Five Types of Deadlifts: How They Different
For building functional strength, the deadlift is one of most effective and popular exercises. Why? Because you must lift a heavy weight from a deadlift against gravity. It’s like lifting an object off of the ground in real life. Deadlifts are a great exercise for strength, power and muscle building. You will be able to work all of your lower body from your calves, hamstrings, glutes, and quads.
You can also strengthen your core and stability with deadlifts. This is because you have to brace your abdominal muscles while lifting the barbell. When lifting heavy weights, a stronger core is better for your health. The compound deadlift is also known as a deadlift, which means that it works multiple muscles simultaneously, making it a great exercise to burn calories and build lean muscle mass.
There are many ways to deadlift, and each has its own advantages. Let’s take a look at five of the most popular deadlifts and how they can be done, as well as the benefits each one offers.
Conventional Deadlift
Here’s how to do a conventional deadlift:
* Stand with your feet together, toes pointed forward. Reach down and bend at your hips to grasp the bar. Your hands should not touch your knees.
* Use your glutes and back muscles to squeeze your glutes and push your heels forward.
* Do not lean forward when lifting; lift your chest and keep your shoulders up.
* Take a moment to pause at the top, then slowly lower under control to the floor.
It’s best to begin with an unloaded barbell if you’ve never deadlifted before. Either hold on to a broomstick, or you can use no weight. It is important to feel comfortable enough that you can keep your back straight, knees slightly bent and your shoulders back while lifting. Before you move on to a heavier weight, practice the traditional deadlift until it feels natural.
Do not let your knees sink inwardly during this exercise. It will reduce the effectiveness of the move. You should also ensure that you are standing straight and not leaning on anything. This is an exercise that you can do without any additional support.
Conventional deadlifts place a lot of emphasis on your posterior chain and your glutes. The downside to the traditional deadlift is that it puts stress on your lower back. If you suffer from chronic lower back pain, there are better deadlift options.
Romanian Deadlift
Romanian deadlifts, also known as RDL, are variations of the traditional deadlift. They target your lower back. The conventional deadlift is more about strength and power than flexibility. However, the RDL is more about mobility and flexibility.
RDL can improve your hamstring flexibility, and help to loosen up tight hip flexors. It is a great deadlift for athletes who have tight hamstrings or poor alignment. Functionally, it can also help you by teaching you how to keep your pelvis straight when lifting heavy objects or performing any other athletic movements.
Because you lift less weight than what you would in a regular deadlift, the RDL can help build lower back strength and reduce injury risk. How to do one?
Standing with your feet together, hold a barbell in your overhand grip and your arms out to your sides. Your knees should be bent slightly and your arms straight.
Slowly bend your hips and lower the barbell towards the floor, until it is below your knees.
* Don’t turn your back as you fall.
* Slowly return to your standing position after a pause at the bottom.
RDL puts more emphasis on your posterior chain, quadriceps and glutes than your quadriceps. It’s also safer for your back because you’ll be using a lighter barbell for RDL than for a traditional deadlift. It targets your hips better than a traditional deadlift because it is a half movement.
Sumo Deadlift
Sumo deadlifts are deadlifts where your feet are wider than your shoulders and your center gravity is lower. The barbell is also held between your knees. You don’t have to lower your body as much if your center of gravity lies closer to the ground than with a traditional deadlift.
Sumo deadlift is an alternative to the traditional deadlift. Sumo deadlifts are more hip-dominant that the traditional deadlift. This means they target your glutes, hamstrings and quads more than your quads. Sumo deadlift places more emphasis on the bottom stretch reflex.
Spread your legs out as far as possible — in a comfortable posture — and keep your toes pointed outward at 45 degrees.
* With your hands in your knees, bend over and grab the bar shoulder width apart.
* Stand straight with your hips bent and your shoulders back. Next, lift the barbell upwards. Throughout the movement, keep the barbell as close to your body as possible.
* Keep your back straight until you feel your body upright.
To return to the original position, slide the barbell down on your body.
*
Sumo deadlift targets your inner thighs, not your hamstrings or glutes.
Deadlift from Trap Bar
If you are experiencing back pain or mobility problems, the trap bar deadlift can be a safer option than the traditional deadlift. While you can still lift a heavy weight, the bar will allow you to keep a more neutral and upright spine. It also has a limited range of motion.
This deadlift variation has a secret sauce: the trap bar is what you use. The trap bar looks like a squat rack. It has vertical posts on either side and a flat bar at the center that allows you to stand within the rack. Trap bar deadlifts your arms, legs, back and shoulders. Because the weight is evenly distributed between your upper body and lower body, you can safely lift more weight than with regular barbells. Trap bar deadlifts have the same characteristics as a deadlift but with a more pronounced squat.
The trap bar allows you to maintain a higher back position during deadlifts. This variant is more quad-focused than the traditional deadlift.
How to do a trap bar deadlift:
Place your feet hip-width apart on the trap bar.
* Bend your knees slightly, then bend your elbows and grab the trap bars on either side. Your palms should be facing you.
Slowly stand and hold the trap bar, tightening your glutes.
* Stand straight once you are standing straight. Push your hips back, lower the trap bar to the ground, and keep your spine neutral.
* Repetition
Trap bar deadlifts are easier to do and place less strain on your spine. This makes them safer for your back. This variation is great for improving your posture and requires less grip strength that a traditional deadlift.
Deadlift with dumbbells
Instead of barbell deadlifts that require you to maintain a straight back, dumbbell deadlifts allow for you to bend slightly while you lift. This activates the posterior chain muscles, which are vital for injury prevention and athletic performance.
Also, dumbbells are easier to use than a barbell for heavier weights.
How to do a dumbbell deadlift:
* Stand shoulder-width apart with your feet together, and hold a dumbbell in each of your hands.
* Bend your knees slightly, push your hips forward and lower the weights to just below your knees. Do not arch your back and keep dumbbells in close proximity to your body.
* Stand up and squeeze your glutes to get back up.
* Repetition
The bottom line
You now know the basics of the five most common deadlifts, as well as the pros and cons of each. You can choose the one that best suits your needs and is most comfortable.
References:
“The Deadlift and Its Application to Overall Performance – NSCA.” /education/articles/tsac-report/the-deadlift-and-its-application-to-overall-performance/.
Bird, Stephen PhD, CSCS; Barrington-Higgs, Benjamin Exploring the Deadlift, Strength and Conditioning Journal: April 2010 – Volume 32 – Issue 2 – p doi: 10.1519/SSC.0b013e3181d59582.
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