Struggling to Finish Deadlift Sets? The 2nd Rep Holds the Answer

(A Blast from the Past article originally posted on 09/15/23)

The Phenomenon
You’re sweaty, nervous - heck, practically nauseous at this point - and you are entirely unsure whether your upcoming set of five on the deadlift is going to go or not. So what do you do?

“Feelings lie,” you remind yourself, so you walk up to the barbell, set up, and start the set.

The first rep is rough. Very rough. Rough like that single ply toilet paper you thought wouldn’t be so bad . . . but it was.

And then something interesting happens . . . the second rep is actually easier. Quite noticeably. You break it off the floor smoothly, and it certainly moves faster than the previous rep.

The third rep is about the same as the second rep, and the fourth and fifth reps are pretty tough, but by now, you know you can finish the set, and indeed you do.

What on earth? Why does the second rep go better than the first rep? And how can you take advantage of this phenomenon in the future.

Why This Happens
While there might be more than one reason, one probable factor is that - by the time you get to the second rep - your body “knows” how hard you have to pull to get that bar moving.

Among the Big Four - the squat, deadlift, press, and bench press - the deadlift is unique. It is the only lift of the four wherein you don’t support the weight of the bar before the lift starts. After all, it’s sitting on the floor. In the squat, press, and bench, you are supporting the bar before any movement starts, and as a result, you get to feel the weight of the bar compressing you before the real work begins. This gives your brain and body an opportunity to calibrate itself for the task ahead; it gives you a rough sense of how hard you have to drive the bar upward.

This isn’t true in the deadlift. That very first rep - the first time you struggle to break the weight off the floor - that is the actual opportunity for this so-called calibration. As a result, there are two activities going on in the first rep - you are getting a sense of the bar’s weight while at the same time completing a rep.

By the time you get to the second rep, you know - whether consciously or subconsciously - how hard you have to pull, and as it turns out, this helps quite a bit.

How Can You Use This Phenomenon to Your Advantage?
Get the first rep.

No, it’s not complicated or sexy, but it’s crucial. Don’t think about whether or not you’ll get all five reps. Don’t think about how tough the set is going to be. You know that - as long as you complete the first rep - the second rep will be easier, so . . .

Get the first rep. This is what you tell yourself. Get the first rep, and the rest of the set will take care of itself. It’s too easy to go down the rabbit hole of anxiety before starting a work set of deadlifts, so cut that process off at the pass. Remind yourself to complete the first rep, and then take it from there.

As always, we hope this helps you get stronger and live better!

-Phil

PS: Whenever you want even more Testify in your life, here are some free resources:

• Book a free intro and strategy session with us HERE.

• Pick up a free copy of Testify’s Squat Guide: 12 Tips to Improve Your Squat Now HERE.

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It Sounds Wrong, but This Cue Drastically Improves Deadlift Strength

One simple and counterintuitive cue can radically improve your deadlift. Starting Strength Coach Phil Meggers covers how focusing on this single concept can boost your deadlift, and he also explains why it works.

Whenever you want even more Testify in your life, here are some free resources:

• Book a free intro and strategy session with us HERE.

• Pick up a free copy of Testify’s Squat Guide: 12 Tips to Improve Your Squat Now HERE.

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At Testify, we offer small group training, private coaching (in-person or remotely via Zoom), online coaching, and form checks. Interested in getting stronger, looking better, and having more energy?

Do CrossFitters Make the BEST Deadlifters?!

What are CrossFitters good at when it comes to the deadlift, and how can this help you improve your deadlift? Starting Strength Coach Phil Meggers explains.

(A Blast from the Past video originally published on 04/10/23)

Whenever you want even more Testify in your life, here are some free resources:

• Book a free intro and strategy session with us HERE.

• Pick up a free copy of Testify’s Squat Guide: 12 Tips to Improve Your Squat Now HERE.

• Get our free weekly email - containing useful videos, articles, and training tips - HERE.

• Follow Testify on Instagram HERE.

• Subscribe to Testify’s YouTube channel HERE.

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At Testify, we offer small group training, private coaching (in-person or remotely via Zoom), online coaching, and form checks. Interested in getting stronger, looking better, and having more energy?

The Deadlift Setup Mistake That Makes Lifters Look Ridiculous

(A Blast from the Past article originally posted on 08/20/21)

Have you seen that guy at the gym who gets the deadlift dry-heaves? You know the guy - the one who sets his back two, three, or four times before pulling the bar off the floor? If this guy happens to be you, let’s fix this.

When you set up for your deadlift, keep it simple with the 5-step setup:

1. Stance: Take a relatively narrow stance with your shins one inch from the barbell.

2. Grip: Bend at the waist (not the knees - keep them “straight-ish” for now) and take a narrow grip on the bar - just wide enough to ensure that your hands are on the knurl and that your thumbs don’t drag up your legs on the pull.

3. Shins: Drop your shins to the bar by bending your knees slightly (do NOT rock forward).

4. Chest: Squeeze your chest up ONCE to set your back in extension.

5. Pull: Drag the bar up your legs as you stand up.

On step 4, don’t complicate things (and exhaust yourself!) by squeezing your chest up (i.e., setting your back) and then relaxing multiple times. You are not a ratchet strap, so setting your back multiple times doesn’t make it any tighter than setting it once, and it’s also a waste of energy, which, as you know, is also bad for the climate.

Again, keep it simple. When you get to step 4, squeeze your chest up hard, which sets off a wave of contraction down your back, and then drag the bar up your legs. Set the back once. Set it hard - but set it once.

We hope this helps you get stronger and live better!

-Phil

PS: Whenever you want even more Testify in your life, here are some free resources:

• Book a free intro and strategy session with us HERE.

• Pick up a free copy of Testify’s Squat Guide: 12 Tips to Improve Your Squat Now HERE.

• Get our free weekly email - containing useful videos, articles, and training tips - HERE.

• Follow Testify on Instagram HERE.

• Subscribe to Testify’s YouTube channel HERE.

(Some links may be affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, Testify earns from qualifying purchases.)

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At Testify, we offer small group training, private coaching (in-person or remotely via Zoom), online coaching, and form checks. Interested in getting stronger, looking better, and having more energy?

No Deadlift Jack? THREE Tips for Loading Your Deadlift SUPER Easy

Your deadlift is going well - you’re getting stronger. You’ve gotten to the point where you’ve got one, maybe two, perhaps even three 45-lb plates on each side.

What’s your reward?

You now have to deal with loading more full size plates (i.e., 45-lb metal plates) on the barbell each time you train, and this, of course, is a pain as you have to pick up the end of the bar enough to get the plate on and then slide it into place (the problem is even worse if you deadlift with bumper plates as most of your plates are full size plates).

Adding a 10-lb plate? A 25-lb plate? Piece of cake - they slide easily on as they are much smaller than a 45-lb plate. But those 45-lb plates? They can be a pain without knowing a few tricks of the trade, so let’s cover those right now to help you out.

Side note: If you have a deadlift jack, then loading 45-lb plates on the bar is smooth sailing. You can buy one, of course, or you can make The Fishhook deadlift jack as shown in the video above. It’s easy, and it makes loading your deadlifts easy as well.

If you don’t make or purchase a deadlift jack, then there are three specific problems to solve when loading your bar, and not surprisingly, there are three specific (but simple) solutions to use. We’ll cover them below, and if you’d like to see them demonstrated, check out the short video below (photos are great, but video is better).

Step #1: How to Get the First Plate on the Bar
In short, you don’t.

That is, you don’t put the plate (i.e., the 45-lb plate on the bar. Instead, you put the plate flat on the floor, put the end of the barbell sleeve into the center of the plate (Figure 1), tip the barbell back down to the floor, and then slide the bar through the plate (Figure 2).

figure 1: put the end of the barbell sleeve into the center of the plate.:

figure 2: slide the bar through the plate.

In other words, you don’t put the plate on the bar. You put the bar through the plate.

Step #2: How to Get the Second Plate on the Bar
This is the only step that requires a little bit of lifting, but you’re going to keep the effort involved as minimal as possible - after all, the deadlift itself is supposed to be your lifting for the day, not the loading of the bar.

First of all, keep the plate as close to the floor as possible - you can even roll it over to the bar if you don’t have much ground to cover. Situate the plate so it’s right next to the end of the bar.

Second, pick up the end of the bar and get the plate on the bar - but just barely. That’s all the lifting you’ll need to do.

figure 3: pull the plate toward the collar of the bar.

Next, straddle the bar (facing away from the middle of the bar), grab the plate (with both hands) just below the halfway mark, and then lean back as you pull the plate toward the collar of the bar (Figure 3). You’re essentially using your bodyweight as leverage to slide the plate toward you.

Step #3: How to Get the Rest of the Plates on the Bar
This is now the easiest part.

Grab a 2.5-lb plate (or another small, flat item), and roll one plate up onto the 2.5-lb plate. You’ve now elevated your barbell just enough that sliding subsequent plates onto the bar (Figure 4) will be no trouble at all since they won’t be sliding across the floor.

figure 4: Note that the inside plate is sitting on a 2.5-lb plate. this makes it easy to slide on subsequent plates.

This also works very well for unloading your bar when you’re done lifting.

As always, we hope this helps you get stronger and live better.

-Phil

PS: Whenever you want even more Testify in your life, here are some free resources:

• Book a free intro and strategy session with us HERE.

• Pick up a free copy of Testify’s Squat Guide: 12 Tips to Improve Your Squat Now HERE.

• Get our free weekly email - containing useful videos, articles, and training tips - HERE.

• Follow Testify on Instagram HERE.

• Subscribe to Testify’s YouTube channel HERE.

(Some links may be affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, Testify earns from qualifying purchases.)

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At Testify, we offer small group training, private coaching (in-person or remotely via Zoom), online coaching, and form checks. Interested in getting stronger, looking better, and having more energy?

Your Arms Are Ruining Your Deadlift. Here Is Why. (3 mistakes)

If your deadlift is harder than it should be, your arms might be the reason. Starting Strength Coach Phil Meggers covers 3 mistakes lifters make with their arms, cues that lifters often use incorrectly, and one fix to solve the entire problem.

Whenever you want even more Testify in your life, here are some free resources:

• Book a free intro and strategy session with us HERE.

• Pick up a free copy of Testify’s Squat Guide: 12 Tips to Improve Your Squat Now HERE.

• Get our free weekly email - containing useful videos, articles, and training tips - HERE.

• Follow Testify on Instagram HERE.

• Subscribe to Testify’s YouTube channel HERE.

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At Testify, we offer small group training, private coaching (in-person or remotely via Zoom), online coaching, and form checks. Interested in getting stronger, looking better, and having more energy?