Dissecting the Deadlift

Good Morning!

It’s almost the weekend! Yay! I’m heading down to Florida sometime on Friday or Saturday…I can’t wait! 🙂

Workout

As I mentioned earlier, I am incorporating more regular weight training into my weekly workouts.  (Click here to see my tips on weight training and weight training goals!)

One of the main exercises that I like to include in my weight training routine each week is the Conventional Deadlift.

Conventional Deadlift

This is not to be confused with the stiff leg deadlift, which is a different exercise (but also a great one!)

Stiff Leg Deadlift

The Conventional Deadlift Dissected

The Conventional Deadlift is such an important exercise, yet I feel a lot of girls do not incorporate this movement in their training programs for fear of “bulking up” or simply not knowing how to execute it.

Information about the Conventional Deadlift

Source

Muscles Worked

The Deadlift is a compound exercise targeting several muscle groups including the latissimus dorsi, trapezius, erector spinae, gluteals, hamstrings, quadriceps, and psoas (hip flexors). Your forearm muscles, which are involved in gripping the bar, are used to a lesser degree, as well as muscles involved in trunk stabilization such as your obliques.

Benefits

The Deadlift has many benefits. As a compound exercise, the movement spans three joints with extension occurring at the hip, knee, and ankle joints, thus utilizing several large muscle groups.

When compared to isolation exercises (such as a bicep curl), compound movements that involve larger muscle groups elicit a hormonal training response that results in greater strength gains.  The dynamics of the lift itself may also lead to greater gains in hypertrophy (muscle growth)

The Deadlift also has possible rehabilitation benefits. It has been hypothesized that the moderate to high hamstring activity elicited during the Deadlift may help to protect the Anterior Cruciate Ligament during rehab.

The movement of the Deadlift translates well into real life as it mimics bending and lifting. Anyone who has a toddler is quite familiar with the motion of the lift already.

Today, I am going to show you how to complete a deadlift

*Note: Before I show you, understand that if you have any underlying back issues, you should check with your doctor before performing this.  Also, a proper warm up is crucial.  Never attempt a heavy lift without first warming up with a lighter load. *

Beginning position

• feet should be flat on the floor about shoulder width apart in the conventional style, and slightly farther apart in the sumo style
• grip bar with a closed, alternate grip
• legs should be flexed as in a squat position
• bar should be as close to the shins as possible
• back posture should be straight

Warm up with just the bar

Beginning Set Up with Weight

Upward movement

• begin pull by extending at the knees
• the hips and shoulders should move at the same rate, keeping back posture straight, with the shoulders above or slightly in front of bar
• at the end of the concentric phase, thrust hips forward and abduct lats. The hip and knee joint should be fully extended

Downward Movement (Not shown)

flex hip and knee joints to slowly lower bar to the floor, ending in the squat position

Result? A sweaty mess!

Remember to adapt this exercise to YOUR body.  If you are new to deadlifts, you can do a lighter weight by using dumbbells or even just your body weight to get the movement down.  For more important key points, go here!

Questions:

Do you do deadlifts?

What is your favorite weight training exercise?