Deadlift: How To, Variation & Dos And Don'ts

It is a fantastic compound exercise – with the heaviest weights it could work on all the muscles. It is performed by lifting a loaded barbell from the position where the knee is locked. Deadlift, bench press and squat are the three canonical powerlifting exercises. Deadlift trains the latissimus dorsi, trapezius, psoas, gluteals, erector spinae, quadriceps and hamstrings.

How to deadlift


  •  Place barbell on the floor with enough weight attached to it.
  •  Position your feet shoulder with or a little bit narrow than shoulder width (this will give your arms enough space). Make sure your toes are under the bar.
  •  Squat and grab the bar tight against the inside of your bottom knuckles. Your elbows should be outside your legs.
  •  Look straight, push your abs out and shoulders back.
  •  Keeps the bar close to your body whiles pulling it up. Pull it until your hips and knees are locked.

Variation
Romanian Deadlift


This is done by bending your hips forward, then lifting the bar up. It targets hamstrings, lower back, glutes and quad.

Sumo Deadlift


With sumo deadlift the legs are spread wide apart. Grab the bar inside the legs. Sumo deadlift works more on the hips and legs.

Deficit Deadlift


To start deficit deadlift, step on a block and lift the bar from the floor. It works on the lower back.

Rack Pulls Deadlift


It can be also called partial deadlift. With this exercise you set up the bar on the pins in a power rack just below the knee, so you don’t pull the weight from the ground. It focuses on the back.

Trap Bar Deadlift


Trap bar is a square, hexagonal, circular or trapezoidal bar. To perform this type of deadlift, stand in the trap bar then grab the handles and lift.

Dumbbell Deadlift


This deadlift is performed with dumbbells. It works on the erector spinae, glutes and quads muscles.

Dos and Don’ts
  •  Don’t round your back.
  •  Don’t shrug or lean  backward.