3. Enhance your deadlift

Here are some ways you can enrich your training regimen and avoid neural desensitization by introducing variations on deadlift day. Break the routine once in a while and actually enjoy the process. These are all tools. Use them when needed, rotate them when progress slows down, and don’t be afraid to experiment a bit.

1. Block pulls

Block pulls are great for overloading the posterior chain since you can usually pull more weight from an elevated position. That alone makes them valuable if your goal is to get used to heavier loads without always grinding from the floor.

Personally, I find the position just under my kneecap to be my strongest. For my height (6’1”), that’s around the fifth pin in the power cage. Everyone’s leverages are different, so you’ll need to experiment a bit and find your own strongest and weakest ranges.

Most of the time I prefer pulling from mid shin, which is around the third pin. That’s where I’ve found my weakest point. It’s a very awkward range. You don’t get the full stretch of the hamstrings like you would from the floor, and you also don’t get the advantage of overload that higher pulls give you.

That’s exactly why it works. It forces you to stay tight and push through a position where most people tend to break down.

Block pulls are also a great teaching tool for beginners. I’ve used both approaches: starting from the floor and starting from higher positions.

Sometimes it actually makes more sense to start them near lockout and gradually work down as their positioning improves. You simplify the movement first, then increase the range. That approach works well for some people, but not for everyone.

2. Pin pulls

Some lifters go as high as just above the kneecap. It looks exaggerated, and it is, but it has a purpose. You’re exposing your body and nervous system to weights you normally wouldn’t handle.

At that point though, you’re mostly using it for max effort work or very heavy sets. Personally, I prefer staying just under the kneecap and below. It carries over better for me.

Even though the setup looks similar to block pulls, pin pulls feel very different. In my experience, they’re harder. The bar is resting on the pins, there’s no give, and no slack to pull out.

The same rule applies: the higher the pins, the more weight you can lift. Interestingly enough, when we used them consistently, our third pin pulls were very close to our competition deadlift.

That tells you a lot about where strength actually translates.

This is a demanding movement. You need to be precise. Since the bar starts dead still, you don’t have room for error.

If you’re used to exploding off the floor, you’ll need to adjust. Get tight first, then pull.

Don’t yank the bar. That’s probably the easiest way to mess something up. Your spine will thank you long term.

It also teaches patience. The lockout is usually slower than the initial pull anyway, especially with heavier weights. This variation reinforces that.

3. Deadlift with chains

Chains are one of the best tools for accommodating resistance. As you pull the bar up, more chain comes off the floor, increasing the load gradually.

That means the lift gets harder where you’re strongest, at lockout.

This allows you to handle total weights that you wouldn’t be able to lift with straight weight alone. Over time, your body and nervous system adapt to that increased demand.

They’re great for speed work, repetition work, and max effort days.

If you’re lifting raw, keep the chain weight reasonable. Around 20% of your max is more than enough for heavy work. If you go overboard, you’ll build strength that doesn’t transfer well when you go back to straight weight.

Also pay attention to setup. The chains should always stay in contact with the floor at lockout.

You don’t want them swinging around, but you also don’t want too much chain resting on the ground during the lift. A couple of links on the floor at lockout is usually the sweet spot.

4. Against bands

Bands are a different animal. They create overspeed eccentrics, meaning they actively pull the bar down faster than gravity would.

That alone changes the entire feel of the lift.

Unlike chains, bands don’t “follow” your speed. They apply constant tension no matter what. Whether you’re fast or slow, they force you to stay engaged and keep pushing.

At the top, the resistance is at its highest. That’s where things get interesting.

It becomes as much a mental exercise as it is physical. You have to keep driving through the lift even when it feels like the bar is fighting you more aggressively than usual.

If you want to measure band tension, use a luggage scale. Attach the band, stand up into lockout, and see what kind of resistance you’re dealing with. Multiply that depending on how many bands you’re using.

Simple, but effective.

5. Deficit

This is where your form gets exposed the most.

I grew to love deficit deadlifts because they force you to use more leg drive and stay honest in your setup. You can’t cheat the position.

I used to stand on a wide plank or thick 45lb plates. The ones in my gym are around 2 inches thick, which works perfectly. You don’t need to go crazy with height.

Great for building strength off the floor, especially if that’s your sticking point.

They also do a lot for your hips, lower back, quads, and abdominals. Everything has to work together properly or the lift just won’t move.

Keep the weight lower than your regular deadlift and focus on clean reps. Sets of 3, 5, or 8 work well. You can occasionally work up to heavier singles once you’re comfortable with the movement.

6. Deadlift with bands (future method / reverse band deadlift)

This is the opposite setup. Instead of pulling against bands, you let the bands assist you by pulling the bar upward.

Set them at the top of the rack so they’re helping you more at the bottom and less at lockout.

Ideally, they should be loose or barely engaged at the top.

This is a great way to handle heavier weights without completely draining your nervous system.

It allows you to get used to loads you’re not ready to lift yet with straight weight. That’s where the “future method” name comes from.

Very useful for max effort days, but also for heavy volume work when you want to push without burning out.

7. Hex bar / trap bar deadlifts

I like using the trap bar when I want to give my lower back a bit of a break from straight bar pulling.

The neutral grip and positioning make it easier for most people, but that doesn’t mean you can ignore form.

Set up so the handles are around mid foot. That’s what allows proper muscle recruitment at lockout.

Keep the pressure toward your heels and posterior chain, just like a conventional deadlift.

Most people can lift more with a trap bar because of better leverage and a more centered position.

It’s also a great conditioning tool. You can use it for carries, similar to frame carries in strongman, and it works as a decent alternative to farmer’s walks.

8. Smith machine pulls (against mini bands – optional)

This one comes from experience, not preference.

Around 2019–2020 I didn’t always have the space to deadlift properly. Sometimes I had to improvise or skip sessions altogether.

So I started using the Smith machine.

I stood on blocks to get to mid shin height, added mini bands, and treated it like a variation.

It’s not perfect, but it kept me in shape when I couldn’t pull from the floor.

The fixed bar path actually teaches control. It forces you to stay in position and not rely on momentum.

It also helped me learn how to pull both explosively and slowly.

If you add bands to it, the resistance builds quickly. Start light and adjust based on your strength level.

9. Good morning

This is one of the best posterior chain builders out there when done correctly.

The erectors stay under constant tension while the hamstrings and glutes control the movement.

It also reinforces proper hip hinge mechanics and teaches you to stay tight under load.

Your core and upper back are heavily involved as well. Everything works together to stabilize the spine.

Just don’t overdo the range with heavy weight.

If you want to go very deep, lower the weight.

I pushed it too far once with 405lbs and it took me two weeks to feel normal again. That was a lesson.

10. Romanian deadlift (dumbbells or barbell)

This is one of the best movements for hypertrophy.

You keep constant tension on the muscles since the weight never touches the floor. There’s no real break between reps.

Your erectors and glutes will feel it very quickly.

Lower the weight to just below the knees or around mid shin to get a proper stretch.

I usually program these after deadlifts with light to moderate weight for sets of 8.

Kettlebells work well too, especially if you’re training at home.

Simple movement, very effective, and it carries over well to your deadlift.

Honorary mentions:

Leg press and general leg training (quads, hamstrings, lunges) all play a role in building a stronger deadlift.

The Jefferson deadlift is also worth trying. It’s not common, but it forces you to stay controlled and think about your positioning. It sits somewhere between a squat and a deadlift, and it can definitely make you stronger.

Terry Eleftheriou for Conjugate Iron 2020, revisited in 2026.

https://linktr.ee/terryconjugateiron