Deadlifts are one of the best compound exercises around. Like squats they involve a lot of muscle groups. As well as primarily working the lower back, they also target:
- Upper Back
- Biceps
- Forearms
- Quads
- Hamstrings
- Shoulders
- Traps
Like barbell rows, you NEED to ensure good form with deadlifts to avoid injury.
Check out the video, then see below for instructions…
(1) Getting Into Position
- Stand with your feet just narrower than shoulder-width apart and the barbell just in front of you on the floor
- Keeping a straight back, bend at the knees and grab the bar
- Grab the bar underhand with one hand and overhand with the other (see beginning of video). Your grip point should be just wider than shoulder-width apart
- Now get into a squat position, your thighs being just above parallel to the floor
- Keep your head facing forwards
(2) Concentric Part of the Repetition
- Take a deep breath in
- On exhaling, begin to lift the barbell up with your legs, back and arms staying straight
- Keep lifting until you are standing up straight
- The top of this movement is when your back is locked. You should be standing with military-like posture at the top of the rep
- It should take 1-2 seconds to get to the top of the movement
(3) Eccentric Part of the Repetition
- Keeping the bar close to your body, squat back down to the starting position
- Lower the weight with a slow, smooth motion.
- It should take 2 seconds to lower the weight back to the starting position
- The weight should rest on the floor momentarily between reps.
You should reach failure between 8 and 12 reps.
If you can do more than 12 reps, make a note to increase the weight on this set for your next back workout.
Stay Motivated!
Mark McManus
ATTENTION,
For the guys that were seeing the grey background, can you leave a quick comment to let me know if it’s still grey or is it white yet?
Cheers,
Mark
Thanks for the post – the background comes as white for me.
Thanks Sunny,
Let me know if anyone is still seeing grey,
Mark
More good stuff. Great demo. Good to swap the grip around regularly too, (under and over the other way around) for balance. Thats another reason why I like the hex bar… its a really naturally, balanced grip. Deadlifts also work the biggest muscles, the glutes, like nothing else. When glutes thighs and back, all the biggest muscle groups, are firing at once, it’s bound to create adaption.
Hi,
I see gray.
Hi Mark
Would you recommend to incorporate this into the work out
plan on back days, or are the bar rows and lat pull downs sufficent. I find that I am in and out in 30 mins on back day, it just doesn’t seem right…lol
I see white background.
Thanks
Yes Matt. Deadlifts will be in the updated version of Total Anabolism.
The best thing to do would be to replace Lat Pull Downs with Deadlifts and keep the barbell rows.
Hope that helps,
Mark
Thanks Mark
Mark i have a question do you arch your back? Because I unno it feels more natural, if not what should i do, when will i know my back is locked?
Yes Kenny I keep an arched back
Mark
what about stiff-legs deadlift? should i also arch my back?
Absolutely, go to that section in the book – I’ve written about proper form for Stiff-Leg Deadlifts.
Mark
oh ok thnx, also when you say to perform on a platform a few inches off the floor, what is the range of the elevation from the floor? 3-4 inches?
Yes just a few inches. It’s fine to do them off the floor if you can’t get elevated. Please ask any further questions at the forum.
Mark
Sorry, this video is no longer available đ
Yeah, the video quality wasn’t great in the original videos so I either want to re-record them or do gif animations for all the exercise execution videos. I’ll do these soon.
Mark
Hey Mark. For some reason every time I click on the deadlift video, it tells me that it is a private video. I signed up for your e-book and confirmed and everything. I don’t get it.
First off-great website-so informative!!
Can anyone help me, I have a bad lower back so deadlifts etc are a straight no-can you provide an effective alternative to this exercise? I’m guessing not, it seems to be excellent at targeting multiple areas.
@Ted. If your lower back is bad I take it you can’t perform ‘good mornings’ or hyper-extensions either?
If not, you can strengthen your lower back a little by lying on an exercise ball (face down). Hold a weight on the back of your head and slowly arch backwards – repeat.
Hope that helps,
Mark
Just taken a look at the good morning-wow my back would snap like a twig! Hyper extensions would be a maybe-I’ll try the one on the ball and see how that goes. Thankas very much for the advice and keep up the good work! Tried your tricep pulldown advice yesterday and got a lot more out of it than normal:)
hey mark,
the video is set to private… cant see how to do this which really sucks because i got to this post from your 3day workout routine which seems to be the best 3day workout ive found yet and I’d love to give it a shot
@Mario. I’m working on replacing some of these old videos. I will probably post the deadlift vid some day next week bro.
Mark