Deadlifting is one of the core powerlifting movements. It requires strong upper and lower body strength and is a great way to build a strong back. Many new lifters start out with concentrating on their bench press, but deadlifting is and always will be a staple for any serious powerlifter, strongman or bodybuilder. Here are some tips to improve yours.
Know when to use wrist straps
Wrist straps help with your grip, and there is some debate about their usefulness. I wrote about my experience with them here. For an average person try training with and without them. Make sure to use an alternated grip when not using straps. In my personal opinion If you are training for powerlifting you should rarely use them. Bodybuilders can definitely get away with using wrist straps more and strongmen competitors can also find them useful to train for events that are modified like car deadlifts which allow straps in the event.
Example of using wrist straps to train for a strongman event
Try a sumo deadlift
To do a sumo deadlift you extend your legs out so your feet are spread far out towards the ends of the bar. You then reach down to a much narrower grip then a conventional deadlift. The execution is much the same, with a deep seated motion, keeping your head up and driving the weight to waist level.
Chalk up
Get some chalk on those hands. You won’t be pushing yourself to the max unless you can maintain your grip. And you don’t want to have your grip fail because of something as simple as sweaty hands. Check with your local gym and see if they allow chalk. If not, they sometimes allow a substitute.
Use chains
Chains are not just great for bench pressing; they are perfect for other heavy compound movements like the deadlift. You will have to adjust them accordingly but attaching a set of chains to the ends of the bar is a great way to train through some sticking points and lockout with some truly massive weight.
Lift off blocks
Similar to benching off a block placed on your chest, pulling the bar off of elevated blocks is not done to avoid the deep portion of the lift. It is done to fully maximize your strength and target specific points in your movement. If you watch lifters failing deadlifts they often have a sticking point at some stage of the lift. Adjusting your blocks to work through those points can really help develop a big deadlift.
Example of my training with blocks
Record yourself
We used to record ourselves doing our lifts all the time. Today’s smartphones are capable of excellent quality video. This is not just to have a video to document your lifting; it really helps analyze your form. Try it from different angles and note if you are sitting deep enough into the lift or having any issues that you might not even notice you are doing.
We all can have a hard time with motivation to work out from time to time. Figuring out when your body truly needs rest vs when you just want to be lazy can be a fine line. But if you have a suspicion that you are just being more on the lazy side here are some simple things I find to help get you up off that sofa.
Change things up
You should be doing this anyways to help stimulate muscle growth with your lifting. Never be afraid to throw in something totally different from your routine. Try working out with equipment you have never used. If you are a free weight lifter try some machine work. Focus more on your favorite muscle group as that alone can get your energy up.
Go to the gym
If you have a home gym try changing things up and heading to your local gym for a drop-in. Even if you have a gym pass try another gym for a day or two. There is no denying that working out at home is very convenient but you simply cannot beat the energy you can feed off of at a busy gym.
Go with a friend
If you work out alone try bringing a friend along, even if they are not as into lifting as you. Sometimes having someone to show the ropes to can be a lot of fun and if you already have a workout partner or group try bringing a newbie along and help encourage them to come in. They might slow you down a little but it could be a new motivation to hit your workouts more consistently.
Walk out the door
One big advantage to a gym over working out at home is that once you have committed to going you are much more likely to stick it out for the duration of the workout. If you are sitting in your convenient gym at home you might be tempted by that comfortable sofa calling your name. Once you have walked out to go to the gym down the road however, you are much more likely to stick with it.
Do what you want
If you are cringing thinking about your specific exercises today, try a workout just doing exactly what you want. Feel like hitting the bench press all workout? Or maybe you feel like squats today instead of back. Go for it, really it is better than not going and sometimes the change up can be a beneficial shock to your system.
Take a week off
Sometimes you really are not enjoying your workouts right now. Sometimes taking a week off will give you a bit of rest you don’t realize you need. Many times I have found at the end of that week I am suddenly feeling antsy to get back to the gym.
Bench pressing is a lot of fun, there is something about the simplicity of getting underneath a crap load of weight and feeling it start to move upward. It is to me still the most primal and enjoyably lift in the gym.
I am not a bench press monster by any means. But I have been lifting long enough and with enough different lifters that I have learned some tips and tricks along the way. Here are some tips I have for building your bench press.
Don’t just press!
Ok this is a funny one to start, but I remember getting ready for a provincial bench press championship, and as much as I was pressing, I was also deadlifting and squatting. Building strong legs improves your testosterone, building a strong back helps stabilize your bench. All muscles also have their opposing muscle, and when one is stronger and or shorter than the other, it can cause muscle imbalance and injury such as “swimmers shoulder”
Train some days light and explosive.
Many of our training days where not focused on hitting max numbers. Don’t get me wrong we did that too, but often our training consisted of a moderate weight, broken down into sets of 3 reps, done with as much speed and explosiveness as possible. I would often use about 225lbs for this, of which I could reach about 30reps on a good day, however it was more about building those nerves that innervate the muscle cell. It is the reason people who start training increase strength in the first few months without increasing muscle mass… they are connecting new nerves.
Get good spotters.
Ok obvious right? but if you really want to push limits having good spotters is very important. If you are going to do shirt work or training with boards I think having 3 spotters is critical. Having someone know the right time to help and the right time to let you push though the lift is so vital.
Having good training partners can make all the difference
Vary your grip
Finding if you are more suited to a wide grip or a narrow grip is important. A wide grip emphasizes the shoulders more, a narrow grip the triceps. A wide grip also reduces the range of motion required to complete the lift. However a wide grip definitely puts more stress on the wrists, and I feel should not be done heavy without adequate wrist wraps. I was for a long time a narrow bench presser. It was not until I started forcing myself into a wider grip that I gained easily another 15-20lbs on my bench. However initially working with a wide grip caused my bench press to go down 30lbs or more for a little while. It takes some getting used to. In training utilizing a variety of grips is essential. Also be mindful if you are entering a powerlifting competition what their rules are in regards to max grip width.
Focus on your compound movements.
Incline Log lift
When training for strength i see too many beginners doing set after set on small isolation exercises like bicep curls, or side lateral moments. I used to be one of them many years back. These exercise are not without value, and are important to keep muscle balance, but for improving overall strength your focus should be on large compound movements that engage multiple muscle groups such as rows, presses and squats. Try to think about using movements that complement goals like a big bench press. We used to love doing incline log presses for our triceps. It engaged our chest and shoulders as well and helped develop our pressing power. Just keep in mind not to over train this way. By this I mean doing 15 sets of narrow grip bench press a few days after your primary bench workout would not be ideal. Instead treat your arm or shoulder day as a complement to your harder more rigorous bench, deadlift or squat day.
Throw some variety into your training.
I have heard people say in training, to not look for ways around your purpose. Don’t focus on pushups, or cable crossovers for a bigger bench press, If you want a bigger bench press, then bench press, if you want a bigger deadlift then deadlift. I very much agree with this. If you are getting ready for a bench press competition for example, you had better be bench pressing like it was making you millions. That said, throwing some variety into you routine is also important for a number of reasons. First, outside of competitive training, doing the same exercises over and over month after month gets brutally boring. this can be overcome with pure willpower for a few years, but the same routine will eventually drive you away from an activity, no matter how much you enjoy it. The second reason is to shock your system into more growth. The whole biological reason your muscles are gaining strength is because your body perceives you doing a task beyond the capability of your body (hence micro tears in muscles stimulating adaptation by growth) and so your body tries to adapt to that movement. Throwing in some machine work, or dumbbell work every so often will keep your body guessing and growing to adapt. Sometimes after switching your routine enough you will feel sore the next day akin to having started training after a long break. Finally bench pressing generally requires spotters, if you can’t for any reason have someone around to properly spot you, a using dumbbells or loading up a machine is a much safer option. Don’t bench press alone! I have heard of too many injuries in my time.
Using chains, boards and bands
My chain clips
Powerlifters have been using these forever. Clipping chains to the end of the bar in order to incrementally increase the weight on the bar as the lift is executed. Bands attached to the bar do a similar job with increasing resistance. And using boards to stop the bar and certain points in the eccentric part of the lift (downward motion) helps sticking points. All these can be used to increase your bench, as well as other lifts. Utilizing chains on deadlifts work’s great. A few words of caution. Utilize spotters to hold the boards on your chest. Never try to attach them to you, it can end badly. Also use a very secure clip to add the chains to the bar. Speaking as someone who had a chain break away during a squat, it is more than a little dangerous. there are many website that sell proper chain clips that are designed just for that purpose.
There is something really nice about getting out of bed, walking 20 feet out the door, putting on some music and picking up your own personal iron. Don’t get me wrong I love going to the local gym, the variety, and energy is hard to match. But for many people, there own personal gym is the way to go. I had always wanted my own gym equipment, so I started collecting. while it can be expensive, sometimes it is easier that you think. Here are a few examples. Inexpensive Gym accessories and ideas
A few things you might want to add to your gym that will not break your wallet
Chains are a fundamental training tool for most Powerlifters as well as many other strength athletes. The idea is that as the chains are raised off the floor, the lifts become harder as each link is raised into the air. Here I have several chains cut into 4ft lengths. I bought them at a local hardware store for about $1.20 a foot. I used specialized collars made specifically to attach chains I bought online for around $20. I have used chains to add for my bench press, deadlifts, squats and even used them as makeshift dumbbells for side lateral raises or tricep extensions to add variety.
Something else that is relatively inexpensive are workout bands. By doubling them up, you can receive a nice light workout on something such as a side delt exercise. Running around $20-$30 they are a relatively inexpensive addition to you gym, and will provide you with an alternative to dumbbells on a light day if you don’t have cables and are great for warmups.
Finally I like to use hardware clamps for the ends of my barbells. These ran me less than $3 each, which is less than collars for most Olympic barbells, and these seem to secure the plates much better.
Building or acquiring a strongman gym
Strongman equipment has gained popularity in recent years as people become more interested in functional strength as opposed to simply larger biceps. The great thing about strongman gear is that it uses odd, and sometimes everyday items for strength. Some of these items are easily attainable Strongman Log
One of my Steel strongman logs
The Strongman log is the staple for pressing in strongman, but many trainers are finding with its inverted grip and width, it is easier on the wrists and shoulders, and when used correctly can be safer to use than a standard barbell.
If you can get someone to build you one, make sure they are good welders, but the principle is the same with any log. They are
• Handles are commonly 24” apart
• Holes are typically 8”x8”
• The logs are normally 3′-6′ long
• Width is normally 9-14” with 12 being standard
But building a metal log can be a bit pricey especially if you have no knowledge of welding, and to buy one can be even more pricey (some on the net go for 4-$600) However for those of you like me, who are not a welder, a log can also be carved out of wood. (Just a note that wood may take time to dry and that a log that seems too heavy will lighten as times goes on)
My wood Strongman log I carved which fits standard plates.
Tires
Most strongmen have a tire or several of different sizes. Even gyms are beginning to utilize them at this time, although they use lighter variants then strongman typically use. Tires are relatively easy to obtain, although you will need a pickup truck to transport it. The best place to find a tire is any tire yard or heavy equipment facility. When large tires are worn, companies have to pay money to recycle them. So often they will give them to you very cheap or for free. We would normally see how many times we could flip a tire in 60 seconds.
850lb Tire we flipped up and down the back roads.
Farmers Walk
Farmers implements can be made of welded tanks, metal pipe, railroad ties, you name it. They are not that expensive to buy for basic plate loaded ones, so check around. For beginners though, grab yourself a few water jugs for office water coolers. Fill them with sand or pebbles, and do your walks with them. Try about 50ft and back to start. They are fairly cheap. If you want to build your own from wood, pipe handles, or whatever, just make sure they are solid, do not take chances when building strongman equipment
Strongman Axle
Because an axel is thick, it utilizes a lot of grip work to do those movements. Axles are great for building strong hands and forearms, but do not over use as they can cause hand injuries. Axles are normal 1.5 to 2 inches thick, but can be thicker or thinner depending on what you want. Some places sell axles with Olympic ends for plates. The cheapest way to get an axel is just to use pipe that fits Olympic plates, then attach collars. The problem with hollow pipe is that for advanced lifters who utilize very heavy weights you may bend or break the pipe. Use your own judgement.
Bench Boards
Simple board setup I made from 2x8s
Exactly as it appears, Powerlifters use boards placed on the chest during bench press to help train lockouts or sticking points. It can be anywhere from one board to 5. Easy to make, insure you have 2 spotters, one for the bar and one to hold the board secure. Make sure the boards are securely nailed or screwed together. Other
Items such as Kegs, Stones, Sandbags, can all be used for carries, Loading or pressing exercises. River stones are free and the simplest item for those who do not have access to a stone mold.
Protein is something a lot of strength athletes worry about. I definitely used to be one of them. Back in my early training days I would put away anywhere from 250g to 350g of protein per day. I subscribed to an old bodybuilding idea from the 70s that if you ingest more protein than your body needed, it would always have the supply it wanted when it wanted. In theory it was not a bad idea, all be it not a particularly healthy one. My views on protein have significantly changed the they years since then. I am a firm believer your body does not need a massive supply of protein, nor is it particularly healthy to do so.
in one of my posts I talked about how study’s constantly change, and what to take into consideration when understanding these studies in regards to there scope and variables. That said I am going to just talk about my personal experience.
In regards to protein consumption I first began to scale back in my supplement intake. I knew that your body could ingest only so much protein in one sitting. but as I began to reduce and finally stop my protein supplement something interesting happened. My strength was unaffected. Now I understand the need for protein and the importance of a a wide variety of amino acids (complete proteins) but it definitely started my questioning of what does your body really need.
I have since seem many athletes train without worrying about there protein consumption. They seem to feel a well balanced diet gives them a high enough level of protein and I am becoming more and more a believer in this. Having a healthy balance of fish, poultry, moderate dairy and occasional red meat seems to be all my body requires to make the same gains I did back when I backed away multiple shakes with 40g of protein in them.
To be fair I have also known strength athletes who still consume a surprising amount of food, including protein, but these tend to be extreme athletes and not your ordinary gym iron pusher. The strength training they do is beyond intense and really extraordinary.
I know as my health has been higher on my radar as the years have past. It is worth reflecting if your high protein consumption is really worth the health implications it could potentially cause. Maybe try training for some time with a more moderate intake and see for yourself.
My first experience with weight training was when I was about 8 years old. My father had his old Weider weight set setup in the stove room. I would go in every so often and try to lift all the weights I could. I enjoyed it so much by the time I hit 12 I got my first gym pass and from then on I have lifted for over 20 years.
I loved the idea of getting stronger, changing your physical abilities. It grew into not just an interest in strength but fitness and health in general. By the time I left high school I figured I wanted to do something with my passion and turn it into career.
When I gained the opportunity to enter a Kinesiology program in my early 20s I jumped on it. I really fell in love with helping and training people to reach goals.
Since then my career has changed, but not my passion. I entered and won a 2009 bench press championship in the BC powerlifting federation, being a goal of mine. I won the all round best bench press trophy that year.
2009 Bench press championships
I also entered a amateur strongman competition. While I was much less successful as a competitor I enjoyed the training style so much I still incorporate a lot of strongman equipment and training into my workouts.
Me attempting the log lift event at an amateur Strongman Competition,
Having explored the competitive side of strength sports only furthered my passion for the strength and power sports. It was very telling having watched athletes activity cheer and be genuinely excited for their competitors success, even it it surpassed their own. This was very telling to me about the quality of the individuals involved in the strength community.
Some stone training
On a squat day
While I mostly enjoy training now for my own health and well being, my passion for strength training remains just as enthusiastic today.
