Touch-and-Go Deadlifts: Understanding, Benefits, Risks, and Proper Technique

How do you deadlift touch and go?

The touch-and-go deadlift is a variation where the barbell briefly taps the floor at the bottom of each repetition before immediately initiating the next concentric (lifting) phase, maintaining continuous tension and accelerating the lift from the rebound.

Understanding Touch-and-Go Deadlifts

The deadlift is a foundational strength exercise, typically performed with a "dead stop" where the bar comes to a complete rest on the floor between repetitions. In contrast, the touch-and-go (TNG) deadlift eliminates this pause. Instead, the lifter controls the eccentric (lowering) phase, gently touches the plates to the floor, and immediately reverses the motion to begin the next repetition. This continuous cycle maintains constant tension on the muscles and significantly changes the biomechanical demands compared to a dead-stop lift.

Benefits of Touch-and-Go Deadlifts

Incorporating touch-and-go deadlifts into your training can offer several distinct advantages:

• Increased Time Under Tension (TUT): By removing the pause, muscles remain under load for a longer duration within a set, which can be beneficial for hypertrophy (muscle growth) and muscular endurance.
• Higher Repetition Volume: The "rebound" effect and continuous motion allow for more repetitions to be completed within a given timeframe, enhancing overall work capacity.
• Enhanced Metabolic Conditioning: The continuous nature of TNG deadlifts elevates heart rate and metabolic demand, making them effective for conditioning and improving cardiovascular fitness, especially in higher rep sets.
• Improved Grip Endurance: With less opportunity to reset the grip between reps, TNG deadlifts challenge and improve grip strength and endurance.
• Focus on Eccentric Strength and Control: The controlled lowering phase is critical for safety and effectiveness, building strength in the eccentric portion of the lift, which is often overlooked.

Potential Risks and Considerations

While beneficial, touch-and-go deadlifts are not without their considerations:

• Higher Fatigue Accumulation: The continuous nature can lead to faster accumulation of fatigue, potentially compromising form if not managed carefully.
• Increased Risk of Form Breakdown: As fatigue sets in, there's a greater propensity for the lower back to round or for hips to shoot up too quickly, increasing injury risk.
• Less Emphasis on Initial Concentric Strength: Unlike dead-stop deadlifts which train the ability to break inertia from a complete standstill, TNG deadlifts rely more on the stretch-shortening cycle and elastic energy.
• Risk of Bouncing: A common error is to "bounce" the weight off the floor rather than performing a controlled touch. Bouncing can damage equipment and places undue stress on the spine.
• Not Ideal for Maximal Strength Testing: For true maximal strength (1RM), dead-stop deadlifts are typically preferred as they test pure concentric power from a static position.

Proper Technique for Touch-and-Go Deadlifts

Executing touch-and-go deadlifts safely and effectively requires meticulous attention to form.

1. Initial Setup:

   • Begin with a conventional deadlift setup: feet hip-to-shoulder width apart, bar over mid-foot.
   • Hinge at the hips and bend the knees to grasp the bar with an overhand or mixed grip, hands just outside the shins.
   • Ensure your hips are lower than your shoulders, chest up, lats engaged (pulling the bar into the body), and core braced.
   • Take a deep breath and brace your core as if preparing for a punch.

2. The Ascent (First Rep):

   • Drive through your heels, extending your hips and knees simultaneously.
   • Keep the bar close to your body, maintaining a neutral spine.
   • Stand tall, fully extending hips and knees at the top, without hyperextending your lower back.

3. The Controlled Descent:

   • Initiate the descent by pushing your hips back first, mimicking the hip hinge.
   • Allow the knees to bend naturally as the bar lowers, keeping it close to your body.
   • Maintain a braced core and an engaged back throughout the descent.
   • Control the speed of the bar. It should not free-fall.

4. The "Touch":

   • As the plates approach the floor, maintain tension in your hamstrings and glutes.
   • Allow the plates to gently and briefly make contact with the floor. This is a controlled touch, not a bounce. The goal is to absorb the weight and reverse direction smoothly.
   • Your body position at the bottom should closely mirror your starting position, with hips low enough to maintain a strong back angle.

5. The Rebound and Subsequent Ascent:

   • Immediately upon touching the floor, without losing tension or allowing the bar to settle, reverse the motion by driving your feet through the floor.
   • Explosively extend your hips and knees, keeping the chest up and lats engaged, just as in the initial ascent.
   • Focus on a smooth, fluid transition between the eccentric and concentric phases.

Key Cues for Success:

• Brace Hard: Maintain a strong, braced core throughout the entire set.
• Lats Engaged: Keep your lats "on" to pull the bar into your body and protect your spine.
• Hips and Shoulders Rise Together: Prevent your hips from shooting up too fast, which can round your back.
• Controlled Eccentric: Never let gravity do the work for you on the way down.
• Gentle Touch, Not a Bounce: Absorb the weight, don't rebound violently.
• Neutral Spine: Prioritize maintaining a straight, neutral spine from setup to lockout and back down.

Integrating Touch-and-Go into Your Training

Touch-and-go deadlifts are best suited for:

• Higher Repetition Sets: Typically for sets of 5 repetitions or more, where continuous tension and metabolic demand are desired.
• Accessory Work: As a variation to complement heavy, dead-stop deadlifts.
• Conditioning Circuits: When incorporated into metabolic conditioning or CrossFit-style workouts.
• Building Work Capacity: To improve your ability to perform more work over time.

Avoid using touch-and-go deadlifts for:

• Learning the Deadlift: Beginners should master the dead-stop deadlift first to ingrain proper form and the ability to reset.
• Maximal Strength Attempts: For 1-3 repetition maximums, the dead-stop variation is more appropriate.
• When Form is Compromised: If you cannot maintain strict form, revert to dead-stop or lower the weight.

Who Should Consider Touch-and-Go Deadlifts?

Touch-and-go deadlifts are generally more appropriate for intermediate to advanced lifters who have already established a solid foundation in conventional deadlift mechanics from a dead stop. Athletes and individuals looking to enhance muscular endurance, work capacity, or improve the eccentric control aspect of their pull will find this variation particularly beneficial. Personal trainers and coaches should carefully assess a client's readiness before programming TNG deadlifts.

Conclusion

The touch-and-go deadlift is a powerful variation that, when executed correctly, can significantly enhance muscular endurance, hypertrophy, and work capacity. By emphasizing a controlled eccentric phase and a smooth, immediate transition at the bottom, lifters can maximize the benefits while minimizing risk. Always prioritize impeccable form over load, and ensure you have mastered the fundamental dead-stop deadlift before incorporating the dynamic demands of the touch-and-go method into your training regimen.