Deadlifting Isn’t Just For Powerlifters

Storyline: I never included deadlifts in my training during my years of competing in Olympic weightlifting. Looking back, I wish I had. Here’s how to make the most of deadlifting.

In my last article I discussed the benefits of the front squat. Today I would like to discuss another great exercise that seems to have had a rebirth in popularity. I’m talking about the deadlift, which is a very basic, yet valuable, exercise.

During my years of competing in Olympic weightlifting I never included deadlifts in my training. Looking back, I wish I had. Very few Olympic lifters did deadlifts back then. We focused more on pulls because pulls were more similar to the Olympic lifts themselves.

Courtesy: nfpgear.com

With pulls, you pull the bar up as high as you can, without dropping under the bar–as you would with the actual lifts, the snatch and clean & jerk. While pulls are a great supplement to the Olympic lifts, I realize now that I would have benefited from sporadically doing heavy deadlifts. While it’s true there are many exercises you can do for lower back strength, I would have to say there is no better exercise than the deadlift for building pure back strength.

Lower back strength is extremely important in Olympic weightlifting. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard coaches yell to their lifters: “Stay over the bar!” or “Shoulders over the bar!” But doing those things are easier said than done.

Courtesy: YouTube

It’s difficult to keep your shoulders over the bar if your back isn’t strong enough. If I had it to do over again, I would incorporate heavy deadlifts into my training program. I believe it would have had a positive effect on my snatch and clean & jerk.

I first started doing deadlifts only five or six years ago when I decided to give competitive powerlifting a try. At first I was hesitant because I’ve suffered from lower back pain over the years. And I was afraid that doing deadlifts might irritate my back and make the pain worse.

How very wrong I was! I still suffer from occasional backache when I overdo it, but my back pain has deminished significantly since I started doing deadlifts. So I would recommend deadlifts to anyone, especially to anyone involved in athletics.

The deadlift has its roots in powerlifting. It’s one of three lifts in competitive powerlifting, the other two being the back squat and the bench press. Needless to say, those who compete in powerlifting spend a lot of time doing deadlifts in training. Some powerlifters like to use what’s known as the sumo technique, which is basically using a very wide stance rather than using the standard shoulder-width stance. By using this stance you shorten the distance the bar has to travel to reach the top of your thighs, which allows you to lift heavier weight.

Personally I’m not a fan of the sumo deadlift. I think it puts unnecessary (and unnatural) strain on the lower back and hips. It’s very difficult to keep your back arched using this style, and it’s also difficult to get your legs and hips fully involved. But it does work for some people. Still. though, I not only wouldn’t suggest it I also would never want to see an Olympic lifter using the sumo technique. Why? It serves no useful purpose for Olympic lifting.

Reverse grip (photo, YouTube)

I would also not like to see an Olympic lifter use the reverse grip, which is the grip used by most powerlifters. The reverse grip is done when you have one hand over the bar (standard grip) and the other hand under the bar–just like you would in arm curls. That grip is fine for powerlifters because the main goal is to deadlift as much weight as possible. You do it by getting a really solid grip on the bar.

But if you are competing in Olympic lifting, not powerlifting, then you shouldn’t use a reverse grip. Why? If you wouldn’t want to use a reverse grip on the snatch or the Clean & jerk, then why would you want to use it on deadlifts?

Instead, most Olympic lifters use a hook grip, which involves tucking your thumb under your forefingers. Anyone who has ever used a hook grip knows how painful it can be at first. Like anything else, though, it just takes time. When I first started deadlifting, I continued using the hook grip. I was able to get up to 500 lbs. before I finally had to switch (grudgingly) to the reverse grip.

For competitive Olympic lifters, I suggest using hand straps for your heavier deadlifts. There’s no reason to beat up your hands. Save your hands for the snatch and clean & jerk. If you’re prone to getting calluses like I am, then I strongly suggest you keep them sanded down. That also goes for Olympic lifters and powerlifters. There’s nothing worse than having a calluse tear off right before or–worse yet–during a competition. I use course sandpaper on my calluses once a week. I suggest you do the same.

If you’re a beginner, please learn proper form before you start loading the bar with heavy weight. A shoulder-width stance is best for most people, along with a shoulder-width grip. Keep your hips down and shoulders over the bar while keeping your head straight ahead and your back arched.

Courtesy: bodybuildingadvisor.com

Don’t let your hips come up too fast. It’s very important that you don’t round your back. That leads to more lower back injuries than anything else. As the bar gets past your knees, think of pulling the bar. Keep pulling until you’re standing straight up, knees locked, and chest out.

Also keep in mind that the deadlift is not supposed to be a high-rep exercise. I don’t suggest doing more than five sets of five reps and gradually increasing the weight each week.

Before you know it you’ll be handling some pretty heavy weight and your back will be stronger than it has ever been. Once you get to the intermediate stage you can decrease the reps to just 2 or 3. Most advanced powerlifters keep the reps very low–between 1-3 reps–and cut down to just single reps as the competition gets closer. Once you feel like you’ve got your form correct, then you can really load the weight on. You’ll be surprised how much you can lift!

I hope you’ll get as much enjoyment and benefit as I have from doing the deadlift.

As always, stay strong and have fun!