Brian October 5th, 2011
Well, maybe this movement won’t cure everything, but it helps with a multitude of postural issues and strength imbalances. You probably do this movement, in some capacity, every single day. You have probably heard that it will wreck your back, and isn’t necessary anymore because there are machines that are much better and safer. I know, I know, you are probably scratching your head wondering what I could be talking about. The exercise I am referring to is the deadlift.
This much maligned movement is the cornerstone of everyday movements. Think of how many times you bend down to pick something up? It also used to be the cornerstone, along with squats, of strength and conditioning programs. What went wrong? Where did the deadlift fall out of favor? The problem is not with the movement, but with the exerciser. This movement, more than any other, is butchered when it comes to technical execution. As such, injuries abound and people start to dislike the movement. This was picked up on by the equipment manufacturers, so they designed pieces of equipment that “mimic” the deadlift motion, but are safer. I will go into why using a machine is not a viable alternative, and why this should be included in your program.
Muscle activation
There are over 650 muscles in the body. The key to gaining muscle, losing fat, and being all-around healthier is training, and activating as many of these muscles as possible. When it comes to efficiency, and activation, the deadlift beats all comers. The deadlift utilizes all the same muscles as the squat (calves, upper legs, gluteals, low back, abdominals, upper back), but also uses the forearms, pectorals, triceps, and biceps! Pretty good bang for your buck.
Postural support and correction
If you are like most Americans you spend a good deal of time sitting behind a desk, or in a car. Look at the posture of someone who sits a lot and you will see shoulders that round forward, with a pelvic position that resembles a dog running away with its tail between its legs. This is called adaptive shortening, and it is what happens when muscles spend too much time at one shortened length. Over time this puts pressure on the associated joints and spine, which can cause pain and dysfunction. The deadlift is a great way to strengthen the muscle between the shoulder blades in the upper back. Over time this will pull the shoulders back into the correct position. The next benefit is gluteal activation, which can help with pelvic position and posture. Strong hamstrings is yet another benefit which keeps the knee joints healthy. This doesn’t even take into account the core strength that is developed.
Ground Based Movement
Life does not occur while sitting so why should we exercise this way? The deadlift offers ground-based training, which allows the body to work the way it was intended. Force is generated from the ground up, through the midsection and into the arms. This is no different than picking up a child or a bag of groceries.
Variations
There are several different variations of the deadlift. For this article we will just stick to the conventional deadlift. In future posts I will discuss the different variation and the advantages/disadvantages and nuances of each. For now, check out this video for proper instruction.How to deadlift
Whether you’re an athlete, recreational trainee, or a mom the deadlift offers benefits across the board. Add this exercise into your program and you won’t be disappointed.
In Health,
Brian