Neat and tidy program for improving the deadlift. Borrowing heavily from George Leeman, Bob Peoples and Bill Starr.
Nice and neat program that got my pull from 400 to 500 a couple years ago. Work on the premise that your other lifts are in maintenance mode. Ive got good leverages for the pull so recover quite well. If you have t-rex arms and are a good bencher DIAL down the volume or you will just spin your wheels.
TECHNIQUE: I pull conventional, shins against bar narrow stance, mixed grip on 1rm.Straps on rep work.
Belt higher at the front, lower at the back-this will help set an arch.break at the knee push the hips back and grasp the bar AS CLOSE to your outside of legs as possible. This will shorten the stroke and improve leverage.Take a big breath into your gut and push out against your belt(4inch or 6inch on personal preference).Squeeze your lats, lift the chest and SLIGHTLY drop your shins at the bar. Start your pull by driving the floor away from you.
Some will like to graze the shins with the bar others slightly out from the legs.You do NOT need to bloody your shins pulling.Horizontal movement is wasted energy.Equally you don't want movement away from the body as this will place you in a poor position of leverage for the second aspect of the pull.
As the bar comes over the knee FLEX the lats. This little tip will improve anyones deadlift more than anything Ive seen. When under the knee the lats are isometrically flexed to hold correct back position. As you come above the knee ATTEMPTING to dynamically flex the lats will improve the back angle and place an element of extra pull onto the bar.
Everyone who has tried this has told me that it seems that the bar gets an extra little push, it was used by Bob Peoples and other powerlifters back in the 70's.
EXERCISES:Conventional deadlft-as above
Seal row- horizontal bench raised off the floor with a loaded bar underneath. pull dynamically and tap the underside of the bench SQUEEZE the back at top. pull quick lower at a 2 count.these will add mass and power to the middle back which will help to hold a better back angle at the start of the pull and to help with your lat flex above the knee.
Box squat-narrow-ish stance- 2inch above parallel .Sit back, load the hamstrings drive up dynamically. simple but very effective. try them low/ high bar, front or zercher high box low box whatever you feel like they will ALL help.For a conventional pull NOTHING builds leg strength like the box squat. Don't expect it to improve your normal squat this is a deadlift assistance movement.
Shrugs- alternating with the heaviest dumbbells you can find.I find the alternating allows me to get a higher contraction. Just personal taste though> if you prefer the straight bar have at it.
Side bends- one arm at a time low reps dont drop down to deep and keep tension on the stomach like when you pull.
Hanging leg raise-look up Pavels leg raise guide-try and get your feet up to touch your hands keeping your back straight. this will improve flexibilty and ab strength in a BIG way.( you can sub in standing cable abs or sit ups)
PROGRAMMING: ok I liked to pull pretty often. This kept my technique dialled in and stopped me losing my groove. I pulled three times a week. monday 65% for 10 singles with plenty of speed. Wednesday 75% for 3x3 again focusing on bar speed. No bouncing. Friday I would pull 135x5, 225x5, 315x2, 400x1, 400 x 5 singles as long as bar speed was still good. If you grind a rep stop- you will only cut drastically into your recovery capability. Every week I would add 5lbs to each set. after say 10 weeks you would plateau, drop back 20lbs then start adding weight again.
I would pull all sets over 350 with straps.your grip will be taxed heavily with the rows and shrugs.
Every workout I would do seal rows for two sets of 10. Box squats for three sets of 5. shrugs for 3 sets of ten and alternate the ab work.
At this level the assistance work needs to be EASY. no grinders or ten minute rage build ups to do the set.
Clean good form and good bar speed. Get a pump it wont hurt you.
This is the template and exercises I used to go from 400 -500 in about 12mths weighing 198 natty.
Hope that someone finds it usefull!