On April 10, 2022, Danny Grigsby pulled a staggering 415-kilogram deadlift (915 pounds) for two reps. He followed the sizable two-rep set and showed off his stamina by pulling a 770-pound deadlift for eight reps — a volume PR.
Check out both lifts below, courtesy of Grigsby’s Instagram profile:
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[Related: Powerlifter Jessica Buettner Deadlifts 507 Pounds For 6; Crushes 405-Pound Paused Squat For 4 Reps]
Only weeks removed from notching a professional powerlifting first, these are stellar training feats for the 28-year-old Grigsby. The powerlifter had previously noted he was working through minor quad tweaks. As a result, he took the necessary precautions to avoid any further unexpected pitfalls in training.
Starting to do volume again, this is brutal
It seems Grigsby is well on his way back toward full power and endurance with these respective pulls.
Putting in the Work
Grigsby stepping up his deadlift training is an excellent sign for his prospects over the rest of the year 2022. With almost a decade’s worth of experience under his belt, he is no stranger to pushing for success as a professional powerlifter.
During the 2022 United States Powerlifting Association (USPA) Virginia Beach Classic 2, Grigsby became the first person to deadlift over 1,000 pounds in a full powerlifting meet when he pulled 465 kilograms (1,025.2 pounds). He achieved this feat while competing in the raw 125-kilogram weight class.
Here are notable results from Grigsby’s still-evolving career:
- 2013 USPA Downing’s Gym Classic — 1st overall | Juniors
- 2013 USPA West Coast Open — 1st overall | Juniors
- 2014 USPA Oregon State Open — 1st overall | Juniors
- 2014 USPA Washington State Summer Strength Wars — 1st overall | Juniors
- 2014 USPA West Coast Regional Powerlifting Championships — 1st overall | Juniors
- 2015 World Association of Benchers and Deadlifters (WABDL) North American — 1st overall | Juniors
- 2017 USPA DCS Winter Open — 2nd overall | Open
- 2019 USPA California State Championships — 1st overall | Open
- 2020 USPA Iron Mongers Pro Day — 1st overall | Open
- 2021 World Raw Powerlifting Federation (WRPF) The Bucked Up Showdown — 4th overall | Open
- 2022 USPA Virginia Beach Classic 2 — 1st overall | Open
Benefits of Volume Lifting
It’s one thing for an athlete to test their max strength with one great rep. It’s another task to push for a high volume with a degree of challenge.
Research has shown that pushing volume on a short-term basis with a lift can be integral to progress for a competitive athlete. However, it’s not advisable to focus on volume solely. An athlete should mix it with high-intensity, i.e., a challenging but still attainable weight.
People who managed to thread this training needle appropriately in their training for a few weeks saw noticeable upticks in hypertrophy (or muscle growth). (1)
Deadlifting for volume places considerable stress on the lower body, too. The workout is a great activator of an athlete’s hamstrings and gluteus maximus muscles (or butt), but those aren’t its primary benefactors. Partly due to the nature of the pull and eventual rep lockout, the deadlift primarily centers on activating an athlete’s quads and erector spinae (or back muscles). (2)
If a powerlifter such as Grigsby can pull a deadlift for both power and volume, then it would appear he’s performing at or near top level again.
Lofty Goals
Grigsby has not yet announced when he’ll compete in another powerlifting meet. Whenever that does happen, he has said his next major goal is to lift a 1,043.3-kilogram (2,300-pound) total between the squat, bench press, and deadlift. That total would make Grigsby second all-time behind a 1,053-kilogram (2,321.5-pound) world record set by Zac Meyers at the 2020 USPA No Luck Needed Open.
One potential upcoming option for an event is the 2022 WRPF American Pro, which will take place on July 29-30, 2022, in Manassas, VA. Grigsby competed in a WRPF event (his first-ever) as recently as September 2021 and could look to do so again.
If his recent deadlift training is any indication, Grigsby may continue to reach his ambitious goals regardless of wherever he competes next.
References:
- Colquhuon, R.J., et al. (2018). Training Volume, Not Frequency, Indicative of Maximal Strength Adaptations to Resistance Training. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. May 2018; Vol 32 (5); p. 1207-1213
- Martín-Fuentes, I., Oliva-Lozano, J.M., Muyor, J.M. (2020). Electromyographic activity in deadlift exercise and its variants. A systematic review. PLOS One. Feb 2020; 15(2)
Featured image: @dan_grigs on Instagram
