A Routine For Deadly Deadlifts

The more often you can practice your deadlift technique, the better. The key to developing awesome technique is frequent practice with loads that provide a challenge, but aren’t so difficult or heavy that all your good work on form goes out the window.

The following four week program is guaranteed to take your deadlift to the next level. Ideally you should have an idea of your one rep maximum before starting this. If you’re an intermediate or advanced lifter, test your one rep max two weeks prior to starting this program. If you’re new to deadlifting, make a conservative guess at what you think your maximum is.

For this routine, you’ll use 90 percent of your one rep max as your training one rep max. (T1RM)

Day 1:

Speed Deadlifts  - 5 sets of 2 reps with 70 percent of your T1RM

Good Mornings – 5 sets of 5 reps

Chin-ups – 4 sets of 8-12 reps

Barbell Rows – 4 sets of 8-12 reps

Hanging Leg Raises – 3 sets of 10-15 reps

Day 2: Rest

Day 3:

Deficit Deadlifts (Performed Standing on a 2-3 inch platform) – 4 sets of 6 reps using 75 percent of your T1RM

Front Squats – 5 sets of 5 reps

Back Extensions – 5 sets of 8-10 reps

Bench Presses – 5 sets of 6-8 reps

Dumbbell Shoulder Press – 3 sets of 6-8 reps

Dips – 3 sets of 6-8 reps

Day 4: Rest

Day 5: Rest

Day 6:

Deadlifts – Week 1 – 5 sets of 8 using 70% T1RM.

- Week 2 – 5 sets of 6 using 80% T1RM

- Week 3 – 4 sets of 4 using 85% T1RM

- Week 4 – 3 sets of 3 using 90% T1RM

Stiff-Legged Deadlifts – 3 sets of 10-12 reps

Chest Supported Dumbbell Rows – 3 sets of 12-15 reps

Lat Pulldowns – 3 sets of 12-15 reps

Dumbbell Side Bends – 3 sets of 12-15 reps

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Day 7: Rest

Notes and General Guidelines:

- After week four, take a week off, then begin the routine again, but add 5-10 pounds to all your sets on the deficit and regular deadlifts on days 3 and 6.

- With all the non-deadlifting exercises, your aim should be to complete challenging sets within the rep ranges. These needn’t be overly taxing though – this is a deadlift specialization routine, and as such, you want to conserve your strength for the deadlift exercises as much as possible.

- After your second four week cycle, take a week off, then go in on the Monday or Tuesday and re-test your deadlift one rep max, then use this number to determine your training one rep max for the next cycle.

- Always wear flat-soled shoes or deadlift slippers for deadlifts – never wear cushioned, spongy running shoes or sneakers as these will throw you off balance.

- Use chalk to draw the moisture out of your hands if needed.

- Shins guards or long socks are advisable to prevent scraping the skin off your shins.