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© 2018 Mathias Method – All Rights Reserved.
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permission in writing from the author Ryan J. Mathias.
Disclaimer
The information presented is meant to help guide participants through practices that can help individuals
become stronger and healthier through proper use. This information, however, does not promise any benefits
when misused or misinterpreted. Please follow the guidelines as directed.
When participating in any exercise or training program there is a possibility of physical injury. If you engage in
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© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 3 of 76
About The Author
“I want to make the world stronger, and this is the only way I know how.”
Hi, I am Ryan Mathias, creator of the Mathias Method Strength System and author of numerous
Strength Training, Health and Fitness Books. I am also a powerlifter with nearly 2 decades of
strength training experience, all backed by a Degree in Exercise Science from California State
University-Sacramento (CSUS).
For years I have been helping people all over the world, from beginners to elite athletes, learn
how to improve their training and themselves. Why? Because I love helping people.
I have made it my mission to help people get stronger, because I measure my success not by
how many books I sell, but by how many people I help. So, feel free to email me anytime with
any questions you have and I will do my best to help you reach your goals!
You can learn more about me on my Amazon Author Page or read about My Strength Journey
and how I got to where I am today!
For updates on upcoming books, Strength Journey successes, and any other exciting news Join
My Email List and start getting stronger today!
Join me on Instagram: @StrengthJourneyLeader
Email: ryan@mathiasmethod.com
with any Questions, Comments, Stories or Reviews!
I would love to hear from you!
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 4 of 76
Books By Ryan J. Mathias
View All Books >>
How To Lift More Weight Series
1. How To Squat 500 lbs. RAW: 12-Week Squat Program and Technique Guide!
2. How To Bench BIG: 12-Week Bench Press Program and Technique Guide!
3. How To Deadlift 600 lbs. RAW: 12-Week Deadlift Program and Technique Guide!
4. FULL POWER Powerlifting Program: 16-Weeks to Maximum Strength and Power!
The Strength Warrior Workout Series
1. The Daily 30: The Quick Everyday Bodyweight Workout!
2. Mathias Method STRENGTH SYSTEM: Your Ultimate Strength Guide!
3. How To Warm-Up Properly For Strength Training: A Complete Guide!
4. Base Of Strength: Build Your Base Strength Program!
Get all 4 and SAVE!
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 5 of 76
Check out our awesome apparel at
StrengthWorld.store
Use Discount Code "SQUAT500" for 20% OFF your
order as a gift for reading this Book!
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 6 of 76
A Note From The Author ................................................................8
The Definition Of RAW .................................................................10
Lifting Equipment .................................................................................11
The King Of All Exercises .............................................................12
Squat Everyday .....................................................................................13
The Beginner Squat...............................................................................14
The Advanced Squat .............................................................................15
Squat Principles .............................................................................17
Choosing Your Squat Stance .................................................................18
Choosing Your Bar Placement ..............................................................18
How To Squat Stronger .......................19
Breathing For The Squat .......................................................................20
Set-Up: ..................................................................................................22
Unrack: ..................................................................................................24
The Squat: .............................................................................................26
Key Points: ............................................................................................29
Common Squat Mistakes ......................................................................30
Squat Variations ....................................................................................35
Top accessory exercises ........................................................................36
How To Box Squat .........................................................................37
Set-Up: ..................................................................................................39
Unrack: ..................................................................................................40
The Box Squat: .....................................................................................42
Key Points: ............................................................................................44
How to Spot for Squats .................................................................45
The Spotter ............................................................................................45
Choosing Your Spotters ........................................................................46
How to Back Spot for the Squat ...........................................................47
How to Side Spot for the Squat.............................................................47
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 7 of 76
Back and Side Spots ..............................................................................48
12 Week Squat Program ......................49
Program Chart ...............................................................................51
Program Details .............................................................................53
Phase 1 - Volume...................................................................................54
Deload Weeks........................................................................................54
Phase 2 - Strength .................................................................................54
Phase 3 - Max ........................................................................................55
Peak Week .............................................................................................55
Max Day ................................................................................................56
How To Max Out Properly ...........................................................57
Training Frequency .......................................................................58
Squat Workouts ...................................59
Strength Work .......................................................................................60
Base Work .............................................................................................61
Workout 1 - Strength Work ...................................................................62
Workout 2 - Base Work .........................................................................63
Workout Details .............................................................................64
The Warm-Up........................................................................................64
Technique Work ....................................................................................65
The Main Lift ........................................................................................65
Overload Sets ........................................................................................66
Main Accessory Work ...........................................................................66
Accessory Work ....................................................................................67
Rest Periods ..........................................................................................68
Training To Failure................................................................................68
Final Notes ......................................................................................70
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 8 of 76
A Note From The Author
Hey Lifter!
I hope you are ready to get really strong, because you are about to embark on an incredible
Strength Journey! The same journey that I followed when I first started!
The Journey to get Stronger!
For me, it all started with the dream of one day Squatting over 500lbs. totally RAW! That was
the very first goal I set for myself when I started weight training! I wanted to be someone that
was much stronger than he looked, being that I was only 160lbs. at the time, and was able to lift
tremendous weight!
As you can imagine, I have since squatted over 500 lbs. numerous times. It wouldn’t make
much sense for me to write this book if I hadn’t. Not only have I accomplished this incredible
strength feat, but I am proud to say that I have done it 100% naturally without the use of any
drugs or special supplements.
I’ve actually been squatting 500 lbs. since I was a teenager!
However, it wasn’t easy for me to get there. I had to work hard for it! Which is why I made this
book. To give you an easier path to reach that almost seemingly unattainable goal of finally
squatting 500+ lbs. to below parallel and somehow standing back up!
In fact, I created the entire series, How To Lift More Weight for all the Strength Warriors out
there that are just like us, looking to get stronger! I really want to help others, achieve their
goals of lifting as much weight as they can dream of in all their lifts!
Just remember, it won’t be easy. You are gonna have to work for it. I am giving you all the tools
you need to succeed, but the rest is up to you.
Before you get started, I want you to realize that no ordinary person has ever completed this
Journey. That is because in order to reach such an incredible strength feat, you cannot be
ordinary. You have to develop yourself into someone that has character, focus and strength
beyond the ordinary. You will have to become extraordinary in your efforts to defeat the
challenging road that lays ahead.
You will have to be consistent, dedicated and self-disciplined enough to persevere to the end.
You can have others join in along your journey, but YOU must be the one that keeps fighting
until the end. No one can do it for you. You have to be the one that decides to not give up and
push on no matter how hard it gets.
I cannot promise that you will reach your goal, but I will guarantee that this program will guide
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 9 of 76
you as far as you want to go. The rest is up to you. Are you ready?
Strength To You,
Your STRENGTH JOURNEY Leader
Ryan J. Mathias
To read my complete Strength Journey, go to:
https://mathiasmethod.com/my-strength-journey-story/
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 10 of 76
The Definition Of RAW
Now let’s start off with a definition of what we powerlifters consider a lift to be done “RAW”.
“RAW” determines the assistance you are allowed to use for training and testing your lifts.
What we consider to be RAW in this book is the same as what most sanctioned Powerlifting
Competitions also consider to be RAW.
This is different than what is considered to be 100% RAW. 100% RAW means without any
assistive equipment at all, as if you were only lifting in shorts and a t-shirt.
During this program, we allow for some safety equipment to accommodate more people and
promote safety of the lifter, above all else.
To be considered RAW you can use the assistance of:
• a weight lifting belt,
• non-supportive knee or elbow sleeves,
• chalk as needed,
• and wrist wraps if needed.
*Non-supportive knee sleeves are used to promote knee joint safety by keeping the knees warm,
but add little to no actual lifting support.
This amount of equipment promotes safety of the lifter while allowing for only necessary
assistance. Overall, the lifter has to do the lift, not the equipment.
The more equipment you use, the more you have to rely on for max day. It is best to only use
what you need to be safe and save the rest for when you absolutely need it.
Drugs and Supplements
Being RAW also does not allow the use of drugs or special supplement regiments that
greatly improve a lifter’s strength, recovery or muscle growth. Basically, if you would fail a
drug test using it, then it is not RAW.
To be clear, no supplements are needed to make this program work as effectively as possible.
End of story.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 11 of 76
Lifting Equipment
Lifting equipment is anything that directly improves your ability to lift more weight. This could
be very light assistive gear, such as knee or elbow sleeves, all the way up to extremely
supportive gear, such as lifting suits.
One of the most common pieces of equipment to be used is a lifting belt. When used properly, a
lifting belt allows you to better brace your core for stabilization by increasing the intraabdominal pressure placed on your spine. By increasing stabilization you are enabled to lift
heavier loads.
Equipment can improve lifter strength and safety, but can also have adverse effects when used
improperly.
If any one piece of equipment is used too frequently, then it will limit your body’s ability to
grow stronger in that area. Essentially, the equipment will become a crutch that then must be
used every time training occurs in order to keep up with the strength developed in other nonsupported areas.
The most effective way to use equipment is only when it is necessary. For example, when
using light to moderate loads (<75%) avoid using any equipment at all to build greater strength
in all areas. Then when you put on equipment for maximal loads (>80%) you will be that much
stronger.
Even if you have an injury, only use the equipment when you need it. If your injury does not
hurt, then do not cover it up with equipment. Allow it to grow stronger.
When you are building strength, use little to no equipment.
When you are testing strength, use whatever you can to improve your lift.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 12 of 76
The King Of All Exercises
The Squat is known as the “King of All Exercises” because it builds muscle mass throughout
your entire body and tests your full body strength all in one powerful lift. The Bench Press and
Deadlift have their own place in the strength world, but having a big squat makes you King and
Queen to others.
This is the lift where you are standing with weight on your shoulders that would crush an
ordinary person to the ground and yet you make it bow down to you as you lift it with ease! No
other lift can test your strength and will the same as the Squat, and nothing can replace it.
The Squat is also your base, and if you don’t have a strong base to build the rest of your body
on, then you will never reach your true potential.
Nobody likes the gym bro look with a huge upper body, but chicken legs to stand on. It just
looks weak, like they will find any excuse to skip leg day. Don’t be that person!
Build your base into the strong foundation you need to set an incredible upper body physique
on! Do that and every part of your body will grow even stronger!
Though the squat focuses on your leg strength and development, your entire body must be
involved to push back against the load trying to crush you where you stand. The squat helps to
build muscle in all areas, including your upper body, through the releases powerful hormones. If
you want bigger legs, squat. If you want bigger glutes, squat. If you want bigger arms, squat. If
you want bigger anything, squat more!
All this from just one simple lift! No wonder it is called “King”!
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 13 of 76
Squat Everyday
Our bodies were designed to squat everyday! However, if we squat heavy everyday or do too
much too often and don’t recover from it, we are just doing more damage than good. If you do
squat everyday, it needs to be at a low intensity that focuses in improving technique and aids in
recovery versus tearing down more muscle.
The best way to squat everyday is with your bodyweight. This allows for a low intensity that
can aid in recovery without the risk of overuse injuries or teaching improper movement
patterns. You can actually greatly increase your squat strength and body function just by doing a
few bodyweight squats everyday!
By simply understanding the mechanics of how to squat properly, with or without weight, you
will better understand how your body was meant to function. This will enable your conscious
and sub-conscious to better use all the musculature in your body properly no matter what
activities you do.
With this in mind, I created the Daily 30, which is a quick everyday bodyweight exercise
routine. This routine has you doing a quick 2 minute bodyweight workout at least once per day
to help you practice your squatting technique, decrease muscle and joint pain, and improve your
recovery between workouts. The Daily 30 will teach you how to Squat more weight than ever
by using the movement patterns our bodies were designed to do!
This is especially important for beginners that are still trying to perfect their squat technique,
while working on improving the mobility needed to reach proper squat depth.
If you want to learn more about the Daily 30 just click the link below and start getting even
stronger by squatting everyday!
Learn more about the Daily 30!
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 14 of 76
The Beginner Squat
Beginners should always start any strength training exercise with their bodyweight before
increasing the intensity using weights. If you cannot learn how to move properly with your own
bodyweight, then adding weight is only going to make things worse and put you at a high risk
of injury. Start getting stronger with your own body, then add weight when needed.
The best way to do this is simply doing the Daily 30 every single day, even after you start
squatting with weight. This will ensure you are practicing your technique daily and help with
any mobility issues you may have. If you have problems with knee pain, butt wink (rounding)
or hitting proper depth this will correct that.
After you can do the Daily 30 with ease, it will be time to start squatting with weight and
following the principles in this book.
How we teach the squat to a beginner is different than how we teach it to a more advanced
lifter. This is because beginners are still figuring out their body’s leverages and what works best
for them while an advanced lifter knows what does and does not work for them based on
experience.
When you are just starting out and discovering how your body moves with a load on its back,
begin by doing what is comfortable. Grab the bar where it is comfortable, place the bar on your
back where it is comfortable, stand where it is comfortable, and only go as low as you are
comfortable. From there you can start making minor adjustments to see what works best for
you.
Try to continuously get lower, while maintaining control of the weight and not letting the
weight control you.
If you need to change something then make small changes. Remember, small changes make a
big difference, so do not go from a close stance to a stance that is 6 inches wider. Start it 1 inch,
then two and so on if needed.
Realize that things are going to take some time. Just be patient and soon enough you will be
squatting like a pro!
Overall, beginners should focus on the basics and getting the general movement down before
trying to apply every detail. The details will come. After squatting for a while you’ll start to feel
what works better for you versus someone else, and as your body changes, so will your
technique. Focus on strength first, and improve your technique over time.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 15 of 76
The Advanced Squat
Advanced lifters are those that have been squatting for over a year and developed a strong base
of strength. If you have not been squatting for at least this long, I highly recommend you start
with my Base Of Strength Program to build up all 3 of your base lifts while getting a lot of
squat practice in.
Also, any beginners you know should start off with that program before advancing to the
advanced program in this book.
An advanced lifter should be specific and focus on the details while their subconscious does the
most basic aspects of the lift for them. This means taking a quick moment before every single
squat to go through a checklist of specifics you need to perfect your squat.
The Squat Checklist
After you set-up and walk the weight out, take a quick moment to check:
• Are your feet grabbing the ground?
• Are your knees twisting out?
• Are your glutes flexed?
• Is your core braced; front, back and sides?
• Are you pulling the bar into you?
• Are you driving your head back into the bar?
• Are you confident and focused on your lift?
If you can answer “Yes” to all of these questions, then you are perfectly set to squat big. The
next step is to perfect your lifting technique.
The squat is a lift that is never perfect and needs constant tweaking. You can always move
smoother. You can always drive harder. You can always brace tighter. There is always
something to improve and focus on.
With every workout, try to focus on one or two aspects of your technique to improve on. If you
need help, asking a knowledgeable friend or trainer can really help. They can give you feedback
both during your set and immediately after to help you see what needs to improve.
If you don’t have that option, you can always record yourself. Just try to video from multiple
angles to make sure no technique issues are hiding from the camera angle you chose.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 16 of 76
You can also ask me anytime! You can tag me on Instagram @MathiasMethod or Facebook
@MathiasMethodStrength asking for some tips and I would be happy to take a look at your
lifts!
If we don’t get back to you within day, then you can always message us or try my personal
account @StrengthJourneyLeader. I am active on all accounts daily, but I am also a busy guy. I
will get to as many as I can as often as I can, so please be patient with me if the response is not
immediate.
Just remember, your squat is NEVER going to be perfect! There is always something to
improve! If you are not improving, then you are limiting your full potential. Find what you need
to improve and go squat!
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 17 of 76
Squat Principles
All proper squat technique will have the same principles, no matter your stance or bar position,
that must be followed for safe and effective technique. These principles are presented below.
• The bar travels straight up and down over your center of gravity (mid-foot).
• Hips drop below the top of the knees for a full range of motion.
• Back flat with a neutral spine; no rounding or arching.
• Knees and hips move simultaneously.
• Knees travel in line with the toes.
• Feet stay flat.
These Squat Principles apply to all squats.
Any squat that follows these principles is a perfect squat! Speed is not important. Technique and
control of the weight is.
To perfect these squatting principles, get my book The Daily 30 which has taken, not only my
squat, but all my lifts to a whole new level just by practicing my technique daily!
Beyond these principles, there are two main variables that can change how a squat looks and is
used. These are squat stance and bar position.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 18 of 76
Choosing Your Squat Stance
Generally, a closer stance utilizes greater knee flexion focusing the tension on your quads, while
a wider stance utilizes more hip flexion, or torso lean, and puts the tension on your lower back
and glutes.
Greater knee flexion better emphasizes quadriceps use while more hip flexion emphasizes more
glute and hamstring use.
Choose the stance that best utilizes your leverages.
If you have strong legs (quads), you may want to try a close stance with your toes turned out a
bit. If you have a strong lower back and hips (glutes), then you may prefer a wider stance with
toes pointed more straight ahead.
Note: For beginners, just stand where it feels comfortable and adjust from there as your
technique develops.
Choosing Your Bar Placement
A higher bar position normally allows for less torso lean and more knee flexion while a lower
bar position allows for greater torso lean and more posterior chain muscles utilization.
If you are quad dominant and have a lot of knee flexion in your squat, you may want to choose
the high bar position to help keep a more upright torso. This will allow the energy to transfer
better from the ground into the bar and puts more of the tension on your legs to squat the weight
up.
If you have a wide stance and tend to be stronger when you use your hips more by leaning over
in the squat, you may want to try a low bar position. This puts more of the tension into your
hips, and works with your strength.
Note: For beginners, just place the bar in the most comfortable spot or in the middle of your
Upper Trapezius. You can adjust from there over time.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 19 of 76
How To Squat Stronger
Purpose:
Test Full Body Strength, Test Leg Strength, Build Leg and Core Strength
Prime Movers:
Quadriceps (Legs), Hamstrings (Legs), Glutes (Hips)
Variations:
Stance, Bar Placement, Pauses, Box Squat, Accommodating Resistance, Specialty Bars,
Assistive Gear, etc.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 20 of 76
Breathing For The Squat
How you breathe during your squats can greatly influence how the squat is performed and your
maximal strength. What you may have been taught before is to breathe in as you descend during
a lift and breathe out as you stand back up. This is good if you are in a cardio class using
extremely light weights, and just need to keep your endurance up, but if you are looking to get
stronger this is one of the worst things you can do.
By breathing in as you descend, your body is not as tight as it can be, and is, therefore, unstable.
It is similar to having you squat on an exercise ball versus squatting on the ground. The more
stable you are, the more you can lift. So you need to think more about how you are going to
breathe during your squats than what people do for general fitness.
If you want to get stronger, or build muscle, then you need to lift heavy, and to lift heavy you
need to have your body braced as tightly as possible to have the most strength for your lift. For
that you should use what is called the Valsalva Maneuver, which promotes the greatest amount
of strength by increasing your spine stabilization through increased intra-abdominal pressure.
The two versions of this are described below.
Valsalva Maneuver:
Suck in as much air as you can and hold it in, attempting to create as much intra-abdominal
pressure as you can, to stabilize your spine. Then press your lips closed to hold the air in while
flexing all of the musculature surrounding your entire torso, and forcing the air deep down into
your abdomen.
Think of your torso as a soda can you are trying to fill up and pressurize. You have your pelvic
floor as the base, your diaphragm as the top, and all your abdominal (front, back and side)
musculature making the outer walls of the can. You want to fill the can with air and flex
everything around it as tight as possible to keep the air in.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 21 of 76
Your lifting belt can help with this, but make sure that you do not tighten it too much or your
will put a dent in the can, and if you dent a can even slightly, the can crushes. Always keep your
belt loose enough so that you can put the just the 4 fingers of your hand down into the belt
against your stomach with ease. Then when you brace you want to think of bracing out against
the belt so that it gets filled up tightly and your fingers can no longer fit in.
The valsalva maneuver greatly increases your blood pressure and should only be held for 1-2
maximal repetitions, or when you are using over 90% of your maximum. Sets with more than
1-3 reps, or under 90% of your maximum should use the Partial Valsalva Maneuver.
Partial Valsalva Maneuver:
This is the same as the Valsalva Maneuver, except you exhale after getting past the sticking
point of the lift. This helps to decrease the overall blood pressure increase created by the
pressure and allows for more fluid reps to be performed, while still having a very strong lift.
For the squat, start to breathe out, while still bracing your core, after you have made it about
half way up from the bottom of the squat. Then breathe in again before every rep to re-brace.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 22 of 76
Set-Up:
Your squat set-up is all about creating tension in the right places without wasting energy. You
need to maintain that same tightness during your entire squat. If you lose tightness then you lose
strength.
Grab The Bar:
Grasp bar firmly, with thumbs wrapped, as close to your shoulders as you can while maintaining
a relatively neutral wrist position, that allows you to still pull the bar into your body.
If you grab too wide, then you will lose back tightness and risk falling out of position. If you
grab too close, then you can stress your wrists and will be pushing the bar off your back rather
than creating tightness from it.
Find the best position for you, and if you have shoulder or wrist mobility problems you should
try to improve them before every training session. You can do this with my How To Warm-Up
Properly For Strength Training Guide.
Set Your Feet Directly Under The Bar:
Set your feet directly under the bar in your squat stance so that the bar is directly over your mid
foot.
If you set your feet behind the bar, then you will waste valuable energy as you have to pull the
weight out of the rack from in front of your center of gravity.
You want to be able to stand straight up with the weight and not be out of position.
Set The Bar On Your Back:
Squat down and place the bar in the strongest position for you on your upper back, anywhere
between the base of your neck and middle of rear deltoids (shoulder muscle).
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 23 of 76
Note: A higher bar position will emphasize greater knee flexion and less torso lean, while a
lower bar position will emphasize more torso lean and less knee flexion.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 24 of 76
Unrack:
Brace Your Core:
Suck in as much air as you can and hold it in, attempting to create as much intra-abdominal
pressure as you can, to stabilize your spine. Then press your lips closed to hold the air in while
flexing all of the musculature surrounding your entire torso, and forcing the air deep down into
your abdomen. This is known as the Valsalva Maneuver.
Hold this tightness throughout your entire set-up.
Pull The Bar Into You:
Pull your elbows down and in towards your hips throughout the movement, as if you are going
to bend the bar over your back. This keeps that bar locked in and it should never, ever slide out
of place, if done properly.
Push Your Head Back Into The Bar:
While keeping a neutral spine, force your head back into the bar, with your eyes straight ahead.
Imagine pulling your chin straight back, and never tilt your head up.
Maintain a neutral head position (straight spine) throughout the entire lift with eyes straight
ahead.
Stand Straight Up With The Weight:
Flex your glutes hard as you simultaneously, extend your knees and hips to lift the bar straight
up, just over the rack hooks. Stay tight while you do this.
Walk It Out:
Slide one foot at a time back 3-4 inches, or just enough to clear the rack hooks, so you are
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 25 of 76
standing in your squat stance.
The farther you move the more likely you are to be out of position and waste energy. The bar
should move straight up and down when you squat, so you do not need to move back very far.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 26 of 76
The Squat:
Foot Position:
Toes should point somewhere between 10-45 degrees out depending on your stance width and
mobility. Try different positions and see what works best for you.
If your heels come up as you squat or you have trouble getting to depth, then try either turning
your toes out more or widening your stance, until you improve your ankle mobility.
Grab The Ground:
Suction cup your feet to the ground by spreading your toes as wide as you can, then grasping
the floor with your entire foot. Your entire foot (heel, ball of your foot, and outer edge) should
stay locked into the ground.
Then, while clenching your toes into the ground like eagle claws, create torque by externally
rotate your feet, as if they were to spin in place, throughout the entire motion.
This movement should flex your entire lower body from your glutes down through your entire
legs so that everything is tight, and nothing is loose or relaxed.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 27 of 76
Maintain this external rotation torque throughout the lift.
Note: By grabbing the ground with your foot you are simply creating a strong arch in your foot,
not rolling your ankle. Your feet should not move out of place or come up at all during these
motions. Just create a rotational pressure to stabilize your joints, while your entire foot is
locked into the ground.
Re-Brace Your Core:
While keeping your entire body tight, again suck in as much air as you can and press it down
deep into your abdomen increasing the intra-abdominal pressure. Hold this tightness throughout
the entire lift.
Bend At The Hip:
Initiate the motion by bending at the waist, pushing your hips back slightly, maintaining a
neutral spine as if doing a 3 inch bow. This is a slight motion just to open the hips.
The weight should stay over your mid foot, with no back arching.
Push Your Knees Out:
Push your knees out laterally to open your hips throughout the lift. This better engages your
hips and makes for a stronger squat.
Your knees should travel in line with your toes during the entire lift. If they cave in at all then
you need to work on your glute strength AND adductor mobility (being able to do the splits
better to open up your hips).
The Squat Straight Down and Up:
While maintaining a neutral spine, open your hips and descending straight down into a full
depth squat, bending your knees and hips simultaneously, then forcefully press back up into the
bar as you ascend, by extending your hips and knees together.
Keep your head neutral and knees pressed out over your foot.
If you set-up properly your body should do most of the movement for you. All you have to do is
go straight down and back up with force.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
© 2018 Mathias Method
Page 28 of 76
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 29 of 76
Key Points:
• Stay tight throughout the entire set-up and squat.
• Pull the bar into you.
• Grab the ground with your feet.
• Torque your knees out throughout the full range of motion.
• Control the lift with your glutes.
• Maintain a neutral spine and head position.
• Drive back up into the bar to stand.
Always use spotters during your squats for safety.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 30 of 76
Common Squat Mistakes
Improper set-up.
Make sure that everything is perfect before you start. If you set-up wrong, then your entire lift is
going to be wrong.
You can’t correct your position while lifting so you have to make it perfect before you even take
the weight off the rack.
When you set-up, make sure to take your time. Don’t rush it. Even if you have to do your entire
set-up multiple times, it is best to take that few extra seconds to get yourself in the best position
to lift from, then rush it and risk missing a lift or getting injured.
Your set-up should be exactly the same every single time so that you are always lifting from the
same perfect position and not just lazily going through the motions. If you want to lift big
weight, then you need to take the time to perfect everything, including your set-up.
Grabbing the bar too close or too wide.
Where you place your hands matters, because it effects how well you can transfer energy from
you into the bar. When you are in perfect position your hands should be placed to where you
can best pull the bar into your back to create even more tightness throughout your entire body.
This makes you in control of the bar rather than letting the bar control you. If you bar moves at
all, you are not in control.
By grabbing the bar too wide, you are losing pulling power to where the bar is just sitting on
you rather than attached to your back. If you have shoulder problems that prevent you from
getting your hands in closer, then check out my Mobility Exercises to work on improving your
shoulder mobility and make you to follow my How To Warm-Up Guide to help decrease pain
and increase mobility before every workout.
By grabbing the bar too close, your hands will be getting crushed by the weight and naturally
start pushing back up against the weight to get it off of you. Not only that, but you put your
shoulders and wrists in compromised positions which can lead to impingement and joint
problems. Make sure that you grab wide enough to where you can still pull the bar into you and
not cause joint pain.
Turning toes out too much.
This is a common mistake for many squatters that are taught they get more power by having
their toes turned out when squatting. It is true that turning your toes out helps to engage the
glutes better in squats, however, many people take it too far.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 31 of 76
If you turn your toes out more than 45 degrees you actually decrease the amount of power you
can get from your glutes by shortening the muscle too much. Muscle’s are strongest in their
mid-range of motion and lose power near full extension and full contraction. For the glutes you
will get the most power by turning your toes out only 10-30 degrees depending upon your
stance and mobility.
Generally with a wider stance your toes should be fairly straight ahead and with a close stance
they should be turned out more. This is due to ankle mobility mostly. If you have tight ankles,
turning your toes out can help hide this mobility issue, but it still needs to be worked on. A tight
muscle is not a strong muscle.
Tilting your head back.
Your body follows your head, meaning that if you if you arch your head back, then your entire
spine naturally arches with it, and if you tuck your head forward, then your entire spine rounds
forward. That is why head position is so important during all of your lifts, especially the squat.
To put your back in the strongest position, it needs to be neutral, or flat. Not arched or rounded.
Arching and rounding puts a lot of unnecessary strain on your spinal column and leads to back
problems that you do not want. However, if you keep a flat back, or as flat as you can make it,
during your lifts, then your back will be totally safe from harm.
This all starts with your head position. You should try to keep your eyes focused straight in
front of you as you lift and drive your head back, as if pulling your chin back towards your
neck.
DO NOT LOOK UP! Look straight ahead!
Standing too wide or too close.
Just like you can stand to close, you can stand too wide. If your stance is too narrow or too
wide, then you will lose power and risk injury.
Your stance should never be so close that you cannot reach proper depth or to where your
ankles start to raise at the bottom of the squat. This puts a lot of strain on your knees and ankles,
and takes your hips out of optimal position.
Your stance should also never be so wide that you cannot push your knees out over your ankles
in the bottom position. You should stand no wider than where your knees are the same width
apart at the base of your squat as your feet are. By standing too wide you will put a lot of strain
on your knees, ankles and hips, which is just asking for injury. If you need to, work on
improving your inner thigh mobility by checking out my Mobility Exercises.
Butt-wink.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 32 of 76
Butt-wink is where your pelvis rotates backwards at the bottom of your squat and looks as if
you are tucking your tailbone underneath you. This is not a major issue, unless it is causing
back pain, and most people don’t even know that they are doing it. All it means is that you have
tight, or short, hamstrings that are reaching their full extension in the bottom position of your
squat. So all you have to do to fix this is improve the flexibility of your hamstrings, which can
also make them stronger and relieve any back pain you may have.
Again, you can do this by trying some of my Mobility Exercises and making sure you follow
my How To Warm-Up Guide to get the most out of your warm-up.
Going too low.
Many people don’t actually see this as a problem, but when it comes to strength, every inch
matters. If you increase the range of motion of any of your lifts you have to be that much
stronger just to go that extra distance.
For those that have a close stance, there is a large range of motion and it can even be to the
point of where you are stronger by going lower, because you can bounce your hamstrings off of
your calves to give you a little boost out of the bottom. There is nothing majorly wrong with
this, but if you are going more than just a few inches below parallel, the overall boost is not
going to be enough to make up for those inches when you have over 400 pounds on your back.
For wide stance squatters this can be really damaging to your knees and hips, so pay attention to
depth. You do not want to go so low that your knees are caving in and hips are getting pinched.
Control the entire movement and as soon as you hit depth, drive back up hard.
Not going low enough.
This is probably the most common mistake most people make with the squat. Whether you are a
gym bro, a bodybuilder or a powerlifter, it is NEVER correct to consider a partial squat as a full
squat. There is a place for partial range of motion, but building complete squat strength and leg
development does not come from partial squats. Full range of motion is necessary for complete
muscle growth and overall strength.
With that being said, it is really not that big of a deal if someone doing general fitness does a
half squat or bodybuilders stop a few inches above parallel. Unless you are competing for
something that demands perfect form, who really cares? You do you. Let them do their thing.
Proper depth for any squat variation is where your hip crease goes below the top of your knee.
That means, where the front top of your shorts folds over as you lower into a squat should go
below the top part of your knee cap on every rep. Don’t base depth on the top of your thigh
being parallel to the floor, because as your thighs get bigger this gets harder and your squat
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 33 of 76
stance changes how your thigh is positioned for this. It should always be based on your hip
going below your knee.
Overall, just use your best judgement. If you question wether you went low enough or not, then
you did not go low enough. There should be no question about proper depth if you go low
enough. I always say, “go one inch lower than you want too” and you will always be correct.
If you have mobility issues that prevent you from going that low, then you should work on your
hip and ankle mobility. More often than not, it is actually your ankles that are tight and
preventing you from hitting proper depth, so check out my Mobility Exercises to see how you
can improve your mobility and multiple areas.
Also get my book The Daily 30 to work on your squat technique and mobility daily for the best
results.
Looking in the mirror while you squat.
Yes, looking in the mirror is a problem. It is ok to do every once in a while to check your
technique with light weight, but you should not rely on watching yourself squat every time you
lift. You need to be able to feel how your body moves and not just watch it.
Think and feel. Think of what you should be feeling, and feel it. If you watch yourself, we tend
to get side tracked and only watch certain things. You need to get comfortable squatting without
a mirror, and if all the squat racks are in front of mirrors, then try to ignore it and just stare into
your own eyes rather than looking all around.
This is especially important for those of you looking to compete in powerlifting. In
powerlifting, there are no mirrors on the platform and you will be facing a huge crowd of
people in front of you. This can throw some people off if they are not used to it, so make sure
you practice feeling your squats and looking off into the distance.
DO NOT set-up in a rack backwards to fix this problem. That is unsafe and just dumb.
Neglecting your hips.
The squat is a combination of a knee bend AND a Hip Hinge movement. A Hip Hinge is where
you bend at the hips, the same as doing a bow, then stand back up.
Your back should not do any of this movement. It is simply a stabilizer that allows you to lift
the weight with a neutral spine.
Though this is all true, many people are afraid of putting any stress on their back for fear of
injury. Instead they try not to bend over at all and put all the stress on the knee and ankle joint,
which is not made to take the entire load without the support of the hips.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 34 of 76
When you squat YOU NEED TO USE YOUR HIPS and legs together! They both support each
other during the movement and make big squats possible. If you neglect one, then the other
takes all the stress without any support leading to injury.
So put your hips into it! The Hip Hinge is one of the strongest motions the human body was
designed to do and needs to be used for proper squat technique. Simply set the weight into your
hips when you squat down and then drive them forward as you stand. This is both safe and
correct.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 35 of 76
Squat Variations
Lift variations allow for a different stimulus and can allow for new growth, building up specific
parts of the lift. This is also a great way to target specific muscle groups that may be lagging
behind and need more attention.
Variation can be simple or complex, but to build strength towards the main movements, it is
important not to vary too far from the original lift. Start with simple variations before moving
into more complex changes.
It doesn’t make sense to vary the lift so drastically to where it is a completely different lift that
may not have any carryover to your actual squat.
Here are some Common Variations you can use to spice up your lifts:
• Stance or Grip
• Bar Positioning
• Pauses
• Boxes or Boards
• Specialty Bars
• Range of Motion
• Accommodating Resistance (Bands or Chains)
• Assistive Gear
Variation is a great way to spice up your training, but needs to be limited. If you truly want to
build a lot of strength, then you need to put in the work and not just find ways to make lifts
easier.
Variation is best used with advanced lifters who have already mastered their lifting technique
and progress is stalling. Beginners should rarely use variations in the main lifts if at all, because
the best variation to build up your squat is just doing more squats. It is only after standard
squats are not working well that you should try something different.
Intermediate lifters can try some exercise variations infrequently, but most of the work should
focus on perfecting the main lift.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 36 of 76
Top accessory exercises
The best lift to build up your squat is the squat. That is the same for any lift. However, you can
only squat so much and so often before you start overdoing it to where the benefits plateau.
That is where accessory exercises come into play.
Accessory exercises allow you to get in more training volume and help to build up specific
muscle groups that may need more direct attention.
For example, you can use front squats to build up quad strength or glute-ham raises to build up
hamstring strength.
These are the best accessory exercises to help build up your squat:
• Deadlifts for hip, hamstring, core and back strength.
• Plyometric jumps for maximal strength and explosive power.
• Glute-Ham Raises for hamstring strength.
• Squat Variations for different leg stimulus.
• Goodmornings for hip and core strength.
• Front Squats or leg press for quad strength.
• Weighted planks for core strength.
There are thousands of other exercises that can help build up your strength for squats, but these
are the most effective ones that have a direct carry-over to your squat strength. Improve these,
and your squat strength will absolutely go up.
These are also the accessory exercises you will be doing in any of of our Mathias Method
Strength Programs, including the 12 Week Squat Program in this book!
These exercises are hard, but they are also highly effective in building full body strength like
nothing else can. Work these often and your strength will shoot up!
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 37 of 76
How To Box Squat
Purpose:
Test Leg Strength, Build Leg and Hip Strength
Prime Movers:
Quadriceps (Legs), Hamstrings (Legs), Glutes (Hips)
Variations:
Box Height, Stance, Bar placement, Accommodating Resistance, Specialty bars, Assistive gear
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 38 of 76
The Box Squat is one of the most commonly used variations to the Squat. It utilizes a box to
teach squat technique, decrease the stress of heavy squatting and build strength at specific
depths.
The box breaks the squat into 3 parts so that you can focus on perfecting each part of the lift
separately.
1. By descending under control onto the box you will learn to better control the descent of a
squat.
2. The pause on the box allows you to ensure that your body stays tight at the bottom of the
squat and builds strength at that specific depth.
3. To come off the box you must use more force than normal by exploding up with your
hips and legs in unison building explosive strength.
The box squat is simply the best way to perfect your squat form while building strength, other
than performing more squats.
Your deload weeks are a great time to work on your box squat and advanced lifters can use it
for their main lift on Base Work sessions to take off some stress from the intense weights.
The Box:
Use a box that is strong enough to withstand the weight you are going to put onto it during your
squat. Also, make sure that the box is not going to wobble or slide when you sit onto it.
The box height can vary based upon your goals and mobility. If you lack the mobility to sit onto
a parallel box with proper form, then start at a height about 1 inch below where you can
maintain form and lower the box height 1 inch every 2-3 weeks as your mobility improves. This
will help build strength in the new positions your body obtains through increased mobility.
A higher box height will allow for an overload from the parallel box and a lower box height will
under load the parallel box squat.
Make sure you set the box back far enough that you will not trip over it, but close enough so
that you can sit on it without falling backwards off balance.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 39 of 76
Set-Up:
Grab The Bar:
Grasp bar firmly, with thumbs wrapped, as close to your shoulders as you can while maintaining
a relatively neutral wrist position, that allows you to still pull the bar into your body.
If you grab too wide, then you will lose back tightness and risk falling out of position. If you
grab too close, then you can stress your wrists and will be pushing the bar off your back rather
than creating tightness from it.
Find the best position for you, and if you have shoulder or wrist mobility problems you should
try to improve them before every training session. You can do this with my How To Warm-Up
Properly For Strength Training Guide.
Set Your Feet Directly Under The Bar:
Set your feet directly under the bar in your squat stance so that the bar is directly over your mid
foot.
If you set your feet behind the bar, then you will waste valuable energy as you have to pull the
weight out of the rack from in front of your center of gravity.
You want to be able to stand straight up with the weight and not be out of position.
Set The Bar On Your Back:
Squat down and place the bar in the strongest position for you on your upper back, anywhere
between the base of your neck and middle of rear deltoids (shoulder muscle).
Note: A higher bar position will emphasize greater knee flexion and less torso lean, while a
lower bar position will emphasize more torso lean and less knee flexion.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 40 of 76
Unrack:
Brace Your Core:
Suck in as much air as you can and hold it in, attempting to create as much intra-abdominal
pressure as you can, to stabilize your spine. Then press your lips closed to hold the air in while
flexing all of the musculature surrounding your entire torso, and forcing the air deep down into
your abdomen. This is known as the Valsalva Maneuver.
Hold this tightness throughout your entire set-up.
Pull The Bar Into You:
Pull your elbows down and in towards your hips throughout the movement, as if you are going
to bend the bar over your back. This keeps that bar locked in and it should never, ever slide out
of place, if done properly.
Push Your Head Back Into The Bar:
While keeping a neutral spine, force your head back into the bar, with your eyes straight ahead.
Imagine pulling your chin straight back, and never tilt your head up.
Maintain a neutral head position (straight spine) throughout the entire lift with eyes straight
ahead.
Stand Straight Up With The Weight:
Flex your glutes hard as you simultaneously, extend your knees and hips to lift the bar straight
up, just over the rack hooks. Stay tight while you do this.
Walk It Out:
Slide one foot at a time back 3-4 inches, or just enough to clear the rack hooks, so you are
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 41 of 76
standing in your squat stance.
The farther you move the more likely you are to be out of position and waste energy. The bar
should move straight up and down when you squat, so you do not need to move back very far.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 42 of 76
The Box Squat:
Foot Position:
Toes should point somewhere between 10-45 degrees out depending on your stance width and
mobility. Try different positions and see what works best for you.
If your heels come up as you squat or you have trouble getting to depth, then try either turning
your toes out more or widening your stance, until you improve your ankle mobility.
Grab The Ground:
Suction cup your feet to the ground by spreading your toes as wide as you can, then grasping
the floor with your entire foot. Your entire foot (heel, ball of your foot, and outer edge) should
stay locked into the ground.
Then, while clenching your toes into the ground like eagle claws, create torque by externally
rotate your feet, as if they were to spin in place, throughout the entire motion.
This movement should flex your entire lower body from your glutes down through your entire
legs so that everything is tight, and nothing is loose or relaxed.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 43 of 76
Maintain this external rotation torque throughout the lift.
Note: By grabbing the ground with your foot you are simply creating a strong arch in your foot,
not rolling your ankle. Your feet should not move out of place or come up at all during these
motions. Just create a rotational pressure to stabilize your joints, while your entire foot is
locked into the ground.
Re-Brace Your Core:
While keeping your entire body tight, again suck in as much air as you can and press it down
deep into your abdomen increasing the intra-abdominal pressure. Hold this tightness throughout
the entire lift.
Bend At The Hip:
Initiate the motion by bending at the waist, pushing your hips back slightly, maintaining a
neutral spine as if doing a 3 inch bow. This is a slight motion just to open the hips.
The weight should stay over your mid foot, with no back arching.
Push Your Knees Out:
Push your knees out laterally to open your hips throughout the lift. This better engages your
hips and makes for a stronger squat.
Your knees should travel in line with your toes during the entire lift. If they cave in at all then
you need to work on your glute strength AND adductor mobility (being able to do the splits
better to open up your hips).
Control Your Squat Onto The Box:
While maintaining a neutral spine, open your hips and descend back and down bending your
knees and hips simultaneously until your hips set softly on the box. DO NOT DROP ONTO
THE BOX! Control the entire movement!
While maintaining tightness in your legs and torso, pause on the box for at least 1-2 seconds
before forcefully press back up into the bar as you ascend.
Press your knees out and curling your heels into the ground, extending your hip and knees
together.
Keep your head neutral and knees out over your foot.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 44 of 76
Key Points:
• Stay tight throughout the entire set-up and squat.
• Pull the bar into you.
• Grab the ground with your feet.
• Torque your knees out throughout the full range of motion.
• Control your squat, sitting onto the box softly.
• Maintain a neutral spine and head position.
• Drive back up into the bar to stand.
Always use spotters during your squats for safety.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 45 of 76
How to Spot for Squats
You should always squat in a Power Rack if you have one available, with the safety bars set to
where the bar is about 3 inches away from them at the base of your squat. This can help save
your life if some freak accident happens or you fail a lift.
For those that do not have this safety rack to squat in, or if you are practicing what it is like to
squat on the platform in open space, you should always use spotters. This can actually make
you stronger no matter what weight you are using. Not stronger because they are assisting the
lift, but stronger by encouragement and by the confidence of having others around you.
So if you are not training with a friend or two, you should be! They will help keep you
accountable as you both fight through the tough training. Plus, they will be there when you need
them!
If you do go to the gym alone, don’t worry. Getting a spot for any lift is quit easy. All you have
to do is ask!
Don’t be shy either. If they are too busy, let them tell you that. Don’t assume that they do not
want to help, because most gym goers would be honored that you feel confident in them to help
you. Just make sure you take a moment to asses the gym for potential spotters, if you don’t have
any on hand, to make sure you pick the right ones.
The Spotter
First, let’s discuss what a “spotter”is. A spotter is someone that helps promote safety of the lifter
by assisting the lift in case of a failed attempt.
If the lifter does not fail a lift or ask for assistance, then the spotter SHOULD NOT TOUCH
THE WEIGHT!!! If a spotter does touch the weight, no matter the amount of assistance given,
the lift is considered a failed attempt.
Lifters should always use spotters, especially on lifts exceeding 80% of the lifters maximum
and on sets in which the lifter gets close to failure.
Again, spotters are only there to assist in case the lifter fails. If the weight does not stop moving
upward, then the spotter should not touch the weight, even if it is moving slowly.
All spotter assisted lifts DO NOT COUNT! Period! Exclamation point! Angry face!
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 46 of 76
Choosing Your Spotters
When choosing spotters, it is best to choose people that are focused on your safety. They don’t
have to be very strong, because they do not have to lift all the weight. They just have to lift the
extra 5% you can’t. Your grandmother can spot you if you want! They just have to be focused
on the moment and not staring at the girl across the gym.
You don’t need the biggest, strongest or most experienced person to help you out. They are no
use if they are not paying attention to your lift, or distracted with their own workout. It is great
to get people with a lot of experience, but it can also be really great to teach new people how to
spot too.
Anyone can learn how to spot most lifts in a matter of seconds. Just explain what you are going
to do and what you need them to do in case the worst happens. If they can understand what to
do and be focused on the moment, then they are perfect! It can even be a great learning
experience for them if they have not done it much before.
There are 3 ways to spot for the squat:
1.) Back Spot - most common, but not very safe for anyone.
2.) Side Spots - very safe and highly recommended.
3.) Back and Side Spots - most safe and preferred above all else if possible.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 47 of 76
How to Back Spot for the Squat
A Back Spotter is someone that squats directly behind you and lifts you up in case of a failed
lift.
This spotter should stand close enough to quickly grab the lifter in a split second if needed, but
far enough away that they do not touch the lifter in any way during the lift. There should be
about 3-6 inches of clearance between the lifter and the back spotter’s bodies during the entire
lift.
The Back Spotter should stand with arms hooked under the lifter’s armpits, with 3-6 inches of
space away from the lifter, during the squat. If the lifter fails the lift, then the back squatter
should hug onto the lifter, with hands on the lifter’s chest, helping to guide the lifter up, NOT
back.
If the back spotter pulls back on the lifter, they may pull the weight out of the lifter’s center of
gravity which will lead to the weight falling on the back spotter, likely causing major injury.
This spotting method is common, because it only requires one spotter, but is not very safe.
How to Side Spot for the Squat
A Side Spotter is someone that stands at each end of the barbell and lift the weight up in case of
a failed lift.
This spotter should stand slightly in front of, or behind the weight plates on each side, close
enough to grab the weights if needed. There can be up to 2 side spotters on each side of the
barbell, but one on each side is most common.
The side spotter will need to squat with the weight, having one arm hooked under the end of the
barbell or weights, with the other arm in front or behind the weight plates, leaving only 3-6
inches distance from grabbing the weight.
If the lifter fails the lift, it is very important the the side spotters lift the weight straight up with
the lifter, and at the same speed as each other. You do not want one side coming up faster than
the other making for a lopsided barbell.
Also, try to get spotters that are about the same height.
Having side spotters is very safe and we highly recommend you have them for all of your
intense sets.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 48 of 76
Back and Side Spots
A combination of both a back spotter and side spotters is the safest way to do your squats. This
ensures that the lifter is taking all necessary precautions to lift as safely as possible.
The back and side spotters perform their spots the same as described above. In case of failure,
the spotters will all be there to assist.
If for any reason the bar slips off of the squatter’s back, all spotters should jump back away
from the weight and not try to catch it. It is the squatter’s job to stay with the bar and not risk
the safety of everyone around them by dropping the bar.
Sometimes, things happen though.
You will see this style of spotting in all sanctioned powerlifting competitions and most
powerlifting gyms that care for the lifter’s safety. If you want to lift big numbers, this is the way
to go with your spotters.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 49 of 76
12 Week Squat Program
Build Muscle and Strength with this Squat Focused Strength
Program!
This Program is based on the Legendary Mathias Method Strength System.
12 weeks. 12 weeks to a new squat. 12 weeks to new found strength. 12 weeks to a new you.
Over the next 12 weeks you will be taken on a journey that will lead you to something you have
never done before. You will be pushed and tested every step of the way. You will learn new
ways of building strength that you may have never learn otherwise and you will take your
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 50 of 76
strength beyond what you ever imagined. When you are done, you will be changed and look
back at where you used to be only to see how far you have come.
The only thing to do next is ask, “what’s next?”! The answer, is up to you…
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 51 of 76
Program Chart
Workout 1 - Strength Work
Week
1
Main Lifts Sets Reps % Max
Squat
5
5
70%
Deadlift Variation
4
5-8
50-70%
Workout 2 - Base Work
Week Exercise
1
Squat
Sets
5
Reps % Max
10
50%
2
Squat
Deadlift Variation
5
4
5
5-8
73%
50-70%
2
Squat
5
10
55%
3
Squat
Deadlift Variation
5
4
5
5-8
75%
50-70%
3
Squat
5
8
60%
4
Deadlift
Squat Variation
5
4
5
5-8
75%
50-70%
4
Squat
5
5
65%
5
Squat
Deadlift Variation
8
4
3
5-8
80%
50-70%
5
Squat
5
5
62%
6
Squat
Deadlift Variation
6
4
4
5-8
77%
50-70%
6
Squat
5
5
67%
7
Squat
Deadlift Variation
8
4
2
5-8
85%
50-70%
7
Squat
5
5
71%
8
Deadlift
Squat Variation
7
4
3
5-8
80%
50-70%
8
Squat
5
5
73%
9
Squat
Deadlift Variation
8
4
2
5-8
87%
50-70%
9
Squat
5
5
70%
10
Squat
Deadlift Variation
6
4
3
5-8
80%
50-70%
10
Squat
5
5
75%
11
1 Squat
1
5
1 90%+
11
Squat
5
5
70%
5-10
Deadlift Variation
4
50-70%
12
Squat
5
3
50%
12
Squat
Max Day
Deadlift
5
3
50%
1Use your competition opener for all 10 sets. Usually something you can do 3 reps with.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 52 of 76
All percentages are based on your current max before beginning the program, not your
projected max at the end.
Base your deadlift max on your belt-less squat max, as most if not all of your deadlifts will be
done without a belt to help build up your core.
Beginner and intermediate lifters should base their percentages off the heaviest weight that they
can do 3 good reps with at the start of the program. Experienced lifters can use their
competition maxes or heaviest weight they can do with proper form, not a true absolute max.
You will actually get more out of the program if you go a little lighter than you need too versus
going a bit too heavy.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 53 of 76
Program Details
This is a 12 Week Strength Program that focuses on increasing your squat max. In it I will guide
you through the exact work you need to do in order to reach your new Squat Max, and
eventually to Squat 500+ lbs.!
This program can be used to repeatedly improve your squat until your reach your goal of
squatting 300, 400 and even 500+ pounds! After you finish one 12 week phase, simply take a
week off from squatting and then begin again!
To many, this program may seem like a lot, but to squat more than before you have to put in
more work than before. You have to do hard things, because hard things make you stronger.
This program is best for lifters with at least a year of squatting experience under their belt. If
you have not been practicing your squat for that long or more, then you will benefit more from
my Base Of Strength Training Program, which is made to help you improve all 3 of your main
lifts, simultaneously.
This Program has 3 Phases:
1. Volume Phase
2. Strength Phase
3. Max Phase
Each Phase is 3 weeks long with every 4th week being a deload before starting the next phase.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 54 of 76
Phase 1 - Volume
The first 3 weeks of your training is the Volume Phase. This Phase will focus on increasing your
total work capacity with light to moderate weight and a lot of volume.
This is the time to improve your technique and reset your squat so that your body is ready for
the more intense work ahead without becoming over fatigued.
This Volume Work is also used as a “Strength Reset” in which you give your body time off from
maximal work to prepare it for more progress at your new found strength. This Phase is vital for
your maximal strength, and will have your body craving more intense weights when complete.
DO NOT do any overload sets during this phase! Let your body rest from maximal work.
Deload Weeks
Every 4th week in this program is a deload and recovery week. This week allows your body to
catch up on recovery, build up other weak areas and prepare you for the high intensity workouts
the following week.
This is the time to focus on other accessory lifts, that will help to build up your body’s weak
areas and improve your overall strength.
Your Main Accessory will become your Main Lift for this week and you will treat Squats as
your Main Accessory.
Choose a Squat variation that works on your weakness in the lift. For example, if you have
weak quads you should do close stance squats or front squats and if you have weak hips or
hamstrings, then do wide stance squats or box squats.
The intensity will be much lower on these weeks and you should not push yourself too hard.
Just get in some work to improve your lift, but save most of your energy for the intense workout
the following week.
DO NOT do any overload sets during these weeks!
Week 8 is another deload week, and is vital to allow your body enough time to recover fully
before taking on your most intense workouts during your 4 week Peaking Phase!
Phase 2 - Strength
The next 3 weeks (5-7) are your Strength Phase. These workouts combine intensity and volume
to build up the greatest amount of strength.
These workouts will be long and hard, but you will feel like a true Strength Warrior if you can
© 2018 Mathias Method
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Page 55 of 76
get through them without being crushed by the weight!
Take your time with every set and make sure that you are moving with a purpose on every rep.
Be in control of the weight, and do not let the weight take control of you.
Phase 3 - Max
The final 4 weeks, including your deload week, are what is called your Max Phase, or Peaking
Phase. These workouts are designed to increase your maximal strength and prepare you to crush
your peak week!
This is where you have your most intense workouts before backing off for at least 10-14 days in
order to hit a Strength Peak where your body is ready to lift the most weight for your main lift.
These 4 weeks are crucial to nail perfectly in order to peak at the right time and get the greatest
improvement in your squat max.
Make sure your recovery is on point and you do not do anything out of the ordinary during
these 4 weeks.
Peak Week
Peak Week starts with your Week 11 - Workout 1 and goes until your Max Day.
You will start Week 11 by working up to the heaviest weight that you feel you can do 3 clean
reps with. This should be around 90% or so, of your previous max at the start of the program.
When you find your weight you are going to do 5-10 singles with it, stopping when form begins
to break down too much. If form breaks down before you reach 5 reps then you need to
significantly drop the weight to where you can do clean singles. If you are working into a
competition, then this working weight should be your opening lift.
This workout should give you a good idea of what your max should be on max day. If this
workout goes well, then you can expect to hit 110% of this weight on max day. For example, if
you were able to do 5-10 good singles with 450 lbs. then you can expect to squat 500+ lbs. on
max day.
This is your last maximal workout before your max and you should plan to max 10-14 days
after this workout.
You will finish Week 11 off with your normal Base Work before moving to week 12.
Week 12 is also a deload week in which you will do minimal work and very low intensity for all
of your lifts, so that your body is more than ready for Max Day.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 56 of 76
You will start the week by doing only 5 sets of 3 reps at 50% of your max for both Squats and
Deadlifts, followed by your normal Accessory Work. Keep your accessory work light and easy
on this day and just get some movement in. You do not want to take the week off from lifting,
but you also do not want to fatigue yourself with any of your workouts.
Keep all your workouts light and easy this week and have at least 1-3 days off from all training
before max day.
Max Day
Max Day is your day. It is the day you have prepared for with every workout over the past 12
weeks. You are ready for this and you should wake up feeling super human!
Make sure that you are fully rested on the days leading up to your Max Day and your nutrition
is on point. Stay hydrated and eat normally.
Do not try any new supplements or food protocols around this day. You don’t need to be overly
stuffed or caffeinated to lift heavy. You have been preparing for weeks and you are ready. Just
go do it.
Take your time on Max Day. Take your time waking up. Take your time eating before hand.
Take your time getting to the gym and take your time warming up. This is your day so let it last.
Warm-up slowly and take as long as you need between sets. As you get over 80% your rest
should be between 5-10 minutes, not more or less.
Make sure everything is feeling good and move violently. If the weight is light, then it should
look light. Drive into every rep as if it is your max and make sure your body is prepared to be
explosive with that new max.
If you prepared properly, then this day will be easy for you.
When you are ready, go for it! Be confident in yourself and show the world WHO YOU ARE!!!
It’s Game Time! Go dominate!
If you want some good Game Day Motivation, then check out my motivation book Motivated
Mindset! It will get you fired up for anything you pursue in your life no matter the challenges
you face!
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 57 of 76
How To Max Out Properly
How you work up to your max can greatly effect your maximal strength. The goal is to
stimulate your body for a maximal lift without over-fatiguing yourself to where you have major
strength loss.
If you go in and do a bunch of unnecessary reps you are just going to be waisting energy. It is
better to do more sets and less reps to conserve energy than try to do a full workout before hand.
You wouldn’t run a mile to warm up for a sprint, so don’t make the same mistake here. All you
need to do is feel the weight. When the weight feels good, move up.
Below we give you a common max out protocol, but you can add more sets if needed.
Remember, the goal is to get your body prepared for maximal weight, and not fatigue you.
Take your time between sets and go when you are ready keeping the reps low. Remember to be
explosive with every single rep as if it is a maximal lift.
Here’s how you should max out:
• Bar x 5-10
• 30% x 5-10
• 50% x 3-5
• 70% x 3
• 80% x 1-3
• 90% x 1
• 95% x 1 (optional)
• 100% x 1
Add multiple sets as needed.
All percentages are based on your projected max calculated by your Week 11 - Workout 1
working weight multiplied by 110%. If you used 450 lbs. as your working weight for all 5-10
singles, then your projected max is 500 lbs.
If you had to lower the weight for that workout, then use the lower weight to calculate your
projected max.
It is better to warm-up a little lighter than it is to warm-up going too heavy.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 58 of 76
Training Frequency
This squat program has you squatting 2 times per week. Workout 1 is your Strength Work in
which you will be improving your squat’s maximal strength through intense training. Workout 2
is your Base Work in which you will be practicing your technique and increasing your overall
training volume.
Your first workout of the week should focus on the lift you want to improve. In this case, that is
your squat. Make sure that you have at least 1 rest day before this training day, in which you do
no gym or cardio work. That will allow you to be the most fresh and prepared to take on the
challenging workout ahead.
The second squat workout of the week should occur 3-4 days after your first squat workout. It
would also be best to have a recovery day before this training day, but it is not required. Just
make sure that you are recovering enough.
All other workouts throughout the week should not include squats of any kind. Avoid fatiguing
your legs on other training days, but you can use any training split you want.
This is the training split we have found most effective for this training program.
Day 1 - Squat Workout 1 (Strength Work)
Day 2 - Off
Day 3 - Upper Body Workout 1
Day 4 - Off
Day 5 - Squat Workout 2 (Base Work)
Day 6 - Upper Body Workout 2
Day 7 - Off
On all of your other training days, make sure that you do not push yourself too hard. If
improving your squat is your main focus, then save most of your energy for your squat days.
Just get the work in that you need for other lifts and muscle groups to stay strong. Doing a 5x5
workout at about 70% with small 5lb. jumps every week should be enough to keep your other
main lifts moving forward without over stressing your body.
Do not deadlift on any other training days, either. Save it for your squat days.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 59 of 76
Squat Workouts
All workouts and training protocols follow the Mathias Method Strength
System Principles.
In the Mathias Method Strength System we don’t train muscle groups. We train movements
and base our workouts on improving one lift. This is because lifts like the squat, bench press,
and deadlift are all full body lifts. They take your entire body working in unison to perfect and
do not target one specific area.
By building up these powerful compound movements we will develop strength and muscle
throughout our entire body.
We also believe in using only the most effective accessory exercises. Big bang exercises that
build big muscle and big strength. Yeah, they are hard ones and they make you brutally strong
too.
This training style may be different than what you are used to, but it is what has worked for me
and countless others with the same goal of getting brutally strong.
The details of your training are discussed below.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 60 of 76
Strength Work
The first workout of each week is your “Strength Work” in which you will focus on building
maximal strength. This workout will have the heaviest lifts of the training week and require the
most preparation and recovery.
Over the 12 weeks the intensity will vary to allow for optimal recovery between high intensity
training sessions.
The first 3 weeks will have a gradual progression as you increase your work capacity and
prepare for the high demanding work load ahead. Then every 4th week is a deload week in
which you will take a break from the intense lifting and work on other accessory lifts. This is
the time where you can do a light variation of your main lift and work on a weak area.
The following weeks the intensity will vary between high and moderate each week as you
gradually increase your total work load up until peak week.
Peak week is the last 10-14 days before your maximal lift attempt, starting with your first
workout of week 11. It is crucial that you do this properly to get maximum results.
For your Maximal Work on week 11 you will work up to the heaviest weight you feel that you
can do for about 3 reps, but make sure that you only do 1 rep. This weight should be around
90% of your max or more, depending on your experience level. You are going to do 5-10
perfect singles with this weight, stopping only when you cannot perform the squat with
reasonable form. Be careful not to push yourself too hard in this workout. You want to work
hard, but not get injured before your max day.
After doing 5 or more singles with this weight, you can add a little weight, but no more than
3-5% if you feel good. If it is getting heavy during your first 5 singles, then maintain the same
weight until form breaks down.
Week 12 is your official peak week in which you use very light weight and just work on the
movement. You want to stretch out the movement, and allow for blood flow, but focus on
recovery above all else.
Then, 4-7 days later test out your max by gradually working up in weight. Make sure that you
get plenty of rest this week and only max out on a day that you feel ready, and not fatigued.
Your other workouts during this week should also be light and easy.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 61 of 76
Base Work
The second workout of each week is your Base Work. This is a light to moderately intense
workout to help you get in more work while improving your technique.
Since the weight is lighter, every rep should be explosive and done with perfect form. Do not
take it easy on the weight just because it is light. If it is light, then you should make it look easy
by driving the weight up hard with every rep.
For your Base Work you will be doing at least 5 sets of 5 reps with varying intensities,
depending upon your Strength Work for that week. This should not be a difficult workout,
because of the light-moderate weight used, but you should still put in the work with the intent of
getting stronger. Don’t take it easy on yourself just because it is light. Stay focused and drive
the weight up hard!
The first 6 weeks will use light weight as you build up your work capacity and perfect your
technique. The final 5 weeks will use moderate weight to improve your strength and build
muscle.
Week 12 you will not have any Base Work as you prepare for Max Day. Use this as a recovery
day.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 62 of 76
Workout 1 - Strength Work
Click on any accessory exercise to learn the proper technique.
Warm-Up:
The Daily 30
1-3 Rounds
Weighted Pull-Ups
- x 25 total
Box Jumps (optional)
3-5 x 3
Technique Work:
Pause Squat (<50%)
3x5
Main Lift:
Squat
See Table
*Overload Set
1 x AMRAP/ Daily Max
Deadlift Variation
See Table
Accessory Work:
Glute-Ham Raises / Leg Curls
4 x 6-10
Dumbbell Rows
4 x 6-8
Bicep Curl Variation
4 x 8-10
Side Planks
3 x 45 sec.
Mobility Work
10+ min.
*Done after your main work is complete, except on deload weeks, and never to failure.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 63 of 76
Workout 2 - Base Work
Click on any accessory exercise to learn the proper technique.
Warm-Up:
The Daily 30
1-3 Rounds
Pull-Ups
- x 50
Technique Work:
Pause Squat (<50%)
3x5
Main Lift:
Squat
See Table
Accessory Work:
Leg Curls / Leg Press
3 x 10-15
Back Exercise
5 x 10-15
Bicep Curl Variation
3 x 10-15
Weighted Planks
3 x 30-60 sec.
Mobility Work
10+ min.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 64 of 76
Workout Details
The Warm-Up
Warm-ups are just what you think. They are simply meant too, warm-up your body for the
intense work ahead, not overly fatigue you.
If you are not used to doing some warm-up exercises before your main work, then it will be
fatiguing at first until your body gets more conditioned. This is part of developing the work
capacity to lift heavy weight, so do not skip this just because you do not feel like it. If you want
to get stronger, you’re gonna have to put in the work no matter how you “feel”.
Warm-ups should be relatively easy and never done to failure.
Every workout you do should start with 1-3 rounds of The Daily 30 to practice your movement
patterns and improve mobility while you warm-up. This may seem unnecessary, but it will do
wonders for your strength and help to alleviate any muscle or joint pain you have.
For both training days you will also warm-up with pull-ups. Back strength is actually one of the
most important factors in providing strength for all of your lifts, which is why we have you start
every workout with pull-ups to develop back strength.
If you can’t do pull ups then you can use a band for assistance or replace these with heavy lat
pull-downs, but if you’ve been training for a while you know that there really is no replacement
for pull-ups. They are a vital exercise that our bodies were designed to do and need to be
practiced often. They decompress your spine and build back strength like nothing else can!
You can do these with your hands facing in (chin-ups) or facing away (pull-ups) as you desire.
Do as many sets as it takes to get to the set number of reps, never going to failure.
For weighted pull-ups you want to aim for a weight that allows you to do 5 sets of 5 reps or so.
Adjust the weight as needed.
If you cannot do 10 pull-ups in a row, then either do heavy lat pull-down for 5x10 on your Base
Work training days or cut the reps down to 30 total for those workouts.
As part of your warm up on Strength Work days you can also include plyometrics. This is
optional, but highly recommended.
Plyometrics have an incredible ability to prepare your body for maximal lifts through the
reflexive contraction that they provide, very similar to a maximal squat. The key is to jump to a
difficult height onto a box, but not so high that you risk missing the box. Then slowly over time
try to increase the height. As the box height raises, so too will your squat max!
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 65 of 76
For added strength and performance, follow my How To Warm-Up Guide before every
workout!
Technique Work
Exercise Technique is a crucial part of any movement based training program. Without proper
technique your body will learn improper movement patterns that can hold back your strength
and cause injury.
Technique is so important that it should be checked and improved every time you start a
training session!
Your technique work is still part of your warm-up and therefore only light weights (<50% of
your maximum) should be used to prevent over fatiguing yourself. The focus is on improving
your movement pattern by utilizing perfect form, under controlled movements.
To develop more strength at the bottom of the squat we will use pause squats as your technique
warm-up before every squat session. You will simply do a squat as normal, pause at the bottom
for 2 seconds, then explode back up without losing positioning.
The main goals of this exercise is to prepare your body for the more intense work ahead, build
up weaknesses and increase work capacity.
You should do only 3 sets of 5 perfect reps. Again, the goals are to improve the motion of this
exercise and better prepare your body for the work ahead, not to pre-fatigue those muscles.
After completing your Technique Work, you are ready to begin your workout!
Start with your first exercise by doing the same number of repetitions you plan to train with for
that day. If you are doing 3 reps for your working sets, do all your warm-ups with 3 reps. Start
with a low intensity and work your way up slowly.
The Main Lift
The main lift, or main lifts, of any given workout, is the focus point of the session, where you
put in the most effort. All of the training before and after the main lift is set to better improve
this movement.
As this book is all about how to improve your Squat Max, Squats will always be your main lift
for both workouts. One day per week they will be done at a high intensity with low reps to build
maximal strength, while one day per week they will be done with a light-moderate intensity as
you accumulate volume and practice technique, creating a higher potential for strength gain.
Together, varying between light, moderate and heavy loads will allow for continuous growth
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 66 of 76
without stagnation.
Follow the 12 Week Squat Program Table for your squat sets, reps and intensity.
Always warm-up to your working weight slowly during each workout to fully prepare yourself
for the work ahead.
Overload Sets
Overload sets are part of your main lift on Strength Work training days. For this you have the
choice between either one AMRAP (as many reps as possible) set or working up to a daily max.
These sets are not necessary, but can help build more strength and confidence as you get set for
max day.
If you are feeling good through all of your Squat sets AND your technique is in tact, then you
can choose to add in an overload set. If your squats are moving slow or you start to run out of
energy, then just finish your sets and move on to your accessory work.
Your first option for your overload set is to do an AMRAP for your last set, where you do as
many reps as possible minus one. We always minus one because we do not want to ever risk
failure. It is better to save some for later than risk missing a lift, which stalls progress.
Another option is to finish all of your working sets, then work up to a 1-3 rep Daily Max. This
is a great way to get used to maximal weight but should not be done two weeks in a row due to
its fatiguing effects. Work up to something heavy, but do not push too hard where you lose
technique or risk failure. Save the absolute max for your Max Day.
You should try to hit a Daily max 1-2 times during your Strength and Max Phases, but only if
you feel good during the training session. It all depends on your recovery.
DO NOT do a daily max on deload weeks or during the Strength Reset Phase (First 4 weeks).
Main Accessory Work
Your main accessory is the accessory lift that directly helps improve your main lift. This lift is
included on the 12 Week Squat Program Table and is generally only done on your Strength
Work training days.
For squats your main accessory is the deadlift and for deadlifts your main accessory is squats.
In any program, you can’t talk about squats without talking about deadlifts, and you can’t talk
about deadlift without talking about squats. These two lifts work hand in hand to benefit each
other. That is why we programmed for both lifts twice per week.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 67 of 76
You can do any variation of the deadlift that best helps to improve your squat strength. This can
vary every workout or be the same during all 12 weeks.
The idea for this lift is not to overly fatigue you beyond recovery, but rather just hit your
muscles from a different angle to stimulate new growth. Just get in some work and do not push
too hard. You already did your main strength work. Work the motion with moderate weight and
then move on.
Accessory Work
Your accessory work is just a few hard hitting exercises to help build more strength and muscle
throughout your entire body. You will be pretty exhausted by this point, but push through and
take it as a mental challenge that will make you even stronger.
Your accessory work should be performed with moderate intensity to allow for optimal muscle
growth and proper technique. Always maintain good form to ensure proper muscle activation
throughout the entire lift. Focus on stimulating the muscle rather than just throwing around
tremendous weight. It is important to always be in control of the weight during any exercise
being performed.
For all accessory work, always stop 1-2 repetitions before failure on all sets except the last,
which can be taken to absolute failure if desired. Push yourself, but don’t go so hard that it
negatively effects your recovery for the next workout.
The accessory work for your Strength Work starts off with Glute-Ham Raises. This is one of the
most effective exercises for building brutally strong hamstrings that can support your huge
squat. If you cannot perform these properly I recommend you start with negatives until you
build the strength to do reps on your own.
You can start by kneeling on a pad and having a friend sit on your ankles and descend slowly
under control before doing a push up to press yourself back up. When you get strong enough to
do these without assistance, your squat will likely have shot up significantly by now and you
can start holding a weight plate across your chest.
If you do not have a Gute-Ham Raise at your gym, or a friend to help out, you can just do some
heavy leg curls instead, but it just won’t give you the same results.
Next you will move onto heavy dumbbell rows. Feel free to use straps on these in order to grip
heavier weight, but only go as heavy as you can while maintaining proper form. Then pick any
bicep curl variation you like before moving onto some side planks and finishing with some
mobility work to keep your body injury free.
For your Base Work accessories you start off with a choice between improving your hamstring
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 68 of 76
strength with leg curls or your quad strength with leg press. You can focus on improving your
weak area with the same choice every week, or switch it every week as desired. Then pick any
back exercises you want before moving onto some curls and weighted planks.
If you are having knee pain it is likely due to your quads overpowering your hamstrings so do
some light leg curls at the start of your workout and for extra accessory work to build up your
hamstring strength.
Make sure to finish off with some mobility work to prevent injury.
Rest Periods
Rest periods between sets will vary for each part of the workout.
During your warm-up you can superset all your exercises together, as the intensity is not very
high for these exercises, or you can take your time with each exercise to prevent fatiguing
yourself too much before your main work. It is your warm-up, so do what works best for you.
For all your squats, or main lifts, rest as long as you need between sets, but realize that the
longer you take between sets, the longer the workout will last due to the numerous sets.
Typically rest should be 2-3 minutes for loads less than 75% of your maximum and 3-5 minutes
for anything heavier. You can take longer if needed, but don’t waste all your time waiting to be
ready. It is supposed to be hard and tiring, so push yourself and improve your conditioning if
needed.
For all accessory work, rest 1-2 minutes between sets.
Training To Failure
There are 2 types of failure in training; technical and absolute.
Technical failure is the point in which you can no longer perform a repetition with reasonably
perfect technique. This commonly occurs 1-2 repetitions before absolute failure.
Absolute failure is when no more repetitions can be completed without assistance.
It is good to know what failure feels like, but most of your work should be done with
reasonably perfect technique to build the most optimal amount of strength.
You should really only reach technical failure on the last 1-2 sets of any workout, if at all. This
means you reached maximal stimuli of the muscle fibers and central nervous system while still
performing safe technique.
Reaching absolute failure too often will result in a much greater chance for injury and a much
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 69 of 76
longer recovery period that may extend beyond the next training session. Not only that, but it
teaches improper lifting technique as your body fights to lift the weight, and makes you weaker
in the long run.
If you are training to failure, then you are training to fail!
The idea for strength training is too, accumulate volume for growth over multiple training
sessions per week utilizing perfect practice. This will ensure safety while gaining the most
amount of strength over time.
If you do fail:
In training, your squats should never go beyond technical failure during this entire program,
excluding your Max Day. However, if you ever do fail a rep, then drop the weight by 10%
multiplied by the number of reps you have left in your set and do the rest of your sets in shame.
For example, if you failed your last rep, then take off only 10%. If you failed on your 4th rep
out of 5, then take off 20%.
If you complete the rest of your sets at this new weight with good form, then you can go back
up in weight, but this decreased percentage is your punishment for not recovering properly.
Shame on you! Just don’t blame me for your lack of preparation.
Also, if the weight is effecting your technique too much and you are moving slow or out of
position, then drop the weight by 10-20% until it looks better. It is your job to lift the weight
properly and if you cannot do that, then your punishment is lifting lighter weight until you can
get it right. Again, not my fault. Just do it right and make it look easy!
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 70 of 76
Final Notes
• Things are going to go awry and that is ok. Not everything is going to go exactly as planned,
and it will take time to perfect your deadlift technique no matter your experience level. Just
be patient.
• Just like anything else, whenever you try something new, such as changing your deadlift
technique, it will likely feel worse. Your body does not like change and the greater the
change the worse things may feel. However, after practicing the new technique you will
become so much stronger in the long run. Just trust in the technique and trust in the program.
Practice and you will become perfect!
• Don’t train lazy! If you do, you will develop bad habits that will haunt you for the rest of
your lifting career! Don’t squirm when you Bench, sit off to the side when you squat or
shrug your deadlifts up. Make sure every rep is absolutely perfect and it will help you during
your entire lifting career.
• Recovery is the most important thing! It doesn’t matter what you do in the gym, if you can’t
recover from it, then you are not going to progress. Recovery is the only thing that is going
to hold you back from making this program a success so make sure you are getting enough
sleep and fuel to make this program a success! That part is on you.
• Make sure you are doing your Daily 30 to help with recovery and mobility throughout the
entire program.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 71 of 76
Would You Do Me A Favor?
Thank you for reading and I hope you learned a lot!
Before you go, please do me a HUGE favor and take a moment to let me know what you liked
most about this book by leaving a review! I read all my reviews and I love hearing how my
work has helped others.
Plus, it really helps me out A LOT!
If you were not completely satisfied with the content of this book please emailing me directly
and I will be happy to answer your questions or help you further.
Thank you, and keep getting stronger my friends!
Leave A Good Review NOW!
Leave A Bad Review, Suggest Improvements or Ask A Question.
Email: ryan@mathiasmethod.com
Do you know someone that would benefit from this book?
Share it with them!
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To SQUAT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 72 of 76
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1. How To Squat 500 lbs. RAW: 12-Week Squat Program and Technique Guide!
2. How To Bench BIG: 12-Week Bench Press Program and Technique Guide!
3. How To Deadlift 600 lbs. RAW: 12-Week Deadlift Program and Technique Guide!
4. FULL POWER Powerlifting Program: 16-Weeks to Maximum Strength and Power!
The Strength Warrior Workout Series
1. The Daily 30: The Quick Everyday Bodyweight Workout!
2. Mathias Method STRENGTH SYSTEM: Your Ultimate Strength Guide!
3. How To Warm-Up Properly For Strength Training: A Complete Guide!
4. Base Of Strength: Build Your Base Strength Program!
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Strength is only the beginning.
It is what you do with it next that really matters.
© 2018 Mathias Method – All Rights Reserved.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 2 of 70
Copyright
© 2018 Mathias Method – All Rights Reserved.
No portion of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or
mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without
permission in writing from the author Ryan J. Mathias.
Disclaimer
The information presented is meant to help guide participants through practices that can help individuals
become stronger and healthier through proper use. This information, however, does not promise any benefits
when misused or misinterpreted. Please follow the guidelines as directed.
When participating in any exercise or training program there is a possibility of physical injury. If you engage in
any movements, exercises or training programs, you agree to do so at your own risk. By voluntarily
participating in these activities, you assume all risk of injury to yourself and agree to release and discharge
Mathias Method, Ryan J. Mathias and all other affiliates of any responsibility if injury occurs. In addition, by
following any of the suggested guidelines, protocols, templates, activities or any other information or advice
given, you do so at your own risk. Do not begin any nutrition, health, exercise or training program without
consulting with a Board Certified Medical Doctor and/or Registered Dietician first.
Always use spotters and any necessary safety equipment when training. It is your duty to inspect all training and
safety equipment prior to each use.
By utilizing this information presented you are stating that you agree to our Terms of Use which can be read in
full on MathiasMethod.com/terms-use/.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 3 of 70
About The Author
“I want to make the world stronger, and this is the only way I know how.”
Hi, I am Ryan Mathias, creator of the Mathias Method Strength System and author of numerous
Strength Training, Health and Fitness Books. I am also a powerlifter with nearly 2 decades of
strength training experience, all backed by a Degree in Exercise Science from California State
University-Sacramento (CSUS).
For years I have been helping people all over the world, from beginners to elite athletes, learn
how to improve their training and themselves. Why? Because I love helping people.
I have made it my mission to help people get stronger, because I measure my success not by
how many books I sell, but by how many people I help. So, feel free to email me anytime with
any questions you have and I will do my best to help you reach your goals!
You can learn more about me on my Amazon Author Page or read about My Strength Journey
and how I got to where I am today!
For updates on upcoming books, Strength Journey successes, and any other exciting news Join
My Email List and start getting stronger today!
Join me on Instagram: @StrengthJourneyLeader
Email: ryan@mathiasmethod.com
with any Questions, Comments, Stories or Reviews!
I would love to hear from you!
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 4 of 70
Books By Ryan J. Mathias
View All Books >>
How To Lift More Weight Series
1. How To Squat 500 lbs. RAW: 12-Week Squat Program and Technique Guide!
2. How To Bench BIG: 12-Week Bench Press Program and Technique Guide!
3. How To Deadlift 600 lbs. RAW: 12-Week Deadlift Program and Technique Guide!
4. FULL POWER Powerlifting Program: 16-Weeks to Maximum Strength and Power!
The Strength Warrior Workout Series
1. The Daily 30: The Quick Everyday Bodyweight Workout!
2. Mathias Method STRENGTH SYSTEM: Your Ultimate Strength Guide!
3. How To Warm-Up Properly For Strength Training: A Complete Guide!
4. Base Of Strength: Build Your Base Strength Program!
Get all 4 and SAVE!
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By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 5 of 70
Check out our awesome apparel at
StrengthWorld.store
Use Discount Code "BenchBIG" for 20% OFF your
order as a gift for reading this Book!
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By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 6 of 70
Table Of Contents
A Note From The Author ................................................................7
The Definition Of RAW ...................................................................9
Lifting Equipment .................................................................................10
The Bench Press .............................................................................11
Do Push-Ups Daily ...............................................................................13
How To Bench Press For Beginners .....................................................14
Advanced Bench Press Techniques.......................................................15
Bench Press Principles ..................................................................17
Choosing Your Bench Grip ...................................................................18
Choosing Your Foot Position ................................................................19
How To Bench Press Stronger ............20
Breathing For The Bench Press ............................................................21
The Set-Up: ...........................................................................................23
The Unrack: ..........................................................................................25
The Bench Press:...................................................................................26
Key Points: ............................................................................................28
Common Bench Press Mistakes ............................................................29
Bench Press Variations ..........................................................................33
Top Accessory Exercises.......................................................................34
How to Spot for the Bench Press ..................................................35
The Spotter ............................................................................................35
Choosing Your Spotters ........................................................................35
How to Hand Off for the Bench Press ..................................................36
How to Side Spot for the Bench Press ..................................................37
Main and Side Spots .............................................................................37
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 7 of 70
2 Week Bench Press Program ..................38
Program Chart ...............................................................................40
Program Details .............................................................................42
Phase 1 - Volume...................................................................................43
Deload Weeks........................................................................................43
Phase 2 - Strength .................................................................................43
Phase 3 - Max ........................................................................................44
Peak Week .............................................................................................44
Max Day ................................................................................................45
How To Max Out Properly ...........................................................46
Training Frequency .......................................................................47
Bench Press Workouts ........................49
Strength Work .......................................................................................50
Base Work .............................................................................................51
Workout 1 - Strength Work ...................................................................52
Workout 2 - Base Work .........................................................................53
Rotator Cuff Work:................................................................................54
Workout Details .............................................................................56
The Warm-Up........................................................................................56
Technique Work ....................................................................................56
The Main Lift ........................................................................................57
Overload Sets ........................................................................................58
Main Accessory Work ...........................................................................58
Accessory Work ....................................................................................59
Rest Periods ..........................................................................................60
Training To Failure................................................................................62
Final Notes ......................................................................................63
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 8 of 70
A Note From The Author
Hey Lifter!
I hope you are ready to get really strong, because you are about to embark on an incredible
Strength Journey! The same journey that I followed when I first started!
The Journey to get Stronger!
If you are like me, wanting to Bench BIG, but fighting just to gain a few pounds of strength
after months of training, I feel you! I’ve been there. I too struggle with the bench press and
always have.
For a long time I was one of those people that hated the bench press, even to the point where I
just wouldn’t do it. I didn’t understand the lift and I was not very good at it. Eventually, I moved
past my negativity and, despite my troubles, made the goal to one day bench BIG weight.
I started all over again, going through all the trouble of perfecting the technique and learning the
best way to bench BIG. Now my bench is no longer a weakness of mine! It is a strength!
However, it wasn’t easy for me to get there. I had to fight for every single pound of strength I
got! Which is why I made this book. To give you an easier path to finally discover how to
Bench BIG weight!
In fact, I created the entire series, How To Lift More Weight for all the Strength Warriors out
there that are just like us, looking to get stronger! I really want to help others, achieve their
goals of lifting as much weight as they can dream of in all their lifts!
Just remember, it won’t be easy. You are gonna have to work for it. I am giving you all the tools
you need to succeed, but the rest is up to you.
Before you get started, I want you to realize that no ordinary person has ever completed this
Journey. That is because in order to reach such an incredible strength feat, you cannot be
ordinary. You have to develop yourself into someone that has character, focus and strength
beyond the ordinary. You will have to become extraordinary in your efforts to defeat the
challenging road that lays ahead.
You will have to be consistent, dedicated and self-disciplined enough to persevere to the end.
You can have others join in along your journey, but YOU must be the one that keeps fighting
until the end. No one can do it for you. You have to be the one that decides to not give up and
push on no matter how hard it gets.
I cannot promise that you will reach your goal, but I will guarantee that this program will guide
you as far as you want to go. The rest is up to you. Are you ready?
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 9 of 70
Strength To You,
Your STRENGTH JOURNEY Leader
Ryan J. Mathias
To read my complete Strength Journey, go to:
https://mathiasmethod.com/my-strength-journey-story/
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 10 of 70
The Definition Of RAW
Now let’s start off with a definition of what we powerlifters consider a lift to be done “RAW”.
“RAW” determines the assistance you are allowed to use for training and testing your lifts.
What we consider to be RAW in this book is the same as what most sanctioned Powerlifting
Competitions also consider to be RAW.
This is different than what is considered to be 100% RAW. 100% RAW means without any
assistive equipment at all, as if you were only lifting in shorts and a t-shirt.
During this program, we allow for some safety equipment to accommodate more people and
promote safety of the lifter, above all else.
To be considered RAW you can use the assistance of:
• a weight lifting belt,
• non-supportive elbow sleeves,
• chalk as needed,
• and wrist wraps if needed.
*Non-supportive elbow sleeves are used to promote joint safety by keeping the elbows warm,
but add little to no actual lifting support.
This amount of equipment promotes safety of the lifter while allowing for only necessary
assistance. Overall, the lifter has to do the lift, not the equipment.
The more equipment you use, the more you have to rely on for max day. It is best to only use
what you need to be safe and save the rest for when you absolutely need it.
Drugs and Supplements
Being RAW also does not allow the use of drugs or special supplement regiments that
greatly improve a lifter’s strength, recovery or muscle growth. Basically, if you would fail a
drug test using it, then it is not RAW.
To be clear, no supplements are needed to make this program work as effectively as possible.
End of story.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 11 of 70
Lifting Equipment
Lifting equipment is anything that directly improves your ability to lift more weight. This could
be very light assistive gear, such as knee or elbow sleeves, all the way up to extremely
supportive gear, such as lifting suits.
One of the most common pieces of equipment to use during the bench press is wrist wraps.
When used properly, wrist wraps help you to keep your wrists straight and, therefore, transfer
more energy into the bar as you press. They are also great for decreasing wrist pain when you
are lifting heavy. These are great to use when you need to take some pressure off your wrists,
but need to be limited. If you are not benching over 350 pounds, you really don’t need them.
Chalk is another common lifting tool that is always permitted, as needed, and can help you both
grip the bar and stick to the bench better, but only use it if you need it for extra support. Apply a
light amount to your palms to improve your grip and/or have someone rub it on your upper
trapezius muscles where you press into the bench to prevent sliding while you lift heavy.
Equipment can improve lifter strength and safety, but can also have adverse effects when used
improperly.
If any one piece of equipment is used too frequently, then it will limit your body’s ability to
grow stronger in that area. Essentially, the equipment will become a crutch that then must be
used every time training occurs in order to keep up with the strength developed in other nonsupported areas.
The most effective way to use equipment is only when it is necessary. For example, when
using light to moderate loads (<75%) avoid using any equipment at all to build greater strength
in all areas. Then when you put on equipment for maximal loads (>80%) you will be that much
stronger.
Even if you have an injury, only use the equipment when you need it. If your injury does not
hurt, then do not cover it up with equipment. Allow it to grow stronger.
When you are building strength, use little to no equipment.
When you are testing strength, use whatever you can to improve your lift.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 12 of 70
The Bench Press
The Bench Press is the absolute best lift for both building and testing your upper body strength.
It is an extremely valuable training tool that builds your upper body like no other lift can. If you
have a BIG Bench, then your entire upper body is well developed!
Like most lifts, the bench press is a lift where some people love it and some hate it. Those that
hate it, are usually the ones that don’t understand it and do it wrong. However, if you learn how
to do it right, it can be just as good as any of your other lifts.
With that said, there are 3 important things you need to know about the bench press before you
can start benching BIG.
First, the bench press is NOT just an upper body lift. Though it focuses on your upper body,
you must use your entire body as one unit to lift the most weight safe and effectively. The
biggest part of this is simply setting up in a position that puts the least amount of stress on your
shoulders and helps you to maintain stability as you lift.
Most problems with the bench press come from simply not setting up in the proper position to
lift from, resulting in instability while you lift and high shoulder stress. The body was simply
not made to hold a heavy load with our arms shoved back behind our bodies, and then have to
press it away. That is why it is so important to learn how to lift correctly, so you stay safe while
training to get brutally strong!
Next, the key to a BIG Bench is strong triceps!
The Bench Press is a triceps dominant lift, not a “chest exercise”. Let me say that again...it
doesn’t matter how much you can do pec flyes with, because the triceps do most of the work in
the bench press. That is true for any pressing move we do.
It doesn’t matter if you are doing wide grip or closegrip. Your chest and shoulders work
together as stabilizers that only do some of the actual lift, while the triceps do all of the arm
extension, or pressing work.
The reason the bench press is often considered a “chest exercise” is because your chest is the
weakest link in the chain. Whatever is weakest, gets fatigued first and therefore builds up,.
However, the stronger muscles do that actual lifting.
Same goes for military press. Your triceps do the work, but your shoulders feel it because they
are the weakest link that fatigues first.
For a BIG Bench, your entire upper body needs to be strong, but strong triceps are key!
Everything else will catch up to them as you train more.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 13 of 70
Third, the stronger your back is the stronger your bench press will be.
Having a strong back plays a HUGE roll in counteracting all the big presses you do. Not only
that, but your back strength helps to keep your shoulders healthy so you can bench safely and
more often. If you have a strong back you can stabilize yourself and the weight better leading to
BIG numbers, fast! So make sure you do a ton of back work whenever you can!
Apply these things and you will be well on your way to benching BIG! Now lets’s go bench!
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 14 of 70
Do Push-Ups Daily
The push-up is a great way to both learn proper bench press technique and start off your
strength training career.
If you cannot do push-ups with perfect form, then you are not ready to lift weights. Strength
training starts with your own bodyweight and only when your own bodyweight is not enough
should you progress to weight training.
That is the same for kids, teens and adults. Except for extreme cases, everyone needs to be able
to do push-ups first.
In fact, you should be doing push-ups daily! No matter how much you can already lift, push-ups
are the perfect exercise to do everyday! They will actually help with recovery and make you
even stronger!
That is why I created the Daily 30, which is a quick everyday bodyweight exercise routine made
specifically for those that want to get stronger and recover faster. This routine has you doing a
quick 2 minute bodyweight workout at least once per day to help you build even more strength,
decrease muscle and joint pain, and improve your recovery between workouts.
If you have shoulder pain, or any muscular problems, you are definitely gonna want to get this!
If you want to learn more about the Daily 30 just click the link below and start getting even
stronger by adding push-ups to your daily strength routine!
Learn more about the Daily 30!
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 15 of 70
How To Bench Press For Beginners
How we teach the bench press to a beginner is different than how we teach it to a more
advanced lifter. This is because beginners are still figuring out their body’s leverages and what
works best for them while an advanced lifter knows what does and does not work for them
based on experience.
When you are just starting out and discovering how your body moves with weight in your
hands, begin by doing what is comfortable. Grab the bar where it is comfortable, set up how it
is comfortable, bring the bar down to your chest where it is comfortable, and press up however
it is comfortable. From there you can start making minor adjustments to see what works best for
you.
Try to continuously improve your technique, while maintaining control of the weight and not
letting the weight control you.
If you need to change something then make small changes. Remember, small changes make a
big difference, so do not go from a wide grip to a super close grip. Start with slight adjustments
and see how it feels before changing more.
Realize that things are going to take some time. Just be patient and soon enough you will be
benching like a pro!
Overall, beginners should focus on the basics and getting the general movement down before
trying to apply every detail. The details will come. After benching for a while you’ll start to feel
what works better for you versus someone else, and as your body changes, so too will your
technique. Focus on strength first, and improve your technique over time.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 16 of 70
Advanced Bench Press Techniques
Advanced lifters are those that have been benching for over a year and have developed a strong
base of strength. If you have not been benching for at least this long, I highly recommend you
start with my Base Of Strength Program to build up all 3 of your base lifts while getting a lot
of bench press practice in.
Also, any beginners you know should start off with that program before advancing to the
advanced program in this book.
When benching, an advanced lifter should be specific and focus on the details while their
subconscious does the most basic aspects of the lift for them. This means taking a quick
moment before every single lift to go through a checklist of specifics you need to perfect your
technique.
The Bench Press Checklist
After you set-up and pull the weight out, take a quick moment to check:
• Are you crushing the bar in your hands?
• Are your shoulders tucked back and down?
• Is your chest high and back tight?
• Are your feet pressed into the ground?
• Is your core braced; front, back and sides?
• Are you driving your head back into the bench?
• Are you confident and focused on your lift?
If you can answer “Yes” to all of these questions, then you are perfectly set to bench BIG. The
next step is to perfect your lifting technique.
The thing is, the bench press is a lift that is never perfect and needs constant tweaking. You can
always move smoother. You can always drive harder. You can always brace tighter. There is
always something to improve and focus on.
With every workout, try to focus on one or two aspects of your technique to perfect. If you need
help, asking a knowledgeable friend or trainer can really help. They can give you feedback both
during your set and immediately after to help you see what needs to improve.
If you don’t have that option, you can always record yourself. Just try to video from multiple
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 17 of 70
angles to make sure no technique issues are hiding from the camera angle you chose.
You can also ask me anytime! You can tag me on Instagram @MathiasMethod or Facebook
@MathiasMethodStrength asking for some tips and I would be happy to take a look at your
lifts!
If we don’t get back to you within day, then you can always message us or try my personal
account @StrengthJourneyLeader. I am active on all accounts daily, but I am also a busy guy. I
will get to as many as I can as often as I can, so please be patient with me if the response is not
immediate.
Now let’s find what you need to improve and go bench!
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 18 of 70
Bench Press Principles
All proper bench press technique will have the same principles, no matter your grip or hand
position, that must be followed for safe and effective technique. These principles are presented
below.
• The bar is always in line with your wrists and elbows.
• The bar touches your chest for a full range of motion.
• Your shoulders stay tucked with your chest high.
• Hips stay down on the bench.
• Feet do not move during the entire lift.
These Bench Press Principles apply to all bench press variations.
Any bench press that follows these principles is a perfect lift! Speed is not important. Technique
and control of the weight is.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 19 of 70
Choosing Your Bench Grip
Hand position will vary for every individual.
The goal is to place your hands where you will be in the most safe and effective position to lift
the most weight.
A closer grip increases the range of motion and focuses more tension on your triceps, while a
wider grip decreases the range of motion and emphasizes more on your shoulders and chest.
If you have strong triceps (arms), you may want to try a medium grip and tuck your elbows in
while you lift. If you have a strong chest and shoulders, then you may prefer a wider grip with
only a slight elbow tuck. The triceps are the prime mover for the bench press so a super wide
grip is not usually optimal for strength.
Choose the grip that best utilizes your leverages.
Also, when grabbing the bar, it is best to always wrap your thumbs around the bar. Thumbless
Benching, known as Suicide Grip, is not wrong, but it is dangerous (hence the name) and
prevents you from getting the proper shoulder tightness by externally rotating your hands on the
bar.
Note: For beginners, just grab the bar where it feels comfortable and adjust from there as your
technique develops.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 20 of 70
Choosing Your Foot Position
Your feet are your base point and create stability as you lift.
Your feet can be placed anywhere that gives you the greatest amount of stability, or leg drive,
while keeping your hips down on the bench during the entire lift. This can be with your feet flat
or on the balls of your feet.
The ultimate goal of foot placement should be to get your knee lower than your hip so that you
can get the most leg drive without losing position, or tightness, throughout your body.
If your knee is equal too or higher than your hip when sitting on the bench with your feet flat
and shins vertical, then you will need to tuck your feet back under towards your hips during
your set-up so that your knees drop below hip level. The degree of tuck under is up to you and
the more you tuck them the higher your heel will raise off the floor. This position also requires a
good amount of hip flexor mobility, so make sure that you work on stretching your hip flexors
often.
If your knee is lower than your hip when sitting on the bench with your feet flat and shins
vertical, then you should place your feet directly under your knees. You can tuck them more, but
this will not get you anymore leg drive.
The more your foot is in contact with the ground, the greater leg drive you will have.
Note: For beginners, just place your feet where it is comfortable. You can adjust from there over
time.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 21 of 70
How To Bench Press
Stronger
Purpose:
Test Upper Body Strength, Build Upper Body Strength
Prime Movers:
Triceps (Arms), Anterior Deltoids (Shoulders), Pectoralis Major (Chest)
Variations:
Hand Position, Pauses, Board Press, Floor Press, Specialty Bars, Accommodating Resistance,
etc.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 22 of 70
Breathing For The Bench Press
How you breathe during the bench press can greatly influence your pressing strength.
What you may have been taught before is to breathe in as you bring the bar down and breathe
out as you press back up. This is good if you are in a cardio class using extremely light weights,
and just need to keep your endurance up, but if you are looking to get stronger this is one of the
worst things you can do.
By breathing in as you descend, your body is not as tight as it can be, and is, therefore, unstable.
It is similar to doing a bench press while laying on an exercise ball versus on a solid bench. The
more stable you are, the more you can lift. So you need to think more about how you are going
to breathe during your lift than what people do for general fitness.
If you want to get stronger, or build muscle, then you need to lift heavy, and to lift heavy you
need to have your body braced as tightly as possible to have the most strength for your lift. For
that you should use what is called the Valsalva Maneuver, which promotes the greatest amount
of strength by increasing your spine stabilization through increased intra-abdominal pressure
and raising your chest. The two versions of this are described below.
Valsalva Maneuver:
Suck in as much air as you can and hold it in, attempting to raise your chest and create as much
intra-abdominal pressure as you can, to stabilize your spine. Then press your lips closed to hold
the air in while flexing all of the musculature surrounding your entire torso, and forcing the air
deep down into your abdomen.
Think of your torso as a soda can you are trying to fill up and pressurize. You have your pelvic
floor as the base, your diaphragm as the top, and all your abdominal (front, back and side)
musculature making the outer walls of the can. You want to fill the can with air and flex
everything around it as tight as possible to keep the air in.
A lifting belt can help with this, but make sure that you do not tighten it too much or you will
not be able to get a full breath and raise your chest as high. Always keep your belt loose enough
so that you can put just the 4 fingers of your hand down into the belt against your stomach with
ease. Then when you brace you want to think of bracing out against the belt so that it gets filled
up tightly and your fingers can no longer fit in.
The valsalva maneuver greatly increases your blood pressure and should only be held for 1-2
maximal repetitions, or when you are using over 90% of your maximum. Sets with more than
1-3 reps, or under 90% of your maximum should use the Partial Valsalva Maneuver.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 23 of 70
Partial Valsalva Maneuver:
This is the same as the Valsalva Maneuver, except you exhale after getting past the sticking
point of the lift. This helps to decrease the overall blood pressure increase created by the
pressure and allows for more fluid reps to be performed, while still having a very strong lift.
For the bench press, suck in as much air as you can and brace tightly just before taking the
weight out of the rack. Hold this air as you get set, then suck in again to brace harder just before
you start to bring the weight down.
Hold your breathe while you bring the weight down and pause on your chest, then start to
breathe out, while still bracing your core, after you have made it about half way up from the
bottom, or just past your sticking point.
Then breathe in again before every rep to re-brace.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 24 of 70
The Set-Up:
The set-up is all about getting your body into the strongest position to lift the most amount of
weight, safely and efficiently.
Basically, it is all about tightness. You have to create tension in the right places without wasting
energy and maintain it during the entire lift. If you lose tightness, then you lose strength.
Take your time and make it perfect. If anything is off, then reset and do it again.
Lay Flat on the Bench
Start by lying down completely flat, with your feet set on the end of the bench.
Set Your Hands
After finding your preferred width, evenly set according to the power rings, spread your fingers
as wide as you can as if to engulf as much of the bar in your hand as possible.
Then grasp the bar tightly with your thumbs wrapped, trying to crush the bar in your hands to
take control of the weight, while keeping your wrists straight.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 25 of 70
This is your control point, SO TAKE CONTROL!!! Make the weight feel small while you
become invincible with your crushing grip!
Note: Every barbell is different. NEVER base your grip on the knurling of the bar. ALWAYS
base your grip off of the Power Rings in the knurling, even if you are like me and have your grip
about 1 inch inside the rings. Though some cheaper barbells have their power rings in closer
than competition barbells, it is still a much better way to base your grip. If all else fails, just
close your eyes and grab the bar where it is comfortable and adjust from their as needed.
Set Your Shoulders
Press your feet down into the bench to raise your hips high, then pull your shoulders up off the
bench while creating an external rotation torque with your hands, also known as bending the
bar. Pull your shoulder blades back, together, and down towards your hips.
Next, firmly press your upper trapezius down into the bench, while keeping your shoulders
tucked. Your eyes should be in line with the bar.
This is all meant to create an arch in your chest, not your lower back. Keep your chest high, and
shoulders together during the entire lift.
Set Your Hips
While maintain tension, and an arch in your chest, set your hips down on the bench, to where
your chest is as high as you can get it.
Set Your Feet
With your hips in place, set one foot at a time down on the floor, while pressing down and out
to maintain tension throughout your entire body. Think as if you are trying to slide your toes to
the front of your shoe while pressing down hard into the ground.
Make sure your feet are set in a place where your knees are below your hips and your hips can
stay on the bench, even when you push down harder. If you are having difficulty with this you
need to work on your hip flexor mobility. You can do that by following my How To Warm-Up
Guide or checking out my Mobility Exercises.
Lock It All In
To maintain tension throughout your entire body as you lift, brace your core, press your knees
out hard to engage your glutes and keep your feet pressed into the ground.
After you are set-up absolutely NOTHING should move during the entire lift other than your
arms. No opening and closing of hands, no foot wiggles, no movement at all. If you do get out
of place, start all over until you get it right.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 26 of 70
The Unrack:
Brace Your Core:
Suck in as much air as you can and hold it in, attempting to create as much intra-abdominal
pressure as you can, to stabilize your spine. Then press your lips closed to hold the air in while
flexing all of the musculature surrounding your entire torso, and forcing the air deep down into
your abdomen. This is known as the Valsalva Maneuver.
Hold this air in tight as you lift only breathing as needed between reps.
Pull The Bar Out
While maintaining full body tightness and an external rotation torque on the bar, lock your arms
to lift the bar only slightly over the bench hooks and pull the bar out until it is over your
shoulders. Again, arms should be locked with your chest high and shoulders back and down.
Make sure that you get your lats tight as you pull the bar out as well, to help you stabilize the
entire lift, allowing you to lift more.
Note: No matter the weight, it is best to do this with a spotter handing you the bar to maintain
proper shoulder position. Do not shrug your shoulders forward to lift the weight out.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 27 of 70
The Bench Press:
The bench press is as simple as pulling the weight down to your chest to create back tightness,
then pressing yourself down into the bench as you extend your arms to lockout.
Make sure that you rotate your elbows in as you bring the weight down to limit shoulder strain,
then flare your elbows out as you press for a stronger lift. This both saves energy for when you
need it to press and keeps your shoulders safe.
Pull The Bar Down Down
While keeping your wrist straight and chest as high as possible, initiate the downward motion
by pulling the bar down onto your chest, with your elbows tucked in slightly towards your
sides, and engaging your lats.
Pause On Your Chest
Touch the bar to your chest and pause, without it bouncing. Your elbows should be directly
under the bar and range from a 30-45 degree angle from your sides.
Find the best position for you, and if you have shoulder or torso mobility problems you should
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 28 of 70
try to improve them before every training session. You can do this with my How To Warm-Up
Guide.
Press Into The Bench
Press your traps down into the bench, while keeping your chest as high as possible, and flare
your elbows out as you press the bar up and back over your shoulders where the lift began.
The more you press down into the bench, the stronger your press will be!
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 29 of 70
Key Points:
• Crush the bar in your hands and keep your wrists straight.
• Chest high with your shoulders tucked back and down.
• Keep your hips down on the bench with your knees lower than your hips for
more pressing power.
• Press your feet into the ground with no wiggles.
• Keep your entire body tight so only your arms move during the entire lift.
• Control the entire range of motion.
• Tuck your elbows slightly when you pull the bar down (for shoulder safety).
• Flare your elbows out when you press (for a stronger press).
Always use spotters during your lifts for safety.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 30 of 70
Common Bench Press Mistakes
Improper set-up.
Make sure that everything is perfect before you start. If you set-up wrong, then your entire lift is
going to be wrong.
You can’t correct your position while lifting so you have to make it perfect before you even take
the weight off the rack.
When you set-up, make sure to take your time. Don’t rush it. Even if you have to do your entire
set-up multiple times, it is best to take that few extra seconds to get yourself in the best position
to lift from, then rush it and risk missing a lift or getting injured.
Your set-up should be exactly the same every single time so that you are always lifting from the
same perfect position and not just lazily going through the motions. If you want to bench BIG,
then you need to take the time to perfect everything including your set-up.
Grabbing the bar too close or too wide.
Where you place your hands matters, because it effects how well you can transfer energy from
you into the bar. To transfer the most energy, and have the strongest press, your elbows should
be directly under your hands and in line with the bar when the weight is paused on your chest.
By grabbing the bar too wide, you are losing pressing power by taking the stress off of your
triceps and putting it into your chest and shoulders. Though this decreases the range of motion
you have to lift the weight, you are putting your shoulders in a compromised, and overall
weaker position, that greatly increases the risk of injury.
Your shoulders are not designed to be pushed behind your back with heavy weight and elbows
flared out to the sides. That is why we tuck the elbows slightly in towards our sides and raise
our chest to decrease the stress placed on the shoulder joint. If this feels awkward to you, then
practice closegrip bench press to help build up your triceps strength.
If you have shoulder problems that prevent you from getting your hands in closer, then check
out my Mobility Exercises to work on improving your shoulder mobility and make sure you
follow my How To Warm-Up Guide to help decrease pain and increase mobility before every
workout.
By grabbing the bar too close, you are taking stress away from your shoulders and chest, and
making your triceps work even harder. This is a great way to improve your triceps strength, but
is not your strongest press. You want to use all of your pressing muscles to where they work
most efficiently to have the strongest press.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 31 of 70
Build your triceps strength by grabbing the bar slightly closer than normal, but test your
strength by grabbing in the strongest position for you.
Not touching the bar to your chest.
This is one of the most common mistakes people who do not understand the bench press make.
Whether you are a gym bro, a bodybuilder or a powerlifter, it is NEVER correct to consider a
partial bench press as a correct movement. There is a place for partial range of motion, but
building complete upper body strength and muscular development does not come from half
reps. Full range of motion is necessary for complete muscle growth and overall strength.
With that being said, it is really not that big of a deal if someone doing general fitness does a
half rep, or bodybuilders stop a few inches off their chest. Unless you are competing for
something that demands perfect form, who really cares? Focus on your form and just let them
do their thing.
If you have shoulder problems or mobility issues that prevent you from touching the bar to your
chest, then you should work on fixing these before progressing. It can be as simple as correcting
your form to take the pressure off your shoulders, or may be an actual joint problem that needs
to be attended too. Start by correcting your form, and if that does not fix it, do some Mobility
Exercises to improve your shoulder mobility.
Also get my book The Daily 30 to work on your bench press technique and shoulder mobility
daily for the best results.
Arching too much.
This is a common mistake many people make after being taught to arch for the bench press.
Arching is proper for the bench press, however, some people arch their lower back way too
much.
The main reason for arching our chest in the bench press is to protect our shoulder joint. It is
actually wrong to lay flat on the bench without arching, because this puts your shoulder in a
compromised position and therefore neglects the safety of the lifter.
What is incorrect is over arching to where the arch is mostly in the lower back, not your
thoracic (upper) spine. The goal should be to get your chest as high as possible, and not your
stomach. Raising your stomach too much puts unnecessary strain on your lower back and
decreases your leg drive.
Simply raise your sternum so that your chest is the highest point, not your stomach. For most
people with a lack of thoracic (upper spine) mobility, this may be a very slight motion. If that is
the case you should go through my How To Warm-Up Guide to help improve your arch and
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 32 of 70
increase your overall pressing power.
Over-tucking the elbows.
It is important to tuck the elbows in towards your sides when benching to reduce the shoulder
stress and give you a stronger press, but many new lifters over-tuck their elbows to where they
come out of line from the hands. Your elbows should never be closer to your sides than your
hands when tucking the elbows.
All you are doing is rotating your elbows in slightly so that they don’t shoot out to the sides
when you bring the weight down. This will also make the bar sit slightly lower on your chest.
If you don’t understand what we mean by tucking your elbows, try to mimic it with dumbbells.
Bring the dumbbells down with a neutral grip (palms facing each other), then press while
rotating the dumbbells back to normal (palms facing towards your feet).
Just like the bench press, you are simply rotating your elbows in and out as you lift, so that they
always stay in line with your hands. DO NOT let your elbows come out of line from your
hands, wether using a barbell or dumbbells, because it will torque on your shoulders.
Moving or wiggling your feet.
Moving, bouncing or wiggling your feet during the bench press is the same as if you were to do
it during the squat. It shows that you are not tight and greatly decreases your lifting strength.
Your feet need to be stable during the entire lift. If they are constantly bouncing or changing
position, then you are losing stability and leg drive. Whatever position your feet start in, they
need to stay in that position.
Lock your feet into the ground, by pressing down while driving your toes to the front of your
shoes, and stay there to maintain tightness throughout your entire body.
Bouncing the bar off your chest.
DO NOT BOUNCE THE BAR OFF YOUR CHEST! We are here to build strength, not fake it!
If you can’t control the entire range, then you can’t bench that weight!
You should always be in control of the weight and pause on your chest.
Pausing may be more difficult at first, especially if you are not used to it, but it makes you so
much stronger than touch-and-go benching. For all your warm-ups, and whenever you are using
<75%, try to work on pausing the bar on your chest for 1-2 seconds. Then as the weight gets
heavier, you can use touch-and-go if you need it.
It is like saving and extra boost for when you need it. Still maintain control of the entire lift, but
decrease the pause time as needed. That is how you get a brutally strong chest.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 33 of 70
Wrists bent back.
This is a common problem that is simple to fix, but takes time. You just have to focus on
keeping your wrists straight, with the weight sitting at the base of your palm, during the entire
set-up and lift, making sure to crush the bar in your hand. As your grip strength improves, so
too will your ability to keep your wrists straight.
If you do not correct this, you will be losing a lot of pressing power and start to damage your
wrists. Make sure to keep your hand, wrist and elbow all in line directly under the bar during
the entire lift.
Chest sinks as you lower the weight.
Your chest needs to stay high during the entire lift. If it sinks down as you lower the weight you
are increasing the range of motion and putting strain on your shoulder joint. Both of these lead
to a much weaker press.
As you lower the weight, keep your chest high by pulling the bar down with your back and
sticking your chest out, the same as if you were doing a body row on a stable bar. Make sure
that your shoulders stay tucked in and pulled together during the entire lift.
If you have tight shoulders, your chest may sink when the weight gets to a certain point due to a
lack of internal rotation mobility. You can correct this by trying some of my Mobility Exercises
and making sure you follow my How To Warm-Up Guide to get prepared before every
workout.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 34 of 70
Bench Press Variations
Lift variations allow for a different stimulus and can allow for new growth, building up specific
parts of the lift. This is also a great way to target specific muscle groups that may be lagging
behind and need more attention.
Variation can be simple or complex, but to build strength towards the main movements, it is
important not to vary too far from the original lift. Start with simple variations before moving
into more complex changes.
It doesn’t make sense to vary the lift so drastically to where it is a completely different lift that
may not have any carryover to your actual bench press.
Here are some Common Variations you can use to spice up your lifts:
• Hand Position
• Pauses
• Pressing Off Boards
• Specialty Bars
• Range of Motion
• Accommodating Resistance (Bands or Chains)
• Assistive Gear
Variation is a great way to spice up your training, but needs to be limited. If you truly want to
build a lot of strength, then you need to put in the work rather than find ways to make lifts
easier.
Variation is best used with advanced lifters who have already mastered their lifting technique
and progress is stalling. Beginners should rarely use variations in the main lifts if at all, because
the best variation to build up your bench press is just doing more benching. It is only after
standard benching is not working well that you should try something different.
Intermediate lifters can try some exercise variations infrequently, but most of the work should
focus on perfecting the main lift.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 35 of 70
Top Accessory Exercises
The best lift to build up your bench press is the bench press. That is the same for any lift.
However, you can only bench so much and so often before you start overdoing it to where the
benefits plateau. That is where accessory exercises come into play.
Accessory exercises allow you to get in more training volume and help to build up specific
muscle groups that may need more direct attention.
For example, you can use closegrip bench press to build up your triceps strength or military
press to build up your shoulder strength.
These are the best accessory exercises to help you Bench BIG:
• Bench Press Variations for different stimulus.
• Military Press for shoulder health and strength.
• Dumbbell Press for overall pressing power.
• Weighted Dips for triceps pressing power.
• JM Press for triceps strength.
• Triceps Press Downs for triceps strength.
• Pull-ups for back strength and shoulder stability.
There are thousands of other exercises that can help build up your bench press, but these are the
most effective ones that have a direct carry-over to your bench press strength. Improve these,
and your bench will absolutely go up!
These are also the accessory exercises you will be doing in any of my Mathias Method Strength
Programs, including the 12 Week Bench Press Program in this book!
These exercises are hard, but they are also highly effective in building full body strength like
nothing else can. Work these often and your strength will shoot up!
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 36 of 70
How to Spot for the Bench Press
You should always bench press with spotters, and get a lift off no matter how light the weight is
to you. This can actually make you stronger no matter what weight you are using, because
getting handed the weight will allow you save energy and keep your shoulders locked in versus
being forced to shrug the weight out over the hooks.
So if you are not training with a friend or two, you should be! They will help keep you
accountable as you both fight through the tough training. Plus, they will be there when you need
them!
If you do go to the gym alone, don’t worry. Getting a spot for any lift is quit easy. All you have
to do is ask!
Don’t be shy either. If they are too busy, let them tell you that. Don’t assume that they do not
want to help, because most gym goers would be honored that you feel confident in them to help
you. Just make sure you take a moment to asses the gym for potential spotters, if you don’t have
any on hand, to make sure you pick the right ones.
The Spotter
First, let’s discuss what a “spotter”is. A spotter is someone that helps promote safety of the lifter
by assisting the lift in case of a failed attempt.
If the lifter does not fail a lift or ask for assistance, then the spotter SHOULD NOT TOUCH
THE WEIGHT!!! If a spotter does touch the weight, no matter the amount of assistance
given, the lift is considered a failed attempt. No one finger help or taps, NOTHING!
Lifters should always use spotters, especially on lifts exceeding 80% of the lifters maximum
and on sets in which the lifter gets close to failure.
Again, spotters are only there to assist in case the lifter fails. If the weight does not stop moving
upward, then the spotter should not touch the weight, even if it is moving slowly.
All spotter assisted lifts DO NOT COUNT! Period! Exclamation point! Angry face!
Choosing Your Spotters
When choosing spotters, it is best to choose people that are focused on your safety. They don’t
have to be very strong, because they do not have to lift all the weight. They just have to lift the
extra 1-5% you can’t. Your grandmother can spot you if you want! They just have to be focused
on you and not staring at the girl across the gym.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 37 of 70
You don’t need the biggest, strongest or most experienced person to help you out. They are no
use if they are not paying attention to your lift, or distracted with their own workout.
It is great to get people with a lot of experience, but it can also be really great to teach new
lifters how to spot too.
Anyone can learn how to spot most lifts in a matter of seconds. Just explain what you are going
to do and what you need them to do in case the worst happens. If they can understand what to
do and be focused on the moment, then they are perfect! It can even be a great learning
experience for them if they have not done it much before.
Just make sure that they know not to touch the bar unless the weight is about to fall on you!
How to Hand Off for the Bench Press
The Main Spotter stands at the head end of the lifter, both to hand the weight off and spot the
entire lift.
A lift off is as simple as handing the weight to the lifter. You are not jerking the weight up and
dropping it on them. You are simply handing it to them the same as you would with a 5lb.
weight plate, just with a little more force. It should be a smoothly guided motion by both the
lifter and spotter.
It is important that you are both on the same page before the lift off. Make sure that you have a
routine or signal so you both lift the weight off at the same time. The most common way to do
this is counting to 3. On 3, you both lift the weight into the start position, over the lifter’s
shoulders.
You, the spotter, should keep your hands grasped firmly onto the bar during the entire hand off
and only start to slowly release your grip after the weight has stopped in position. Doing
anything sudden can lead to disaster, so make sure the lifter has the weight before letting go.
You should then stay with the weight by guiding your hands about 1-3 inches below the bar
during the entire lift. It is important that you do not touch the bar, making it a failed rep, unless
the lifter needs help.
As soon as the lifter fails, do not assist with anymore reps. Grab the bar and rip it straight up,
then back into the rack. Make sure not to pull the weight back into you before coming all the
way up or you may miss the hooks and drop the weight on the lifter.
Also, DO NOT give minimal assistance to help them finish the lift. Either they get it, or they
don’t. Doing slowly guided reps does not build strength nearly as well as allowing the lifter to
get the entire rep themselves. Simply rest and do another set instead.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 38 of 70
How to Side Spot for the Bench Press
Side spotters stand at each end of the barbell to lift the weight up in case of a failed lift.
This spotter should stand slightly in front of, or behind the weight plates on each side, close
enough to grab the end of the barbell if needed. There can be up to 2 side spotters on each side
of the barbell, but one on each side is most common.
The side spotter will need to move their hands with the weight, the same as the main spotter,
leaving only 1-3 inches distance from grabbing the end of the barbell.
If the lifter fails the lift, it is very important the the side spotters lift the weight straight up with
the lifter, and at the same speed as each other. You do not want one side coming up faster than
the other making for a lopsided barbell.
Also, try to get spotters that are about the same height.
Having side spotters is very safe, but not necessary unless you are lifting over 400 lbs.
Main and Side Spots
A combination of both a main and side spotters is the safest way to spot for the bench press.
This ensures that the lifter is taking all necessary precautions to lift as safely as possible.
The main and side spotters perform their spots the same as described above. In case of failure,
the spotters will all be there to assist.
If for any reason the bar slips out of the lifter’s hands, all spotters should be there to catch the
weight so that it does not fall on the lifter. This is uncommon, but can be fatal, so PAY
ATTENTION!
You will see this style of spotting in all sanctioned powerlifting competitions and most
powerlifting gyms that care for the lifter’s safety. If you want to lift big numbers, this is the way
to go with your spotters.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 39 of 70
12 Week Bench Press
Program
Build Muscle and Strength with this Bench Press Program!
This Program is based on the Legendary Mathias Method Strength System.
12 weeks. 12 weeks to a new bench max. 12 weeks to new found strength. 12 weeks to a new
you!
Over the next 12 weeks you will be taken on a journey that will lead you to something you have
never done before. You will be pushed and tested every step of the way. You will learn new
ways of building strength that you may have never learn otherwise and you will take your
strength beyond what you ever imagined. When you are done, you will be changed and look
back at where you used to be only to see how far you have come.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 40 of 70
The only thing to do next is ask, “what’s next?”! The answer, is up to you…
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 41 of 70
Program Chart
Workout 1 - Maximal Work
Week
Main Lifts
Week
Exercise
1
Bench Press
Military Press
5
4
5
8
70%
50%
1
Pause Bench Press
5
10
50%
2
Bench Press
Military Press
5
4
5
8
73%
53%
2
Pause Bench Press
5
10
55%
3
Bench Press
Military Press
5
4
5
8
75%
55%
3
Pause Bench Press
5
8
60%
4
Military Press
Bench Press Variation
5
4
5
5-8
70%
50-70%
4
Pause Bench Press
5
5
63%
5
Bench Press
Military Press
6
4
4
6
77%
60%
5
Pause Bench Press
5
5
65%
6
Bench Press
Military Press
7
4
3
6
80%
63%
6
Pause Bench Press
5
5
66%
7
Bench Press
Military Press
6
4
3
6
83%
65%
7
Pause Bench Press
5
5
68%
8
Military Press
Bench Press Variation
5
4
5
5-8
75%
50-70%
8
Pause Bench Press
5
5
70%
9
Bench Press
Military Press
8
4
2
5
85%
68%
9
Pause Bench Press
5
5
71%
10
Bench Press
Military Press
6
4
2
5
87%
70%
10
Pause Bench Press
5
5
73%
11
1 Bench
Press
Military Press
5-10
4
1
5
1 90%+
11
Pause Bench Press
5
5
75%
Bench Press
5
3
50%
12
Bench Press
12
1Use
Sets Reps % Max
Workout 2 - Base Work
Sets Reps % Max
65%
Max Day
your competition opener for all 10 sets. Usually something you can do 3 reps with.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 42 of 70
All percentages are based on your current max before beginning the program, not your
projected max at the end.
Make sure that you find both your Bench Press Max and Military Press Max before starting the
program, to base your percentages on.
Beginner and intermediate lifters should base their percentages on the heaviest weight that they
can do 3 good reps with at the start of the program. Experienced lifters can use their
competition maxes or heaviest weight they can do with proper form, not a true absolute max.
You will actually get more out of the program if you go a little lighter than you need too versus
going a bit too heavy.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 43 of 70
Program Details
This is a 12 Week Strength Program that focuses on increasing your bench press max. In it I
will guide you through the exact work you need to do in order to reach your new Bench Max!
This program can be used to repeatedly improve your bench press until your reach your goal of
benching 300, 400 and even 500+ pounds! After you finish one 12 week phase, simply take a
week off from benching and then begin again!
This program may seem like a lot, but to bench more than before you have to put in more work
than before. You have to do hard things, because hard things make you stronger.
This program is best for lifters with at least a year of bench press experience under their belt. If
you have not been benching for that long or more, then you will benefit more from my Base Of
Strength Training Program, which is made to help you improve all 3 of your main lifts,
simultaneously.
This Program has 3 Phases:
1. Volume Phase
2. Strength Phase
3. Max Phase
Each Phase is 3 weeks long with every 4th week being a deload before starting the next phase.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 44 of 70
Phase 1 - Volume
The first 3 weeks of your training is the Volume Phase. This Phase will focus on increasing your
total work capacity with light to moderate weight and a lot of volume.
This is the time to improve your technique and recover so that your body is ready for the more
intense work ahead without becoming over fatigued.
This Volume Work is also used as a “Strength Reset” in which you give your body time off from
maximal work to prepare it for more progress at your new found strength. This Phase is vital for
your maximal strength, and will have your body craving more intense weights when complete.
DO NOT do any overload sets during this phase! Let your body rest from maximal work.
Deload Weeks
Every 4th week in this program is a deload and recovery week. This week allows your body to
catch up on recovery, build up other weak areas and prepare you for the high intensity workouts
the following week.
This is the time to focus on other accessory lifts, that will help to build up your body’s weak
areas and improve your overall strength.
Your Main Accessory (Military Press) will become your Main Lift for this week and you will
treat the Bench Press as your Main Accessory.
After doing all your main work, choose a Bench Press variation that works on your weakness in
the lift. For example, if you have weak triceps you should do closegrip bench press or floor
press and if you have weak shoulders and chest, then do incline bench press or dumbbell bench
press.
The intensity will be much lower on these weeks and you should not push yourself too hard.
Just get in some work to improve your lift, but save most of your energy for the intense workout
the following week.
DO NOT do any overload sets during these weeks!
Week 8 is another deload week, and is vital to allow your body enough time to recover fully
before taking on your most intense workouts during your 4 week Peaking Phase!
Phase 2 - Strength
The next 3 weeks (5-7) are your Strength Phase. These workouts combine intensity and volume
to build up the greatest amount of strength.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 45 of 70
These workouts will be long and hard, but you will feel like a true Strength Warrior if you can
get through them without being crushed by the weight!
Take your time with every set and make sure that you are moving with a purpose on every rep.
Be in control of the weight, and do not let the weight take control of you.
Phase 3 - Max
The final 4 weeks, including your deload week, are what is called your Max Phase, or Peaking
Phase. These workouts are designed to increase your maximal strength and prepare you to crush
your Peak Week!
This is where you have your most intense workouts before backing off for at least 10-14 days in
order to hit a Strength Peak where your body is ready to lift the most weight.
These 4 weeks are crucial to nail perfectly in order to peak at the right time and get the greatest
improvement in your bench press max.
Make sure your recovery is on point and you do not do anything out of the ordinary during
these 4 weeks.
Peak Week
Peak Week starts with your Week 11 - Workout 1 and goes until your Max Day.
You will start Week 11 by working up to the heaviest weight that you can do 3 clean reps with.
This should be around 90% or more, of your previous max at the start of the program.
When you find your weight you are going to do 5-10 singles with it, stopping when form begins
to break down too much. If form breaks down before you reach 5 reps then you need to
significantly drop the weight to where you can do clean singles.
If you are working into a competition, then this working weight should be your opening lift.
This workout should give you a good idea of what your max should be on max day. If this
workout goes well, then you can expect to hit 110% of this weight on max day. For example, if
you were able to do 5-10 good singles with 275 lbs. then you can expect to bench 300+ lbs. on
max day.
This is your last maximal workout before your max day and you should plan to max 10-14 days
after this workout.
You will finish Week 11 off with your normal Base Work before moving to week 12.
Week 12 is also a deload week in which you will do minimal work and very low intensity for all
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 46 of 70
of your lifts, so that your body is more than ready for Max Day.
You will start the week by doing only 5 sets of 3 reps at 50% of your max for both Bench Press
and Military Press, followed by your normal Accessory Work. Keep your accessory work light
and easy on this day and just get some movement in. You do not want to take the week off from
lifting, but you also do not want to fatigue yourself with any of your workouts.
Keep all your workouts light and easy this week and have at least 1-3 days off from all training
before max day.
Max Day
Max Day is your day. It is the day you have prepared for with every workout over the past 12
weeks. You are ready for this and you should wake up feeling super human!
Make sure that you are fully rested on the days leading up to your Max Day and your nutrition
is on point. Stay hydrated and eat normally.
Do not try any new supplements or food protocols around this day. You don’t need to be overly
stuffed or caffeinated to lift heavy. You have been preparing for weeks and you are ready. Just
go do it.
Take your time on Max Day. Take your time waking up. Take your time eating before hand.
Take your time getting to the gym and take your time warming up. This is your day so let it last.
Warm-up slowly and take as long as you need between sets. As you get over 80% your rest
should be between 5-10 minutes, not more or less.
Make sure everything is feeling good and move violently. If the weight is light, then it should
look light. Drive into every rep as if it is your max and make sure your body is prepared to be
explosive with that new max.
If you prepared properly, then this day will be easy for you.
When you are ready, go for it! Be confident in yourself and show the world WHO YOU ARE!!!
It’s Game Time! Go dominate!
If you want some good Game Day Motivation, then check out my motivation book Motivated
Mindset! It will get you fired up for anything you pursue in your life no matter the challenges
you face!
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 47 of 70
How To Max Out Properly
How you work up to your max can greatly effect your maximal strength. The goal is to
stimulate your body for a maximal lift without over-fatiguing yourself to where you have major
strength loss.
If you go in and do a bunch of unnecessary reps you are just going to be waisting energy. It is
better to do more sets and less reps to conserve energy than try to do a full workout before hand.
You wouldn’t run a mile to warm up for a sprint, so don’t make the same mistake here. All you
need to do is feel the weight. When the weight feels good, move up.
Below we give you a common max out protocol, but you can add more sets if needed.
Remember, the goal is to get your body prepared for maximal weight, and not fatigue you.
Take your time between sets and go when you are ready keeping the reps low. Remember to be
explosive with every single rep as if it is a maximal lift.
Here’s how you should max out:
• Bar x 5-10
• 30% x 5-10
• 50% x 3-5
• 70% x 3
• 80% x 1-3
• 90% x 1
• 95% x 1 (optional)
• 100% x 1
Add multiple sets as needed.
All percentages are based on your projected max calculated by your Week 11 - Workout 1
working weight multiplied by 110%. If you used 275 lbs. as your working weight for all 5-10
singles, then your projected max is 300 lbs.
If you had to lower the weight for that workout, then use the lower weight to calculate your
projected max.
It is better to warm-up a little lighter than it is to warm-up going too heavy.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 48 of 70
Training Frequency
This bench program has you benching 2 times per week. Workout 1 is your Strength Work in
which you will be improving your bench’s maximal strength through intense training. Workout
2 is your Base Work in which you will be practicing your technique and increasing your overall
training volume.
Your first workout of the week should focus on the lift you want to improve. In this case, that is
your bench press. Make sure that you have at least 1 rest day before this training day, in which
you do no gym or cardio work. That will allow you to be the most fresh and prepared to take on
the challenging workout ahead.
The second bench press workout of the week should occur 3-4 days after your first bench press
workout. It would also be best to have a recovery day before this training day, but it is not
required. Just make sure that you are recovering enough.
All other workouts throughout the week should not include upper body presses of any kind.
Avoid fatiguing your upper body on other training days, but you can use any training split you
want.
This is the training split we have found most effective for this training program.
Day 1 - Bench Press Workout 1 (Strength Work)
Day 2 - Off
Day 3 - Lower Body Workout 1
Day 4 - Off
Day 5 - Bench Press Workout 2 (Base Work)
Day 6 - Lower Body Workout 2
Day 7 - Off
*Legs, back and biceps are all trained during Mathias Method lower body workouts for
efficiency.
On all of your other training days, make sure that you do not push yourself too hard. If
improving your bench press is your main focus, then save most of your energy for your bench
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 49 of 70
days. Just get the work in that you need for other lifts and muscle groups to stay strong. Doing a
5x5 workout at about 70% with small 5lb. jumps every week should be enough to keep your
other main lifts moving forward without over stressing your body.
Do not do upper body presses on any other training days, either. Save it for your bench press
days.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 50 of 70
Bench Press Workouts
All workouts and training protocols follow the Mathias Method Strength
System Principles.
In the Mathias Method Strength System we don’t train muscle groups. We train lifts and base
our workouts on improving that one lift. This is because lifts like the squat, bench press, and
deadlift are all full body lifts. They take your entire body working in unison to perfect and do
not target one specific area.
By building up these powerful compound movements we will develop strength and muscle
throughout our entire body.
We also believe in using only the most effective accessory exercises. Big bang exercises that
build big muscle and big strength. Yeah, they are hard ones and they make you brutally strong
too.
This training style may be different than what you are used to, but it is what has worked for me
and countless others with the same goal of getting brutally strong.
The details of your training are discussed below.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 51 of 70
Strength Work
The first workout of each week is your “Strength Work” in which you will focus on building
maximal strength. This workout will have the heaviest lifts of the training week and require the
most preparation and recovery.
Over the 12 weeks the intensity will vary to allow for optimal recovery between high intensity
training sessions.
The first 3 weeks of each phase will have a gradual progression as you work up in weight,
getting closer to your max each week. Then every 4th week is a deload week in which you will
take a break from the intense lifting and work on other accessory lifts. This is the time where
you can do a light variation of your main lift and work on a weak area. These 4 week phases get
increasingly harder as you work towards your peak week.
Peak week is the last 10-14 days before your maximal lift attempt, starting with your first
workout of week 11. It is crucial that you do this properly to get maximum results.
For your Maximal Work on week 11 you will work up to the heaviest weight you feel that you
can do for about 3 reps, but make sure that you only do 1 rep. This weight should be around
90% of your max or more, depending on your experience level. You are going to do 5-10
perfect singles with this weight, stopping only when you cannot perform the lift with reasonable
form. Be careful not to push yourself too hard in this workout. You want to work hard, but not
get injured before your max day.
After doing 5 or more singles with this weight, you can add a little weight, but no more than
3-5% if you feel good. If it is getting heavy during your first 5 singles, then maintain the same
weight until form breaks down.
Week 12 is your official peak week in which you use very light weight and just work on the
movement. You want to stretch out the movement, and allow for blood flow, but focus on
recovery above all else.
Then, 4-7 days later test out your max by gradually working up in weight. Make sure that you
get plenty of rest this week and only max out on a day that you feel ready, and not fatigued.
Your other workouts during this week should also be light and easy.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 52 of 70
Base Work
The second bench workout of each week is your Base Work. This is a light to moderately
intense workout to help you get in more work while improving your technique.
Since the weight is lighter, every rep should be explosive and done with perfect form. Do not
take it easy on the weight just because it is light. If it is light, then you should make it look easy
by driving the weight up hard with every rep.
For your Base Work you will be doing at least 5 sets of 5 reps with gradually increasing
intensity. This should not be a difficult workout, because of the light-moderate weight used, but
you should still put in the work with the intent of getting stronger. Don’t take it easy on yourself
just because it is light. Stay focused and drive the weight up hard!
The first 6 weeks will use light weight as you build up your work capacity and perfect your
technique. The final 5 weeks will use moderate weight to improve your strength and build
muscle.
Week 12 you will not have any Base Work as you prepare for Max Day. Use this as a recovery
day.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 53 of 70
Workout 1 - Strength Work
Click on any accessory exercise to learn the proper technique.
Warm-Up:
The Daily 30
1-3 Rounds
Back Exercise
3-5 x 10
Technique Work:
Pause Bench Press (<50%)
3x5
Main Lift:
Bench Press
See Program Chart
*Overload Set
1 x AMRAP/ Daily Max
Military Press
See Program Chart
Accessory Work:
Dumbbell Press
4 x 6-8
Cable Press Downs
5 x 10-12
Face Pulls
5 x 10-15
Rotator Cuff Work (optional)
4 x 15-25
Hanging Leg Raises or Weighted Crunches
5 x 5-10
Mobility Work
10+ min.
*Done after your main work is complete, except on deload weeks, and never to failure.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 54 of 70
Workout 2 - Base Work
Click on any accessory exercise to learn the proper technique.
Warm-Up:
The Daily 30
1-3 Rounds
Face Pulls
3-5 x 10-15
Technique Work:
Pause Bench Press (<50%)
3x5
Main Lift:
Pause Bench Press
See Program Chart
Accessory Work:
Incline Dumbbell Press
4 x 10-12
Dumbbell Military Press
4 x 10-15
Rolling Dumbbell Skull Crushers
4 x 10-15
Reverse Flyes
4 x 10-15
Lateral Raises
4 x 10-15
Rotator Cuff Work (optional)
4 x 15-25
Leg Raises or Crunches
5 x 10-15
Mobility Work
10+ min.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 55 of 70
Rotator Cuff Work:
The shoulder joint is the most movable joint in the body. Due to this, it is also one of the most
common joints to injur.
Most shoulder injuries, and general pain, can be easily prevented and even cured just by simply
taking some time to work on them.
Our shoulder is simply a stabilizer to pushing and pulling motions. However, most gym goers
do way too many pressing exercises and not nearly enough pulling exercises. This puts the
shoulder joint in a compromised position as it sits forward in the joint, misplaced and in pain.
To fix this, and prevent it, make sure that you are doing a lot of back work in the form of both
vertical and horizontal rows. Also, make sure you are doing some direct rotator cuff work at
least once per week to help improve your shoulder integrity and make for a stronger, more
stable joint to press from.
Rotator Cuff strength is crucial for complete shoulder health. The rotator cuff musculature is
composed of multiple small muscles that hold the shoulder joint into its socket. If these muscles
are weak or out of balance then your shoulder health is compromised and you are at high risk
for injury.
With this in mind, doing some shoulder mobility and rotator cuff work will allow for you to
move better and get stronger.
Commonly, our shoulders have enough, or even too much, internal rotation strength and we
need to increase the external rotation strength to help establish balance.
You should do your rotary cuff work AFTER (never before) your upper body pressing workouts
or on off days, but never at the beginning of a pressing workout.
Make sure to control the entire movement and it is best to use a cable or band. Do not do these
exercises just by holding a light weight plate or dumbbell. That does little to nothing for your
shoulder and only trains your biceps.
Do 4 sets of 15-25 reps 1-2 times per week to keep your shoulders healthy.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 56 of 70
Working The Rotator Cuff
Purpose: Increase Rotary Cuff Musculature Strength, Improve Shoulder Integrity
Prime Movers: Infraspinatus (Shoulder), Teres Minor (Shoulder)
To work the external rotators of your shoulder, you must go through an external rotation of the
humerus, or upper arm bone, with appropriately added resistance. It is best to use a band or
cable with light resistance to keep constant tension on the muscle.
Begin by grasping a band, or single cable attachment, with one hand. Have the band or cable
anchored near hip height.
Go through multiple movements that include external rotation of the humerus such as with your
elbow out horizontally from your shoulder to where you rotate your hand back over your
shoulder, or to your side where you rotate your hand out laterally.
Work the rotator cuff from multiple angles. As long as you are externally rotating, you are
working the rotator cuff.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 57 of 70
Workout Details
The Warm-Up
Warm-ups are just what you think. They are simply meant too, warm-up your body for the
intense work ahead, not overly fatigue you.
If you are not used to doing some warm-up exercises before your main work, then it will be
fatiguing at first until your body gets more conditioned. This is part of developing the work
capacity to lift heavy weight, so do not skip this just because you do not feel like it. If you want
to get stronger, you’re gonna have to put in the work no matter how you “feel”.
Warm-ups should be relatively easy and never done to failure.
Every workout you do should start with 1-3 rounds of The Daily 30 to practice your movement
patterns and improve mobility while you warm-up. This may seem unnecessary, but it will do
wonders for your strength and help to alleviate any muscle or joint pain you have.
For both training days your first warm-up exercise will be a pulling exercise to help counteract
all the pressing you are about to do. Back strength is actually one of the most important factors
in providing strength for all of your lifts, which is why we have you start every workout with
pulls to develop back strength.
Choose any back exercise that you feel helps you keep your shoulders healthy and back strong.
It is best to do a horizontal row versus something like a cable pull-down, because of the angle
of pull mimicking a bench press. Keep the weight moderate and really warm-up your back.
For added strength and performance, follow my How To Warm-Up Guide before every
workout!
Technique Work
Exercise Technique is a crucial part of any movement based training program. Without proper
technique your body will learn improper movement patterns that can hold back your strength
and cause injury.
Technique is so important that it should be checked and improved every time you start a
training session!
Your technique work is still part of your warm-up and therefore only light weights (<50% of
your maximum) should be used to prevent over fatiguing yourself. The focus is on improving
your movement pattern by utilizing perfect form, under controlled movements.
To develop more strength off your chest, we will use pause bench as your technique warm-up so
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 58 of 70
you can get more time in that position. You will simply do your bench press as normal, pause at
the bottom for 2 seconds, then explode back up without losing positioning. That will help to
make the weak point of the lift your strong point for lifting BIG weight!
The main goals of this extra work is to prepare your body for the more intense work ahead,
build up weaknesses and increase work capacity.
You should do only 3 sets of 5 perfect reps. Again, the goals are to improve the motion of this
exercise and better prepare your body for the work ahead, not to pre-fatigue those muscles.
After completing your Technique Work, you are ready to begin your workout!
Start with your first exercise by doing the same number of repetitions you plan to train with for
that day. If you are doing 3 reps for your working sets, do all your warm-ups with 3 reps. Start
with a low intensity and work your way up slowly.
The Main Lift
The main lift, or main lifts, of any given workout, is the focus point of the session, where you
put in the most effort. All of the training before and after the main lift is set to better improve
this movement.
As this book is all about how to improve your Bench Max, bench press will always be your
main lift for both workouts. One day per week they will be done at a high intensity with low
reps to build maximal strength, while one day per week they will be done with a light-moderate
intensity as you accumulate volume and practice technique, creating a higher potential for
strength gain.
Together, varying between light, moderate and heavy loads will allow for continuous growth
without stagnation.
Follow the 12 Week Bench Press Program Table for your bench press sets, reps and intensity.
Always warm-up to your working weight slowly during each workout to fully prepare yourself
for the work ahead.
You should pause all of your bench press work, until it gets too heavy to do so. Touch and go is
good for testing your strength, as long as you’re not in competition, but pause bench is better
for building strength. If you’re like me, then after a while you will actually be stronger with
pause press than a touch and go.
The Bench Press is a triceps dominant lift, which means your triceps strength has the greatest
carryover to your bench press strength. If you want a big bench, then you need strong triceps!
One simple thing you can do to greatly increase your triceps strength, above all else, is do all of
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 59 of 70
your main work with a closer grip than normal to focus more on the triceps. Then when the
weight starts to get heavy, or moves slow, you can widen your grip and get some extra power.
Just by simply making the lift a little harder, it will add that much more to your strength in the
long run.
Now, you don’t need to have a super narrow grip to focus on your triceps, and you don’t want to
vary too far from your normal grip or else your technique will be too far off. Simply just move
each hand in no more than 1 inch to help put a little more stress on your triceps.
As you get towards the end of your sets, or start to work up in weight, widen your grip back to
normal so that you still get plenty of practice in with your strongest grip.
Overload Sets
Overload sets are part of your main lift on Strength Work training days. For this you have the
choice between either one AMRAP (as many reps as possible) set or working up to a daily max.
These sets are not necessary, but can help build more strength and confidence as you get set for
max day.
If you are feeling good through all of your bench press sets AND your technique is in tact, then
you can choose to add in an overload set. If the weight is moving slow or you start to run out of
energy, then just finish your sets and move on to your accessory work.
Your first option for your overload set is to do an AMRAP for your last set, where you do as
many reps as possible minus one. We always minus one because we do not want to ever risk
failure. It is better to save some for later than risk missing a lift, which stalls progress.
Another option is to finish all of your working sets, then work up to a 1-3 rep Daily Max. This
is a great way to get used to maximal weight, but should not be done two weeks in a row due to
its fatiguing effects. Work up to something heavy, but do not push too hard where you lose
technique or risk failure. Save the absolute max for your Max Day.
You should try to hit a Daily max 1-2 times during your Strength and Max Phases, but only if
you feel good during the training session. It all depends on your recovery.
DO NOT do a daily max on deload weeks or during the Strength Reset Phase (First 4 weeks).
Main Accessory Work
Your main accessory is the accessory lift that directly helps improve your main lift. This lift is
included on the 12 Week Bench Press Program Table and is generally only done on your
Strength Work training days.
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How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 60 of 70
For the bench press your main accessory is military press and for military press your main
accessory is bench press.
In any program, you can’t talk about bench press without talking about military press. These
two lifts work hand in hand to benefit each other. That is why we programmed for both lifts
twice per week.
Military press builds your shoulder strength like no other lift can, and will help improve the
mid-range of your bench press so that you are less likely to stall there. Make sure to do these
standing to incorporate your whole body into the movement, the same as bench press.
If you cannot do military press with a barbell due to shoulder problems, then use dumbbells,
and work on fixing your shoulder. An injured shoulder is a weak shoulder, so get it fixed no
matter what you have to do, so you can reach your goals. Ignoring it is not going to fix
anything.
The idea for your main accessory lift is not to overly fatigue you beyond recovery, but rather
just hit your muscles from a different angle to stimulate new growth. Just get in some work, but
do not push too hard. You already did your main strength work. Work the motion with moderate
weight and then move on.
Accessory Work
Your accessory work is just a few hard hitting exercises to help build more muscle and strength
throughout your entire body. You will be pretty exhausted by this point, but push through and
take it as a mental challenge that will make you even stronger.
Your accessory work should be performed with moderate intensity to allow for optimal muscle
growth and proper technique. Always maintain good form to ensure proper muscle activation
throughout the entire lift. Focus on stimulating the muscle rather than just throwing around
tremendous weight. It is important to always be in control of the weight during any exercise
being performed.
For all accessory work, always stop 1-2 repetitions before failure on all sets except the last,
which can be taken to absolute failure if desired. Push yourself, but don’t go so hard that it
negatively effects your recovery for the next workout.
The accessory work for your Strength Work starts off with dumbbell press. This is one of the
best bench press accessory exercises you can do, because it mimics the bench press with more
freedom of movement. This helps to build up your stabilizing muscles, plus you can change the
angle of your hands to target different muscles and even increase the range of motion by letting
your hands drop slightly lower than your chest.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 61 of 70
After doing all that pressing work it will be time to target the most important muscle to increase
your bench press and get more direct work in…your triceps! You will do cable press downs to
build both big and strong triceps ready to press BIG weight with ease. You have already done a
ton of heavy tricep work with all your presses so this is a relatively easy triceps exercise to help
finish them off for the day. Go moderately heavy and make sure you feel your triceps giving out
before you move on to the next exercise.
Next up is face pulls. These are great for building your rear delts and upper back, counteracting
all the pressing work you just did. These are very important for your shoulder health and need
to be pushed hard. Put everything you have left into these to get your shoulders set back in
place.
Finish with some heavy ab work and mobility to keep your body looking and feeling good.
For your Base Work accessories you will be doing a ton of dumbbell work to make sure both of
your arms are getting built up equally. Dumbbells are very versatile and can help to hit your
muscles from different angles while making your stabilizers work extra hard. This is extremely
important for being able to bench BIG weight.
Remember, just because the weights are lighter or exercises are easier doesn’t mean you should
take it easy. This is not a rest day! Work every exercise hard and try to move up in weight when
you can.
Start off with weights you can do at least 10 reps with for all 4 sets and try to increase the reps
every week. When you can do 15 reps for all 4 sets then it is time to increase the weight and
start progressing repetitions again.
Make sure to finish off with some ab and mobility work to prevent injury.
Rest Periods
Rest periods between sets will vary for each part of the workout.
During your warm-up you can superset all your exercises together, as the intensity is not very
high for these exercises, or you can take your time with each exercise to prevent fatiguing
yourself too much before your main work. It is your warm-up, so do what works best for you.
For all your bench press work, or main lifts, rest as long as you need between sets, but realize
that the longer you take between sets, the longer the workout will last due to the numerous sets.
Typically rest should be 2-3 minutes for loads less than 75% of your maximum and 3-5 minutes
for anything heavier. You can take longer if needed, but don’t waste all your time waiting to be
ready. It is supposed to be hard and tiring, so push yourself and improve your conditioning if
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 62 of 70
needed.
For all accessory work, rest 1-2 minutes between sets.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 63 of 70
Training To Failure
There are 2 types of failure in training; technical and absolute.
Technical failure is the point in which you can no longer perform a repetition with reasonably
perfect technique. This commonly occurs 1-2 repetitions before absolute failure.
Absolute failure is when no more repetitions can be completed without assistance.
It is good to know what failure feels like, but most of your work should be done with
reasonably perfect technique to build the most optimal amount of strength.
You should really only reach technical failure on the last 1-2 sets of any workout, if at all. This
means you reached maximal stimuli of the muscle fibers and central nervous system while still
performing safe technique.
Reaching absolute failure too often will result in a much greater chance for injury and a much
longer recovery period that may extend beyond the next training session. Not only that, but it
teaches improper lifting technique as your body fights to lift the weight, and makes you weaker
in the long run.
If you are training to failure, then you are training to fail!
The idea for strength training is too, accumulate volume for growth over multiple training
sessions per week utilizing perfect practice. This will ensure safety while gaining the most
amount of strength over time.
If you do fail…
In training, your bench press sets should never go beyond technical failure during this entire
program, excluding your Max Day. However, if you ever do fail a rep, then drop the weight by
10% multiplied by the number of reps you have left in your set and do the rest of your sets in
shame.
For example, if you failed your last rep, then take off only 10%. If you failed on your 4th rep
out of 5, then take off 20%.
If you complete the rest of your sets at this new weight with good form, then you can go back
up in weight, but this decreased percentage is your punishment for not recovering properly.
Shame on you! Just don’t blame me for your lack of preparation.
Also, if the weight is effecting your technique too much and you are moving slow or out of
position, then drop the weight by 10-20% until it looks better. It is your job to lift the weight
properly and if you cannot do that, then your punishment is lifting lighter weight until you can
get it right. Again, not my fault. Just do it right and make it look easy!
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 64 of 70
Final Notes
• Things are going to go awry and that is ok. Not everything is going to go exactly as planned,
and it will take time to perfect your deadlift technique no matter your experience level. Just
be patient.
• Just like anything else, whenever you try something new, such as changing your deadlift
technique, it will likely feel worse. Your body does not like change and the greater the
change the worse things may feel. However, after practicing the new technique you will
become so much stronger in the long run. Just trust in the technique and trust in the program.
Practice and you will become perfect!
• Don’t train lazy! If you do, you will develop bad habits that will haunt you for the rest of
your lifting career! Don’t squirm when you Bench, sit off to the side when you squat or
shrug your deadlifts up. Make sure every rep is absolutely perfect and it will help you during
your entire lifting career.
• Recovery is the most important thing! It doesn’t matter what you do in the gym, if you can’t
recover from it, then you are not going to progress. Recovery is the only thing that is going
to hold you back from making this program a success so make sure you are getting enough
sleep and fuel to make this program a success! That part is on you.
• Make sure you are doing your Daily 30 to help with recovery and mobility throughout the
entire program.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 65 of 70
Would You Do Me A Favor?
Thank you for reading and I hope you learned a lot!
Before you go, please do me a HUGE favor and take a moment to let me know what you liked
most about this book by leaving a review! I read all my reviews and I love hearing how my
work has helped others.
Plus, it really helps me out A LOT!
If you were not completely satisfied with the content of this book please emailing me directly
and I will be happy to answer your questions or help you further.
Thank you, and keep getting stronger my friends!
Leave A Good Review NOW!
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© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
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Page 66 of 70
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2. How To Bench BIG: 12-Week Bench Press Program and Technique Guide!
3. How To Deadlift 600 lbs. RAW: 12-Week Deadlift Program and Technique Guide!
4. FULL POWER Powerlifting Program: 16-Weeks to Maximum Strength and Power!
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2. Mathias Method STRENGTH SYSTEM: Your Ultimate Strength Guide!
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4. Base Of Strength: Build Your Base Strength Program!
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How To Bench Press Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
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Strength is only the beginning.
It is what you do with it next that really matters.
© 2018 Mathias Method – All Rights Reserved.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 2 of 72
Copyright
© 2018 Mathias Method – All Rights Reserved.
No portion of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or
mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without
permission in writing from the author Ryan J. Mathias.
Disclaimer
The information presented is meant to help guide participants through practices that can help individuals
become stronger and healthier through proper use. This information, however, does not promise any benefits
when misused or misinterpreted. Please follow the guidelines as directed.
When participating in any exercise or training program there is a possibility of physical injury. If you engage in
any movements, exercises or training programs, you agree to do so at your own risk. By voluntarily
participating in these activities, you assume all risk of injury to yourself and agree to release and discharge
Mathias Method, Ryan J. Mathias and all other affiliates of any responsibility if injury occurs. In addition, by
following any of the suggested guidelines, protocols, templates, activities or any other information or advice
given, you do so at your own risk. Do not begin any nutrition, health, exercise or training program without
consulting with a Board Certified Medical Doctor and/or Registered Dietician first.
Always use spotters and any necessary safety equipment when training. It is your duty to inspect all training and
safety equipment prior to each use.
By utilizing this information presented you are stating that you agree to our Terms of Use which can be read in
full on MathiasMethod.com/terms-use/.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 3 of 72
About The Author
“I want to make the world stronger, and this is the only way I know how.”
Hi, I am Ryan Mathias, creator of the Mathias Method Strength System and author of numerous
Strength Training, Health and Fitness Books. I am also a powerlifter with nearly 2 decades of
strength training experience, all backed by a Degree in Exercise Science from California State
University-Sacramento (CSUS).
For years I have been helping people all over the world, from beginners to elite athletes, learn
how to improve their training and themselves. Why? Because I love helping people.
I have made it my mission to help people get stronger, because I measure my success not by
how many books I sell, but by how many people I help. So, feel free to email me anytime with
any questions you have and I will do my best to help you reach your goals!
You can learn more about me on my Amazon Author Page or read about My Strength Journey
and how I got to where I am today!
For updates on upcoming books, Strength Journey successes, and any other exciting news Join
My Email List and start getting stronger today!
Join me on Instagram: @StrengthJourneyLeader
Email: ryan@mathiasmethod.com
with any Questions, Comments, Stories or Reviews!
I would love to hear from you!
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 4 of 72
Books By Ryan J. Mathias
View All Books >>
How To Lift More Weight Series
1. How To Squat 500 lbs. RAW: 12-Week Squat Program and Technique Guide!
2. How To Bench BIG: 12-Week Bench Press Program and Technique Guide!
3. How To Deadlift 600 lbs. RAW: 12-Week Deadlift Program and Technique Guide!
4. FULL POWER Powerlifting Program: 16-Weeks to Maximum Strength and Power!
The Strength Warrior Workout Series
1. The Daily 30: The Quick Everyday Bodyweight Workout!
2. Mathias Method STRENGTH SYSTEM: Your Ultimate Strength Guide!
3. How To Warm-Up Properly For Strength Training: A Complete Guide!
4. Base Of Strength: Build Your Base Strength Program!
Get all 4 and SAVE!
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How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 5 of 72
Check out our awesome apparel at
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Use Discount Code "DEADLIFT600" for 20% OFF your
order as a gift for reading this Book!
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Page 6 of 72
Table Of Contents
A Note From The Author ................................................................8
The Definition Of RAW .................................................................10
Lifting Equipment .................................................................................11
The Deadlift ....................................................................................12
We Deadlift Everyday ...........................................................................13
Deadlift For Beginners ..........................................................................14
Advances Deadlift Techniques ..............................................................16
Deadlift Principles .........................................................................18
Conventional Or Sumo? ........................................................................19
How To Deadlift Stronger ....................22
Deadlift Death Grip...............................................................................23
Breathing For The Deadlift ...................................................................25
Set-Up: ..................................................................................................27
Preparation: ...........................................................................................28
The Deadlift: .........................................................................................30
Key Points: ............................................................................................31
Common Deadlift Mistakes ..................................................................32
Deadlift Variations ................................................................................37
Top Accessory Exercises.......................................................................38
How To Sumo Deadlift ..................................................................39
Set-Up: ..................................................................................................41
Preparation: ...........................................................................................42
The Pull: ................................................................................................44
Key Points: ............................................................................................45
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 7 of 72
12 Week Deadlift Program ...................46
Program Chart ...............................................................................47
Program Details .............................................................................49
Phase 1 - Volume...................................................................................50
Deload Weeks........................................................................................50
Phase 2 - Strength .................................................................................50
Phase 3 - Max ........................................................................................51
Peak Week .............................................................................................51
Max Day ................................................................................................52
How To Max Out Properly ...........................................................53
Training Frequency .......................................................................54
Deadlift Workouts ................................55
Strength Work .......................................................................................56
Base Work .............................................................................................57
Workout 1 - Strength Work ...................................................................58
Workout 2 - Base Work .........................................................................59
Workout Details .............................................................................60
The Warm-Up........................................................................................60
Technique Work ....................................................................................61
The Main Lift ........................................................................................61
Overload Sets ........................................................................................62
Main Accessory Work ...........................................................................62
Accessory Work ....................................................................................63
Rest Periods ..........................................................................................64
Training To Failure................................................................................65
Final Notes ......................................................................................66
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 8 of 72
A Note From The Author
Hey Lifter!
I hope you are ready to get really strong, because you are about to embark on an incredible
Strength Journey! The same journey that I followed when I first started!
The Journey to get Stronger!
Now, back in 2012 I broke my back. I had a crushed vertebra (T11) and two bulged discs. No, it
was not from weight lifting. It was a sport related injury. However, I believe that my lifting did
have an indirect impact on my injury, because I was doing it all wrong.
I was going too heavy too often and lifting with bad form. All I wanted was to get stronger and I
was fighting as hard as I could to reach my goals. It just wasn’t working out.
As it turned out, breaking my back was actually one of the best things that ever happened to me,
because it gave me time to start over. I was able to look back at my mistakes, learn from them,
and become a beginner again.
I started back perfecting the technique of all my lifts, learning how the pros did it, and slowly
progressed back towards my goals. Now, my back is stronger and feels better than it ever has!
I learned so much during my time off and during that entire year of rebuilding myself that I
became more obsessed with strength than ever before!
I used to be stuck at a 500lb. deadlift max before my back injury, but after learning how to
deadlift properly and train smarter, I took my deadlift to 600+lbs. in a matter of months!
However, it wasn’t easy for me to get there. I had to work hard for it! Which is why I made this
book. To give you an easier path to reach that almost seemingly unattainable goal of finally
deadlifting 600+ lbs. totally RAW!
In fact, I created the entire series, How To Lift More Weight for all the Strength Warriors out
there that are just like us, looking to get stronger! I really want to help others, achieve their
goals of lifting as much weight as they can dream of in all their lifts!
Just remember, it won’t be easy. You are gonna have to work for it. I am giving you all the tools
you need to succeed, but the rest is up to you.
Before you get started, I want you to realize that no ordinary person has ever completed this
Journey. That is because in order to reach such an incredible strength feat, you cannot be
ordinary. You have to develop yourself into someone that has character, focus and strength
beyond the ordinary. You will have to become extraordinary in your efforts to defeat the
challenging road that lays ahead.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 9 of 72
You will have to be consistent, dedicated and self-disciplined enough to persevere to the end.
You can have others join in along your journey, but YOU must be the one that keeps fighting
until the end. No one can do it for you. You have to be the one that decides to not give up and
push on no matter how hard it gets.
I cannot promise that you will reach your goal, but I will guarantee that this program will guide
you as far as you want to go. The rest is up to you. Are you ready?
Strength To You,
Your STRENGTH JOURNEY Leader
Ryan J. Mathias
To read my complete Strength Journey, go to:
https://mathiasmethod.com/my-strength-journey-story/
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 10 of 72
The Definition Of RAW
Now let’s start off with a definition of what we powerlifters consider a lift to be done “RAW”.
“RAW” determines the assistance you are allowed to use for training and testing your lifts.
What we consider to be RAW in this book is the same as what most sanctioned Powerlifting
Competitions also consider to be RAW.
This is different than what is considered to be 100% RAW. 100% RAW means without any
assistive equipment at all, as if you were only lifting in shorts and a t-shirt.
During this program, we allow for some safety equipment to accommodate more people and
promote safety of the lifter, above all else.
To be considered RAW you can use the assistance of:
• a weight lifting belt,
• deadlift socks or shin guards,
• and chalk as needed.
This amount of equipment promotes safety of the lifter while allowing for only necessary
assistance. Overall, the lifter has to do the lift, not the equipment.
The more equipment you use, the more you have to rely on for max day. It is best to only use
what you need to be safe and save the rest for when you absolutely need it.
Drugs and Supplements
Being RAW also does not allow the use of drugs or special supplement regiments that
greatly improve a lifter’s strength, recovery or muscle growth. Basically, if you would fail a
drug test using it, then it is not RAW.
To be clear, no supplements are needed to make this program work as effectively as possible.
End of story.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 11 of 72
Lifting Equipment
Lifting equipment is anything that directly improves your ability to lift more weight. This could
be very light assistive gear, such as knee or elbow sleeves, all the way up to extremely
supportive gear, such as lifting suits.
One of the most common pieces of equipment to be used is a lifting belt. When used properly, a
lifting belt allows you to better brace your core for stabilization by increasing the intraabdominal pressure placed on your spine. By increasing stabilization you are enabled to lift
heavier loads.
Chalk is another common lifting tool that is always permitted, as needed, to help you grip the
bar, but only use it if you need it for extra support. Apply a light amount to your palms and all
five fingers to take away any moisture, allowing you to grip the bar better. As the weight gets
heavier you can use more.
One tool you should almost NEVER USE is lifting straps. If you need to use lifting straps, then
you are going too heavy. You need to build up your grip, not cover up the issue. We will talk
more on this later, but the only time you should every use straps is if you are doing partial range
of motion lifts, such as rack pulls, and using 110% of your max. Everything else, you need to be
able to hold onto yourself.
Equipment can improve lifter strength and safety, but can also have adverse effects when used
improperly.
If any one piece of equipment is used too frequently, then it will limit your body’s ability to
grow stronger in that area. Essentially, the equipment will become a crutch that then must be
used every time training occurs in order to keep up with the strength developed in other nonsupported areas.
The most effective way to use equipment is only when it is necessary. For example, when
using light to moderate loads (<75%) avoid using any equipment at all to build greater strength
in all areas. Then when you put on equipment for maximal loads (>80%) you will be that much
stronger.
Even if you have an injury, only use the equipment when you need it. If your injury does not
hurt, then do not cover it up with equipment. Allow it to grow stronger.
When you are building strength, use little to no equipment.
When you are testing strength, use whatever you can to improve your lift.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 12 of 72
The Deadlift
The Deadlift is one of the most brutal and beneficial lifts there is. It is brutal because you have
to lift a heavy weight from a dead stop, starting in a disadvantaged position, but it is so
beneficial because it improves ALL of your other lifts!
The Deadlift builds muscle mass throughout your entire body and tests your full body strength
like nothing else can. Nothing can improve your hip, core, back and grip strength as much as
deadlifts, and nothing can replace it.
If you have a strong deadlift, then you probably have a brutally strong body from head to toe!
It is such a simple lift, yet so hard that very few people actually do them. Not to mention that
many gyms don’t allow deadlifts, or have terrible set-ups for them. If that is your gym, then I
highly recommend you go somewhere else that actually promotes strength and doesn’t hold you
back from reaching your goals.
Overall, the deadlift tests you physically and mentally with its brutality, but can make you feel
super human.
No ordinary person has every deadlifted 500+ pounds. It takes hard work, dedication and an
internal fire to reach that achievement, and every pound after. If you have it in you, then you
have the strength to do anything you desire.
It is you versus the weight in front of you. A weight that can take you from ordinary to
extraordinary. All you have to do is pick it up.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 13 of 72
We Deadlift Everyday
You may not know it, but we deadlift every single day! Everyday we bend over and pick things
up! We pick up shoes, boxes, tools, groceries, babies and more!
The problem is, so many people don’t know how to deadlift properly and therefore think that
deadlifts are bad for your back. Saying that deadlifts are bad for your back is the same as saying
walking is bad for your feet. Deadlifts are not bad for your back. Improper deadlifts are bad,
just like walking incorrectly is bad for your feet, knees and hips.
The deadlift teaches you one of the most valuable mechanical motions our body was designed
to do; the Hip Hinge. The Hip Hinge is simply bending at the hips as if doing a bow, then
standing. This is something we do everyday and need to learn how to improve for better
posture, core strength, and to maintain a healthy back.
Regardless of what some ignorant people say, learning how to deadlift like this IS good for your
back! Physical therapists even teach back patients in recovery how to deadlift properly so that
they not only strengthen their back, but learn to set the weight in their hips instead of their back.
I have heard stories of grandmothers in tears after learning how to deadlift simply because they
realize that now they can finally pick up their grandchildren. That is why you should teach
everyone you know how to deadlift!
Teach them how to deadlift so that they learn how to brace their core properly and set the
weight in their hips, which are designed to support our body as it bends over.
Now, you don’t need to bring grandma to the gym and load up the weight. Instead just teach
what you learn in this book to others with the things around them. You can teach how to pick up
a small weight, a box, a baby or anything you have available!
That will not only keep them safe, but make them stronger too, and we all need to get stronger!
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 14 of 72
Deadlift For Beginners
How we teach the deadlift to a beginner is different than how we teach it to a more advanced
lifter. This is because beginners are still figuring out their body’s leverages and what works best
for them while an advanced lifter knows what does and does not work for them based on
experience.
When you are just starting out and discovering how your body moves when picking up weight,
begin by doing what is comfortable. Stand where it is comfortable, grab the bar where it is
comfortable, and get into a comfortable position to pull from. From there you can start making
minor adjustments to learn proper technique and see what works best for you.
For the deadlift it is actually easier to start learning how to do the lift correctly from the top.
Simply begin by picking the weight straight up however you are comfortable, so you are
standing with it in your hands. From there, lower the weight slowly, under control, making sure
to keep the weight tight against your legs all the way down. When the weight touches the
ground, with the bar still against your shins, then you have found your proper deadlift position.
Try to get set into this same position every time before you lift the weight.
Remember to always maintaining control of the weight and don’t let the weight control you.
If you need to change something then make small changes. Remember, small changes make a
big difference, so do not do anything drastic. If you need to change your stance, hand or hip
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 15 of 72
position, then do so one inch at a time.
Also, realize that things are going to take some time. Just be patient and soon enough you will
be lifting like a pro!
Overall, beginners should focus on the basics and getting the general movement down before
trying to apply every detail. The details will come. After deadlifting for a while you’ll start to
feel what works better for you versus someone else, and as your body changes, so will your
technique. Focus on strength first, and improve your technique over time.
Note: It is recommended that all beginners do conventional deadlifts, because it builds more full
body strength and is easier to position than Sumo deadlift, in which you need to have a lot of
hip mobility to get into proper position for. Learn proper Deadlift Principles with conventional
deadlifts, then after you can lift at least two times your bodyweight you can start to play around
with Sumo Deadlifts to see if they work better for you, but conventional is your base.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 16 of 72
Advances Deadlift Techniques
Advanced lifters are those that have been deadlifting for over a year and have developed a
strong base of strength. If you have not been deadlifting for at least this long, I highly
recommend you start with my Base Of Strength Program to build up all 3 of your base lifts
while getting a lot of deadlift practice in.
Also, any beginners you know should start off with that program before advancing to the
advanced program in this book.
An advanced lifter should be specific and focus on the details while their subconscious does the
most basic aspects of the lift for them. This means taking a quick moment before every single
lift to go through a checklist of specifics you need to perfect your technique.
The Deadlift Checklist
As you get set and prepare to pull, take a quick moment to check:
• Are your feet grabbing the ground?
• Are your knees pushed out?
• Are your glutes flexed?
• Is your core braced; front, back and sides?
• Are you pulling the bar into you?
• Are you leaning back and sticking your chest out?
• Are you confident and focused on your lift?
If you can answer “Yes” to all of these questions, then you are perfectly set to lift big. The next
step is to perfect your lifting technique.
The deadlift is a lift that is never perfect and needs constant tweaking. You can always move
smoother. You can always drive harder. You can always brace tighter. There is always
something to improve and focus on.
Not only that, but as the weight gets heavier and your body changes, so too will your leverages.
For example, if you weigh 225lbs. and are lifting any weight that is 225lbs. or lighter, then you
can practically just stand straight up with it, where if you are lifting 400, 500 and even 600lbs.
you are going to have to lean back more each time to counterbalance the weight more so that it
doesn’t shoot you forward off balance.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 17 of 72
That is one of the major difficulties of new lifters, and even advanced lifters, when they start to
move past their bodyweight or even greatly increase the load, the technique changes. So make
sure that you are always checking your technique for improvements.
With every workout, try to focus on one or two aspects of your technique to improve on. If you
need help, asking a knowledgeable friend or trainer can really help. They can give you feedback
both during your set and immediately after to help you see what needs to improve.
If you don’t have that option, you can always record yourself. Just try to video from multiple
angles to make sure no technique issues are hiding from the camera angle you chose.
You can also ask me anytime! You can tag me on Instagram @MathiasMethod or Facebook
@MathiasMethodStrength asking for some tips and I would be happy to take a look at your
lifts!
If we don’t get back to you within day, then you can always message us or try my personal
account @StrengthJourneyLeader. I am active on all accounts daily, but I am also a busy guy. I
will get to as many as I can as often as I can, so please be patient with me if the response is not
immediate.
Just remember, your deadlift is NEVER going to be perfect! There is always something to
improve! If you are not improving, then you are limiting your full potential. Find what you need
to improve and go deadlift!
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 18 of 72
Deadlift Principles
All proper deadlift technique will have the same principles, no matter your stance or hand
placement, that must be followed for safe and effective technique. These principles are
presented below.
• Hips drive forward as you stick your chest out and drive shoulders back.
• Bar is pulled in against your legs during the entire lift.
• Back flat with a neutral spine; no rounding or arching.
• Knees and hips extend simultaneously to lockout.
• Arms stay locked with shoulders back and down.
• Knees are pressed out to open the hips.
• Feet are locked into the ground.
• Knees stay behind the bar.
These Deadlift Principles apply to all deadlifts.
Any deadlift that follows these principles is a perfect deadlift! Speed is not important.
Technique and control of the weight is.
Beyond these principles, there are two main deadlift variations that can change how your
deadlift looks and is used. These are conventional, or standard, and sumo deadlifts.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 19 of 72
Conventional Or Sumo?
When it comes to the deadlift many people have a difficulty choosing between a conventional
deadlift stance or a sumo deadlift stance.
• Conventional: Closer stance where you grab the bar outside of your stance width.
• Sumo: Wider stance where you grab the bar inside of your stance width.
Both deadlifting styles are correct and simply focus on different leverages to lift the weight.
Choosing between the two simply has to do with using your leverages to your advantage.
Everyone’s body is different so everyone has different leverages.
Note: Regardless of your stance, the first 45 degrees of a deadlift is hamstring dominant and the
last 45 degrees is glute dominant. Conventional deadlifts emphasize this.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 20 of 72
Conventional Deadlift
First, Conventional Deadlifts are the most basic form of deadlifts. This is where your feet are
generally shoulder width or closer, and you grab the bar outside of your stance width.
This style places more stress on your hips, hamstrings and lower back, to lift the weight.
Generally, shorter lifters like this style, as it benefits those with short legs and a long torso, but
it can be effective for anyone that has strong glutes, hamstrings and lower back muscles.
When it comes to building strength, conventional deadlift improves sumo deadlift, but sumo
deadlift does little to improve conventional deadlifts. This is because sumo is leg dominant with
back and hip assistance, and has a decreased range of motion where conventional has a greater
range of motion and is hip and back dominant.
You will get a lot stronger by building up your conventional deadlift, which is a brute strength
lift, where sumo is a technical lift. Yes, you do still have to put the work in for sumo, but
conventional is straight up physically harder where sumo is harder technique wise. You can
grind through a bad conventional deadlift, where if you do sumo incorrectly, there is no way
you are getting the weight up. The lift has to be perfect every time.
I recommend that all beginners do conventional deadlifts, because it builds more full body
strength and is easier to position than Sumo deadlift, in which you have to have a lot of hip
mobility to get into proper position for. Learn proper Deadlift Principles with conventional
deadlifts, then after you can lift at least two times your bodyweight you can start to play around
with Sumo Deadlifts to see if they work better for you, but conventional is your base.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
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Page 21 of 72
Sumo Deadlift
Next, Sumo Deadlifts are a more advanced form of deadlifts, because they require more
technique and mobility to perform correctly. Sumo deadlift is where your feet are placed wide
and you grab the bar close, commonly shoulder width or so.
This style places more stress on your legs to squat the weight up, as your hips are placed in a
disadvantaged position. Generally, taller lifters like this style, as it decreases the range of
motion and helps them get lower.
With this style your hips are closer to the bar compared to a conventional deadlift with a more
vertical torso, which takes the stress off of your lower back and places it on your legs.
This decreased back stress allows sumo deadlifters to typically handle more overall work with
deadlifts, as recovery will be easier.
Another advantage is the decrease range of motion, and therefore total work done, compared to
conventional deadlifts, but the start of the lift will be more difficult.
To become proficient at sumo deadlift, positioning and technique are key. If you cannot get into
the proper positioning by externally rotating your hips enough, then sumo deadlift is not for
you.
With conventional deadlifts, if you get out of position you can usually fight through it, where in
sumo deadlifts if you get out of position, then it is almost impossible to grind through to lift the
weight. Sumo deadlifts also require a lot more leg strength and hip mobility, which generally
favors women, who naturally have both.
If you have already built up significant strength with conventional deadlifts, and you are able to
open your hips (like the splits) well, then you may want to try Sumo Deadlifts for a while to see
if they work better for you.
Both styles have their benefits, but it is up to you to decide. Overall, just choose the stance that
best utilizes your leverages.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 22 of 72
How To Deadlift Stronger
Purpose:
Teach Hip Hinge Mechanics, Test and Build Full Body, Hip Hinge, and Core Stabilization
Strength
Prime Movers:
Hamstring Complex (Legs), Glutes (Hips), Quadriceps (Legs)
Variations:
Deficit, Block/Rack Pulls, Stance, Grip, Accommodating Resistance
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 23 of 72
Deadlift Death Grip
Your grip strength is the biggest limiting factor in your overall deadlift strength. If you can’t
hold onto the weight, then it doesn’t matter how strong the rest of your body is.
You need to be constantly improving your grip strength in order to lift more weight. The best
way to do this is by simply deadlifting, without the use of lifting straps or any assistive gear.
Deadlifting for reps and with more weight, both are beneficial, as long as you are holding the
weight yourself. The more you practice, the stronger your grip will become.
This will actually improve all of your lifts as your hands turn into crushing machines that can
more and more weight!
There are 3 different grips you can use when deadlifting:
• Double-Overhand
• Hook Grip
• Over-Under (pictured above)
Double-Overhand is where you grab the bar with both palms facing towards you, and thumbs
wrapped around the outside. This is a very weak grip, but perfect for improving your grip
strength. All lifters should use this grip during as many warm-up sets as possible, until the
weight gets too heavy to hold, in order to build up more grip strength.
Hook Grip is similar to double-overhand, as your palms are facing towards you, but you hook
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Page 24 of 72
your thumb under the bar and wrap it with your middle and pointer fingers. This is an advanced
grip technique, generally used by Olympic Weightlifters and sumo deadlifters, and will cause
serious pain in your thumbs until you get used to it. The benefit of this grip is symmetry as you
get to keep both hands in the same position and have your shoulders aligned, while decreasing
any elbow stress your legs may cause while pulling from a sumo stance. If you have long
fingers, and do Sumo Deadlift, you may want to give this a try, but it is not necessary for any
lifter.
Over-Under grip is the most common, and strongest, grip. This is where you place one hand
palm facing in and one hand palm facing out. It does not matter which hand faces which way
and you can switch it anytime. The benefit of this grip is that it can be used without causing a
lot of pain, and allows you to hold the most weight, because if the bar starts to slip out of one
hand, it then rolls deeper into the other hand, and vice versa. This is the grip most dead lifters
with big numbers use and is recommended for all beginners after they can no longer keep hold
of the weight with double-overhand.
Beyond these grips, if you still have trouble holding the weight, you can use chalk to get a
better grip of the bar. Chalk takes away all the moisture from your hands, which is great when
you are getting sweaty, and helps you stick to the bar better. Only use chalk when you need too
though, as you build more strength without it. However, when you do use it, cover your entire
palm, four fingers and thumb with a light layer. More is not always better, so just use what you
need, and when you are having a lot of grip trouble, then you can make your entire palm
covered in white.
Never use straps unless you absolutely have too, and if you do, then make sure you are working
on your grip strength often. Use grip strength machines, and hold all your heavy deadlifts at the
top for 5+ seconds to quickly improve your strength.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 25 of 72
Breathing For The Deadlift
How you breathe during your deadlifts can greatly influence your maximal strength. What you
may have been taught before is to breathe in as you descend during a lift and breathe out as you
stand back up. This is good if you are in a cardio class using extremely light weights, and just
need to keep your endurance up, but if you are looking to get stronger this is one of the worst
things you can do.
By breathing in as you descend, your body is not as tight as it can be, and is, therefore, unstable.
It is similar to deadlifting on a trampoline versus on solid ground. The more stable you are, the
more you can lift. So you need to think more about how you are going to breathe during your
deadlifts than what people do for general fitness.
If you want to get stronger, or build muscle, then you need to lift heavy, and to lift heavy you
need to have your body braced as tightly as possible to have the most strength for your lift. For
that you should use what is called the Valsalva Maneuver, which promotes the greatest amount
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
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Page 26 of 72
of strength by increasing your spine stabilization through increased intra-abdominal pressure.
The two versions of this breathing technique are described below.
Valsalva Maneuver:
Suck in as much air as you can and hold it in, attempting to create as much intra-abdominal
pressure as you can, to stabilize your spine. Then press your lips closed to hold the air in while
flexing all of the musculature surrounding your entire torso, and forcing the air deep down into
your abdomen.
Think of your torso as a soda can you are trying to fill up and pressurize. You have your pelvic
floor as the base, your diaphragm as the top, and all your abdominal (front, back and side)
musculature making the outer walls of the can. You want to fill the can with air and flex
everything around it as tight as possible to keep the air in.
Your lifting belt can help with this, but make sure that you do not tighten it too much or your
will put a dent in the can, and if you dent a can even slightly, the can crushes. Always keep your
belt loose enough so that you can put the just the 4 fingers of your hand down into the belt
against your stomach with ease, while you are relaxed. Then when you brace you want to think
of bracing out against the belt so that it gets filled up tightly and your fingers can no longer fit
in.
The valsalva maneuver greatly increases your blood pressure and should only be held for 1-2
maximal repetitions, or when you are using over 90% of your maximum. Sets with more than
1-3 reps, or under 90% of your maximum should use the Partial Valsalva Maneuver.
Partial Valsalva Maneuver:
This is the same as the Valsalva Maneuver, except you exhale after getting past the sticking
point of the lift. This helps to decrease the overall blood pressure increase created by the
pressure and allows for more fluid reps to be performed, while still having a very strong lift.
For the deadlift, start to breathe out, while still bracing your core, after the weight is clearly
above your knees. Then breathe in again at the top of every rep to re-brace.
Breathe In Before You Lift:
For the deadlift, you need to get tight while you are standing, before you bend down to pick up
the weight. If you bend over first, you have already put yourself out of position and are losing
strength by the second. Breathe in and brace at the top, then hold your breathe as you bend over
to grab the bar and lift.
The longer you stay bent over before you lift, the more strength you will lose. Try to lift the
weight within 3 seconds of bending over to keep the most strength built up.
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Page 27 of 72
Set-Up:
Your deadlift set-up is all about creating tension in the right places without wasting energy. You
need to maintain that same tightness during the entire lift. If you lose tightness, then you lose
strength.
Set Your Feet:
Set your feet shoulder width or closer, to where the bar is directly over your mid-foot, and turn
them out slightly (10-30 degrees).
Grab The Ground:
Suction cup your feet to the ground by spreading your toes as wide as you can, then grasping
the floor with your entire foot. Your entire foot (heel, ball of your foot, and outer edge) should
stay locked into the ground.
Then, while clenching your toes into the ground like eagle claws, create torque by externally
rotate your feet, as if they were to spin in place, throughout the entire motion.
This movement should flex your entire lower body from your glutes down through your entire
legs so that everything is tight, and nothing is loose or relaxed.
Maintain this external rotation torque throughout the lift.
Note: By grabbing the ground with your foot you are simply creating a strong arch in your foot,
not rolling your ankle. Your feet should not move out of place or come up at all during these
motions. Just create a rotational pressure to stabilize your joints, while your entire foot is
locked into the ground.
Brace Your Core:
Suck in as much air as you can and hold it in, attempting to create as much intra-abdominal
pressure as you can, to stabilize your spine. Then press your lips closed to hold the air in while
flexing all of the musculature surrounding your entire torso, and forcing the air deep down into
your abdomen. This is known as the Valsalva Maneuver.
If you are wearing a lifting belt, then brace out against the belt as you do this.
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Page 28 of 72
Preparation:
Bend At The Hips:
While staying tight and maintaining a neutral spine, bend mainly at the hips until you can grab
the bar.
Grab The Bar:
Set your hands about 3 inches outside of your shins on either side, so that you have enough
room to push your knees out and not run into your arms.
After finding your preferred width, evenly set according to the power rings, spread your fingers
as wide as you can as if to engulf as much of the bar in your hand as possible.
Then grasp the bar tightly with your thumbs wrapped, trying to crush the bar in your hands to
take control of the weight.
This is your control point, SO TAKE CONTROL!!! Make the weight feel small while you
become invincible with your crushing grip!
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By Ryan J. Mathias
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Page 29 of 72
Then create an external rotation torque by pointing your elbows behind you.
Note: Use a double overhand-grip as often as you can, and only switch to over-under or hook
grip when the weight gets too heavy to hold otherwise.
Re-brace:
While keeping your entire body tight, again suck in as much air as you can and press it down
deep into your abdomen increasing the intra-abdominal pressure. Hold this tightness throughout
the lift.
Get Set:
Fully extend your knees to reset the tension to your hips, and then push them forward as you sit
your hips back until the bar touches your shins. Use the bar as leverage to maintain balance.
Maintaining a constant external rotation torque in your feet and push your knees out hard as you
do this.
While keeping a neutral spine, force your head back, with your eyes straight ahead. Imagine
pulling your chin straight back, and never tilt your head up.
Maintain a neutral head position (straight spine) throughout the entire lift with eyes straight
ahead.
Create Tension:
Pull the bar back into your legs as you position your hips back and down, chest high and back
flat. This is called “pulling the slack out of the bar.”
In this position your entire body should be tight and ready to pull with the weight tight up
against your shins.
Your lats should be tight, arms are straight, elbows pointed back behind you, and shoulders over
or behind the bar.
Tuck Your Shoulders:
Keep your shoulders back and down throughout the lift.
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By Ryan J. Mathias
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Page 30 of 72
The Deadlift:
Press Into The Ground:
Simultaneously press your feet into the ground, drive your hips forward and pull your shoulders
back as you extend your knees and hips together until lockout.
The entire lift should be one smooth motion.
Maintain Control:
Stay tight as you lower the bar, with perfect form, sliding against your legs all the way down.
This will build strength and improve form.
If you are doing multiple reps, pause on the ground for 1-2 seconds, without bouncing the bar or
losing tightness, then pull again.
If you set-up properly your body should do most of the movement for you. All you have to do is
stay tight and lift.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
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Page 31 of 72
Key Points:
• Stay tight throughout the entire set-up and lift.
• Grab the ground with your feet.
• Pull the bar into you.
• Torque your knees out throughout the full range of motion.
• Drive your feet into the ground and hips forward.
• Maintain a neutral spine and head position.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 32 of 72
Common Deadlift Mistakes
Improper set-up.
Make sure that everything is perfect before you start. If you set-up wrong, then your entire lift is
going to be wrong.
You can’t correct your position while lifting so you have to make it perfect before you even start
to pull.
When you set-up, make sure to take your time. Don’t rush it too much. You do need to be pretty
quick with your deadlift set-up so that you do not lose strength by sitting in the bottom position
for too long getting set, but don’t rush so much that you forget something.
Even if you have to do your entire set-up multiple times, it is best to take that few extra seconds
to get yourself in the best position to lift from, then rush it and risk missing a lift or getting
injured.
Your set-up should be exactly the same every single time so that you are always lifting from the
same perfect position and not just lazily going through the motions. If you want to lift big
weight, then you need to take the time to perfect everything, including your set-up.
Losing tightness at the bottom of the deadlift.
The longer you sit in the bottom position of the deadlift getting set-up, the more strength you
lose. You need to get tight before you even bend over to grab the bar, and when you do, try to
lift the bar within 3 seconds.
That should be long enough to set your hands and sit back into position for your pull. It may
take some time to get set that quickly, but remember, most of your tightness is created before
you even grab the bar.
So don’t take your time at the bottom to get set up. Set-up at the top and get out of the bottom as
soon as you can! The faster you can get set creating tension, the more explosive power you will
save.
Also, don’t rip it off the floor before you are tight. If you rip it you get forced out of position.
Pull the slack out of the bar to create tension, then explode up.
Arms are in the way of your legs.
Whether you are doing a conventional or a sumo deadlift where you place your hands matters,
because it effects how well you can transfer energy from you into the bar.
With either style, your hands should be placed as close to directly under your shoulders as you
can without getting in the way of your legs.
© 2018 Mathias Method
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For sumo deadlifts this is easy, because you just let your arms hang and grab the bar where they
fall. As long as your stance is wide enough that your arms are not running into your knees, then
your hands are in the right place. If not, then you need to either bring your grip in or open your
knees more.
For conventional deadlifts it is more common to have your arms get in the way of your legs,
because your feet are generally shoulder width, and as you get set you have to drive your knees
out even wider in order to get closer to the bar for more leverage. So you will need to place your
hands not only outside of shoulder width, but also far enough out that your knees have all the
room that they need to perform the lift correctly.
Though it seems that you should set your hands just outside of your shins to grab the bar, this
prevents your knees form getting in the proper position to lift with the most power. If you grab
too close, then your knees will either cave in, your arms will have to bend, or you will push the
bar farther away from your center of gravity by shoving your knees forward and not out.
It is more important to have the bar as close to your hips as possible, than it is to decrease the
range of motion by a few millimeters, so place pressing your knees out over grabbing the bar
super close or too wide.
Turning toes out too much.
This is a common mistake for many Sumo Stance Lifters that are taught they get more power by
having their toes turned out when lifting. It is true that turning your toes out helps to engage the
glutes better when you lift, however, many people take it too far.
If you turn your toes out more than 45 degrees you actually decrease the amount of power you
can get from your glutes by shortening the muscle too much. Muscle’s are strongest in their
mid-range of motion and lose power near full extension and full contraction.
For the glutes you will get the most power by turning your toes out only 10-45 degrees
depending upon your stance and mobility.
Generally, with deadlifts, the wider your stance, the farther you should turn your toes out. This
will help to open your hips more, as is needed for a wider stance. If you have tight hips, then
you should try to improve your mobility with my Mobility Exercises.
Tilting your head back.
Your body follows your head, meaning that if you if you arch your head back, then your entire
spine naturally arches with it, and if you tuck your head forward, then your entire spine rounds
forward. That is why head position is so important during all of your lifts, especially the
deadlift.
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To put your back in the strongest position, it needs to be neutral, or flat. Not arched or rounded.
Arching and rounding puts a lot of unnecessary strain on your spinal column and leads to back
problems that you do not want. However, if you keep a flat back, or as flat as you can make it,
during your lifts, then your back will be totally safe from harm.
This all starts with your head position. You should try to keep your eyes focused on the ground
about 10 feet in front of you as you lift and drive your head back, as if pulling your chin back
towards your neck.
Rounding your back.
We have all seen those videos of people trying to pick up a weight that they have no business
handling, and they do so with horrid form. Lifting weight with a rounded back is one of the
worst things you can do, and greatly increases your risk of injury. Unfortunately, it is more
common than not, among those that do not know how to brace properly. Hence why I am
writing this book.
Back rounding occurs when you are not properly braced before your deadlift. There are a few
reasons for this, but the most common is an improper set-up. If you set-up as you are supposed
too, then all you have to do is maintain that same tightness during the entire lift and there
should be little to no back rounding.
If you are a beginner, your back is going to be rounded. That’s just the way it is. Your body is
still learning how to find tension and brace properly, so it is not a big deal as long as you are
keeping the weight moderate and constantly trying to maintain a flat back. As you get stronger,
it will get easier.
Also, if you wear your lifting belt too tight, you will not be able to brace properly and this will
lead to rounding over the belt. You should always wear your belt to where you can place your
four fingers in the belt at your stomach when relaxed so that you can then brace out against the
belt when you lift. If you rely on the belt to do all the work, then you are just asking to hurt
yourself.
Taller lifters, and those with tight hamstrings, may also have some lower back rounding towards
the bottom of the deadlift, but this is just because of mechanics and is not a big deal unless it is
starting to cause pain. The only way to fix this is by simply improving the mobility of your
hamstrings, but this still may not fix the issue as muscles can only go so far no matter how
much you work on them. Just make sure you brace tight, and you should be fine.
Bouncing the weight off the ground.
Bouncing the weight off the ground during a deadlift set is the same as bouncing the weight off
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 35 of 72
your chest during bench press. It is NEVER correct or okay.
DO NOT BOUNCE THE BAR OFF THE GROUND! We are here to build strength, not fake it!
If you can’t control the entire range, then you shouldn’t lift that weight!
You should always be in control of the weight and do a short pause on the floor, while staying
tight, before pulling again. That is how you build up strength at the bottom of the lift for a
brutally strong deadlift like the pros!
Even doing a slight touch-and-go is okay, as long as you do not let the entire load to bounce on
the ground. This causes you to lose tightness and ruins all of your other reps.
Not to mention, bouncing the weight will make you very weak for the initial pull of the deadlift,
which is the hardest part on the first rep. So if you want a big deadlift, you need to work the
entire range of motion to make it strong.
If you are not used to pausing on the ground it will seem very difficult at first, but after a few
weeks of practice you will absolutely feel the benefits.
Knees cave in as you lift.
Knees caving in is more common for Sumo stance lifters, but can happen in both styles.
If your knees are caving during conventional deadlifts, then your glutes are weak and your
quads are overpowering the movement. Work on your glute strength with top end deadlifts, or
rack pulls, and make sure to force your knees out hard during all your lifts.
For sumo stance lifters, the knee caves in for both those with weak glutes and those with tight
hip adductors (inner thigh muscles). To correct this, simply work on mobilizing your inner
thighs and hamstrings before every workout. Try to open your hips like you are doing the splits
often to get your body used to it both with and without weight in your hands.
This will improve your position and make for a much stronger sumo deadlift.
It’s all in the hips.
The deadlift is a Hip Hinge movement, meaning that the main thing that needs to occur is
bending over at the hip and cranking yourself back up. This is the same as if you were doing a
bow, however, when we deadlift, we also put our legs into it.
Your back should not do any of the movement. It is simply a stabilizer that allows you to lift the
weight with a neutral spine.
Though this is all true, many people are afraid of putting any stress on their back for fear of
injury. Instead they attempt to squat the weight up in an awkward position that can cause even
more damage.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 36 of 72
When you deadlift YOU NEED TO USE YOUR HIPS! It is a Hip Hinge! Not a back crack or
knee cave!
Put your hips into it! The Hip Hinge is one of the strongest motions the human body was
designed to do and needs to be utilized properly through proper deadlift technique.
Simply set the weight into your hips when you set-up and then drive them forward to lift the
weight with your legs assisting and back simply stabilizing the hinge. Anything else is incorrect.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 37 of 72
Deadlift Variations
Lift variations allow for a different stimulus and can allow for new growth, building up specific
parts of the lift. This is also a great way to target specific muscle groups that may be lagging
behind and need more attention.
Variation can be simple or complex, but to build strength towards the main movements, it is
important not to vary too far from the original lift. Start with simple variations before moving
into more complex changes.
It doesn’t make sense to vary the range of motion so drastically to where it is a completely
different lift that may not have any carryover to your actual deadlift. For deficits, you really
only need a 1 inch deficit. For rack pulls, your starting position should always be below your
shin.
Here are some Common Variations you can use to spice up your lifts:
• Stance or Grip Width
• Deficit Deadlifts
• Pauses above or below the knee
• Rack or Block Pulls
• Accommodating Resistance (Bands or Chains)
• Assistive Gear
Variation is a great way to spice up your training, but needs to be limited. If you truly want to
build a lot of strength, then you need to put in the work and not just find ways to make lifts
easier.
Variation is best used with advanced lifters who have already mastered their lifting technique
and progress is stalling. Beginners should rarely use variations in the main lifts if at all, because
the best variation to build up your deadlift is just doing more deadlifts. It is only after standard
deadlifts are not working well that you should try something different.
Intermediate lifters can try some exercise variations infrequently, but most of the work should
focus on perfecting the main lift.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 38 of 72
Top Accessory Exercises
The best lift to build up your deadlift is the deadlift. That is the same for any lift. However, you
can only deadlift so much and so often before you start overdoing it to where the benefits
plateau. That is where accessory exercises come into play.
Accessory exercises allow you to get in more training volume and help to build up specific
muscle groups that may need more direct attention.
For example, you can use goodmornings to build up hip strength or glute-ham raises to build up
hamstring strength.
These are the best accessory exercises to help build up your squat:
• Squats for leg, hip, hamstring and core strength.
• Plyometric jumps for maximal strength and explosive power.
• Glute-Ham Raises for hamstring strength.
• Deadlift Variations for different leg stimulus.
• Goodmornings for hip and core strength.
• Pull-ups and rows for back strength.
• Weighted planks for core strength.
There are thousands of other exercises that can help build up your strength for deadlifts, but
these are the most effective ones that have a direct carry-over to your deadlift strength. Improve
these, and your deadlift strength will absolutely go up.
These are also the accessory exercises you will be doing in any of of our Mathias Method
Strength Programs, including the 12 Week Deadlift Program in this book!
These exercises are hard, but they are also highly effective in building full body strength like
nothing else can. Work these often and your strength will shoot up!
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 39 of 72
How To Sumo Deadlift
Purpose:
Teach Hip Hinge Mechanics, Test and Build Full Body, Hip Hinge, and Core Stabilization
Strength
Prime Movers:
Quadriceps (Legs), Hamstring Complex (Legs), Glutes (Hips)
Variations:
Deficit, Block/Rack Pulls, Stance, Grip, Accommodating Resistance
The Sumo Deadlift is a variation that emphasizes more on the use of your legs squat the weight
up rather than your hips and back.
With this style your hips are closer to the bar compared to a conventional deadlift with a more
vertical torso, which takes the stress off of your lower back and places it on your legs.
This decreased back stress allows sumo dead lifters to typically handle more overall work with
deadlifts, as recovery will be easier.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 40 of 72
Another advantage is the decrease range of motion, and therefore total work done, compared to
conventional deadlifts, but the start of the lift will be more difficult.
To become proficient at sumo deadlift, positioning and technique are key. If you cannot get into
the proper positioning by externally rotating your hips enough, then sumo deadlift is not for
you.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 41 of 72
Set-Up:
Your deadlift set-up is all about creating tension in the right places without wasting energy. You
need to maintain that same tightness during the entire lift. If you lose tightness, then you lose
strength.
Set Your Feet:
Set your feet close enough so that your shins are nearly touching the bar outside of where your
hands will be placed, and turn them out as much as you need to get your knees behind the bar
when you squat down (10-45 degrees).
Find the best position for you, and if you have hip mobility problems you should try to improve
them before every training session. You can do this with my How To Warm-Up Properly For
Strength Training Guide.
Grab The Ground:
Suction cup your feet to the ground by spreading your toes as wide as you can, then grasping
the floor with your entire foot. Your entire foot (heel, ball of your foot, and outer edge) should
stay locked into the ground.
Then, while clenching your toes into the ground like eagle claws, create torque by externally
rotate your feet, as if they were to spin in place, throughout the entire motion.
This movement should flex your entire lower body from your glutes down through your entire
legs so that everything is tight, and nothing is loose or relaxed.
Maintain this external rotation torque throughout the lift.
Note: By grabbing the ground with your foot you are simply creating a strong arch in your foot,
not rolling your ankle. Your feet should not move out of place or come up at all during these
motions. Just create a rotational pressure to stabilize your joints, while your entire foot is
locked into the ground.
Brace Your Core:
Suck in as much air as you can and hold it in, attempting to create as much intra-abdominal
pressure as you can, to stabilize your spine. Then press your lips closed to hold the air in while
flexing all of the musculature surrounding your entire torso, and forcing the air deep down into
your abdomen. This is known as the Valsalva Maneuver.
If you are wearing a lifting belt, then brace out against the belt as you do this.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 42 of 72
Preparation:
Bend At The Hips:
While staying tight and maintaining a neutral spine, bend mainly at the hips until you can grab
the bar.
Grab The Bar:
Place your hands directly under your shoulders and hips, so that your arms are vertical, not
angled in or out.
After finding your preferred width, evenly set according to the power rings, spread your fingers
as wide as you can as if to engulf as much of the bar in your hand as possible.
Then grasp the bar tightly with your thumbs wrapped, trying to crush the bar in your hands to
take control of the weight.
This is your control point, SO TAKE CONTROL!!! Make the weight feel small while you
become invincible with your crushing grip!
Then create an external rotation torque by pointing your elbows behind you.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 43 of 72
Note: Use a double overhand-grip as often as you can, and only switch to over-under or hook
grip when the weight gets too heavy to hold otherwise.
Re-brace:
While keeping your entire body tight, again suck in as much air as you can and press it down
deep into your abdomen increasing the intra-abdominal pressure. Hold this tightness throughout
the lift.
Get Set:
Fully extend your knees to reset the tension to your hips, and then push your knees out hard as
you drive your hips forward into the bar. Your hips should be down and knees behind the bar.
Use the bar as leverage to maintain balance as you get into position and keep a constant external
rotation torque in your feet.
While keeping a neutral spine, force your head back, with your eyes straight ahead. Imagine
pulling your chin straight back, and never tilt your head up.
Maintain a neutral head position (straight spine) throughout the entire lift with eyes straight
ahead.
Create Tension:
Pull the bar back into your legs as your position your hips back and down, chest high and back
flat. This is called “pulling the slack out of the bar.”
In this position your entire body should be tight and ready to pull with the weight tight up
against your shins.
Your lats should be tight, arms are straight, elbows pointed back behind you, and shoulders over
or behind the bar.
Tuck Your Shoulders:
Keep your shoulders back and down throughout the lift.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 44 of 72
The Pull:
Press Into The Ground:
Simultaneously press your feet down and out into the ground, as you drive your hips forward
and pull your shoulders back, extending your knees and hips together until lockout.
The entire lift should be one smooth motion.
Maintain Control:
Stay tight as you lower the bar, with perfect form, sliding against your legs all the way down.
This will build strength and improve form.
If you are doing multiple reps, pause on the ground for 1-2 seconds, without bouncing the bar or
losing tightness, then pull again.
If you set-up properly your body should do most of the movement for you. All you have to do is
stay tight and lift.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 45 of 72
Key Points:
• Stay tight throughout the entire set-up and lift.
• Grab the ground with your feet.
• Pull the bar into you.
• Torque your knees out throughout the full range of motion.
• Drive your feet into the ground and hips forward.
• Maintain a neutral spine and head position.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 46 of 72
12 Week Deadlift Program
Build Muscle and Strength with this Deadlift Focused Strength
Program!
This Program is based on the Legendary Mathias Method Strength System.
12 weeks. 12 weeks to a new deadlift. 12 weeks to new found strength. 12 weeks to a new you.
Over the next 12 weeks you will be taken on a journey that will lead you to something you have
never done before. You will be pushed and tested every step of the way. You will learn new
ways of building strength that you may have never learn otherwise and you will take your
strength beyond what you ever imagined. When you are done, you will be changed and look
back at where you used to be only to see how far you have come.
The only thing to do next is ask, “what’s next?”! The answer, is up to you…
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 47 of 72
Program Chart
Workout 1 - Maximal Work
Workout 2 - Base Work
Week
Main Lifts
Sets
Reps
% Max
Week
Main Lifts
Sets
Reps
% Max
1
Deadlift
5
5
70%
1
Squat
5
5
50%
Squat Variation
4
8
40%
Deadlift Variation
4
8
50%
Deadlift
5
5
73%
Squat
5
5
55%
Squat Variation
4
8
43%
Deadlift Variation
4
8
53%
Deadlift
5
5
75%
Squat
5
5
60%
Squat Variation
4
8
45%
Deadlift Variation
4
8
55%
Squat
6
4
75%
Squat
5
5
65%
Deadlift Variation
4
6
58%
Squat
5
5
66%
Deadlift Variation
4
6
60%
Squat
5
5
68%
Deadlift Variation
4
6
62%
Squat
5
5
70%
Deadlift Variation
4
5
65%
Squat
5
5
71%
Deadlift Variation
4
5
68%
Squat
5
5
73%
Deadlift Variation
4
5
70%
Squat
5
5
75%
Deadlift Variation
5
3
65%
Squat
5
5
70%
Deadlift Variation
8
1
60%
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
1Use
Deadlift
8
3
80%
Squat Variation
4
6
50%
Deadlift
6
4
77%
Squat Variation
4
6
53%
Deadlift
8
2
85%
Squat Variation
4
6
55%
Squat
6
3
80%
Deadlift
7
2
87%
Squat Variation
4
5
58%
Deadlift
6
3
80%
Squat Variation
4
5
60%
1 Deadlift
5-10
1
1 90%+
Squat Variation
4
5
63%
Deadlift
8
1
50%
Squat
5
3
50%
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Deadlift
Max Day
your competition opener for all 10 sets. Usually something you can do 3 reps with.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 48 of 72
All percentages are based on your current max before beginning the program, not your
projected max at the end.
Base your squat max on your belt-less squat max, as most if not all of your squats will be done
without a belt to help build up your core.
Beginner and intermediate lifters should base their percentages off the heaviest weight that they
can do 3 good reps with at the start of the program. Experienced lifters can use their
competition maxes or heaviest weight they can do with proper form, not a true absolute max.
You will actually get more out of the program if you go a little lighter than you need too versus
going a bit too heavy.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 49 of 72
Program Details
This is a 12 Week Strength Program that focuses on increasing your deadlift max. In it I will
guide you through the exact work you need to do in order to reach your new Deadlift Max, and
eventually to Deadlift 600+ lbs.!
This program can be used to repeatedly improve your deadlift until you reach your goal of
deadlifting 400, 500 and even 600+ pounds! After you finish one 12 week phase, simply take a
week off from deadlifting and then begin again!
To many, this program may seem like a lot, but to deadlift more than before you have to put in
more work than before. You have to do hard things, because hard things make you stronger.
This program is best for lifters with at least a year of deadlift experience under their belt. If you
have not been practicing your deadlifts for that long or more, then you will benefit more from
my Base Of Strength Training Program, which is made to help you improve your squat, bench
press and deadlift, simultaneously.
This Program has 3 Phases:
1. Volume Phase
2. Strength Phase
3. Max Phase
Each Phase is 3 weeks long with every 4th week being a deload before starting the next phase.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 50 of 72
Phase 1 - Volume
The first 3 weeks of your training is the Volume Phase. This Phase will focus on increasing your
total work capacity with light to moderate weight and a lot of volume.
This is the time to improve your technique and reset your deadlift so that your body is ready for
the more intense work ahead without becoming over fatigued.
This Volume Work is also used as a “Strength Reset” in which you give your body time off from
maximal work to prepare it for more progress at your new found strength. This Phase is vital for
your maximal strength, and will have your body craving more intense weights when complete.
DO NOT do any overload sets during this phase! Let your body rest from maximal work.
Deload Weeks
Every 4th week in this program is a deload and recovery week. This week allows your body to
catch up on recovery, build up other weak areas and prepare you for the high intensity workouts
the following week.
This is the time to focus on other accessory lifts, that will help to build up your body’s weak
areas and improve your overall strength.
Squats will be your Main Lift for this week and you will treat Deadlifts as your Main
Accessory.
Choose a Squat variation that works on your weakness in the deadlift. For example, if you have
weak quads you should do close stance squats and if you have weak hips or hamstrings, then do
wide stance squats or box squats.
The intensity will be much lower on these weeks and you should not push yourself too hard.
Just get in some work to improve your lift, but save most of your energy for the intense workout
the following week.
DO NOT do any overload sets during these weeks!
Week 8 is another deload week, and is vital to allow your body enough time to recover fully
before taking on your most intense workouts during your 4 week Peaking Phase!
Phase 2 - Strength
The next 3 weeks (5-7) are your Strength Phase. These workouts combine intensity and volume
to build up the greatest amount of strength.
These workouts will be long and hard, but you will feel like a true Strength Warrior if you can
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 51 of 72
get through them without being crushed by the weight!
Take your time with every set and make sure that you are moving with a purpose on every rep.
Be in control of the weight, and do not let the weight take control of you.
Phase 3 - Max
The final 4 weeks, including your deload week, are what is called your Max Phase, or Peaking
Phase. These workouts are designed to increase your maximal strength and prepare you to crush
your peak week!
This is where you have your most intense workouts before backing off for at least 10-14 days in
order to hit a Strength Peak where your body is ready to lift the most weight for your main lift.
These 4 weeks are crucial to nail perfectly in order to peak at the right time and get the greatest
improvement in your deadlift max.
Make sure your recovery is on point and you do not do anything out of the ordinary during
these 4 weeks.
Peak Week
Peak Week starts with your Week 11 - Workout 1 and goes until your Max Day.
You will start Week 11 by working up to the heaviest weight that you feel you can do 3 clean
reps with. This should be around 90% or so, of your previous max at the start of the program.
When you find your working weight you are going to do 5-10 singles with it, stopping when
form begins to break down too much. If form breaks down before you reach 5 reps then you
need to significantly drop the weight to where you can do clean singles. If you are working into
a competition, then this working weight should be your opening lift.
This workout should give you a good idea of what your max should be on max day. If this
workout goes well, then you can expect to hit 110% of this weight on max day. For example, if
you were able to do 5-10 good singles with 450 lbs. then you can expect to deadlift 500+ lbs. on
max day.
This is your last maximal workout before your max day and you should plan to max 10-14 days
after this workout.
You will finish Week 11 off with your normal Base Work before moving to week 12.
Week 12 is also a deload week in which you will do minimal work and very low intensity for all
of your lifts, so that your body is more than ready for Max Day.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 52 of 72
You will start the week by doing only 8 singles at 50% of your deadlift max followed by 5 sets
of only 3 reps for squats, then your normal Accessory Work. Keep your accessory work light
and easy on this day and just get some movement in. You do not want to take the week off from
lifting, but you also do not want to fatigue yourself with any of your workouts.
Keep all your workouts light and easy this week and have at least 1-3 days off from all training
before max day.
Max Day
Max Day is your day. It is the day you have prepared for with every workout over the past 12
weeks. You are ready for this and you should wake up feeling super human!
Make sure that you are fully rested on the days leading up to your Max Day and your nutrition
is on point. Stay hydrated and eat normally.
Do not try any new supplements or food protocols around this day. You don’t need to be overly
stuffed or caffeinated to lift heavy. You have been preparing for weeks and you are ready. Just
go do it.
Take your time on Max Day. Take your time waking up. Take your time eating before hand.
Take your time getting to the gym and take your time warming up. This is your day so let it last.
Warm-up slowly and take as long as you need between sets. As you get over 80% your rest
should be between 5-10 minutes, not more or less.
Make sure everything is feeling good and move violently. If the weight is light, then it should
look light. Drive into every rep as if it is your max and make sure your body is prepared to be
explosive with that new max.
If you prepared properly, then this day will be easy for you.
When you are ready, go for it! Be confident in yourself and show the world WHO YOU ARE!!!
It’s Game Time! Go dominate!
If you want some good Game Day Motivation, then check out my motivation book Motivated
Mindset! It will get you fired up for anything you pursue in your life no matter the challenges
you face!
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 53 of 72
How To Max Out Properly
How you work up to your max can greatly effect your maximal strength. The goal is to
stimulate your body for a maximal lift without over-fatiguing yourself to where you have major
strength loss.
If you go in and do a bunch of unnecessary reps you are just going to be waisting energy. It is
better to do more sets and less reps to conserve energy than try to do a full workout before hand.
You wouldn’t run a mile to warm up for a sprint, so don’t make the same mistake here. All you
need to do is feel the weight. When the weight feels good, move up.
Below we give you a common max out protocol, but you can add more sets if needed.
Remember, the goal is to get your body prepared for maximal weight, and not fatigue you.
Take your time between sets and go when you are ready keeping the reps low. Remember to be
explosive with every single rep as if it is a maximal lift.
Here’s how you should max out:
• Bar x 5-10
• 30% x 5-10
• 50% x 3-5
• 70% x 3
• 80% x 1-3
• 90% x 1
• 95% x 1 (optional)
• 100% x 1
Add multiple sets as needed.
All percentages are based on your projected max calculated by your Week 11 - Workout 1
working weight multiplied by 110%. If you used 545 lbs. as your working weight for all 5-10
singles, then your projected max is 600 lbs.
If you had to lower the weight for that workout, then use the lower weight to calculate your
projected max.
It is better to warm-up a little lighter than it is to warm-up going too heavy.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 54 of 72
Training Frequency
This deadlift program has you deadlifting 2 times per week. Workout 1 is your Strength Work in
which you will be improving your deadlift’s maximal strength through intense training.
Workout 2 is your Base Work in which you will be practicing your technique and increasing
your overall training volume.
Your first workout of the week should focus on the lift you want to improve. In this case, that is
your deadlift. Make sure that you have at least 1 rest day before this training day, in which you
do no gym or cardio work. That will allow you to be the most fresh and prepared to take on the
challenging workout ahead.
The second deadlift workout of the week should occur 3-4 days after your first deadlift
workout. It would also be best to have a recovery day before this training day, but it is not
required. Just make sure that you are recovering enough.
All other workouts throughout the week should not include deadlifts or squats of any kind.
Avoid fatiguing your legs and back on other training days, but you can use any training split
you want.
This is the training split we have found most effective for this training program.
Day 1 - Deadlift Workout 1 (Strength Work)
Day 2 - Off
Day 3 - Upper Body Workout 1
Day 4 - Off
Day 5 - Deadlift Workout 2 (Base Work)
Day 6 - Upper Body Workout 2
Day 7 - Off
On all of your other training days, make sure that you do not push yourself too hard. If
improving your deadlift is your main focus, then save most of your energy for your deadlift
days. Just get the work in that you need for other lifts and muscle groups to stay strong. Doing a
5x5 workout at about 70% with small 5lb. jumps every week should be enough to keep your
other main lifts moving forward without over stressing your body.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 55 of 72
Deadlift Workouts
All workouts and training protocols follow the Mathias
Method Strength System Principles.
In the Mathias Method Strength System we don’t train muscle groups. We train movements
and base our workouts on improving one lift. This is because lifts like the squat, bench press,
and deadlift are all full body lifts. They take your entire body working in unison to perfect and
do not target one specific area.
By building up these powerful compound movements we will develop strength and muscle
throughout our entire body.
We also believe in using only the most effective accessory exercises. Big bang exercises that
build big muscle and big strength. Yeah, they are hard ones and they make you brutally strong
too.
This training style may be different than what you are used to, but it is what has worked for me
and countless others with the same goal of getting brutally strong.
The details of your training are discussed below.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 56 of 72
Strength Work
The first workout of each week is your “Strength Work” in which you will focus on building
maximal strength. This workout will have the heaviest lifts of the training week and require the
most preparation and recovery.
Over the 12 weeks the intensity will vary to allow for optimal recovery between high intensity
training sessions.
The first 3 weeks will have a gradual progression as you increase your work capacity and
prepare for the high demanding work load ahead. Then every 4th week is a deload week in
which you will take a break from the intense lifting and work on other accessory lifts. You will
not do any deadlifting for these workouts on deload weeks to allow for more recovery.
The following weeks the intensity will vary between high and moderate each week as you
gradually increase your total work load up until peak week.
Peak week is the last 10-14 days before your maximal lift attempt, starting with your first
workout of week 11. It is crucial that you do this properly to get maximum results.
For your Maximal Work on week 11 you will work up to the heaviest weight you feel that you
can do for about 3 reps, but make sure that you only do 1 rep. This weight should be around
90% of your max or more, depending on your experience level. You are going to do 5-10
perfect singles with this weight, stopping only when you cannot perform your deadlift with
reasonable form. Be careful not to push yourself too hard in this workout. You want to work
hard, but not get injured before your max day.
After doing 5 or more singles with this weight, you can add a little weight, but no more than
3-5% if you feel good. If it is getting heavy during your first 5 singles, then maintain the same
weight until form breaks down.
Week 12 is your official peak week in which you use very light weight and just work on the
movement. You want to stretch out the movement, and allow for blood flow, but focus on
recovery above all else.
Then, 4-7 days later test out your max by gradually working up in weight. Make sure that you
get plenty of rest this week and only max out on a day that you feel ready, and not fatigued.
Your other workouts during this week should also be light and easy.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 57 of 72
Base Work
The second workout of each week is your Base Work. This is a light to moderately intense
workout to help you get in more work while improving your technique.
Since the weight is lighter, every rep should be explosive and done with perfect form. Do not
take it easy on the weight just because it is light. If it is light, then you should make it look easy
by driving the weight up hard with every rep.
For your Base Work you will be doing 5 sets of 5 reps on squats before deadlifting. This should
not be a difficult workout, because of the light-moderate weight used, but you should still put in
the work with the intent of getting stronger. The stronger your squat is, the stronger your
deadlift is so don’t take it easy on yourself just because it is light. Stay focused and drive the
weight up hard!
The first 6 weeks will use light weight as you build up your work capacity and perfect your
technique. The final 5 weeks will use moderate weight to improve your strength and build
muscle.
After squats you will do some light deadlifts. This is the time where you can do a variation of
your deadlift and work on a weak area.
If you normally do Sumo deadlifts, then your Base Work variations should all be done with
conventional deadlift to build up more hip and back strength. If you normally do conventional
deadlifts, then you should do all your deadlift variations with a conventional stance too. Only
on deload weeks should you do sumo stance.
Week 12 you will not have any Base Work as you prepare for Max Day. Use this as a recovery
day.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 58 of 72
Workout 1 - Strength Work
Click on any accessory exercise to learn the proper technique.
Warm-Up:
The Daily 30
1-3 Rounds
Weighted Pull-Ups
- x 25 total
Box Jumps (optional)
3-5 x 3
Technique Work:
Deadlift (<50%)
3x5
Main Lift:
Deadlift
See Table
*Overload Set
1 x AMRAP/ Daily Max
Squat Variation
See Table
Accessory Work:
Glute-Ham Raises / Leg Curls
4 x 6-10
Dumbbell Rows
4 x 6-8
Bicep Curl Variation
4 x 8-10
Side Planks
3 x 45 sec.
Mobility Work
10+ min.
*Done after your main work is complete, except on deload weeks, and never to failure.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 59 of 72
Workout 2 - Base Work
Click on any accessory exercise to learn the proper technique.
Warm-Up:
The Daily 30
1-3 Rounds
Pull-Ups
- x 50
Technique Work:
Deadlift (<50%)
3x5
Main Lift:
Squat
See Table
Deadlift Variation
See Table
Accessory Work:
Leg Press
3 x 10-15
Back Exercise
5 x 10-15
Bicep Curl Variation
3 x 10-15
Weighted Planks
3 x 30-60 sec.
Mobility Work
10+ min.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 60 of 72
Workout Details
The Warm-Up
Warm-ups are just what you think. They are simply meant too, warm-up your body for the
intense work ahead, not overly fatigue you.
If you are not used to doing some warm-up exercises before your main work, then it will be
fatiguing at first until your body gets more conditioned. This is part of developing the work
capacity to lift heavy weight, so do not skip this just because you do not feel like it. If you want
to get stronger, you’re gonna have to put in the work no matter how you “feel”.
Warm-ups should be relatively easy and never done to failure.
Every workout you do should start with 1-3 rounds of The Daily 30 to practice your movement
patterns and improve mobility while you warm-up. This may seem unnecessary, but it will do
wonders for your strength and help to alleviate any muscle or joint pain you have.
For both training days you will also warm-up with pull-ups. Back strength is actually one of the
most important factors in providing strength for all of your lifts, which is why we have you start
every workout with pull-ups to develop back strength.
If you can’t do pull ups then you can use a band for assistance or replace these with heavy lat
pull-downs, but if you’ve been training for a while you know that there really is no replacement
for pull-ups. They are a vital exercise that our bodies were designed to do and need to be
practiced often. They decompress your spine and build back strength like nothing else can!
You can do these with your hands facing in (chin-ups) or facing away (pull-ups) as you desire.
Do as many sets as it takes to get to the set number of reps, never going to failure.
For weighted pull-ups you want to aim for a weight that allows you to do 5 sets of 5 reps or so.
Adjust the weight as needed.
If you cannot do 10 pull-ups in a row, then either do heavy lat pull-downs for 5x10 on your
Base Work training days or cut the reps down to 30 total for those workouts.
As part of your warm up on Strength Work days you can also include plyometrics. This is
optional, but highly recommended.
Plyometrics have an incredible ability to prepare your body for maximal lifts through the
reflexive contraction that they provide, very similar to a maximal deadlift. The key is to jump to
a difficult height onto a box, but not so high that you risk missing the box. Then slowly over
time try to increase the height. As the box height raises, so too will your deadlift max!
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 61 of 72
For added strength and performance, follow my How To Warm-Up Guide before every
workout!
Technique Work
Exercise Technique is a crucial part of any movement based training program. Without proper
technique your body will learn improper movement patterns that can hold back your strength
and cause injury.
Technique is so important that it should be checked and improved every time you start a
training session!
Your technique work is still part of your warm-up and therefore only light weights (<50% of
your maximum) should be used to prevent over fatiguing yourself. The focus is on improving
your movement pattern by utilizing perfect form, under controlled movements.
The main goals of this exercise is to prepare your body for the more intense work ahead, build
up weaknesses and increase work capacity.
You should do only 3 sets of 5 perfect reps. Again, the goals are to improve the motion of this
exercise and better prepare your body for the work ahead, not to pre-fatigue those muscles.
After completing your Technique Work, you are ready to begin your workout!
Start with your first exercise by doing the same number of repetitions you plan to train with for
that day. If you are doing 3 reps for your working sets, do all your warm-ups with 3 reps. Start
with a low intensity and work your way up slowly.
The Main Lift
The main lift, or main lifts, of any given workout, is the focus point of the session, where you
put in the most effort. All of the training before and after the main lift is set to better improve
this movement.
As this book is all about how to improve your Deadlift Max, Deadlifts will always be your main
lift for both workouts. One day per week they will be done at a high intensity with low reps to
build maximal strength, while one day per week they will be done with a light-moderate
intensity as you accumulate volume and practice technique, creating a higher potential for
strength gain.
Together, varying between light, moderate and heavy loads will allow for continuous growth
without stagnation.
Follow the 12 Week Deadlift Program Table for your deadlift sets, reps and intensity.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 62 of 72
Always warm-up to your working weight slowly during each workout to fully prepare yourself
for the work ahead.
Overload Sets
Overload sets are part of your main lift on Strength Work training days. For this you have the
choice between either one AMRAP (as many reps as possible) set or working up to a daily max.
These sets are not necessary, but can help build more strength and confidence as you get set for
max day.
If you are feeling good through all of your Deadlift sets AND your technique is in tact, then you
can choose to add in an overload set. If your deadlifts are moving slow or you start to run out of
energy, then just finish your sets and move on to your accessory work.
Your first option for your overload set is to do an AMRAP for your last set, where you do as
many reps as possible minus one. We always minus one because we do not want to ever risk
failure. It is better to save some for later than risk missing a lift, which stalls progress.
Another option is to finish all of your working sets, then work up to a 1-3 rep Daily Max. This
is a great way to get used to maximal weight, but should not be done two weeks in a row due to
its fatiguing effects. Work up to something heavy, but do not push too hard where you lose
technique or risk failure. Save the absolute max for your Max Day.
You should try to hit a Daily max 1-2 times during your Strength and Max Phases, but only if
you feel good during the training session. It all depends on your recovery.
DO NOT do a daily max on deload weeks or during the Strength Reset Phase (First 4 weeks).
Main Accessory Work
Your main accessory is the accessory lift that directly helps improve your main lift. This lift is
included on the 12 Week Deadlift Program Table and is generally only done on your Strength
Work training days.
For deadlifts your main accessory is squats and for squats your main accessory is deadlifts.
In any program, you can’t talk about deadlifts without talking about squats, and you can’t talk
about squats without talking about deadlifts. These two lifts work hand in hand to benefit each
other. That is why we programmed for both lifts twice per week.
You can do any squat variation that best helps to improve your deadlift strength. This can vary
every workout or be the same during all 12 weeks.
The idea for this lift is not to overly fatigue you beyond recovery, but rather just hit your
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 63 of 72
muscles from a different angle to stimulate new growth. Just get in some work and do not push
too hard. You already did your main strength work. Work the motion with moderate weight and
then move on.
Accessory Work
Your accessory work is just a few hard hitting exercises to help build more strength and muscle
throughout your entire body. You will be pretty exhausted by this point, but push through and
take it as a mental challenge that will make you even stronger.
Your accessory work should be performed with moderate intensity to allow for optimal muscle
growth and proper technique. Always maintain good form to ensure proper muscle activation
throughout the entire lift. Focus on stimulating the muscle rather than just throwing around
tremendous weight. It is important to always be in control of the weight during any exercise
being performed.
For all accessory work, always stop 1-2 repetitions before failure on all sets except the last,
which can be taken to absolute failure if desired. Push yourself, but don’t go so hard that it
negatively effects your recovery for the next workout.
The accessory work for your Strength Work starts off with Glute-Ham Raises. This is one of the
most effective exercises for building brutally strong hamstrings that can support your huge
deadlift. If you cannot perform these properly I recommend you start with negatives until you
build the strength to do reps on your own.
You can start by kneeling on a pad and having a friend sit on your ankles and descend slowly
under control before doing a push up to press yourself back up. When you get strong enough to
do these without assistance, your deadlift will likely have shot up significantly by now and you
can start holding a weight plate across your chest.
If you do not have a Gute-Ham Raise at your gym, or a friend to help out, you can just do some
heavy leg curls instead, but it just won’t give you the same results.
Next you will move onto heavy dumbbell rows. Feel free to use straps on these in order to grip
heavier weight, but only go as heavy as you can while maintaining proper form. Then pick any
bicep curl variation you like before moving onto some side planks and finishing with some
mobility work to keep your body injury free.
For your Base Work accessories you start off improving your quad strength with the leg press.
Then pick any back exercises you want before moving onto some curls and weighted planks.
Make sure to finish off with some mobility work to prevent injury.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 64 of 72
Rest Periods
Rest periods between sets will vary for each part of the workout.
During your warm-up you can superset all your exercises together, as the intensity is not very
high for these exercises, or you can take your time with each exercise to prevent fatiguing
yourself too much before your main work. It is your warm-up, so do what works best for you.
For all your deadlifts, or main lifts, rest as long as you need between sets, but realize that the
longer you take between sets, the longer the workout will last due to the numerous sets.
Typically rest should be 2-3 minutes for loads less than 75% of your maximum and 3-5 minutes
for anything heavier. You can take longer if needed, but don’t waste all your time waiting to be
ready. It is supposed to be hard and tiring, so push yourself and improve your conditioning if
needed.
For all accessory work, rest 1-2 minutes between sets.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 65 of 72
Training To Failure
There are 2 types of failure in training; technical and absolute.
Technical failure is the point in which you can no longer perform a repetition with reasonably
perfect technique. This commonly occurs 1-2 repetitions before absolute failure.
Absolute failure is when no more repetitions can be completed without assistance.
It is good to know what failure feels like, but most of your work should be done with
reasonably perfect technique to build the most optimal amount of strength.
You should really only reach technical failure on the last 1-2 sets of any workout, if at all. This
means you reached maximal stimuli of the muscle fibers and central nervous system while still
performing safe technique.
Reaching absolute failure too often will result in a much greater chance for injury and a much
longer recovery period that may extend beyond the next training session. Not only that, but it
teaches improper lifting technique as your body fights to lift the weight, and makes you weaker
in the long run.
If you are training to failure, then you are training to fail!
The idea for strength training is too, accumulate volume for growth over multiple training
sessions per week utilizing perfect practice. This will ensure safety while gaining the most
amount of strength over time.
If you do fail:
In training, your deadlifts should never go beyond technical failure during this entire program,
excluding your Max Day. However, if you ever do fail a rep, then drop the weight by 10%
multiplied by the number of reps you have left in your set and do the rest of your sets in shame.
For example, if you failed your last rep, then take off only 10%. If you failed on your 4th rep
out of 5, then take off 20%.
If you complete the rest of your sets at this new weight with good form, then you can go back
up in weight, but this decreased percentage is your punishment for not recovering properly.
Shame on you! Just don’t blame me for your lack of preparation.
Also, if the weight is effecting your technique too much and you are moving slow or out of
position, then drop the weight by 10-20% until it looks better. It is your job to lift the weight
properly and if you cannot do that, then your punishment is lifting lighter weight until you can
get it right. Again, not my fault. Just do it right and make it look easy!
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 66 of 72
Final Notes
• Things are going to go awry and that is ok. Not everything is going to go exactly as planned,
and it will take time to perfect your deadlift technique no matter your experience level. Just
be patient.
• Just like anything else, whenever you try something new, such as changing your deadlift
technique, it will likely feel worse. Your body does not like change and the greater the
change the worse things may feel. However, after practicing the new technique you will
become so much stronger in the long run. Just trust in the technique and trust in the program.
Practice and you will become perfect!
• Don’t train lazy! If you do, you will develop bad habits that will haunt you for the rest of
your lifting career! Don’t squirm when you Bench, sit off to the side when you squat or
shrug your deadlifts up. Make sure every rep is absolutely perfect and it will help you during
your entire lifting career.
• Recovery is the most important thing! It doesn’t matter what you do in the gym, if you can’t
recover from it, then you are not going to progress. Recovery is the only thing that is going
to hold you back from making this program a success so make sure you are getting enough
sleep and fuel to make this program a success! That part is on you.
• Make sure you are doing your Daily 30 to help with recovery and mobility throughout the
entire program.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 67 of 72
Would You Do Me A Favor?
Thank you for reading and I hope you learned a lot!
Before you go, please do me a HUGE favor and take a moment to let me know what you liked
most about this book by leaving a review! I read all my reviews and I love hearing how my
work has helped others.
Plus, it really helps me out A LOT!
If you were not completely satisfied with the content of this book please emailing me directly
and I will be happy to answer your questions or help you further.
Thank you, and keep getting stronger my friends!
Leave A Good Review NOW!
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Email: ryan@mathiasmethod.com
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© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 68 of 72
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By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
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By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 70 of 72
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How To Lift More Weight Series
1. How To Squat 500 lbs. RAW: 12-Week Squat Program and Technique Guide!
2. How To Bench BIG: 12-Week Bench Press Program and Technique Guide!
3. How To Deadlift 600 lbs. RAW: 12-Week Deadlift Program and Technique Guide!
4. FULL POWER Powerlifting Program: 16-Weeks to Maximum Strength and Power!
The Strength Warrior Workout Series
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2. Mathias Method STRENGTH SYSTEM: Your Ultimate Strength Guide!
3. How To Warm-Up Properly For Strength Training: A Complete Guide!
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© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 71 of 72
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© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias
How To DEADLIFT Guide presented by MathiasMethod.com
Page 72 of 72
Strength is only the beginning.
It is what you do with it next that really matters.
© 2018 Mathias Method – All Rights Reserved.
© 2018 Mathias Method
By Ryan J. Mathias