Different variations of the Deadlift and which one is suitable for you?

In this blog, we dive a little deeper into the Deadlift and its different variations, because besides the two well-known variations (Sumo & Conventional), there are many more types of 'Deadlifts' that you can use.

In the previous blog, we talked about the Conventional and the Sumo Deadlift; if you haven't read it yet, I recommend you read it first.

 Click here to read this blog >>>>

So, grab your can of Reign or toss in two extra scoops into your mix and get comfortable because we're going to learn something today.

I am going to discuss the following variations with you:

• Trap Bar Deadlift
• Paused Deadlift
• Snatch Grip Deadlift
• Romanian Deadlift
• Stiff Legged Deadlift
• Deficit Deadlift
• Block Pull Deadlift

 Of course, there are many more, both with Dumbbells and with chains or bands, but these are somewhat the most well-known and used variations of the 'normal' Deadlift.

Trap Bar Deadlift

In this variant of the Deadlift, you don't use a 'normal Barbell' but a Trap Bar (No way, you don't say?!) There are different types of Trap Bars but generally, the point where you grip the bar is higher than a normal Barbell, which reduces the range of motion.

For many people, a trap bar deadlift is easier to perform because the weight lies directly under you (Centre of Gravity). This basically means the weight is directly under you, making it easier to pull because it is a completely straight line. 

This is also an advantage because it is much more 'lower back friendly.' 

• You start a trap bar deadlift with your feet about shoulder-width apart but this can vary per person, so feel free to experiment to see what works best for you.
• Just like with another deadlift, you push your shoulder blades down and together, and keep your chest 'up' 
• Try to 'push the ground away' as it were 

Conclusion; A good variation if you are just starting with Deadlifting because it is easier to learn and puts much less stress on your lower back. Note that this is not an official powerlifting exercise, so you MUST NOT use it in a powerlifting competition.

Paused Deadlift

In this variant of the Deadlift you do (Sumo or Conventional) you apply a 'Pause' at your 'weakest' point. Generally, this is somewhere in the middle of the rep.

So you stop here for a moment, and believe me; That is hard, very hard. You literally pause the repetition at your weakest point, stay strong Bro.

It is important to keep everything in your body tense. If you don't, your back will easily 'round' and we now know that this is NOT ideal and increases your risk of injury.

This variant is also great for your grip strength because you literally hold the bar longer with each repetition. Don't care about your grip strength and just want to increase your deadlift? Then use Straps.

Only the Thor Athletics Straps work well, the others don't work optimally Bro. Just kidding, but if you're going to use Straps, click here.

A good guideline for a pause is to make it last at least 2 seconds. That may not seem long, but just wait until you have that weight in your hands. Believe me, then it feels just as long as when you took 3 scoops of pre-workout for the first time in the evening and then tried to fall asleep. If you know, you know.

Snatch Grip Deadlift

Let's start with my own experience with this variant, fun right?

When I was still under the guidance of a Coach who helped me become the strongest version of myself, Yes yes I know, very cliché but well, you just have to deal with it.

He programmed a variation of the Snatch Grip Deadlift, this was the Snatch Grip Romanian Deadlift. Obviously not exactly the same but that doesn't matter for now.

I still remember very well that when I started with this exercise, first of all the weight had to go drastically down and that I had muscle soreness in places I didn't even know I had muscles..

Man oh man, this was really a challenge. I noticed back then that I progressed very quickly in multiple exercises and also in my regular Deadlift. 

This variant is also one of my favorite exercises as a supplement to a Deadlift.

My muscle soreness back then was not surprising either, because with the wider grip you use many more muscles in your upper back than in your lower back. Also, the ROM is greater in this variant (this is because you have your arms wider and thus push your hips further back before doing a repetition). Good to remember; the wider your arms, the further back your hips go.

To perform this exercise correctly, you:

• Stand shoulder-width or slightly outward or inward, this is also personal.
• Grip the bar wide (as wide as is comfortable for you, but keep in mind that your wrists don't get into an awkward position). For example, you can start with your hands on the first rings on the Barbell as a starting point.
• Start light, don't go for a 1RM right away, start somewhere around a minimum of 8 repetitions, focus on technique and also film yourself.

Romanian Deadlift

While we talked about the regular Deadlift not being suitable for optimal muscle growth, the Romanian Deadlift is quite the opposite. This is extremely suitable for maximum muscle growth.

The biggest difference and advantage of the Romanian Deadlift is that you perform the eccentric phase (the part where you lower the weight) in a controlled manner and do not let it touch the ground, thus maintaining tension on your muscles & actually your whole body throughout the entire repetition in this exercise. 

You can start a Romanian Deadlift just like you start a regular Deadlift, from the ground. This is not really recommended because it causes extra fatigue, but it is possible.

You can also place the Barbell in a rack at, let's say, knee height and from there stand directly in position to start a repetition.

• You stand again at about shoulder width
• You let the Barbell lower controlled along your thighs & shins.
• Meanwhile, push your hips as far back as possible. (I used to get the tip to pretend I was sitting on the toilet)
• Be careful that your butt does not or barely goes down; if it goes down a lot, you might be going too deep or perhaps using too much weight?
• Keep your knees straight, DO NOT bend them.
• At some point, you feel a stretch in your hamstrings; when this happens and at what depth depends on how flexible you are, of course.
• From there, you push the Barbell back up from your hips and squeeze your glutes at the end of the repetition.

There are people who do their Romanian Deadlifts with higher reps (8-12), but also definitely people who do them with lower reps (3-6).

If you choose to do them heavy, it can be a good idea to use a Powerlift Belt for some extra stability & safety (IF YOUR FORM IS GOOD)

Stiff Legged Deadlift

This looks quite a lot like the Romanian Deadlift but it is still somewhat different.. 

The main difference is that in this variant you start from the ground and end each repetition on the ground. 

• Again, stand about shoulder-width apart.
• Start a repetition from a stretch (about knee height) or from the ground (this does cause more fatigue and is therefore not recommended)
• Let the bar lower along your thighs while keeping tension on your hamstrings.
• End the repetition when the bar is on the ground, pause briefly, then start again.
• Make sure everything is tense and stays tense, and don't give the bar a 'jerk' but lift from your hamstrings.

Deficit Deadlift

In this variation, you stand on a plate or another surface where you are higher than the Barbell to create an extra large ROM.

There are several advantages of this variation:

• Improved speed off the floor.
• Improvement of the starting position.
• Better Hip & Lower Back strength development.
• More power from the legs.
• Better for muscle growth than a normal Deadlift.

Your setup is basically the same as with a regular deadlift, only now you yourself are standing a bit higher.

Block Pull Deadlift

With this variation, you can generally lift about 10-30% more weight because you pull from a block and your ROM is therefore much smaller..

This is basically a regular Deadlift but the ‘shortened version’ because the bar is on an elevation.

Advantages of this variation:

• You can use this as an ‘overload’ exercise, so your body can ‘more easily’ adapt to such heavy weights.
• For example, if you are ‘weaker’ at the lockout, you can use this at a higher elevation to improve in that area.
• Good for your grip, since your ROM is shorter and you can often pull more weight, this is a good grip strength exercise.

As you can see, there are many types of variations on the regular Deadlift.

I understand it might seem like a lot, so it is not mandatory to include any of the above variations in your routine.

Of course, you can also just do Deadlifts alone and make good progress that way..

It can help you make ‘more optimal’ progress if you add one of the above exercises to your routine, depending of course on what your ‘weak’ points are.

Hopefully you learned something from this blog, and if you have any questions and/or comments, I would of course love to hear them.

Until the next blog,

Martijn