Hey Mehdi,

I'm from Florida, 22 years old, 6'1" at 195 pounds, and currently squatting 235 lbs 5x5. My question is regarding deadlifts, at which I'm currently lifting 245. I've been stuck several times around this weight, and it's entirely because of my grip strength. With the double overhand grip, it invariably starts to fail around the fourth rep and the fifth often feels too weak to attempt.

I've read your article on how to boost grip strength and it's helped a great deal, and my grip strength is increasing, just. very. slowly. While screwing around in a bout of frustration, I found that I could pull 315 with a mixed grip quite easily for reps. Every part of my body besides my grip seems ready for more weight.

So, I would just switch to mixed grip, but I feel I'm at far too light a weight to start doing that. So my question is, should I accept the slow gains on my deadlift in the interest of bringing my grip "up to par," or should I go ahead and adopt other measures such as chalk and a mixed grip in order to start pushing my big mover muscles?

Thanks,
Will

You should definitely use chalk, white knuckling (squeeze the bar hard) and the mixed grip so you can keep adding weight on your Deadlifts. Here's why:

1. The goal is NOT to build grip strength only. The goal is to build full body strength. If you need specific grip training, do that separately.
2. It's not like your grip will be weak if you can Deadlift 400lb with a mixed grip. Your hands will get stronger from pulling that weight.

Start using the mixed grip on your last Deadlift set, but keep using the normal grip on your warm-up sets which should be like this: 5x135lb, 5x175lb, 5x210lb. So up to 210lb you pull with a normal grip, the 245lb with a mixed grip.

Use white knuckling on every single set and try to Deadlift all your warm-up sets without chalk. If you can't pull your last warm-up set with the normal grip, chalk your hands (get an eco ball if your gym doesn't allow it). If you still can't Deadlift it, use the frigging mixed grip so you can pull that weight and get all your reps.

It would make sense to start adding 10 pounds per workout to your Deadlifts since you say you can already pull 315lb AND assuming your technique is right. Meaning: add 10lb every time you Deadlift, then switch back to 5lb increments once you're past 315lb. This will speed up your strength and muscle gains.

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Please Check my Deadlift form with 395 pounds 1x5. This is my third week of Madcow 5x5 Intermediate program

Click here to view the embedded video.

First, you're Deadlifting with a round lower back which can get you injured. As I explained here, you can easily fix this with Pavel Tsatsouline's wedge-technique (check Strength Stretching). Charles Cain told you to "stick your ass out," and that's basically it - lift your tailbone away from the bar while keeping your shins against it so you feel tension in your hams and straighten your back.

Two, you're bouncing the weight off the floor. Dr. Fred Hatfield ("Dr Squat"), the third guy to Squat +1000lb, explained in his book "Power: A Scientific Approach" that bouncing can boost your Deadlift by overloading the lockout which is often the sticky point. Bouncing also develops the stretch reflex and thus power from the floor. So it has benefits, and that's why I'm definitely NOT against bouncing.

Also, while elite Deadlifters like Konstantin Konstantinov or Matt Kroc don't seem to bounce their Deadlifts, Benedikt Magnusson (the current world record holder in the Deadlift) does bounce as you can see here, here and here.

The only reason why I recommend that everyone who does StrongLifts 5x5 and Madcow 5x5 does NOT bounce, is because it's harder to keep proper Deadlift technique when pulling this way and most guys doing these programs have yet to master technique. It's clear from your video that your back is rounding.

So stop bouncing like StrongLifts Member Andrew Huffman who Deadlifts 480lb advised you, and start pausing for a second between reps. Expect the same weight to be a lot more challenging so don't hesitate lowering the weight by 10% to also work on your technique and progress weekly from there.

I haven't done a technique clinic on the Bench/Overhead Press yet, so please upload a video of yourself doing these exercises on the StrongLifts Fan Page. I’ll select a few videos, and review them in technique clinics like this one.

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What about when your using hexagonal plates? I’ve been using safety pins, but the bar still lands in the same place (pretty much) as a regular deadlift

There's a theory going around that gym owners choose hex plates to keep their customers from Deadlifting, Rowing and Cleaning. With the hex plates landing differently on each rep, it's almost impossible to do these lifts correctly.

Trying to fix that by Deadlifting inside the Power Rack is a bad idea because on most Racks the 45lb plates will end 2" off the floor when pulling from the lowest safety pins. As a result, when you later switch from Rack Pulls to Deadlifts you'll be weak from the floor because you've never trained the first 2" of the pull.

One solution that Matt advised you was to stand on plates so you get the exact same range of motion and thus train the first 2" of the Deadlift. I do not like this solution though because you'd still be doing Rack Pulls not Deadlifts.

Better is to Deadlift from the floor and reset the bar each time you bring it back to the floor by stepping back/forward until the middle of your foot is under the bar. Frankly, it is annoying, you're doing 5 singles not really a set of 5 reps, and your Deadlift starting position is different because the bar can be 2" lower with hex plates, but it's either this, switching gyms or not Deadlifting at all.

Truth is, hex plates are intended for machines. You don't need their handles at all, just pinch the plates so your grip gets stronger. When you build a home gym, make sure you invest in round - NOT hex - plates like I've done so you never have to deal with all these issues when you Deadlift and Barbell Row.

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In this post I'm first going to show you how to quit hitting your knees when you lower the bar on Deadlifts, and then when you pull the bar off the floor.

How to Stop Hitting Your Knees On The Way Down. Aside from the fact that it hurts, hitting your knees on the way down also puts the bar too far away from your body for your next rep. You'll have to pull the bar close to your body first otherwise you'll stress your lower back more. Here's how to fix this:

• Move Your Hips First. You'll hit your knees every time you bend them too early. Always lower the bar on Deadlifts by pushing your hips back first, and only bend your knees once the bar reaches knee level.
• Stretch Your Hips. If your lower back starts to round even though your chest is up, your shoulders are back, and your head is inline with your torso, then you lack hip mobility. Do Squat 2 Stands as warm-up.

It's really not rocket science - simply lower the bar by pushing your hips back as far as you can, and then bend your legs once the bar reaches knee level. Keep your chest up, shoulders back and your head inline with your torso (not looking at your feet, nor at the ceiling) and you'll never hit your knees again.

How to Quit Hitting Your Knees On The Way up. If your knees and shins are taking a beating everytime you pull the weight off the floor, then your hips start too low. Realize that Deadlifts are NOT Squats - in the starting position your hips shouldn't be low like when Squatting parallel, they ought to be higher.

• Get The Bar Above Your Mid-Foot. This will prevent too much bending of your ankles. Walk to the bar and position your feet so the barbell ends directly over the center of your feet when looking from the side.
• Put Your Shoulder-Blades Over The Bar. Keep the barbell above the center of your feet and lower your hips until your shins touch the bar and your shoulder-blades are over the bar when looking from the side.

Your exact hip position will depend on your build - a guy with short tighs and a long torso will have his hips lower than one with with long thighs and a short torso like me. Just put the bar above the center of your feet and your shoulder-blades over the bar, and you'll never hit your knees again when Deadlifting.

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Good news - here are 9 surefire strategies that I've used to break through any Deadlift plateau and pull 500lb raw at 165lb body-weight.

1. Deadlift More. The fastest way to boost your Deadlift is to Deadlift more. You don't need to add assistance exercises, you don't require extra posterior chain work, and you don't have to pull against bands. All those things definitely have their place but not until you reach at least 400lb on Deadlifts.

Why? Because technique is the real secret to gaining strength, on every single exercise. Don't take my word for it, here's a quote from the "Michael Jordan of Powerlifting," world class Deadlifter Ed Coan who pulled 900lb...

The deadlift is the number one technique lift. If you don’t have technique in the deadlift, you just can’t muscle it up.

Deadlifting more does NOT mean that you should now do 5x5 instead of 1x5. It only means don't skip your Deadlifts to do other exercises. Just deload if you get stuck, and use the lighter weights to improve your technique.

2. Master Deadlift Technique. Another quote, this one by elite Powerlifter Dave Tate: "The stronger you get, the more important technique becomes, and one inch can make the biggest difference in the world". Technique is the number one thing you should look at when you get stuck on Deadlifts. Some pointers:

• Don't Pull - Push. You have to use your hip muscles. Deadlift by driving through your heels, push your hips forward once the bar reaches knee level, and lock the weight by squeezing your glutes hard at the top.
• Don't Squat - Deadlift. Deadlifts are NOT Squats, your hips have to be higher to pull big weights and so you don't hit your shins on each rep. Raise your hips so your shoulder-blades end up over the bar.
• Use Your Legs. Your hips should be higher than when your Squat, but not too high otherwise your lower back will be doing all the work. Read this article to find the correct hip position depending on your build.

Don't use the mirror to fix your Deadlift technique - your hips will usually end too low. Instead ask someone for feedback or just tape yourself.

3. Strengthen Your Grip. It doesn't matter if your legs/back have the strength to Deadlift the weight. If your hand can't hold the barbell, it will obviously never leave the floor. The 3 keys to a stronger grip? a) white knuckling b) chalk c) the mixed grip. Read 7 Ways to Build Massive Grip Strength for more tips.

4. Warm-up Properly. Some guys don't warm-up at all which is not only asking for injuries, it also doesn't let you practice Deadlift form. Others are so afraid of getting hurt that they waste energy doing a gazillion of warm-up sets.

• Wrong: 5x135lb - 5x180lb - 5x205lb - 5x215lb - 5x225lb - 5x235lb
• Correct: 5x135lb - 5x180lb - 5x205lb - 5x235lb

Get it? Add 25-50lb on each set until you reach your work weight. Even better is to decrease the reps as your warm-up sets go by (5 -> 4 -> 3 -> 2 -> 1x5). But since some guys can't live with doing only 1x5 Deadlifts, 5 reps on the warm-up sets gives you more volume without messing recovery and causing plateaus.

5. Eat More. David Ricks owns the raw world Deadlift record in the 165lb weight class since 1990 - 672lb. Compare with Konstantinov's 939lb Deadlift record @ 308lb. This 267lb difference illustrates an obvious point: if you want to Deadlift heavy weights, you will have to gain weight. Not just because bigger muscles are stronger but because weighing 161lb at 6'0" is bad leverages. Eat more.

6. Pull Faster. The faster you lift, the more muscles fibers you'll recruit and the more weight you'll pull. Lifting fast is NOT cheating, nor is it dangerous or bad for your joints as long as you control the bar and use proper technique. Proof of this is that all Olympic lifters pull explosively yet they have low rates of injury.

Accelerate the bar from the floor as fast as you can. Way down should be under control but not slow. Don't worry if the bar speed decreases as the weight goes up - just apply as much force to the barbell as you can. You have to pull your warm-up sets fast to be quick on your work sets, so don't be lazy about this.

7. Sleep More. Nothing wrong with sleeping 6h/night if it happens only once in a while, plenty of StrongLifts Members have set Deadlift PRs on little sleep. But chronic sleep deprivation is obviously terrible. One, it hurts recovery (your body releases strength building hormones when you sleep). Two, it kills motivation.

An average of 8 hours of sleep per night is vital for optimal strength gains, and many people believe the hours before midnight count double. If you got trouble falling asleep: stop watching TV and working on your computer the hour before you go to bed, and wake up consistently at the same time every day.

8. Stretch Your Hips. Spending 8h/day or more behind a computer like I do will tighten your hips. You'll have a hard time engaging your glutes during Deadlifts which can turn you weak at lockout and hurt your lower back. Stretch your hip flexors with warrior lunges and do supine bridges to activate your glutes.

9. Wear a Belt. Breathing into your belly and pushing against the belt with your abs increases intra-abdominal pressure. This is why you can easily break your Deadlift plateau and add 30lb to your max almost instantly by wearing a belt.

Get a 4" wide, 10mm thick, single prong belt like the Inzer Forever version that I own (don't be a cheapskate, you only buy this once). Just don't start wearing it on every single set, I only start wearing it from my last warm-up set onwards.

Finally, do not let it become mental. If you keep hitting the same plateau - stop. Deload, add weight slowly but steady, and focus on technique and speed until you're back at your past plateau. Just don't get lost with advanced techniques, you can achieve a 400lb Deadlift by Deadlifting solely. Always keep it simple.

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Click here to view the embedded video.

Neil Hedgepeth advised Philip to Deadlift using round plates. While I agree hex plates will mess with your technique when doing multiple reps on Deadlifts and Barbell Rows, Philip is Deadlifting a single here so it doesn't matter.

I also strongly disagree with Shaun Oliver and John Wood's advice of Squatting down more. Philip's hips are actually slightly too low in the starting position. Look at his hips on the left at 00:33:70 vs. on the right at 00:34:16.

Left: Philip's Deadlift setup. Notice his shoulder-blades aren't really over the bar. Right: Philip's hips raise right before he pulls because his hips were too low.

Picture on the left is how Philip sets up for the Deadlift. Right is how his hips raise right before the bar leaves the floor. Why do you think Philip raises his hips? Because his body knows it can Deadlift more this way. Notice also how his shoulder-blades are more over the bar on the right than on the left.

Always keep in mind that guys with long legs/short torso will have their hips higher in the Deadlift starting position than guys with short legs/long torso. My hips are always higher than my trainingpartner's because he has shorter legs than I do. That's why you should focus on shoulder-blades above the bar.

So don't Squat down more Philip, quite the opposite, Deadlift with your hips starting higher, like they already are right before you pull the bar.

There are 2 other major Deadlift mistakes. The first one everyone pointed out on the StrongLifts fan page: lower back rounding. Philip can fix this by doing what Pavel Tsatsouline calls "the wedge" in his DVD Strength Stretching - lift your tailbone away from the bar while keeping your shins against it. If you feel tension in your hamstrings and glutes, you're Deadlifting correctly.

The 2nd mistake - from the moment Philips grabs the barbell until he actually Deadlifts it, 25 seconds elapse. This is bad because you're not taking advantage of the stretch shortening cycle. My guess is you hesitated because you were going after a PR, and fear of missing the weight is normal, but you got to learn to just grip the bar and pull. Watch SL Member Jake 600lb Deadlift.

If you want me to review your technique, post a video of yourself Squatting, Deadlifting, Benching or Pressing on the StrongLifts Fan Page. I'll select a video every now and then, and review it in a technique clinic like this one.

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The reason you don't want to do more than 1x5 Deadlifts is so you don't start hitting plateaus all over the place. What I'm about to explain can be challenging to grasp if you've just started lifting and don't yet realize that the Deadlift is a different beast than the Squat, but here's how Deadlifts differ:

• Deadlifts Work More Muscles. Although Squats work your upper-body too, you're using a lot more muscles when doing Deadlifts.
• Deadlifts Allow For More Weight. Because you're using more muscles and starting from a partial Squat like position on each pull.
• Deadlifts Drain Your CNS. Deadlifts starts from a dead stop, there's no bounce like on the Squat, and that makes them harder on your CNS.

Add that it's a pretty known fact by advanced lifters that the lower back takes longer to recover. With Squats/Rows/Presses also working your lower back, you understand why 5x5 Deadlifts after 5x5 Squats every other workout and with more weight than last time, is quite simply asking for plateaus.

Yes you can get away with 5x5 Deadlifts if you've just started StrongLifts 5x5. But as my StrongLifts Members will tell you: once you're Squatting 300lb, you'll be happy to end your workout with only 1 set of 5 Deadlifts. Obviously, you need to experience 5x5 Squats with 300lb first to really get this.

The most important thing to realize is that the Squat and Deadlift work similar muscles. That's why you don't need 5 sets of Deadlifts - 5x5 Squats 3x/week will boost your Deadlifts but without draining you like 5x5 Deadlifts would.

If you've been doing 5x5 Deadlifts until now, just switch to 1x5. You don't need to lower the weight, just keep adding 5lb/workout. 1x5 will feel easier because you're doing less sets but it will get challenging as you get closer to 1x5 400lb.

If Deadlifts are your favorite exercise as it is for me, do 5 reps for your warm-up sets: 5x135lb – 5x180lb – 5x205lb – 5x235lb. This gives you more technique practice without causing plateaus on your other lifts like 235lbs for 5x5 would.

When in doubt, stick to StrongLifts 5x5 as laid out.

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Hello Mehdi, it's Mike from NJ, USA. I'm 20 yrs old, about 150lbs and would like some help on my deadlift form. In the video I'm trying to pull 330lbs for 3.

Click here to view the embedded video.

I won't bias your professional judgment so I'll leave my guess at my mistakes in the next paragraph. What I think I'm doing wrong:

Besides countless little mistakes, I think I'm trying to pull the weight by hyperextending my lower back at the beginning (the weight on the bar pulls it down back to neutral-ish) and using that to bring the weight to my knees for the glute contraction instead of using leg drive to move the bar to the knees. This is somewhat ironic since my squat is relatively high (285) compared to my bench (165) and I think I just don't know how to use my legs properly in this lift.

Any advice would be helpful, particularly mental cues. Thanks, and loving the site!!

Michael Wang

Strong pull for a 150lb guy, good job. You got a lot more in you.

The reason you can't Deadlift using leg drive is because your hips are too low in the starting position. Watching your video in slow motion reveals that you raise your hips right before the bar leaves the floor. On the 3rd pull you clearly have your shoulders above the bar instead of your shoulder-blades.

As I've said before: Deadlifts are NOT Squats. Nor are they Snatches or Cleans. Many guys get confused by watching weightlifters doing Clean & Jerks instead of analyzing what powerlifters do. You just need to look at elite Deadlifter Andy Bolton to notice that his hips are higher in the starting position.

The first thing you should do in order to increase your leg drive on Deadlifts, is to stop looking up. Right now I think you're looking at the mirror in front of you to check your form. Quit looking in the mirror and keep your head inline with the rest of your spine. This will automatically stop your hips from dropping too low.

By keeping your head inline with your spine, you'll also eliminate that excessive lower back arching (unhealthy for your spine) and prevent neck injuries (arching your cervical spine too much when Deadlifting, Squatting or Rowing is bad).

Correct starting position for Deadlifts again:

1. bar over the middle of your feet
2. shoulder-blades over the bar
3. head neutral

Keep your chest up, pull and you'll Deadlift 400lb in no time.

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As a 500lb raw Deadlifter at 165lb body-weight, here are the 7 quickest ways that I've found to build massive grip strength for Deadlifts.

1. Grip The Bar Correctly. If you Deadlift with the barbell in the middle of your hand, the weight is more likely to slide down and open it. Not only is the risk of losing the bar higher, you also get bigger callus from the increased skin folding.

Grip the bar correctly - not in your handpalm, but low in your hands and close to your fingers like in the picture below. This grip technique not only applies to the Deadlift, but also to other pulling exercises like Barbell Rows and Pull-ups (that means NOT on push exercises like the Overhead Press or Bench Press).

Proper Deadlift grip: bar close to fingers, NOT in your handpalm. This exact same grip technique applies to Barbell Rows and Pull-ups.

If you've Deadlifted with a wrong grip so far, it can feel uncomfortable at first to pull this way. Stick with it for at least 3 weeks so you get used to it.

2. Use White Knuckling. Meaning you grab the bar as hard as you can until your knuckles turn white. Here's why: the bar is less likely to move in your hand, AND gripping the bar hard by itself boosts strength. So start gripping the bar as hard as you can on all exercises, not just Deadlifts, and don't be lazy about it.

3. Use Chalk. Less callus formation, no more sweaty hands. It's not uncommon to see a 30lb increase on Deadlifts just by introducing chalk. If your gym doesn't allow it, get an eco ball (it leaves no dust). Best is to chalk up once the weight gets too heavy to Deadlift without it, because as Andy Bolton says:

The reason for generally not using chalk until my top weights is because I think it builds better grip strength.
- Andy Bolton, 1008lb Deadlifter.

4. Use The Mixed Grip. With the normal grip you have 8 fingers on one side of the bar, and 2 thumbs on the other side. So when your grip gives out, it starts with your thumbs. The mixed grip - one palm facing you, one facing away - puts 5 fingers on both sides which creates an instant strength boost: you'll be able to Deadlift the weight that didn't want to leave the floor with the overhand grip.

Which hand should be facing up? Elite Deadlifters Andy Bolton and Konstantin Konstantinov always pull with their right hand facing up. So do I because I feel strongest using this grip (I'm right-handed). So dominant palm facing up, weak facing down like Bolton in the picture below. Don't waste your time alternating which hand is up on each set to prevent imbalances, just follow tip #5.

Elite Deadlifter Andy Bolton showing the mixed grip - his right hand always faces up.

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Here are 13 Deadlift mistakes, including many I made when I began Deadlifting a decade ago, that you better avoid unless you want to look really stupid.

1. Doing Deadlifts Top-Down. By walking the weight back out of the Rack, and doing each rep top-down as it was a Squat or Bench Press. Why do you think it's called a DEADlift? Because you're supposed to start from the floor.

2. Not Hitting The Floor on Each Rep. By doing Deadlifts from the safety pins of your Power Rack (these are Rack Pulls) or by not touching the floor on each rep (Romanian Deadlift-style). Either way, this mistake is like not hitting parallel on Squats or not touching your chest on the Bench Press: you're doing partials.

Some Deadlift bouncing the weight up, others let it rest for a second, but the bar should always touch the floor between reps. Again, it's called DEADlifts.

3. Wearing Gloves. Gloves add inches to the bar which kills your grip strength. Worse, they don't prevent callus formation anyway. What will: Deadlifting with a correct grip - bar NOT in the middle of your hand, but close to your fingers - and using chalk (if your gym doesn't allow it, get an eco ball).

4. Rolling Your Shoulders. Guaranteed way to wreck your shoulders. Never roll them at the top of your Deadlifts. Just pull the weight from the floor, lock your hips & knees, and keep your shoulders back & down. If you want bigger traps, increase your Deadlift and eat more so you actually gain weight.

5. Standing Too Wide. Deadlifts are NOT Squats. If your stance is too wide, your legs will get in the way of your arms on each rep. You could Deadlift with a wider grip, but then you'll have to pull the bar higher which makes the same weight more challenging. Simply narrow your stance to give your arms room.

6. Starting With Your Hips Too Low. You'll keep hitting your shins and the bar will end up too much in front of your body (which is more stressful on your lower back and less effective for strength). Again, Deadlifts are NOT Squats - start with your hips higher so your shoulder-blades are directly over the bar.

7. Hitting Your Knees. If you break your knees too early on the way down, you will hit them (which obviously hurts) and the bar will end up too far in front of your body for your next rep (see #6). Lower the weight by pushing your hips back first and only bend your legs once the bar reaches knee level.

8. Curling The Weight. Starting with flexed elbows and then straightening them right before you pull is useless - there's no way you're ever going to curl what you can Deadlift unless your work weight is too light. Keep your elbows locked by squeezing your triceps so you don't end up ripping your biceps tendon.

9. Deadlifting In Running Shoes. Any shoe with air or gel filling doesn't work for Deadlifts because its sole is compressible - it's unstable, causes power loss, and messes with your technique. Get shoes with hard soles like Chuck Taylor's or Deadlift barefoot like I do (closer to the ground = more weight).

10. Looking Up. Usually to check your Deadlift technique in the front mirror. Problems: your hips will end up too low (see #6), you can twist your neck, and the mirror only gives info about the front plane. Stop looking in the mirror, keep your head inline with your torso and check your technique by taping yourself.

11. Pulling Instead of Pushing. Deadlifts are a pull, but since you have to use your hip muscles it's better to think of them as a push. So instead of pulling all the weight with your back, push through your heels, force your hips forward once the bar reaches knee level, and squeeze your glutes at the top.

12. Hyperextending Your Back. Repeatedly leaning back at the top is as bad as Deadlifting with a round lower back - you will get a hernia. And unless you're competing and want to make sure that the judges see you locked the weights, there's no need to lean back. Just stand tall with locked hips and knees, done.

13. Stiff-legging The Weight. Starting with your hips sky-high, the opposite of mistake #6. This, a Stiff-legged Deadlift, is more stressful on your lower back and less effective for strength because you're not using your legs. Deadlift with your hips lower so your shoulder-blades end up over the bar.

Finally, do not waste your energy worrying about what other guys in your gym are doing. If they ask you for advice, give it. If not, mind your own business and lead by example by making sure that you're Deadlifting with proper technique.

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