Honestly, this is one of the strangest-looking Deadlift variations you can do...and it builds INCREDIBLE core and lower back strength.

There was a time (before I even knew what this exercise was called) that I actually thought I invented it :). And very soon after I posted it, somebody wrote me and said "Yeah, that's a great exercise...it's called a Jefferson Deadlift. Big back in the 50's."

Oops...

Anyway, I've got a rundown of the Jefferson Deadlift for you, courtesy of David Dellanave, pulled from his book on deadlifting called "Off the Floor".

David actually set a world record with this lift of 603 lbs, at a bodyweight of just over 200 lbs. That level of strength is INSANE for that lift.

I definitely recommend you check on his book if you're interested at all in improving your deadlift. This book is extremely well put together...the exercise instruction is rock solid and the program design will absolutely get you to some big numbers.

One of the things I like best about his approach is he's not afraid of training frequency. That's my mindset, too. If you want to get good at something you, have to do it a lot.

And I'll be honest...if I were to write a book on deadlifting, I don't think I could put it together as well as he's done...this is GREAT stuff and it gets top marks from me.

Nick

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The Jefferson Deadlift
By David Dellanave

The Jefferson — or Straddle Deadlift— is my personal favorite, and the one for which I’ve become known for advocating.

My love affair with the Jefferson started when my friend and training partner Adam T. Glass mentioned that there was this old-time lift he thought I would be good at. Glass is always right about that kind of thing.

The USAWA — a federation dedicated to all-around and old-time strongman lifting — is the only major organization I know of that contests the lift, and maintains record books going back decades. We looked up the national record and realized that I could easily surpass it.

Taking it a step further, looking at the International All Around Weightlifting (IAWA) records, I realized that with a little time, I could break a Jefferson world record that had stood for over thirty years. I immediately began training the Jefferson lift, and with minimal effort I set a new world record with a 603.68lb Jefferson at a meet in 2012.

Along the way, I learned that the Jefferson is a fantastic asymmetrical lift for people dealing with lower-back pain and dysfunction. It may seem counterintuitive at first — this odd-looking lift is guaranteed to snap your back in half, right? It can’t possibly be safe to have your legs in such an offset position, standing over the bar, and rotating through the spine.

Well, I’m here to tell you that it’s far from the case. I’ve taken clients out of pain with the Jefferson, and — knock on wood — I’ve never seen anyone get injured doing one.

I have seen people get hurt doing conventional deadlifts, and I’ve definitely seen people get hurt trying to force themselves into a stance that was counter to what their body needed.

Considered a squat by some, the Jefferson allows you to get into a very strong leverage with your alignment over the bar, very similar to a Trap Bar Deadlift.

There is a core anti-rotation component that is obviously not present in a Trap Bar Deadlift, but I have not seen evidence that the core rotation is the limiting factor in strong lifters. In weak lifters, however, it can be the case that they can’t handle the rotation — all the more reason to do the lift.

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HOW TO PERFORM A JEFFERSON DEADLIFT:

1.Set up by stepping over the bar with your body at a 45-degree angle relative to the bar.

2. Squat down until your hands meet the bar.

3. Adjust your feet from this starting position to where your leverage feels the strongest.

4. Keeping your chest up, stand up with the bar

Note that there is no such thing as perfect form for the Jefferson. I think that’s part of what makes it so helpful with back issues.

Instead of trying to force someone else’s idea of perfect form, you just find where your body wants to move and you are strong. There are a few mistakes you can make that will take pounds off the bar, but it’s pretty quick and easy to self diagnose to find the strongest
leverage.

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Here is a checklist to use to find the best alignment for a Jefferson:

Are your heels staying planted throughout the lift? If not, adjust so that they are.

Could you lower the position of your hips by adjusting your feet? (How high your hips start is relative — the question is, can I get lower?)

Are you fighting rotation on the way up? Could you start in such a way that the bar is already rotated to where it’s going to end?

Is the bar hitting the inside of one of your legs instead of rising up directly between them? Adjust your position. Sometimes it helps to rotate a little more along the hip axis, so that the bar travels
smoothly up in between your legs.

Are you mixing your grip on one of your hands? This typically helps, and most people are more comfortable in a mixed grip with the front hand turned palm facing out (supinated).

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Four reasons to include the Jefferson in your list of lifts to test:

1. Your back hurts during or after traditional stance symmetrical deadlifts.

2. You’re a bodybuilder and you want to blow up your quads. Well-known professional bodybuilder, and 2012 Mr. Olympia runner-up Kai Greene happens to be particularly big fan of the Jefferson.

3. You want a stronger, more adaptable, more capable back.

4. You want to build core strength and obliques like bridge pylons.

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(this is Nick here again).

So that's the Jefferson Deadlift and why you want to use it.

And like I said...looks weird but it's INCREDIBLY effective. I work these into my training on occasion, especially when I want to develop that rotational core strength under heavy load.

This is just one of the many Deadlift variations David goes into in great detail in his book (including complete rundowns of Conventional and Sumo deadlifts to help you improve your technique).

Bottom line, if you want to blow up your Deadlift, I HIGHLY recommend you grab a copy of "Off The Ground".

Just fyi, this book will be on sale until Friday at midnight, then it goes back up to it's regular price.