The deadlift is one of the best movements for building overall muscle mass and strength. For lots of bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts, not to mention powerlifters, it’s their favorite exercise. Ask them which one exercise they’d keep if they could only do one for the rest of their lives, and almost all of them will answer: the deadlift.
If you’re in doubt about what to train on any particular day and don’t have a plan, you can’t go wrong with the deadlift. It trains almost every muscle in your body and saves you the time you’d otherwise spend on five different machines training each muscle separately. Together with squats, deadlifts can take you from zero to hero.
Learning how to deadlift isn’t that difficult, although it may take some time to get used to the movement. The simplest explanation? Pick the barbell up off the ground, then put it back down. If you want the specifics, here’s our complete guide on how to deadlift with proper form.
Why Should You Deadlift?
Well, first of all, deadlifts are hard. Sometimes brutally hard. Done the right way, they create a huge amount of tension through your whole body, and your heart and lungs will be working overtime.
The sheer amount of muscle you need to engage just to pick a barbell off the ground can’t be compared to any other movement. The squat comes close, and so do the overhead press and the bench press – but not nearly as close as the deadlift.
Deadlifts are essential for building a strong, aesthetic physique. They help you build incredible strength and athleticism, and they’ll make you an all-around bad-ass. Ever notice that you rarely see someone pull huge weights off the ground who isn’t built like a beast? There’s a reason for that.
That’s because compound movements, which engage multiple muscle groups at the same time, are unmatched for building strength and muscle and for burning energy. They change your physique most efficiently, and efficiency is what gets you results quickly. Train smart, not just harder – and the deadlift ticks both boxes.
What Muscles Does the Deadlift Work?
Short answer: almost all of them. The deadlift works your:
- Hamstrings and glutes
- Spinal erectors (lower back)
- Quads and hip muscles
- Lats, traps and upper back
- Abs and obliques
- Forearms and grip
- Calves, shoulders and plenty of smaller stabilizer muscles
Even your chest and arms work isometrically to keep the bar close and your torso rigid while you pull.
12 Benefits of Deadlifts
1. Deadlifts Build Total-Body Strength Better Than Any Other Exercise
No other lift lets you move as much weight with as many muscles at once. That’s why the deadlift is the go-to strength builder for powerlifters, strongmen and athletes alike. If your goal is to rapidly gain strength and mass in your back, deadlifts are the best way to get there.
2. They Help You Burn Fat
Deadlifts are the dual-wielding lightsaber of fat loss. During a heavy set your cardiovascular system works hard, so you burn calories. At the same time you build strength and muscle, which helps you burn more calories at rest. Combine heavy lifting with a good diet and you’ll lose more fat than with dieting or cardio alone – and if you’re having a hard time getting ripped and vascular, deadlifts may be the missing ingredient. Less fat plus bigger muscles? You look double jacked.
3. They Improve Your Posture
The deadlift trains all the muscles that hold you upright: your lower back, glutes, hips and upper back. Stronger posterior muscles lead to better postural alignment, so if you spend all day hunched over a desk, deadlifts are one of the best antidotes.
4. They Can Protect Your Lower Back
Done with proper form, deadlifts strengthen your lower back, glutes and core – the exact muscles that protect your spine when you lift something heavy in everyday life. A strong posterior chain is one of the best ways to help prevent lower back issues later in life.
5. Your Grip Strength Goes Through the Roof
Holding on to a heavy bar for a full set builds forearms and grip strength like nothing else. Not like you fellas out there need it. A stronger grip also helps you on pull-ups, rows and every other pulling exercise.
6. You Become the Most Bad-Ass Person in Your Gym
At least if everyone else is scared of heavy weights. Walking up to a loaded bar while everyone else is curling in the squat rack does wonders for your confidence.
7. Deadlifts Double as Cardio
Try a set of 10 heavy deadlifts and tell me your heart rate isn’t through the roof. Your body has to work so hard to deliver oxygen during a heavy set that it doubles as a conditioning workout.
8. They Trigger a Strong Hormonal Response
Heavy compound lifts like the deadlift cause a short-term spike in testosterone and growth hormone – bigger than small isolation exercises do. The effect doesn’t last long, and the real driver of your gains is still lifting heavy and getting stronger over time. But it’s one more reason why big lifts beat machines for building a great physique.
9. They Make You Faster and More Explosive
Deadlifts build powerful hips and hamstrings, which help you run faster and jump higher – something every athlete wants. That’s why they’re a staple in strength programs for football, rugby, sprinting and combat sports.
10. They Build Strong Hip Extension
The lockout of the deadlift is pure hip extension – the same powerful hip thrust used in sprinting, jumping and… let’s just say your partner will thank you for working on it. Plus, deadlifts help build an ass that gets plenty of attention when you walk by, and everyone loves that.
11. They’re Great for Your Mental Health
Nothing compares to the rush you get after completing a heavy-ass set of deadlifts. There’s something primal about walking up to a bar loaded with plates, overcoming the fear, fighting against what feels like an immovable object – and winning. Think I’m kidding? Next time you’re stressed to the max, go pick up heavy shit and tell me how you feel.
12. It’s the Most Functional Exercise Known to Man
Ever picked something up off the ground? Then you’ve deadlifted. Deadlifting makes you better at that – whether it’s moving furniture, lifting your kids or carrying groceries. And all you need is a bar with some weight on it. No fancy equipment, no expensive machines.
Deadlift Safely: 3 Rules
Don’t let fear of injury stop you. Most deadlift injuries come from bad form, ego lifting or doing too much too soon – so keep these rules in mind:
- Keep your back flat. Your spine should stay neutral from your neck to your hips throughout the whole lift. Rounding your back puts too much stress on isolated areas of your spine.
- Keep your arms straight. Your arms are just hooks. Never try to pull the bar up by bending your elbows – it won’t help you lift more, and it puts your biceps at risk.
- Start light and add weight slowly. Master the technique with a light bar before you chase big numbers.
Not sure if your form is right? Check out these 10 deadlift mistakes that are wrecking your progress (and your back).
Which Deadlift Should You Do?
The conventional barbell deadlift is the king, but it’s not the only option. The sumo deadlift uses a wider stance and is easier on the lower back for some lifters, the Romanian deadlift is the best variation for your hamstrings and glutes, and the hex bar deadlift is a great choice for beginners. Here’s how to choose the right one: types of deadlifts and which one is best for you.
In the ranking of exercises, there is none greater than the deadlift. Not the squat (though that’s a close second), not the bench, and definitely not the curl. But telling you that over and over won’t do you any good – actually doing it will. So do yourself a favor: go out, grab a barbell, pick that shit up, put it down, and repeat.
Ready to get serious? Try this 16-week deadlift program for a bigger deadlift, and find out whether to do deadlifts on back or leg day.
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In the 5th point, what is prip strength?
Sorry, it was a typing error. It is “grip strength”. It’s fixed now.