The deadlift is an integral, yet often missing component of a strength-building program. That’s not to say that everyone should be performing this movement or one of its variations, but the benefits of the deadlift for a power- or strength-building program are innumerable.
Muscles Worked During a Deadlift
The deadlift is a compound exercise targeting several muscle groups:
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Latissimus dorsi
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Trapezius
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Erector spinae
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Gluteals
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Hamstrings
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Quadriceps
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Psoas (hip flexors)
Your forearm muscle group, 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 of Deadlifting
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. (2) When compared to isolation exercises, compound movements that involve larger muscle groups elicit a hormonal training response that results in greater strength gains. (1) The dynamics of the lift itself may also lead to greater gains in hypertrophy. (1)
The deadlift also has possible rehabilitation benefits. It has been hypothesized that the moderate to high hamstring activity elicited during the exercise may help to protect the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) during rehab. (2)
The movement 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.
Deadlift Technique: Performing the Lifts
Beginning position:
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Feet should be flat on the floor about shoulder-width apart in the conventional style and slightly farther apart in the sumo-style
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Grip bar with a closed, alternate grip
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Legs should be flexed, as in a squat position
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Bar should be as close to the shins as possible
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Back posture should be straight
Upward movement:
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Begin pull by extending at the knees
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The hips and shoulders should move at the same rate, keeping back posture straight, with the shoulders above or slightly in front of the bar
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At the end of the concentric phase, thrust hips forward and abduct lats. The hip and knee joints should be fully extended.
Downward movement:
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Flex hip and knee joints to slowly lower the bar to the floor, ending in the squat position
Points to remember:
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Your torso should be straight throughout the movement
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At no portion of the lift should your back be rounded
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Keep the bar as close to the shins as possible throughout
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feet should always be flat on the floor, pushing from the heel
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Exhale through the sticking point of the concentric movement and inhale through the eccentric phase
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Do not jerk the movement, it should be smooth throughout
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If your knees are moving laterally from side to side, reduce the amount of weight
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Because of the many muscles involved in the lift, the deadlift may require more rest between sets than normal
Biomechanics of the Sumo Deadlift and Conventional Styles
There are two basic styles of a bent-leg deadlift: sumo and conventional. The key difference between the two styles is the placement of the feet and the width of the grip. In the sumo-style, the grip is medial to the feet; that is the grip is on the inside of the legs. The feet in the sumo-style are at about a 45-degree angle pointing outward. This style utilizes a slightly wider stance than the conventional method.
In the conventional lift, the grip is lateral to the feet (on the outside of the legs) and the feet only slightly turn outward.
The sumo-style has gained a reputation for decreasing the stress placed on the lower lumbar by as much as 10% when compared to the conventional deadlift. (2) Those who are leaner and have longer than average torsos often favor it as well. Since the sumo-style requires less hip flexion and a more upright trunk position, this may benefit people of this phenotype by reducing the torque on the lower spine. We also know the sumo-style deadlift requires much larger knee and ankle moments and more flexion of these joints when compared to the conventional style. (2) This implies that the quadriceps may be more active in the sumo-style lift.
The sumo-style lift requires less mechanical work than the conventional because of the wide stance. (2)
Additional Deadlift Variations
Single Leg Deadlift
Not only does this deadlift variation help build stability but the unilateral movement can also help prevent one side of the body from dominating the movement. In a single leg deadlift, all or most of the weight shifts to one leg. The movement can be completed without weight or with a variety of different types of resistance (dumbbell deadlifts, barbell deadlift, kettlebell deadlift, etc.) depending on the skill level of the individual.
The client will either balance on one leg or shift the bulk of the weight to one leg with the toes of the opposite foot resting lightly on the ground. Keeping the hips square and the knee soft, the client will slowly hinge forward at the hips until the torso is almost parallel with the ground while the opposite (supporting) foot comes off the ground. The client should focus on keeping their shoulders back, hips square, and their torso straight throughout the movement. To complete the rep, the focus should be on utilizing the glutes and hamstrings to hinge the body back to the starting position.
Hex Bar Deadlift (Trap Bar Deadlift)
This variation helps protect the lower back and prevents clients from shifting the weight too far away from their body.
Clients will step inside the center of the trap bar and stand with feet about shoulder with apart. Hinging at the hips and then bending at the knees, the client should squat down to grip the bar keeping the spine straight. Pressing through the heels, the client should extend the knees and then the hips in a fluid motion and press the hips forward at the top of the lift. They will slowly lower the trap bar back down to the ground by hinging very slightly at the hips and then bending the knees.
Deficit Deadlift
This deadlift variation helps increase the range of motion and increase the muscles’ time under tension. The form for the deficit deadlift is very similar to the traditional deadlift. However, the main difference in the deficit lift is that the feet are slightly elevated off the ground (typically no more than a couple inches) while the weight rests on the floor. Utilizing a platform, the client will complete a conventional deadlift allowing for a slight increase in the range of motion of the movement.
What About the Romanian Deadlift?
The Romanian deadlift (RDL) is like a straight-leg deadlift, but it requires the slight bend in the knees as found in the hip hinge form. The RDL focuses on the eccentric part of the movement—that is the way down towards the ground—which is often an undertrained aspect of a deadlift. Most athletes or lifters will allow gravity to bring the bar to the floor and, often, allow it to bounce to begin the concentric contraction instead of controlling the movement down.
To improve your RDL, focus on improving your hip hinge movement. A hip hinge is a movement that utilizes the posterior chain to drive flexion and extension of the hips with a posterior weight shift. The musculature involved in the movement pattern includes the hamstring muscle and glutes, erector spinae, the rhomboids to aid in a neutral spine, and the core muscles for bracing the upper body.
Conclusion
As with all exercises, the deadlift is not for everyone. If you are training a client with special needs such as lower lumbar injuries or any other joint injuries, it is important to get the doctor or chiropractor to release the client for such a movement before adding this lift to their regime.
And don’t forget to consider the other deadlift variations to accommodate your clients’ needs. Use barbells for lighter weights or use a limited range of motion if the situation calls for it. Try the specialized bars may be more comfortable such as the combo bar or trap bar.
Because of the wide range of muscles the deadlift targets, some people use it as a warm-up lift before their workout. In whatever form you use, the deadlift should play a key role in your training program.
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