I dig deadlifting. It’s a great lift for brute strength and
power, and it also boosts your gym confidence when you load all of those plates
onto the bar. A lot of trainers and lifters consider the deadlift to be the
second most important exercise, behind the squat, because it trains a number of
different muscles with heavy loads. The deadlift gets its name, because it is
one of only a few weight training exercises in which repetitions begin with
dead weight (weight without inertia).
In most lifts, there is a lowering of the weight (eccentric
phase) followed by the lifting of the weight (concentric phase). The deadlift
begins with the concentric phase, which is the most difficult point of the
lift, and there is no stored energy from the eccentric phase to work with.
Because of these characteristics, it is considered by some to be the truest
test of total strength.
The lift is considered a test of total strength, because it
engages a number of muscles. First, it is a lift of the legs and back. The
quadriceps and hamstrings are the primary muscles worked, in the legs, while
pretty much every muscle in the back is recruited. The deadlift also works the
hips and gluteal muscles as well as the abs, forearms, and shoulders.
Form is extremely important in the deadlift. Though it is a
simple exercise—basically, you lift something from the ground—it has the
potential for serious back injury. First, your stance should be about shoulder
width or slightly wider than shoulder width apart, with your toes straight or
slightly turned outward. Your legs should be about four to six inches from the
bar.
You want to grip the bar with an overhand grip, until the
weight gets too heavy; then you can grip overhand with one hand and under with
the other (this reduces the chances of the bar slipping from your grip), or you
can use weight straps.
Now that you’ve prepared for the lift, take a deep breath
and drop your hips. Squeeze your back straight and tight (butt out). The bar
should be under your knees now. Drive from your legs first. Don’t allow your
hips to rise too fast. When the bar is at the knees, use your glutes and back,
pulling with your shoulders as well, to lock yourself into an upright position.
When returning the weight to the floor, keep your back tight
and straight and lower the bar as you drop your hips. Don’t release tension in
your back and let the weight drop. This can cause injury.
The deadlift not only builds strength and muscle in your
legs, back, and core. It also improves your grip, and when you practice proper
form, you teach your body how to properly bend and lift, which will help
prevent common every-day back injuries. After you’ve mastered the proper
technique for the deadlift, you can move on to some of its variations, which I
outlined in a blog from long ago (http://rugbysidelinesworkouts.blogspot.com/2012/04/deadlift-variations.html).
