This one looks stupid and insane...but it can instantly add 50-70 lbs to your deadlift.

And I'm not even kidding or exaggerating about that.

Naturally, your results may vary but I think you'll be happy with the increase in strength.

Basically, you're going to stuff a rolled-up towel inside your lifting belt when you deadlift. That's it!

 

It's very simple and very effective, but it's important to understand WHY you'll be stuffing a rolled-up towel inside your lifting belt.

Experienced powerlifters will tell you that (generally speaking) the bigger their gut is, the more weight they can pull in the deadlift.

In fact, they go as far as purposefully trying to "get a good bloat" going before they deadlift in competition in order to move more weight.

This extra size in the gut actually gives better leverage and improved core bracing out of the bottom for the hips and lower back to develop power.

So my thought process was simple...what if you don't have a big gut and/or don't want to get a big gut just to move more weight? You stuff something inside your lifting belt to MIMIC having a big gut to improve your leverage out of the bottom...in this case, a simple rolled-up towel is all you need.

Now, it goes without saying, if you ALREADY have a big gut, this technique won't make much of a difference...this is more targeted to people who don't have the extra midsection size yet want to reap the benefits of it without having to have a big gut full time.

This simple stuffing allowed me to instantly lift 50-70 lbs more on a trap bar deadlift than I could without it just minutes before...and it felt BETTER on my lower back because of the improved core bracing it allowed me to achieve.

And, even though I didn't test it with straight bar deadlifts, it should work just as well (maybe even better) as the mechanics at the hip are pretty much the same.

So first, you'll need a belt and a rolled-up towel. I'm using a fairly large old bath towel that is about two and a half feet by five feet. If you don't have a towel this size, you may need to roll up several smaller gym towels, or bring one from home.

Fold it in half lengthwise then roll it tightly.

Now you have a rolled-up towel.

Put your belt on very loosely. There should be plenty of space in it for towel stuffing.

Now stuff that towel into your belt (now you see where the name of this technique comes from!).

Pull the towel through until it's sitting fully inside the belt.

This side view shows you what it will look like stuffed in...it adds about 4 inches of thickness to your midsection.

Now tighten up the belt as you normally would. I found the towel added an extra two notches of space into the belt (i.e. normally I would have 4 notches left...with this, I had 6).

Now get ready to lift.

And honestly, I would encourage you to test this setup by doing a rep WITHOUT the towel, as you normally would, then take a rest, then do a rep WITH the towel and the same weight to get a direct comparison on how it feels. I was blown away by the difference.

I've got 565 lbs on the bar for this lift and it felt better on my back than lifting 495 lbs without the towel.

That is literally all there is to it.

Just stuff a rolled-up towel inside your weight belt and lift exactly as you normally would.

I haven't yet tested it on squats or front squats, but I think the same principle will apply and it should allow for better leverage out of the bottom.

You can watch the full video rundown of this technique here.

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4 "Old School" Strength Gifts (Free)

Strength and Health Magazine was one of the earliest magazines devoted to fitness.

This magazine had information on powerlifting, weightlifting, bodybuilding, nutrition and lifestyle. 

And the information, though published decades ago, still flat-out WORKS, if you want to get both lean and jacked at the same time.

So I've gotten together with a few of my fitness expert colleagues to do a special event around Strength and Health.

We've all contributed programs and workout routines in the old school theme, and you can get them for a limited time, totally free.

At the link below, you'll get:

• "5x5 Hybrid Training" - A new school twist on Reg Park's classic 5x5 program from Forest Vance
• "5 Do's and Don'ts to Maximize Muscle Growth”  - Discover the 5 hidden secrets for quickly unlocking lean muscle mass & stripping away pounds of fat for a true golden-era physique - while doing so naturally from Dean Hartwig
• 5 "Old School" Conditioning Workouts – "Old School” Bodybuilders Knew How to Get Big, Strong and Lean WITHOUT Machines...YOU Can Too! from Nick Nilsson (me!)
• Dad Strength: The Definitive Guide to Sustainable Fitness for Men in their 40's, 50's, 60's, and Beyond from Jon Haas

Get your 4 "Old School" Strength gifts (free)

Nick Nilsson
The Mad Scientist of Muscle

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