Westside Barbell says forget short deadlift training cycles! They believe the deadlift requires a multi-year approach to reach your full potential. Strong hamstrings are crucial, and building them can take 6 months or more.
This article explores Westside Barbell’s approach to deadlift periodization:
- Multi-Year Training: Aim for consistent progress over years, not short-term gains.
- Focus on Weaknesses: Identify and address weaknesses like hamstring strength to unlock deadlift potential (e.g., Matt Smith’s 192 lbs deadlift improvement in 30 months).
Westside Barbell’s Conjugate Method
Inspired by the Olympic lifts, this method incorporates various “special exercises” to target weaknesses and improve the main lifts (squat, bench press, deadlift). Here are some key points:
- Constantly Evolving: Westside Barbell believes in experimentation and finding the exercises that work best for you.
- Max Effort Training: This method involves attempting a 1-rep max (PR) or a very heavy weight (around 90%) for deadlifts, with the goal of setting new records frequently.
- Rotating Exercises: By changing the “special exercises” each week, you can avoid plateaus and maximize progress throughout the year.
26 Sample Deadlift Workouts
Westside Barbell provides 26 different deadlift workouts that can be combined and cycled. These workouts include variations like:
- Safety Squat Bar Squats: Targets lower body strength.
- Good Mornings: Strengthens lower back and hamstrings.
- Deadlift Variations: Lightened deadlifts, rack pulls, sumo deadlifts, box deadlifts.
- Sled Pulling: Improves pulling power and overall conditioning.
- Glute Ham Raises & Reverse Hyper: Develops posterior chain (backside of the body) strength.
- Core Work: Essential for stability and injury prevention.
Key Takeaways:
- Periodize your deadlift training for long-term progress, focusing on weaknesses over multiple years.
- Utilize the Conjugate Method to experiment with various exercises and maximize deadlift performance.
- Consider incorporating Westside Barbell’s sample workouts to build a well-rounded deadlift training program.
By following these principles, you can ditch the short-term cycles and achieve long-lasting deadlift gains!
Check out our previous post about Westside Barbell’s Deadlift Arsenal: Building Pulling Power.