Deadlift program guide and free spreadsheet
Intermediate · 3 days a week · 3-week blocks, repeated while the deadlift moves · Two pulling days and a hinge day: heavy triples, deficit pulls, back and hip work
A three-day deadlift program with two pulling days and a hinge day, for intermediate lifters whose deadlift has stalled and who can give it a 9 to 12 week block.
Free. The spreadsheet needs no account.
How Deadlift program works
You pull from the floor twice a week and train a hinge in all three sessions. Day 1 is heavy: 5 sets of 3 at 80% of your deadlift max, with the last set taken for as many clean reps as you have. Day 2 is a deficit deadlift: you stand on a low platform and do 4 sets of 5 at 65% of your max. Day 3 has no floor pull, just Romanian deadlifts, hip thrusts and dumbbell rows.
Greg Nuckols' deadlift guide at Stronger by Science estimates that about half of lifters do best deadlifting once a week and a quarter twice, and that most people gain faster with hinge work at least three days a week. So we pull from the floor twice and put a hinge in every session: back extensions on Day 1, good mornings on Day 2, Romanian deadlifts on Day 3. Two pulls a week instead of one is our call, because this is a block for lifters who want to bring the deadlift up.
The deficit makes you pull through a longer range of motion. The same guide suggests it for lifters who are weak off the floor. BarBend's deficit deadlift article puts the platform at 1 to 3 inches, warns that form gets hard to hold past 3 or 4 inches, and lists 3 to 5 sets of 5 with 2 to 3 reps left in the tank for technique work. Our 4 sets of 5 at 65% sits inside that range. The 65% figure is ours.
Stronger by Science points lifters with a weak back toward back raises and heavy rows, and lifters with weak hips toward Romanian deadlifts, good mornings and hip thrusts. This program has both groups, so you can start before you know which one limits you. The split across the three days is our own design.
Pick this program when the deadlift is the lift you want to move and you can squat and press on other days or hold them steady for a block. Pick the powerlifting program if you are newer and want all three lifts to rise together. Pick Candito 6 Week if you want a short block that ends in a max test on squat, bench and deadlift. Pick the bench press program if the bench is the lift that lags.
Our in-app Deadlift Builder days carry the lifts, sets and reps shown here. The 80% and 65% figures and the last-set test live on this page and in the spreadsheet. The in-app days carry no percentages, so we mark them as simplified.
The schedule
Train on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, or any other days with rest between. Percentages are of your training max, which is 100% of your one-rep max.
Day 1: Heavy
| Lift | Sets and reps |
|---|---|
| Deadlift | 4 x 3 @ 80%, 1 x 3+ @ 80% |
| Barbell row | 4 x 8 @ 100% |
| Back extension | 3 x 12 @ 100% |
Day 2: Deficit
| Lift | Sets and reps |
|---|---|
| Deficit deadlift | 4 x 5 @ 65% |
| Good morning | 3 x 8 @ 100% |
| Lat pulldown | 3 x 10 @ 100% |
Day 3: Hinge
| Lift | Sets and reps |
|---|---|
| Romanian deadlift | 3 x 8 @ 100% |
| Hip thrust | 3 x 10 @ 100% |
| Dumbbell row | 3 x 10 @ 100% |
A plus sign means AMRAP: do as many good reps as you can on that set.
Progression and stall rules
Start from a recent max
This is our own program, so every number here is our default. Enter a deadlift max you hit or estimated in the last few months. The heavy triples run at 80% of it and the deficit pulls at 65%. If your max is old or a guess, enter a lower number.
Test the last set on Day 1
Take the fifth set of Day 1 for as many reps as you can do with the same back position and bar speed. Stop before a grinder. Write the number down. If it climbs from week to week at the same weight, your max is moving.
Raise the max every 3 weeks
Run the same week three times. If you made every prescribed rep, add 10 lb (5 kg) to your deadlift max and the spreadsheet recalculates both pulling days. The 3-week block and the 10 lb jump are ours.
Accessories: reps first
Pick a weight you can take to the target reps with clean form. When every set reaches it, add the smallest jump you have. On Romanian deadlifts, lower the bar slowly and pause at the bottom.
Stall rule
If you miss reps on Day 1 or Day 2 in two sessions in a row, take 10 to 15% off your max and build back up. That range is our default, and the spreadsheet note uses the same one.
Deload when you feel flat
When your lower back stays sore into the next session, or bar speed drops for a whole week, spend a week at about 50% of your normal weights with the same lifts and reps. This is also our own default.
Re-test every 9 to 12 weeks
After three or four blocks, test a new max and check it against the deadlift standards. If it has not moved, change one thing: the deficit height, an accessory, or more sleep and food. The 9 to 12 week window is ours.
Weekly volume
Work sets per lift, counted from the schedule above (warm-ups not included).
| Lift | Sets per week |
|---|---|
| Deadlift | 5 |
| Barbell row | 4 |
| Back extension | 3 |
| Deficit deadlift | 4 |
| Good morning | 3 |
| Lat pulldown | 3 |
| Romanian deadlift | 3 |
| Hip thrust | 3 |
| Dumbbell row | 3 |
Who it suits
A good fit
- Intermediate lifters whose deadlift has stalled on one pull a week.
- Lifters who can train on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and want a clear plan for the deadlift.
- Anyone who wants a bigger deadlift and a stronger back and hips from the same block.
Look elsewhere if
- True beginners who can still add weight every session. A full-body linear plan will move your deadlift faster.
- Lifters with a sore lower back. Two pulling days and a hinge every session add load there, so get that sorted first.
- Anyone who wants a full program. This plan has no squat or press, so train those elsewhere.
Common mistakes
Jerking the bar off the floor
Stronger by Science notes that a jerky start without tension built first can make the hips shoot up and the back round. Pull the slack out of the bar, then push the floor away.
Starting with the bar too far out
The same guide puts the bar about an inch or two from your shins, over the shoelaces, sitting just in front of midfoot. A bar that starts further out drifts back toward you on the way up and lengthens the pull.
Rowing the bar
Keep your arms straight. Stronger by Science warns against pulling with the arms, which can raise the risk of a biceps tear.
Gripping wider than you need
A wider grip makes you pull the bar further. Stronger by Science advises the narrowest grip that does not push your knees in or grind your arms against your thighs at the start. Arms that brush your thighs are fine.
Standing on too high a deficit
BarBend warns that form gets hard to hold once the platform passes 3 or 4 inches. Start low: BarBend's example is standing on a 25 lb plate, about 2 inches.
Grinding the last set every week
Treat the last set on Day 1 as a rep test and stop when your back position slips. A grinder there costs you the deficit day.
Your sample week
For each lift, enter: Your deadlift one-rep max (a recent true max or a solid estimate), and the weight you use for each accessory. The weights below update as you type. Your numbers stay in your browser and are not saved. The numbers shown are an example lifter.
Day 1: Heavy
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | 250 |
| 2 | 3 | 250 |
| 3 | 3 | 250 |
| 4 | 3 | 250 |
| 5 | 3+ | 250 |
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | 135 |
| 2 | 8 | 135 |
| 3 | 8 | 135 |
| 4 | 8 | 135 |
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 | 0 |
| 2 | 12 | 0 |
| 3 | 12 | 0 |
Day 2: Deficit
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | 205 |
| 2 | 5 | 205 |
| 3 | 5 | 205 |
| 4 | 5 | 205 |
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | 95 |
| 2 | 8 | 95 |
| 3 | 8 | 95 |
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 | 100 |
| 2 | 10 | 100 |
| 3 | 10 | 100 |
Day 3: Hinge
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | 185 |
| 2 | 8 | 185 |
| 3 | 8 | 185 |
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 | 185 |
| 2 | 10 | 185 |
| 3 | 10 | 185 |
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 | 50 |
| 2 | 10 | 50 |
| 3 | 10 | 50 |
The spreadsheet
The file has three sheets: your numbers, the full week with every weight as a formula, and a progress table that carries the weights forward. It opens in Excel, Numbers and LibreOffice. The weights in the link below use the numbers you typed above.
Open it in Google Sheets
- Download the .xlsx file above.
- Go to Google Drive and choose New, then File upload, and pick the file.
- Double-click the uploaded file and choose Open with Google Sheets.
- Choose File, then Save as Google Sheets so you can edit it.
Want the weights to follow you into the gym? Create a free account and the program loads into Train for you.
How it compares
Deadlift program vs Bench press program
Our sister program for the bench: a heavy day, a volume day and a paused day, with the bench weight rising each session. This one raises the deadlift max every 3 weeks instead. Pick it when the bench lags, this one when the deadlift does. You can run both if you recover well. Read the Bench press program guide.
Deadlift program vs Powerlifting program
A beginner plan that trains squat, bench and deadlift together. Pick it if you are in your first months of lifting. Pick this program once the deadlift has stalled and you want to give it its own block. Read the Powerlifting program guide.
Deadlift program vs Candito 6 Week Program
A six-week periodized block for squat, bench and deadlift, five sessions a week, that ends in a max test. Pick Candito to peak all three lifts for a test or a meet, this program to build the deadlift with no end date. Read the Candito 6 Week Program guide.
Load Deadlift program into Train and log each session against the plan.
Start it in Symmetric StrengthThe workouts in Train carry the same lifts, sets and reps as this page, with no percentages and no last-set test. If you have a saved deadlift, Start-it fills in the Day 1 and Day 2 pulls from it. Set the accessory weights yourself.
Common questions
How often should I deadlift?
Greg Nuckols at Stronger by Science estimates that about half of lifters do best pulling once a week and a quarter do best twice. This program pulls twice for a specialization block and adds hinge work on the third day. If two pulls leave your back sore into the next session, drop the deficit day and keep the good mornings.
How do I increase my deadlift with this program?
Make every prescribed rep for three weeks, then add 10 lb (5 kg) to your max. The spreadsheet recalculates both pulling days. If you miss reps two sessions in a row, take 10 to 15% off and build back up.
How high should the deficit be?
BarBend suggests 1 to 3 inches, about the height of a plate, and warns that form breaks down past 3 or 4 inches. Start low and keep the same height for the whole block so you can compare sessions.
Can I run it with sumo deadlifts?
Yes. Enter your sumo max and pull sumo on Days 1 and 2. That swap is our advice. Stronger by Science notes that sumo pullers are usually weakest off the floor, so the deficit day still fits. In Train, swap the exercise on your own copy of the template.
Should I use straps?
Stronger by Science says there is no evidence that straps raise injury risk, and that they keep your grip from limiting back and hip training. We suggest straps on Romanian deadlifts and rows and chalk on the main pulls, so you still train the grip you compete or test with.
Where does my deadlift sit against other lifters?
Check the deadlift standards page at /standards/deadlift, which compares your lift by bodyweight and sex. Re-check it after every three or four blocks.
Know where you stand
Before you start, check how your lifts compare on the strength standards, estimate a max with the one-rep max calculator, or score your total with the DOTS calculator.
Sources and credit
This is our own program: Symmetric Strength built the Deadlift Builder days and set the percentages, sets, reps and progression rules. Technique and frequency notes draw on Greg Nuckols at Stronger by Science, and the deficit height notes on BarBend. Neither is affiliated with us.
- How to Deadlift: The Definitive Guide (Stronger by Science)
- How To Do The Deficit Deadlift To Enhance Your Pulling Power (BarBend)
Checked . Symmetric Strength is not affiliated with Greg Nuckols, Stronger by Science or BarBend. Program names are used only to identify the programs.