The Jefferson deadlift (also called straddle deadlift, Jefferson lift, or Jefferson squat) is a classic strongman lift. Though it looks awkward, it can be more forgiving than a traditional deadlift.
There is no single correct way to perform it. It gives your body a bit of a puzzle to figure out for your individual leverages and can look very different from person to person.
It is one of my favorite lifts because it feels like a corrective variation but you can still attack it with aggression.
What Makes It So Awesome
- It is gentler on the lower back than traditional deadlifts.
- Like the trap bar deadlift, you are free to perform the lift as more of a squat or a hinge to suit your proportions and preference. The split stance allows for even better leverage than the trap bar with the barbell directly under you.
- It is easy to learn and hard to screw up.
- For powerlifters, it is great to have another heavy deadlift variation in the rotation that gives you a break from sagittal loading, doesn’t require extra equipment and doesn’t beat up your back.
- For athletes, the split stance is an athletic position and transfers well to sports. It is a great alternative to the trap bar.
- It’s a great quad and glute builder, particularly for those who are training at home with limited equipment.
- It addresses anti-rotational and asymmetrical strength to a high degree.
- It is a multiplanar movement that you can load up (rare find!).
How To Do It
- Straddle the bar with your feet shoulder width or wider.
- Reach for the bar with one hand in front of you and one hand behind you.
- Get down to the bar using whatever combination of hinge/squat that suits your purpose.
- Make sure that you have pressure on both feet and don’t allow knees to turn inward.
- Grab the bar and stand up.
That’s it.
If you want more quad emphasis, think of a squat movement. Get down to the bar while keeping the torso somewhat erect, and use more knee flexion. If you want more posterior emphasis, treat it more like a deadlift and hinge to the bar.
It is a good idea to alternate stance and grip with each set so that both sides get worked evenly.
One last thing – you want to aim the barbell for your upper inner thigh. If you are a male with shorter arms, you might need to be mindful of this so you don’t end up crushing something other than the weight.
Where This Fits
You can use Jefferson deadlifts just about anywhere in your program. They work well as a heavy main lift, as a higher-rep lift, and anywhere in between.
How Heavy Can These Go?
Experienced lifters can load these up like traditional deadlift variations. The men’s world record is 605lbs, and the women’s record is 300lbs.
Jefferson deadlifts allowed me to continue to deadlift heavy while actively working on a pesky left-right imbalance that was being exacerbated by square stance lifting. I also credit them with helping to stabilize my rickety sacroiliac joint.
Just like any other lift, start light and progress over time.
Conclusion
If you don’t mind getting some weird looks in the gym, the Jefferson lift is a great lift to have in the rotation.