Touted as one of the most simple yet effective weight-lifting exercises, the dead lift is the go-to choice by coaches, athletes, personal trainers and bodybuilders who are looking to add strength muscle mass and size. While the dead lift targets many major muscle groups, it is crucial to maintain proper form while executing this lift, especially with the back, to avoid unnecessary injuries.
Why the Dead Lift?
It is hard to find a substitute for the dead lift when it comes to full body muscle recruitment and versatility. Athletes love it because it adds strength and power, bodybuilders because it packs on mass, coaches because it is somewhat a straightforward exercise, easy to teach and easy to strength test for. Those looking for weight loss also benefit from the higher metabolic demand that the dead lift requires, even up to 24 hours after the workout.
Execution and Proper Form
With feet parallel and slightly wider than shoulder width, grasp the barbell with palms facing yourself, lowering your hips while keeping your chest puffed out and your butt sticking out. This will help to maintain a natural spinal curvature throughout. Look straight ahead to reinforce natural posture and pull up on the bar slightly to create a braced stance, then push through the floor with your feet, maintaining an arch in the lower back. The barbell should slide up your thighs, and you want to keep the bar as close as possible to your body throughout. Return the same way, lowering the bar to the floor.
Injury
Spinal disk herniation is a common injury related to improper lifting technique. With flexion of the spine, or "rounding" the back with a heavy load, you cause the disks between vertebrae to expand, altering their original shape and causing pressure and pain on nearby nerves. This can all be avoided by using proper form and maintaining the natural arch of the lower back while performing the dead lift.
What to Do About Bad Form
Can't get down low enough to the bar without losing proper form in your back? Try elevating the barbell to a higher starting point; you can do this with any barbell cage with racks, starting the bar at knee level. Or lower the weight. As strength and conditioning coach Mike Boyle says, "You can't dead lift heavy and dead lift well." Focus on technique, not the weight. Also try single leg deadlifts, which alleviate much of the stress on the lower back.
References
- "Strength Training Anatomy"; Frederic Delavier; 2010
- "Advances in Functional Training"; Mike Boyle; 2010
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