184 kg × 8 reps wrist straps monolift, 184 kg hook grip monolift deadstop, 184 kg alternate grip right, 190 kg sumo alternate grip left
Before the strongman competition detailed here I had a go at a regular style deadlift… I couldn’t lift 153 kg. This didn’t particularly bother me as none of the events needed that kind of strength, but I figured that my regular style deadlift needed some work particularly as Magnús Ver Magnússon says I need at least an 800 lb deadlift to be any good at strongman.
When doing repetition deadlifts I use eccentric strength, isometric strength, stretch reflex, IAP pressure, IAP recoil and the elastic recoil of the muscles – this exposes the muscles to more force per rep and these effects are maximised by lifting out of the monolift.
Deadlifts are typically started from the floor, so after doing the repetitions shown in the video above, I then do a deadstop rep out of the monolift – in other words I lower the weight, pause at the bottom, take a breath, then lift it up. Some of the elastic recoil and stretch reflex is dissipated from the pause and also from taking a breath, but I maintain my position to use the remaining recoil.
After that I then do a regular style rep where I simulate the monolift deadlift by lowering with tension in the muscles and taking my breath prior to reaching the bar. I grab quickly and immediately pull to utilise the recoil of the unweighted lowering.
After that I repeat it, but in close stance sumo style with 190 kg – note my alternate grip is the other way round to the regular dead.
By transitioning from the monolift to the regular style I maintain the recoil and reflex which I can mimic the feel of monolifting for repetitions.
One can use the lower and grab method like me (some do it really fast like my fellow P&Ber Craig);
Or one can use the pump method which is better for grip like Mitch which is kind of what Andy Bolton does but there’s not as much recoil and reflex as with the lower and grab method;
Or if one is a freak, one can just wrench the bar in a hump back style with no elastic recoil;
