The Deadlift
If we could only use one exercise to train our clients, the deadlift would be it.
So what makes the Deadlift the number one exercise at Motus Personal Training, Stratford-upon-Avon?
Originally called the "health lift" circa 1870, the deadlift was thought to keep your figure, your health and your strength into advanced old age - why wouldn't it be number one?!
What makes the deadlift so very effective is the fact that it works a lot of muscles. This makes it an efficient exercise for getting the most from your workout in the shortest possible time and also for building true total body strength.
Another reason the deadlift is such a good exercise is that it focuses much of the work on the muscles of the "posterior chain" - the back of your body. For most of us who spend a lot of time sitting, these muscles need proportionately more work than those on the front of your body.
For many people with back problems, contrary to popular opinion, deadlifting is often one of the best exercises you can do. Deadlifting trains your muscles to work together in a coordinated fashion and so spreads the load rather than focusing on the problem area of your lower back.
The lift is initiated by the buttocks, hips and thighs and finished with the assistance of the lower back muscles. Stabilising the weight and controlling one's body position calls upon the mid-back, forearms, abdominals (yes, the deadlift is one of the best ab exercises) - and hamstrings.
Technique:
There are a few different techniques which target different primary muscles for the deadlift, for now we will just concentrate on the "standard deadlift".
- Place the barbell on the floor and load with the appropriate amount of weights.
- Place your feet under the barbell about a foot apart (the barbell should be above the centre of your foot).
- Look straight ahead, tightly arch your lower back (pushing your bottom out), keep your shoulders back, knees slightly bent and slowly descend to grip the bar.
- As you descend, you should feel a slight pull in your hamstrings (backs of your legs), there should be no movement in your knees.
- Keep your weight in your heels and at all times look up - if you look down, your body will follow your head and your back will do all the lifting instead of your legs.
- Do not let your knees go forward - try and keep your shins as vertical as possible.
- Grip the bar by placing one hand over and one hand under the barbell.
- Slowly and deliberately push the floor away with your feet.
- The bar should remain close to your body at all times.
- As the bar reaches your knees, drive your hips forward, squeeze your glutes, throw your shoulders back and your chest high.
- You will finish standing straight with the bar hanging in your straight arms and resting against your thighs. Do not exaggerate the finish by leaning back too much, this puts unhealthy stress on your spine. Flexing your abs at this point will help prevent you from leaning back.
Happy deadlifting!
