There are two things I have felt increased conviction about the more years I have spent under the barbell: 

  1. The longer you train, the less you can continue hammering the exact same lifts each week, and expect to keep hitting PRs (and stay healthy). 
  2. The SS Yoke Bar is one of the best tools for building the squat and the deadlift for many lifters.

Over the years, I have leaned more and more into using the SS Yoke Bar as my primary squat bar for a few reasons: It does not put as much pressure on my shoulders/pecs, it allows me to focus on weak points in my squat with less weight on the bar, and the movement pattern when done correctly carries over to my deadlift. Make it a pause SS Yoke Bar squat? And your next deadlift PR has its days numbered.

There are a couple of caveats to this. I am not currently training for a meet. If I were, I would either rotate in straight bar squats every few weeks or do this as more of an off-season program and plan a specific block pre-meet. I also use the conventional deadlift, and I think this program tends to benefit that deadlift best, but it certainly can help with the sumo deadlift.

This program is purposely designed to be slightly different regarding how volume and intensity are waved. Every program builds on the success of the previous one, and this program is purposefully less conventional in its approach to locating and addressing weaknesses that may be holding back your deadlift.

Okay, enough pre-amble. Let’s get to the good stuff.

The Big Picture

We will build speed and muscular endurance via the pause squats in a fashion modeled around the dynamic effort method. We will then reduce sets and reps while increasing weight and rest periods. In the second block, we will add speed pulls following SS Yoke Bar squats and slightly rebuild the volume. As the program continues, your conditioning, mental strength, and (non-injury) pain tolerance will be pushed (I hope your lower back is ready for a good pump). This will prepare you for a good deload before testing your 1RM on the deadlift. As with any training program, the goal is to accumulate fatigue and super compensate with progress. There will be weeks when you feel weaker or slower than others. Stick with the program and be patient. 

As a refresher for the RPE scale

Source: Stronger by Science.

Lower Body Warm-Up

This is tailored to the individual, but I love Joe DeFranco’s Agile 8 warm-up. It is quick and effective.

Squat Pauses: “1-1-thousand” then up

Squat Depth: To get the most out of this program, specifically for deadlifts, the squats must be as deep as safely possible. If you are not used to squatting with the SS Yoke Bar or squatting deep with a pause, I highly recommend taking four to eight weeks and doing some light volume work to build up before starting this program. Adductor strength will be crucial as well.

Here's a squat example of one of my training days.

Other Training Days: There is a (metaphorical) push and pull to every program. I highly recommend leaving some extra in the tank on your other training days and focusing on recovery so you can really push hard on this program mentally and physically. Do not fall into the trap of trying to go all-out, making your squat, deadlift, bench, overhead press, bicep size, etc.) all at the same time. You can include those things, but keep the dials turned a little further down as you turn the dial on this program up.

Frequency: For the past few years, I have been training in a frequency where each micro-cycle (training week) is not an actual seven days but on a rotation that ends up landing the days below every 4-5 days. This has worked well for me, but everyone needs to find what is best for them. If you do a typical 4-day/week program with two upper and two lower days, I would use the program below for your main lower day and then make light recovery-based assistance work, abs, and light conditioning on your other lower day). 

Block 1 - Week 1

  1. Lying Hamstring Curls: 4x15 (these should have a full range of motion and a light stretch between sets. This will prepare you for squats).
  2. SSB Pause Squat: 8x3 (RPE 6) (1 min rest)
  3. If available: Reverse Hypers®: 4x12 (this is for decompression and recovery following SSB squats)
  4. Walking Lunges (slow/controlled): 3 trips of 16 steps
  5. Hanging Leg Raises: 3xAMRAP (RPE 8)

Block 1 - Week 2

  1. Lying Hamstring Curls: 4x12
  2. SSB Pause Squat: 8x3 (RPE 6.5) (1 min rest)
  3. If available: Reverse Hypers®: 4x12
  4. Walking Lunges (slow/controlled): 3 trips of 16 steps
  5. Hanging Leg Raises: 3xAMRAP (RPE 8)

Block 1 - Week 3

  1. Lying Hamstring Curls: 4x10
  2. SSB Pause Squat: 8x3 (RPE 7) (1 min rest)
  3. If available: Reverse Hypers: 4x12
  4. Walking Lunges (slow/controlled): 3 trips of 16 steps
  5. Hanging Leg Raises: 3xAMRAP (RPE 8)

Block 1 - Week 4

  1. Lying Hamstring Curls: 4x8
  2. SSB Pause Squat: 8x3 (RPE 7.5) (1 min rest)
  3. If available: Reverse Hypers: 4x12
  4. Walking Lunges (slow/controlled): 3 trips of 16 steps
  5. Hanging Leg Raises: 3xAMRAP (RPE 8)

Block 2 - Week 5

  1. Seated Hamstring Curls: 3x15
  2. SSB Pause Squat: 6x2 (RPE 7) (1:30 min rest)
  3. Deadlift (speed/technique focus): 5x1 (~65% of 1RM. Needs to move fast in all sets.) (1 min rest)
  4. If available: Reverse Hypers®: 3x15
  5. Seated Leg Extensions: 3x15 (light, focus on pump)
  6. Hanging Leg Raises: 3xAMRAP (RPE 8)

Block 2 - Week 6

  1. Seated Hamstring Curls: 3x12
  2. SSB Pause Squat: 6x2 (RPE 7.5) (1:30 min rest)
  3. Deadlift (speed/technique focus): 5x1 (~70% of 1RM. Needs to move fast in all sets.) (1 min rest)

Deadlift example from one of my training days.

  1. If available: Reverse Hypers®: 3x15
  2. Seated Leg Extensions: 3x15 (light, focus on pump)
  3. Hanging Leg Raises: 3xAMRAP (RPE 8)

Block 2 - Week 7

  1. Seated Hamstring Curls: 3x10
  2. SSB Pause Squat: 6x2 (RPE 8) (2 min rest)
  3. Deadlift (speed/technique focus): 5x1 (~75% of 1RM. Needs to move fast in all sets.) (1 min rest)
  4. If available: Reverse Hypers®: 3x15
  5. Seated Leg Extensions: 3x15 (light, focus on pump)
  6. Hanging Leg Raises: 3xAMRAP (RPE 8)

Block 2 - Week 8

  1. Seated Hamstring Curls: 3x10
  2. SSB Pause Squat: 6x2 (RPE 9) (2 min rest)
  3. Deadlift (speed/technique focus): 5x1 (~75% of 1RM. Needs to move fast in all sets.) (1 min rest)
  4. If available: Reverse Hypers®: 3x15
  5. Seated Leg Extensions: 3x15 (light, focus on pump)
  6. Hanging Leg Raises: 3xAMRAP (RPE 8)

Block 3 - Week 9

  1. Lying Hamstring Curls: 3x12
  2. SSB Pause Squat: 5x4 (RPE 7) (2 min rest)
  3. Deadlift (speed/technique focus): 6x1 (~80% of 1RM) (1:15 min rest)
  4. If available: Reverse Hypers®: 3x15
  5. Hanging Leg Raises: 3xAMRAP (RPE 8)

Block 3 - Week 10

  1. Lying Hamstring Curls: 3x12
  2. SSB Pause Squat: 5x4 (RPE 7.5) (2 min rest)
  3. Deadlift (speed/technique focus): 6x1 (~83% of 1RM) (1:15 min rest)
  4. If available: Reverse Hypers®: 3x15
  5. Hanging Leg Raises: 3xAMRAP (RPE 8)

Block 3 - Week 11

  1. Lying Hamstring Curls: 3x12
  2. SSB Pause Squat: 5x4 (RPE 8) (2:30 min rest)
  3. Deadlift (speed/technique focus): 6x1 (~86% of 1RM) (1:15 min rest)
  4. If available: Reverse Hypers®: 3x15
  5. Hanging Leg Raises: 3xAMRAP (RPE 8)

Block 3 - Week 12

  1. Lying Hamstring Curls: 3x12
  2. SSB Pause Squat: 5x4 (RPE 8.5) (2:30 min rest)
  3. Deadlift (speed/technique focus): 6x1 (~90% of 1RM) (1:30 min rest)
  4. If available: Reverse Hypers®: 3x15
  5. Hanging Leg Raises: 3xAMRAP (RPE 8)

Deload - Week 13

  1. Lying Hamstring Curls: 3x15 (light/pump)
  2. If available: Reverse Hypers®: 3x20
  3. Walking Lunges (slow/controlled): 2 trips of 16 steps
  4. Hanging Leg Raises: 3xAMRAP (RPE 8)

Test Day - Week 14

  1. Lying Hamstring Curls: 3x12 (light)
  2. SSB Pause Squat: Warm-Up sets and then three singles light and fast
  3. Deadlift: First two sets of 5 reps, then singles going forward. No bigger than 10% jumps after 70% of 1RM. Longer rest periods (4-7 mins), the longer end of the range near heavier singles.

Joe has competed in raw and equipped powerlifting as well as strongman, with an elite total in the 220-lb weight class. He has his master's degree in exercise physiology and for 10 years oversaw fitness & wellness programs at multiple Universities. Joe currently works for The City Mission, a non-profit that provides comprehensive support services to people experiencing homelessness in Cleveland, OH. He can be reached at joeschillero@gmail.com.