So You Want to Deadlift 3X Your Bodyweight?

I’ll admit it – until a couple years ago, I was scared of the deadlift.  It always seemed like a matter of time before my back gave out, and I’d walk away like a crippled old man.

Nail technique.

Heavy weight has a way of amplifying your mistakes.  Falling forward on your deadlift?  Losing tension in your lats?  Rushing your set up? Heavy weight is instructive, and it teaches with a big stick. You won’t….I repeat, you WON’T be able to make any of those mistakes when you add an extra 100 pounds. 

So how do you improve?  My secret weapon was actually my iPhone.  I used it to record every single rep I performed (that is, unless there was 135 on the bar).  Ensuring that not only my set up and technique were on point, but also that my pre-lift routine remained the same was a complete game-changer.  

In fact, I’m pretty sure you could wake me up in the middle of night, drag me to go deadlift (I really wouldn’t mind..), and everything would look the complete same.

Get a grip.

That’s right, some big ol’ meaty man paws is what you need.

Mental Warfare.

As any serious lifter knows, there’s trepidation and anxiety whenever you start adding a few extra 45’s on there.  Serious lifters also know that as soon as you allow yourself to be timid when you’re lifting, you may as well quit there because it’s not going to happen.

The old adage is true: whether you think you can or you can’t, you’re right.

When you start moving some haws (heavy ass weights)

The book “Psych” by Judd Biasotto is what really took my deadlift from just over 2X my bodyweight, to what it is today.

Keep the Goal the Goal.

Borrowing from Dan John, the best part of reaching your goal is the journey, not the destination.  But, far too often we try to switch our destination.  Rather than trying to deadlift a smart car, we decide we need to shed fat and start doing the 10,000 swing program.  Or, we want to try the Smolov.

For the better part of 2 1/2 years, my #1 goal has been to deadlift as much as my genetic limits will allow.  And, while I still hope to be nowhere near where those might be, everything ELSE I do in the gym is geared towards my deadlift.  Why do I squat?  For a bigger deadlift.  Why do I do weighted chins?  For a bigger deadlift.