There are many ways to train for a deadlift only event. You can find some great preparatory cycles and training methods in many of Pavel’s books, the best being Power to the People Professional and Deadlift Dynamite, co-authored with deadlift king Andy Bolton. Marty Gallagher’s Purposeful Primitive has also proven an invaluable resource in my own, as well as many other lifters’ training.
The following are a couple of different approaches to deadlift training cycles used by the StrongFirst Deadlift Team’s members.
Derek Miller’s Deadlift Cycle
Derek Miller, SFG II and member of the StrongFirst deadlift team
Week 1 Front Squat (FSQ)—2×5 (2 set of 5 reps) @ 305 (75%) Sumo Deadlift—5 @ 315, 405, 495, 525 (79%), 465 (70%) Bent Row—5 @ 205, 255, 255 Two Hand Kettlebell Swing—5×10 @ 40kg
Back Squat (BSQ)—5 @135, 225, 315, 365(65%), 315 Conventional Deadlift (Cv DL)—5 @ 225, 315, 405, 455 (70%)
Week 2 FSQ—5, 5, 3 @ 305 Sumo—5 @ 315, 405, 495, 545 (82%), 465 Bent Row—3×5 @ 205, 255, 265 Left out the swings because ran out of time
BSQ—5 @ 135, 225, 315, 365, 405(73%), 365 Cv DL—5 @ 225, 315, 405, 475 (72%) Barbell Lunge—10 each leg @ 115, 115, 115 Kettlebell Snatch—10 each @ 24kg, 24kg
Week 3 FSQ—5 @ 305 Sumo DL—5 @ 225, 315; 3 @ 405, 455, 495, 560, 560; 5 @ 465 Bent Row—5 @ 225, 225, 265 Two Hand Kettlebell Swing—4×10 @ 48kg
BS—5 @ 135, 225, 315, 365, 405; 3 @ 455(82%) Cv DL—5 @ 225, 315, 405, 455 (70%) Chins—3×10 @ bw Kettlebell Snatch—10 each @ 24, 28kg
Week 4 FSQ—5 @ 135, 225, 275; 3, 3, 3 @ 315 (78%) Sumo DL—5 @ 225, 315; 3 @ 405, 455, 495, 545, 575 (87%), 575, 465@5 Bent Row—5 @ 205, 245, 275 Double Kettlebell Swing—5×10 @ 24kg
BSQ—5 @ 135, 225, 275, 315, 365, 405; 3, 3 @ 455 Chins—3×10 Barbell Lunge—3×10 @ 135 Kettlebell Snatch—2×10 @ 32kg
Week 5 FSQ—5 @ 135, 225, 275, 315 (78%) Sumo DL—5 @ 315, 405; 3 @ 455, 495; 2 @ 555, 600, 600, 600 (90%) Bent Row—5 @ 225, 245, 295 Double Kettlebell Swing—5×10 @ 24kg
BSQ—5 @ 135, 225, 275, 315; 3 @ 365, 405, 455; 1 @ 475, 495 (89%) Barbell Lunge—10 @ 115, 115, 115 Kettlebell Snatch—2×10 @ 32kg; 5 @ 40kg
Week 6 Sumo DL—5 @135; 3 @ 225, 315, 405, 495; 1 @ 615, 615, 615(93%)
Week 7 Meet—Pulled 660 at 255 bodyweight on 3rd attempt.
Aris DeMarco’s Deadlift Training
Aris DeMarco – 417.5 @ 137
Deadlifts only for seven weeks. Reason: food choices at home limited recovery, so I decided to specialize. Pull twice weekly, once working on power off the floor; once training lockout (my main weakness). I went almost entirely by feel. Too many variables (uneven and/or wet floor, no chalk, etc.) to put together a meaningful percentage-based cycle.
Sample Week:
Session 1: Beltless speed pull doubles in 2-3 progressive waves of 3-4 sets (e.g. 215×2, 245×2, 275×2; 235×2, 265×2, 295×2, 315×2). Many sets were videotaped; the goal was to deadlift the heaviest weight possible in 1 second.
Session 2: Either ramp up to a top deadlift set of 3-5 with a belt, or a heavy double-paused single (pause just off the floor, pull to knee, pause again, explode to lockout). Double-paused top single was often followed by a set of 5-10 in the beltless RDL.
Best training sets: 335×2 speed pull, 360×4 belted deadlift, 365×1 double-paused belted deadlift, 300×5 beltless RDL. Took 8 days off and pulled 412.5 weighing 137, raw and wrap-less, i.e. belt only. 17lb PR, first triple bodyweight deadlift, first place 148lb class, unofficial IPA state record.
How You Should Train the Deadlift
I would strongly encourage all of you, even if you haven’t quite attained your qualifying poundage for the StrongFirst Deadlift Team, to pick up one of the previously mentioned books, find an experienced powerlifter, and get access to a barbell and set of plates so you can start pulling. You’ll never know what you’ll unleash until you try.
Also, the following SFL instructors, all experienced competitive lifters, are available for paid distance consultations for meet preparation and the design of deadlift training cycles:
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