The deadlift, along with the deep squat, is one of the absolute kings of exercises. There are no other exercises that engage so many muscle groups, cause such a good hormonal response andand above all, so accurately replicate the basic movement patterns that man is naturally wired to do.
At the same time, however, these two exercises are very difficult to perform technically and the chance of injury is very high. So let's break down the deadlift to the last "component" in the following article.from the technique and muscles involved to common mistakes and their possible consequences.
What is a deadlift?
The deadlift is a basic exercise that loads the muscles of almost the entireof the body - from the trapezius to the spinal extensors to the hamstrings. This exercise is usually performed by lifting the axle off the ground from a slight squat to an upright position.
Muscles involved in the deadlift
During the deadlift, almost the entire body's muscles are involved. However, the spinal extensors, the back and the trapezius muscles are the most heavily loaded muscles, rhomboid muscles, interosseous muscles, anterior and posterior thigh muscles, gluteal muscles and others. The rate at which specific muscles are loaded varies depending on the deadlift variation you choose.
What is a good deadlift for
The deadlift is a great exercise for developing all of the above areas, especially the hamstrings, legs and hamstrings. It will be appreciated by anyone looking for an increase in brute strength and muscle volume.
Many bodybuilders incorporate this exercise into their training, especially for increased hardness and better plasticity of the back muscles. However, the basic prerequisite for obtaining all these benefits of the deadlift is to have proper technique. So let's focus on it in the following paragraph.
TIP: Is it necessary to stretch the muscles after training?
Proper deadlift technique
Proper deadlift technique is absolutely crucial. Even lifting new personal bests can't be an excuse for poor technique, it's important to maintain it in every situation.
Of course, a slight rounding of the upper back is not as much of a disaster as a completely bent lower back, but it's definitely a good idea not to underestimate technique.
1. Posture
First of all, it is important to adopt the correct stance with the corpse. Arm and leg spacing is completely individual and depends on your preferred deadlift technique, which we'll discuss later in the article.
However, it's important to stand 2-3cm from the centerline so that the bar touches your calves after you assume the squat position. If you had the bar glued to your calves right from the start, you would have moved it away again when you transitioned into the squat. Equally important is that the spine must be in a neutral position. Just as you must not hunch in the lower back area, you should also not arch your back.
2. Breathing and "setup"
Before each repetition of the deadlift , it is important to take a deep breath into the abdomen. If you have trouble breathing during the exercise, I recommend that you take a deep breath before doing a heavybreathing in deep breaths and sharp exhalations.
Firm up your midsection and AT THE SAME TIME engage your thigh, glute and backmuscles. Even joint movement is absolutely crucial, as this is the only way to get an even load.
In the final stage of the deadlift, you have your legs extended and torso straight. This is where the next important note comes in - don't exhale all theall of the air out of your lungs, as you would reduce the intra-abdominal pressure, which would interfere with the proper support of your body and spine.
3. The second phase of the exercise
After reaching an upright position, the next step is to properly set down the dumbbell. Although not necessary, it is a good idea to try to keep the technique at least decent even when moving the dumbbell down, even if it's clear that for the heavier reps, most of us will simply bring it to the floor somehow.
Properly, you should drop to the original position from where (if you still have the strength) it is possible to start the next repetition. It is possible to start straight in when the discs touch the ground, then do a touch n' go deadlift or put the barbell down and start again from the ground.
From my own experience, I recommend rather the second option, as the magic of the deadlift lies precisely in the fact that you perform it from the deadlift point. If you're bouncing the loaded axle off the ground like Michael Jordan, it's likely to be quite counterproductive and technique-intensive.
4. Overhand vs. Alternating Grip
You've probably noticed that there are more than one way to grip the axle. The most standard one is the classic overhand grip, where both hands face the same direction and grasp the axle with the overhand grip. This grip is mainly used when training with lower to medium loads. Its greatest benefit is the equal loading of both sides of the back muscles and especially the extreme strengthening of the wrists.
At high loads, there is already a risk of the axle slipping out and therefore we recommend switching to the so-called alternating grip.
In this style of grip, one hand grasps the axle overhand, the other underhand. The advantage is a much stronger grip, the disadvantage is the risk of muscle imbalances and higherhigher chance of tearing the biceps tendon (with insufficient stretch). The alternating grip should only be used for the heaviest sets, or alternate both hands regularly.
Variants of the deadlift
In this day and age of state-of-the-art fitness equipment, the deadlift is no longer necessarily a straight-axis affair. You can also make use of single arms, kettlebells, trapbars and similar contraptions. Let's take a look at the most important variants.
Variation #1 - Sumo Deadlift
The sumo deadlift is performed with the feet wide apart, and therefore engages the legs more, while the uprights work less. The huge advantage is the shorter range of motion and, due to the position of the pelvis, keeping the axis closer to the center of gravity. The sumo deadlift also puts a lot of emphasis on hip mobility while strengthening the muscles around the joint capsules and stabilizers.
It's a good one to incorporate into leg training, just because of the greater involvement of the quadriceps and hamstrings.
Video demonstration of the Sumo deadlift (performed by Ales Lamka):
Variation 2 - Romanian deadlift
Romanian deadlift (sometimes also Bulgarian deadlift) is a variant similar to the classicThe only difference is that the legs are slightly bent at the knees all the time.
This puts a lot more stress on the lower back muscles, butt and hamstrings, and in turn eliminates the involvement of the quadriceps. This variation is very useful for improving the classic deadlift, but it is very challenging to perform correctly technically.
Video demonstration of the Romanian deadlift (performed by Ales Lamka):
Deadlift vs. Romanian deadlift
If we compare the classic deadlift with the Romanian deadlift, we find that both complement each other very well.
The Romanian deadlift strengthens your hamstrings and lower back muscles, which you will definitely appreciate with the classic deadlift. Therefore, it is more than advisable to use the Bulgarian deadlift as a complement to the classic deadlift.
Variation #3 - Deadlift with single arms
The deadlift with one-handed dumbbells can be another great alternative to the classic deadlift.
It's a good idea to choose a hammer grip, with the thumbs of the hands pointing towards each other and the backs of the hands pointing away from each other. This type of deadlift is, extremely suitable if you can't lift the classic barbell evenly.
Video demonstration of the Deadlift with one-handed grip (performed by Ales Lamka):
Romanian deadlift with one-handers
A variation of the Romanian deadlift with one-handed deadlift is very popular, especially among more advanced practitioners.
Its main advantage is that it targets the hamstrings better than the classic Romanian deadlift with the axilla. Related to this is the fact that most exercisers can keep the one-handed grip closer to the body(unlike the axle, they don't move away from the body) and therefore you have a better center of gravity.
Variation #4 - Deadlift with kettlebell
The deadlift with kettlebell can be a great option for beginners. This exercise engages the posterior chain perfectly and teaches proper hip engagement, which any proper lifter will appreciate for squat and deadlift.
ARTICLE: 13 tips to get the most out of every workout!
Variation #5 - Trapbar Deadlift
Finally, we can't forget the very popular trapbar deadlift variation. The trapbar deadlift does not place such a high demand on mobility and is therefore a good choice especially for beginningbeginners who have difficulty getting into a neutral posture.
The legs are more involved in this variation and therefore it can be a great complementary exercise to the squat.
What weight to load for the deadlift
It's probably not worth going into a lot of detail about how much to load for the deadlift, what weights should be for men and what weights should be for women. Just load enough on the axle so that your technique is not bad.
If you are a good lifter, bad technique is not a threat even on failed attempts. If your legs shoot out first at 150kg, and then you do a long and painful back pull, it's probably a good idea to drop the weight.
How to breathe properly
Proper breathing forms an essential part of good deadlift technique. When deadlifting , it is important to inhale into the abdomen while drawing in the pelvis bottom to activate the middle of the body and ensure proper spinal stabilization.
From my own experience, I recommend breathing into the abdomen is thoroughly practiced because it is the only way to achieve proper activation of the "core" muscles.
Common mistakes in the deadlift
As you have probably already understood, the deadlift is very technique intensive. However, there are mistakes that almost everyone makes. Let's take a look at the 3 most common ones:
Mistake #1 - Pelvic Retroversion
Pelvic retroversion, or also back rounding, is the most common mistake you'll ever see in any gym. The "sh*t dog" technique can be caused by several serious problems:
- Weak abdominal muscles
- Overtraining
- Hamstring or hamstring shortening
This technique rubs the individual vertebrae against each other, which can cause really serious health problems - in extreme cases, even a prolapsed disc or permanent damage to the hamstrings.
Mistake No.2 - Incorrect leaning at the barbell
When performing a deadlift, it's important to make sure that your center of gravity is directly under your body. You can tell this by having the shoulder joint directly above the axis of the dumbbell. If it is in front of or behind, you are greatly reducing your chances of delivering maximum power.
However, the basic requirement for a proper forward bend is a flexible ankle, which must allow the tibia to move forward. So again we come to a problem that can stem from poor mobility.
Error #3 - Tilt of the trunk after tightening
Very often we also see a trunk tilt after the dumbbell has been pulled to the final position. However, this lean is highly counterproductive as it overloads the traps, hamstrings and calf muscles.
Optimally, you should finish the movement by sticking your shoulder blades to your rib cage by slightly pulling them together. However, this must occur in a straight position, not in a prone position.
Possible injuries (and how to avoid them)
As is usually the case, the exercises that offer the greatest potentialfor improvement also offer the greatest potential for injury. And the deadlift is just one of them. The most common injuries include:
Tearing or completely tearing a muscle (biceps, hamstring,...)
I'm sure you've seen the video where an unknown strongman tore his biceps tendon during a deadlift. The truth is that this injury can happen really easily, because the biceps tendon is one of the most anesthetic ones. But it can also tear a hamstring or any of the other muscles involved.
If you want to avoid this type of injury, make sure to stretch, warm up and stretch thoroughly before training.
Disc protrusion
Another very common and extremely uncomfortable injury is disc protrusion. This usually stems from poor technique, but for advanced lifters it can also be caused by overtraining.
Try to always follow the correct technique and you will absolutely minimize the risk of this injury.
Back pain in the neck area
Back pain in the neck area is not so common, but still a very unpleasant problem caused by deadlifts.
The problem is that during the deadlift, the head must form an extension of the spine. If it is in a different position, this is the problem that can occur. So again we come to the fact that technique is absolutely key.
Lower back and hamstring pain
Lower back and hamstring pain is perhaps the most common problem plaguing deadlift practitioners. As with the other problems that the deadlift causes, there is no way over the internetto cover all the causes and identify yours, that's what physiotherapists are for.
In general, however, it can be said that the most common cause of this problem isstrain on the lower back and hamstrings caused by poor technique. However, it can also be due to weak abdominals or lagging hamstrings.
How to improve deadlifts
If you are doing the deadlift as a triathlon discipline, it is advisable to have a solid plan.
However,possible additional exercises to improve the classic deadlift can be any of its variations, front squats, deadlifts from deficit or deep squats.
However, this is a very individual matter, so I recommend trying individual exercises on yourself and choosing the ones that suit you best.
Deadlift alternatives
Due to the uniqueness and complexity of the deadlift, there are not too many suitable alternatives. However, if you don't have enough iron because, for example, you work out at home, be sure to regularly perform theaxillary deadlifts in a forward bend or deadlifts with one one-handed barbell, which you can see in the following video:
To conclude this article, I would just like to point out that it is impossible to discuss absolutely all aspects of the deadlift in one articleof the deadlift, be it the benefits, potential injuries or "ordinary" breathing. If you are really swimming in the technique of the basic exercises, it is important to take advice from an experiencedmore experienced practitioners or arrange private lessons with experienced coaches.
If you have any questions about the deadlift, feel free to ask in the comments, we'd be happy to answer them. But please note in advance that questions like "My right hamstring hurts, what is it?" are absolutely useless, because we do not know the composition of your training, the technique of each basic exercise or other equally important aspects.
Other similar articles:
- Squat.
- Bench press: correct technique, variations and common mistakes
- The 5 best exercises for the back
- 5 tips to strengthen your grip and forearms
Everything you need to know about the deadlift (video):
Why can you trust us?
Hey! Hey! I'm Mirek and I've been working at World Fitness almost since the beginning, except for a small break. But before that I lived only in the gym for a few years, doing deadlifts and power triathlon, going to competitions and winning a few medals.
Probably the one I value the most is the national record in the WUAP federation. But besides working out, I was also interested in food and supplements, I liked to enjoy my free timeI used to read different researches and professional books in my free time to know as much as possible.