Introduction to Deadlifts, Part 1 Print E-mail



Ever wonder why you don't see many people doing deadlifts? Two reasons:

Deadlifts are brutally hard. It's tough to imagine another lift besides the squat that's as physically draining as the deadlift. And the more difficult the lift, the less inclined people are to do it.

Unfortunately, like the squat, the deadlift also has a reputation for being somewhat perilous.

Now, don't get us wrong; if you suffer from a disk herniation or any other type of serious lower back ailment, attempting to pick a loaded barbell up off the floor probably isn't a good idea, regardless of what your form looks like. Orthopedic limitations notwithstanding, however, the deadlift is pretty tough to beat when it comes to building strength and mass.

As if that last statement in and of itself isn't enough motivation to get your skinny butt dead-lifting, try this on for size. The deadlift may actually be the one "big three" lift where those long limbs of yours serve as a help rather than a hindrance. But before you get too giddy, you have to realize that this depends largely on the type of deadlift you do and what kind of form you use while doing it.

Regardless of which type of deadlift you do, the prime movers involved in the deadlift are the muscles of the posterior chain, namely the glutes, hamstrings, and spinal erectors (lower back). However, depending on which variation you opt for, there can also be a tremendous amount of quad involvement as well. Now, since the deadlift and the squat use many of the same muscles, some of you may be wondering why you should do both. Well, for starters, the way that the weight is positioned in relation to the body's center of gravity (i.e., in front of the body's center of gravity) causes a greater degree of forward lean in the torso when performing the deadlift. The forward lean isn't optimal for squatting because of the stress a forward lean causes the lower back when there's a bar on top of the spine. With the deadlift, though, a certain degree of forward lean is optimal.

We say this because the deadlift involves a much greater upper body component than the squat. The fact that you have to hold the weight in your hands rather than support it across your trapezius requires an even greater utilization of your upper back musculature. In order to prevent your back from rounding due to the pull of the weight, you have to actively contract your upper back and work to maintain an arch in your lower back. This requires a strong contraction from all the back muscles (including the lats, rhomboids, trapezius rear deltoids, and spinal erectors). This means leg and back growth. But be careful not to let your ego get in the way. If the pull of the weight causes you to round your back during the lift, immediately lower the weight until you can maintain the proper position. Rounding the back excessively can shift the stress onto the spinal ligaments and separates the normal space between the vertebrae. This can increase the possibility of disk herniations, so don't round that back!

But hold on a minute here! Didn't we mention something about the deadlift being at least somewhat conducive to an ectomorphic body type? We did, with a caveat. We said that it depends on what style of deadlift you choose. Take the classic bent-leg deadlift, for example. The increased forward lean at the waist already increases hip and lower back involvement; throw in long femurs and a short torso, and well . . . you know what to expect. Think squatting is tough? Try attempting to pull a couple of hundred pounds off the floor without the benefit of any elastic recoil from having lowered the weight from above. Trust us; it's no day at the beach. The only saving grace is that your long arms actually end up making the lift somewhat easier by not requiring you to lean forward quite as much as someone with shorter limbs. Trouble is, because of where the weight is positioned, even though your long arms effectively shorten the range of motion somewhat, the advantage is once again minimized by those long femurs.


  No Comments.
Discuss this item on the forums. (0 posts)