Work to perfect this barbell deadlift to boost all your gains.
The barbell deadlift is one of the single most effective exercises in any training routine. The deadlift is a true full body exercise. While most people would consider it a “back” exercise, and others will argue that it’s a “leg” exercise; in our experience, it really is an everything exercise, which is extremely beneficial for long term muscle growth and strength. However, if the deadlift is performed incorrectly, it is nothing but a back injury waiting to happen. In this post, we break down exactly what the barbell deadlift is and how to properly execute it for a strong back.
Why Is The Deadlift So Great?
When you deadlift you use every single muscle in your body to complete the movement. Your arms and forearms hold onto the barbell, your shoulders and traps hold and stabilize the weight, your back and core help keep your entire body stable, and your legs and entire posterior chain act as a lever to lift the weight.
On top of that, the deadlift is a basic, functional human movement, so building strength here will transfer over into real world tasks. You may not realize it, but when you are doing all sorts of things from moving a piece of furniture to picking your child up off the floor – you are deadlifting. As you build solid form deadlifting in the gym, your form for deadlifting in real life will also improve. This means you’ll be less likely to injure yourself now and later down the road.
Step By Step Guide To Perform The Perfect Deadlift
Here’s how to do a conventional barbell deadlift:
- Stand mid-foot under the barbell. Feet slightly angled outward, hip width apart. Look down – the bar should be over the middle of your feet.
- Bend over and grab the bar with a shoulder-width grip.
- Bend your knees until your shins touch the bar.
- With a neutral spine, lift your chest up and flex your butt.
- Take a big breath, hold it, and pick the bar up off the ground (It helps to think “drive through your heels”).
- Continue pressing with your legs and thrusting your hips forward until you are fully standing up.
- Hold the weight for a second at the top, with locked hips and knees. Then return the weight to the floor by moving your hips back while bending your legs. Rest a second at the bottom and repeat.
The fastest way to increase your deadlift is by improving your form. By pulling more efficiently you can deadlift heavier weights. This results in more strength and muscle gains. Check out our deadlift guide below:
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I use straps while doing deadlifts?
This depends mostly on what your goals are, what you are trying to get out of the deadlift. Lifting straps will let you lift more than your hands can hold with a regular overhand grip but relying on straps will cause your grip strength to be undeveloped down the road. Lifting straps are also not allowed in competition, so if you are a powerlifter you should get used to training without them. You’re better off developing your grip strength alongside your deadlifts. Plus, you’ll get beefy forearms in the process.
Do I need to use a lifting belt?
When starting out, you don’t have to worry about using a lifting belt, as you want to focus more on form and building up that core strength. However, as you get into really heavy weights, it may be something to look into.
Wearing a lifting belt reduces the amount of spinal flexion, spinal extension, and lateral flexion of the spine, but increases the amount of flexion at the hips and knees. In other words, a belt forces you to lift more with your legs than your back, which is precisely the biomechanical position you want to use when lifting something from the ground.
Lifting belts are allowed in competition, so there is no harm in training with one once you get to that level.
RELATED: Check out this list of the Best Weightlifting Belts for great belts!
What kind of shoes should I wear to deadlift?
It doesn’t really matter what kind of shoes they are, as long as they are flat and not slippery. It is high advised against to wear running shoes or athletic shoes with those pockets of air bubbles in the heels, this can distribute the weight differently and really throw off your balance. You really have three options for deadlifting shoes:
- Flat Shoes – Converse by Chuck Taylor work great, also a good pair of Vans will do the job just fine.
- Deadlifting Shoes – Getting a bit fancy here, but if you are competing or just want the best possible shoes you can deadlift in, consider deadlifting shoes (also called weight lifting shoes).
- Barefoot – If you don’t want to invest in new shoes, deadlift barefoot (or in socks if the gym floors are particularly dirty. Deadlifting barefoot or in socks can cause a few complications, such as slipping or athletes foot, so be mindful of the surface that you are standing on when you are doing this.
Wrap Up
The benefits of deadlifts are numerous, ranging from improved athletic performance to muscle growth and increased strength. The deadlift works your entire posterior chain, your glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, abdominal muscles, lower back muscles, back muscles like the latissimus dorsi (commonly known as the lats), and your forearms since you have to hold onto the bar to prevent it from slipping out of your hands. Since there are many muscles incorporated in the deadlift movement, you can lift more weight with it than many other exercises. This makes the deadlift ideal for building muscle and strength.
However, if performed incorrectly, deadlifts can lead to muscle tweaks, pinched nerves or other serious injuries to your back. But don’t let that scare you, follow the tips outlined in this article and you’ll be good to go.
Will you be incorporating the barbell deadlift into your training sessions?
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