Accessory Onslaught #3: The Deadlift

In this final installment of the Accessory Onslaught series, I am going to give you the tools necessary
to develop a big time deadlift. Deadlifts, like the squat and bench, can be built with a mix of smart
training, hard work, and proper exercise selection. This article will cover a few of the exercises that
can take your pulling prowess to the next level.
Before we get into specific exercises, lets first examine the muscle groups which are most active
when deadlifting. Below is a brief rundown of the most important muscles:
Hamstrings
The hamstrings are one of the most important muscle groups in powerlifting, because they are
extremely active in both squatting and deadlifting. The hamstrings perform two primary movements:
Hip extension and knee flexion. The hamstrings are made up of three muscle groups (biceps femoris,
semimembranosus, and semitendinosus), and make up the majority of the musculature on the back
of your thigh.
Glutes
The glutes are also extremely important when squatting and deadlifting. The glutes (especially
gluteus maximus) are powerful hip extensors, and are often referred to as the strongest muscles in
the body. Gluteus medius and minimus are also active, but their primary role in deadlifting is hip
abduction, or moving the thigh away from the midline of the body.
Spinal Erectors
The spinal erectors are made up of the longissimus, iliocostalis and spinalis muscle groups. When
deadlifting, the primary role of the spinal erectors are extension and stabilization of the spine. The
conventional style is often regarded as being more demanding on the spinal erectors, where as the
sumo style places more stress on the glutes and hamstrings.
Static muscle groups (trapezius, forearms, etc.)
The trapezius and forearms do not move during a deadlift, but they are extremely important
nonetheless. Their primary role is static strength, or being able to hold their position for an extended
period of time as you grind out the big reps.
Primary Accessory
As I discussed in the first two installments of this series, primary accessory lifts are big, compound
movements that build a stronger foundation for the primary lift itself. When compared to secondary
accessory lifts, they are more demanding on the neuromuscular system because they use more
weight and involve more muscle groups. Primary accessory lifts can be used to improve speed,
strength, a particular part of the range of motion, or whatever else the athlete may need to improve
upon.
We should also discuss the current factions of deadlift training: Training the deadlift, or not training
the deadlift. Athletes who train the deadlift usually perform them on their second low body workout
of the week. The type of training they employ will vary (singles, repetitions, speed work, etc.), but
the fact of the matter is they train the deadlift. On the other side, athletes in the no-deadlift faction
will use exercises such as concentric only good mornings, Olympic lifts, etc., to bring up their
deadlifts. The hypothesis behind this method is that the lower back is overly taxed by performing
heavy deadlifts, so its better to bring up the weak muscle groups with specific exercises. Both will
work, but you need to experiment and find out which training method works best for you.
For people who are naturally strong deadlifters, improving your squatting strength often leads to
improvements in your deadlift. On the other hand, people who are naturally strong squatters dont
derive as much benefit from additional squatting. These people need to be more creative in finding
specific exercises to develop THEIR deadlift.
Now, lets get on to the lifts!
Squats (all varieties) and Deadlifts
I could go into great detail here, but I will instead briefly mention the benefits of squatting and refer
you to my first Accessory Onslaught article in the December/January 2004 issue of Monster Muscle.
In there, several different methods of squatting are described in detail, including safety bar squats,
Olympic squats, and front squats. Remember, deadlifters seem to get a bigger carryover from
additional squatting. The Fins have produced some of the finest deadlifts in the world, and many of
their programs were predicated on squatting up to three times per week. In this case, each day
emphasized a different form of squatting (e.g. back squats performed on Monday, front squats
performed on Wednesday, and Olympic-style squats on Friday).
On the flipside, working on deadlifts to improve your deadlift may sound redundant, but let me
explain further. What we are talking about is training with the opposite style of deadlift you compete
with. The reason for this is that each compliments the other. Sumo is typically weak off the floor and
strong at the top, while conventional is typically strong off the floor and weak at the top
(conventional). So if you compete with one, something as simple as training with the opposite style
for a period of time could take your deadlift to new levels!
Rack Pulls (Sumo or Conventional)
Rack pulls are an excellent exercise for overloading the top part of the range of motion, as well as
getting your body acclimated to moving supra-maximal loads. There is something to be said for just
getting a ton of weight in your hands and moving it; not only does it acclimate your body, but your
mind as well.
Prime Movers
Glutes,
hamstrings,
spinal erectors
Set-up
Begin by placing the pins of a power rack at the desired height. Pins at varying heights can be used as
a max effort movement, or you can place the pins at a specific height to train a sticking point. When
using the second method, place the pins just below where you would normally miss at. An example
would be if you miss your heavy deadlifts right around the knee, start with the pins a few inches
below your knees.
Performance
Other than where the bar is starting at, the performance of a rack pull is identical to a regular
deadlift. A few key points to remember include keeping the chest up, low back arched, the weight on
the heels, and focus on pulling up and back.
Exercise Tips
Force the chest up and keep the arch in the lower back
Place the weight on and drive through the heels
Rack pulls will help your deadlift by:
Acclimating your body and mind to heavy weights
Overloading a specific range of motion where you may be weak
Extra Wide Sumo Deadlifts
Extra wide sumo deadlifts are an excellent exercise to strengthen the hamstrings, glutes, and hip
abductors/adductors. Moving the stance out will really increase the stress on the hips and groin, two
areas where many athletes are weak.
Prime Movers
Hamstrings,
glutes,
hip adductors and abductors
Set-up
Begin by putting an extra clamp on in-between the plates and collars. This will allow you to place
your stance even wider than usual without the plates getting in the way. The set-up for an extra wide
sumo deadlift is identical to a traditional sumo deadlift, the only difference being the exaggerated
width of your stance.
Performance
The performance of the extra wide deadlift is identical to the traditional sumo deadlift. For a full
rundown on deadlifting performance, please read my deadlifting article in the June/July 2003 issue of
Monster Muscle.
Exercise Tips
Force the chest up and keep the arch in the lower back
Place the weight on and drive through the heels
Extra wide sumo deadlifts will help your deadlift by:
Strengthening the hip abductors and adductors to a greater degree than traditional sumo
deadlifts
Concentric only good mornings
The good morning has been a staple exercise for strength athletes for decades, but the concentric
only version has been used more frequently in recent years. The obvious benefit of a concentric only
version is it better replicates a deadlift (specifically the conventional deadlift, in this case) where
there is no eccentric or lowering component.
Prime Movers
Spinal erectors
Set-up
This exercise is best performed using a safety squat bar versus a straight bar. Place the safety squat
bar on either the pins of a power rack or in a pair of chains suspended from the top of the rack. You
want to place the pins/chains at a level where your torso, in the starting position, is just above
parallel to the ground (this is usually between 36-40 off the ground).
Performance
The key to this exercise is to get super tight before you ever think of moving the bar. Shift your
weight to your heels and squeeze the glutes, hamstrings and erectors to develop tension. After
everything is tight, think about driving your upper back into the bar as hard as possible, while still
squeezing all the above mentioned muscles. Come all the way up, and then lower to the starting
position.
Exercise Tips
Put the weight on the heels
Get the entire posterior chain tight and drive your upper back into the bar
Concentric only good mornings will help your deadlift by:
Strengthening the posterior chain, specifically the spinal erectors
Developing concentric only strength
Pulls off blocks
Pulling off blocks is an exercise that many fantastic deadlifters have used to build a freaky deadlift.
Just two of the great deadlifters who have promoted using blocks include Rickey Dale Crain and Ed
Coan, so if its good enough for them, it should be good enough for you! The key benefit of pulling off
blocks is it lengthens the distance you have to pull. This increase in the time under tension will get
you ready for maximal loads that take a long time to grind out. Another benefit is to teach you to
explode off the ground, even with your body in a more biomechanically inefficient position. This is
extremely important for sumo deadlifters, whose sticking point is usually at the floor or within the
first couple inches of the movement.
Prime Movers
Glutes,
hamstrings,
spinal erectors
Set-up & Performance
Place a piece of plywood on the ground where your feet would normally go when deadlifting (if you
dont want have plywood, plates can be used as well). Otherwise, your set-up and performance is
identical to a competitive deadlift.
Exercise Tips
Force the chest up and keep the arch in the lower back
Place the weight on and drive through the heels
Pulls off blocks or boards will help your deadlift by:
Lengthening the distance of the pull, and thus the time under tension
Teaching you to be explosive off the floor from a biomechanically inefficient position
Secondary Accessory
Secondary assistance exercises are placed towards the end of your squat and/or deadlift workout.
They are less demanding than primary accessory exercises because less weight and fewer muscle
groups are involved. Secondary accessory exercises are used to bring up lagging or weak body parts.
Glute-Ham Raise
The glute-ham raise is often regarded as the crme-de-la-crme of the posterior chain exercises; this
is because the glute ham raise hits all the major muscle groups on the back side of your body (calves,
glutes, hams, and spinal erectors). The glute-ham is an extremely time-efficient exercise for this
reason as well: You could perform an isolation exercise for the hamstrings, calves, low back, and
glutes, or you could just do glute-hams and work them all at once. Hows that for training economy?
Prime Movers
Glutes,
hamstrings,
calves,
spinal erectors
Set-up
Begin by setting up a glute-ham machine so your legs are parallel to the ground and your feet locked
in. Lay the torso over the front of the pad and relax down.
Performance
Begin by squeezing the glutes as hard as possible. The glutes are a very strong muscle group, but
most people often bypass them in exercises such as this, using only the more dominant hamstrings
and spinal erectors. Once the glutes are tight, use the spinal erectors to raise your torso up to the
parallel position. As you are raising the torso, press the toes into the plate and squeeze the
hamstrings very hard. From the parallel position, break at the knees and begin curling your upper
thighs and torso up to a point perpendicular to the floor. Hold, then lower under control to the
starting position.
Exercise Tips
Squeeze the glutes prior to movement and keep them tight throughout
Keep the torso and upper thighs aligned on the second half of the movement (do not
excessively arch the back or let the butt push back first)
Glute-ham raises will help your deadlift by:
Strengthening all the muscles of your posterior chain in one efficient exercise
Back Extension
Back extensions are an often forgotten exercise, but one which can improve your deadlift
nonetheless. In the 50s and 60s, back extensions were one of the primary exercises used by Olympic
weightlifters to strengthen their low back and improve their performance.
Prime Movers
Spinal erectors
Set-up
Begin by setting up a roman chair, back extension or glute-ham machine so your legs are parallel to
the ground and your feet locked in. Lay the torso over the front of the pad and relax down.
Performance
Before beginning, squeeze your glutes as hard as possible. Then, squeeze the low back and raise the
torso to parallel (or just beyond parallel) to the ground. Hold, and then lower under control to the
starting position.
Exercise Tips
Squeeze the glutes prior to movement
Make sure to come up to at least parallel, but do not hyperextend the back
Back extensions will help your deadlift by:
Strengthening the posterior chain, specifically the spinal erectors
Reverse Hypers
Reverse hypers are another excellent exercise when working on development of the posterior chain.
Not only do reverse hypers pound the hamstrings and erectors, but when performed correctly they
also improve strength and motor control in the gluteals as well.
Another benefit of the reverse hyper is it can be used as a recovery tool for athletes with low back
injuries. By performing 2 sets of high repetition, body weight only work, you flush fresh blood into
the area. This speeds the recovery process and gets you back to hoisting heavy iron ASAP.
Prime Movers
Glutes,
hamstrings,
spinal erectors
Set-up
If you dont have a dedicated machine, youll have to improvise and additional loading will be
difficult. If you do have a dedicated machine, load up the weights and get ready to rock!
Performance
With your feet together and in the straps, initiate the movement by squeezing your gluteals very
hard. With the glutes tight, swing the legs up a point parallel to the ground, keeping them as straight
as possible throughout the movement. Return to the starting position and repeat.
Exercise Tips
Squeeze the glutes prior to and throughout performance
Keep the legs straight throughout the movement; if they bend, the weight is too heavy
Reverse Hypers will help your deadlift by:
Strengthening your posterior chain
Keeping the low back healthy
Romanian Deadlifts (RDLs)
Romanian deadlifts are to the deadlift what good mornings are to the squat. Not only are they a
tremendous developer of the posterior chain, but they also improve your postural awareness when
deadlifting. If you have ever missed a big deadlift because the weight got out in front of you, you
know what Im talking about. RDLs will not only give you the strength but the awareness necessary
to overcome this and finish those big pulls.
Prime Movers
Hamstrings,
glutes
Set-up
Begin by grabbing the bar with either a double-overhand or mixed grip, and set the feet
approximately shoulder width apart. Inflate the chest, arch the low back, and place the weight on the
heels before starting.
Performance
With the chest up and low back arched, push the butt back as far as possible. Keep pushing back until
you get a good stretch in the hamstrings, and then squeeze the hamstrings and glutes to drive you
back up to the starting position.
If you feel ANY rounding of the low back during the movement, squeeze the glutes and return to the
starting position. Rounding the low back with a load is the #1 way to injure your low back, so
emphasize keeping the chest up and the back arched.
Exercise Tips
Keep the chest up and low back arched throughout the movement
Focus on pushing the butt back as far as possible
RDLs will help your deadlift by:
Strengthening the muscles of the posterior chain, specifically the hamstrings
Teaching you postural awareness to save a lift when the bar gets out in front of you
Zercher Squats
I have to thank my old powerlifting coach Justin Cecil for introducing me to this stout exercise.
Zercher squats are truly old-school: Theyll bring your deadlift up, but youll pay the price with some
old-fashioned PAIN. Even though the abs and low back are not the prime movers in this movement,
they are stressed the most due to the placement of the bar in front of your body.
Prime Movers
Glutes,
hamstrings
Set-up
Place the hooks of a power rack at approximately hip height. With your arms at shoulder width, bend
the elbows to 90 degrees and place the bar in the crook of your arms (if you want you can clasp your
hands together or keep them apart, whichever you prefer). Walk out and assume your normal
deadlift stance.
Performance
Brace the core, and then sit back like you are performing a squat. As you are going down, the arms
will come out slightly in front of you as you sit back and down with the hips. Make sure to emphasize
keeping the head and chest up, while forcing the knees out. Come down until the bar is at
approximately thigh level, and then return to the starting position.
Exercise Tips
If you are having issues with the pain, wrap a towel or sweatshirt around the bar
Make sure to emphasize keeping the core tight and the chest up
Zercher squats will help your deadlift by:
Increasing your pain threshold
Overloading and strengthening the muscles of your core
Conclusion
The deadlift is the grand finale in a powerlifting meet, and can often determine whether your meet
was a success or failure. It always feels like you have a better meet when you finish with a big PR
deadlift, so why wouldnt you want to take the necessary steps to improving it? Building a big
deadlift is just like the other powerlifts; it takes a combination of intelligent planning, hard work, and
guts, but the end result is always worth it. Until next time, train hard and stay strong!