Deadlift

The Benefits of Deadlifting

Deadlift is a compound move that involves many body parts, including the hamstrings, quads, glutes, abs, traps, lower back, triceps, biceps, lats, calves and grip.

Deadlifting requires physical and mental strength. Aside from discipline and self-confidence, deadlifting improves stability, posture, flexibility, and your cardio level.

Deadlifting Basics

Achieve The Right Stance

Assume a shoulder width stance, and grip the barbell so that the inner forearms touch the outside of thighs, and shins lightly touch the bar. Chose the one of the grips - overhand or an under/overhand (one hand over, one hand under) grip can be used.

Adjust Posture

Fix spine in a neutral position (neither up nor down, but looking straight ahead), and place the hips down. Pulling in the lower abs will ensure a neutral pelvic position. Shoulders should be held back, squeezed tightly, and positioned over the bar, should never be rounded.

Chest should be forward, not down. Before lifting the weight, tighten the shoulders and squeeze the glutes together to help generate power during the initial part of the movement.

Lift The Weight

Hold the bar tight, and push with the feet. The legs must power the weight up. Hips and shoulders should ascend at the same time, while the hands are holding the weight in place. Toward the top of the movement, lock out by employing more upper body strength until the weight is at about the midway position of the upper thigh. Always keep the bar in contact with the body throughout the movement.

Lower The Weight

Reverse step four until the bar touches the floor, pause, and repeat the set.

Do not make any momentum to power the weight up on the second rep, as this will cause a jarring effect, which can lead to different body injuries.

Deadlift Variations

There are many different variations of the Deadlift. Here are the list of most popular variations.

Conventional Deadlift

Your hands are just outside your feet, standing at about hip width apart.

Conventional deadlifts are done with a barbell or set of dumbbells and act to target and work the lower back, calves, forearms, glutes, hamstrings, lats, middle back, quads and traps.

Sumo Deadlift

Sumo deadlift involves placing your feet at a wider stance with your hands inside of your feet. The sumo deadlift can be performed with an emphasis on the quads or hips and provides a range of motion which allows you to lift heavier loads.

Trap Bar Bar Deadlifts

This type of deadlift is performed using a specialized bar. Trap bar can change the mechanics behind the deadlift and lift evenly distributing your weight.

Snatch Grip Deadlift

In the snatch grip deadlift your hands take on a wider grip. The snatch deadlift is a type of Olympic lifting which mainly works the hamstrings. The snatch deadlift acts to strengthen the pull of the snatch.

Romanian Deadlift

The Romanian deadlift - called the straight legged dead lift focuses on using the hamstrings – in contrast to other deadlifts which focus on your lower back. Performing this deadlift, the back should remain straight with all bending coming from the torso – this means instead of bending the knees the legs should be stiff throughout the lowering and lifting phases of the movement.

Common Faults

Rounded Back – not keeping your spine in neutral the entire time. Letting your lower back round.

Looking up (with your neck) – Along with keeping a neutral spine, hyper extending your neck to look up.

Hyperextending at the top – the spine should still be in neutral even at the top.

Treating the deadlift like a squat with the bar in your hands.

Letting the bar come forward – The bar needs to stay over your midline and be dragged up your body the entire lift. Movement forward or backward of your midline should be avoided.

Butt rises faster than your chest – your chest should lead the movement, and your entire body should move upward at the same pace.

Bending your arms – your arms should stay straight.