Deficit Deadlifts
 

Why are authors so in love with them? I see a lot of people (myself included) that can break the weight from the floor but lose steam a couple inches up.

So, my real question is this. Do deficits help with that in some way, or is it purely in breaking from the floor?

They're for the lockout mainly.

SLDL for breaking the weight off the floor

Well now I'm confused. Pulling from a deficit is for lockout? I thought rack pulls were for that. I could be totally off, just want to make sure

Yeah for lockout, it's a longer pull so by the time you get to lockout you're more fatigued making you work harder at the top.

http://cdn1.hark.com/images/000/006/085/6085/original.0

Seriously though, thank you. I had never known that.

I have to ask...wouldn't a deficit DL become an SLDL by default of the increased ROM? :confused:

I mean that's just my take you know, I'm sure people will disagree. We're all individuals.

But if you've truly exhausted just regular Deadlift progression then roughly for me the assistance is as the following:

Rack Lockout = Stronger overall

Deficits = Lockout, also overall

SLDL = Off the floor, also overall

Depends on flexibility, size of the gut and size of the deficit etc I guess.

I pull from about a 4 inch deficit and I don't have so big of a gut that I can't get my legs really into it. Other people I know make it mostly a stiff leg. So ideally it shouldn't become a SLDL by default and if you have the flexibility and lack of gut then it won't. But for the heavier guys it might do.

That's really just guessing there though 5kg, that's not something I've ever even considered. They're very different lifts for me.

Just to put a visual on that Babs, this is me last year. As you can see, I don't have a problem getting low and getting the legs into it, I don't have the gut to prevent that and my legs are pretty strongish. But I can certainly see what you're saying.

Aha, got you; consider that the deficit I was visualising was the one I do, where the barbell itself is about 4+ inches below my feet/platform that I'm stood on.

So, yeah, depending on the deficit etc would make all the difference. I have to say, it slaughtered my lower and mid-back in a good way.