🏋️ 15 deadlift variations to shake up your workouts

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This weekend, the long road to the 2023 CrossFit Games continues with the Quarterfinals. Here's a complete look at the Individual workouts.

Powerlifter Amanda Lawrence is a threat at every competition. After a titanic 254.9-kilogram (562-pound) squat, she might leap even further ahead of everyone else.

The deadlift has a bonkers amount of benefits for your health and strength. We broke down 15 (!) variations of this staple lift.

CrossFit

A Rowdy CrossFit Quarterfinals

With the CrossFit Open behind us, the next step toward the Games takes place this weekend. We're talking, of course, about the Quarterfinals. Over the next few days, the top 10 percent of remaining global CrossFitters will duke it out (with video recordings) to determine who moves on to the Semifinals next month.

Yesterday, CrossFit HQ released the expected slate of five Individual workouts for these fitness dynamos. Trust us — they're a doozy. From a workout featuring a bevy of front squats and handstand walks to a deadlift-laden obstacle of pulling power, there's no shortage of challenge here.

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Powerlifting

Amanda Lawrence Meets a Movable Object

We like cartoonishly strong people here at BarBend, so it should be no surprise that powerlifter Amanda Lawrence is a regular in our newsletter. A three-time International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) World Champion, Lawrence usually makes it a point to show why she deserves a crown. And her latest squat accomplishes the same mission.

Earlier this week, the 84-kilogram athlete posted a 254.9-kilogram (562-pound) raw squat during a training session. If Lawrence transfers this number to the Sheffield Championships next weekend, she would extend her IPF World Record by 11.5 kilograms (25.3 pounds).

Something tells us Sheffield might be another coronation for powerlifting royalty.

Training Tips

Deadlift Variations to Change Your (Gym) Life

You already likely know all of the ins and outs of the deadlift. The proper technique. The benefits. How it's a tried and tested powerlifting staple. Oh, you get it.

So, you should also understand there are awesome deadlift variations that can provide much of the same yummy benefits. Yeah, it is rather funny that we mention it, isn't it?

There are deficit deadlifts (they're negative only in the sense of the phrase). There are rack pulls (no, you're not pulling entire weight racks). There are even really cool chain deadlifts (you'd think this was self-explanatory, but it's not so simple.)

Here are 15 different deadlift variations, broken down in full, for you to try the next time you hit the gym.

Nutrition

A Probiotics Game Changer

With a combined six CrossFit Games appearances and three top-10 finishes in the team division, Christian Harris and Kelsey Kiel are undoubtedly two of the premier athletes in the sport. And both have now joined FitBiomics, a probiotics company founded by its CEO, Jonathan Scheiman.

The company produces Nella, a daily probiotic for women and men that supports gut health and digestion. Nella is made with a blend of three exclusive Lactobacillus strains based on innovative technology developed at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University. Talking exclusively with BarBend, Kiel spoke on her decision to partner with FitBiomics.

“In my trial run of taking Nella, I noticed a significant improvement in my gut/digestion,” Kiel says. “I also pay attention to my Whoop data, and I noticed a significant increase in my recovery scores over time.”

Everything Else

"The Mutant" Responds

• After a disappointing finish at the Arnold Classic, Nick Walker explained what went wrong.

• Speaking of World Record-adjacent squats, Sonita Muluh's 617.3-pound raw squat might put her on the precipice of history.

• The lat pulldown is probably already a fixture in your back workout routine. Consider the neutral-grip variation to take it easier on your shoulders.