Quarantine Program Question - Deadlifts

[Justin Smale]

I need some advice on programming a deadlift variation or substitute in the short term. I have a basement gym in an undeveloped basement but that needed to move when we finished it to give kids more room to roam. No problem, there’s a decent little local powerlifting gym near me and I’m building a garage that will have a sweet gym space in it that will be finished by the summer. I was working through a LP due to injury lay-off when this whole bullshit popped up and closed my gym. The uptick is I’m working from home now with no options to escape. And hey I still have all the equipment and the snow is starting to leave so I’m setting my rack up on my deck. I’m not worried about anything other than the deadlift/clean. I built my deck and am sure it’s sound but dropping a lot of weight on it doesn’t seem like a good idea.

So, any thoughts from the void about what I could fill that deadlift slot with for the short term? I was thinking Romanian deadlifts since there wouldn’t be the impact (walking it in and out of the rack) but I’m not sure of a rep and set scheme. Or is it even worth it, for these few months? That time could be filled with silly bullshit easy enough.

[Sebastian Bear]

Get some horse stall mats if you can. I am in a similar situation as you, my issue isn't surface but rather lack of weights. I only have 400 pounds, so deadlifting heavy is out the window. I have just upped my pulling frequency. I pull in some fashion 3 days a week. Mondays I RDL for a 3*8 starting weight was 315, Wednesdays I do deadlifts from a 3 inch or so deficit with the full 400 pounds - just been adding volume because I can't add weight, and Fridays I do snatch grip deadlifts for a 3*3, started with 315. So, if I were you, I would still perform pulls but with more volume than just one heavy set of 5 per week. An RDL would probably work, that is if you can't get some horse stall mats so you can deadlift.

[Justin Smale]

Yeah I have horse stall mats, but the feedback I’ve got from the wife and kids is it feels like the house is going to cave in so I stopped. I ended up going with 3 sets of 5 considering the weight is lighter enough than standard deadlifts that I won’t burn out with that much. Time will tell, when the weight gets higher if I feel like hammered shit I’ll knock it down to 2 sets or 1 set.

[Matt James]

Have you considered learning to control the eccentric phase of the deadlift?

[Justin Smale]

Have you considered learning to control the eccentric phase of the deadlift?

If you can “control” the eccentric phase of the deadlift to the point where it makes no sound/vibration then it’s highly likely you aren’t deadlifting the amount you should be lifting. I don’t drop the bar at the top, but if you’re deadlifting correctly it’s going to make noise/vibration. Review any of the videos with Rip or any of the other coaches and show me otherwise please.

[Matt James]

There's a big difference between no sound/vibration and caving the house in. Having said that, yeah I'm about 80lbs below my last PR from two months ago because I had a three week layoff *before* all this nonsense started, with a week back in the gym before they closed. I'm also lifting in a second floor walkup apartment, so I don't have a choice in the matter.

[Robert Santana]

You can make yourself or buy some crash pads.