Countless people have been led to believe that their deadlift doesn’t “count” unless the starting position is from the floor. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Unfortunately, people of all backgrounds, genders, and ages fall prey to this myth, and perform deadlift variations that might not be best suited to them. Not to sound like a broken record, unless you are competing in powerlifting there is no written rule that you must deadlift from the floor.
Deadlifts strengthen the posterior chain muscles. Here are 5 of my go-to deadlifting variations that don’t involve starting from the floor.
#1) Single Leg Rear Foot Elevated RDL’s
Coaching Tips:
- Adopt a staggered stance, and place your back foot on a box/bench.
- On your front foot, form a tripod base by placing your weight on the back portion of your foot and the base of your big and baby toes. These parts of your foot should remain in contact with the floor for the duration of the exercise. Pretend you are suctioning or spreading your foot to the floor. Be on the forefoot of your back foot.
- Keep your arms rigid, lats engaged, and pretend you are crushing something in your armpits. For the duration of the exercise, your hands and the weights should not travel ahead of your body.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), and tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection).
- Now hinge/push your hips backwards. Pretend a rope is pulling your hips backwards or that you are trying to press your hips back against a wall.
- When you reach your full range, engage your posterior chain muscles and press your body away from the floor and back to the starting position. Use a range where you can maintain proper form.
- Perform the lockout by squeezing your glutes and hamstrings and extend your hips, and extend your knee.
- Exhale after you have pressed away from the floor and are approaching the top position.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your knees to fall inside or outside of your feet.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine or hips to rotate.
#2) Barbell RDL’s + Posterior Band Resistance
Coaching Tips:
- Fasten a resistance band around a secure surface, and loop the band around your hip crease. There should be a significant amount of resistance in the band for 100% of the exercise, and the resistance should be coming posteriorly.
- Adopt your preferred stance.
- Form a tripod base by placing your weight on the back portion of your feet and the base of your big and baby toes. These parts of your feet should remain in contact with the floor for the duration of the exercise. Pretend you are suctioning or spreading your feet to the floor.
- Hold onto a barbell, and adopt your preferred hand width. Keep your arms rigid, lats engaged, and pretend you are crushing something in your armpits.
- For the duration of the exercise, the barbell should not travel ahead of your body. Pretend you are painting your legs with the barbell.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), and tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection).
- Now hinge/push your hips backwards. Pretend a rope is pulling your hips backwards or that you are trying to press your hips back against a wall.
- When you reach your full range, engage your posterior chain muscles and press your body away from the floor and back to the starting position. Use a range where you can maintain proper form.
- Perform the lockout by squeezing your glutes and hamstrings and extend your hips, and extend your knees.
- Exhale after you have pressed away from the floor and are approaching the top position.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your knees to fall inside or outside of your feet. For the duration of the exercise, pretend you are trying to spread the floor apart with your feet. This cue can really help.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine or hips to rotate.
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#3) Landmine Suitcase RDL’s
Coaching Tips:
- Set up a barbell so it is lengthwise, and is in line with your armpit. Hold the end of the barbell in one hand.
- Adopt your preferred stance.
- Form a tripod base by placing your weight on the back portion of your feet and the base of your big and baby toes. These parts of your feet should remain in contact with the floor for the duration of the exercise. Pretend you are suctioning or spreading your feet to the floor.
- Keep your arm rigid, lat engaged, and pretend you are crushing something in your armpit.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), and tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection).
- Now hinge/push your hips backwards. Pretend a rope is pulling your hips backwards or that you are trying to press your hips back against a wall.
- When you reach your full range, engage your posterior chain muscles and press your body away from the floor and back to the starting position. Use a range where you can maintain proper form.
- Perform the lockout by squeezing your glutes and hamstrings and extend your hips, and extend your knees.
- Exhale after you have pressed away from the floor and are approaching the top position.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your knees to fall inside or outside of your feet. For the duration of the exercise, pretend you are trying to spread the floor apart with your feet. This cue can really help.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine or hips to rotate.
#4) Staggered Stance RDL’s + Posterior Band Resistance
Coaching Tips:
- Fasten a resistance band around a secure surface, and loop the band around your hip crease. There should be a significant amount of resistance in the band for 100% of the exercise, and the resistance should be coming posteriorly.
- Get into a staggered stance.
- Form a tripod base by placing your weight on the back portion of your front foot and the base of your big and baby toes. These parts of your foot should remain in contact with the floor for the duration of the exercise. Pretend you are suctioning or spreading your foot to the floor. Be on the forefoot of your back foot.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), and tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection).
- Now hinge/push your hips backwards. Pretend a rope is pulling your hips backwards or that you are trying to press your hips back against a wall.
- When you reach your full range, engage your posterior chain muscles and press your body away from the floor and back to the starting position. Use a range where you can maintain proper form.
- Perform the lockout by squeezing your glutes and hamstrings and extend your hips, and extend your knee.
- Exhale after you have pressed away from the floor and are approaching the top position.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your knees to fall inside or outside of your feet.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine or hips to rotate.
#5) Dumbbell RDL’s + Band Resistance
Coaching Tips:
- Loop a resistance band under the mid to back portion of your feet, and hold the band in both hands. There should be resistance in the band for 100% of the exercise, and the resistance should be even on both sides. Hold onto a pair of dumbbells.
- Adopt your preferred stance.
- Form a tripod base by placing your weight on the back portion of your feet and the base of your big and baby toes. These parts of your feet should remain in contact with the floor for the duration of the exercise. Pretend you are suctioning or spreading your feet to the floor.
- Keep your arms rigid, lats engaged, and pretend you are crushing something in your armpits. For the duration of the exercise, the weights should not travel ahead of your body.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), and tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection).
- Now hinge/push your hips backwards. Pretend a rope is pulling your hips backwards or that you are trying to press your hips back against a wall.
- When you reach your full range, engage your posterior chain muscles and press your body away from the floor and back to the starting position. Use a range where you can maintain proper form.
- Perform the lockout by squeezing your glutes and hamstrings and extend your hips, and extend your knees.
- Exhale after you have pressed away from the floor and are approaching the top position.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your knees to fall inside or outside of your feet. For the duration of the exercise, pretend you are trying to spread the floor apart with your feet. This cue can really help.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine or hips to rotate.
Save $37 – Get a package of The Ultimate Pull-Up Program and The Ultimate Landmine Program for $157. Both programs regularly cost $97 each, so you save $37.
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