6 Reasons to Use the Deadlift in Strength Training for Athletes

The deadlift, the most important and fundamental lift for the athlete Why is it that an athlete must pull heavy weights off the floor in strength training sessions?  How can improving in the deadlift benefit an athlete in terms of athletic performance?  How can an athlete learn the proper form in the deadlift and its… [Continue Reading]

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Off Season Age Related Strength Training for Basketball Athletes

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6 Reasons for Using the Deadlift in Strength Training for Athletes

The deadlift, the most important and fundamental lift for the athlete

Why is it that an athlete must pull heavy weights off the floor in strength training sessions?  How can improving in the deadlift benefit an athlete in terms of athletic performance?  How can an athlete learn the proper form in the deadlift and its variations to prevent injury and to benefit the athlete’s strength development?  Lifting an object from the floor to an upright position is one of the most fundamental movements for humans and has many applications in real life and on the playing field.  There are many variations of the deadlift and they all serve a useful purpose for the athlete.

Examine techniques and applications fordeadlift variations.  Excellent information!  Little known to most athletes! > > > >

 

What are the reasons for including the deadlift in athletic strength training?

The way I see it, there are 6 reasons for using the deadlift for training aspiring athletes:

  1. Mastering the form in variations of the deadlift provides the foundation for different Olympic lifts and their progressions - a necessary precursor in lifting for power!
  2. Maximizes glute and hamstring strength that is necessary for explosive leg and hip power
  3. High rep sets are great for strength – endurance
  4. A safe full body strength movement for the knees
  5. Great exercise for developing all major muscles in the posterior chain
  6. An excellent application for executing the proper form when lifting anything heavy off the ground

 

For Maximum Gains in the Deadlift -CHECK THIS OUT!!!

 

Routines involving deadlift variations for improving athletic performance

 

Off season routine for a power sport (example:  basketball, volleyball, sprinters)

 

Day 1: Strength

  1. Dynamic warm up
  2. Shoulder warm up
  3. Deadlifts (conventional)     3 x 5
  4. Pyramid deadlifts (sumo squat) on a box     3 x 8
  5. Back squats     3 x 6
  6. Bench press     3 x 5
  7. Inverted rows     3 x 8
  8. Lying tricep extension     3 x 8

 

Day 2:  Strength

  1. Dynamic warm up
  2. Shoulder warm up
  3. Romanian deadlift     3 x 6
  4. Snatch grip Romanian deadlift     3 x 6
  5. Goblet squats     3 x 8
  6. Assisted pull ups, pull ups, or weighted pull ups     3 x5
  7. Military press     3 x 6
  8. Barbell or EZ curl bicep curls     3 x 8

Day 3:  Strength and Power

  1. Dynamic warm up
  2. Shoulder warm up
  3. Deficit deadlifts     3 x 5
  4. High clean pulls     3 x 5
  5. Hang high snatch pulls     3 x 5
  6. Push jerk     3 x 3
  7. Multidirectional lunges (Perform in this order:  forward right leg > lateral right leg > backward right leg > backward left leg > lateral left leg > forward left leg)     3 x 5
  8. Standing Arnold press     3 x 8

 

The deadlift is an essential tool for creating great strength and also for providing the strength foundation to develop outstanding explosive power.  These are the two ingredients that are absolutely necessary for improving athletic performance.