The deadlift is exercise #1 for your abs, lower back, glutes, and hamstrings. The key benefit of the deadlift is increased testosterone levels, as well as developing explosive strength and strengthening the spine.
However, the correct technique plays an important role – only then, the deadlift gives the result in the form of development and growth of muscles, and not pain in the lower back. First of all, the exercise requires the ability to consciously engage the abdominal muscles and maintain intra-abdominal pressure.
The Deadlift
The deadlift with a barbell is the most important of the five basic exercises. The benefit of the deadlift is that it develops both large and small muscles of the body. In addition (when working with a lot of weight), testosterone levels increase and the central nervous system strengthens.
The deadlift technique involves lifting the bar from the floor due to the strength of the muscles of the buttocks, the back of the legs, the body, and the upper back. Despite the apparent simplicity, there are many nuances of the technique, most often ignored by beginners.
Incorrect load distribution not only overloads the spine, causing pain in the lower back and neck but also puts the shoulder and knee joints at risk. Moreover, the more working weight is used in the exercise, the more even the slightest technique errors can harm.
Benefits:
- Creates a powerful physique
- Develops explosive power
- Strengthens muscles
How often should you perform this exercise?
The deadlift is one of the most physically and technically difficult exercises. Since the powerful hormonal response of the body requires high weights and low reps (no more than 5-7), after training, the muscles need sufficient time to rest and recover.
In addition, the correct execution of the deadlift involves a preliminary warm-up of the joints and warm-up exercises. In turn, to speed up recovery after a deadlift, a massage roller will help – to relieve tightness in the muscles of the buttocks.
A step-by-step guide to the proper technique
Note that shoes with gel or air cushions (such as running shoes) create excessive cushioning and are not suitable for deadlifts. Sneakers or other flat shoes are preferred (actually easier to balance).
1. Preparing for a deadlift
Deadlift is performed after a preliminary warm-up of the muscles. Standing evenly and confidently, the legs are narrowly spaced (according to the width of the hips), and the feet are turned to the sides. The bar is located on the floor, and its neck runs along the center of the foot, being as close as possible to the leg itself. The hands on the bar are narrow and touch the knees.
2. Starting position
Lower yourself down in a motion similar to a barbell squat and grab the barbell so that your knees are inside your arms. The joints of the hands should be straight and the elbows fixed. A straightened back will force the back of the thighs, the muscles of the press and the body to be included in the work. Push your chest forward, looking straight down.
3. Position check
Before performing a deadlift, it is important to make sure that the starting position is correct. Check the position of the feet and the proximity of the bar to the legs (get into the habit of checking the position of the lacing on your shoes). Also, don’t squat too low, and keep your knees past your toes.
At the same time, the shoulders should slightly go forward beyond the line of the bar (imagine that the shoulder blades seem to cover the bar) – this will help to evenly load the shoulder joint and avoid overloading it. The head and neck should be in the most neutral position, the gaze should be directed in front of you and slightly down.
4. Move up
Without swinging or transferring body weight to your toes, push your chest forward and rise up, keeping the bar as close to your legs as possible. In the first phase of the movement of the deadlift (that is when the bar is raised to the knees), the front surface of the thighs is involved in the work, in the second phase (when the body is straightened) – the back surface.
In the second phase of the deadlift movement, it is especially important to try to engage the muscles of the buttocks and hamstrings, while pushing the pelvis forward, rather than trying to pull the weight of the bar due to the strength of the lower back and back. At the top, do not perform shrugs or other unnecessary movements.
5. Move down
The technique of lowering the weight in the deadlift does not begin with bending the knees at all, but with pulling the hips back – this will help clear the way for the barbell, without allowing it to hit the knees. Lower the bar in this way to the position of the kneecaps, and only after that begin to bend the knees themselves.
The spine should be in a neutral position when moving down – do not let the lower back arch either up or down. In addition, do not transfer the weight of the barbell to your arms and shoulders – this will create a serious risk of injury to the joint. At the same time, the gaze should not fall to the feet – this will upset the balance.
Biggest mistakes when deadlifting
It is extremely important to ensure that during the deadlift, the back is straight and the chest is looking forward. Otherwise, the work is done by the strength of the muscles of the arms and shoulder girdle, and not at all by the muscles of the body and the back of the thighs.
Involvement of the abdominal muscles also plays a role – especially when moving up. The press should be tense, the stomach is drawn in. If the transverse abdominal muscles are not sufficiently developed, this will complicate the deadlift, overloading the lower back.
How to do it right if you’re a beginner?
When doing a deadlift, it is usually difficult for beginners to lift the barbell directly from the floor – the less working weight is used, the smaller the plate diameter and the lower the barbell is. Either use larger plate diameters or deadlift from a stand.
Let us remind you once again that arching your back up (just like trying to control yourself in the mirror) is the easiest way to get injured. This remark is especially true when performing deadlifts for girls since they tend to bend their backs not only in the lower but also in the upper part.
Do I need a belt or straps?
Straps help you lift more weight on the bar than your hands can hold – but they should only be used by professionals, not beginners. The same remark applies to the “over-grip” technique when one palm looks up and the other looks down.
Such a grip facilitates the execution of the deadlift, therefore, it is permissible only in the very last approaches, when the athlete has little strength left. However, again, beginners are advised to first use a regular grip and adequate weights, learning and honing the correct technique – and only then move on to variations.
The deadlift is exercise #1 for your abs, lower back, glutes, and hamstrings. For beginners, it is important to include this exercise in the training program, while maintaining the ideal form and learning to feel the work of the muscles, and not just chasing weight gain.