front of the other and pull the weight up. Like the
spider lift, the Jefferson lifts will work your quads. To see a picture
check out: http://www.weightliftingdiscussion.com/jefferson.html
Sled work techniques- See example on this page: http://www.weightliftingdiscussion.com/sled.html
O.K., those are fancy lifts that will train you for the highland games,
USAWA games, strongman, powerlifting and sports. Let's take a look at
some more common exercises that will increase your deadlift that the
magazines normally don't teach which are even more effective.
deadlift monster Good mornings-
Position the barbell on the back of shoulders and put your feet
together. Now bend down until your torso is parallel to the floor. Then
stand up and thrust your hips out hard! Like a pelvis thrust. You should
feel it in your hams, lower back and abs. This lift will make you
strong!
Power Good Mornings-
These are like regular good mornings, but use a very wide stance. Now
lean, don't bend, go down forward slowly and then explode up. Heavy
weights can be employed. This is not a quarter-squat. Remember, the bar
must be in front of the knees after leaning forward.
Bent Leg Good Mornings-
If your erectors, hamstrings and glutes are weak then place the bar on
your back in a squat position and bend over, and explode up.
The squat/ good morning-
Do the good morning where you bend forward until your back is about
parallel with the floor then just transcend into the squat position and
finish the movement. Repeat.
Good Mornings with Equipment-
You can do good mornings with a bench. This means bend down until your
face touches a bench or a box. Only flexible lifters can do these. Also
you can add bands and chains on these exercises. Sometimes you want to
use equipment and other times you don't. This keeps your body guessing,
when the body faces the unknown, it has no other choice but to make
answers. Since you have a system that attacks your personal barriers,
these answers will transform into progress.
Box Squats-
The purpose of box squats is to teach a lifter to sit back instead of
down. This means your butt should go back first and you will turn out
your knees. After you sit back onto the box while performing a box
squat, swing out your hips as if you were doing a good morning to the
lockout position. By using techniques such as widening your standing and
keep your knees out will highly increase your squat max.
Speed squats and box squats-
Perform 10 sets of 2 reps and squat fast. You should only rest 30-60
seconds between sets. These will make you faster and when you're faster
you are more explosive. Normally when lifters train with soviet methods
they will do a heavy squat/deadlift day then 72 hours later they will do
their dynamic effort squatting day. Always remember to use the same
force on all of your speed attempts that you use on your maxing out
attempts, or the speed days will lose their effectiveness.
Using Bands And Chains
Here is a brief explanation of how they work. Bands and chains come in
different sizes depending how you adjust the tension. If you hook them
from the ground then at lockout the weight becomes heavier, as at the
bottom phase of the lift the weight stays the same teaching you how to
accelerate. If you hook the bands/chains to the top of the rack, they
assist you coming out of the hole. "The starting phase of the lift", but
the tension diminishes in the upward phase. These teaches you to force
the weight down during the negative and how to recoil when you use a
squat and deadlifting suit
More Exercises to Help Your Deadlift
The Reverse Hyper machine-
This machine works the muscles in your lower back. This is because the
machine can hit your lower back, glutes in a way that other exercises
cannot do. You need to order one of these or train at a gym that has
them.
Reverse Hyper Extensions-
This works the mid to the lowest part of the back and is better than all
other back exercises. This will rotate the sacrum. Also this lift opens
the disks and allows spinal fluid to enter. Reverse Hyper Extensions can
be performed on a ball, the floor and if you are fortunate enough they
can be used on the reverse hyperextension machine. It's basically
putting your feet into hooks, while you are on your stomach and you
raise your legs up and down.
Hyper Extensions-
Get on the hyperextension machine on your stomach. Put your feet between
the pads of the machine. Bring your back down and extend up. You can
hold weight in your arms to make the exercise harder.
These lifts can also be good rehab exercises for recovery, just like
reverse bench presses can be for benching. To work the opposite phase of
the lift as well. To perform a reverse bench, get under a smith machine,
put a box on the bar, and press yourself up and down for a series of
reps.
Glute Ham Raise-
This is the best exercise for the hamstrings. You need a glute ham
machine, which is a glute/ham bench. In the start position your back and
legs should be straight and then raise the body to the upright position.
You can apply bands and chains on this lift to apply tension!
These lifts will also transform you into the best athlete. All these
exercises make all of your muscles work together and that is why they
work so much better for strength/athletics than isolation bodybuilding
lifts.
Standing Sit Ups-
Go to the machine where you do tricep push downs. Now put the strap
around the back of the neck with the two ends held against the chest and
look away from the machine. Now keep bending as far as you can and push
out the abs. As you get stronger at this exercise your squat and
deadlift will rise.
Side Deadlifts-
This exercise works the abs and obliques, Lift the barbell from the lift
then right side and don't bend to the side. This will stabilize the
glutes and build the obliques. Also you can put your hand next to a
safety rack for stability support, remember form is vital on this
exercise.
deadlift
Abs-
Put your feet on a ball, and arch your back high so only your head is
touching the floor. Put your hands off the floor and move your feet up
and down. You will feel it in your lower back and abs.
High Rep exercises-
Obviously we can't make everyday maximum lifting days and sometimes we
need rep days. Some exercises to perform. 1-legged squats on a box for
reps (See if you can do 50), most of all do a few sets of 10. Do front
squats, zercher squats, jump squats and then take a low pulley cable and
put it through your legs while facing away from the machine and keep
your legs straight. This will work your lower back. Use very high reps
on these exercises. Finally after a hard workout do 3 sets of body
weight squats for 75 reps, or 135 for 100 reps, this is more required
for the iron man athlete than the 1 rep powerlifter, so this gives them
an option as not everyone is striving for maximum weights.
Leg Lifts-
All leg lifts can be good and there are so many types that I'm still
waiting to discover some new ones. Well, start with lying leg lifts with
your legs bent. Progress to straight leg lifts. The hardest type of leg
raise involves lifting your feet up to the bar you are hanging upside
down.
Trap Bar deadlift-
This is a diamond shaped bar. Stand between the handles and pull the bar
up. If they are high at average one should be able to use 80lbs more
than their regular conventional deadlift max.
Plyometrics for Deadlifting
A great way to build leg strength, power, and explosiveness is by doing
plyometric jumps. To perform these keep your knees bent in a loaded
position. Then explode into the air over the object. As soon as you land
regroup and explode back into the air to the other side of the object.
Here is a picture of me getting crazy air with explosiveness. You can
also do these by jumping high onto a box, depending how high your
vertical is. Work on these and you will find that squatting 3x your
weight is no longer so hard and that you too can become a professional
athlete.
Stretching
An area of conditioning frequently ignored is flexibility. A proper
warm-up followed by a stretch will help to prevent injuries and make you
more flexible. Take a partner, have him put your leg in various holds
and allow him to apply some pressure. When you are flexible you will
become stronger.
Deadlifting Pointers
deadlift Train the deadlift once every 2 weeks- when we squat we are
releasing plenty of testosterone the way it is. Also if you deadlift
every week, it's going to put a stress on the pecs according to Lou
Simmons. The bottom line is if you train the deadlift too often the
results will diminish and you will just overtrain. So, training the
deadlift once every 2 weeks will work, unless your coach says other
wise. There are exceptions to most rules.
Bands, blocks and chains can help- these will help your deadlift, much
like they will help your bench. Also powercleans will help.
After a power clean try a front squat!
In order for all of these exercises to work, the lifter has to analyze
their weak points and create a program to hit them. Remember to work the
bigger muscle groups first and the smaller ones later. I believe that
most of the exercises that I have explained should be performed on the
days that you are squatting. Obviously shrugs will be your shoulders
day. And lastly get in the power rack and work on holds and other
exercises on your back day. You will constantly follow through if you
have the self-discipline, patience and determination to get better.
The muscles used in the deadlift are the latissimus dorsi, trapezius
erector spine, glutes, hamstrings, quads and the psoa hip flexors. The
forearms and trunk stabilization also plays a role. Make all of these
muscles stronger. Try to work them together and your deadlift will
improve as well as following all the tips I provided to you throughout
this article.
The mind is important in deadlifting. By using all these techniques to
improve weaknesses and having a mind that never sets performance limits
than you will be able to accomplish feats of strengths that your mentors
never could.
Deadlift Technique
Technique is vital when you deadlift and it is probably the first thing
that you should learn. Once you master a base with technique then the
bigger numbers will follow. When you deadlift look at the ceiling, pull
shoulders behind the bar, keep your chest forward, sit back hard (as if
an imaginary stool was behind you) and pull the bar towards you as you
come up! Keep the weight close to your shins and in fact the weight
should split your shin open and then you know that you are deadlifting
right! Also, don't move your arms when you are deadlifting, the arms
should just be used only as cable connectors to hold the weight.
Oh yeah, keep the right hand straight and the left hand should be
reverse and if conventional style deadlifting doesn't work then go sumo.
Sumo deadlifting means that you keep your feet out very wide and hands
in close. The lifter needs to experiment with their technique and make
adjustments accordingly. Next the details are important so get a journal
and a coach to help you out. Lastly, keep that controlled rage mindset
(the ultimate mixture of intensity and focus) when you attack the
weight. The mindset with a concentrated attitude will work more then
lifting without any passion at all.
BAD deadlift FormThe DON'TS In Deadlift Form
1. Don't round your back.
2. Do not jerk in the movement
3. Do not tip forward, or move your feet forward.
4. Don't turn your head. Having a sprained neck that can't move is no
fun.
5. Don't move your knees inwards or outwards at you lift the weight.
The Other NOs Of Deadlifting
1) Don't wear gloves 2) Don't wear running shoes.
3) Stay away from mirrors.
When you deadlift try to wear flat bottom shoes, to maintain form. If
you wear running sneakers you are going to start slipping and get way
out of groove. So lift with tennis and basketball shoes. Don't wear
gloves, the weight will start to slip, chalk is a much better choice.
Avoid distractions like looking at yourself in the mirror. If you look
at yourself in the mirror you have lost your technique, just close your
eyes and lift. When you get distracted you automatically lose your
groove.
Genetics of a Great Deadlifter
Generally speaking, great benchers make weak deadlifters and vice versa.
This is because benchers often have shorter arms as the bar distance
travel is much shorter. I think that deadlifters on the other hand need
longer arms so they don't have to travel the bar as far. Short legs can
also be very beneficial for deadlifting to decrease travel distance.
However, at 6'6 Gary Heisey deadlifted 925, therefore the mind is more
important than genetics. Regardless, the deadlift is the ultimate
battlefield that can teach anyone to become super strong.
deadlift technique
It All Started With the Deadlift
Herman Goer, a German deadlifted 727lbs in 1920. In the 1800s Louis Cyr,
was one of the specialist of brute strength. In the early 1900s, Matie
Sandwina picked up her 160lbs husband with 1 arm and put him over her
head. During the late 1800s and early 1900s they performed feats of
strength with the use of a pony. The earliest bodybuilders/strength
athletes were discovered well before Christ. They discovered them in
Greece and the era of strength turned strength into what bodybuilding,
powerlifting and strength sports into what they are today.
Now, imagine living in a period of time before Christ. There is no way
that anyone can foresee football and other athletic events that exist as
of now. All we can wonder now is what will happen in the future of
weight training? Where it will lead and we cannot comprehend it. Who
knows what the future will hold, but we can do our best now and the
future will carry on our legacy. I believe the deadlift motion of
lifting is where it all began... And when the World ends we will always
think of the DEADLIFT as the creator of athletic and strength
excellence!
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