Michael's Week By Week Deadlift Progress

Michael joined on our 6-Week Fast Track Program in October at 66 years old, never having done proper strength training before. He quickly felt the benefits of training 3x per week on the 7am sessions, and joined onto the full Strong Life Program.

In our current program which started in January, one of the main lifts each week has been the Trap Bar Deadlift.

It's a great exercise to build overall full body strength, and very beginner friendly - but the 'hip hinge' movement pattern can be very unnatural for a lot of people.

Here is how I have progressed his deadlifts by the week, starting from zero experience:

Week 1

We learned the hip hinge - initiating the movement with the hips without primarily using the lower back. This was with kettlebells (12kg) on a slightly raised surface.

Week 2

We removed the blocks and lifted heavier kettlebells (upto 24kg) from the floor, revisiting the technique from the week before. Now the range of motion was much greater and required more coordination with the legs and hips.

Week 3

Strength didn’t seem to be an issue the previous two weeks whilst we doubled down on technique, so we moved to the trap bar, starting from 35kg and building up to 50kg.

The trap bar handles are actually higher than the previous week's kettlebell deadlifts, which made it easier in that respect!

Week 4

Yesterday we introduced pauses at the bottom of the rep, to breakdown the lift into two parts...

The initial push through the floor with the feet. This uses mainly the quads/ thighs and its also really important the keep the core braced, to protect the lower back.

The second phase of the lift is the hip drive. Pushing them forwards to finish the lift, standing upright into a lockout.

This will benefit him a lot in a few weeks when the weights begin to increase.

Coaching is an art…

Making sure that cues are being communicated in a simple way to understand and implement, especially for a complete beginner.

Not giving too much too soon, but rather step by step as I did here in this video. Only moving on once the box is ticked ✔️

Everyone has a different way of absorbing information and applying it in practice, and at Strength Positive, we specialise in fast tracking beginners.

If you’re currently at a sticking point with your training, or interested in getting started for the first time, complete our consultation form for more information on how we can help you!