The deadlift is an essential part of strength-training programs and one of three lifts in powerlifting.
There are many options for deadlifts, with the barbell the most popular.
There is a lot of research supporting the deadlift’s use for fitness and performance. This includes both athletes and the general public.
Multiplying deadlifts offers different, but similar benefits to the traditional deadlift. These variations make it possible to incorporate the deadlift into a program that is tailored to your needs.
This article will discuss the benefits of deadlifts, and offer a few variations for your workout to make it more personal.
The deadlift, a common compound weight exercise, involves lifting a weight off the ground by bending at your hips and waist and then standing up again.
You will need to bend forward while keeping your spine neutral and braced. Then, you’ll be able to grip the weight and drive through the floor using your feet. To lift the barbell off the floor, the motion requires your quadriceps, quadriceps, and hamstrings.
The standard deadlift involves a combination hinging at your hips and bending the knees. Your torso angle in a standard deadlift will be approximately 30-45 degrees higher than horizontal at the start of the pull.
To stabilize your spine, keep your core contracted throughout the motion. You must avoid twisting, rounding or arching your torso.
Before you can lift the object, place the weight in the middle of your foot.
Because you activate your largest lower body muscles, deadlifts can increase functional strength.
You will also be taught how to safely lift objects from the ground, which is an essential skill for daily activities.
> Summary Deadlifts involve picking up a barbell, or any other training tool, off the ground. These exercises train your ability to safely lift objects off the ground by using the largest muscles of your lower body.
Here are 8 benefits that deadlifts can bring to your training program.
1. Activate your hip extensors
Deadlifts are a great exercise to strengthen your hip extensors. The gluteus maximus, hamstring complex, and hip extensors are the most commonly targeted muscles in fitness programs. They can be used for their aesthetic and functional purposes when properly trained.
Research shows that deadlifts outperform squats in training these muscles. However, squats have different benefits from deadlifts, and they are an important part of a well-rounded fitness program (1, 2).
When performing deadlifts, activate the gluteus maximus or hamstrings to increase strength and size.
2. Lower back pain can be reduced
The most common complaint is lower back pain.
Although there are many causes for lower back pain, some treatments may not be effective for all. Research suggests that deadlifts can be used to reduce or reverse mild mechanical low back pain (3).
For pain relief, deadlifts should be done with a properly executed deadlift technique. Before you attempt deadlifts to relieve lower back pain, consult your healthcare professional.
3. Improve jump performance
Jumping is an essential skill in a number of recreational and athletic activities. Your ability to jump often reflects your overall development of lower body power.
Additionally, jumping gives you the power to do other high-powered activities such as sprinting.
Research shows that deadlifts are one of the best strength-training exercises to improve maximal jump performance ((4)).
4. Improve bone mineral density
The loss of bone mineral density, a common side effect of aging, is a serious health problem for older adults.
Osteoporosis is a progressive loss in bone mineral density that can lead to fractures in older people. Fractures can cause a series of health problems that are related to mobility loss.
A large amount of research supports resistance training as a way to reverse the decline in bone mineral density due to ageing. This includes exercises like the deadlift ((5)).
To increase bone mineral density, weight-bearing exercise that loads the entire body with external resistance is key.
The area in which the bone density is increased directly correlates with the training. The area that performs the movement is the one with the highest bone mineral density.
Deadlifts target your hips and legs, so performing deadlifts with resistance exercises in combination can help reduce or reverse the loss of bone mineral density.
5. Activate your core
A key component of a well-rounded fitness program is to train your core and trunk muscles.
Although there are many exercises that can strengthen your core, research suggests that deadlifts or other free-weight exercises can be an effective way to activate the spine muscles, such as the external and internal obliques, rectus abdominis and erector Spinae.
6. Increase your metabolism
Many fitness programs have weight loss as a goal. To lose weight, especially body fat, you must burn more calories per day than you consume.
Traditional weight loss programs include dietary changes to decrease calories intake and increased physical activity to burn calories.
Studies suggest that resistance training using exercises such as the deadlift is one of the best ways to increase your metabolism by moving.
You’ll also burn more calories when you rest because of the muscle growth that you will experience over time.
7. Reduce the risk of failure during repetitions
These benefits are based upon scientific research. However, deadlifts have some subjective benefits that make them an effective exercise.
Deadlifts, for example, allow you to lift large weights without placing the weight on top. You can often safely drop the weight if you fail to do so without causing serious injury.
Effective training methods include bench pressing and the barbell backsquat. A spotter is a good idea as a spotter can help you avoid going too heavy.
Deadlifts can be a safe way to add more weight to your training if you are an individual.
8. Simple equipment
Deadlifts have one final benefit: the relative simplicity of their equipment. To perform the movement, you only need a barbell, plates or a weighted object such as a kettlebell with a handle.
Deadlifts, unlike other exercises that require special equipment or access to a powerrack, are very simple and provide many benefits.
> Summary Deadlifts offer a variety of scientifically-proven health and fitness benefits. Deadlifts also have some practical, subjective benefits that are not available in other exercises.
You can target specific benefits with multiple variations of the deadlift.
For long-term gains, it is a good idea to change the deadlift variation after performing one variation for 4-8 week.
Here are some deadlift variations that you might like to try.
Sumo deadlift
Sumo deadlifts require you to adopt a wider stance with your feet turning 45 degrees outward. This increases activation of the inner hip muscles, which can give some athletes greater leverage.
Research suggests that Sumo deadlifts are more effective for athletes with longer bodies, as they allow them to lift more weight.
Single-leg deadlift
Single-leg deadlifts are similar to the standard deadlift. One difference is that you can lean forward and one leg will stay straight at your hips as your foot leaves floor.
To maintain a straight torso during single-leg deadlifts, you need to activate your core muscles more. This will prevent any rotation inward or outside.
Single-leg deadlifts aren’t as effective at lifting heavy weights and they are generally used for rehabilitation or warmups. Research suggests that single-leg deadlifts can be used to warm up after a session (9).
Romanian deadlift
Romanian deadlifts require you to maintain a slight bend in the knee while you hinge forward at you waist. This is in contrast with traditional deadlifts, which have a more aggressive bend.
This means that your glutes, hamstrings and quadriceps are more prominent.
Researchers using electrical measurements of muscle activation discovered similar gluteus maximus activation during both the Romanian deadlift (a glute-specific exercise) and the barbell hip thrust.
The Romanian deadlift and the barbell hip thrust resulted in greater gluteus maximus activation that a back squat. This pattern is closer to the traditional deadlift (10).
The Romanian deadlift can be a great option to increase your training for the gluteus maximus.
Deadlift with stiff legs
You should keep your knees straight while performing the stiffed-legged Deadlift. All movements of raising or lowering your legs are accomplished by hinging at the waist.
Research shows that deadlifts with stiff legs place more emphasis on the hamstring muscles than other variations (11).
Deficit deadlift
You will be standing on a slightly raised platform for the deficit deadlift — usually 4-8 inches (10-20 cm) tall — relative to the resting position.
This variation trains the same muscles that the deadlift, but it allows for greater motion range due to the lower position of the barbell relative the your shins.
Research has shown that deficit deadlifts can improve strength between your quadriceps and hamstrings, possibly reducing the risk of injury (12).
Hex bar deadlift
The hex-bar deadlift is a hexagonal-shaped exercise that requires you to stand within the hexagon. The handles are positioned parallel with your direction of movement, giving you a suitcase-style grip. Standard-style sleeves protruding from the side are added with plates.
The hexbar deadlift allows for a more natural hand position, and allows the weight direction to be in line with your body.
Research suggests that deadlifting with hex bars allows for more weight to be lifted and may result in greater strength and power (13, 14, 14).
Summary: The variations in deadlifts allow for greater targeting of specific muscle groups. It is possible to incorporate these types of exercises into your training program at different stages.
If performed correctly, deadlifts and variations can be very safe.
You run the risk of slipping if you don’t maintain a neutral spine or if you round your back while pulling the weight. This is especially true if your spine moves actively while you are carrying the weight.
This puts extreme pressure on your spine discs and can cause acute or chronic injuries.
A compromised spinal position can result from lifting more weight than you are capable of lifting. A lack of knowledge regarding proper technique can also cause movement in the spine when deadlifting.
To stabilize your spine and prevent rounding, take a deep breath and engage your core and abdominals before you pull the weight.
Before you attempt deadlifts, consult a licensed professional if you have ever suffered from back pain or a disc injury to your spine.
> Summary Deadlifts are safe for most people of all ages. As long as the load isn’t too heavy and the technique is followed for each repetition, they are safe. If you have back injuries, consult your doctor before starting.
Deadlifts, a fundamental strength-training exercise, offer many benefits that can be used to achieve different fitness and health goals.
Multiple deadlift variations offer more variety and highlight certain muscle groups better than standard deadlifts.
Most people can safely perform deadlifts as long as they follow proper technique and don’t exceed their current abilities.
Deadlifts and variations of them are key exercises for strength training.
