Deadlift variations to tryĬonsider yourself a die-hard deadlifter? Give my two favorite deadlift variations a go. Plus, it’s better for your back and improves strength. It has its time and place, but you want to control the eccentric (lowering) phase and maximize the time your muscles work for. If you’ve been to a fast-paced CrossFit class, you might have seen people throwing weights onto crash mats. Squeeze your core and lats so that the engagement becomes full-bodied and not isolated to your arms and lower back. Quick fix? Bend your knees (bum down) and keep your chest proud. All that pressure is now in your back and shoulders. Imagine reaching for the bar with straight legs - this puts your hips higher than your shoulders. Be conscious as you stand to extend without over-leaning. Overextension at the hip subsequently puts your lower back in hyperflexion, which can lead to a lower back injury. Here are some common mistakes and how to fix them:Īt the top of the deadlift, it’s common for people to push their hips forwards and lean backward. Over time, small mistakes could result in serious injuries and entirely remove you from the deadlift game. It’s easier than you think to get a deadlift wrong. According to the National Strength and Conditioning Association (opens in new tab) (NSCA), the lift requires full-body engagement, placing a lot of stress on your musculoskeletal system and providing a solid base for building lifts like snatches and cleans. Nailing deadlift technique can improve functional maximal strength, build power and muscle and improve your hip health and grip, too. Basically, most of your muscles are at play. The posterior chain includes your erector spinae (the muscles that support your spine), glutes, hamstrings, and back muscles. Muscles worked in a deadlift include your quads, hip flexors, core muscles, and posterior chain. You can use dumbbells or barbells to perform a deadlift, but the conventional barbell deadlift is my favorite as it allows you to progressively pack on weight as you get stronger. The result? You build a far more efficient engine. The deadlift is a functional compound exercise, which means it closely mimics natural movement (like bending down to pick something up) and works multiple joints and muscle groups in one go. At around knee height, rebend your knees and lower your bum to bring the barbell back down to the floor. Squeeze your glutes at the top and fully extend at your hips.Ĭontrol the lowering phase as you hinge forward at your hips and track the bar down your thighs. Keep your weight distribution even throughout your feet, then exhale as you drive through your feet to stand, keeping the bar in close contact with your legs. Sit your bum down and keep your chest forward facing. Roll your shoulder blades back and down your back, engage your core and squeeze your shoulder blades together to engage your lats. Grip the bar with your hands in an overhand (prone) grip just outside of your legs. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart under the bar, the widest part of your foot in line with your barbell, and weight distributed evenly through your feet.īend your knees, hinge forward at your hips, push your bum back and keep your back flat as you lower to grip the barbell in both hands. This example uses a barbell rather than a set of the best dumbbells.
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