Deadlift Basics

Written By: Chrisl2324

Published on: Jul/14/2023

Deadlifts are one of the most polarizing exercises around. Love 'em or hate 'em, you can't deny that they are ultimately one of the most effective workouts out there.

Background

Many people are intimidated when it comes to this exercise, and for good reason. Deadlifts require full body coordination as well as serious mental strength. Anyone that has done them know just how difficult they are and how hard it can be to maintain strict form throughout the movement. However, this exercise is a must-have in any workout routine because of their ability to stimulate hypertrophy as well as enhance athletic ability specifically in the posterior chain. The sheer amount of literature on this movement can be overwhelming, so I'm going to focus on the conventional style deadlift to get you started and clear up any confusion you may be having.

Why You Need to Do Them

The conventional deadlift typically works the glutes, quadriceps, hip adductors, and spinal erectors making it a significant lower-body exercise (1). In fact, the conventional style is known to activate the erector spinae muscles at a rate two times that of the sumo deadlift variation (2). Developing these muscles is essential for preventing lower back pain in athletes as well as the general population, but only if done correctly. Poor form during this exercise, an all-too-common occurence, can become a source of lower back pain, on the contrary. In addition, deadlifts are known to have positive effects on muscle mass and strength development which, again, make it one of the "Big-3" lifts along with the squat and the bench press.

How They're Done

Form is extremely important with this movement so please familiarize yourself with these steps and start off at a light weight until you have perfected them.

Place your feet about shoulder-width apart with your shins basically up against the barbell.
Start bending at the waist while keep your legs straight until you cannot go any further.
Push your glutes back and start bending your knees until you can reach the barbell.
Your shins should be vertically upright. Make sure to not let your knees drift over the bar
Grasp the barbell with an overhand grip just outside of your knees
Make sure to keep your back in a neutral position and to tighten your core. Taking a deep breath before each rep can help to achieve this position. You can also use a weightlifting belt.
Begin the movement by driving your feet into the ground almost as if doing a squat
Once the bar is off the ground, use your glutes and hamstrings to stand upright, keeping the bar as close to your body as possible
When you are fully upright, pause for a second and reverse the movement until the bar is back on the ground.
Repeat. Make sure to fully release the set-up and restart instead of just bouncing off of the ground to achieve another rep. This will prevent injury and improve the quality of your reps.

Common Mistakes

Rounding your back: When the weight gets heavier or you start tiring, the back commonly rounds and ends up taking most of the force of the movement. This is dangerous and should be avoided. Please only lift weight you can safely handle and do not lift with your ego.
Not warming up: Deadlifts are extremely taxing on the body and you should take time to get your blood flowing before attempting them. Make sure you do some light cardio warm-ups before the workout. Also, incorporate dynamic stretches and foam rolling before to relieve lactic acid buildup and prevent injury. DO NOT PERFORM STATIC STRETCHING BEFORE LIFTING!
Hips too low: I sometimes see people placing the hips way too low when setting up for the deadlift. Remember, this is not a squat and the starting position is different. The hips should be higher than when setting up for the squat.
Not bracing your core: Make sure to take a deep breath in before performing any reps. Do not lose tension in your core muscles at any point in the movement, as this will lead to loss of power and possible injury.
Not engaging upper back: This is a full body movement. The upper back and lats should also be firing to keep the bar as close to your body as possible. Also, squeeze the bar!

How to Use Them in Your Workouts

There are many different methods to incorporate deadlifts into a workout program. Here are a couple common ways:

If your goal is to achieve strength gains primarily, aim to perform set in the 3-5 rep-range. This is known to give the quickest gains in strength. Typical workouts aim for 5 sets of 5 reps which is a good starting point (4).
For hypertrophy, aim to perform sets in the 8 - 12 rep range. The load should be closer to 60% of your one rep max (5).
Place them early in the workout. Because they are so taxing on the body, place the deadlift early in your routine to avoid doing them when fatigued. This can help to prevent poor form and, by extension, prevent injury.
Perform them alone if you really want to focus on them. A full day devoted to deadlifts can be beneficial. They are a full body workout and can burn a serious amount of calories in a short time period.

Overall, deadlifts are an essential component of any serious workout routine. Their reputation for being dangerous only stems from improper execution and not enough dedication to perfecting form. Make sure you start out light and practice the movement before adding any serious weight. Happy lifting!

References