Bigger Deadlift Without DLing?

My problem is this: Next month my gym is going to be closed for summer, opens again in September.

My only chance is to train at home, but there aren’t enough weight for deadlifting. About 55-60% of my 1rm, if lucky I can get 70% but that’s still too way to low. Is there any way to increase my max?

Or at least keep it same, but it would be better to up it a bit?

I was able to keep most of my deadlifting strength without deadlifting for more than six months. Squats and lunges seemed to give me enough leg strength along with back and upper body work.

So I think it’s possible to maintain strength without deadlifting, if you are still squatting and doing rows, chins, etc.

In fact, you may be able to use stiff-legged deadlifts and goodmornings to keep your strength until you can lift heavy again.

You could also load up 70% of your max and do many sets of low reps and short rest periods.

Is there any other gym you can join in the area you live?? there has to be something around, even if its not as great as your normal gym, atleast you will have access to all the weights you will need…

thats what i would do in your situation…butt your not me and im not you haha and i think Nate put it pretty well with what he said…id say one legged deads would be the best way to go, also doing front squats will help also…good luck

In addition to what others have already suggested, I would suggest adding in some power cleans to your workout regiment. I found that when I hit a stalling point in the past, I took a break from deadlifts and worked on cleans instead and when I returned to deadlifts, my PR had actually gone up.

Many powerfifters rarely deadlift. They rely on squats, good mornings, single leg exercises, auxiliary exercises for the core and posterior chain, and speed deadlifts.

I have found that I need to deadlift heavy in order to improve my deadlift, but my training partner doesn’t.

It wouldn’t be a problem in US, but here there are no places to go, really. It is so small town. Our country has 1,4 million people - that’s smaller than 1 city in US. In the town I live, here are just 10 000 people. So the 2 small-gyms (10x20 meters) for this population are closed in summer.

This year I have weight to do squats, but next year I won’t have enough weight for them either.

I will be doing all the other main lifts. For lower back pure strength there isn’t enough weight. Sets of 20 reps would be muscle-endurance, though I could try them. 1 Leg DL would be hard and hit hard hams and glutes and stability, but not lower back strength.

I know powerlifters do some speed-work. I have never tried it. Would it be good and maybe increase my DL? I don’t know anyhting about speed-training.

Just to add to your list, try using a snatch grip and lift from an elevated surface (a couple inches).

Or buy some chains or some extra plates.

What about single-legged deadlifts?

Those things feel awful, so you know they got to be good.

If you have a few more weeks before the gym closes, then really focus on the deadlift now so that you’re ready for a back off period. It should eat up some of the time.

Good mornings, squats, back extensions…

Also, have you considered GTG? 55% of your 1rm would be an appropriate load.

A pair of 20 or even 50lbs plates is not that expensive on Ebay.

[quote]Ruggerlife wrote:
If you have a few more weeks before the gym closes, then really focus on the deadlift now so that you’re ready for a back off period.[/quote]

I have 1 month.

[quote]Maldoror wrote:
Also, have you considered GTG? 55% of your 1rm would be an appropriate load. [/quote]

What is GTG ?

I think power cleans may help.

[quote]Ruggerlife wrote:
Just to add to your list, try using a snatch grip and lift from an elevated surface (a couple inches).

Or buy some chains or some extra plates.[/quote]

I agree, snatch grip deadlifts and deficit deadlifts (or both) would be a great alternative. Also, you may want to add in Front Squats. They’ll strengthen the core and help pull up your DL numbers.

[quote]Mr.Y wrote:
My problem is this: Next month my gym is going to be closed for summer, opens again in September.

My only chance is to train at home, but there aren’t enough weight for deadlifting. About 55-60% of my 1rm, if lucky I can get 70% but that’s still too way to low. Is there any way to increase my max?

Or at least keep it same, but it would be better to up it a bit?[/quote]

50% is enough for speed work, and probably enough for good mornings(if you have a way of getting the bar on your back).

You could also try pulling off a 3-4 inch block, to make the pull longer and therefore require less weight for a good training session.

RDL’s would also be handy, as would dimel deadlifts, all of which require way less poundage than your conventional pull.

Another option would be to focus on the style of pulling you normally do not do ie. conventional or sumo. You will not be as strong the way you are not familiar with, so again the lack of weight becomes less of a problem.

Get creative and you will be able to maintain and probably increase your deadlift.

Without sounding smart can you not get more plates
If the gym is going to be closed every summer they will not go to waste

Or even ask can you borrow some plates from the gym for the summer, if they are closed they won;t be using them

Otherwise breakdown the deadlift into the mscles used and target each muscle group
This may help you increase more than you think

Striaght leg deadlift and good mornings for hamstrings and front squats for quads, as mentioned above

Try hyper extensions for lower back and and plenty of shrugs for traps, dumbells or barbell
Go heavy on the shrugs and really blast them, they are much more important for the deadlift than realised

[quote]Modi wrote:
Ruggerlife wrote:
Just to add to your list, try using a snatch grip and lift from an elevated surface (a couple inches).

Or buy some chains or some extra plates.

I agree, snatch grip deadlifts and deficit deadlifts (or both) would be a great alternative. Also, you may want to add in Front Squats. They’ll strengthen the core and help pull up your DL numbers.[/quote]

This, along with Nate Dogg is some great advice. Everyone else gave pretty good advice too. I say lift as heavy as you can instead of relying on a whole month of speed work. Some speed work will be good, but keep heavy as you can if you’re not doing it.

Snatch grip deads
deficit deads
clean and press
snatch
lunges
good mornings
overhead squats (be careful)
suitcase deads

That should last you, and it should also take care of the speed work with the olympic lifts. I suggest buying some more weight for next summer as well.