Note: some lifting federations may be less stringent with the rules regarding shifting positions during the bench press.
Some say it's the squat, I think the deadlift is the most intimidating of the three lifts. Granted, in the squat you have a monstrous amount of weight (hopefully) on your back that you're not getting out from under until you complete the lift. However, in the squat the eccentric part of the lift (the descent) winds you up like a spring, ready to explode driving the weight up. With the deadlift, you walk up to a huge (again, hopefully) pile of dead weight. It's on you to pull it from the floor.
The key to a successful deadlift is to dig deep when you set up and start the lift. The lower you can get your body to start, the more power you can get out of your legs during the lift. Start by placing your legs close to the bar, no more than one inch away. If you deadlift with a regular stance, your feet should be about shoulder width apart with your hand position just outside your legs on the bar's knurling for grip. If you use sumo style, your feet should be positioned wide. I like to place my shins right at the bar's hash mark. Your hands should be placed inside your legs, again on the bar's knurling. Your grip should alternate, one hand with an overhand grip, the other with an underhand grip so the bar does not roll out of your hands during the lift.
Once you have your foot position and your grip, sit into the lift, forcing your buttocks down and keeping your head and chest up. Drive upwards with your legs. Once the bar passes your knees, begin to straighten your upper body, pulling with your lower back. The initial pull should be with your legs, if you are using your lower back throughout the entire lift, you are likely making one of two mistakes:
- You're not starting with your buttocks down far enough and your head and chest up
- When you start the lift you may find your buttocks kicking out and back without moving the bar up, leaving the lower back to do all the work
The lift should be completed in one motion. If you pause at any point, allowing the bar to rest on your thighs, the judges are going to give you red lights for “hitching”. Complete the lift with your body fully erect, and your knees locked out.
The Day of the Meet
This is where it all comes together, where your months of effort, sweat, and blood (if you're doing your deadlifts correctly) pay off. It's important that you go into the meet with a plan, and work that plan.
- Opening lifts: Know what weight you want to open with for each of the lifts, you will have to provide them during weigh in. Although you may have the opportunity to reduce your opening lifts before your lifting session starts, if you cannot successfully complete your opener in any of the three lifts, you will bomb out of the meet. Once your group begins lifting, you cannot lower your opener. A rule of thumb: if you're unsure of how heavy you should open, start at a weight you can lift for two repetitions with proper technique in the gym.
- Warm-ups: The meet is all about performing your best on the platform. Don't leave any strength in the warm-up area. Stay conservative; lift just enough sets and repetitions to prepare you for your opening lift. Don't perform a full workout while warming up.
- Conserve your energy: Focus every bit of your energy into those few seconds on the platform. Between lifts find a comfortable spot and sit down. Concentrate on your next lift. Try to picture every part of the lift in your mind. Drink plenty of fluids between lifts. You may want to consume good carbs in small portions throughout the meet to keep my energy level high.
- Time management: Once your bar is loaded, you will have one minute to begin your lift. Try to time your preparation so you have all your gear in place just as the staff finishes loading the bar. After your lift, you have one minute to give the scoring table the weight for your next lift attempt.
Putting it All Together
You don't have to look like one of those monsters on the cover of Insane Fitness and Brute Strength magazine to make use of a powerlifting routine. Regardless of your strength training goals adding a powerlifting cycle into your training plan can make a big difference-adding muscle mass, breaking through plateaus, possibly even hitting new personal records and strength goals. Try putting some of these concepts into your routine for three or four months and you'll likely experience some surprising gains. If you are interested in competing, you can find different lifting federations on the web by searching for powerlifting. Most have schedules of upcoming events on their web site, rules for proper lifts, legal equipment and substances, as well as other useful information.
More Information on Powerlifting
Additional articles in the 'Powerlifting Basics' series:
If you'd like to learn more about improving your bench press, I've written a couple short articles on the subject:
For video demonstrations of the powerlifting squat and bench press, you can check out the following links:
Upcoming Article:
About the Author:
If you'd like to know more about my strength training background and an index of other related articles I've written, please visit the following link.
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