The Deadlift Technique You’re Not Learning
Too often lifters over look deadlift technique for flashy assistance exercises. I always get a glazed over look, when people ask me what assistance exercises I did to be able to pull 290kg (639) and I say non, just master your positioning.
Or better yet...
What type of belt, wraps and sleeves do I recommend.
Again, none.
Coming out of the Tactical Strength Challenge April 2017, I had my best deadlift EVER.
I'd like to share with you one the secrets on...
How to build a respectable deadlift without a belt, straps, wraps or lifting like a powerlifter...
This secret is likely the one deadlift technique you're NOT learning...
... it's The Wedge.
What comes to mind when I say "wedge"?
To me I instantly think of a wooded wedge that you would jam under a door to hold it open.
Ask yourself, "What would happen if you jammed that wooden wedge all the way under the door?"
The door would eventually rise right?
That's exactly what *should* happen when you wedge your body and hips between the floor and the bar in the deadlift. This should be the initiation of your lift.
In the wedge you want to focus on jamming your hips between the bar and the floor, you should essentially feel "stuck", leaving you only once place to go... UP!
A very common mistake I see new lifters make when learning the deadlift (this was me 5 years ago), is trying to "lift" the weight off the floor.
Uh, "Hector isn't that the point?"
Well, yes and no...
You see when I say don't lift the weight off the floor, I'm referring to lifting without a proper wedge or what I call "pulling the bar cold".
The Purpose
The purpose of the wedge is to put you in the most optimal position to pull from the floor.
The deadlift, especially the sumo deadlift, is pure technique. One false move, the slightest miscalculation, and the lift is over.
You can't out muscle it like you can with the classic style deadlift.
You want to gain the most leverage possible over the bar, and ultimately pull the bar the less distance possible.
Your set up is your first rep – Master SFG Instructor Fabio Zonin
When I first heard this, a HUGE light bulb went off in my head! That's when I set out on a mission to perfect my set up.
When the wedge is perfect and you have enough weight on the bar, the bar will bend into the position that it needs to be before lift off.
When I'm setting up, I'm not actually trying to bend the bar, that's simply a bi-product of the wedge.
If the weights are light enough, lets say 50-70% of rep maximum, then the weights should pop right off the floor before lift off.
When this happens, you've essentially removed that 50-70% off the bar.
Lastly through this meticulous setup, I've reduces the range of motion by about 1 inch. This means the distance to the lockout just got even shorter!
HUGE plus!
But here's the thing...
The wedge is VERY uncomfortable, pure skill and extremely taxing.
In short...
To build a bigger deadlift, take the time to perfect your deadlift technique by getting stronger in the wedge.
If you look at some of the greatest lifters:
- Ed Coan
- Vasily Alekseyev
- Konstantine Pozdeev
- Yury Belkin
- Chris Duffin
These lifters all have one thing in common, they were and are methodical about their set up and masters of this wedging technique.