What I've Done

Let's talk turkey, or deadlifts, for a bit.

All over the net you can find discussions about deadlifting, everyone seems to be an expert.  Or at least WANTS to be one.  I have got a lot of flack from people who try to explain to me that you dont need to be a good deadlifter to teach people how to deadlift.

Really?

Does that even make sense?  Read that again...does it make sense?  If you are reading deadlift tips from a weak deadlifter, consider the SOURCE.

With that, let's discuss the little things that will help your pull.  Things you might already be doing, but you arent doing hard enough to help the big deadlift come off the ground!

#1- Shrugs.  Not the bodybuilding type.  You dont want to load the bar to 405 and do controlled reps up and down.  You want to load it to 600 and do explosive, hip extension reps.  This builds some amazing power in your upper back which is KEY for moving a PR deadlift.

#2- Romanian Deadlifts.  Arch the back hard, keep the weight on the heals.  As you reverse to lift the weight focus on contracting the hammies.  Dont use the lower back, use the hams.

#3- Handle Squats.  Go heavy and make sure to iniate the movement by pressing the feet HARD into and out on the floor.  Try to force the floor apart with your legs.  Keep the back flat.  After a set of these you should have any back pump or fatique, it should be ALL hips.

#4. Supermans.  Weight stays out in front of you.  At full extension your arms should be straight ahead so your body is exactly horizontal.  If the weight sags your arms, it is too heavy.  High reps do the trick on these.

#5- Rows.  I much prefer the Elite Fitness chest supported row.  That thing is BADASSERY and even 1-45 pound plate lights you up.  However, any type of higher rep row will work.  The lats play a huge role in a big deadlift, a big bench too!

#6- Bottom up squat lockout.  Find the position in the rack that mimics the start of your deadlift.  Pile on the weight and do dead stop squat lockouts from this position.  This is going to really add strength to the start of your pull.  Keep good form, MIMIC your pull. 

Those are the TOP 6 I recommend adding to your current training, and training them HARD with as much weight as you can.  Do reps, 8-10, and work them with weights that take you to the limit.

HOW you add them in is up to you.  Be smart about it.  Use extra workouts, 10-15 minute sessions to do 4-5 sets of 10. 

THERE ARE NO SECRETS!