# Deadlift technique



## 25081

*How do you deadlift?*​
Pause between each rep with the weight resting on the floor. 7067.96%Continuous reps. 3029.13%Some other way I haven't though of.32.91%


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## 25081

Started working in with a guy during deadlifts today. His technique was to do a rep and then pause with the weight resting on the floor, then do another rep.

My technique is to do continuous reps where i lift the weight, lower it until it taps the floor and then go again.

It made me wonder, is one preferable to the other and which is most common?


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## richgearguy

I use your technique, so I don't think it is a proper deadlift, but I like having continuous tension on my legs and back. Will be interesting to see the other responses.


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## 2004mark

Well I'm sure the consensus will be a dead lift is lifting a dead weight i.e. lifting it from the floor each time.

There is no preferable way of doing any exercise though... really up to you.

Lifting it from the floor each time will mean you don't get to use any stored energy in your muscle from elasticity, but you'll get more time under tension.


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## funkdocta

Depends how much your lifting? Pausing would mean you could go heavier, continuous would mean you would burn out quicker?


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## IronPhil

Just sounds like a rep-pause-rep idea.

I do that too, but not till the final 3 reps of say a 10 rep set.


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## 25081

I do continuous because of time under tension is increased. I guess there are benefits of going either way. Maybe its worth alternating so I can go heavier?


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## jjdlennon

I have been pausing between reps for my last couple of workouts but before then I had always done continuous


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## Speedway

I just pause for a few seconds to make sure I am in good position to lift again, I think my back would snap if I didn't.


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## TwoCanVanDamn

Touch and go makes the deadlift easier due to the stretch reflex. If your weak off the floor your best off allowing a second between reps but if your lockout is the weak point in your deadlift t&g reps can allow you to overload that part of the lift due to the momentum you can generate with the slight bounce off the floor, allowing you to bypass the sticking point at the start of the lift (breaking a dead bar from the floor), hence overloading the top of the movement with the extra repetitions you are then able to get.

Hope that actually makes sense now lol


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## 2004mark

TwoCanVanDamn said:


> *Touch and go makes the deadlift easier *due to the stretch reflex. If your weak off the floor your best allowing a second between reps but if your lockout is the weak point in your deadlift t&g reps can allow you to overload that part of the lift due to the momentum you can generate with the slight bounce off the floor allowing you to bypass your weak point which is basically the start of the lift (breaking a dead bar from the floor).


Yes I agree with that, but I guess it also comes down to how much you control your negative. Most (inc me) who lift off the floor every time don't fully control the negative, I don't drop the weight, but nor do I control it as much as you would with touch and go. A real slow negative would make the lift harder... but yeah, would work a different part of the lift.


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## bigchickenlover

Deadlift gota be one of the most simple lifts in the gym pick it up put it back down yea there are ways of doing it right or wrong but if you watch some of the best lifters in the world (Chris Jenkins, zavikus, poundstone) they just pick the fing thing up!!


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## GreedyBen

Op if you are bouncing it off the floor it's not technically a dead-lift.


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## IronJohnDoe

I do both, when I start I am at 50% of my effort so I do continuos reps until I come to the final sets when I am at 80-100% effort then I lift pause lift.


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## TwoCanVanDamn

bigchickenlover said:


> Deadlift gota be one of the most simple lifts in the gym pick it up put it back down yea there are ways of doing it right or wrong but if you watch some of the best lifters in the world (Chris Jenkins, zavikus, poundstone) they just pick the fing thing up!!


It's a very technical lift actually mate


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## bigchickenlover

TwoCanVanDamn said:


> It's a very technical lift actually mate


Ha! Yea I suppose technical in what way?


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## TwoCanVanDamn

bigchickenlover said:


> Ha! Yea I suppose technical in what way?


Feelt placement, Driving through the heels, positioning of scapula in relation to the bar, Positioning of the hips in relation to the bar, keeping a neutral spine etc etc.

If you just grab the bar and lift it up any old how its probably a one way ticket to snap city


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## TommyFire

Clues in the name......

Deadlift not bouncelift.


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## Alexg218

When im lifting heavy I like to reset after each rep. Lighter (8-10rep) my form can stay good without the reset until about the 6/8th rep then i reset.


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## Aliking10

Pausing with the bar at the bottom of the lift means that I control my technique much better, and allows me to go heavier for longer.


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## monkeybiker

bigchickenlover said:


> Deadlift gota be one of the most simple lifts in the gym pick it up put it back down yea there are ways of doing it right or wrong but if you watch some of the best lifters in the world (Chris Jenkins, zavikus, poundstone) they just pick the fing thing up!!


But there not normal average people and likely have a much stronger bone structure than most.


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## MattGriff

bigchickenlover said:


> Deadlift gota be one of the most simple lifts in the gym pick it up put it back down yea there are ways of doing it right or wrong but if you watch some of the best lifters in the world (Chris Jenkins, zavikus, poundstone) they just pick the fing thing up!!


No they don't, it just appears that way to the simple minded much like an olympic weightlifter makes putting 240kgs overhead appear easy - they just lift it up over thier head.


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## badly_dubbed

i pause between reps, making sure the weight is "dead" again....hence the name "deadlift"


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## bigchickenlover

MattGriff said:


> No they don't, it just appears that way to the* simple minded *much like an olympic weightlifter makes putting 240kgs overhead appear easy - they just lift it up over thier head.


I hope your not implying anything there?? IMO it is a simple lift coming from a powerlifter and myself (ex powerlifter) I found it the simplest that is all was ment as said in my post..


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## pumpster

DEAD lift, done from dead so name suggests bar should be re set everytime. For me deadlifts is the only exercise I don't go for reps, have done previously and get a really sore back a few days after workout. Started going heavy and training 1 rep max and works for me. I do a few warm up sets in which I do rep them out, but then get heavier and go for single heavy reps.

Doing single reps you can really focus on a big lift and making sure your form is good


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## MRSTRONG

i eat doughnuts between reps


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## monkeybiker

ewen said:


> i eat doughnuts between reps


It shows


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## pumpster

I went for both, when warming up il tap the floor, but then I only go heavy on deadlifts 1 rep


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## MRSTRONG

monkeybiker said:


> It shows



View attachment 139903


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## Fletch68

An American guy called Mike O'Hearn does heavy deadlifts and comments that 'he doesn't worry about his back' and just lifts big.He lifts raw and isn't concerned at all!!


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## TwoCanVanDamn

Fletch68 said:


> An American guy called Mike O'Hearn does heavy deadlifts and comments that 'he doesn't worry about his back' and just lifts big.He lifts raw and isn't concerned at all!!


He's a d1ckhead though


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## Fletch68

TwoCanVanDamn said:


> He's a d1ckhead though


Is he really? Oh i say.....


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## TwoCanVanDamn

Fletch68 said:


> Is he really? Oh i say.....


Yes he is. Claims he's natty. Claims to deadlift 800. Claims to bench 550. None of his 'lifts' can be verified by the way, or his natty status


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## Fletch68

TwoCanVanDamn said:


> Yes he is. Claims he's natty. Claims to deadlift 800. Claims to bench 550. None of his 'lifts' can be verified by the way, or his natty status


He is as natural as nature itself....


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## Sul

Paused reps. Like it a lot better, especially when going heavy


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## Bataz

I always pause, mainly because i want to be pulling the weight from a dead stop and not use the momentum but also it allows to to reset your form if it has gone out of shape. See a lot of lads who use the touch n go method by the 3rd rep they are just stiff leg dead lifting the weight and not doing a proper dead lift. It took me ages to get my dead lift form correct but once I got it it's ingrained and it has to be my favourite lift.


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## Dan94

Speedway said:


> I just pause for a few seconds to make sure I am in good position to lift again, I think my back would snap if I didn't.


same with me


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## G-man99

Bataz said:


> I always pause, mainly because i want to be pulling the weight from a dead stop and not use the momentum but also it allows to to reset your form if it has gone out of shape. See a lot of lads who use the touch n go method by the 3rd rep they are just stiff leg dead lifting the weight and not doing a proper dead lift. It took me ages to get my dead lift form correct but once I got it it's ingrained and it has to be my favourite lift.


^^^ this :thumb:


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## Dave 0511

Mike OHearn is about as natty as Jordan's t1ts


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## ashmo

Continuous for me stopping about an inch before the floor.


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## johnnya

I only do three sets of 6 so Always lift the bar from dead, hate them with a passion though


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## Wallace86

Dead lift position then drive up through heels and drop weight, and also do reps tho but prefered way is to drop soon as I lock out at top!


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## Info Junkie

When I training for single powerlifting comps I do pause at floor and go again but often if repping weight I'll do a Dorian Yates style dead , find them very good


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## EpicSquats

I'm only concerned with increasing the amount of weight I can lift from a dead stop off the floor, so that is how I deadlift. No bounce or anything else. I do try to place the barbell down gently after each rep because it's a small gym and I don't want to get moaned at for making a noise/damaging the floor.


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## troponin

I always reset after every rep. It's a lot harder but i've seen some sick back development since switching.


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## A-BOMB

i always pause as the deadlift is more of a explosive movment (well that the intention when you start haha) and i find if you touch and go it is easy to hurt your back. sometimes i let my shoulders hang when i get a tad lazy though as it reduces the rom a tad.


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## PurpleOnes

I pause between each rep and re-set.

I heard that If you keep doing continuous reps then your cheating when the bar bounces from the ground.


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## Kristina

I just posted a reply on another thread but I think it's applicable here so I'll just quote:



kristina said:


> Dead stop and reset each rep. The beauty of the deadlift is the fact that it's THE only lift which utilises no myotatic reflex; a "lift only" exercise that only utilises the concentric part of the lift and thus taxes the cns more than any other lift - including the squat. For optimum potential on this lift, you're better off training with a reset between reps... unless - of course - you're using the deadlift for some other silly nonsense and don't want to lose the tension (essentially defying the whole point of the lift).


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## josephbloggs

well whether you reset or touch and go, using the same weight a slow negative phase of a DL will cause more stimulation and fibre damage than dropping the bar between reps.


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## Guest

The first reps of any exercise is just

a way to get you to the last 3 reps.

Its the last 3 reps that make you

bigger and stronger.

Just use good form on all reps.

And don't rest to long between

reps (max, 2 second) on the last 3.


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## emulric

I used to bounce it on the final reps as a cheat but lately I've stripped off weight and started doing a reset on each rep. The first pull is definitely the weak point for myself so to overcome it I'm not bouncing it like an idiot now but taking one second to get tight before pulling the subsequent reps.


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## Heavyassweights

dallas said:


> The first reps of any exercise is just
> 
> a way to get you to the last 3 reps.
> 
> Its the last 3 reps that make you
> 
> bigger and stronger.
> 
> Just use good form on all reps.
> 
> And don't rest to long between
> 
> reps (max, 2 second) on the last 3.


how do you know its your last 3 reps whilst doing a set?


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## AlexB18

Ive always just deadlifted continuous reps as this is how ive always been taught to do it and never tried the pause method when the weight is on the ground, may have to give this a go though to be fair.


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## Stephen9069

I do it from a dead stop every time.


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## Peace frog

Same,always from dead stop never tried any other way


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## iamyou

I do touch and go like most bodybuilders. Supposedly the constant tension is better for that purpose.


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## notorious1990

ashmo said:


> Continuous for me stopping about an inch before the floor.


your risking injury by doing this surely? (depending on the weight on the bar)

Not the smartest way to DEADlift but each to their own.


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## UkWardy

Used to touch and go. Resetting after every rep now and I'm noticing a big difference in strength


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## itsdavem8

about 2 seconds between each rep


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