5 Rules to Deadlift By:
Rule 1: You have to lift something!
The first rule is not so much about strength or muscle mass, but rather it’s about getting out of bed in the morning. If you don’t want to do anything at all, then just get up and go back to sleep. There are no excuses here.
You must put your body through hell in order to reach your goals. So if you’re going to train, then you need to work hard and push yourself as far as possible.
Rule 2: You have to eat something!
If you don’t eat, then how will you gain weight? How will your muscles grow? What happens when they won’t grow anymore because of lack of food?
Your body will eventually break down and become malnourished. Eventually you’ll lose all your muscle mass and look like a skeleton. That’s why eating is so important.
Rule 3: You have to rest!
Resting doesn’t mean sitting around doing nothing either. Rest means being active while still keeping your mind occupied with other things. For example, playing video games or watching TV isn’t enough; you need to actually move around too!
But also, don’t go over the top and do too much. Your body still needs to recover from all that training you’ve been putting it through. In short, listen to your body. If you push yourself too hard one day, then take a break the next. Your body rewards consistency, but it isn’t stupid.
Rule 4: You have to think long-term!
Getting huge muscles is a long-term goal. It isn’t something that happens in a month or even a year. If you want to be big then you need to plan ahead and stick with it for as long as it takes.
How long will that be?
Honestly, it could be three, five, even ten years! But if you truly want it then that’s the price you have to pay.
Rule 5: You have to (learn how to) fail!
The last rule is also the hardest: you must learn how to fail. This goes beyond just training and diet, but it includes everything else in life too!
For example, have you ever heard the phrase “Failure is the key to success”?
It’s true. Many of history’s greatest people have attributed their success to finding out what doesn’t work. Thomas Edison tried over 1,000 times to create a working light bulb before one finally worked. Remember, success = fail / try. So if you want to succeed, you’re going to have to learn how to fail.
These 5 rules will help you achieve your goals in the long-term. You may not see the results immediately, but keep pushing forward and eventually you’ll get there.
So, what are you waiting for?
Go get that six-pack!
You need to hit 2,000 calories per day (this is on top of your regular meals). These calories will come from a combination of carbohydrates, fat and protein. The ratio of these can be whatever you like, but here’s what I did:
“Breakfast”
Oatmeal (1 cup) – 150 Calories
Peanut Butter (2 tbsp) – 200 Calories
Banana (1) – 105 Calories
Raisins (1 cup) – 300 Calories
Yogurt (1 cup) – 175 Calories
TOTAL – 1,230 Calories
“Snack”
Hammer Whey Protein (2 scoops) – 400 Calories
Dates (5) – 500 Calories
TOTAL – 900 Calories
“Lunch”
Chicken (8 oz) – 280 Calories
White Rice (1 cup) – 350 Calories
Broccoli (1 cup) – 30 Calories
TOTAL – 770 Calories
“Snack”
Protein Shake (2 scoops) – 200 Calories
Almonds (1 oz) – 100 Calories
TOTAL – 300 Calories
“Dinner”
Halibut (6 oz) – 180 Calories
Rice (1 cup) – 350 Calories
Green Beans (1 cup) – 50 Calories
TOTAL – 540 Calories
TOTAL CALORIES – 3,000 Calories
I know there are a lot of numbers in that list, but just follow it for five days and see what happens. If you don’t like eating the same thing every day then change it up. Breakfast can become lunch and lunch can become snacks.
Don’t be afraid to substitute foods either; use what you have and mix it up!
In general, I’d stay away from highly processed foods. The more a food has been processed the less “food” it is and the more “stuff” it is. For good stuff to get big, you need to eat more “stuff”, which is why eating junk just to eat junk isn’t going to make you bigger (or at least not for long).
Also, you may find that eating a lot increases your desire for junk food. I know it did for me when I first started lifting. However, now that I’m used to eating more, I don’t have cravings for junk anymore.
Exercise
This is a big one. Everyone knows you need to exercise to get big, but not everyone likes it and perhaps the advice I’m about to give will help with that. Over these next few sections, I’m going to outline three different type of workouts and you’re going to pick one and stick with it for the next six weeks.
And no picking and switching after a few weeks; you need to actually follow the program for it to be effective.
Here are your choices:
I. Bodybuilding
If you choose this option, you’re going to go to the gym and specifically target certain parts of your body. You’ll work out each part once per week and give that muscle time to recover before working it again. This is what most people consider “going to the gym” and if you’re already going to the gym then this is probably the option for you.
Remember, pick this option and then follow it through. Don’t start off strong and then get bored with it or give up after a couple weeks. Just like with everything else in this guide, stick with it for the whole six weeks.
II.
Sources & references used in this article:
RPE and velocity relationships for the back squat, bench press, and deadlift in powerlifters by ER Helms, A Storey, MR Cross… – The Journal of …, 2017 – cdn.journals.lww.com
Promoting Back Health With The Dumbbell Deadlift by J Ladon – Power, 2019 – generationiron.com
The sumo deadlift by D Belcher – Strength & Conditioning Journal, 2017 – journals.lww.com
The effect of increasing loading on powerlifting movement form during the squat and deadlift by K Spencer, M Croiss – 2015 – rua.ua.es
Acute Neuromuscular and Endocrine Responses to Two Different Compound Exercises: Squat vs. Deadlift by MJ Barnes, A Miller, D Reeve… – The Journal of Strength & …, 2019 – journals.lww.com
Which Deadlift is Right for Your Body Type? by M Gedge – breakingmuscle.com
Observation And Analysis Of Deadlift Performance Among Elite Powerlifters by IT still King