What’s the exercise that I’ve used that has added serious muscle to my back, hamstrings, and glutes? The deadlift.
Long before I earned my pro card as a natural bodybuilder, I included deadlifts in my early training. The main problem was that I had lousy form. I also didn’t understand how to use the deadlift to build my backside. I used to think the deadlift was about lifting the heaviest possible weight each time you did it.
My deadlift equation at the time was not good. The combination of heavy weight, poor form, and frequent deadlifts left me cooked. My lower back was sore on most days. And not in a good way.
Deadlift Growth
As I improved my deadlift form, I noticed some big changes.
My back, hamstrings, and glutes got bigger and stronger. Who would have known that proper form led to better results? I’m being sarcastic in case you didn’t know.
During my first run in natural bodybuilding, from 2010 to 2014, my deadlift grew. 315lbs, which was heavy to me in 2008 and 2009, turned into 405lbs in 2010. In 2015, my max deadlift reached 465lbs. I weighed 162lbs when I did this. My best deadlift for reps so far is 405lbs for 8 hard reps. Not bad for a sprinter turned natural bodybuilder.
I rarely do 1-rep maxes anymore. But I’m proud of the fact that I was able to work up to 465lbs.
How To Make Deadlifts Harder
How do I make deadlifts harder and more effective for even more muscle growth? I stand on an elevated platform when I deadlift. How do I raise the intensity even higher to take a set of deadlifts into the 9th dimension? I add a pause at the bottom of the rep.
Elevating your deadlifts and adding a pause helps boost your posterior chain growth. I make them harder by doing the deadlifts near the end of my workout. This will force me to drop the amount of weight I can lift. When you drop your ego and embrace the pain, you open up a whole new world of muscle gains.
You will not enjoy the pain during the set, but you will enjoy a bigger and more muscular backside.
Conclusion
Deadlifts are already a GOAT exercise in the training game. Standing on a platform and adding pauses makes them even better.
I’ll holla at you next time.
The People’s Trainer,
Fitman
[…] they will adapt to it faster than a veteran lifter. I have had some men who walk in off the street who can deadlift 315lbs within 3 months. And this is after struggling with 135lbs on day 1. The progress is so fast because […]
[…] adaptations to training than a veteran trainee. I have had some men who walk in off the street who can deadlift 315lbs within 3 months and this is after struggling with 135lbs on day 1. The progress is so fast […]