10 Ways to Improve Your Deadlift Lockout

Last week’s survey was clear: The majority of respondents want to talk about deadlifts. That’s what we’re covering this week. We’ll focus on improving deadlift lockout, and we’ll answer a few common questions about powerlifting at the gym.

This Week’s Resources

• 10 Ways to Improve Your Deadlift Lockout

• On-Demand Powerlifting Courses

• 18 Exercises to Build Deadlift Strength

• Answered: Can You Squat and Deadlift in the Same Workout?

• Answered: Can You Deadlift Every Day?

• Intro to Powerbuilding (Video)

Deadlift Lockout: How to Improve

You're inches from locking out a deadlift and you can't get your hips through and shoulders back. You fail your deadlift at lockout. This is a frustrating experience, especially when you're going for a personal best.

The good news is that you can train your lockout in specific ways so that you never fail a lift in the top range again.

There are ten things you’ll want to check as you evaluate your performance.

Looking for the quick version? Here are the top two:

1. Fix Your Bottom Position: The bottom position is critical to your success in the deadlift. Being out of position will cause some muscle groups to over-work and fatigue quicker, which means there's less strength when you get to the lockout.

2. Fix The Timing : If you lock your hips too early, you risk hitching the bar, which means the bar rests on your thighs. This may not be a concern for some people, but if you're a competitive powerlifter then you can't hitch the bar in competition — so you'll want to practice how you compete. The other problem is that you might hit your knees when deadlifting if you lock your hips too early.

New Video: Intro to Powerbuilding

We just released a new video discussing Powerbuilding (what it is, example programming, and how to customize a program to achieve your own goals).

Watch it for free on YouTube.

Finding this newsletter helpful? Please share it on social media.

And we’re always interested in what you want to read next. Here’s a quick survey to let us know what you need.

Want to share your own success story? Leave a comment when you fill out your form. We may publish your quote in an upcoming newsletter.

Exercises to Build Deadlift Strength

If you’re training for powerlifting, exercise in the gym should be used to help support squat, bench press, or deadlift.

So what should you do for deadlift? Here’s a full guide from the former Head Coach for Team Canada Powerlifting.

Other training variables you may need to consider are:  

• How often should you train the deadlift?

• How should you structure your training split?

• And, what is the best volume and intensity for your experience level? 

Courses and Coaches

Looking for a serious performance boost? Take an on-demand powerlifting course or reach out to one of our coaches for one-on-one guidance.

If you’re looking for live feedback, reach out to one of our coaches. Most are happy to chat with a consultation call.

Reader Question: Everyday Deadlifts

Here’s a common question, one we’ve heard for years.

Here’s the short answer: Deadlifting every day can boost strength, but isn’t recommended. 1 to 3 times a week is enough for significant results and recovery.

If you do daily deadlifts, you must closely monitor volume and follow a strict training protocol to avoid injury.

The benefits? You’ll spend more time working on form. At Powerlifting Technique, that’s something we adore. It’s also a chance to break through plateaus and, just as importantly, you might enjoy it.

So what are the downsides?

• Higher frequency = higher injury risk.

• It can be a massive time commitment.

• You can’t train other muscles as intensely.

Looking for more?