The deficit deadlift is an advanced variation that is often used by lifters with very specific goals. Unlike a variation of the deadlift like sumo, which can easily be widely used by all athletes, the deficit deadlift should be reserved for certain weightlifters.
What is? correct technique
This exercise consists of any deadlift performed from a raised surface which results in a greater range of motion. The shortfall is supposed to impair normal snatch mechanics to create a drag of the stamina off the ground. The conventional deadlift can be performed from a deficit, in addition to its sumo variant.
The deficit deadlift will work everyone the same muscles as the traditional exercise. For example, the prime movers will still be the glutes and hamstrings, while the erector spinae, calves, and upper back serve as supporting muscles.
In the standard version of the deadlift, we stand on the floor so that the bar reaches about the middle of the shin. Instead, with the deficit, we stand on a low platform, which has the effect of lowering the height of the bar. This added range of motion makes the exercise much more demanding because the weight has to travel further and the body is placed in a less mechanically advantageous position at the start of each repetition. The deficit deadlift provides a multitude of benefits over the classic exercise.
To get started, review the settings for doing the deficit deadlift exactly the same as if you were doing it normal.
- Stand with your shins a couple of inches away from the bar (directly over the middle of your foot or the laces of your shoes).
- Bend over with your legs straight and grab the bar just outside your legs.
- Bring your shins forward until they touch the bar.
- Squeeze your chest up to engage your lower back muscles.
- Drag the bar up your legs and raise the weight.
Tips to consider
It is not only necessary to know the technique to do the deadlift correctly. It is also convenient to take into account the following recommendations.
find an elevation
Traditionally, deficit deadlifts will be performed on a surface of between 5 and 10 cm high. Some popular items to climb include:
- 20 kilo metal plates
- low wooden drawer
- Rubber plate of 10-20 kilos
La load for the deficit deadlift should be lighter than that of the traditional deadlift. A good rule of thumb is to use a 10-25% less weight compared to the traditional deadlift.
Use the same posture
Prepare as you normally would for your traditional deadlift, and work to limit setup changes. For example, the hips should not move or alter their starting position greatly to accommodate a deficit deadlift. There will be some subtle changes to build positioning, but they shouldn't alter the mechanics to much.
Make sure you are well supported and pull the bar tight against your body to prevent the hips from shooting up too far quickly, since they will probably be positioned higher than normal.
Run as normal and hyperfocus
Make a concentric pattern (lift) similar to what you would do for the traditional deadlift and do the same for the upper eccentric (decline). Focus hard on controlling the bar and maintaining a strong hip hinge to build the posterior chain and strengthen lifting poses until the bar hits the ground.
Being lifted on a platform, the range of travel will be greater and the eccentric part more painful. It is best to use a lighter weight than if we were doing normal deadlifts.
How much weight should I lose?
The deficit deadlift is considerably more difficult than the regular deadlift. That's part of what makes them such a useful exercise. Because of this, beginners to this exercise should start with a light weight and only increase the weight once they have mastered the technique of the lift.
Initially, we'll use about 50-60% of the normal deadlift weight and do a couple fewer reps per set. That is, we will stay within the limits, at least during the first deficit deadlift workouts. As we start to feel stronger and more mobile, we'll do more reps per set and then gradually increase the weight.
The amount of weight we can lift in deficit will always be less than the normal deadlift weight. But the good news is that as we get stronger in the deficit pulls, the classic deadlifts will increase as well, and usually by more weight.
What benefits does it provide?
In addition to being an exercise that improves the progression of leg training, it also has many other positive effects. Below we reveal the advantages of introducing the deficit deadlift into a training routine.
Greater resistance from the ground
Getting power off the ground is huge for heavy deadlift success. The first 30% is usually the hardest, so by handicapping this range of motion with a deficit deadlift, you can create a higher force drag for this specific range of motion.
Powerlifters use the deficit deadlift to improve explosiveness on the ground. Strength is important for lifting heavy weights, but so are power and acceleration. Lifting a weight quickly makes it easier to move. The momentum is very valuable. Deficit deadlifts increase starting velocity. This will make you faster and more explosive on the ground.
More flexibility
Deficit deadlifts force you to start each repetition from a deeper deadlift position. The increased amount of hip flexion is helpful in improving hip mobility and flexibility. However, the deeper starting position could increase the risk of rounding the lower back. If you round your back due to lack of mobility, it is recommended not to create a deficit in this exercise. Doing this could cause injury.
If using deficits to improve mobility and flexibility, it is recommended to do them with light weights and focus on keeping your lower back slightly arched at all times. We should never round the back no matter what variation of the deadlift we are doing.
Improve lifting postures and time under tension
By increasing the time under tension during the starting position of the deadlift, you can potentially work to improve the lifting postures needed to successfully complete this movement pattern due to the specificity of your demands. For example, maintaining a strong starting hip position can sometimes be a struggle for some lifters, so by focusing on this specific range of motion, body awareness can be worked on.
Increasing the range of motion means that each repetition of the deficit deadlift takes a little longer, and that increases the time under tension. This makes each repetition more demanding and potentially better for hypertrophy or muscle building. Time under tension plays a critical role in building bigger muscles
Strengthen the posterior chain
This calls for some variation in the deadlift, so it makes sense that the posterior chain would get a ton of work when performing this exercise. The glutes, hamstrings, spinal erectors and back muscles will be strengthened with the deficit of this exercise.
The posterior chain is heavily involved in all running and jumping type activities. Deficit deadlifts are invaluable for athletes looking to increase strength and power for the sport. Training in a more flexed position forces these muscles to work much harder than usual. This is beneficial for building strength and increasing the size of the muscles.
Who should do it?
The deficit deadlift is not for everyone. If you don't have a trainer, then it can be a bit trickier to know how to introduce them into your training routine.
To help you in your decision, you should ask yourself the following questions. If you answer "no" to any of them, it would be convenient to leave this exercise for later, when you improve your technique.
- Do you have good mobility?
- Is there any reason to perform them with deficits?
- Do you have a coach to give you feedback?
- Do you have solid fundamental strength in the deadlift?
Not necessarily everyone can perform this exercise in deficit. For example, beginners will benefit from simply performing quality traditional deadlift repetitions and building fundamental strength. Also, the more advanced ones should have a reason to do it and not just because they look great in the videos.
common mistakes
Done correctly, the deficit deadlift is a brilliant exercise. But doing it incorrectly can cause serious injury. Here are the most common mistakes to make sure you keep the risk of injury to a minimum.
- deficit too large. The higher the platform, the more likely you are to round out your lower back. If you have to bend over a lot, start with a very modest deficit, like a couple of inches. Then gradually increase over several weeks. Stop increasing the deficit if you can't deadlift without rounding your lower back.
- Using too much weight. The deficit makes the weights feel heavier because you have to move the weight more and do more work per rep. This is why you don't need to use the same amount of weight that you use for the regular deadlift. It is recommended to decrease training weights by 20-30% and gradually increase over several weeks.
- Use the same mixed grip. An alternate grip will help you lift more weight as it prevents the bar from slipping out of your fingers. However, the alternate grip also puts a lot of extra pressure on the supinated hand. It could also lead to uneven muscle development.
- Make the hips rise faster than the shoulders. If the hips shoot out faster than the weight, we risk putting a lot of extra stress on the lower back and also limiting the amount of weight you can lift. Look at your hips in the mirror or take a video from the side to make sure your hips and shoulders rise at the same time. Prevent this problem by getting very tense at the start of each rep, crunching your core as hard as you can, and concentrating on keeping your chest up.