The Conventional Deadlift is one of the big three strength training exercises, alongside the bench press and squat. These are the three main compound movements considered by some to be all you need to gain full body strength and muscle, and as a result it’s one of the most popular exercises in the world.

This also means that people are looking for ways to improve their deadlift as much as possible, and while there are no shortcuts or substitutes for consistent practice and effort, there are plenty of pieces of equipment that can help you progress more quickly, smoothly, and safely.

Below, we’ve put together a list of nine of the best pieces of equipment you can use to accelerate your deadlift progress.

Barbell Jack

Unlike exercises performed from a rack, a deadlift is done with the barbell on the floor, making it difficult to load plates onto it.

That’s where a Barbell Jack comes in handy, it’s a simple piece of equipment that lifts the barbell off the ground, allowing you to easily load plates on without having to manually hold up the bar or try and stop it from rolling around.

Behemoth Deadlift Bar

The Behemoth deadlift barbell is specifically designed to help you deadlift as much weight as possible.

High levels of barbell whip (the amount the bar bends in use) helps your deadlift by adding momentum as you pull, but it’s bad for other exercises like the bench press and clean and jerk, so all-purpose Olympic barbells are designed to reduce whip as much as possible.

A Deadlift Bar, on the other hand, is designed to be whippy enough to give you that little extra boost when deadlifting.

Combine that with the aggressive knurling and longer overall length, and you have a bar that will help you take your deadlift even further.

Deadlift Platform

Repeatedly deadlifting heavy loads in one corner of your home gym can damage your flooring. A deadlift platform helps to alleviate this pressure.

Planning to drop the barbell during deadlifts? Check out our range of drop pads to protect your bar and plates even further.

Change Plates / Fractional Plates

Change plates are small weight plates that come in much lighter increments than typical gym plates. By using plates as light as just 0.25kg you can precisely control your progressive overload.

Adding such a small jump in weight on the bar each session will help you break through plateaus and make sure your deadlift progress is smooth, letting you reach new heights in your deadlift 1RM.

Palm Grips

Palm Grips help to not only protect your hands from the aggressive knurling on the barbell but also give you a stronger grip. This prevents the bar from slipping mid-lift and ensures you can focus on pulling the bar up, instead of just trying to hold onto it.

Power Bar

A power bar occupies a middle ground between an Olympic barbell and a deadlift bar. It is slightly thicker at 29mm and has more aggressive knurling for a better grip, but also has a similar amount of whip as an Olympic Bar and a knurled center for added hold during Squats.

This makes it a great choice for home gym owners who are serious about deadlifting, but still want a general purpose barbell. It’s better for deadlifts than an Olympic bar, but can still be used for exercises like the bench press or overhead press without any issues.

Weightlifting Belt

A weightlifting belt is a crucial piece of equipment for anyone performing heavy deadlifts.

When you brace the belt pushes back against your stomach, increasing the intra-abdominal pressure and helping you maintain good form, which protects your spine and lower back - two areas that people can suffer injuries in due to poor form while deadlifting.

There’s a reason that powerlifters are usually seen sporting a weightlifting belt, it’s a simple and affordable way to prevent serious injuries.

Resistance Bands

When performing a conventional deadlift you’re weakest at the bottom and strongest at the top of the lift. Resistance bands can offset this by adding more resistance as you pull the bar higher up.

This allows you to exert a more consistent level of effort throughout the movement, making each rep more effective at building strength, muscle, and neurological adaptation.

Wrist Wraps

Wrist wraps are great for adding extra support to your wrists during heavy deadlifts.

They help stabilise the joint and reduce strain, especially if your wrists are weaker or recovering from an injury.

By keeping your wrists in a strong neutral position, Wrist Wraps let you focus on your grip and overall deadlift form.

There you go, a list of 9 different pieces of gym equipment you can use to help improve your deadlift, everything from specialty bars and platforms, to simple belts and wraps.

Combined with consistent effort and practice, any one of them will help you take your strength to the next level and reach your deadlifting goals.

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Tags: Equipment > Bars and Weight Plates ; Exercise Type > Strength