Deadlifts- Pro and Cons

For the longest time I held the belief that the deadlift is the greatest exercise in the world. And I found it difficult to find people who would disagree with me. The ones who did generally ranked easy bar curls as the world's greatest movement so I never paid attention to them. But over the years a lot of observations have lead me to believe that this may not actually be so.

I still do believe, however, that the deadlift is the ultimate test of strength. A person who is good at deadlifting is Strong. He has a great back- Upper, mid and lower. He has great legs, a powerful grip, an iron midsection and strong connective tissues. He is also explosive, because the force curve is such that you cannot complete the conventional deadlift without rounding your spine, unless you were explosive to a degree. Its also a lot harder to exploit support gear during deadlifting (as well as bodyfat and sheer size), something that cannot be said for the Squat or Bench press. That is why before the 80s, most guy's deadlift and squat numbers would be pretty close.

The deadlift is probably the best back builder in existence, as well as the best hamstring drill. It also builds a killer grip if you lift Raw.

The greatest test of strength?

But overtime, I found a couple of issues with the deadlift.

1. Its a little too heavy.

Its Surprisingly easy to overtrain. Also, it makes it harder to make progress beyond the initial phase. I am not sure how this works, but in my experience, the bigger the lift, once you reach a pleatue, the harder it gets to progress. This is evidenced by how the west side club is able to build over 4 times bodyweight deadlifts with major emphasis on assistance work, like good mornings and reverse hyperextensions, as well as speed work.

2. There is no proper negative in a good and heavy deadlift.

Heavy deadlifts cannot be controlled properly while lowering. Even the best deadlifters, over 8o% of their maximum, will start basically dropping the weight, or pulling themselves down along with it, specially after the first 1 foot of decent. I found this to be the greatest issue with the dead-lift as it severely limited its value as a hamstring size developer. The back muscle of the torso basically lifted isometrically and therefore would hypertrophy like crazy. the back development of any good deadlifter is evidence of this fact. But the lack of a proper negative, basically restricts the stimulation for the hamstrings.

This is the reason I think the deadlift is a hard to break lift, if all you do is deadlift. Ultimately the weak links cannot be developed by deadlifts alone, due to the lack of a negative. In a squat, for example, you can always modify technique to throw the stress on the weak lnks. You can also do this with deadlifts, but you wont get far, because ultimately those parts dont get a lowering stimulus.

In my mind, I can never dare to question the value of the deadlift as a back developer- the upper back complex, the mid back, the lats, the erectoes and the posterior delts- all are worked crazily during the deadlift. But I feel additional hamstring work is essential, and regular deadlifting is too hard on the body.

Ultimately, I am now inclined to feel that the Power Clean is the ultimate back developer. Olympic weightlifters, specially from the 70s and 80s, have incredible back development. Many people in the 60s swore by it as a back developer. It is certainly a great spine developer, and upper back and mid back developer. It is basically a deadlift initially, but the second pull transfers stress to the upper spine. You can use lesser weight and as there is a minimal strech shortening cycle, the stress is low. I know people who have trained the power clean 3-4 times a week with great results. And it transfers well to the regular deadlift IF your hips are strong too.

Legendary Weightlifter David Rigert

Currently I favor the good morning and weighted hyperextension as hip extension exercises. Certain people, I feel, if they are doing power cleans and squats, dont need to do hip extension exercises at all, as their anatomy makes their squatting hip dominant. I am such a person. I feel that anyone over 6 feet with long legs probably needs no other exercise for his lower body than the full ATG back squat. A person with long legs will have to flex more at the hips and the deeper the squat the more the hip activation. A ATG squat is much deeper for a tall lifter than a short one. Overall, a tall lifter will always be hip dominant in his squats. Sure, his squat will be hs weakest lift, but improvements in the squat will improve everything else more for him.

Ultimately I do feel there is no best exercise. I do feel everyone is weak at one movement, and chances are improvement in it will deliver the most returns in everything else. I am a natural deadlifter with long arms, so I used to spend all my time deadlifting. I pleatued very fast and very long at 2.25 times bodyweight. Over time I lost interest in the deadlift and started doing high bar ATG squats, with a pause at the bottom. I was very weak at these, and could barely manage bodyweight. At the time I was doing these squats once a week with power cleans every workout. In about 6 months my squat had slowly climbed to 1.25 bodyweight (in the high bar ATG style of course). I went back for a month to deadlifting and broke 2.8 times bodyweight. A year later I did double bodyweight in the squat for 2 reps (Basically intermediate standards) and my deadlift went up to a 4 times bodyweight. I deadlifted 2.25 times bodyweight for 25 straight reps using a clean grip in a contest.

At this time I was really doing crazy grip work (pinch gripping and towel chins)- along with Bridges, Power Cleans and pull ups. I worked all those exercises very hard. I also achieved my first 30 sec L-Sit. Somewhere, I feel keeping the general movement in place (with the power clean) combined with hard lower body work of an unrelated kind, did more for my deadlifting strength, than my deadlifts did for my lower body strength, though once again, I will never deny the back building benefits.

I guess I have to study a lot more to get a clearer understanding of this. 

The 3-5 System

Last weekend I held my very first Advanced Knowledge Seminar. Only 3 people came but it was worth it. On the second day of the seminar one of the participants asked me for a simple programming template that can be used by any beginner endlessly for 3-4 years without worrying about periodization or cycling too much. After that of course, everyone needs to form their own training philosophy, but I gave the creation of such a template my best shot.

The objectives of this system is to Maximize strength and Size gains and have decent conditioning. 

I call it the 3-5 system. 

Very Simply, pick 3-5 exercises that work the entire body in combination. These are your main exercises.

Pick 2 small exercises to target weak points and areas of attention. They have to be really small exercises. We will call them secondary exercises.

Perform 3-5 sets of each main exercise. At least one of these sets must be a warm up set. 

Do 3-5 reps per set. 

Take 3-5 mins break between Sets. 

Rest 3-5 days between workouts.

Do 3-5 mins of general warm up.

End every session with 3-5 mins of 3-5 stretches for the whole body. 

Do conditioning sessions 1-3 days every week. (Sorry but this one cannot be fit into the 3-5 range).

Pick one conditioning exercise and perform 3-5 bouts of 3-5 mins each of intense conditioning. 

Change all the variables every 3-5 weeks. 

The secondary exercises must be performed after the main workout for 2 sets of 10-50 reps. 

Its a very simple system. And the slight change in Rep and Set protocols every 3-5 weeks prevents staleness, as well as the change in the number of exercises and the exercises themselves. When you want an easy phase, pick 3 exercises, do 3 sets of 5 reps and rest 5 days. Pick the easy compound exercises from the list below for that phase. When you want to push it hard, pick 5 exercises, all hard, do 5 sets of 3 reps and rest 3 days. 

Keep alternating between an easy combination of the variables and a hard combination. But no matter what you do, as long as you stick to the basic template, you will be working your Max Strength and Hypertrophy.

The conditioning template also makes sure you are doing something, and since you have to change the variables every 3-5 weeks there as well (along with the whole program) you will get decent conditioning variety. 

You may pick the following exercises and NO other. Learn the proper form and execute every exercise to the best of your ability. 

Main Strength Exercises (In no particular Order)-
Lower Body

1. Barbell Back Squat- Heel Elevated Hamstrings Touching Calves, Olympic Style

2. Powerlifting Back Squat

3. Front Squats

4. Overhead Squats

5. Pistol/Bodyweight Squats

6. Bulgarian Split Squats

7. Weighted Step Ups with a high stool

8. Trap Bar Deadlifts

9. Conventional Deadlifts

10. Sumo Deadlifts

11. Clean Grip Deadlifts

12. Snatch Grip Deadlifts
13. Deficit Deadlifts
14. RDLs
15. Good Mornings
16. Skater Squats/ King Squats/ Flying Lunges/ Shrimp Squats
17. Bridges
18. Barbell Hip Thrust
19. Ham Glute Raise
20. Sliding Leg Curls

Upper Body-
1. Chin Up/ Weighted Pull Ups
2. Military Press
3. Dumbell Military Press
4. Arnold Press
5. Handstand Pushups
6. One Arm Barbell Press
7. Tiger Bends
8. Bench Press
9. Push Ups
10. Incline Press
11. Decline Press
12. Parallel bar Dips
13. Straight Bar Dips
14. Front Levers
15. Bodyweight rows
16. Dumbell Row
17. Bent Over Row
18. T- Bar Rows
19. Sternum Chin Ups
20. Cable Rows
21. Chest Supported Rows

Others
1. Bent Press
2. Turkish Get Up
3. Clean and Press
4. Roman Chair Sit Ups
5. Leg Raises
6. Ab Roller with weighted vests
7. L- Sits
8. Planche Holds
9. Muscle Ups- Slow to medium

Secondary Exercises-
1. Hyperextensions
2. Reverse Hyperextenstions
3. Posterior Delt Fly
4. Lateral Raises
5. Straight Bar Curls
6. Standing Calf Raises
7. French Press
8. Leg Curls
9. Hack Squats
10. Sissy Squats
11. Swiss Ball Crunches
12. Incline Sit Ups
13. Reverse Curls
14. Dumbell Curls
15. Zottaman Curls
16. EZ bar curls
17. Skull Crushers
18. Knee Tucks
19. Planks
20. Pinch Gripping
21. Wrist Roller
22. Lying, standing and seated external rotations with a dumbell
23. Cable Pull Throughs
24. Heavy Kettlebell and dumbell Swings
25. Hospital Deadlifts
26. Heel Walking

Conditioning Exercises-
1. Sprints
2. Hill Sprints
3. Stadium Sprints
4. Kettlebell Snatch and clean and jerk
5. Farmer's Walk
6. Sledge Hammer Drills
7. Sandbag Carry
8. Tire Flipping
9. Prowler
10. Sledge Pushing
11. High Repetition Squats, with/ without weights
12. Hurdles
13. Car Pushing
14. Cycle Sprints
15. Wood Cutting
16. Stone Braking
17. Stone Throwing
18. Boxing

You can pick any stretches you want.

There is so much variety in your choices for a reason. Dont be the guy who chooses to do heavy conventional deadlifts phase after phase without respite. You must always stick with the basics, but it is important to pick easy exercises once in a while in order to give your body time to recover.

At the same time, dont be the pansy who chooses Decline presses and cable rows phase after phase.

I have given a few core/torso training options as well in the others section of the Main lifts. This is because in some people their torso strength is holding them back and they need to be hammered seriously for a phase or 2. Just dont become an ab specialist by devoting 7 phases to Roman Chair Sit ups.

You have to be real honest with your secondary exercises. Always pick those exercises that strengthen your weaknesses. Most guys will never get around to doing important things like grip training. If you know you need it, pick Reverse Curls and Pinch gripping instead of EZ bar curls. If you are prone to shoulder problems pick Posterior Delt Flys and External rotations.

I will not be so dogmatic as to say you must pick one pressing and one pulling exercise every single phase, but in the long run, if you under develop one group, you are going to suffer. If you emphasize pulling one phase, do pushing next. Make sure that in the medium and long term, your upper body pushing and pulling power, and your lower body squatting and hinging power are in reasonable balance. If you can only do 3 chin ups but 50 pushups, you are headed for trouble.

Keep it simple, this is a very difficult program to mess up.

Dieting Simplified

Its been a long time since my last post. I am really sorry about it, but things have been crazy. I have been setting up a new enterprise dedicated to strength training. I will post links to it shortly.

I was thinking about the posts that I have done, and realized that I am yet to write anything about dieting. So I thought it would be appropriate.

First of all, I want to state the obvious that dieting is not eating less or more, it is following a certain dietary pattern for a pre determined amount of time in order to achieve certain clear objectives. In this sense, it is no different from training.

All right, let me first state what I think are the golden rules of making any dietary regime work-
1. HAVE CLEAR OBJECTIVES. Know exactly what you want. Too many people try to do too many things at the same time, just like in training. It is simply not possible to pursue more than 2 or 3 objectives simultaneously.
2. Reconcile these objectives with your long term goals. If you ultimate goal is to compete in weightlifting in the 82 kg weight category at 10% bodyfat, and you are currently 13% bodyfat at 76 kg, don't lose fat first. Get to 85-86 at 13%, then cut to 81-82. The point is, you objectives should help you reach your goals, not hinder you.
3. Have clear time lines. How long do you have to reach your goals? Break them into objectives and work backwards.
4. Focus on no more than 2-3 related objectives at a time.

Beyond these four I have some secondary principles, which I think all diets should have, but are not deal breakers-
1. Prioritize overall cardiovascular and Endocrinol health in the long run.
2. Prioritize unprocessed foods.
3. Prioritize vegetables first, then fruits. then proteins, then nuts, seeds and shoots and then everything else.
4. High water intake is essential.
5. High fiber is important
6. High anti oxidant consumption is very useful.
7. Do not fluctuate from your weight maintenance levels (adjusting for activity) by more than 500 calories a day.
8. Carb cycling is essential. Some days you need to eat more, some days a little less.
9. Infrequent and occasional over eating is essential for psychological satisfaction.
10. Infrequent and occasional starvation is essential for detoxification and Endocrinol health.
11. Generally (80% of the time) maintain a consistent eating pattern.

I realize that these are a lot of principles and most of the time you will not be able to follow all of them. This is fine, but my rule of thumb is that if a diet breaks more than 5 rules completely, it will not be sustainable or healthy and may not even fulfill its objectives. There are exceptions, but even those exceptions will not be beneficial in the long run.

Having gotten that out of the way, lets talk about how to construct a diet. All diets aim at one or more of the following objectives-
1. Gain Muscle- You will need to eat more calories than you expend, and get a decent protein intake.
2. Maintain Body fat- You will need to focus on eating clean food with a lot of fiber and water, and staying generally satisfied while avoiding extreme carbs and extreme high calorie foods.
3. Reduce bodyfat- A high protein intake combined with the right exercise regime, reduced carb consumption, consistent carb cycling and ensuring healthy endocrine function are essential.
4. Reduce weight- Eat less calories than you expend.
5. Improve Endocrinol Health- Regular detoxification, high anti oxidant consumption, periodic carb reduction and carb increase with a consistent volume of food and infrequent starvation and over eating are important.
6. Improve Cardiovascular health- Reduce bodyfat and increase activity levels. Restricting of certain foods will be necessary. Please speak to your doctor for this.
7. Improve blood work- Specific increase or decrease of macro and micro nutrients.

In the next post, we will analyse how to pursue these objectives in detail, which ones can be pursued together and how to combine this with an exercise program.