Are deadlifts part of your strength-training routine? If not, they should be. Why should you take the time to master this exercise? The deadlift is a powerhouse of an exercise. Few exercises work more muscle groups simultaneously than the deadlift. Plus, they work the upper and lower body at the same time. It’s a functional movement that teaches you how to hinge at the hips and safely lower your body to pick up an object. You do a modified deadlift every time you bend over to pick up a bag of groceries. Knowing how to properly do this exercise will strengthen your back and reinforce proper lifting technique so you’re less likely to get injured when you lift something heavy in your daily life.
Deadlifts will also strengthen your posterior chain, including your back, glutes, and hamstring muscles. Women tend to have more developed quads than hamstrings and glutes, so strengthening the glutes and hamstrings is especially important for females. Research shows that women are more prone to knee injuries. In fact, females have a 4 to 6-fold higher risk of anterior cruciate ligament tears. One reason is they often have a strength imbalance between their quads and hamstrings. In fact, deadlifts are the only strength-training exercise that works the upper and lower body at the same time.
Make Deadlifts a Priority
Deadlifts are a tough exercise. The best way to improve your performance is to make sure they’re a priority. So, do them first! When you begin your workout with deadlifts, you’re doing a tough, but important, exercise right out of the gate. Deadlifts are a compound exercise and one that works more muscle groups than any other exercise. Since they’re an energy zapper, do them before your muscles are fatigued from other exercises. Don’t forget to warm up though! Never lift with cold muscles.
Change Your Hand Grip
The limiting factor in performing a successful deadlift for some is an uncomfortable hand grip. If using a pronated grip with your palms facing you feels uncomfortable, switch to a supinated grip where your palms face away from you. For some people, this grip is more comfortable. Always be flexible with your hand grip and find the one that works for you. You can even use an alternating hand grip where one palm faces you and one faces away or you can alternate hand grips with this exercise.
Be aware that a pronated grip gives a better forearm workout than a supinated one. There’s also a downside to alternating your hand grip by having one palm pronated and one supinated. Although it allows you to lift more weight, it also increases the risk of injury. So, if you use a pronated and supinated grip, it’s probably best to alternate between pronated and supinated rather than using a mixed grip.
Try Using a Trap Bar
Most people use a straight bar to do deadlifts, but you can also use a trap bar. A trap bar is shaped like a hexagon. To use it, you load the bar, step into the middle of the hexagon and grab the hand grips on each side. You usually have a choice of two handles, high or low handles. You may find that one is more comfortable for you than the other. The high handles reduce the range-of-motion you need to complete a deadlift, so they make it easier, but you always get slightly fewer benefits.
If you don’t have good hip mobility, a straight bar may limit your performance and increase your risk of injury. Without good hip mobility, your back has to work harder when you deadlift, and this can lead to back pain. If you use a hex bar and grip the high handles, it reduces the range-of-motion your hips have to achieve. Using the hex bar also shifts some of the load from your back muscles to your quads.
Strengthen Your Legs with Other Exercises
The driving force for doing a deadlift comes from the legs and you need strong ones to perform your best. You also need a strong upper back to execute a successful deadlift. Don’t try to go heavy with this exercise until you’ve strengthened your leg muscles and the muscles in your upper back. Focus first on front squats for your legs and dumbbell rows for your upper back. By strengthening these muscles, you’ll have an easier time doing a deadlift with good form.
Have Someone Critique Your Form
The deadlift is an exercise that carries a high risk of injury. Your form should be impeccable before increasing the weight you use. One of the most common mistakes that lead to injury is rounding your back when doing a deadlift. The best way to find out if you’re committing this strength-training sin is to look in the mirror as you do the exercise. Even better, have someone check your form who understands proper deadlift form. One reason people round their back is they use too much weight or do an extra rep after they’re fatigued. Resist the temptation to do this. Choose a weight around 75% of your one-rep max and focus on form and doing the movement in a slow and controlled manner.
Don’t Skip Deadlifts or Do Them Too Infrequently
To improve your deadlift, don’t skip out on them. Make sure you’re deadlifting 2 or 3 times per week to increase your confidence with the move. People tend to avoid the exercises they feel less comfortable with and those are often the ones that can benefit our physiques the most. Don’t shy away from deadlifting. Do it at least twice a week but not more than three times weekly.
The Bottom Line
Now, you have five practical tips for improving your deadlifts. Most importantly, make sure you’re doing them! Deadlifts are a workhorse exercise that works more muscle groups simultaneously than any other exercise. Take advantage of the strength and fitness benefits they offer.
References:
· Stack.com. “Deadlift Grip Guide: How Hand Placement Changes the Exercise”
· Clin J Sport Med 2009;19:3–8
· The Online Physio Coach. “2 Reasons You Should Stop Deadlifting with a Mixed Grip”
Related Articles By Cathe:
How Effective Are Deadlifts for Glute Development?
Are Squats and Deadlifts Enough for Your Ab Definition?
5 Powerful Reasons to Include Deadlifts in Your Fitness Routine
Why Deadlifts are Good for You
Strength Training: Why You Need to Focus More on Your Posterior Chain
Related Cathe Friedrich Workout DVDs:
STS Strength 90 Day Workout Program
All of Cathe’s Strength & Toning Workout DVDs
Total Body Workouts
Lower Body Workouts
