Hey there!

Jordan here and, as you may have seen on the TPS Facebook Page , I recently Deadlifted 500 pounds for the first time!

Just in case you missed it, you can watch the video below.

 

Having been through hell and back to finally hit 500lbs, I want to take a minute and share with you 2 things that helped me accomplish this goal. Implemented appropriately, these tips will help you get stronger than you ever imagined possible.

  1. Train Your Weaknesses

We naturally tend to enjoy things we’re good at and avoid things we suck at.

It’s human nature.

While enjoying the things we’re good at isn’t necessarily a bad thing…avoiding the things we need to improve will hinder our performance.

To illustrate, let’s say you’re great at bench pressing but embarrassingly weak with chin-ups. Odds are you’re going to bench press as often as possible and avoid chin-ups like the plague.

While this will undoubtedly stroke your ego in the short-term, over time it will lead to poor postural habits, increased risk of injury, and decreased markers of performance.

How can you avoid this?

Train your weaknesses!

Find the things you suck at and train them until they become a strength.

Remember, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. If you build your body up to the point where you have no weaknesses, you’ll be Deadlifting 500lbs in no time. 

  1. Lock Your Knee’s Out As Quickly As Possible

We’ve all been there.

Pulling, grinding, and straining as hard as humanly possible…the bar lifts slowly, but surely, off the floor and rises just past your knees.

That’s when it stops.

Flexing your lats and driving through your heels, you just can’t get your hips through to finish the lift.

You bail.

The weight hits the floor with a deafening slam and you’re straight-up pissed.

So close to finishing you couldn’t lock it out.

But why?

There are a variety of possible reasons but the major issue most lifters have is neglecting to extend the knee’s!!!

Think about it…it’s physically impossible to finish the deadlift if your knees remain bent.

Don’t believe me? Try it. Right now! Stand up and try to lock your hips out while maintaining a slight bend in the knees.

See?

It can’t be done.

So what’s the solution?

Lock your knee’s out as quickly as possible! As soon as the bar passes your knees, forcefully extend them while simultaneously squeezing the glutes and extending the hips.

Try this the next time you Deadlift. I guarantee you’ll hit a new personal record.

Wrapping Up

I hope you enjoyed this article and that it’s provided you with some valuable insight to improve your overall strength and performance.

As always, if you have any questions feel free to reach out and say “hello!”

-Jordan Syatt