Explode Your Deadlift
January 8, 2014
Six packs, big biceps, and big benches don’t impress me. I can walk into any gym and find plenty of guys pushing some serious weight with a big upper body. Not that I go into gyms looking for swole dudes benching, but you get my point.
What really impresses me is a thick, muscular posterior chain. I’m talking traps, rhomboids, lats, glutes, hamstrings and the like. This tells me they’ve put some serious time in the weight room and probably trained to have a big deadlift.
And you know how I feel about deadlifts.
PhotoCredit: http://www.psdeluxe.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/animals_smile/little_creature_puts_a_smile.jpg
Anyways, this leads me to my latest article published on T-Nation, Explode Your Deadlift. I’ve built a solid deadlift of over 500lbs and this routine helped me get there. More than that, this is the exact plan I used with State Champion Power Lifter Raven Cepeda to pull 683lbs in his last meet.
A few things to keep in mind when reading the article
-A few things to consider with assistance work and exercise selection: Biomechanically lever arms and torso to limb lengths must be taken into account when selecting assistance exercises. Conventional deadlifts require a greater range of motion and begin the pull with greater hip flexion, creating a higher demand for lower back strength. In this case good mornings and reverse hypers would be a phenomenal exercise choice. Conversely, sumo deadlifters pull from a more upright posture and avoid higher lumbar loads that are associated with horizontally included postures. Front squats and squats from the pins are a great option to match the biomechanical needs of sumo deadlifts.
– Don’t try to match the box jump numbers in the program. The height isn’t important; rather, fully extending the hips and landing flush on the box.
This serves as a great template for intermediate and advanced lifters. Unless you’re fairly experienced in the lift it’s best to avoid a program this strenuous.
But enough of that, check it out and drop me some feedback!
<< Explode Your Deadlift >>
Strong. Shredded. Athletic.
-Eric
