Why The a Straight Leg Deadlift Should Go The Way Of The Dinosaur

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Perform the right kind of deadlift.

So if you’re looking to build solid muscle and strength then there’s no doubt that the deadlift should be apart of your lifting regimen. When you’re sifting through programs online or bring instructed by a bro at the gym or a trainer, they will likely all tell you that the deadlift is going to send your strength skyrocketing. It can definitely build up your lower back muscles as well as your legs, but that truly all depends on one thing. If you have poor form then you’re unlikely to see the gains you seek. Even more so, if you’re performing the wrong kind of deadlift then you can expect to do more harm than good.

The stiff leg deadlift has been thought to be the key to building powerful hamstring muscles, but in reality the movement simply takes away the usefulness of the entire exercise. A proper deadlift is all about performing a good hip hinging motion. The stiff leg aspect of the movement will likely only lead to tears in the hamstring and damage to the spinal column.

Rather than focusing on the stiff or straight leg variation of the movement, performing the Romanian deadlift is a perfect alternative. The benefits are far more evident than it’s straight leg variant. The RDL allows for increased hamstring and glute strength which will improve posterior chain strength and in the long run will enhance squats and regular deadlifts. Mastering the hip hinging motion is the absolute most important aspect of this movement. Need an idea of how to perform the action? Take a look at the video below for the details.

Do you perform Romanian deadlifts?

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