Workout Programs With Dead Lifts

Dead lifts are effective in activating your glutes, hamstrings and lower back muscles. Use dead lifts to build your leg muscles and to prevent hamstring injuries. You can do straight-legged dead lifts, one-legged dead lifts and Romanian dead lifts. The American College of Sports Medicine encourages you to lift progressively heavier weights to build muscular strength.

Full Body

If you are only able to complete a weight training routine two times per week, do a full body workout. The American College of Sports Medicine reports you need to perform strength training exercises twice a week to help prevent chronic disease. Do two sets of eight to 12 reps completing eight to 10 exercises. Pair together flat dumbbell presses with one-arm dumbbell rows, squats with dumbbell shoulder presses, straight-legged dead lifts with crunches and dumbbell curls with triceps extensions. Complete four sets of each exercise pair, then move on to the next pair of exercises. Perform a straight-legged dead lift by holding the bar with your arms shoulder-width apart. Keep your legs straight with a slight bend in your knees. Lower the bar past your knees by sticking your buttocks out to bend your hips. Contract the back of your legs to return to the start position.

Leg, Shoulders and Abs

Build your leg muscles by using a heavy enough weight so that you can only do one to 12 repetitions. Pair leg exercises with shoulder and abdominal exercises to make use of your time while your leg muscles are resting. Do squats with barbell shoulder presses, straight-legged dead lifts with lateral raises, lunges with double crunches, one-legged dead lifts with reverse crunches, leg extensions with bent over flies and leg curls with planks. Perform one-legged dead lifts standing next to a flat bench in case you lose your balance. Hold a dumbbell in your right hand and keep your right foot on the floor. Lower the dumbbell toward the toes of your right foot. Contract your hamstrings to return to the start position. Raise your left leg as you bend down to maintain a straight line in your body throughout the entire movement.

Eccentric Hamstring Exercises

According to an article by Stephen Bird, PhD, you should do eccentric hamstring exercises to prevent hamstring injury. An eccentric contraction is when your muscle lengthens as it contracts. Do Romanian dead lifts, straight-legged dead lifts, leg curls and one-legged dead lifts. Perform a Romanian dead lift to raise the barbell, then do an eccentric straight-legged dead lift to lower the bar. Place the barbell on the floor to do a Romanian dead lift. Grasp the bar with your hands and feet shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees and hips keeping your trunk in an upright position. Stand up straight to lift the bar off the floor. Straighten your legs to slowly lower the bar back to the floor using a five-second count. Repeat these two different exercises beginning with the bar on the floor. Complete three sets of 10 reps. Perform leg curls using a one-second count to curl the weight and a five-second count to return to the start position. Do the same for one-legged dead lifts. Perform three sets of 10 reps for leg curls and one-legged dead lifts.