12 Week Progressive Overloading Training Program

Here's a nice 12-week program for deadlift training. The purpose of this plan is to slowly condition the body during the initial four weeks, then slowly increase the volume. Your focus will be on sumo deadlifts, but off-the-block conventional deadlifts will help increase your lower-back strength. Stand on a two- to four-inch block, or you can use a couple of 45- or 100-pound plates stacked on top of each other.

Once you have completed your conventional deadlifts you should stimulate the muscles in your upper back. Wide-grip pulldowns should work Choose a bar wide enough to really make your lats stretch. Really squeeze the lats. Many people blunder this exercise by choosing too much resistance. Choose a weight that lets you do 4 sets of 12 in good form. The last few reps of your set should be difficult. Do wide-grip pulldowns for the first eight weeks. After that it s best to stick to basic movements.

Use lifting straps for your off-the-block deadlifts and wide-grip pulldowns, but not for your sumo pulls. I also suggest not wearing a belt or lifting suit for the first four weeks, to increase your raw power. Then you can start using your power belt, deadlift suit, and wrist and knee wraps if you desire.

Do only what I've outlined, once per week. Don't do any deadlift assistance exercises; they will only overtrain you. I have set up your plan using 585 lbs. as your max lift. As your strength increases you can re-calculate the weights using your new max.