For a true strength-seeker, it’s the most fundamental primordial experience: pick up a heavy barbell and put it down. Ah, the good ol’ deadlift! In primitive times, strength was tested by lifting logs and rocks off the ground, and, in the case of Milo of Croton, a 6th century BC wrestling champion, deadlifting bulls. In modern times, the deadlift has too long played second fiddle to BOSU ball sideshows.The deadlift works more muscles than even the squat and is thus the king for overall strength and muscular development. Here are eight tips that are going to help you build a deadly deadlift.
Mindset
The gym is not a country club. Neither is the ride over. Lay off the cell, put on some tunes and walk in the door ready to slay some heavy iron. Consider giving up Candy Crush for a bit for 15-20 minutes of mental imagery training where you just relax and envision yourself succeeding on every rep of every set. Make the visualizations vivid – get senses involved like smells and noises. The more vivid, the better for performance. Your perception can become reality.A 1992 study compared two groups over five weeks of strength training. One group trained with traditional resistance training and the other group trained using vivid mental imagery, imagining themselves performing the training exercises. The group that simply imagined training made 70 percent of the gains of the group that lifted.Lift hard but don’t underestimate the value of brain training via imagery. Maximizing results requires a dedication to both.
2 of 8
PULLING TIP NO. 2: STANCE
Great deadlifting starts with the right stance. To find yours, perform a standing vertical jump. Note the width of your stance at takeoff. This should be your foot stance at the commencement of the lift. This is not set in stone but offers a good reference point for those looking to increase their pull totals.
3 of 8
PULLING TIP NO. 3: BUTT POSITION
Get your butt in the right position. For deadlifting the largest amounts of weight – and for staying injury free – do not pull with straight legs. The deadlift is not a squat – you can half squat more than you can full squat. Take advantage of this and descend into a half squat. Get the barbell over the center of your feet with your arms at full extension and your shoulder blades over the barbell then pull!
4 of 8
PULLING TIP NO. 4: STATIC STRETCHING
Performing static stretching prior to any activity that requires maximal force production or rate of force development is not recommended. Numerous studies have shown that explosive power and force production decrease after static stretching. Dynamic stretching is the preferred warm-up protocol to maximize strength and explosive power. But there are exceptions to every rule and we can use static stretching to produce bigger deadlifts if done selectively.When performing a vertical jump, power comes from the posterior chain. Hip flexors work as an antagonist (meaning they resist your vertical jump ability). If they are in a weakened state you just jump higher because you inhibit their resistance. The same technique is one of my black book deadlift secrets. As your glutes lockout a deadlift, they are in opposition to the hip flexors. You can inhibit the opposition with the stretching of your hip flexors. Ahead of your next big-weight deadlift day – but after a short dynamic warm-up – static stretch your flexors for two sets of 30 seconds each. This will weaken the inhibitory action of the flexors and allow you to pull more weight.
5 of 8
PULLING TIP NO. 5: GRIP
Set a firm grip. Limp hands need not apply. This may seem obvious but there are peripheral benefits you may not have considered. As you grab the bar tighter, the central nervous system activates and more muscles get involved. Since our goal is not isolation, the more muscles activated the merrier!
6 of 8
PULLING TIP NO. 6: PULL IN SEQUENCE
Make a point of not letting your hips rise faster than your shoulders. If your legs lockout before your shoulders, you are in a biomechanically weak position. This also subjects your lower back and hamstrings to a much greater chance of injury.
7 of 8
PULLING TIP NO. 7: PULL EXPLOSIVELY
Perform work sets in a compensatory acceleration training (CAT) style. This means performing repetitions as explosively as possible while maintaining proper technique. This helps you generate as much force as possible to complete each lift.
8 of 8
PULLING TIP NO. 8: COMMIT TO THE PULL
Among traditional barbell lifts, the deadlift is the ultimate test of mental toughness and testicular fortitude. Technique is essential to mastering this exercise but in no other lift does aggressiveness and internal rage aid an athlete as much as in the deadlift. Committing to the pull means walking up to the bar and knowing that the lift is complete. You have made a decision that you won’t drop the weight, come hell or high water…so don’t.Josh Bryant, MFS, CSCS, PES, is the owner of JoshStrength.com and co-author (with Adam benShea) of the Amazon No. 1 seller Jailhouse Strong. He is a strength coach at Metroflex Gym in Arlington, Texas, and holds 12 world records in powerlifting. You can connect with him on Twitter and Facebook or visit his website at www.joshstrength.com.
Deadlift Strength Stack
Your eight beast-mode tips in tow, you can add these supplements to your game plan to pull more weight and build more muscle.SUPPLEMENTDOSEWhey protein 20 grams 30-60 minutes pre-workout; 40-60 grams immediately post-workoutCaffeine 200-400 mg 1-2 hours before workoutsCreatine 3-5 grams with pre- and postworkout shakes; on rest days take 3-5 grams with breakfastBeta-alanine 1-1.5 grams with pre- and postworkout shakes; on rest days take 1-1.5 grams with breakfastRibose 5-10 grams with pre- and postworkout shakes; on rest days take 5-10 grams with breakfastTaurine 1-3 grams with pre- and postworkout shakesTribulus terrestris 250-750 mg with breakfast and one hour before workouts; do not take it on rest daysFish oil 4-6 grams in 2-3 divided doses with meals
For a true strength-seeker, it’s the most fundamental primordial experience: pick up a heavy barbell and put it down. Ah, the good ol’ deadlift! In primitive times, strength was tested by lifting logs and rocks off the ground, and, in the case of Milo of Croton, a 6th century BC wrestling champion, deadlifting bulls.
In modern times, the deadlift has too long played second fiddle to BOSU ball sideshows.
The deadlift works more muscles than even the squat and is thus the king for overall strength and muscular development. Here are eight tips that are going to help you build a deadly deadlift.
Mindset
The gym is not a country club. Neither is the ride over. Lay off the cell, put on some tunes and walk in the door ready to slay some heavy iron. Consider giving up Candy Crush for a bit for 15-20 minutes of mental imagery training where you just relax and envision yourself succeeding on every rep of every set. Make the visualizations vivid – get senses involved like smells and noises. The more vivid, the better for performance. Your perception can become reality.
A 1992 study compared two groups over five weeks of strength training. One group trained with traditional resistance training and the other group trained using vivid mental imagery, imagining themselves performing the training exercises. The group that simply imagined training made 70 percent of the gains of the group that lifted.
Lift hard but don’t underestimate the value of brain training via imagery. Maximizing results requires a dedication to both.
PULLING TIP NO. 2: STANCE
Great deadlifting starts with the right stance. To find yours, perform a standing vertical jump. Note the width of your stance at takeoff. This should be your foot stance at the commencement of the lift. This is not set in stone but offers a good reference point for those looking to increase their pull totals.
PULLING TIP NO. 3: BUTT POSITION
Get your butt in the right position. For deadlifting the largest amounts of weight – and for staying injury free – do not pull with straight legs. The deadlift is not a squat – you can half squat more than you can full squat. Take advantage of this and descend into a half squat. Get the barbell over the center of your feet with your arms at full extension and your shoulder blades over the barbell then pull!
PULLING TIP NO. 4: STATIC STRETCHING
Performing static stretching prior to any activity that requires maximal force production or rate of force development is not recommended. Numerous studies have shown that explosive power and force production decrease after static stretching. Dynamic stretching is the preferred warm-up protocol to maximize strength and explosive power. But there are exceptions to every rule and we can use static stretching to produce bigger deadlifts if done selectively.
When performing a vertical jump, power comes from the posterior chain. Hip flexors work as an antagonist (meaning they resist your vertical jump ability). If they are in a weakened state you just jump higher because you inhibit their resistance. The same technique is one of my black book deadlift secrets. As your glutes lockout a deadlift, they are in opposition to the hip flexors. You can inhibit the opposition with the stretching of your hip flexors. Ahead of your next big-weight deadlift day – but after a short dynamic warm-up – static stretch your flexors for two sets of 30 seconds each. This will weaken the inhibitory action of the flexors and allow you to pull more weight.
PULLING TIP NO. 5: GRIP
Set a firm grip. Limp hands need not apply. This may seem obvious but there are peripheral benefits you may not have considered. As you grab the bar tighter, the central nervous system activates and more muscles get involved. Since our goal is not isolation, the more muscles activated the merrier!
PULLING TIP NO. 6: PULL IN SEQUENCE
Make a point of not letting your hips rise faster than your shoulders. If your legs lockout before your shoulders, you are in a biomechanically weak position. This also subjects your lower back and hamstrings to a much greater chance of injury.
PULLING TIP NO. 7: PULL EXPLOSIVELY
Perform work sets in a compensatory acceleration training (CAT) style. This means performing repetitions as explosively as possible while maintaining proper technique. This helps you generate as much force as possible to complete each lift.
PULLING TIP NO. 8: COMMIT TO THE PULL
Among traditional barbell lifts, the deadlift is the ultimate test of mental toughness and testicular fortitude. Technique is essential to mastering this exercise but in no other lift does aggressiveness and internal rage aid an athlete as much as in the deadlift. Committing to the pull means walking up to the bar and knowing that the lift is complete. You have made a decision that you won’t drop the weight, come hell or high water…so don’t.
Josh Bryant, MFS, CSCS, PES, is the owner of JoshStrength.com and co-author (with Adam benShea) of the Amazon No. 1 seller Jailhouse Strong. He is a strength coach at Metroflex Gym in Arlington, Texas, and holds 12 world records in powerlifting. You can connect with him on Twitter and Facebook or visit his website at www.joshstrength.com.
Deadlift Strength Stack
Your eight beast-mode tips in tow, you can add these supplements to your game plan to pull more weight and build more muscle.
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