Evolving Your Deadlift

Now that we have the fundamentals of the deadlift in place, let's discuss how to adapt and evolve your deadlift as you progressively overload and move toward more challenging weights:

Taking the Slack Out of the Bar

Taking the slack out of the bar is an essential technique in deadlifting that helps you create tension and stability before lifting the weight off the ground. Here's how to master this technique:

Grip and Initial Tension: Once you have your grip, don't lift the bar yet. Instead, apply a slight upward pull on the bar until you feel the barbell "click" or take up the slack. This is not a lift but a gentle pull that removes any looseness between the bar and the plates, ensuring the bar is taut.
Engage Your Lats: As you take the slack out, engage your lats by imagining you are trying to bend the bar around your shins. This action pulls your shoulder blades down and back, providing extra stability to your upper body.
Brace Your Core: With the bar taut, take a deep breath into your abdomen and brace your core as if you are about to take a punch. This abdominal bracing supports your spine and keeps your midsection tight and strong.
Tension in Your Body: Ensure your whole body is tense, from your feet gripping the floor to your hands gripping the bar. This full-body tension helps maintain stability and control during the lift.
Pre-Lift Check: Before you lift, ensure the bar is still taut, your lats are engaged, and your core is braced. You should feel a sense of readiness, with no slack or looseness in your setup.

By taking the slack out of the bar, you pre-load your muscles and the barbell, creating a solid foundation for a powerful and safe lift. This technique helps prevent jerky movements, reduces the risk of injury, and ensures a more efficient deadlift. Below are further ways in which we can evolve our deadlift:

Bracing: As covered in the "how to squat" section, bracing is crucial. Refer back to that section to apply the same bracing technique at the beginning of each deadlift, providing stability and protecting your spine.
Over/Under Grip: Grip can be challenging, but it will improve with practice. An immediate adjustment is the over/under grip, where one hand grips overhand and the other underhand. This grip provides more stability and can be used as weights increase, especially during working and top sets.
Equipment (Chalk): We have covered the use of a weightlifting belt and wrist wraps for the barbell squat and both can be introduced into the deadlift to support with bracing, core support and minimising risk of injury. One aid we may wish to introduce for the deadlift is chalk (or liquid chalk if your gym permits) as this will help reduce moisture between our hands and the barbell which can therefore support with increasing our grip. You may wish to use this for your heavier sets.

By implementing these strategies, you can effectively evolve your deadlift technique and handle progressively heavier weights with confidence and safety.

Deadlift Variations

Implementing variations of the deadlift can help enhance your technique and address specific weaknesses. Here are some common variations to consider:

Paused Deadlift: Adding a pause to the deadlift increases control and strength. Start your lift as usual, then pause for 1-2 seconds just off the floor or below your knee. This variation helps improve your ability to maintain tension and control. Perform these at a lower load than a traditional deadlift.
Deficit Deadlift: Performing a deadlift with a deficit makes the lift harder but helps generate more force from the start position. Stand on a block or a 20KG weight plate, then set up and deadlift as normal. The increased range of motion makes the lift more challenging. Use a lighter load than your regular deadlift.
Rack/Block Pull: Unlike paused and deficit deadlifts, which focus on the start of the lift, rack/block pulls help improve lockout strength. Set the bar on blocks or in a rack so it starts at knee height or higher. This variation emphasizes your back muscles and allows you to lift heavier weights due to the reduced range of motion.

These variations are typically programmed as secondary lifts alongside your primary deadlift day. However, if you know where your weaknesses lie, incorporating these variations can help you build a more well-rounded and efficient deadlift.