#1: No, The Deadlift Doesn’t Blow Out Backs:
People are generally really scared of this lift and it’s because this is, “deadlifts destroy your back” mind virus has permeated the culture for, since forever.
It needs to stop.
That sh@t YOU did, that blew out your back, it wasn’t even a deadlift to begin with.
#2: When I started this whole creating disciples to one day take over the world Training People Thing, no one Except me Deadlifted.
I’m dead serious about this. <—–see what I did there?
In college at (The) Towson University the ONLY people I ever saw deadlifting were with me or in the mirror checking out my mad gains brah starring back.
First gym post college, yup, only me again.
But thanks to X-Fit it’s popular again.
And, unfortunately, most of them out there look like a steamy pile of doggy doody.
That’s how #1 gets started….
#3: EVERY Exercise Comes with a Risk and Reward.
Most people move like crapola, and quite frankly, the risk is too high.
They shouldn’t be deadlifting, at least in the traditional bilateral, straight bar, sense. <—–wait until #10.
Before it starts:
Lets not play this game…..Kipping Pullup, Aspirin, Driving without a seatbelt, all have a cost and a benefit
Just because the cost hasn’t been levied on YOU, YET, doesn’t mean it wont be in the future.
It also doesn’t mean it might not outweigh the benefits for you.
The deadlift plays at both ends of that spectrum.
The reward is high.
- Total Body Strength
- Awesomeness
- You’ll have a big old
Jen SelterDonkey Butt to fill out those pants
The risk? (especially if you really don’t know what you’re doing?)
- Snap City
It’s not forgiving of bad reps.
Even a very good, strong, lifter can lay themselves up for a week with a single bad rep.
So just know what you’re getting into.
In truth, the deadlift can be one of the BEST exercises to rehabilitate lower back injuries, the technique needs to be right and tight.
#4: Check Your Ego
I’m a BIG believer in almost always undertraining the deadlift.
RARELY do I go above 85% these days, and if I do it’s usually the only lift I’m doing that day because the warmup and workup takes 4 eva’.
And the worksets above 85%?
Sets of ONE REP.
No doubles, triples, fives.
ONLY ONES.
And no long, slow grinders.<——I learned this one from experience, at this point, nothing good comes out of these for me.
#5: Multi Rep Sets
No touch and go, at least not with a straight bar.
Just don’t like them, rarely are they good-looking.
In reality a multi rep set, for me, is multiple sets of one.
- Perform a rep
- Back away
- Rep
- Take a second and reset
- Rep
- Get composed and set up
- Rep
- You get the point I hope
- Rep
- If not, I don’t know what to tell you
- Rep
- You’re in the wrong place.
Here’s a set I did earlier this summer. Notice how long it takes:
#6: Have the Prerequisites:
- Scapula Control and some thoracic extension
- Ass, you NEED some glutes and the ability to use them
- Adequate hip mobility
- Ability to perform the Hip Hinge motion
- Understanding and ability to find and keep a neutral spine <—–this entails rib and hip position as well as core bracing and glute firing.
# 7: Get Flat Feet/ Shoes
or at least take off the damn running shoes.
The flatter the shoe the better the shin angle and the harder the sole the more force is directed into the ground (the comfy foam is stealing pounds off your total).
You’ll start with a better setup/ hip position and be able to activate the hips better and build tension in the hips/ hamstrings.
#8: Give Yourself a Wedgie:
The Lifters Wedge.
Basically, you’re creating maximal tension through the body by doing these things simultaneously:
- Take in a big diaphragmatic breath
- Externally rotate the hips
- Externally rotate the shoulders, bending the bar around your shins and activating the lats
- Crushing the bar
#9: Learn to use a Double Overhand Grip
It’s actually easier to activate the lats this way.
NO, I don’t usually pull a CrossFit and work out with my shirt off. It was like 100 that day and I got hot. Point being you can see my lats fire.
Plus it helps build your grip strength, keeps you from rotating (windmilling) the weight and results in symmetrical shoulder/ lat/ trap/ biceps development.
The over/ under grip is fine for your heaviest weights or longest sets but it does place a LOT of stress on the biceps tendon and may lead to you loading the body unevenly when you pull, the dreaded windmill.
The double overhand grip helps train the grip better in my opinion and a stronger grip = less chance of biceps rupture and more control of the bar.
#10: I Actually Prefer Single Leg Deadlifts For Most of my Clients.
No, the loading usually isn’t the same.
BUT, there is far less stress on the lumbar spine and bad reps usually end in,
“let’s try this again”
and not
“We’re done for the day. Are you sure your back is ok, should I call you an ambulance?”
People gotta get up and go to work the next day ya know.
Plus the single leg version really reinforces the hip hinge and when done correctly and still results in ass cramps activates the glute.
Plus, Plus, people tend to be less afraid.
Lets face it; they haven’t been told, “single leg, offset, deadlifts with a kettlebell” is dangerous for your back for the last 20 years.
Hell, they don’t even have a clue what that is.
Sometimes, just removing the “Ohh Shit” moment, or the preconceived thought of it is enough to make the performance improve.
Just about everyone can do this well in about 5 minutes.
BrONUS TIP: Curls for the Girls
If you deadlift you should be doing dedicated biceps work at some point.
Especially, if you’re training in the higher 85%+ range consistently.
The biceps tendon in the over/ under grip on the “under” side, really gets stressed with maximal loads.
Dedicated biceps work will only strengthen and help to protect it.
And even if it doesn’t help stave off a torn biceps
You’re arms will be JACKED, and that’s really all that matters.
I was going to put up a picture of this moron, Greg Valentino, But he’s just an idiot.
About Roy:
[…] I Actually Prefer Single Leg Deadlifts For Most of my Clients. […]