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GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT

BEN POLLACK

GUIDE TO
THE
DEADLIFT
SECRETS OF A WORLD RECORD HOLDER
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PREFACE GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT

PREFACE

In a lot of ways, this book is the outcome of

over a decade of work — of actually learning
to deadlift, and then learning how to teach
others to deadlift.

I began training with weights in 2001, when I

was a freshman in high school.  I had been
reading muscle magazines for a few months,
and wanted to start lifting to get stronger for
wrestling.  I started out at square one:
struggling to bench press 100 pounds and
squatting and deadlifting about the same. I
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ABOUT ME GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT

spent most of the next two years following routines deadlift and finished near last in everything else).  Less than
straight out of those magazines: 200-rep workouts full of six months later, my technique ignorance caught up with
drop sets, forced reps, isolation exercises, and other me, and I tore my right bicep trying to flip a 1,000-pound
similarly ineffective “intense” training methods.  There were tire.  It took me almost a year to fully recover.
two big problems. First, for me, pushing myself hard had
After that injury, I lost heart for strongman, and turned to
become an end in itself, and I couldn’t realize why that
powerlifting instead. I found a good coach who taught me
didn’t produce results. Second, my technique was terrible.
the basics of programming, and friends from graduate
In college, I fell in with a powerlifting crowd and started on school very patiently helped me correct the majority of
a basic 5x5 routine, and finally started making progress. problems with my technique.
From 2005 to 2009, I took my bench press from 115
pounds to 315, my squat from 200 to 500, and my deadlift
from 275 to 600.  I was still muddling around, with no idea
about technique or programming, but clearly I was on to
something.

After graduating, I bounced around commercial gyms for a

while, without any real goals or direction, until I started
training for strongman with a group of competitors.  I did
my first strongman meet in March of 2011 (I won the
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ABOUT ME
Since beginning my powerlifting career in November of
2012, I’ve put together a decent athletic resume:
• In July 2013, I finished 5th in the 181-pound class at the
USA Powerlifting Raw National Championships with a
1454-pound total
• In October 2015, I finished 2nd in the 183-pound class
at the USAPL Raw National Championships with a
1643-pound total
• In April 2016, I won the US Powerlifting Association
Texas State Championship, with a 1908-pound total in
the 198-pound weight class
• In August 2016, I won Boss of Bosses 3 and set an all-
time world record in the 198-pound weight class with a
2072-pound total
• I hold the world record in the deadlift for the 198-
pound class in the WRPC (and unofficially in the USPA).
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GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT
Outside the gym, I have a pretty good resume, too:
• I graduated from the University of Virginia with a 3.8
GPA and degrees in Finance and Information
Technology
• I worked for Google, Inc., in Mountain View
California
• I quit Google to pursue my Ph.D. in physical culture
history at the University of Texas, and plan to
graduate with a 4.0 GPA in August 2017 and over
$100,000 in scholarship awards
• I run a startup fitness consulting business with
another doctoral student at the University of British
Columbia, Victoria Felkar; and a professor at Trinity
University, Dominic Morais.
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PREFACE GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT

I’m not telling you all of that to brag. But I do think that my were easily achieved, they wouldn’t be rewarding. Try to
background shows that I haven’t just lucked into stellar remember that when things get difficult (and trust me —
genetics and a supportive environment. I had to begin at they will.)
square one and work my way up to the elite level.
Hopefully, my experiences can help you learn to do the
same.

As you read this guide, keep two themes in mind. First,

everyone is individual. You have to find what
works for you, not what works for me or anyone else.
I believe that the information in this guide is applicable to
the vast majority of people, but you will likely have to put a
lot of effort in to apply it to your own body, situation, and
goals. A coach can really help in that regard, but not
everyone has access to personalized instruction, and this
guide is the next-best thing.

Second, it’s not supposed to be easy. I know the

saying “it’s about the journey, not the destination,” sounds
trite if you’ve not yet reached your goals. But if your goals
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GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT

COPYRIGHT

© phdeadlift.com

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,

distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including
photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods,
without the prior written permission of the author, except in the
case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain
other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.
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 PHDEADLIFT.COM
TABLE OF CONTENTS GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT

Chapter 1: The King of the Lifts........................................................... 7

1.1 Introduction.............................................................................. 10

Chapter 2: Equipment............................................................................ 12
2.1 Apparel........................................................................................ 14
2.2 Bars & Belts............................................................................... 21
2.3 Extras............................................................................................ 28

Chapter 3: Technique.............................................................................. 37
3.1 Styles............................................................................................. 39
3.2 Setting Up.................................................................................. 49
3.3 Performing the Deadlift..................................................... 59

Chapter 4: FAQs....................................................................................... 86

Chapter 5: Conclusion........................................................................... 99

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CHAPTER 1 GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT

THE KING OF THE

LIFTS

It’s man versus barbell, where brute strength

trumps technique and sheer effort builds
winners.  Right?  Wrong.
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CHAPTER 1 GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT

Technique in the deadlift is just as important

as technique in the squat and bench.  This guide
will explain how to find the best deadlift for your body
type and the nuances of each style — conventional and
sumo — to help you build a phenomenal pull.

Of course, programming is right up there with

technique, and Part 2 of this guide — coming soon! —
will offer several different approaches to programming a lift
that’s notoriously difficult to recover from.  It will also
address common weak points in the deadlift, including grip
and lockout. To truly maximize your potential, you’ll want to
check them both out!

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SECTION 1 GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT

INTRODUCTION REMEMBER!

This guide is just a

guide.
I include a lot of anecdotal
evidence in my writing,
because I believe it’s
ABOUT THIS GUIDE informative. However, no
one can give you all the
answers. You have to find
what works for you.

At its most basic level, the deadlift simply requires that an athlete pick everyone finds natural: bending down to pick up heavy objects was
up a loaded barbell off the ground, in one smooth motion, and stand just as important for 18th-century settlers building log cabins as it is
erect with knees locked and shoulders back. It’s a movement nearly today for anyone moving furniture into a new apartment.

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ABOUT THIS BOOK GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT

Because it is so natural, many consider the deadlift way through until you put the bar back down again. It
the best test of raw strength in powerlifting. discusses subjects like pulling touch-and-go versus resetting
They assume that “natural” means that deadlifting comes between reps; breathing patterns; mobility; and more.
naturally, and good technique makes little difference: you’re
The third and final part answers some frequently-
either strong enough to lift the weight, or you aren’t. And
asked questions that I’ve received in the gym and
compared to the squat and bench press, most athletes
online, and provides some bonus content about my
benefit very little from supportive equipment in the
background and what lifting means to me.
deadlift. But in fact, technique in the deadlift is just as
important in the squat or bench press. If you’re ready to get pulling, turn the page
and get started!
This guide helps you to deal with those issues, and learn to
pull correctly. It’s divided into three parts. The first outlines
what kinds of equipment you’ll need to deadlift, and
how you should choose it. From shoes and socks to belts
and barbells, the equipment you makes a difference!

The next part dives into deadlift technique. It will help

you choose the stance and grip that work best for your
body. It will also teach you how to execute the perfect
deadlift, starting from the ground up and continuing all the
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CHAPTER 2 GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT

EQUIPMENT
FOR SUCCESS
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OVERVIEW GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT

CHAPTER
BREAKDOWN

1.0 APPAREL 2.0 BARS & BELTS 3.0 EXTRAS

Lots of people worry about looking good
in the gym, but less think about how their
clothes will affect their performance.
This sections helps you pick out the
apparel to help you perform your best.
Choosing the right type of belt: thickness Nice-to-haves likes tape, straps, and nose
and closure tork
Picking the perfect bar, and the nuances Remember: you can have too much of a
between stiff bars and whippy ones good thing!

EQUIPMENT: TOOLS OF THE TRADE

Having the right gear can make a difference on your heaviest lifts. If you do a little research beforehand, you can buy nice instead of twice. This section
will help you find the best of everything you’ll need to deadlift.

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APPAREL
14

SHOES
THE RIGHT KICKS
TO KICK ASS
BUILDING THE DEADLIFT FROM THE GROUND UP
Before you even think about touching the
bar, you need to have the right gear. Just as in
anything else, having high-quality equipment appropriate to
your task can make the difference between a professional-
level result and amateur hour. For the deadlift, not much is
required: just the right apparel, a supportive belt, and a
good bar. There are some extras that can be nice to have,
though, and we’ll cover those, too.
Fortunately, your options for deadlift shoes are less
complicated than they are for squat shoes and even for
bench shoes. If you are a powerlifter, you do not, under any
circumstances, want to deadlift with a heeled shoe.
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Heeled shoes will distort your bar path and
increase your range of motion.
Still, there are lots of options for flat shoes. If you deadlift
with a conventional stance, you can get away with
deadlift slippers. These are essentially socks with a
very thin rubber sole, and usually cost about $15-20. You
can buy them on nearly every online powerlifting supply
store. Most Internet gurus, however, suggest that sumo
deadlifters not pull in deadlift slippers because they need
some lateral support. The gurus are half right: sumo
deadlifters do need lateral support, but so do conventional
lifters (albeit to a lesser extent). Regardless of which style
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SHOES
you use, you want to apply lateral force off the ground to
activate your posterior chain and not just rely on your back
and quads. So, while deadlift slippers are a cheap option,
they’re not the most ideal. That said, I admit to training in
slippers a lot of the time because the difference when
pulling conventional is minimal, and they’re easier to slip
into a gym bag than a whole extra pair of shoes.
A half-step up from slippers are Chuck Taylor All-
Stars. These have a few benefits over slippers: they’re
iconic, they come in a wide variety of styles, and they offer
some lateral support with a comparatively thin heel. Plus,
they’re still pretty cheap.
Chucks have lots of drawbacks too, though. Their soles are
generally very slick, so they don’t offer a good amount of
traction, and they’re usually made of canvas, which doesn’t
last long. I’ve had several pairs of Chucks tear along the
outside sole.
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Once you leave the budget arena, your choices improve
considerably. Wrestling shoes are a common option.
Many top lifters, like Ian Bell and Brett Gibbs, prefer to
deadlift in wrestling shoes. Some, like Ray Williams, even
squat in them. Wrestling shoes offer better traction than
Chucks, are more resilient, and still have a negligible heel.
Wrestling shoes, unfortunately, are usually very narrow.
That’s a problem if you’re using them to deadlift, because
I’ve found that narrow shoes can sometimes impede your
ability to apply lateral force through your feet, especially if
you have wide feet or flat arches. Wrestling shoes often
aren’t totally flat-soled, either (even though the soles are
very thin), and usually have high arches. This makes applying
lateral force even harder. Powerlifting-specific brands of
wrestling shoes like those made by Metal and SABO, still
fall into this category — even though they’re more
expensive than a pair of Nike or Asics.
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Many lifters prefer minimal or barefoot-style three lifts, but obviously if you prefer a heel for squats or
running shoes. These usually have less than a 4 bench then it won’t work for you there.
millimeter heel-to-toe drop: slightly more than slippers but
Again, remember, you have to find what works for you. If
still pretty negligible. They offer considerably improved grip
you love pulling in slippers, then use slippers! There is no
and lateral support and usually have a fairly wide toe box.
one right answer for what shoes to wear, as long as they’re
They also come in the widest variety of styles.
flat-soled and allowed in your gym or in a meet.
The best choice for deadlifts, in my opinion, is the
Crossfit Lite TR by Reebok. This shoe is perfect: it has
a thin, flat footbed, strong traction and lateral support,
looks good and feels comfortable. Despite its Crossfit
branding, the Lite TR was designed by Mark Bell, an elite
powerlifter and owner of the Slingshot and Supertraining
brands, so it’s designed specifically with powerlifting in
mind. The Lite TR is affordable, too: on par with the Chuck
Taylor All-Star. The only downside of the Lite TR is its lack
of durability. A pair will wear out in about a year — which,
given the price, is still reasonable. I use the Lite TR for all

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APPAREL GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT

PERFORMANCE
CLOTHING

IT’S ABOUT MORE THAN JUST LOOKING GOOD

(But that matters, too!)
The socks, shorts, and shirts you wear to deadlift can all effect your performance on and off the platform. In a meet, your clothing needs to conform to the
rules of the federation, and in the gym, baggy shorts and no-show socks can get in the way of a big pull.
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APPAREL
Apparel is important for deadlifting, too, and not just to
look good (though that’s important). First, if you’re
deadlifting in competition, you will need a
pair of knee-high socks. High socks help prevent
shin scrapes, but make sure to get a pair that’s fairly thin
and slick. Thick, cotton socks can snag on the bar and
increase friction. I prefer SBD Apparel socks, but nearly
every sports apparel company makes perfectly good socks.
Try a couple of different styles to see whether you prefer
thicker or thinner socks; and sweat-wicking versus more
traditional materials. It seems like a very minor point, but
imagine how upset you would be to miss a third deadlift
attempt because the bar snagged on your socks.
Off the platform, any type of sock is fine, but you should
probably still wear high socks to get used to the small
differences of a meet, and minimize the chances of
bleeding on the bar. You should not scrape your shins much
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at all if you’re using good form, but accidents happen. Have
good gym etiquette and clean up your bodily fluids!
Pants are next. Again, in a meet, you’ll need a
singlet. And while I prefer SBD singlets, but any type will
do as long as it’s allowed in your federation. Because each
federation has its own rules, make sure to check the list of
approved equipment and brands before you purchase one,
as they can get a little pricey.
When I’m not competing, I prefer to wear some type of
compression short cut no lower than mid-thigh. These are
very similar to a singlet, but are easier to put on and look
like regular gym clothes. Brands like Virus, Skins, 2XU, and
others all make good compression shorts targeted at
lifters, but then pretty much every sports apparel company
makes compression shorts.
You’ll see lots of people training deadlift with regular
athletic shorts or even pants, and it’s usually not a good
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look from a lifting perspective. Shorts and especially pants

can snag a bar, increase friction, and keep you from locking
out a big lift or a last rep. Again, it’s not a big deal, especially
in training, but I prefer to practice like I want to perform.

Finally, shirts. Make sure your tops are short-sleeved or

sleeveless so that the sleeves don’t drag on your thighs at
the bottom of the lift. Bonus: you’ll get to show off your
guns! One very minor point to note regards the shirt’s
thickness, especially if you dress in layers. Your belt, when
you cinch it tightly, will feel slightly different if you’re
wearing a thick shirt versus a very thin one, versus if you’re
wearing a singlet. Singlets tend to be tight and slick, and so
your belt will slide around a bit. Make sure to practice
however you’re going to compete, even down to the type
of shirt you wear.

Dress for success and you’ll improve your pull.

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 LOREM // DOLOR SIT
LOREM SIT IPSUM JOHN WELLINGTON PORTFOLIO

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SECTION 2 GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT

BARS &
BELTS
GEARING UP TO GET STRONG

Just like a chef needs professional-quality knives and appliances, a

powerlifter needs tools built for the task at hand. And since that task
involves lifting massive amounts of weight, you better have the best
gear you can get.

The new SBD Apparel Belt is the best on the market.

Its patent-pending buckle gives the ease of use of a lever belt alongisde
the adjustability of a pronged one. It’s approved for use in all major
federations, too.

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BELTS GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT

Besides the bar itself, a good powerlifting belt is more support. However, smaller lifters sometimes find the
the best piece of deadlift equipment you can thicker belts uncomfortable.
own. Sure, some incredible athletes — like Yury Belkin —
Closure is more complicated. Most people use either a
prefer not to use a belt, but the vast majority will benefit
single-prong buckle or a lever closure. Other varieties exist,
from the the increased support in terms of both safety and
but they’re not very good: Inzer, for example, makes a zip-
pounds lifted. Note that an actual powerlifting belt is much,
tie closure, but it’s very bulky and not allowed in all
much different than a regular weightlifting belt you could
federations. Double-prong buckles are harder to close and
buy from a local sporting-goods store. Good belts are four
offer no additional support over single-prong ones. Some
inches wide, made of thick, high-quality leather, and are
companies make quick-release buckles, and these are
much stiffer than a velcro-and-nylon belt. You have two
comparable to single-prong ones, but a bit easier to get off
major choices when buying a powerlifting belt: closure and
after your set.
thickness.
The debates between lever and buckle generally refer to
Thickness is easy. Belts come in 10 millimeter and 13
tightness and ease of use. A lever allows you to get your
millimeter widths. The 10 millimeter variation is more
belt a bit tighter than you could with a buckle (which is
pliant, easier to break in, but provides less support. Most
sometimes, but not always, a good thing). A buckle allows
lifters prefer a 13 millimeter belt because, after
you to easily loosen or tighten the belt whenever you want
you break it in, it will last a bit longer and provide a bit
— most lever belts require a screwdriver to adjust the
tightness.
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BELTS
SBD Apparel makes the best belt you can
buy, period. Its easily-adjustable lever allows you to
cinch the belt as tight as possible while maintaining the
flexibility of a prong belt, and it is made of higher-quality
materials than used by other brands. However, it is very
expensive, and belts made by Inzer, Titan, Pioneer, and
Wahlkraft are all excellent. I do not recommend purchasing
a belt from any companies other than these. If you do, you
are likely to want a higher-quality one at some point. Every
belt I’ve ever purchased has been sized true-to-fit, so
follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for sizing.
After you buy your belt, you’ll need to break it in. Some
people recommend bending the belt back and forth or
rolling it up tightly to help break it in faster. I prefer to just
wear the belt until it’s broken in. You want the
belt to mold to your body so that you can wear it tightly
without discomfort, and rolling or bending — though
quicker — won’t accomplish this as effectively.
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You’ll have to experiment a bit to find the ideal positioning
and tightness for your belt when deadlifting, but most
people prefer to wear it right around the navel and under
the rib cage. When I put my belt on, I like to
angle it just slightly so that the back of the
belt is a bit higher than the front. A few people
will prefer to wear their belt higher, around the thoracic
spine. You can give that a try if you like, but most athletes
are better off with a lower positioning.
With regard to tightness, tighter isn’t always
better. You should use the belt as a tool to reinforce, not
substitute, your abs. That means you’ll need to be able to
inhale a bit and brace your core as described in the
Technique chapter. If your belt is too tight for you to set
your core properly, you need to loosen it a notch.
Generally, no time is “too early” to begin
wearing a belt especially if you plan on competing.
Personally, I bought one when I could deadlift over 400
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BELTS GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT

pounds, or about double bodyweight. However, except in

cases of injury, there is no need to put on your belt when
using loads of less than about 70% of your 1-rep max.
When warming up for heavier work, I’ll put my belt on
when I hit around 70%, but I’ll set it as loosely as possible
— just tight enough to keep it in place. Then, as I work up
over another 2-3 warmup sets, I will tighten it each set. I
only wear the belt as tight as possible for my last warmup
set and for my work sets (see the chapter on FAQs). This
allows me to transition from not wearing a belt to wearing
a tight one while still activating my abs properly.

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BARS
The bar you choose to deadlift with is extremely
important. Obviously, in a meet, you don’t have an option:
you have to pull with whatever’s on the platform. But for
every other rep you perform, you have some choice, and
you need to make it a good one — or at least an informed
one.
First, keep in mind the differences between kinds of bars.
Hopefully, you have access to a powerlifting-specific bar,
not a crappy gym bar. If you don’t, get one. Ask your gym
owner if you can store it somewhere safe so other
members won’t use it for squats or snatches. Most gym
owners will be accommodating, even in a commercial
environment.
There are three main types of powerlifting bars: squat bars,
power bars, and deadlift bars. Power bars are all-
arounders, and if you lift in the USAPL or IPF, they’re what
you will deadlift with, so they’re what you need to train
with most of the time. Even if you don’t lift in those
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GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT
federations, you may like to train with a power bar
occasionally for a bit of variation, as it requires more
tightness throughout the lift and strength off of the floor
compared to a deadlift bar — making it a great variation to
include in your programming. Power bars are
generally pretty stiff, but they will begin to bend a
bit with weights over 600 pounds or so if you’re using
regular iron plates. (If you have calibrated plates, like in a
meet, the weight will be closer to the collars and the bar
will bend less. More on this in the section about deadlift
bars.) Power bars have a diameter of 28.5 millimeters.
If you lift in almost any other organization, you’ll use a
deadlift bar. Deadlift bars are thinner than power bars
— they have a diameter of 27 millimeters — and they’re
longer, too. Usually they have shorter sleeves (the area
where you load the plates) and no center knurling. These
sound like small details, but they add up to make a big
difference. Because the deadlift bar is longer
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BARS
and thinner, and its sleeves are shorter, it
bends much more than a power bar. That bend
means that you have to lift the weight a shorter distance
(see picture below). And, since the distance reduced
comes from the bar’s bend off the floor, it requires less
bottom-end strength. As an added bonus, because the bar
is thinner, it’s easier to grip, especially for athletes with
smaller hands.
All of this adds up to a lot more weight on the bar. I can lift
about 5% more on a deadlift bar than on a power bar. The
amount of benefit you get from a deadlift bar depends on
your style of pulling. I’ve found that , since conventional
deadlifters already have to move the bar a greater distance,
they will benefit slightly more from the added bend of a
deadlift bar. than will sumo deadlifters This effect is
sometimes compounded by the fact that conventional
deadlifters are a bit more likely to use a very aggressive
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GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT
start off the floor — but that’s not usually the best choice,
as you’ll see in the Technique chapter.
The amount of bend also depends on how far the weights
are from the center of the bar. Competition plates are very
thin, so the weight is close to the collars, and the bar will
bend less than if you use regular iron plates. For the same
reason, the bar will bend less if you use 100-pound plates
rather than 45-pound ones. Some people put thicker,
rubber bumper plates on a deadlift bar to get the
maximum amount of bend. This is counterproductive, in my
opinion, because you’ll never use bumper plates in a
powerlifting competition. However, even if your federation
uses a stiff bar, you might find it beneficial to train on a
deadlift bar (rarely) for the benefits of overload and
increased confidence with heavy lifts.
Once you’ve picked out a bar, you need to make sure it’s
well-maintained. Obviously, it needs to be straight, and not
bent. A bar that’s permanently bent is no good
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BARS GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT

for serious lifting; it can cause imbalanced movement down well. And always clean up your own blood if you
and possibly even missed lifts. To tell whether a bar is bent, scrape your shins on the bar (which you shouldn’t, if you’re
put it across the pins in a power rack and roll it back and doing it right) or tear a callus.
forth without any weight on it. If it rolls crookedly, it’s bent
— pick a different one. If you absolutely have no choice
but to use a bent bar, don’t perform any maximal lifts on it,
and make sure to roll it so that the bent part points up
(like an inverted ‘U’) before you start a rep.

The knurling is important, too. If you use a mixed

grip, you probably want fairly deep, sharp knurling — but if
it’s too deep, that can lead to torn shins or calluses, which
are no fun. If you pull hook grip, deep knurling is less
important, but you still want some knurling to lock your
thumb in place.
Notice how much a deadlift bar bends. The bend
Finally, the bar needs to be clean. If it’s caked in can make a big difference in the amount of weight
chalk, get a brush and clean it. Built-up chalk can lead to you can lift.
slipped grips and missed lifts. If it’s caked in blood, that’s
pretty gross. Spray some disinfectant on it and wipe it
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SECTION 3 GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT

EXTRAS TORKED UP
Ammonia, sometimes called nose
tork, can really get you amped up
for a big pull. But it’s easy to get
too much of a good thing.

I love accessories so I probably go a bit

overboard here. Good accessories,
though, can make a big difference on your Lo
re
lifts. We’ll start with the essentials and m

work our way down to the fun stuff.

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TALCUM POWDER GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT

Talcum powder reduces friction on your shins, thighs, of your shoes, that can lead to slips, so be careful and
and arms, and therefore helps with lockout — especially if courteous of others. At a meet, most people don’t have
you have a tendency to hitch during lockout. It’s very the time or attention to clean up any spills, so just make
important for max lifts, and can also help reduce chafing sure not to step or slip in talcum powder when you’re
on high-rep sets. Regular, unscented baby powder works getting ready to deadlift.
great. Do not get talcum powder with added
Also, obviously, be careful of getting any talcum powder on
aloe. The aloe feels great on your skin, but causes the
your hands before you lift. That’s a surefire way to miss a
powder to rub off more easily, and so it does a poor job at
lift! If you do accidentally get some on your hands, wash
reducing friction, especially during high-rep sets.
and dry them very thoroughly. Washing tends to leave your
I’m very liberal with this stuff, and cover all of my quads, hands a bit damp, and makes them harder to chalk
shins, and inside of my arms. Honestly, you don’t need that properly, so I try to avoid washing my hands in the middle
much. If you pull conventional, you really just need to cover of training deadlift.
the front of your quads, and if you pull sumo, the inside of
your quads. To apply powder without making a mess, gently
sprinkle a little bit on the area you want to cover. Then
close the top of the can and use the lid to spread the
powder around. If you just dump it on, when you stand up,
the powder goes everywhere. If you get any on the soles

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LIFTING STRAPS
Grip is an important issue for deadlifts, and there’s a whole
discussion about grip weaknesses later in this book.
Lifting straps have a few big benefits in that regard.
First, if grip is an issue for you, using straps while you warm
up can help save your hand strength for your work sets.
Furthermore, on high-rep sets, sometimes holding on to
the bar is more trouble than it’s worth. I have found that
building grip strength on high-rep sets doesn’t carry over
very well to near-max work (Part 2 of this guide goes into
the use of straps in more detail). Finally, if you’ve torn a
callus, you’re almost forced to use straps if you want to
train deadlift while it heals. I don’t advocate using straps to
overload your deadlift (i.e., pull more weight than you can
without them), but they do allow you to hold the bar
further from the center of your palm, reducing your range
of motion.
Straps come in many styles with regard to length and
width. There are two standard lengths: one is pretty long,
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and allows you to loop the strap over the bar multiple
times. (Never do this. One loop over the bar is plenty, and
if you take the time to loop multiple times, you lose
tightness at the bottom.) The other style is generally
marketed to Olympic weightlifters, and is very short. It only
allows you to form a U-shape with the strap around the
bar; it’s good for Olympic lifters because they can bail from
a missed lift easily by letting go of the strap. I prefer the
slightly increased security of the longer style, but both
options work well.
I also prefer slightly wider, 1 1/2-inch straps over the
standard 1-inch ones. The thinner straps cut into my wrists
to the point where I bleed. The wider straps are a bit more
comfortable. Some manufacturers make 2-inch straps, but
those are too wide for me to securely loop around my
wrist. If you have a very thick wrist, you might give the 2-
inch style a try.
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STRAPS/TAPE
Finally, make sure to purchase high-quality straps. The cheap
cotton ones sold at most sporting-goods stores won’t hold
up to heavy deadlifting. Buy quality nylon straps from Spud
Barbell or Ironmind, and they’ll last you for many years.
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If you use a hook grip, you’ll want athletic tape to help
protect your thumbs during warm-ups. Average Broz Gym
sells the best thumb tape. It’s stretchy and sticky, and
provides good, lasting protection for your thumbs.
However, any athletic tape will suffice. I prefer a name
brand (like Mueller) over generic tape, because even the
slightly cheaper material of generics can make a difference
when training with heavy weight.
Even if you don’t use a hook grip, you’ll want to keep some
athletic tape in your bag in case of torn calluses. Covering a
callus with tape might be enough to let you finish your
workout without straps, and if not, you’ll want the tape to
keep a bandage in place regardless. Plus, other lifters will
always be grateful if you have tape to share.
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WRIST WRAPS/CHALK GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT

If you use a mixed grip, you might want to try wearing
wrist wraps to deadlift. Some people find that this
helps their grip. However, to get any benefit, you must
wear the wraps as tight as possible. To wrap
tightly:
• Put the wrap on normally. Keep the thumb loop on.
• Unwrap while pulling it as tight as you can. Try to
pull the wrap taut.
• Make a fist. Squeeze as if you were squeezing a
barbell, as hard as you can.
Regardless of which grip you use, make sure to chalk
your hands thoroughly before lifting. Good gyms provide
chalk, but if yours doesn’t, make sure to bring some in a
plastic bag or container. Liquid chalk substitutes are better
than nothing, but don’t provide the same friction or hand
protection as regular gym chalk.
When you chalk up, make sure to cover your entire palm
and fingers, including the area around the outside of your
thumb and all the way down to your wrist.

• Rewrap, making sure to pull the wrap taut on every

revolution around your wrist.

Give wraps a try and see if they help. Personally, I find they
interfere with my hand positioning, but many people use
them with great success.

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KNEE & ELBOW SLEEVES
All federations allow the use of knee sleeves, up to 30
centimeters long and 7 millimeters thick. Wearing knee
sleeves to deadlift comes with tradeoffs. On
the one hand, sleeves offer support and protection for
your knees. If you squeeze into a pair that’s a size down
from the recommended, you might even get some extra
power off the floor. However, they very definitely increase
friction between your legs and arms, and between your
legs and the bar. I usually warm up using knee sleeves, and
take them off for my work sets. That gives my knees some
time to warm and loosen up without detracting from my
training. SBD Apparel makes my favorite knee sleeves, but
Mark Bell sells several different brands of good sleeves, as
do Titan, Iron Rebel, and many other powerlifting
equipment companies.
Be very careful if you deadlift with a conventional stance
using knee sleeves. They can bunch up around your knees
at the top of the lift and make your knees appear unlocked,
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even if you’re squeezing your quads and glutes tightly. I
recommend that conventional pullers do not
wear knee sleeves in competition except in
cases of injury. This tends to be less of a problem for
sumo pullers.
Also, keep in mind that the friction between the bar and
the sleeve will cause the knee sleeve to wear out fairly
quickly. Expect to get drastically less use out of your knee
sleeves if you use them to deadlift often. I had a pair of
knee sleeves from a reputable brand literally fall apart after
three months of deadlifting in them.
Elbow sleeves keep your elbows warm and may help
to prevent injury, like biceps tears. However, they may
increase friction between your arm and thigh during the lift,
and they are not allowed in some federations, like the
USAPL.
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KNEE & ELBOW SLEEVES GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT

Ammonia is my favorite! Smelling salts and nose Again, ammonia is an extra. Think of it as a boost to make
tork are both forms of ammonia that stimulate your your third deadlift at the end of a long meet. If you use it
central nervous system. They’re great for building for every heavy set in training, you’re doing it wrong.
aggression for big lifts, but you probably don’t want to rely
on them all of the time. (Balancing your psychological
arousal over time is very important for productive training Once you’ve got a good, clean bar, a supportive belt, the
— see the FAQs chapter). Also, keep in mind that the right clothes, and any accessories you might need, you can
ammonia used by lifters is not the same as “poppers” sold move on to Technique!
in some smoke shops. You don’t want to use too highly-
concentrated ammonia because it can become distracting,
especially if it causes your eyes to water.

I’ve found that if I’m nervous before a work set, for

whatever reason, then ammonia is very helpful. It clears my
head, lets me focus, and obliterates that uneasy feeling that
sometimes accompanies an adrenaline rush (like you get
right before a heavy lift, or before the drop on a roller
coaster).

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CHAPTER 3 GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT

TRAINING
TECHNIQUE
“Deadlifting a weight is a simple concept, yet it still
involves the observation of many considerations to
perform with maximum efficiency. “— Bill Kazmaier
 PHDEADLIFT.COM
OVERVIEW GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT

CHAPTER
BREAKDOWN

1.0 PICK A FORM 2.0 SET UP 3.0 EXECUTE

Comparing sumo and conventional deadllift Loading the bar: getting the right height, the Descending while building tightness: the key
styles: the pros and cons of both right kind of plates, and more to a phenomenal pull

Choosing the right style for your body
type, and how different styles can help
overcome poor leverages
Finding your stance, and learning to use the Lifting the bar while maintaining tightness
same stance every time you deadlift and avoiding sticking points
Setting your grip: mixed or hook, and how Lowering the bar, getting white lights, and
to use both performing reps

TECHNIQUE: MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE

Some people consider the deadlift the least technical of the three lifts. They’re wrong.
In fact, the deadlift allows for a wider range of styles than the squat and bench. Different styles of deadlift used in competition even have different
names! This section breaks down all of the various components of technique to help you understand the process and put together a perfect pull.
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SECTION 1 GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT

STYLES
IS SUMO FOR YOU?

TAKE A STANCE
Conventional is easier for many, but
sumo stances shorten your range of
motion and often help overcome
poor leverages.

Powerlifting meets allow two styles of deadlifting: conventional, with arms the best deadlifters in the world — are only allowed to use a conventional
outside of the legs; and sumo, with arms inside. Some lifters say that only stance. But in reality, both styles offer their own pros and cons.
conventional deadlifts are “real” deadlifts. It’s true that conventional
deadlifts generally work more muscle, and strongmen — usually among

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SUMO VS. CONVENTIONAL GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT

Some lifters — like the legendary Ed Coan — are equally Pros and Cons
strong deadlifting with a sumo or conventional stance. I
usually prefer a sumo stance because it’s easier for me to
recover from; but because conventional deadlifts can be a Conventional Sumo
bit more forgiving with regard to form, if I’m feeling “off,” I’ll
often pull conventional. Most people are better-suited for Works the musculature of the Relies on the hips and back in
one style or the other. Deciding which stance to back more intensely than the hips roughly equal measures

use can make a huge difference in your total: I Reduces range of motion for
Generally moves the bar a greater
know a guy who added 100 pounds to his deadlift in one distance from the floor to lockout
most people relative to
conventional pulling
workout just by switching his stance from sumo to
Usually requires good hip mobility, and
conventional! Accommodates a wide variety of can make gripping the bar more difficult.
body types, stances, and grips Larger athletes may have trouble
positioning themselves to pull sumo

Permissible in strongman meets Not allowed in strongman meets

Often allows lifters to compensate Requires nearly perfect technique on

for bad form by “grinding” weights close to a one-rep max

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SUMO VS. CONVENTIONAL
So, how do you determine which stance to use? The
obvious answer is, of course, trial and error: give both a
shot and stick with the one that just feels better. But
sometimes going on feel is like taking a vision exam: the
choices seem identical. And, if you want to maximize your
potential, you have to consider a seemingly endless variety
of technique variations, and train with those variations for
long enough to determine whether they are productive for
you. So trial-and-error might be more trouble
than it’s worth, especially if you’re a fairly advanced
lifter.
Instead of going by feel, you might be better off watching
other lifters and comparing their body styles to your own.
In fact, that’s what USA Powerlifting editor Mike Lambert
did in 1984, when he published Power Technique, one of the
first guidebooks of its kind. He photographed dozens of
elite athletes in various stages of each discipline, and
looked for similarities and differences among them.
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He found far more differences than similarities. Some
lifters, like Vince Anello, Goran Henrysson, and Diane
Frantz preferred to lock out their knees quickly; while
Diana Rowell, on the other hand, kept hers bent until
nearly the last possible second. The majority of the best
pullers used a flat-back style, but some, like Danni
Hartmann, succeeded with some slight back rounding. Hip
height, torso angle, and stance width all varied from lifter to
lifter.
Lambert did find some nearly universal characteristics. The
biggest one: the really great deadlifters usually had a hard
time with either the squat or bench press, or both. The
opposite was true, too — great squatters and benchers
often struggled to deadlift.
Lambert’s study tells us two very important things. First,
everyone is different. Even among elite
athletes, there is no one “right” way to
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SUMO VS. CONVENTIONAL GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT

deadlift. You have to find what works for

you, not what works for someone else.

And, second, if deadlifting doesn’t come naturally to you,

that’s okay. It’s supposed to be difficult. And if it’s
not, then the squat or bench is probably difficult. Don’t get
discouraged if finding the proper technique for your body
takes a while.

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FINDING YOUR STANCE GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT

Okay, there are no right answers. But what if you don’t To train both effectively, though, your deadlift needs to be
have a body type obviously suited to one style or the rock solid. Fortunately, even though they look much
other, and neither feels particularly good,? Where do you different, a good sumo deadlift is remarkably similar to a
start? My best advice is to alternate styles each good conventional one. Most of the underlying physical
time you deadlift. In one session, pull conventional. and mental processes are nearly identical. So if you learn to
Next time, pull sumo. It sounds simple, but this approach be a good conventional puller, you won’t need much more
works very well for two reasons: first, the conventional work to become a good sumo one, too!
deadlift is an amazing assistance exercise for sumo, and vice
Regardless of which style you choose, every time you
versa. You won’t be wasting any time by alternating them.
approach the bar to deadlift, you want to approach
Second, over time, you’ll notice a trend: you’ll have more
purposefully and with confidence, and that means having
good or great workouts pulling conventional than sumo,
your stance dialed in. So first, you have to find your best
and you’ll know that’s the one to go with. Or maybe it’ll be
stance. That process looks a bit different depending on
the other way around. In either case, alternating styles
whether you pull sumo or conventional.
allows you to take the trial-and-error approach without
nearly as much risk as training conventional for a long
period, and then switching to sumo for just as long, and
then maybe, after all that, still having to switch back.

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CONVENTIONAL STANCE GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT

Conventional Lifters pull off the floor more difficult. It’s not ideal for most
people.
Your ideal stance is probably somewhere
When you grab the bar, you want your shins as close
around hip-width, and must be narrower
to vertical as possible with your hips higher
than shoulder-width. That’s because your arms need
than your knees. From your initial hip-width stance,
to be perfectly perpendicular to the floor (i.e., hang straight
slowly work your way out to shoulder-width until you find
down). If they’re at an angle in either direction, you can’t
the stance that matches the position below most closely
transfer power from your upper back effectively, your bar
and still feels comfortable. And if you can’t find that
path might not be straight, and you might increase the drag
position pretty quickly, you might be better off sumo.
between your arms and thighs at the bottom of the lift. So:
start with a hip-width stance. Finally, turn your toes out very slightly — somewhere
between five and ten degrees is perfect. A very slight toe
In general, the narrower your stance, the greater your
angle increases hip activation and can keep your knees
range of motion, and greater strength off the floor — to a
from caving in as the bar leaves the floor.
certain point. Historically, some lifters have pulled with a
“frog stance,” their heels nearly touching and toes turned
out quite a bit. This position keeps the torso more upright
and bar close to the body. However, it’s so close that it also
limits involvement of the quadriceps and makes the initial

46

SUMO STANCE
Sumo Lifters
Sumo deadlifters, obviously, have fewer limitations on their
stance. Some sumo pullers set up with their toes nearly
touching the plates; others (like me) are only slightly
outside shoulder-width. Generally, the wider the stance, the
greater the hip activation and shorter the range of motion.
Finding your ideal sumo stance is therefore also more
complicated. First, keep in mind that the more the bar
bends, the narrower your stance should be. So, when using
a deadlift bar, you’ll probably want a slightly narrower
stance than when using a power bar. Next, remember that
the deadlift requires a lot more than just getting the bar off
the floor. You want to find the sumo stance that maximizes
your strength over the entire range of motion, from the
ground all the way to lockout. A narrow stance will often
feel easier off the floor, but harder to lock out, and vice
versa.
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As with conventional deadlifts, when you grab the bar, you
want your shins as close to vertical as possible and your
hips higher than your knees. However, because of the
increased strain on your hips when pulling sumo, you
probably shouldn’t start out in that position. Instead, start
out with a narrow sumo stance, with your feet
just outside of shoulder width. Every time you train, move
your feet out just a bit (an inch or so is plenty). Small
changes will give your hips time to adapt to supporting
heavy loads, and the incremental changes will help you find
the stance that’s most comfortable for you. If you move
your feet out and that position feels less comfortable than
the prior week, try that new position for one more
workout (so two total). If it still feels uncomfortable, bring
your feet in a bit and you’ll have found your ideal sumo
stance. If that stance does not look at all similar to the
picture below in terms of shin angle and hip height, you
might be better off conventional.
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FINDING YOUR STANCE GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT

IT’S ALL IN THE

HIPS

STANCE CHANGES YOUR TORSO ANGLE

Notice the difference in the angle of the torso when using conventional (left), narrow sumo (middle),
and wide sumo (right) stances. A more vertical torso angle puts more emphasis on the hips, and less
on the back.
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FINDING YOUR STANCE GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT

Regardless of which style you use, once you find your ideal rip it” sounds cool in theory, but generally looks pretty bad
stance, you need a reference point, so that in practice unless you’re a naturally good deadlifter..
every time you lift you can find that perfect
Be careful!
position without having to fumble for it. There
are three very convenient reference points on every good If you pull with a very wide sumo stance, be very very
bar: the plates, the power rings, and where the knurling careful to not crush your toes when you lower the bar. A
ends and the smooth part of the bar begins. Remember, broken toe isn’t fun and can impede your training. IPF lifter
these are different depending on what type of bar you use! Johnnie Candito likes to turn his toes in as he lowers the
If your ideal stance aligns your shins with the end of the bar to avoid this very thing, and it’s not a bad idea for you
knurling or with the rings; or your toes with the plates, then to do the same.
you’re set. If not, you’ll need to be very careful to set up
with regard to those reference points. My ideal
conventional stance aligns my shins with the end of the
knurling, so that’s easy. My ideal sumo stance, though, aligns
my shins about two-thirds of the distance between the end
of the knurling and the power rings, so I have to be very
cognizant of my stance when pulling sumo. Take your time,
set up carefully, and you’ll be better off for it. “Grip it and

49
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SECTION 2 GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT

SETTING
UP
Unlike the squat and bench press, the deadlift doesn’t Remember!
involve an eccentric phase (unless you’re doing reps, of
The setup is the most important part of deadlifting
course). That means it starts from the bottom and goes
correctly. Nearly all errors in technique come from this
up, and that’s exactly how you should think about setting
step. Nearly all missed lifts can be attributed to either
up for a deadlift. Surprisingly, the setup for a good sumo
weak muscles or to having a weak setup.
and good conventional deadlift are nearly identical until
you initiate the pull, but I’ll point out any differences as
they arise.

50

LOADING THE BAR
If you are practicing your technique or training for
competition, you must deadlift from the correct height:
about 9 inches from the floor. That’s half the diameter of a
regular 45-pound plate found in nearly every gym. If you
can’t lift 135 pounds — the weight of the bar and two 45-
pound plates — you can put the loaded bar on blocks to
get it to the proper height. Some gyms have training plates,
the same diameter as 45-pound ones that weigh much
less.
You also need to choose the right plates. Many athletes like
to train with bumper plates, which are coated of or entirely
rubber, and much thicker than regular iron plates. If you’re
training for powerlifting, that’s a terrible idea — the thicker
plates move the load away from the center of the barbell,
and so it bends much more than if you loaded it with
regular iron plates. In almost any competition, you’ll use
plates that are much thinner than regular plates, so the
exact opposite is true: the bar bends less. By using
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bumpers, you essentially turn a power bar into a deadlift
bar, and a deadlift bar into something that allows for a
comically short range of motion.
Always Use Collars!
Collars prevent the plates from moving or even falling off
the bar, both of which can put you or others in danger.
Most gyms have only spring-type collars, and those can’t
secure very heavy weights. Instead, use a stronger, clamp-
type collar like those sold by Rogue. The collars used in
competition are very expensive and not necessary for
training. They also weigh 2.5 kilograms each, so if you do
have access to a pair of competition collars, remember to
include their weight when calculating your poundages.
Don’t count the weight from other types of collars.
Finally, you need to set the bar up on a hard, level surface
with good traction. Even many powerlifting platforms are
uneven, or cracked, or very slippery. You can work around
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LOADING THE BAR GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT

these issues: if the platform is uneven or cracked, move the

barbell to a section that’s flat, and doesn’t roll when it’s
sitting there untouched. If the platform is slippery, put
down some type of hard, rubber mat, like a horse mat.
Traction is more important for sumo deadlifting than
conventional, because more lateral force is necessary to
break the bar off the floor, especially if you use a very wide
stance.

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FINDING YOUR GRIP GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT

IS HOOK OR MIXED RIGHT

FOR YOU?
There’s no one answer for everyone. Find what MIXED GRIP HOOK GRIP
works for you, and stick with it!

The vast majority of powerlifters pull with
a mixed grip — one hand over the bar
(pronated), and one under (supinated).
A mixed grip is much, much stronger
than a double-overhand grip.
Hook grip avoids many of the
disadvantages of mixed grip (which we’ll
get into later).
Using a hook grip, though, can be pretty
painful, and requires a bit more careful
setup than a mixed grip.

54

MIXED GRIP
Aside from stance, grip is probably one of the deadlift’s
most debated issues. Most strongmen use straps to
deadlift, but those aren’t allowed in powerlifting
competitions. A double-overhand (pronated) grip would
be ideal — but very, very few people have enough grip
strength to pull a max deadlift with a double-overhand grip.
Powerlifters have two alternatives.
Most athletes prefer a mixed grip, which just requires
turning one hand under the bar (supinating). Mixing your
grip allows you to prevent the bar from slipping or rolling;
it’s much more secure than a double-overhand one. Mixed
grip does have some drawbacks, so let’s take a look at
those and how to avoid them.
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It’s unsymmetrical. A mixed grip inherently adds
some torque to your lift, and, over a VERY long period of
time, can lead to imbalances. Usually, athletes find that they
favor one side or another — you’ll tend to feel stronger
with your right hand over the bar and left hand under, or
vice versa. Obviously, you want to perform your heaviest
sets using your strongest grip. However, during each of
your warmup sets, you should alternate which hand you
place over the bar and which you place under. This will help
avoid developing any imbalances.
It puts more stress on your biceps. A supinated
grip puts stress on your distal bicep tendon (where it
connects at the elbow). In some (very rare) cases, the
bicep tendon can tear under heavy loads. You’ve probably
seen that happen somewhere on the Internet before —
the bicep seems to roll up and bunch under the shoulder.
A distal biceps tear requires surgery to repair, and has a 3-
to 12-month recovery time.
55

MIXED GRIP
To avoid biceps tears when using a mixed grip, make very,
very sure not to bend your elbows when you deadlift, and
break the bar off the ground with a controlled (not
explosive) technique.
It can get in the way. I found that, when pulling sumo,
the knuckles of my under-grip hand dragged along the
inside of my thigh. That forced my hand open and made
gripping the bar during lockout with heavy weight almost
impossible. To avoid this, you can widen your stance, and
also use talcum powder on your thighs.
For the majority of athletes, none of these drawbacks will
cause any problems. Just using a mixed grip will provide
plenty of grip strength and the risk of injury is very low. But
if you’re lifting enough weight that grip becomes a limiting
factor, consider these technique tips:
• Holding the bar in the crease of your fingers,
instead of where your fingers meet your palm,
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decreases the distance you have to move the bar.
However, it also decreases grip strength.
• Generally, when your grip starts to fail, the bar will
begin to roll away from you in your hand. To
combat this, think about squeezing not only with
all five fingers, but also keeping your wrists as
straight as possible.
• If you pull sumo, with a mixed grip, you need to
make sure all your fingers are on part of the
knurling. Your index finger is your strongest, so if
it’s on the smooth part of the bar, you’re putting
yourself at a disadvantage. (This is almost never an
issue for conventional dead lifters.)
• If a weight is just barely too much for your grip,
try getting more aggressive. It sounds obvious, but
the harder you can squeeze the bar, the better
your grip. Just make sure to control the
movement!
Personally, I found that none of these strategies provided
enough grip strength. I also tore my bicep once (doing tire
flips, not deadlifting), and I’m still very cautious about
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HOOK GRIP
moving heavy loads with a supinated grip. So, I decided to
switch to hook grip.
Hook grip avoids most of the disadvantages of mixed
grip. It’s symmetrical, it won’t put any considerable stress
on your biceps, and on top of all that, it’s usually stronger!
The downside: hook grip can be pretty painful. Personally, I
don’t mind it that much, but everyone’s different. Hook grip
also requires a medium-sized hand — if yours is on the
small side, you may not be able to wrap your thumb far
enough around the bar.
To hook, wrap your thumb around the bar before you
wrap your fingers around. That will pin your thumb
between your fingers and the bar. Use a double-overhand
grip. For most people, that’s probably enough technique!
Give it a try, and if it feels secure and you can tolerate the
pain, stick with it. If not, there are some more advanced
techniques that might fix some of your hook grip
problems.
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Hook grip can easily lead to torn skin on and around your
thumbs. So, when you grab the bar, make sure that you
start by pointing your thumb straight down and getting the
bar as deep as possible into the crease between your
thumb and index finger. Try to wrap your thumb as far
around the bar as you possibly can.
You can also wrap your thumb with athletic tape. This will
help prevent your skin from tearing, but it can also
decrease grip strength. I don’t recommend using tape on
attempts over 90% of your one-rep max.
Essentially, when you use hook grip, your thumb is the only
finger holding on to the bar. Your other fingers are keeping
your thumb in place. So, first, focus on squeezing your
thumb, not the bar. Second, try to get as many fingers over
your thumb as possible. If you can’t get at least your index
and middle fingers over your thumb, hook grip probably
isn’t right for you. Hopefully, you can get your ring finger
over as well. Only apply pressure with those fingers that are
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over your thumb. If you try to squeeze hard with your Static holds, thick-bar work, and wrist-strengthening
pinkie finger, for example, you’re just weakening your grip. exercises can all help improve your grip strength. To
The pinkie is more or less along for the ride. improve your hook grip, focus on pinching strength, not
squeezing strength. Hand grippers, for example, won’t do
Along the same lines, before you begin the lift, make sure
much to help your hook, but plate holds will. (A plate hold
your thumb is directly underneath the bar. If it’s a little bit
consists of putting two weights together, with the smooth sides
to one side or the other, with heavy loads, your wrist will
facing out, and pinching them with your thumb on one side
roll more easily and your grip might slip. I have found that
and fingers on the other.)
purposefully locking my elbows as I begin to set my grip
helps to keep my thumb in the correct position.

Some weightlifters recommend growing out the thumbnail

and scoring it with a knife or sandpaper. I haven’t found this
to be effective. However, you also don’t want your nails to
be too short. Don’t cut them down to the quick.

There’s not much you can do about the pain.

Suck it up or use mixed grip.

If, after all this, you still have grip problems, you’ll need to
do some hand-specific exercises to strengthen them.
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SECTION 3 GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT

PERFORMING THE
DEADLIFT

TRAIN SMART
Mastering technique will help you
make more steady progress and
avoid injury — so make it a top
priority.

A strong deadlift is built from the ground up. We’ll break it easier to wrap your head around all the nuances of the
the technique down into five different stages, to help make lift.


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PERFORMING THE DEADLIFT GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT

FIVE STAGES OF THE DEADLIFT

DESCENT BREAK
Build tightness on The bar off the
the way down. floor slowly.

DOWN SPEED
Lower the bar Accelerate as you
under control. lift the bar.

LOCK
The bar out
smoothly.

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THE DESCENT
We’ll begin at the beginning, with the descent. Most lifters
rush their descent on the deadlift (the saying “grip it and
rip it” encourages that). It’s understandable — you want to
lift the bar quickly and aggressively! But rushing the
descent is probably the biggest mistake you can make
when trying to deadlift. Rushing will probably limit your
strength and increase your risk of injury.
Remember!
The descent in the deadlift is just as important as it is in
the squat, or as lowering the bar in the bench press. The
only difference is that you’re not supporting any weight —
which is a huge advantage, because you can take your time
without any external pressure forcing you to go faster than
you’d like.
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To start the descent, walk up to the bar and take your
perfect stance, which you found by following the directions
earlier in this section. We’ll take the rest of the descent
piece by piece.
Deadlifts begin with your core — your abs and lower
back. These major muscle groups stabilize your torso
during the lift, keeping it in a strong position to both break
the bar off the floor and lock out once it passes your
knees. Many lifters who descend quickly don’t keep a good
torso position, and they struggle with lockout. The ideal
position balances the load between your back, hips, legs,
and glutes. It will differ for everyone, but if you follow the
steps in this section, you won’t have to think about your
torso itself much at all. Keeping your core, back, and
posterior chain tight will align your torso in the correct
position.
To begin to generate intra-abdominal
tightness, you need to “brace” your abs and
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THE DESCENT
lower back. Many trainers use a cue like “push out” to
convey the idea of intra-abdominal tightness, but that’s not
nearly enough.
First, you need to properly engage your upper and lower
abs. I like to start with the lower abs, and I think about
using them to rotate or pull my hips towards my shoulders.
Some other good cues include “scooping” your abs, or
“drawing in,” trying to pull your navel towards your spine. If
you have trouble with this and cues aren’t helping, try lying
down flat on the floor and crunching your abs together, as
if you were trying to squeeze a penny in your belly button.
Then push your lower back into the floor as hard as you
can. Try to replicate that feeling of tightness while standing
up.
Second, you need to engage your upper abs in the same
way. I use almost the same cue here, thinking about using
my upper abs to crunch down and rotate my shoulders
towards my hips. If that doesn’t work for you, trying
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GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT
thinking about “bearing down” with your rib cage. The
overhead pulley crunch or crunch on a swiss ball are both
great ways to practice this feeling of tightness.
Once you’ve fully engaged your abs, you need to generate
intra-abdominal pressure. While holding the crunch
position, exhale forcefully, trying to blow all the air out of
your lungs. Then — keeping your abs tight the whole time
— inhale deep into your diaphragm and “push out” against
that tightness, like you were drawing in a huge breath to
blow up the world’s biggest balloon. When done properly,
you should feel like you have a wall of muscle supporting
your entire core, from your hips to your rib cage.
The first time you do it, this whole process will seem
exhausting. You’ll need to practice. Fortunately, this is
the position you should keep for ALL of your abs exercises,
whether they’re planks, sit-ups, leg raises, or anything else,
so you should have plenty of opportunities! Every time
you train abs, try to practice holding this position. It will
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strengthen quickly, and you’ll see big gains in your squat and
deadlift just from training this position.

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THE DESCENT GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT

YOUR CORE KEEPS YOUR SPINE NEUTRAL

If you’re not using your core properly, as is the case in the picture on the left, you won’t be able to keep a good,
neutral spine position while you’re lifting, and you’ll limit yourself in the long run. Set your abs and brace before you
grab the bar, and you’ll be better able to hold that position throughout the movement.
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THE DESCENT
Your upper back is another prime mover in the deadlift,
but most lifters fail to use it to their advantage. Your
must lock your lats into the proper position
so that they stabilize your torso as the bar
leaves the floor, and stay in the proper
position to assist during lockout.
Instead, most lifters don’t activate their lats at all, but let the
weight of the bar pull their lats down. This does have one
advantage: it puts the athlete’s shoulders closer to the bar,
giving them more power off the floor. Unfortunately, once
the bar is off the floor, the athlete is in a terrible
biomechanical position and has to fight the weight all the
way to lockout. Usually, lifters who begin in this position
usually pull very quickly to around knee height, but then
end up with their shoulders far behind the bar. With truly
maximal efforts, locking out from this position isn’t possible
without hitching or resting the bar on the thighs unless you
have very unique proportions (like Bob Peoples).
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To properly engage the lats, begin by raising your arms as
far above your head as possible, as if you were stretching.
Try to feel your lats extend, pushing your hands closer to
the ceiling. While keeping your lats in that tight position,
drop your arms so that your hands are pointing directly at
the ground. Keep your arms straight the entire time. Your
lats should feel like you’re doing a pullover (and, if your
gym has a pullover machine, that’s a great way to
strengthen your lats and learn to activate them properly).
Pulling your arms down like this will also engage your traps.
Be sure not to shrug your traps at the top of the lift —
that’s not helping your lockout and may lead to red lights if
the bar descends after the top of your shrug.
If you’re having difficulty activating your lats properly, try
doing some very light straight-arm pushdowns or regular
lat pulldowns before you deadlift. Focus on initiating the
movements by driving your elbows back and down, and
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THE DESCENT
not pulling at all with the biceps. That should help you feel
the lats working.
If you’re really stuck, try this exercise:
• Load a barbell with about 25% of your one-rep max
(you may need to use bumper plates or training
plates so that it’s the proper height).
• Address the bar as if you were going to deadlift it,
but don’t actually lift the weight. Really focus on
keeping your lats tight on the descent.
• Without shrugging, raising your shoulders, or using your
hips and legs, try to break the bar off the ground.
Obviously, this is pretty difficult, and you probably won’t
actually be able to lift the bar at all. But the position will
force you to apply tension using your lats, and may help
you to feel them working.
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If it’s still not working, don’t get frustrated. Remember, this
just takes practice! It’s supposed to be difficult.
Once you can descend keeping your core and lats tight,
you can move on to your lower body. Though most people
refer to the deadlift as a back exercise, the posterior
chain — the hips, legs, and glutes — are equally
important in both sumo and conventional deadlifting. They
should be your primary movers off the floor.
Like in the squat, to activate your posterior chain during
the descent, you need to keep your glutes and
hamstrings tight while lowering your hips and
keeping your shins as vertical as possible.
Common cues for this technique include “spreading the
floor,” and “pushing the knees out,” both of which activate
your glute medius but not necessarily your hamstrings. To
activate my hamstrings, I like to think of “clawing” the floor,
driving my knees out while pushing back through my heel.
If you lower your hips properly, you’ll feel tight throughout
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THE DESCENT
your glutes and hamstrings; it’s not possible for most
people to achieve this tightness with a “grip it and rip it”
style.
Note that “as vertical as possible” doesn’t necessarily mean
“perpendicular to the floor.” Some athletes will need a
slight forward knee displacement. However, it should be
minimal — if your knees are past your toes, something is
definitely wrong, and you need to go back and reassess
your stance or some other aspect of your setup.
If you can keep your shins pretty vertical but are still having
trouble creating tightness in your posterior chain, try some
of the activation exercises described in the Warmup FAQ
at the end of this book. Compared to your core and lats,
though, the posterior chain should be a bit easier to keep
tight. You can do some very light hamstring curls on a
machine to feel the proper muscles working.
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GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT
Video analysis can really help with posterior chain tightness.
if you see that your hips are rising faster than
your shoulders at any part of the lift, it’s
probably because you’re not using your
posterior chain correctly.
As you descend, keep your eyes straight ahead and your
chest up. In fact, try to think about maintaining your torso
position all the way from when you’re standing straight up
until you can feel your hands touch the bar. Once your
hands do touch the bar, you’ll have to look down to set
your grip. But keeping that torso position on the descent
will help to reinforce the same position as you lift the bar.
When you do set your grip, you will lose some — but not
all — the tightness you generated during the rest of the
descent. Before you attempt to break the bar off the floor,
you need to reset to get that tightness back. First, with
your grip set, brace your abs again in precisely the same
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THE DESCENT GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT

way you did before descending: exhale and brace, and then
inhale and brace harder.
Next, reset your posterior chain. Raise your hips without
letting go of the bar, and without moving your knees.. Then
use your lats to “pull” your hips back down to the correct
starting position, while keeping your chest high, eyes
straight ahead, and hamstrings and glutes tight. You can find
the perfect starting position easily, because with very light
weight, as you reset your posterior chain, you’ll break the
bar off the floor without actually trying to do so. The act of
resetting itself will raise the bar when your hips reach
proper depth.
Putting it All Together
1. Approach the bar and set your stance.
2. Brace your core.
3. Raise your arms, set your lats, and lower your arms, keeping
your lats tight.
4. Descend, keeping your chest up and eyes looking straight
ahead, and posterior chain tight.
5. Set your grip.
6. Reset your core, raise and drop your hips to reset your
hamstring tightness, and externally rotate your
shoulders to reset your lat tightness.

Finally, lock your lats into place by externally rotating your

shoulders (twisting them out) and pulling your scapula
down.

You’re ready.

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THE BREAK GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT

FIVE STAGES OF THE DEADLIFT

DESCENT BREAK
Build tightness on The bar off the
the way down. floor slowly.

DOWN SPEED
Lower the bar Accelerate as you
under control. lift the bar.

LOCK
The bar out
smoothly.

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THE BREAK
You’ve got the right equipment. Your stance and grip are
dialed in. You’ve made the perfect descent. At this point,
the lift comes down to two things: how
strong you are, and how patient you can be
while giving maximal effort. The second part isn’t
easy! Learning to grind takes time — sometimes a long
time. But if you rush yourself during any part of the lift,
even the best grind won’t save you during a truly maximal
effort.
Breaking the bar off the floor uses the same cues whether
you pull sumo or conventional. However, sumo pullers
require more hip and glute strength off the floor
compared to conventional deadlifters, who can rely on
their quads to a greater extent. Sumo, of course, usually
allows for an easier lockout.
To break the bar off the floor after a perfect descent, all
you have to do is focus on applying that lateral force
(“spread the floor”) while maintaining all the tightness you
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GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT
built during the descent. You can easily break the bar off
the floor by dropping your lats, shifting your center of
gravity forward, and using more leverage and quad
strength, but that puts you in a terrible position come
lockout.
If you’re used to the “grip it and rip it” style, a more
controlled technique will feel horribly slow. Instead of
exploding off the floor, think of almost peeling the bar off
the ground, plate by plate, without rushing. Some people
like to think of “pushing the floor away” instead, and that’s
fine, too. In fact, it’s often a better cue for conventional
pullers. Regardless of how you think about it, the key to a
big deadlift is to stay tight and be patient.
If you’re having difficulty with this part, a deadlift bar can
really come in handy. Because the deadlift bar will bend
before the weights leave the floor, it gives you some
kinesthetic feedback on whether you’ve been patient
enough. If you can feel the bar bend and the weights
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THE BREAK GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT

leaving the floor as two separate, distinct events, you’re honestly, patience off the floor is less important than a
probably good to go. If not — if the bar seems to bend as tight, controlled descent. Plenty of lifters have built
the weights leave the floor — you need to slow down and phenomenal deadlifts by breaking the bar as fast as
really focus on staying tight, keeping your hips down, and possible. However, give a patient break a real try. I believe
controlling the break. that it is the superior technique for the vast majority of
lifters.
You can practice by performing quarter-reps. Just load the
bar to 55% or 65% of your one-rep max, and set up as if
you were performing a regular deadlift. Once you break
the bar off the floor, stop, and hold that position for a
count of one. Then lower the bar back down. Sets of 3-5
reps are good here, and you should feel the exercise
almost entirely in your core and posterior chain. You can
even set up in a power rack, with the safety pins at about
mid-shin level and the bar on the floor. Break the bar off
the floor and hold it against the pins while keeping
everything as tight as possible.

If you’re having trouble with patience off the floor, don’t

stress. Again, it’s supposed to be difficult, and
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SPEED GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT

FIVE STAGES OF THE DEADLIFT

DESCENT BREAK
Build tightness on The bar off the
the way down. floor slowly.

DOWN SPEED
Lower the bar Accelerate as you
under control. lift the bar.

LOCK
The bar out
smoothly.

73

SPEED
After the bar leaves the floor, you need to accelerate. The
faster you can complete the midrange portion of the lift,
the less difficulty you’ll have at the sticking point and
lockout (see below). Some lifters can slowly grind through
an entire range of motion, but it’s very exhausting, and
they’re unlikely to be able to sustain that level of effort for
three attempts in a meet.
To accelerate the bar after it leaves the floor, simply keep
all the tightness you built during the descent
portion of the lift, and concentrate on
pushing as hard as you can through the floor.
Personally, I prefer to lock my knees first and then my hips
when pulling sumo. This seems to make it easier to focus
on lifting quickly, because it breaks the lift into very clear
phases: off the floor; lock knees; lock hips. Others prefer to
lock hips and knees at the same time, but in my experience
it’s very difficult or impossible to grind through a lockout
this way. If you can consistently accelerate the bar all the
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GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT
way through lockout, it may work for you. You will have to
give both techniques a try and see which works best.
There are no secrets here. The midrange of the deadlift is
all about strength and effort. If made a good, tight descent
and patient break off the floor, the midrange should be
pretty easy if you’re strong enough to lift the weight.
Sticking Points
Even the best deadlifters have a sticking point — that part
of the lift where leverage is at its worst, or muscle
imbalances pull you out of position, and the lift slows down.
This is do-or-die time: if you make it through, you get the
lift; and if not, you miss. Sticking points in the
deadlift vary depending on your strengths
and weaknesses. If your sticking point is off the floor,
there’s not much you can do about that except get
stronger (and refer to the Training chapter of this book).
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STICKING POINTS
But if your sticking point is mid-shin or above the knee,
having good technique can help! For example:
• If you’re having difficulty at lockout, your technique
off the floor probably needs work. Specifically, you
need to lock your lats in tight and keep that tightness
throughout the entire lift. Letting your lats drop
forward will shift your center of gravity and make the
lift easier off the floor, but then you can’t use them
to help lock out.
• If you’re having difficulty somewhere around mid-shin
or below your knee, you’re probably not being
patient enough, and are accelerating too early. As the
bar leaves the floor, it bends, and if you’re very
explosive off the floor and slow down around mid-
shin level, the whip of the bar can work against you.
Instead, think about “squeezing” or “peeling” the bar
off the floor and then accelerate. This is especially
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GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT
important when using a deadlift bar and/or very
heavy loads.
• If you fail below mid-shin level, you’re probably just
not strong enough (or perhaps too fatigued) to
complete the lift.
Compensatory Acceleration
Some people like to use bands and chains to train the
midrange of the deadlift. They argue that because those
tools add weight to the top half of the lift, they allow a
lifter to practice building speed off the floor to carry
through to lockout.
I’ve found that the “compensatory” weight curve — easy
off the floor, hard at lockout — is just too different from a
regular deadlift to have much carryover. Because the
weight is lighter off the floor, it’s easy to lose tightness
there, still break the bar easily, and grind through the
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midrange and lockout using back strength. Unfortunately,

that also builds bad habits and isn’t feasible on a truly
maximal effort.

I do think that very light bands are a great kinesthetic cue

to help you accelerate quickly. Keep in mind, however, that I
deadlift 815 and use mini bands. At my height, they
probably provide around 50 pounds (roughly 5%) of total
tension at the top of the lift. I recommend that you give
very light bands a shot during your warmup or technique
work and see if they help you, but avoid any heavy band or
chain training.

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THE LOCKOUT GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT

FIVE STAGES OF THE DEADLIFT

DESCENT BREAK
Build tightness on The bar off the
the way down. floor slowly.

DOWN SPEED
Lower the bar Accelerate as you
under control. lift the bar.

LOCK
The bar out
smoothly.

77

THE LOCKOUT
If it’s not clear by now, the majority of lifters who are
“weak” at lockout have poor technique off the floor.
However, the lockout itself does require some execution
— and, when you’re using heavy weight, lots of discipline.
Ideally, you’ll be able to accelerate the bar fast enough after
it leaves the floor to power through the lockout without
grinding. If that’s the case, even with loads above 95%,
great! Your technique is dialed in and you can focus on
getting stronger.
Most people, however, will have some slowdown at
lockout even if they have good technique. Part of this
might be mental: you know you’ve almost got the lift, it’s so
close you can feel it… so you ease off a little bit, and you
stall. That’s an easy fix: just associate the “almost there”
feeling with the mental cue to finish strong.
But more often, when using heavy loads, you just hit your
physical limit sometime before lockout, and so finishing the
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GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT
lift is a struggle. Whatever you do, don’t hitch! Any sign of
resting the bar on your thighs to gain leverage will cause
judges to turn your lift down at a meet. If the bar starts to
move downward at any point, you’ll get redlights for that
too.
Instead, rely on your technique here. If your setup,
descent, and technique off the floor were
properly executed, you’ll be in a position
where you can use your back to help finish
the lift, but you need to stay calm. If you panic,
you’ll lose tightness and start to hitch. Staying calm comes
with practice, and once you can master that urge to lock
out by any means necessary, you can follow these steps to
ensure a smooth lockout.
78

THE LOCKOUT
1. Lock your knees first. If you generally try to lock out
your hips and knees at the same time, this seems
impossible, because locking your knees basically
means you’ve finished the lift. But if you focus on
locking your knees as quickly as possible after the bar
leaves the floor, it’s easier.
2. Hinge at the hips by keeping your core tight, lats
locked in, and squeezing with your hamstrings and
glutes. Do not unlock your knees.
3. Once your knees and hips are locked, tuck your chin
towards your chest to lock your shoulders back and
down. Some very successful lifters prefer to throw
their head back and look straight up at the ceiling, to
generate extra momentum at lockout. I find this
places too much stress on my thoracic spine, but give
it a try with light to moderate weights and see if it
feels right for you.
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Once your knees, hips, and shoulders are
locked, you’ve finished the hardest part, but
in a meet, you can’t let go until you get the
down command! Just stay tight, focusing on squeezing
your quads, glutes, core, and hands. You should be able to
hold a completed lockout position for several seconds if
necessary.
The power rack can really help to practice a smooth
lockout. Set the safety pins at just above knee height, and
place a barbell across them so that the bar is also touching
two of the four uprights. Grab the bar, setting your stance,
grip, core, and lats normally, and lock your knees. Then,
using your hamstrings and glutes, lift the bar while keeping
it pressed against the uprights (this will require your
shoulders to be over the bar). Repetitions are useful here,
and pick a weight that is light enough for you to really
focus on the glutes and hamstrings working.
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Again, some people like to train the lockout specifically,

with rack or block pulls, or bands or chains. I believe that
most lifters would benefit more from practicing their
technique and getting stronger overall rather than focusing
exclusively on the top end of the lift. However, if you’re
really struggling with lockout and are confident that your
form is dialed in, then give block pulls a try.

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DOWN GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT

FIVE STAGES OF THE DEADLIFT

DESCENT BREAK
Build tightness on The bar off the
the way down. floor slowly.

DOWN SPEED
Lower the bar Accelerate as you
under control. lift the bar.

LOCK
The bar out
smoothly.

82

DOWN
Again, the lift is not over after lockout! In a meet, you could
have a beautiful, easy deadlift, but if you drop it at the top,
it doesn’t count. In a gym, if you drop the bar, you’re being
disrespectful to the equipment and to others around you.
However, you should not gently lower the bar like you’re
afraid of setting off a lunk alarm. Performing slow negatives
in the deadlift is generally a bad idea for two reasons. First,
it’s not necessary in a meet, so you’re not building any
useful strength. Second, it can and often does put
tremendous strain on your lower back and hamstrings.
Instead, after you complete a rep (and receive the down
command in a meet), maintain your grip on the bar and
follow it to the ground, allowing gravity to do its thing. Your
job is to control the bar’s momentum so that it doesn’t
crash to the ground. To do this, just push your glutes back,
keeping your lats and abs tight. It might be helpful to think
about cheerleaders and how they lower a flyer during a
dismount (the person being held in the air). It’s not a very
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GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT
slow and controlled muscular movement; they’re trying to
absorb the flyer’s momentum so he or she isn’t hurt when
landing.
When you’re performing reps in the gym using a hook grip,
a very small drop may be warranted, from below mid-shin
height to the ground. Lowering a bar using a hook grip can
be very painful as all of the bar’s momentum is transferred
through your thumbs when it hits the ground. However, if
you drop the bar too far, it will bounce away from you,
forcing you to reset and lose all the tightness you had built.
Letting go of the bar at the last possible moment before it
hits the ground will allow you to keep most of your
tightness and only require that you reset your grip.
Performing Reps
When performing a multiple-rep set in the gym, the lift isn’t
over after lockout, either. You still need to lower the bar,
and how you do should differ depending on whether
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PERFORMING REPS
you’re using a dead-stop or touch-and-go style. Both have
their own benefits.
Dead-stop deadlifting is, in my opinion, the superior
option. Because you will always deadlift from a
dead stop in competition, you should usually
practice deadlifting from a dead stop, too. In
addition, the most important part of the deadlift is the
descent and break off the floor; touch-and-go pulling
essentially bypasses both steps. It’s often the equivalent of
doing half squats: a good ego builder that allows you to use
more weight, but not the most productive choice for
powerlifting.
However, touch-and-go deadlifting can be useful if
your lockout needs work. By using momentum and the
stretch reflex to help complete the first half of the deadlift,
you put more emphasis on the lockout. Furthermore, if
you have a tendency to take a long time between reps
resetting when you use a dead-stop style, touch-and-go
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GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT
can help to break that habit. Note that touch-and-go
does not mean bounce — just like in the bench
press, you need to control the bar’s descent, not let it drop
and hope to catch it on the way up.
To perform reps in the dead-stop style, after you complete
the first rep, lower the bar as if you were in a meet using
the “controlled drop” style. Once the bar reaches the
ground, you’ll probably need to reposition it slightly to align
with your ideal stance. It’s okay to keep your hands on the
bar the entire time; or, if you prefer, you can stand up and
reset entirely. Generally, a full reset is a bit more difficult
because you’ll lose any stretch reflex and have to spend
energy making an extra descent. Once the bar has stopped
moving completely, and you’ve positioned it correctly, begin
another rep as described above (starting with step 2 if you
stood up after lowering the bar, or with step 6 if you kept
your hands on it the entire time).
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PERFORMING REPS GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT

To perform touch-and-go reps, after you complete the first that high of a percentage of your 1-rep max.

rep, lower the bar while keeping your core, lats, and grip
tight. Control the descent just a bit more than you typically
would, staying as tight as possible. Notice that when you
lower the bar normally, its momentum will cause it to
bounce just slightly, once or twice. Your goal when
pulling touch-and-go is to control the bar’s
momentum and use it to smoothly transition
from lowering the bar into another rep. This
takes practice! It may, in fact, be easier to practice using a
single 20-kilogram bumper plate and trying to catch the
bounce as much as possible, to help you learn the timing.
Don’t do that except to practice — you want a smooth,
controlled transition from lowering the bar to lifting it
again.

I strongly recommend against performing touch-and-go

reps for triples or doubles — there’s just too much of a
risk for injury on the descent when you’re working with

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CHAPTER 4 GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT

JUST THE FAQS

From breathing patterns to lifting straps, mobility,
and more — all of your most frequently asked
questions answered here.

WARMING UP
How do I warm up for the deadlift?
In a meet, you probably won’t need to warm up too much.
 You’ll already have had a long day with squat and bench;
maybe you even had to weigh in that morning.  By the
time deadlifts roll around, your goal is to warm up just
enough to get comfortable with the weight and the
movement, and to prevent injury.  So:
• Make sure you stay warm between movements.
 Usually the intermission between bench and deadlift
is shorter than between squat and bench, but I still
recommend throwing on your sweats (unless you’re
already very hot), and trying to keep at least a little
active, walking around or perhaps foam rolling.
• Give yourself plenty of time to complete your warm-
up sets.  You don’t want to have to rush and exhaust
yourself any more than necessary.
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• I like to begin with a few reps at 135.  Then, I move
to singles, and increase the bar weight by 90 pounds
for each rep, up to about 500 pounds, or 60-65% of
my one-rep maximum.  After about 65%, I move up
in smaller jumps: 60 pounds, and then 30, and so on.
 My last warmup is usually about 80-85% of my
planned third attempt.  You can adjust these
numbers based on your own strength level, but try
to limit your total number of warmup reps to about
ten or 12.
In the gym, it’s a little different.  If your program requires
you to squat before you deadlift, you can follow a very
similar warmup routine to the one listed above. Otherwise,
you’ll need to put in a little more work to get loose.
Start with some mobility work and activation exercises for
your core and posterior chain (check the next question for
some good suggestions).  And always perform 3-5 minutes
of very light cardiovascular work before you train.  It will
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help prevent injuries and actually make you stronger in the It doesn’t really matter how long you take between
long run. warmup sets, but don’t turn rest periods into chat or
mobility sessions.  Stay focused on your work, and take
Once you’re warmed and loose, you can start pulling.
your next set whenever you feel ready.
 During a meet, you might be aiming for 10-12 total
warmup reps, but in the gym, if you’re starting out with
deadlifts, you should try to get quite a few more in.  Again,
I always like to start with 135 to get comfortable with the
movement pattern.  Then I usually increase in 10% jumps
until I’m up to around 70% of my one-rep max.  For each
of those warmup sets, I’ll perform two or three reps
depending on how I feel;  in fact, if they’re very easy and
the weight is moving well, I’ll probably stick with just one.

Once I’m at about 70%, I like to ramp up to my heaviest

sets with 5% jumps.  The smaller jumps help me adjust to
the heavier weight and build confidence.  For these sets, I’ll
perform two reps if the weight moves well, and just one if
it’s a bit slower.  Typically I work in the 80-90% range, so I’ll
have two or three total ramp-up sets.
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MOBILITY
What are some good mobility exercises for
the deadlift?
In general, the deadlift requires a bit less mobility than the
squat, unless you use a very wide sumo stance.  Still,
mobility is important for injury prevention, and I make sure
to practice self-myofascial release (SMR) and static
stretching every day.
You should aim to make sure that your hips, quads,
hamstrings, psoas, and lats are relatively loose and have
good range of motion.  This is especially important before
training!  Static stretching before you lift can actually
decrease strength, so here are some good warm-up
alternatives:
Foam Rolling: Target your upper and lower back, quads, and
hamstrings.  Rolling won’t loosen you up too much, but it
can help a bit to relieve soreness and it’s a nice gentle
introduction to more intensive movement.
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Targeted SMR: I like to use a Back Buddy and the Rogue
Supernova Mini to target problem areas, like my psoas,
glutes, rotator cuff, and TFL (the area around the front of
your hip).  
Psoas are notoriously difficult to get to, but it can help to
lay flat on your back and draw your knees up while
keeping your feet flat on the floor.  Then drop your knees
to one side, trying to keep your hips flat on the floor.  You
can find your psoas somewhere just above the crease of
your hip, and towards your navel.
Activation: Use very low-resistance isolation movements to
help activate your hamstrings, glutes, and lats.  Any type of
lat pulldown is fine, but make sure to focus on driving your
elbows down and not pulling with the arms.  I use about
10-25 pounds, just enough some resistance.  Hamstring
curls work well, too.
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Glutes are a bit trickier, and my favorite exercise requires a

machine not available in many powerlifting gyms.  The hip
ab/adduction machine is fantastic for activating your glutes!
 If you don’t have one, you can perform lateral walks with a
band around your knees (or use the Slingshot Hip Circle).
 Make sure to work both directions.

At nights, before I go to bed, I like to repeat the SMR

techniques and add in some very light static stretching for
my entire body.  I find this helps improve my mobility and
decrease soreness.  Make sure to very lightly warm up
before stretching.  Two or three minutes of light
cardiovascular activity is ideal, but I usually just take a very
hot shower before I stretch.

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BREATHING PATTERNS GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT

How should I breathe during the deadlift? your air at the bottom in between reps.  Remember to
exhale forcefully and continue to brace your core even as
Breathing patterns are interesting because they require you you exhale and inhale.
to find the happy medium between breathing naturally and
holding your breath (i.e., not breathing at all).  Generally,
when you exhale, you lose some tightness, which obviously
is a bad thing in the middle of a lift.  On the other hand, if
you hold your breath during a long, grinding rep, you run
the risk of passing out.

I’ve found that exhaling forcefully once you pass your

sticking point helps to finish the rep smoothly.  Exhaling
forcefully also draws more air into the lungs, so you don’t
have to focus so much on breathing in.  If you start to
struggle with the rep before the sticking point, the rep
probably isn’t going to happen anyway.

When performing reps, you can exhale at either the top or

bottom of the lift.  Exhaling at the top works best if you’re
pulling touch-and-go; otherwise, you’re better off getting
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USING STRAPS
How should I incorporate straps into my
training?
As explained in the equipment section, straps are useful
tools for deadlifting.  However, you don’t want to rely on
them all the time, since they’re not allowed in meets.
 Some good times to use straps:
• If you’ve torn a callus, you won’t be able to grip the
bar tightly enough to perform heavy work.  Go with
straps for sure.
• During high-rep sets, any grip work probably won’t
be intense enough to build strength, so it’s fine to
use straps and save your hands and skin for another
set or another day.
• If you have problems holding on to the bar during
your heaviest sets, you might find it helpful to warm
up using straps, to save some strength for your work
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sets.  I’ll start with straps even at 135, and take them
off for my last ramp-up set and working sets.
• If you’re performing block or rack pulls to strengthen
your lockout, and want to use more weight than you
can pull off the floor, straps can be helpful.  However,
I don’t recommend using block pulls as overload.
When you’re using straps, you’ll find that it’s even more
difficult to stay tight during your descent, because you have
to spend some time twisting them around the bar.
 Unfortunately, that’s the tradeoff that comes with using
them.  It helps if you can get the straps set very quickly.
 One loop around the bar is plenty.  More than that won’t
let you hold on to the bar any better, and you’ll just lose
more tightness because the whole process will take longer.
After you’re strapped in, make sure to pay extra attention
to your tightness reset before you begin the lift.  I’ve found
that it’s also very helpful to focus on your feet: thinking
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“spread the floor” or “push the floor away” also helps to

stay tight off the floor.

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USING A BELT
How do I use a belt?
A good belt is the most important tool you have as a
powerlifter, but if you use it improperly, it can do more
harm than good. A belt provides extra support for your
core, and helps you to brace your abs properly.
First, don’t use a belt all the time. If you’re lifting with less
than about 70% of your one-rep max, there’s no need for
a belt: the extra support won’t provide any benefits. Also, if
you have trouble bracing your core, wearing a belt for light
loads can mask that technique flaw and allow it to become
a major problem when you get to heavier work.
Second, don’t wear your belt too loose or too tight. Your
belt needs to be as tight as possible while still allowing you
to brace exactly as you would without the belt. That means
you’ll need a little bit of space to get a big breath and
generate intra-abdominal pressure.
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I like to put my belt on for my second-to-last warmup,
which is generally around 80-85% of whatever weight I’ll
be using for my first work set. I’ll set it as loose as possible,
just tight enough so that it doesn’t fall down when I move.
This set is to just help me adjust to the feeling of bracing
with a belt around my waist.
On my last warmup, I’ll tighten my belt to one notch looser
than I usually wear it. This set is another chance to adjust
and get used to a tighter feeling around my waist. Then, for
my work sets, I wear my belt at the same tightness as I
would in competition.
Again, there’s no right or wrong answer here. Jesse Norris,
for example, very rarely wears a belt. In general, if you have
trouble activating your abs, you will benefit from some
additional beltless work. If your abs are already strong, you
should wear a belt for heavier work because of the added
support and to help you practice for a competition.
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PSYCHING UP GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT

How do I get psyched up? about once a week, though, I find it more difficult to get in
the zone when the time comes for a big lift.
The answer to this question could easily be a whole book
Again, no right answer. Plenty of extremely successful lifters
itself, so I can’t address it in full. Personally, I like to meditate.
are very quiet and composed during their training and
Finding your own motivation and drive in the gym and on
even in meets. Others need to scream and get slapped to
the platform is absolutely crucial to becoming the best
perform at their best.
lifter you can be.
If you think you would benefit from more psychological
However, you don’t want to get psyched up all the time.
arousal, I suggest you start by using ammonia before a big
Psychological arousal can increase your performance, but
lift. It’s an easy, reliable way to get psyched up. If you get
only up to a point: if you get too psyched up, or get
too nervous before big lifts already, try meditation or some
psyched up too often, it can have the opposite effect.
deep-breathing exercises.
Generally, you want to feel aggressive, excited, and
confident about your lift, but not intimidated or anxious And definitely only get psyched up when working with
(you want the “fight” of the “fight-or-flight” response). over 90% of your one-rep max. If you need to get psyched
up for less than that, you should reexamine some other
Finding that balance is difficult, and takes practice. I’ve
aspect of your training (either programming or technique).
found that if I get psyched up for a big lift more than about
once a week, I burn out quickly. If I don’t get psyched up

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JUDGING GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT

How is the deadlift judged? 3. Dropping or lowering the bar before the judge’s “down”
signal. Make sure to practice with commands in
Generally, judging the deadlift allows less room for training so that you don’t lower the bar too early.
controversy than judging the squat or bench press. There
If you complete the lift and avoid all three errors, you’ll get
are three main technical errors that can cause you to miss
white lights!
a deadlift even if you manage to lock it out.

1. Hitching. If the bar moves downward at any point in

the lift, or if you support the bar with your thighs or
use your thighs as leverage to help complete the lift,
your lift will be turned down. To avoid this, follow the
advice given above.

2. Not locking out fully. A good lockout requires that you

“stand erect” with shoulders back and knees locked.
To make sure your lockout passes, squeeze your
quads and glutes at the top of the lift, and tuck your
chin while keeping your lats tight.

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PROGRAM DESIGN GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT

Where’s this Part 2 I keep reading about?

It’s coming! Part 2 of this guide will cover everything I

know about program design, both for the deadlift and for
the squat and bench press. It’s a huge project and has taken
longer to complete than I’d hoped, but I think it will be
worth the effort.

Keep checking out phdeadlift.com for updates!

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TECHNIQUE ASSESSMENT AND COACHING GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT

Can you take a look at my form?

Sure! I offer online technique assessment on my website, at

phdeadlift.com/services. I’d be happy to take a look at any
of your lifts and give you some feedback, but it’s most
helpful if you have videos of a one-rep max attempt (since
that is when the worst form breakdowns will occur).

Just a note: I’d love to help everyone, but if you message

me on social media, I may not have time to respond to
you. The best way to contact me is via email, at
ben@phdeadlift.com. And yes, I offer online coaching and
nutrition planning, too!

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CONCLUSION:
THE MYTHICAL LIFT

CONCLUSION
On October 4, 1947, Bob Peoples pulled a “mythical”
world record: 700 pounds at 181 pounds bodyweight. That
lift outstripped the prior world record by 32 pounds. Terry
Todd, who helped coach Peoples, described the event:
[Peoples] ran head-on into 275 pound Bill Boone of
Shreveport, Louisiana, a rival for the title of world deadlift
champion and a man of great bodily strength. But, as big
and strong as Bill Boone was, he was no match for the
man from the mountains. On his first attempt, Boone
managed the record weight of 680 pounds and then
settled back as old Bob stepped up to a bar that was
loaded to the symbolic barrier of 700 pounds. He began
his long pull and the bar bent and swayed under the great
weight, but he would not be denied and the bar was locked
into the final position amidst the roars of a partisan
Chattanooga crowd.When the bar was weighed, it was
699, but the unflappable Peoples was unflustered:. . in fact,
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GUIDE TO THE DEADLIFT
it seems that the newspaper photographer . . . had failed to
get a picture and so what does Bob do? Yep! —he steps
right up there to the 699 pounds of iron and hoists it a
second time.
By this time, of course, Bob had learned as much about
deadlifting as anybody ever had—and then some: “At this
time I was lifting on normally filled lungs. However I then
started lifting on empty lungs and with a round back —
that is, I would breathe out to normal, then do my deadlift.
I feel this is safer than following the customary advice . . .
to take a deep breath and then deadlift. By breathing out
you lessen the internal pressure and by lifting with a round
back, you lessen the leverage — all of which helps add
many pounds to your lift.”
Way back in 1947, Peoples proved the two points I’ve tried
to stress more than any other in this book: everyone is
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different, and it’s not supposed to be easy. I’m

not recommending you pull with a round-back style like
People — I think that’s less than ideal for most people, and
probably dangerous for a few. I am recommending that you
find what works for you, stick with it, and work hard.
Hopefully, this guide helped you to do just that.

Deadlifts have come a long way since People’s day, but that
doesn’t mean the basics have changed. And now that you
know the basics: get pulling, and get some
milestones of your own!


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