Selected quotes from Deadlift Dynamite that will make you stronger

These quotes are taken from my notes when I read Deadlift Dynamite to become better at my deadlift. I also wrote an entire review of the book which is linked at the end of the list. Hope you en joy the read and find something instructive or inspiring for your training.

Heavy singles can take their toll, both mentally and physically. Therefore, the off season is a good time to use 3 and 5 rep maxes.
Instead of adding weight, progressively increase the distance of the pull by setting on lower power rack pins.
Ballistic hip contraction and a soft core is a form of leak while a stiff core transmits the force without loss to the shoulders
Have you ever seen those guys who attempt to yank the bar off the floor - then their arms bend and a bicep tears? Ouch!
There can be a temptation to lose tightness with lighter weights in an effort to move quicker, but you must stay tight.
In fact, for all three of the powerlifts, a stronger back will lead to stronger lifts
For your opener, I suggest picking a weight you can triple in the gym, or a single that you can do even if you feel absolutely lousy.
Hammer strength rows are a great back movement to really pile the weight on and go heavy
So why is it, when we go to powerlifting meets I see lifters stuffing their faces with white bread, cheap cheese and ham sandwiches or chocolate bars
How do swings build up the deadlift? By working the deadlift muscles without killing them
You can rest assured that your attention to detail will pay off for the months and years to come in your strength training career
A Russian study by Sokolov determined that you lose 13% of your pulling strength if your back is rounded
You need many months of single kettlebell swings before tackling doubles
Deadlifts with 225 do not generate enough muscular tension to stimulate neck hypertrophy and ab strength
Only when you think clearly will you be able to stay injury free and ensure your own longevity
Choose a federation that has raw competitions and read the rules carefully.
Then, you commit to mastery - and you get better and better over time
You can get ok strength without aggression, but if you want to be super strong, you have to be an animal.
If your mind is weak, you are doomed to failure. Get your mind strong, and you can lift the weight of the earth
If you don't deadlift 500, you need to do ab work
Once locked out I do some immature stuff, fancy stuff like sticking my tongue out and looking at the crowd, but you don't need to do this.
Clarity is essential for success. Most people are unclear und unsuccessful. There is a pattern right there.
A strength athlete ought to practice the plank as an all out effort, and has no business leaving the 5 to 20 sec window
Learn to get tight before trying to get fast
You should descend as quickly as you can while keeping control of the bar. That last point is important, so pay attention to it.Using poor form is adding fitness to dysfunction
Better to open light and get a number on the board
Get your feet healthy and strong. Hike barefoot, pick up little rocks with your toes, balance on one foot, take up karate etc.
The kettlebell swing, in all its variations, is probably the best assistance exercise for the squat and deadlift that none uses
One legged deadlifts will go a long way
With weak abs, you will fold like a melted cheese sandwich under a heavy squat or deadlift
Pinch gripping really helps strengthen the thumb and I found my best results came when I varied what I did quite a lot
The bottom line on fighting the knee leakage is: keep pushing your feet through the platform all the way to lockout.
Stay with the double overhand grip until you reach the goal of 225 - 275 pounds x5x5 off the platform
After bench pressing, work the triceps
If you start the deadlift with your elbows flexed, the weight will soon straighten them for you. Care for biceps tendon reattachment surgery?
Only when you think clearly you will be able to work on your weaknesses and address them accordingly
What really surprised me was that very few lifters routinely work their abdominal muscles when I was competing and that trend is still in existence today
Take care of your back, you will miss it when it's gone
Training three times a week, I’ve totally kicked ass and became the most successful deadlifter of all time
Training solo and heavy on the bench press is a recipe for disaster.
The sensible approach to bench pressing is to vary your training. Pause for four weeks, then touch and go for four weeks.
On the bench press, as soon as the bar touches your chest, you squeeze your glutes and fists even more
Lifters who walk the bar out 4 feet are wasting their time and energy
Your stance width will depend on your biomechanics and mobility
Bolton’s Deadlift is mostly a hip hinge, with the knees bending only as an afterthought. This is what we call a “Hardstyle pull” at RKC School of Strength.
Do all your Deadlifts and Deadlift related training barefoot or in minimalist shoes with a flat and thin sole.
When you cannot go any further, straighten your body by tensing your glutes – imagine cracking a walnut with your cheeks.
It is easiest to learn your Deadlift in the sumo style first, with the weight between your legs.
There is a saying in powerlifting: the harder it is to get down, the easier it is to get up.
Your butt should never – ever – rise faster than your shoulders when you do any kind of deadlift.
Brace your abs as you would if someone is about to punch you in the stomach(someone might).
Andy Bolton crushes the bar. Ed Coan tries to keep his grip loose. Both are deadlift superstars. Both are right in the context of their training systems. Pick one leader to follow.
Deadlifters who pull with an arch have well-developed glutes; those who round-back their pulls have flat butts.
Never ever overlook technique. In all sports, great technique is one of the things that separates its elite performers from the pretenders.
After your bench training, hang from a pull-up bar to decompress your spine.
Indeed, in the world of sports, technique rules.
Powerful glutes are essential for a world class pull
Andy Bolton's squat is essentially a good morning. Which, naturally, makes it a killer deadlift developer.
Remember that mobility is a perishable quality.
In order not to overstress the tissues on the inside and the outside of the leg, you should your foot 50/50 from inside to outside.
You should start to view your training sessions as golf and tennis pros view theirs: as practice sessions.
It takes 500 reps to make a movement automatic
It takes thousands of reps to undo a faulty movement pattern
The “Face the wall squat” should be your first choice for improving all aspects of your squat form.
If you are struggling to “sit back” on the descent of your squat, you need to get your hamstrings stronger.
The old saying, “Practice makes perfect” is not true. Rather practice makes permanent.
I try to avoid failure of any kind when training because it is not necessary to fail in order to get stronger.
The strong guys all have one thing in common – they know how to get TIGHT.
The plank – forget 90 seconds holds and instead start squeezing from head to toe as hard as possible for 10 seconds.
Medicine ball throws to the abs – painful, but maybe the quickest way of all to learn how to “brace” the abs.
According to Soviet research, isometrically tensing one’s muscles before a dynamic contraction can improve performance by up to 20%.
Never lift explosively until you have at least 40% of your max on the bar
Speed can help you blast through sticking points as if they weren’t there.
The bottom line is if you want to be strong say no to a mirror
Remember Abs, lats and fists of steel on everything you do in the weight room.
We must stress that speed must never come at the expense of tension.
Learn to get before learning to get fast
Ed Coan, probably the best powerlifter of all time, pound for pound, favored cycling too.
The length of your training cycle – you can use anywhere from 4 to 12 weeks.
You missed week 6's weight, so go back to week 3 and work back up again
The only thing that is totally set in stone is you must strive to add weight, reps or sets over time. After all, that is how you get stronger.
Leg press: trained on Wednesday, after squatting and deadlifting.

Conclusion

Deadlift Dynamite is an excellent book, especially when you are just starting out with powerlifting. There is something for all levels depending on where you are at in your development. Remeber that this is a book with mainly powerlifters in mind. Crossfitters and weightlifters might want to invest in something else.