The best deadlifters are in the sport of strongman. You can pretty much take ANYONE on this forum and there will be 30+ strongmen that do their max for 8 reps.
How do strongmen train? They do lots of reps, lots of touch and go, often squat high and shitloads of lower back conditioning from events training. Carrying 400kg yokes, loading stones and farmers walks.
Summarising from the Cube Method for Strongman:
>The squat drives up every event, no box squats
>Pull from every fucking angle possible. Deficits, box deadlifts, rack pulls, trap machine deadlift etc
>Conditioning work until you bleed out the ass from rhabdo
Cube method deadlift for strongman deadlift training cycle:
Week 1:
Deadlift:
Max Deadlift – 1-2 reps
45° Hypers – Bodyweight x 3 x 20
Shrugs – 3 x 15 (Barbell, Dumbbell, Farmer’s handles...)
Heavy Dumbbell Rows – 3 x 10 per arm
Rear Delts – 3 x 15 (face pulls, rear delt raises...)
Barbell Curls – 1 set with bar to failure (remember when people hated on me for doing these???)
Events:
Light Yoke – 40-50% of contest weight for speed for 4 runs for 60-80’
Light Farmer’s – 40-50% contest weight for speed for 4 runs for 60-80’
Light Stones – 5 stones in series for speed with lighter stones than would be in your contest. The weight should be at least 30% lighter than you are going to be using in your contest.
Stone load with 50% of your max stone for 3 x 5. You should focus on speed and the one motion technique to build explosiveness.
Week 2:
Deadlift:
Speed Deadlifts – 50% x 8 x 1with 30 seconds rest between lifts
& GHR – 3 x 8-10
& Barbell Rows – 3 x 8
& Pulldowns – 3 x 10
& Shrugs – 3 x 15 (Barbell, Dumbbells, Farmers,...)
& Rear Delts – 3 x 15 (face pulls, rear delt raises...)
& Barbell Curls – 1 set with bar to failure
Events:
Contest events or events of your choice. You should train these heavy, i.e. contest weight. For example, carrying medley, tire flip, truck pull, sled or implement drags.
Week 3:
Deadlift:
Repetition Deadlifts – 80% x 1 x 8-10
& 45° Hypers – 3 x 10 with weight
& Seated Rows – 3 x 10
Pull-ups – 3 sets x 8-10 (use a band for assistance if needed)
Shrugs – 3 x 15 (Barbell, Dumbbells, Farmers,...)
Rear Delts – 3 x 15 (face pulls, rear delt raises...)
Barbell Curls – 1 set with bar to failure
Events:
Heavy Yoke, Farmer’s and Stones at or heavier than contest weight. Two all out sets of yoke and Farmer’s, the distances are the same as week 1. Either a heavy stone over bar for 75 seconds or heavy stone series.
Week 4:
Deadlift:
45° Hypers – 3 x 20 with no weight
& Chest Supported Rows – 3 x 15
& Pulldowns – 3 x 15
& Shrugs – 2 x 40 (Barbell, Dumbbells, Farmers,...)
& Rear Delts – 3 x 15 (face pulls, rear delt raises...)
& Barbell Curls – 1 set with bar to failure
Events:
Contest events at 40-50% of contest weight. Or if you don’t know the events ahead of time you can do sled drag, Prowler, light sandbag carries.