As a powerlifting coach, there is no better exercise for my 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.
That's why I'll share the 5 main benefits of deficit deadlifts:
- Improved speed off the floor
- Improved start position
- Increased hip and low back strength
- Increased leg strength
- Increased hypertrophy
In this article, I'll discuss these specific benefits in more detail, tell you how to implement the movement correctly, and add some tips for success that I share with clients.
Table of Contents
5 Benefits of Deficit Deadlifts
1. Improved Speed Off The Floor
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.
The deficit deadlift exposes this weakness even more because you're pulling an extra range of motion.
Here's why: The starting position of deficit deadlift is lower than the standard 8.75 inches. You will be training in a disadvantaged position, and more output will be required to move the bar.
Furthermore, this lower deficit position closes the hip, knee, and ankle joints, making the body less efficient at producing force. This deficit position recruits unused muscle mass that was not trained during a standard set-up.
This adaptation causes an increased output at a weaker position, which will carry over to a standard deadlift by improving the speed at the starting position.
Takeaway: Consistent training in the weaker range of motion, such as when deficit deadlifting, increases the power output of the starting position.
Want more deadlift accessories? Check out the full post.
2. Improved Starting Position
In powerlifting, there's a saying:
“You always want to START right to FINISH right“
One common reason lifters miss deadlifts or sustain injuries over time is that they have an ineffective start position, causing unnecessary stress.
This could look like the knees caving in, the back rounding or the hips shooting way up before the barbell leaves the floor.
Adding deficit deadlifts to your training exposes your body to a greater range of motion. Spending time in a position that requires greater flexibility and strength makes starting in the standard deadlift position much more tolerable.
Just make sure you're using lighter or moderate loads while doing the deficit deadlift so you don't recreate the problems you're trying to fix with the movement.
In other words, use a weight where you can maintain your knees stacked over your feet, your back isn't rounding, and your hips rise at the same tempo as the barbell.
Takeaway: Deficit deadlifts can build strength and flexibility in the start position making it easier to hold an effective posture during regular deadlifts.
The deficit deadlift was named one of my top 10 deadlift alternatives. Check out the others in my article!
3. Increase Hip and Low Back Strength
The hips and low back will be challenged more when doing deficit deadlifts.
In the start position of the deficit deadlift, the lower back will be required to be longer to accommodate the increased range of motion. As a muscle is exposed to greater ranges of motion, it creates higher levels of contraction and thus becomes more resilient to the external load.
You want to avoid excessive rounding in the lower back while executing the deficit deadlift. As long as you can maintain a relatively neutral spine, the lower back will be activated safely, and you can progress the load accordingly.
Takeaway: The low back will be challenged more in the deficit deadlift vs. the standard deadlift.
Deficit deadlifts can make the hamstrings sorer than other variations. If that happened to you, check out: Hamstrings Sore After Deadlifts: Is This Good or Bad?
4. Increased Leg Strength
The deficit deadlift will require you to sink your hips slightly lower in the start position and have greater knee flexion.
As a result, the deficit deadlift will activate your quads much more than the standard deadlift. In fact, the deficit deadlift can be viewed as having similar qualities to the squat and using the same leg muscles.
During a standard deadlift, if your hip extensors take over because your legs are weaker, the deficit deadlift is a good option to overcome this weakness. You'll know if your hip extensors are taking over if your hips start shooting off the floor before the bar leaves the ground.
Your back will appear horizontal to the floor before gaining upward momentum. If so, you'll want to increase your leg strength using the deficit deadlift.
Takeaways: Use deficit deadlifts to build up strength in your quads. If your hips shoot up in the deadlift too early, doing deficit deadlifts will help correct this problem.
5. Increased Hypertrophy
The deficit deadlift can lead to greater hypertrophy – or muscle growth.
This is because the deficit deadlift increases time under tension, the total time a rep takes to complete. Exposing your muscles to greater time under tension, either through tempo work or increasing the range of motion performed, has shown to increase the rate of muscle protein synthesis.
Takeaway: If you want to build muscle mass in the lower back and quads, the deficit deadlift is a good option.
How to Deficit Deadlift
The deficit deadlift, also called the “elevated deadlift,” can be performed using either the conventional or sumo stance.
- With a conventional deadlift, you can have a deficit from 2-4 inches.
- With a sumo deadlift, you'll want a smaller deficit from 1-2 inches.
This is because in a sumo deadlift your hip mobility is already challenged in the wider stance. Any additional range of motion from the deficit might aggravate the hip joint unless you naturally have a superior level of mobility.
Here's how to set up the deficit deadlift effectively (the same principles apply whether pulling conventional or sumo):
Step 1: Set up the deficit deadlift platform
Find something in the gym where you can place the barbell in a deficit position by standing on plates or an elevated surface. My favorite method is using 45lb weight plates.
Step 2: Position your feet and shins
To position yourself, stand with your mid-foot underneath the barbell and bring your shins to touch.
Step 3: Set your hips
In the deficit deadlift, you'll start with your hips slightly lower than where they would normally be in a standard deadlift.
Step 4: Breath & Brace
Grip the bar just outside your legs, then inhale and brace your core while engaging your lats to ensure the barbell stays on your shins when initiating the movement.
Step 5: Cue “pushing the floor away”
To begin the movement, cue your legs to ‘push the floor away'. This will activate your quads to extend the knee first without having your hips rise faster than the barbell.
Step 6: Lock your hips and knees simultaneously
To initiate the lockout, aim to lock the hips and knees simultaneously.
Check out my article that discusses Are Deficit Deadlifts Harder Than Traditional Deadlifts?
Tips For Successful Deficit Deadlifts
If you implement the deficit deadlift into your program, here are some tips I share with my clients.
- Greater Mobility Required: Deficit deadlifts demand more flexibility at the spine, hip, knee, and ankle. Only attempt this if you can maintain a neutral spine throughout, or else you risk a lower back injury.
- Breathing Mechanics: Due to increased body compression, be cautious of potential increased blood pressure and lightheadedness. Blood pressure can spike as high as 370 during leg press, which is a similar exercise. If you feel lightheaded, consider an alternative.
- Start with 1 – 2 inch Deficit: Begin with a manageable deficit to ensure spinal neutrality. Progress cautiously towards a 2 – 4 inches deficit, based on your mobility.
- Stand on Heavy Plates: For the deficit setup, utilize a stable, flat surface like heavy-weight plates, which ensures safety and stability. Sometimes, using smaller diameter plates (like 5 lbs or 10 lbs) produces more of a ‘flat surface.'
- Initial Load Recommendation: Start with 55-65% of your 1RM for 4-8 reps, or use 10-25% of your conventional deadlift weight. Then, focus on improving technique and bar speed from the floor. Adjust the load based on the exercise's purpose, not maximal lifting capacity.
If you're looking for mobility exercises specific to the deadlift, check out our article on ‘how to warm up for deadlifts‘. Learn more about why lifters pass out from deadlifts.
FAQ
Do deficit deadlifts work glutes?
Deficit deadlifts can work the glutes even better than traditional deadlifts. Glutes are the prime mover for deadlifts. However, deficit deadlifts have a larger range of motion and work the full posterior chain.
References
- Burd NA, Andrews RJ, West DWD, Little JP, Cochran AJR, Hector AJ, et al. Muscle time under tension during resistance exercise stimulates differential muscle protein sub-fractional synthetic responses in men. The Journal of Physiology. 2012 Jan 15;590(2):351–62.
- Influence of breathing technique on arterial blood pressure during heavy weight lifting MD Joseph A. Narloch MBBS, PhD Murray E. Brandstater DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S0003-9993(95)80578-8
About The Author
Chris Fudge
Chris has over 20,000 hours of high-level coaching experience. He has worked with powerlifters, award-winning fitness models, and professional athletes. He has been awarded Personal Trainer of The Year across Canada and is a nationally ranked powerlifter.
