ActiveWorkoutsThe unusual exercise you’re not doing to improve your deadlift techniqueHave you heard of the floating deadlift?When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

ActiveWorkoutsThe unusual exercise you’re not doing to improve your deadlift techniqueHave you heard of the floating deadlift?When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

Have you heard of the floating deadlift?

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Man doing floating deadlifts in a gym with barbell and weight plates

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Want to improve your deadlift? Of course you do! Who doesn’t want to be pulling moreweight plateseither side of thatbarbell? After all, more weight means more gains. There are lots of differentdeadlift variationsthat can help with this, but one variation that you probably haven’t heard of is the floating deadlift.

I’ll admit, this deadlift sounds a lot more snazzy than what it actually is. But, I’ve been doing these consistently for the past month now and each week I’ve either added more weight, or another rep to myconventional deadlift.

The floating deadlift looks very similar to a deficit deadlift. To do one, you stand on a weight plate and perform your normal deadlift. But, instead of taking the barbell all the way to the floor (like you would with a deficit deadlift), you pause it at your shins, so the bar is hovering, or ‘floating’, above the floor.

This will help to build your pull strength from the floor, which is often the part of the movement that people struggle with the most. Because you also don’t get the chance to reset at the bottom of the lift (as you would with a deficit deadlift) your leg and glute muscles are placed under even more tension. Again, this won’t only help you when it comes to breaking the bar from the floor, but it’s also great for strength and hypertrophy too.

Try adding them to your next deadlift day and that barbell will be flying off the floor in no time.

How to do a floating deadlift

Here’s how to perform the floating deadlift:

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