As requested from last week’s poll, this week we’re talking about deadlifts. We’ll cover deficit deadlifts and exercises that help build speed. Plus we’ve got another poll at the bottom.

This Week’s Resources

• Benefits of Deficit Deadlifts (And How to Do Them)

• The 11 Best Squat Racks for Your Home Gym

• New: Is Bracing Necessary for Squat and Deadlift?

• Want to Join the Air Force? You Have to Deadlift (Air Force Times)

• Should You Do Deadlifts on Back Day or Leg Day?

• Deadlift Meet Lifts Up County Special Olympics (Salisbury Post)

Deficit Deadlifts for Speed and Strength

There is no better exercise for athletes to help build strength off the floor than the deficit deadlift.

However, many lifters don't know how deficit deadlifts can help their lifts or how to do them correctly, so they continue to struggle.

There are five reasons our team recommends deficit deadlifts.

1. Improved speed off the floor

2. Improved start position

3. Increased hip and low back strength

4. Increased leg strength

5. Increased hypertrophy

If you get glued to the floor when approaching heavy weights, your weakness is breaking the floor. This means you lack speed and strength in the bottom end of the range.

Quick question before we move on:

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The Best Squat Rack for a Home Gym

We’ve evaluated so much home gym equipment in the past, and we’re happy to share our top pick for squat racks.

It’s the Hulkfit Pro Series Power Cage.

The Hulkfit Pro Series Power Cage stands out for a few key reasons, making it a great pick for home gym enthusiasts. Its affordability and straightforward assembly process are big wins for anyone setting up a home gym.

This power cage also offers a variety of customizable add-ons, such as a lat pulldown cable, dip bars, and safety straps, providing versatility in your workout routine.

Not quite what you’re looking for? Check out our full guide to squat racks.

Is Deadlift A Back Exercise?

Many lifters ask whether to focus on deadlifts for back or for legs. (It’s both.)

Here’s why it makes sense to do deadlift on back day.

• Challenges your postural strength

• Recruits multiple back muscles simultaneously

• Improves your grip strength

• Helps build a thicker back

• Improves functional strength for daily living

When deadlifting on a back day, the deadlift comes first, as the priority is to fatigue the back muscles for the rest of the workout.

Especially when using a back-dominating variation of the deadlift, like the snatch grip deadlift, this makes fatiguing the back muscles much more successful.