The AMRAP Deadlift

One of our students asked about the deadlifts today, and asked me if they were supposed to do AMRAP Deadlifts. Immediately, we both laughed. I knew exactly what he is talking about when he said this. He was expressing his disdain for deadlifts performed at a fast rate. Clearly the priority has changed here due the the overarching purpose of the workout to be performed. A very common fault in the deadlift, that has made itself so popular, is a sequencing issue.

Let’s examine two different scenarios. In the first, reaching over the fence the athlete follows the bar to the ground, immediately collapsing their upper back, then the knees follow. This can also happen in the reverse scenario, knees first then upper back. The first joint to move takes the load. In this case, the upper back and the knee take the brunt. This is not a super productive way to load the system. Continuing in such a manner, with a hurried pace will not lead in a good direction.

In the second (the more preferable of the two), the athlete sends their hip back to take the load of the barbell. Loading the system in this manner is much more conducive to healthy training. The hip is much more appropriate a joint to absorb such a load.

The AMRAP deadlift shows up a lot when time is the priority. I am here to tell you that the deadlift is the deadlift. There is no reason to rush the mechanics and fail in position. The priority is the movement and how we perform it. At the end of the day we are training.

A couple things to help remember the mechanics are as follows.

The Lift:

Tension the bar then lift. You create tension on the bar by applying pressure through your feet against the floor, and pulling against the bar from your shoulder. Your arms are just ropes with hooks on the end anyway. Contract your lats, raise your head and chest to the sky bringing the back to a flat position. Your hips should be below your shoulders. Take a deep breath and push the ground away bringing your hips to the bar.

The Descent:

This begins with your hips. While keeping a proud chest, drive your hips back into your hamstrings. Your knee should stay in the same position until the bar passes it on the way down. When this happens, let your knees bend forward a bit to end the lift. A lot of things go awry during the return of the bar to the floor. Don’t forget, you are still under tension. This is no time to just bail on mechanics. Respect the weights.

Don’t be afraid of the deadlift. It is nothing to be fearful of, but your first priority in the gym is always safety. Don’t let the pursuit of whiteboard glory cost you your back. Move well first. While on this path feel free to increase intensity with load or speed of reps. But, for the love of God, if you find yourself veering off the road, slow it down and bring it right back to the movement mechanics. Hips are the engine that moves the greatest loads. Use it well.

 

Danny Lesslie

@dannylesslie