Super Deadlifts
Yes, deadlifts really are this super
Deadlifts. What can I say about deadlifts? Well, I could say a lot of things, but I’ll sum it up into three main points:
1) Deadlifts are one of the best exercises you can do
2) Everyone should be doing some form of deadlifts
3) You can’t fudge a deadlift. It’s easy for people to say they squat 400 pounds when all they really do is a quarter squat. And a lot of guys claim to bench 300 pounds, but they neglect to mention that their friend is doing most of the work while screaming, “It’s all you, bro! It’s all you!” There’s no messing around with a deadlift – you either lift the barbell off the ground, or you don’t.
Before we move on, the “Super Deadlifts” title may look familiar to you. That’s because a little while back I wrote about Super Squats. If you haven’t checked that out yet, I highly suggest you do so. This article is the second of the Super series, and there will be more in the future.
Now let’s get into several variations of the deadlift.
The Conventional Deadlift
This is first on the list for no other reason than it’s the most commonly know and performed version of the deadlift.
The Sumo Deadlift
The sumo deadlift works the hips to a greater extent than conventional deadlifts. Some people, myself included, can also pull more weight with this style; but that is definitely an individual thing. The sumo deadlift is a great variation to include in your training, even if it’s not your strongest variation.
I give instruction on how to properly perform the sumo deadlift HERE.
The Trap Bar Deadlift
That video is Eric Cressey from Cressey Performance dominating 405 in the trap bar deadlift.
This is probably the easiest version for beginners to learn. The center of gravity is different because of the weight distribution, and the quads are involved to a greater extent than with conventional deadlfits. If you have never truly learned to deadlift, you may want to start with this version.
Rack Pulls
You just saw one of the guys from Jason Ferruggia's Renegade Gym set a personal record with rack pulls.
While I generally recommend rack pulls for intermediate to advanced lifters, they can also be a great teaching exercise for beginners who don’t have the proper mechanics for pulling off the floor. If you want to pull some really heavy weight, then rack pulls are your solution.
You can pull from different heights, so the variations are practically endless.
The Conventional Deadlift from a Deficit
This version is one of my favorites. Because you’re pulling the bar off the ground from a deficit, you will work through a longer range of motion – this makes the exercise more difficult and works your hamstrings to a great extent. If you are weak off the floor when you deadlift, then try pulling from a deficit; it can really help your starting strength off the floor.
What You Need to Know about Deadlifting
The first thing you should know is this: if one of the previously mentioned deadlift variations is not in your current training program, you need to change your strength training program IMMEDIATELY. The deadlift is one of the very best exercises you can ever do, and you should always be performing some version of it.
Why is it so important to deadlift? Well there are a lot of reasons, but one very important reason is because the deadlift is a truly functional exercise; you deadlift every day of your life when you pick something off the ground.
Another reason: the deadlift works a ton of musculature in the body. Want to train your upper and lower back, glutes, hamstrings, and forearms all at once? The deadlift is your best friend. As far as a “bang for your buck” exercise goes, the deadlift is amazing.
And the last reason: the deadlift is very versatile. There are variations for everyone to use regardless of mobility, strength, training level, and coordination issues.
Is Deadlifting Bad for Your Back?
It sure is . . . if you perform a deadlift incorrectly. Deadlifts are only “bad for your back” if you don’t use proper lifting mechanics. Hell, any exercise can hurt you if it’s performed incorrectly; even a simple pushup can jack up your shoulders if you don’t perform it properly (but that’s another post).
Here are some of the most common mistakes when performing a deadlift:
- Lifting with a rounded upper and lower back – you should never lift with a rounded lower back, and your upper back shouldn’t round either. The only exception to a slight rounding of the upper back is if you’re pulling a max single. Push your chest out and keep a tight arch in your lower and upper back
- Starting the lift with the bar too far in front of you – a lot of people deadlift with the bar several inches in front of them. You want the bar to be as close as possible to your body throughout the entire lift. Make sure the bar is touching or almost touching your shins before you start the lift. (The exception to this rule is the trap bar deadlift). Keep the bar close to your body (grazing your shins, and the thighs) throughout the entire lift
- Not using the hips – to finish the lift, lock the weight out by pushing your hips forward and squeezing your glutes, do not just lean back
- Squatting the weight up – when you set up for the deadlift your hips should be higher than when you squat and you should be leaning forward a little more than when you squat. Some people turn a deadlift into a squat; that can get you hurt and it definitely won’t allow you to pull big weights. The squat and deadlift are two completely different animals; treat them that way
- Standing with feet too far apart (does not apply to sumo) – once again, people set up for the deadlift like they’re about to squat. Your feet should not be further than shoulder width and possibly even a little closer together than that
- Not having the right attitude – when you get ready to deadlift, you need to focus completely on what you are about to do. Make sure you set up properly – push your chest out, get close to the bar, set your feet properly, etc. Deadlifting not only tests you physically, but mental as well. Get ready for the battle ahead
Which Deadlift Variation Should I Use?
I would use them all, but not all at once. Here’s a good example using three of the variations listed above:
Month 1: Conventional deadlift
Month 2: Conventional deadlift from deficit
Month 3: Sumo deadlift
And then repeat that series for another three months and then switch one or moer of the variations for a different one. That is just one of numerous possibilities.
Some Other Stuff for You to Check Out
This isn’t the first, or last time, that I will write about the value of deadlifting. Here are some links to other articles you might find helpful:
Women Should Not be Afraid to Get Strong
PS -- for a full workout plan, check out Fat Loss Detour.
Comments for This Entry
Well, it is much better than listening to non-experts.
You're right about not having the weight in front of you any further than necessary; however, honestly, it's still a bit confusing.
At the least, I can copy the style of others while I'm still trying to fine tune my own gut feeling.
Posted by Gordon Watts at 11:55am Sep 20, 2010 [permalink | flag as inappropriate]
Gordon-
Well, too many people lift with their back and don't use their hips or their legs. Plus, when people pick something up, they usually do so with the object out in front of them instead of close to their body, like in a deadlift.
Once again, it depends on the situation. If you know how to deadlift properly, then that will definitely help you pick up objects off the ground in every day life.
HOpe that answers your question.
Posted by Nia Shanks at 9:25am Sep 20, 2010 [permalink | flag as inappropriate]
In your 'How to Sumo Deadlift' video, one person asked you why you started the life with your back almost parallel to the floor, and you replied that it depends on the biomechanics of the person (limb length, torso length, etc.).
I agree that there is some variation in style, but variation notwithstanding, you suggest above "when you set up for the deadlift your hips should be higher than when you squat and you should be leaning forward a little more than when you squat. Some people turn a deadlift into a squat."
However, I've always heard that when you liftt something off the floor (be it a deadlift or just when doing hosehold cleaning), you're supposed to ""Lift with your legs, not your back.""
Is that adage true (that says ""Lift with your legs, not your back.""), and if so, how come it seems to be the opposite of your caveat and caution on how to avoid lifting incorrectly?
Posted by Gordon W. Watts at 9:13am Sep 20, 2010 [permalink | flag as inappropriate]
Gordon-
Depends on the person. My grip has never given out, during a high rep set of max attempt, but for some people that is their weak link. It really all depends on the person -- someone who isn't experienced with lifting heavy weights could definitely tear a muscle.
Jack-
I prefer to reset after each rep because in competition (since I compete) you pull the bar from a dead stop. So in that instance it training in a style similar to competing. However, there is a time and place for "touch and go" reps - for instance if someone is doing a high rep set, like Eric in the trap bar video.
I like having my shoulders over the bar for better leverage.
Hope that helps!
Posted by Nia Shanks at 7:51am Sep 2, 2010 [permalink | flag as inappropriate]
Good article! Dave Tate and Coach Rip differ on the position of the shoulder. Do you like your shoulders over the bar or behind it? Also, Tate recommends always restarting/resetting after each rep. What's your opinion about this?
Thanks a million!
Jack
Posted by Jack at 2:07pm Sep 1, 2010 [permalink | flag as inappropriate]
One more dumb question, if you don't mind...
If you're trying to pull a weight that's too heavy, what is most likely to give out first?
a) Your grip slipping, or rather
b) a pull/tear of a muscles/tendons/ligaments, or perhaps
c) The strength of the muscles would 'give out' first before anything tears/rips or lets loose (grip) --thus resulting in a dead standstill.
Thx again, Nia 4 your thoughts on these things,
Posted by Gordon Watts at 11:25pm Aug 30, 2010 [permalink | flag as inappropriate]
One last thing:
Since the calculations have to work in the real world, and a 180^ spread would need an infinite amount of pressure, there has to be some way to explain why a gymnast could hold that positition (or, a log wedged between two walls -another 180^ example -could stay wedged and not fall).
My guess is that the log is not infinitely thin --and that friction between the log and the wall would hold it --but, theoretically, without friction, it *would* collapse, and thus the calculation for an infinite amount of pressure seems intuitively correct.
SINES & COSINES are our friends!
PS: There are always ways to correct a typo - even if it's like you just did as your reply slid in at light speed -by saying 'oops' -meant that instead. (That'll work!) --Some typos slip past even my word processor's spellcheck.!
( - : /
Posted by Gordon Watts at 7:53am Aug 30, 2010 [permalink | flag as inappropriate]
Oops. Yeah I meant to say "I don't like". Ha. Guess it's kinda early for me. : )
I see what you're talking about. A lot just depends on a person's leverages and what not. Great observations.
Posted by Nia Shanks at 7:48am Aug 30, 2010 [permalink | flag as inappropriate]
Thanks for advising *against* this -although I probably would have kept too busy with conventional exercises to have even bothered, it's good to get feedback.
Now, I almost wasn't even going to reply, but I see your very small typo, the 2nd word of your post, and so I figured I'd underscore and agree with your cautious view here -- and (like a cat who is curious), I wonder if you can edit your entries once posted.
So long as I'm going to say anything, I'll say it well - as I remember from my math classes 'Back in the Day,' the minor angle between the two lines (legs) is used to adjust for the amount of additional pressure on your legs that you would need to accommodate for the weight.
In the most extreme case, imagine a gymnast with his or her legs (or arms -it matters not) spread at a full 180-degrees, like a bird's wings. --That would be 90 degrees for each arm or leg --and the corrective factor used here, I believe, is the inverse of the COSINNE of the angle in question.
In this case, the cosine of 90 degrees is zero, and thus its inverse is infinite -it is undefined -and thus, it would take an *infinite* amount of pressure to keep from the person collapsing.
Imaging trying to hold yourself in place by extending both arms out at 180 degrees -all it would tkae to "fold you" would be a slight nudge.
Therefore, you are totally and 100% correct in your assessment that additional stess would be placed on a person in a sumo stance.
For morbid curiosity, let me see if I can get a 'real-world' analysis here:
With a stance of about 90 degrees between a lifter's legs, that would be about 45 degrees per leg (instead of 0 degrees in a conventional stance), and the COSINE of 45 degrees is about 0.707, and thus its inverse is about 1.4142.
Now, from looking at your videos, it would appear that you don't go anywhere near 90^, but some people do -and so for the sake of argument, a person lifting 315 poinds in this stance would be placing 315 lbs of pressure on his/her back, but placing about 445.5 pounds of pressure on his/her legs.
That appears to be stress. (Of course, people lift from the sumo, I suppose, because they have less distance to lift, being closer to the ground, so that is the tradeoff.)
Do my calculations look pure?
Posted by Gordon Watts at 7:42am Aug 30, 2010 [permalink | flag as inappropriate]
Gordon-
I know like sumo deadlifts from a deficit -- they put too much stress on the hips. I only recommend conventional deadlifts or trap bar deadlifts from a deficit.
thanks again!
Posted by Nia Shanks at 7:18am Aug 30, 2010 [permalink | flag as inappropriate]
** Can you (theoretically) pull a sumo deadlift from a deficit?
** Also, if you switch your grip, would it work a significantly different set of muscles?
(As a corollary, I wonder, which grip is 'left-handed' and which is 'right-handed' -- I've always wondered.)
PS: You wrote: ""405 is in my future. : ) ""
405 was in my past ... but I cheated... badly... LOL
When I was a little bit younger, and a student at The Florida State University, I put 405 on a rack, where I had to only lift it like an inch, and I either used by legs and/or a hand-wrap (or both) to help my grip.
I did life it that inch or so, but I cheated. (However, for a skinny old man who had not trained, I felt that was impressive.)
Oh, I think most people like the trap bar because they don't have to pull at an angle, bent over. Just my theory.
Posted by Gordon Wayne Watts at 11:57pm Aug 28, 2010 [permalink | flag as inappropriate]
Jon-
What do you mean by "I like your conventional better than your sumo for a given weight a rep range"? Not sure what you mean . . .
You know something funny. I really do not like the trap bar deadlift, for myself that is. Every time I have tried it, it just doesn't "feel" right. Not sure what's going on there, but every other person I have had train with it loves it.
405 is in my future. : )
Posted by Nia Shanks at 10:03am Aug 27, 2010 [permalink | flag as inappropriate]
Nia,
Good article. Aside from sticking the chest out, they will know this because the lats get really tight, and must stay tight because it assists from deviating the bar outwards (hence helps keep the bar close during pulling).
I like your videos too, although I like YOUR conventional better than your sumo for a given weight a rep range, lol, just saying, Try to keep your head up slightly for the conventional , but its awesome though. Sometimes when people move the head down, they have a tendency to lose to chest and lat tightness upon the initial pull from the floor, especially when the weights get heavy. Come to my classes and show them how to take care of buisness :)
I love deficit deads, and bands, wow!, awesome.
Also, I like it how some people boast how much they can do, and say they can do 4 or 5 plates or more, but it's with the trap bar, but they can barely budge 315 with the regular bar, haha I'm sure you've seen and heard that too
Eye of the tiger, nice work
Jon
Posted by Jonathan Mike- MS, CSCS, USAW, NSCA-CPT (PhS Student (Ex.Phys/St at 9:11am Aug 27, 2010 [permalink | flag as inappropriate]