It's the ultimate movement to build a strong lower back. It also works calves, forearms, glutes, hamstrings, lats, middle back, quadriceps and traps.
It is one of the three canonical powerlifting exercises, along with the squat and bench press.
The most important tip of all time for this exercise is to always keep your back straight (as straight as possible).
How to do the deadlift?
The starting position of a dead lift is with the loaded bar on the floor and you bending with your back straight and grasp the bar with shoulder width grip. (different grips will be explained)
Then you start to get in the up right position while pushing with your legs and keeping your back as straight as possible.
Once you are up and you contract your back and your buttcheeks, you go back to the starting position by pushing the hips back and then bending the knees once the bar has passed them with your back straight untill the plates reach the floor. And that's one rep.
Other tips:
1- Don't squat the weight, I mean you should move your hips forward and back not up and down. And your hips should be above your knees in the bottom positon.
2- To get the most out of your glutes and hamstrings, you need to keep your weight back on the heels.
3- Keep the bar close to your shins in the starting position.
4- Squeez to buttcheecks together at the top of the movement to complete the hip extension and not to hyperextend backward and tweak your lower back.
5- Don't lift the bar too quickly. Focus to do the motion slowly and correctly.
Some variations:
1- Wide grip deadlift
A.K.A Snatch grip deadlift
Snatch grip deadlift forces you to go lower which gives greater results for lower back, hamstrings and glutes.
2- Romanian deadlift
Focus more on hamstrings and glutes.
3- Trap bar deadlift
It's better for beginners and puts less stress on the spine.
4- Sumo deadlift
It's more suitable for lifters with less hip mobility and weaker hamstrings to keep straight back.
Benefits of deadlift:
1- Increases core strength and stability.
2- It's a real life application that you may face in your daily life.
3- It forces the whole body muscles to grow.
4- It develops gripping strength.
NOW; Get up and build some serious lower back, hams and glutes.
Sources
www.bodybuilding.com
www.menshealth.com
