If you’re trying to get stronger and build muscle in the shortest time possible, the deadlift will help you accomplish these goals. What makes the deadlift such an effective exercise? The deadlift is a compound exercise — meaning it works multiple muscles simultaneously, so you get lots of muscle activity with a single move.
Doing a deadlift also involves multiple joint and movement patterns, including hip extension, knee flexion and extension (bending your knees and pushing them back), spinal extension (rounding your back), scapular retraction/protraction/depression (pulling up on your shoulder blades), and internal rotation and external rotation of your shoulders. In short: The deadlift is a full-body exercise and one with multiple benefits.
When you do a deadlift, you lift a weight off the floor, and picking up things will help you get stronger and improve how your muscles function together as a unit. Why should you pick up heavy things? Apart from being an impressive exercise that will make you feel like a badass after each set, the deadlift enhances strength and builds definition by targeting key muscle groups: namely your glutes, hamstrings, and lower back. And because these are some of the largest muscles in our body, they respond quickly when you train them properly, using heavier loads over time. Plus, deadlifts also work your core muscles, the muscles that generate power in the center of your body.
The Deadlift Builds Functional Strength Like No Other Exercise
The deadlift is one of the most effective exercises for building muscle strength and size. When you deadlift, you recruit your glutes, quadriceps, and hamstrings; core muscles for stabilization; and back muscles. So, you’re targeting a lot of muscles and forcing them to work as a unit to lift a weight off the floor. This approach is effective for building functional strength, whereas working single muscle groups in isolation doesn’t offer this benefit. The deadlift also mimics the lifting activities you do every day, like picking up a bag of groceries off the ground. So, regular deadlifting will improve your performance in everyday life.
Deadlifts Boost Power, Too
Deadlifts are also an effective exercise for increasing power, the amount of force your muscles can generate over a brief period of time. Power is beneficial when you play certain sports, like volleyball, basketball, and sprinting, but also when you thrust your body out of a chair. Pushing out of a chair takes more than strength — it also requires power.
If you’re deadlifting to increase your power capabilities, the trap bar deadlift is an effective option. Trap bar deadlifts are a variation of the standard deadlift that are easier to do since they require less flexibility. You can do a trap bar deadlift as a substitute for standard deadlifts if you have limited range of motion from an injury or other issues. Tall people also find it easier to use a trap bar when doing deadlifts.
Deadlifts Help with Fat Loss
Because you’re working so many large muscle groups simultaneously, deadlifts burn more calories than most exercises. Plus, if you’re using a heavy weight, it elicits more of an anabolic response, which helps your muscles grow. If you’re trying to lose weight, a portion of your training should focus on resistance exercises, and not just aerobic exercise.
Exercises like deadlifts that work many muscle groups will change your body composition for the better — less fat and more muscle — in a way that aerobic exercise can’t. Plus, deadlifts will help boost bone density. That’s important for women of all ages, since you build bone density best before the age of 20 but strength training helps you maintain it later in life when you need it most.
The Deadlift Requires Good Form but It’s Worth Mastering
One mistake you don’t want to make is using your back to pull up the bar. If you do you’re more likely to end up with a back strain or, worse, a herniated disc. Instead, use your hips and lower body to generate the force you need to get the weight off the ground.
Another common mistake is rounding your back when you deadlift. The back of your body should form a straight line from your head to your glutes when you lift the bar. Get your form right with light resistance before increasing the weight.
The Bottom Line
Yes, the deadlift tops the list of effective full-body exercises. It should be a core part of any fitness routine for building muscle and losing fat. Pulling a heavy weight from the floor requires you to use muscle groups from head to toe, making it one of the best ways to build strength and muscle size. Plus, the deadlift is a versatile movement you can modify by changing your grip. You don’t need fancy equipment to do a deadlift; you just need the right technique and a barbell.
If you’re intimidated by the idea of deadlifting, don’t be. The deadlift is an incredibly simple movement, and it’s one of the best ways to increase your strength and build muscle. And even if you’re experienced with other strength-training exercises, adding regular deadlifts into your routine is a great way to improve your performance when you do other strength-training exercises, such as the squat. Enjoy the benefits it offers!
References:
- “The Deadlift and Its Application to Overall Performance – NSCA.” .nsca.com/education/articles/tsac-report/the-deadlift-and-its-application-to-overall-performance/.
- Bird S, Barrington-Higgs B. Exploring the Deadlift. Strength & Conditioning Journal. 2010;32(2):46-51. doi:10.1519/ssc.0b013e3181d59582.
- Lake J, Duncan F, Jackson M, Naworynsky D. Effect of a Hexagonal Barbell on the Mechanical Demand of Deadlift Performance. Sports (Basel). 2017 Oct 24;5(4):82. doi: 10.3390/sports5040082. PMID: 29910442; PMCID: PMC5969032.
- Martín-Fuentes I, Oliva-Lozano JM, Muyor JM. Electromyographic activity in deadlift exercise and its variants. A systematic review. PLoS One. 2020 Feb 27;15(2):e0229507. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0229507. PMID: 32107499; PMCID: PMC7046193.
- “Deadlift Muscles Worked: What to Expect – Healthline.” 16 Oct. 2018, https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/deadlift-muscles-worked.
- Gluteal Muscle Activation During Common Therapeutic Exercises | Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy. Published 2022. Accessed May 23, 2022. https://www.jospt.org/doi/10.2519/jospt.2009.2796.
- “How Deadlifts Change Your Body – NANBF.” https://nanbf.org/how-deadlifts-change-your-body/.
Related Articles By Cathe:
5 Reasons You Should Deadlift (Even if You Think You Can’t)
How to Reduce Stress on Your Back When You Do Deadlifts
How Much Should a Woman Be Able to Deadlift?
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
