Including band resistance to a barbell deadlift may help you speed up the barbell on the mid and prime of the carry and assist strengthen your lockout.
Nevertheless, many lifters use the flawed stance and stress and miss out on maximizing their beneficial properties.
That’s why I put collectively this information and mentioned the best way to keep away from the frequent accidents and pitfalls.
As a energy and conditioning coach working with high-level athletes, I typically embrace variable resistance coaching in my programming. This deadlift variation has been very profitable in creating energy and velocity in my athletes.
How To Do Banded Deadlifts

This step-by-step information is how I instruct my athletes to do a banded deadlift with correct type, with set-up directions included.
- Arrange a barbell along with your chosen weight on a platform.
- I like to recommend utilizing resistance bands that make-up 20-25% of your complete bar weight. For instance, a 300-pound deadlift will want 60-75 kilos of complete band resistance on the prime.
- Hook one finish of the band across the peg or dumbbell. Wrap the band over the barbell and fix it across the different peg. Do that step on either side of the barbell.
- Stand along with your ft shoulder-width aside, the center of your foot beneath the bar, and dealing with ahead.
- Hinge on the hips and squat right down to the beginning place. Seize the bar on the primary knurling, simply to the aspect of your knees. Your shoulders shall be positioned over the bar.
- “Bend the bar” in half to have interaction your lats and higher again so that you preserve a impartial backbone.
- Drive your ft into the ground as you push to the highest by means of your legs. Be sure that your chest and hips rise concurrently.
- Hold the bar tight to your shins and quads as you carry up.
- Maintain the highest lockout for a depend of two, then push your hips again to return to the beginning place.
Professional Tip: If you do not have a platform rig with band pegs, then you may merely wrap a single band over the middle of the barbell and stand on it.
Utilizing a band, you haven’t any margin for error in case your lats are unengaged. So, should you wrestle with getting your lats tight within the backside place, incorporating the banded deadlift shall be reminder to cue your lats earlier than you pull the bar off the bottom.
Frequent Errors Doing Banded Deadlifts

Among the most typical errors I see whereas with banded deadlifts are:
- Spinal flexion (rounded again)
- Not utilizing right band stress
- Incorrect stance
A poor beginning place might result in a rounded again in the course of the carry. If the lats will not be engaged and the lifter isn’t utilizing their hips to finish the carry, their first pull will probably be through the low again muscle tissues. Pulling with the decrease again can result in damage.
In case you are doing banded deadlifts, you need the bands to present the right stress. Keep in mind, you continue to need weight on the bar and stress from the bands. You will need to use the right bands to get the diversifications you’re aiming for.
The set-up to the bar will decide how efficient the rep shall be. I coach my shoppers who’re nonetheless progressing by means of the deadlift sample to the right beginning place. Getting too large or too slender with the stance will throw off the mechanics of the carry, which muscle tissues needs to be engaged.
Professional Tip: A straightforward approach to measure band resistance is to make use of a baggage scale on the prime of the carry.
How To Add Banded Deadlifts To Your Exercise

I’ll overview the best way to add banded deadlifts into your exercises to goal most energy and energy.
Power
You may add resistance bands to your deadlifts to assist enhance energy through the use of a heavy load. The addition of resistance bands requires a rise in muscle recruitment in the course of the full rep. That may enhance the quantity of energy wanted to finish the rep.
I like to recommend doing 3-6 units of 1-5 reps at ≥85% 1RM with 20-25% band stress.
Energy
The deal with energy improvement is predicated on the dynamic effort methodology. This entails lifting a submaximal load throughout a excessive velocity motion. Primarily, the aim is to maneuver lighter weight quick. This methodology will assist develop a larger power output in comparison with lifting maximal hundreds slowly.
I like to recommend doing 6-8 units of 1-3 reps at 40% 1RM with 20-25% band stress.
Having bother along with your deadlift when you attain your knees? Take a look at our greatest 5 ideas in case your deadlift is weak on the knees.
Muscle tissues Labored Throughout Banded Deadlifts
Banded deadlifts hit nearly each muscle on the posterior chain. The highest 3 muscle tissues to deal with are:
- Glutes: The gluteus maximus is the first muscle answerable for this carry’s hip hinge and extension facet.
- Hamstrings: The hamstring muscle tissues encompass the biceps femoris, semimembranosis, and semitendinosis. They help with hip extension in the course of the lockout place.
- Erector Spinae: The erector spinae are muscle tissues within the decrease again. They’re answerable for sustaining and steady and impartial backbone.
Options To Banded Deadlifts
When searching for an alternate train, you wish to discover similarities in muscle tissues labored, motion sample, and ease of use. My 2 favourite different workouts to the banded deadlift are the banded entice bar deadlift and chained deadlift.
Banded Entice Bar Deadlift

The banded entice bar deadlift is a good different train as a result of it is vitally comparable in motion sample and muscle tissues labored. The entice bar is often slightly simpler to study type, so it’s a good possibility for newer lifters. Whereas teaching, I discovered that newer lifters can progress by means of a entice bar deadlift sooner than conventional barbell deadlift. The added band resistance nonetheless permits for lifters to focus on energy and energy improvement.
Chained Deadlift

One other efficient instrument to deal with the lockout section of a deadlift is to make use of chains. A chained deadlift shall be lighter on the beginning place after which because the lifter accelerates to the lockout, there shall be much less chain on the ground to make it heavier. Chains work just like bands in that the lifter can deal with transferring lighter weight quick to work on energy, or load up the bar heavy for maximal energy.
On the lookout for one other decrease physique train variation? Take a look at our full information on reverse band squats.
4 Causes Why You Ought to Do Banded Deadlifts
Should you’re nonetheless not offered on banded deadlifts, then take a look at some particular causes to put money into them to enhance your deadlift.
- Accelerates Bar Pace Close to The High: Banded deadlifts prepare you to use most power by means of the carry, particularly helpful for overcoming sticking factors. Bands enhance resistance on the prime, demanding extra velocity and energy to finish the lockout.
- Strengthens Lock-Out: Splendid for individuals who wrestle on the lockout section. Bands add resistance the place it is hardest, focusing on glutes and enhancing hip extension energy.
- Improves Motion Mechanics: Bands act as an exterior cue for sustaining correct bar path and place, making the carry tougher should you deviate from the optimum path.
- Engages Lats: Important for controlling the barbell’s path, bands amplify the necessity for tight lats, stopping the bar from pulling you off stability.
The reverse band deadlift is one other efficient variation to overload the deadlift. Take a look at our full information on the best way to do a reverse band deadlift. One other nice train for working the deadlift lock-out is the block pull.
FAQ
How A lot Additional Resistance Will You Get From Doing Banded Deadlifts?
The band stress will range relying on the dimensions of the band and the vary of movement of the carry. As you get stronger, you will wish to use heavier resistance bands.
I like to recommend getting the set of bands from WOD Nation (click on for pricing on Amazon). These are nice bands to maintain in your gymnasium bag which can be meant for powerlifting and will not put on and tear.
- Gentle Resistance Band: Should you deadlift between 100 and 300 lbs, I counsel utilizing the pink band for deadlifts. It can present roughly 15 and 35 lbs of extra resistance on the top-end vary of movement.
- Medium Resistance Band: Should you deadlift between 300 and 400 lbs, I counsel utilizing the black band for deadlifts. It can present roughly 30 and 60 lbs of extra resistance on the top-end vary of movement.
- Heavy Resistance Band: Should you deadlift between 400 and 500 lbs, I counsel utilizing the purple band for deadlifts. It can present roughly 50 and 80 lbs of extra resistance on the top-end vary of movement.
- Max Resistance Band: Should you deadlift between over 500 lbs, I counsel utilizing the inexperienced band for deadlifts. It can present roughly 50 and 125 lbs of extra resistance on the top-end vary of movement.
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References
- Lin, Yiguan, et al. “Results of Variable-Resistance Coaching versus Fixed-Resistance Coaching on Most Power: A Systematic Evaluate and Meta-Evaluation.” Worldwide Journal of Environmental Analysis and Public Well being, vol. 19, no. 14, 13 July 2022, p. 8559, https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19148559.
About The Writer

Avi Silverberg holds a Grasp’s of Science diploma in Train Science with a analysis deal with powerlifting coaching. He is been the Head Coach for Crew Canada Powerlifting since 2012 and has coached over 4500 makes an attempt in worldwide competitors. You may join with him on Instagram or LinkedIn.