USAPL President
Larry Maile
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Fast Attack in the Deadlift
Copyright, L.J. Maile, Ph.D., 2006
The deadlift is, without a doubt, the truest test of strength in powerlifting. It is less subject to performance enhancement through the use of equipment, and in the competition, comes at a time when the lifter is tired. By the same token, the ability to pull well many times makes the difference between finishing in the medals and going home with just the satisfaction of having competed.
Much has been written about training all the lifts. Little need be added to that vast body of knowledge. Many accomplished trainers and athletes have offered their perspective on the technical aspects in the squat and bench press as well. The area in which little information is extant is in the actual execution of the competition deadlift.
Powerlifting videos are punctuated by images of lifters grinding out a gut wrenching deadlift, a maximum attempt that takes what seems like five minutes to grind up. If the lifter is a conventional lifter, he or she may fail very close to the end. If sumo, the failure point is frequently lower, but the same grinding out of the movement is what is seen as the ultimate effort in the pull.
I would put to you that if you are grinding the lift out, unless you have done something wrong, you should complete a heavy attempt only fractionally slower than an easy one. One key to this is a fast attack. A fast attack is when you spend minimal time at the bottom of the lift, grip the bar quickly, and pull so hard that the bar bends and rebounds on the way up.
Two excellent lifters come to mind who have employed this technique, one conventional the other sumo. The first is the great Joe Braca. Joe has held American open and master records in the deadlift, and continues to be a threat as a master lifter by virtue of his pull. I first watched Joe compete in the 1985 Nationals. As his name was called, he charged onto the platform, walked to the bar, and without setting up jerked it off the ground. It was too his knees before any of us expected him to have even started to pull. The bar came off the ground so fast that there was noticeable whip as it cleared his knees. Probably because of this, the lockout appeared as effortless as the start.
The other lifter who employs the fast attack is Jennifer Maile. Jenn is an extreme sumo lifter, with toes to the plates. While she has a much more deliberate setup than Joe, once set, her dive on the bar is fierce. Just like Joe, there is NO time spent at the bottom to start the lift. Virtually as soon as her hands touch the bar, it is launched. This speed in reaching down maximizes the stretch and rebound reflex of you muscles and connective tissue, the stretch and return of modern suit material, and the bend and rebound of the bar. With Jenn, just as with Joe, if you blink you will miss the lift.
Several questions are frequently asked of "speed" deadlifters, including: "how do you control the bar," and "what happens if you grab the bar wrong?" The answer to both of these questions can be found in the need for practice. Without sufficient practice to perform the lift the exact same way every time, you can neither control the bar or execute the lift. But, with attention to consistent execution, a lifter can develop a high degree of consistency of execution, and a very successful competition record. The two fast attack lifters discussed above are considered threats at the end of every meet they are in. They always pull big, and many times, overtake the competition at the end.
Consider increasing your speed and attack in the pull. You will be surprised at how easy the lift can be done. Rather than a slow grinding pull, sometimes successful and sometimes not, deadlifting can be a snap. Off the ground and too lockout in a split second. Good and strong pulls.
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