I’m a firm believer in many things: The Earth is round. The Bourne Ultimatum is the best Bourne movie. And most accessory work should address a weakness or technique flaw with one of your main lifts.
Enter paused deadlifts.
There’s no sugar coating here: these can be absolutely brutal, but they accomplish a few important things:
They help synchronize the shoulders and hips (namely the latter) from coming up too fast.
They help improve upper back (lat) tension.
They get people stronger in ranges of motion where they’re weakest.
For programming purposes, aim for sets of 3-5 reps using 50-65% of 1-rep max, pausing 2-3 inches off the floor (or at mid-shin level depending on the individual and where the bar tends to stall) for a 2-3 second count each rep.
If you want to up the ante even further, perform a full pause in the same spot on the way up AND the way down.
My good friend – and currently #7 on my list of Top 10 man crushes – David Otey was in town to teach the course.
It was lovely to spend time with my friend whom I hadn’t seen in several months. But too, after an equal gap in absence, it was downright biblical to finally be amongst a group of fitness professionals in a learning environment. I didn’t realize how much I missed in-person continuing education until I was marinating in it for a few hours.
I took home a bounty of insights and ideas in the few hours I was there, however there was one analogy in particular David used that really resonated with me
Do Not Cross Doesn’t Really Mean You Can’t Cross: Fitness in a Nutshell
Anyone who lives in a large city is familiar with the throng of “Do Not Cross” signs peppering the sidewalks and streets.
Pedestrian life is controlled by their never-ending playlist counting down when it’s safe to cross a street and when it’s not.
They’re there for a reason; for our safety and the public good.
Not surprisingly, most people ignore them and cross the street anyway.1
And 99.9999% of the time…it’s fine. We survive. Not a scratch.
…but your head better be on swivel.
The same theme applies to lifting weights. As David noted during his talk on squat assessment and squat technique, people can back squat with a straight bar (often considered at the top of the pyramid in terms of most advanced squat variations), but it only takes that one time using too much load or being too overzealous where something goes awry.
Likewise, think about the conventional deadlift.
I’d argue the conventional deadlift – particularly when performed from the floor – is the most advanced variation of deadlift one can perform:
Axis of rotation is further away from the barbell.
More shear load on the spine.
More likely your soul will leave your body.
It requires a fair amount of mobility (access to requisite hip flexion, thoracic extension, ankle dorsiflexion) as well as picking the right parents (short torso, long arms) to be able to get into and maintain the proper spine position to perform safely.
NOTE: I believe Dr. Stuart McGill has noted in his research that something like 93% of the people he’s assessed during his career could not perform a conventional deadlift from the floor without compensating through their lumbar spine in some fashion (I.e., loaded spinal flexion).
NOTE II: Maybe it’s 91%. No, wait, 87%. Either way, it’s a lot…;o)
All of this to say: Yes, back squatting is fine. As are conventional deadlifts. But they’re both examples where the bulk of trainees are crossing the street when the “do not cross” sign is flashing.
Most can do them.
And most will probably be fine.
However, this is why it’s imperative to assess your clients/athletes and be more cognizant of “fitting” any program to THEM – and their injury history, their goals, their ability level, and yes, their anthropometry – rather than the other way around.
We can vastly reduce the risk of injury with most trainees by utilizing safer alternatives that tend to be a better fit across the board anyway – like the Trap Bar Deadlift, Front Squat, or even a SSB Bar Squat.
It’s still squatting and deadlifting…
…you’re just, you know, less likely to be taken out by a moped.
You’ve heard these before: Chest up. Extend your T-spine. Create torque in your hips.
Those are cues which work well for some, but can sound like Elvish to many trainees, particularly when they’re new to deadlifting. Instead, get more acquainted with external cues which, contrast to their internal counterparts (which speak to what the body is doing in space), imply intent or direction.
These can be game changers when it comes to helping people better understand what you’re asking them to do as a coach.
There’s no shortage of “debates” in the health/fitness space. Ideal neck position during a deadlift is also a hotly debated topic and I can appreciate both sides of the argument. Here’s my take and what has worked well for me and my clients.
Maintaining a “neutral” spine during a deadlift is paramount.
It’s the first commandment of deadlifting.
Neutral in this sense means “maintaining the spine’s natural lordotic (lower back) and kyphotic (upper back) curvature.”
Coaches will start hyperventilating into a paper bag if they see an athlete round his or her back during a deadlift. Okay, so why do we not hold the same standard to the cervical spine or neck? Is the neck not part of the spine?
I prefer people adopt a chin tucked or “packed” neck position:
👉 It reinforces the neutral spine, which the neck is part of. I understand the other side of the argument. There are many examples of people extending their head back during a deadlift (i.e. a not-packed neck) and they’ve been fine.
👉 But in the beginning stages, a packed neck is my preference. Then as someone grows more proficient with the movement they’re allotted more leeway. Besides, what often happens during a max effort attempt – extended neck, and yes, sometimes a rounded back – should not be held to the same standard as a sub-maximal attempt or to someone just learning the lift.
👉 In terms of how to cue the proper neck position, I like to have lifters stare at a target 10-15 feet in front of them on the floor. This helps with better neck position and actually helps increase full-body tension.
This is a tricky question and one I’m asked often when discussing how I coach up the deadlift.
We have to be cognizant of balancing what will likely help prevent injury (namely a bicep tendon tear), but also allow for optimal performance and turn you into a deadlifting Terminator.
My approach is pretty simple:
Use a double overhand grip during your warm-up sets until it becomes a limiting factor or you’re unable to maintain your grip during your work sets.
Switch to an alternate (under/over) grip to help keep the bar from rolling out of your hands.
👇👇👇👇👇👇 THIS NEXT ONE IS IMPORTANT 👇👇👇👇👇👇
3. Alternate your alternate grip (left and right facing you or facing away) with every subsequent set.
I’ve personally had zero issues – with regards to injury or developing any “grip imbalances” – utilizing this approach with myself or with my clients.
SIDE NOTE: Yes, person who will inevitably bring up the hook grip. That’s an option too. We get it: You’re better than us.
SIDE NOTE (Part 2): Speaking of the hook grip, check out THIS article on the topic. It contains everything you’ll need to know.
You hear this cue a lot with regards to deadlift technique and performance.
I could say something as equally abstract like, I don’t know, “banana honkeydorey train whistles” or “please pass the parmesan, Chad” and seemingly get the same message across.
Which is to say…
…what the heck does “get slack out of the bar” even mean?
In short, it refers to getting better leverage and “connectivity” before you initiate the pull.
Many lifters yank the bar off the ground, which in turn makes me cringe because I’m always afraid someone’s going to rip their bicep tendon off the bone. Moreover, the yanking action elicits a loud “clank” noise (barbell hitting inside of plates).
Getting the slack out of the bar means using the barbell as a counterbalance to 1) gain leverage, and 2) get everything connected – inner cylinder of the plates “connecting” with the barbell – BEFORE you initiate the lift.
I like to tell my clients/athletes to get two clicks: bend the bar (get the slack out), then pull.2
I remember a few years back when I was still coaching at Cressey Sports Performance another trainer who was there observing for the day walked up to make casual conversation and to ask a question he wanted my opinion on.
Him: “Hey Tony.”
Me: “Hey, what’s up?
Him:“Oh, not much. Say, I noticed pretty much everyone here only deadlifts using the trap bar.”
Me:“Indeed. We don’t feel the majority of people need to use the straight bar or anything. It’s a risk-reward scenario where we feel the risk isn’t worth any inherent (ego) reward.”
Him:“Huh, but don’t you feel you’re feeding dysfunction or that they’re cheating by using the trap bar only?”
And by that what I mean is that it took every ounce of willpower for my eyeballs not to roll out of their sockets.
Let me address each point separately.
“Do I feel I’m feeding dysfunction?”
Due to improved mechanics with regards to the center of mass (you’re inside the barbell) and axis of rotation (hips closer), the trap-bar deadlift is a safer, more user-friendly variation.
A deadlift is a deadlift is a deadlift.
So long as someone hinges at their hips, maintains a neutral spine, and then proceeds to lift something off the ground from a DEAD stop, I don’t care if it’s a barbell, a trap bar, or a Volkswagon.
My job as a coach is to do the best I can to “match” an exercise to the injury history, ability level, and goal(s) of the individual I’m working with.
Almost always the trap-bar is going to be the best option in terms of not only performance, but safety as well.
“Do you feel they’re cheating?”
Nope.
Unless you’re a competitive powerlifter or weightlifter, you don’t HAVE to use a straight bar. It’s not cheating.
I often tell people that what “connects” you to the barbell during the deadlift isn’t your hands.
Rather, it’s your lats.
Having the ability to engage them and firing on all cylinders during the set-up and execution has profound ramifications on deadlift technique and performance.
The thing is: For some trainees, asking him or her to “turn on your lats” is akin to understanding Klingon or, I don’t know, being able to perform long division.
When COVID unveiled its ugly head this past winter and forced the health/wellness industry to shut down I did what every fitness professional did:
Hyperventilated into a paper bag.
But after that, I did the second most germane thing:
Watched the entirety of Ozark on Netflix.
But after that, I created CORE @ Home: A weekly “stream” of 30-40 minute workouts people could perform in their living rooms (or wherever: bedroom, man-cave, hovercraft) using minimal equipment.
You can now purchase the entire series (3 months worth of programming which includes 36 total workouts) for whatever it is you want to pay.
Starting today you can purchase the entire enchilada for $1 or $1,000,000.00 or $47 (or anything in between).
Your choice.
What Do You Get?
Three workouts per week divided into three sections: Athlete, Build, Condition.
Athlete = Simple, anyone-can-do-them-trust-me-you’re-not-LeBron-James plyometric drills to help you conjure your inner athlete.
Build = The meat & potatoes or “traditional” iron work centered around exercises that use bodyweight, bands, kettlebells and/or dumbbells.
Condition = The part where you’ll hate life. Hahahaha. Just kidding.5[
Each workout includes coaching instruction providing simple cues to follow as well as options to make exercises more challenging or easier.
You also get a cameo from my Achilles rupture.
NOTE: To clarify: I didn’t rupture my Achilles during the actual filming of the workouts – I did it sprinting during a workout I was doing on my own. However, about half way through you’ll notice the model becomes infinitely more attractive because my wife was a trooper and filled in for me for a handful of weeks to demonstrate all the drills and exercises.
Nevertheless, given many of us are still reticent (or in many cases unable) to head back to our regular gyms it’s become apparent more and more people are seeking out quality programming they can do in the comfort of their own home.
Programming that’s simple, easy to follow, effective, and also fun.
In the most rudimentary sense the deadlift can best be described as an action where one bends over at the waist, wraps his or her’s hands around a barbell, and then “pulls” said barbell off the ground until they’re standing fully upright with their knees and hips locked.
Of course, there are a few important nuances with regards to back position to consider.
For brevity’s sake you can think of the setup as shoulders above the chest, and chest above the hips.
This.
Not This
Ya Heard
Anyway, you want to think about putting force into ground and pushing away, rather than just pulling the bar off the floor.
In my experience whenever I see someone’s back rounding or I see their hips come up a bit too early I find they’re not placing any emphasis on the PUSH (and using their quads to help with leg drive).
Another option is to think about “pushing the ground away from you.” This subtle reframing has made a profound difference with many of the lifters I’ve worked with.
