young-one

Sentinel basically gave me this idea. Deadlifts are one of the most important lifts to do, whether your weightlifting for bodybuilding, powerlifting, or just trying to be healthy.

Bodybuilding Advantages

Deadlifts are a big help for bodybuilders. They release the most testosterone than any other lift, because of all the muscle fibers you recruit when doing them. As you all may or may not know, testosterone is a muscle building hormone released during weightlifting. So of course, the more released the better. Also, deadlifts build the back like you would never believe. Have someone do rows, shrugs and rev hypers/good mornings and another person do just deadlifts and rows. Both have the same genetics and are on the same diet. Know who will have the bigger back? The one doing deadlifts. If you want huge trapz and a massive back and body, deadlifts are key.

Powerlifting Advantages

For powerlifters it's basically the same. Deadlifting, squatting and benching will help eachother in gaining higher number. So if your just a bencher, and you add squats and deadlifts your bench will shoot up. The powerful feeling of picking up a heavy amount of weight off the ground is crazy.

Health Benefits

Even for the people who weightlift just to be a healthy person, deadlifts are needed. Deadlifts improve your poster, strengthen your lower back and teaches you to use your legs when lifting heavy objects. A stronger lower back along with stronger abs - no back problems when your older. I'm speaking, of course, if you don't badly injure your back. Many people have bad poster and suffer from it. They tend to get back problems when they grow up. Deadlifts improve your poster.

How to use them in a Workout

As you see deadlifts are needed by everybody. But first, you must know how to train for them. You can't just step in and lift like you training your biceps. Deadlifts are a very taxing exercise. Here are the various deadlifts:

Conventional Deadlift
Romanian Deadlift
Stiff Legged Deadlift
Sumo Deadlift

They all work your muscles in different ways. Stiff legged deadlifts are used to hit primarily your hamstrings. Romanian and Sumo Deadlifts are used to work your hips.

Deadlifts help best when using low reps. Below 6 is best. Anything above might be pushing it, expecially 12+. ALWAYS USE GOOD FORM, NO MATTER THE EXERCISE!!! Deadlifts especially, everyone gets in there, sets up the bar with too much weight, lifts with their back and ends up getting hurt. Learn hwo to do it properly first, then work at a low weight, then progress up from there. Trust me, in the long run, you'll thank me for telling you that.

That's about all I know regarding deadlifts. I hope I helped somebody out their. So remember, use good form, do your deadlifts, eat and grow. Simple to say but everyone makes it so hard to do. Well, good luck with your new found knowledge!

_Wolf_

sticky worthy.

Mods, please please sticky this stuff

_Wolf_

there are some things i want to specifically comment on, though:

i agree and i disagree with this statement. in life there are no absolutes, so let me put what Y_O said like this: use low reps but high reps (7-10) also help to build strength. strongmen deadlift 405 for 15-20 reps. however, the key point here is:

1.) do not go to failure on purpose

2.) use good form

3.) use specific progression schemes to progress

Y-O, good post and i agree with everything u've said!

young-one

My bad... Thanks for the correction and comments.

getfit74

Great post man I agree Deadlifts are a great exercise but I don't think there's any one exercise that one "must" do in order to make some great gains. Over the years I've just never really got into Deadlifting but have had some training partners that were big deadlifters and our backs were similar with them doing heavy deadlifts and me doing no deadlifts so I don't think you absolutley have to do deadlifts to have a great back. Like you said though they are a great exercise that will build up your back as well as a host of other things but just because you don't do deadlifts doesn't mean you can't get a great back. One key point that Sent brought up as well was the use of good form, while important for all exercises it's exremely important with deadlifts. Again great insight keep it up.

Sam

For those just starting out with Deads, i would recommend higher reps with a low weight. I did this and it taught me to
a) perform a deadlift correctly
b) maintain strict form at the point of extreme tiredness during the last reps.

Point b is probably the one which helped me the most when Deadlifting for lower reps but with much heavier weights.

Great post Young one!

Michael

Damn, I'm just glad I'll be having deadlifts and military presses in my new program! Great article youung one, you are indeed a wise one!

Malley

I love deadlifts, but deads are not for everyone. Your average gym goer should not do deadlifts. If they can be used with good form and done in a way they are meant to be done it can benefit alot of gym goers. If we are talking bodybuilding, I do think they should be in the mix. They build nice think hams and imo, nothing better for traps. For powerlifting its a big fat no brainer. As for reps under 6 I think from a bodybuilding standpoint its not really necessary. From time to time drop below 6 to try to increase strength, but I think it is more important to focus on contracting the muscles. If you have never tried tempo deads give em a try. For instance 3-ecentric and 3 concentric. Those are pretty though.

_Wolf_

are u saying that a regular gym goer should not do deads unless he has good form or are u saying that he shouldnt do deads period? because if ur talking about form then no gym goer should do any lift if he's gonna sport a shitty form.

Malley

I see no reason for the regular gym goer with their goals being fitness as oppossed to bodybuilding theres no reason for deads.

As far as form if the dead is off its the quickest way to end up with a bad back, but in the same breath every exercise should be done correctly.

_Wolf_

how do deadlifts not help with general fitness versus bench, squats, etc?

Malley

In fitness things like pushups, bw squats, jumping jacks, up downs, renegade rows, pullups, etc. are much safer compared to something like deads. Take a over weight woman, what would be the sense in having her dead lift or bench press for that matter?