Dead Simple: Add 100 Pounds to Your Deadlift

This straightforward deadlift plan will add 100 pounds to your max in six weeks.

Mike O'Hearn









The "Don't" List


  • Don’t add extra sets.
  • Don’t do extra cardio.
  • Don’t stay up late at night.
  • Don’t try to max out any other lifts during this period.
Power bodybuilding transcends lifting. It’s a philosophy. Any workouts I prescribe here need more than the right math to work properly. The caveat to all my programs is always the same: Unless you’re looking for a war when you go into the gym and you’re ready to attack the iron, it won’t work.

This is doubly true for the off-season deadlift program I’ve got for you. You’re going to deadlift twice a week for four weeks, working up to 80% of your new target PR each time. After a deload in the fifth week, in which you’ll do some light lifting or other recreational physical activity, you’ll be primed to hit your new PR in Week 6.

In addition to requiring a warrior’s mentality, this program demands that you eat a lot and get plenty of sleep to ensure proper recovery. Bear down and get after it. A 100-pound strength gain is just a few short weeks away.
This program is for experienced lifters, hence the heavy sample weights. The percentages won’t work for you if your current deadlift 1RM is less than 400 pounds.
Six-Week Max-Out

For more workouts, visit mikeohearn.com
The Key Points

  • Days 1 and 2 must be two days apart.
  • Use percentages of your new desired one-rep max (1RM), not your existing max.
  • The sample weights are for a lifter who can deadlift 500 and wants to hit 600.
  • Always use 135 and 225 during the warmup sets. Record every weight you use in Week 1. Add 10 pounds to every working set each week through Week 4. Take Week 5 off from deadlifting, then test in Week 6.

Day 1

Exercise Sets Reps % of 1RM Sample Weight
Deadlift 2 10 - 135-225
2 4 50, 60 300, 360
2 3 70 420
5 3 80 480
Bottom-Half Deadlift* 2 4 50, 60 300, 360
5 4 70 420
Rack Pull** 1 4 60 360
2 4 70 420
2 3 80 480
4 2 90 540
Hyper-Extension 5 10 - -
Day 2

Exercise Sets Reps % of 1RM Sample Weight
Deficit Deadlift*** 2 10 - 135, 225
1 3 50 300
2 3 60 360
4 2 65 390
Deadlift 2 4 50, 60 300, 360
2 3 70 420
5 3 80 480
Good Morning 5 5 - -
*Pull the weight to just above your knees.
**A top-half deadlift set on the pins of a power rack.
***Perform a normal deadlift standing on a four-inch box.