To Hitch or Not to Hitch?

To Hitch or Not to Hitch?

Hitching is a tool and should not be a reliance

In Strongman, hitching is a highly effective tool to finish and fully lock out a heavy deadlift. Because it’s allowed in competition, it is a perfectly valid technique to use when testing a 1RM or 3RM in the gym.

However, a common issue has wriggled its way into the sport: an over-reliance on hitching. Too many lifters start hitching the moment the weight gets heavy. I used to be guilty of this myself - my pull felt great until I hit 210kg, at which point I had to hitch just to complete the lift and get a lockout.

While hitching has its time and place (like fighting for that extra rep in a competition), your goal should be to make the vast majority of your gym lifts clean. Save the hitch for when you actually need it.

In this article, I’ll break down how to build a stronger lockout without relying on a hitch, and how to make your hitch as efficient as possible when it’s time to use it.

Why You’re Over-Relying on the Hitch

If you find yourself hitching almost every heavy deadlift, it usually boils down to two main culprits:

1. A Poor Starting Position

If your starting position is off - whether the bar is too far forward or your shoulders are too far over the bar - your bar path won't be straight. On heavy weights, this inefficient bar path makes it incredibly difficult to get your hips through at the right time, forcing you to hitch to finish the lift.

2. A Weak Posterior Chain

We’re talking about your hamstrings, glutes, lats, upper back, and core. If these muscles lack the necessary strength and mass, the bar will start to move you instead of you moving the bar. Your lower and mid-back will round during the initial pull, causing your hips to shoot up too early. Once your hips rise prematurely, locking out normally becomes nearly impossible, forcing you to hitch.

How to Fix These Two Issues

Step 1: Optimise Your Setup

The classic rule of thumb is to place the bar over the middle of your foot with your shoulders directly in line with or slightly over the bar.

However, to find the absolute best setup for your specific body type, try this camera trick:

1. Set up a camera directly to your side.

2. Load a light weight (around 40% to 50% of your 1RM).

3. Film yourself pulling a few reps.

4. Check the footage to ensure the bar travels in a straight vertical line and your shoulders stay over the bar until your hips drive through.

   
   

Practice this setup over and over with light loads until it becomes second nature.

Step 2: Build the Posterior Chain

To add strength and mass to your backside, you need a smart mix of heavy accessory movements and high-rep volume. Rotate these accessories every three weeks to keep making progress.

Muscle Group	Heavy Accessories (3–12 reps)	Repetition Method (12+ reps)
Hamstrings & Glutes	• Safety Squat Bar (SSB) Good Mornings • Romanian Deadlifts (RDLs) • Barbell Split Squats • Belt Squats • Hamstring Curls • Reverse Hyperextensions	• Banded Hamstring Curls • GHDs (Bodyweight or Weighted) • Walking DB Lunges • Banded Good Mornings • Hip Abductions • Death Marches
Lats & Upper Back	• Chest-Supported Rows • Barbell Rows (any variation) • Pull-ups • Lat Pulldowns	• Face Pulls • Banded Pull-aparts • Trap 3 Raises • Rear Delt Flyes • Banded Face Pulls into Y-Raises • Halbert Raises • Banded Rows

How to Program This in a Conjugate System

1. Perfecting the Start Position (Dynamic Effort Days)

Use your Dynamic Effort (DE) Lower days to refine your setup. Once you find the perfect starting position, focus on moving the bar with speed and intent to build explosiveness.

Here is an example of a 3-week DE wave:

• Week 1: Conventional Deadlift – 6 x 2 @ 50% (Focus on finding your perfect starting position during warm-ups and working sets)

• Week 2: Conventional Deadlift – 6 x 2 @ 55% (Use the exact setup established in Week 1)

• Week 3: Conventional Deadlift – 5 x 2 @ 60% (Maintain the exact same setup)

Coach's Tip: At the start of Weeks 2 and 3, watch your video footage from the previous week to mentally lock in your setup.

2. Building Posterior Chain Mass (After Main Lifts)

Hit your hamstrings and glutes on your Max Effort (ME) Lower days, and save your upper back and lat work for your Upper days.

ME Lower Day Example

• A) Paused Deadlift: 3 x 3 @ 85%

• B) SSB Good Mornings: Build to a top set of 8

• C) SSB Good Mornings: 2 x 8 @ 85% of your top set

• D) Leg Extensions: 3 x 15

• E) Banded Hamstring Curls: 200 total reps

DE Upper Day Example

• A) Log Press: 6 x 2 @ 60%

• B1) DB Arnold Press: 3 x 10

• B2) Banded Face Pull into Y-Raise: 3 x 20

• C) Lat Pulldowns: 3 x 15

• D) Banded Tricep Pushdowns: 100 total reps

• E) Landmine Rotations: 2 x 20

  
  

Note: If you have a seriously lagging muscle group, throw in extra high-rep work at the end of an unrelated session. For underdeveloped hamstrings, finish an upper-body day with 2 sets of 30–40 banded good mornings.

How to Hitch Efficiently: The "Double Pull" Method

If you have addressed your weaknesses and still need to hitch during a competition or a heavy PR attempt, you need to do it efficiently.

1. Have a Game Plan

Decide beforehand if you are going to hitch from rep one, or if you will pull the first two reps clean and only hitch starting on rep three. Decide on a plan in training and stick to it on the platform.

2. Master the Double Pull

To execute the most efficient hitch:

1. Pull with maximum speed to get the bar just past your knees.

2. Rest the bar on your thighs, just above the kneecaps.

3. Re-brace your core if needed.

4. Drive your hips under the bar and take a second explosive pull off your thighs to lock it out.

By treating the deadlift as two distinct pulls rather than one exhausting grind, you save energy, breathe better, and keep the lift from completely taxing your central nervous system.

How to Practice the Double Pull

• On Max Effort Days: Practice this method with heavy loads as you get closer to competition to dial in your timing.

• On Dynamic Effort Days: Practice with lighter loads. Pull explosively to just above your knees, transition the bar to your thighs, re-brace, and explosively lock it out. This builds the muscle memory without burning you out.

You should never need to hitch in regular training. If you do, it's time to film your setup, correct your bar path, and aggressively strengthen your posterior chain.

When competition day comes and it's time to fight for every rep, use the double-pull method to hitch efficiently and secure that new PB.

Want to get stronger and dominate your next Strongman competition? If you enjoyed this article and want to be coached by me, send me a message on Instagram: @liam.strongman_

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About the Author: Liam Heaney

Shaped by Strong Coaching

Liam is an up-and-coming British strongman athlete who has been involved in strength training since 2019 and competing in strongman since 2021. Beginning at local beginner and novice shows, he has steadily progressed through the ranks and now competes in the u105kg category, having competed at England’s Naturals in 2026 and competes regionally in the Opens category, in spite of being of a lighter bodyweight.

Alongside his competitive career, Liam is a qualified personal trainer with over two years of coaching experience, working with both general population clients and strength-focused athletes. His coaching suits strongman competitors who are newer to the sport, particularly beginners, novices, and inters looking for a coach who understands their stage of development first hand.

Liam’s approach blends his own competitive insight with practical, accessible strength

training principles. He writes and coaches from the perspective of someone who has lived through the early progression stages of strongman, making his guidance especially useful for athletes building their foundation in the sport.

You can find out more about getting coached by Liam on his website HERE.

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