by Brian Cannone

We’ve watched competitive weightlifters heft seemingly impossible weights over their heads in what are known as “deadlifts,” but most of us don’t believe we can or even should be doing this. So, the focus of this brief discussion is “should YOU do deadlifts?”

Interestingly enough, the answer to the question is both yes and no and ultimately depends upon your personal goals. If you have a goal of being able to lift five hundred pounds over your head…well, deadlifting techniques and training will certainly get you there. Remember, however, that someone interested in doing fitness modeling or showing off their physique in a bodybuilding show can get a lot of benefits from this sort of exercise too.
How and why? Well, deadlifts are what are known as “compound movements,” which is just a fancy way of saying that you put more than a single muscle group to work. Unlike a lot of other “lifting” exercises that are focused on developing the legs, back, arms, etc., the deadlifts are going to use almost all of the large muscle groups…including the legs.

A lot of fitness pros also point out that anyone with a lower back prone to difficulties or weakness will find that their training in deadlifts will strengthen this challenging area too.

Also, most people agree that it is one form of lifting that really bulks up the body, and which will do so in a short period of time. So, this is also a significant factor for someone who is hoping to get a new edge into their routine or sharpen their chances for winning at a bodybuilding show simply because they can use the deadlifts in a bit of a targeted manner, while also reaping whole body benefits.

The important thing about deadlifts, however, is that they MUST be done correctly. There are literally thousands of stories of bodybuilders and those doing fitness modeling who have put themselves out of commission for a period of time because they did not use the right stance or technique.

It is actually a five step process:
Stand with the bar above the center of your feet with a stance a bit more narrow than shoulders;
Grab the bar overhand so your arms are vertical to the floor;
Bend through your knees until your shins hit the bar;
Lift your chest but don’t squeeze your shoulder-blades;
Pull up on the weight and keep the bar close to your body as you roll it over your knees and thighs until your hips and knees are locked.

Good luck with this great technique!