Building the Deadlift without Deadlifting - Part 2 - The Programs
- Josh Hezza
- Jan 12
- 6 min read
Updated: Mar 5
The Programs -
There are two options listed below - they are templates one in a conjugate style and the other in a linear style.
Deadlift Without Deadlifting - 9-Week Program - Conjugate Style
Overview:
4 Days/Week Split:
Day 1: Max Effort (ME) Lower Body
Day 2: Dynamic Effort (DE) Upper Body
Day 3: Dynamic Effort (DE) Lower Body
Day 4: Max Effort (ME) Upper Body
Goals:
Target posterior chain, core, and grip strength using Good Mornings, Box Squats, and Reverse Hyperextensions.
Rotate Max Effort (ME) exercises weekly to avoid accommodation.
Use Dynamic Effort (DE) for explosive strength.
Max Effort Lower Body Exercise Rotation:
Week 1: SSB Good Morning (Work to heavy 5RM)
Week 2: Cambered Bar Box Squat to Low Box
Week 3: Zercher Squat
Week 4: Good Morning off Pins (Heavy)
Week 5: Front Squat with Pause
Week 6: Rack Pull from Below Knees
Week 7: SSB Low Box Squat
Week 8: Zercher Squat (from Pins)
Week 9: SSB Good Morning
Accessory Exercises (Choose from the list based on your needs):
Posterior Chain:
Reverse Hyperextensions
Heavy Kettlebell Swings
Back Extensions
Romanian Deadlifts
Deficit Good Mornings
Core:
Standing Banded Abs
Ab Wheel Rollouts
RKC Plank
Weighted Planks
Hanging Leg Raises
Upper Back:
Heavy Barbell Rows
Chest-Supported Rows
Banded Straight Arm Lat Pulldowns
Hamstrings:
Glute Ham Raises
Nordic Hamstring Curls
Standing Leg Curls
This program is built to increase your deadlift strength using exercises that target the necessary muscles and movement patterns, without performing the deadlift itself. It follows a conjugate method structure with Max Effort (ME) and Dynamic Effort (DE) days, rotating exercises weekly to avoid accommodation.
Weekly Training Schedule:
Day 1: Max Effort (ME) Lower Body
Day 2: Dynamic Effort (DE) Upper Body
Day 3: Dynamic Effort (DE) Lower Body
Day 4: Max Effort (ME) Upper Body
Each week features a new Max Effort (ME) Lower Body exercise. Accessory work is chosen to target specific weaknesses in the posterior chain, core, and upper back.
Weeks 1-3: Foundational Strength Phase
Day 1: ME Lower Body
Week 1: Safety Squat Bar (SSB) Good Morning – Work up to a 3RM.
Week 2: Cambered Bar Box Squat (Low Box) – Work up to a 1RM.
Week 3: Zercher Squat – Work up to a 3RM.
Accessory Work:
Reverse Hyperextensions: 4x12-15
Deficit Romanian Deadlifts: 3x8
Glute-Ham Raises: 3x10
Weighted Planks: 3x1 minute hold
Day 2: DE Upper Body
Main Lift: Speed Bench Press (with Bands or Chains) – 9x3 at 50-60% 1RM
Accessory Work:
Dumbbell Floor Press: 4x10
Bent-Over Rows: 4x12
Face Pulls: 3x15
Barbell Curls: 3x12
Day 3: DE Lower Body
Main Lift: Box Squats (with Bands or Chains) – 10x2 at 50-60% 1RM
Accessory Work:
Deficit Good Mornings: 4x8
Bulgarian Split Squats: 3x10 per leg
Hanging Leg Raises: 3x15-20
Standing Banded Abs: 3x20
Day 4: ME Upper Body
Main Lift:
Week 1: Incline Bench Press – Work up to a 3RM
Week 2: Bench Press against Bands - Work up to a 2RM
Week 3: 2 Board Bench Press - Work up to a 1RM
Accessory Work:
Close-Grip Bench Press: 4x8
Chest-Supported Rows: 4x12
Overhead Triceps Extensions: 3x15
Side Planks: 3x30 seconds per side
Weeks 4-6: Building Volume and Power Phase
Day 1: ME Lower Body
Week 4: Good Morning from Pins – Work up to a 3RM.
Week 5: Front Squat with Pause – Work up to a 3RM.
Week 6: Rack Pull from Below the Knees – Work up to a 3RM.
Accessory Work:
Reverse Hyperextensions: 4x12
Glute Bridges: 4x10
Nordic Hamstring Curls: 3x8
Russian Twists: 3x20
Day 2: DE Upper Body
Main Lift: Speed Bench Press (with Chains) – 9x3 at 55-65% 1RM
Accessory Work:
Incline Dumbbell Press: 4x10
Barbell Rows: 4x12
Band Pull-Aparts: 3x20
Seated Overhead Press: 4x8
Day 3: DE Lower Body
Main Lift: Box Squats (with Bands or Chains) – 5x5 at 60-70% 1RM
Accessory Work:
Romanian Deadlifts: 4x8
Step-Ups: 3x10 per leg
Hanging Leg Raises: 3x15-20
Ab Wheel Rollouts: 3x12
Day 4: ME Upper Body
Main Lift:
Week 4: Floor Press – Work up to a 3RM
Week 5: Reverse Band Bench press - 1RM
Week 6: Incline Dumbbell Bench 3x8-12
Accessory Work:
Weighted Dips: 4x8
Barbell Shrugs: 4x12
Triceps Pushdowns: 3x15
Standing Banded Abs: 3x20
Weeks 7-9: Peak Strength Phase
Day 1: ME Lower Body
Week 7: SSB Low Box Squat – Work up to a 1RM.
Week 8: Zercher Squat (from Pins) – Work up to a 3RM.
Week 9: SSB Good Morning – Work up to a 1RM.
Accessory Work:
Reverse Hyperextensions: 4x12
Standing Leg Curls: 3x12
Back Extensions: 3x10
Weighted Planks: 3x1 minute hold
Day 2: DE Upper Body
Main Lift: Speed Bench Press (with Bands or Chains) – 9x3 at 60-70% 1RM
Accessory Work:
Dumbbell Bench Press: 4x10
Pendlay Rows: 4x8
Banded Straight Arm Lat Pulldowns: 3x20
Barbell Curls: 3x12
Day 3: DE Lower Body
Main Lift: Box Squats (with Bands or Chains) – 6x2 at 65-75% 1RM
Accessory Work:
Deficit Romanian Deadlifts: 4x8
Glute-Ham Raises: 3x10
Hanging Leg Raises: 3x15-20
RKC Plank: 3x30 seconds
Day 4: ME Upper Body
Main Lift:
Week 7: Incline Bench Press – Work up to a 1RM
Week 8: Bow Bar Bench Press - 1RM
Week 9: Close Grip Bench Press Work up to 3RM
Accessory Work:
Close-Grip Bench Press: 4x8
Chest-Supported Rows: 4x12
Overhead Triceps Extensions: 3x15
Weighted Side Planks: 3x30 seconds per side
Progression Guidelines:
For Max Effort (ME) exercises, work up to a top set of 1-3 reps.
For Dynamic Effort (DE) exercises, focus on speed and explosiveness at submaximal loads (50-70% 1RM).
Accessory work should be adjusted based on individual weaknesses and recovery.
This program will help you build a stronger deadlift by targeting the specific muscles and movement patterns necessary for the lift, without the need to deadlift heavy in training.
16-Week Linear Progression Deadlift Program Without Deadlifting
This program follows a traditional linear progression model to build your deadlift without actually performing the deadlift. Each week, you will gradually increase intensity and volume, focusing on mechanically similar movements and accessory work to strengthen the key muscles involved in the deadlift.
Program Structure:
4 Days Per Week:
Day 1: Lower Body Heavy
Day 2: Upper Body Heavy
Day 3: Lower Body Volume
Day 4: Upper Body Volume
Weeks 1-4: Foundational Strength Phase
Day 1: Lower Body Heavy
Front Squat: 4x5 (start at ~60% 1RM and increase weekly)
Deficit Romanian Deadlifts: 3x8
Reverse Hyperextensions: 4x12
Hanging Leg Raises: 3x15
Day 2: Upper Body Heavy
Incline Bench Press: 4x6
Bent-Over Rows: 4x10
Overhead Triceps Extensions: 3x12
Weighted Planks: 3x1 minute hold
Day 3: Lower Body Volume
Safety Squat Bar (SSB) Box Squat: 4x8
Bulgarian Split Squats: 3x10 per leg
Standing Leg Curls: 3x12
RKC Plank: 3x30 seconds hold
Day 4: Upper Body Volume
Dumbbell Bench Press: 4x10
Chest-Supported Rows: 4x12
Barbell Curls: 3x15
Band Pull-Aparts: 3x20
Weeks 5-8: Strength and Hypertrophy Phase
Day 1: Lower Body Heavy
Cambered Bar Box Squat (Low Box): 4x5
Deficit Romanian Deadlifts: 3x8
Nordic Hamstring Curls: 3x8
Russian Twists: 3x20
Day 2: Upper Body Heavy
Close-Grip Bench Press: 4x6
Pendlay Rows: 4x8
Triceps Pushdowns: 3x12
Ab Wheel Rollouts: 3x12
Day 3: Lower Body Volume
Good Morning with Safety Squat Bar: 4x8
Step-Ups: 3x12 per leg
Standing Banded Abs: 3x20
Hanging Leg Raises: 3x15
Day 4: Upper Body Volume
Incline Dumbbell Press: 4x10
Dumbbell Rows: 4x12 per arm
Seated Overhead Press: 3x8
Band Pull-Aparts: 3x20
Weeks 9-12: Power and Strength Phase
Day 1: Lower Body Heavy
Zercher Squats: 4x4
Reverse Hyperextensions: 4x12
Romanian Deadlifts: 3x6
Hanging Leg Raises: 3x15
Day 2: Upper Body Heavy
Floor Press: 4x6
Barbell Rows: 4x10
Overhead Triceps Extensions: 3x12
Side Planks: 3x30 seconds per side
Day 3: Lower Body Volume
Box Squats (with Bands or Chains): 4x8
Bulgarian Split Squats: 3x10 per leg
Standing Leg Curls: 3x12
Weighted Planks: 3x1 minute hold
Day 4: Upper Body Volume
Dumbbell Bench Press: 4x10
Pendlay Rows: 4x8
Barbell Curls: 3x12
Band Pull-Aparts: 3x20
Weeks 13-16: Peak Strength Phase
Day 1: Lower Body Heavy
Safety Squat Bar Good Mornings: 4x3
Deficit Romanian Deadlifts: 3x6
Glute Bridges: 3x12
RKC Plank: 3x30 seconds hold
Day 2: Upper Body Heavy
Incline Bench Press: 4x4
Bent-Over Rows: 4x10
Triceps Pushdowns: 3x12
Hanging Leg Raises: 3x15
Day 3: Lower Body Volume
Front Squats: 4x5
Step-Ups: 3x12 per leg
Reverse Hyperextensions: 4x12
Russian Twists: 3x20
Day 4: Upper Body Volume
Close-Grip Bench Press: 4x8
Chest-Supported Rows: 4x12
Ab Wheel Rollouts: 3x12
Band Pull-Aparts: 3x20
Progression Guidelines:
Increase weight weekly by 2.5-5% on main lifts.
Accessory work can remain consistent or slightly increase in volume as needed.
For core and conditioning, maintain focus on static holds and rotational movements to strengthen the midsection and improve overall stability.
This 16-week program will help you build a stronger deadlift by progressively increasing your strength through a structured linear progression model, focusing on mechanically similar movements and accessory work.
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