To Dead, Or Not To Dead

I understand what you’re saying as far as aestheic reasons… and I think that it’s an individual thing, although I doubt there’s another exercise that works more muscle groups.

I think everyone should deadlift simply because what exercise is more realistic than picking a heavy thing up off the ground? You gotta move a couch, you deadlift it. You gotta pick up a big rock in the yard, you deadlift it. You load a desk into a pickup truck, you gotta deadlift it up there. Can’t ask for more than that out of a single exercise.

[quote]
I think everyone should deadlift simply because what exercise is more realistic than picking a heavy thing up off the ground? You gotta move a couch, you deadlift it. You gotta pick up a big rock in the yard, you deadlift it. You load a desk into a pickup truck, you gotta deadlift it up there. Can’t ask for more than that out of a single exercise.[/quote]

I recently turned a friend of mine(a bench/curls type lifter) onto deadlifting, and that was my rationale for him. I said “sure, a big bench press is cool and all, but the REAL measure of strength, in the real world, is how much you can pick up off the floor” and he said “… why have I never thought of that?” now he deadlifts twice a week and it has become his favorite exercise.

[quote]I said “sure, a big bench press is cool and all, but the REAL measure of strength, in the real world, is how much you can pick up off the floor”[/quote]…and put overhead :wink:

[quote]XxMAGxX wrote:
How a body responds to any exercise is very individual.

There are a lot of guys out there with big deadlifts who have visually impressive backs/glutes/hams… and there are guys out there with big deadlifts that aren’t very developed.

Same with squats.[/quote]

i second this

There is no one exercise that is ESSENTIAL to getting huge and strong.

I’d argue that if people were forced to exclude one of the main movements such as barbell back squats, barbell deadlifts, or barbell bench presses, they could still find ways to get stronger and bigger simply with different variations.

That being said, I think that they are a great way to pack on size and strength to the entire body.

-Matt

I always do stiff leg deadlifts. I rarely do traditional. I have long legs and a long torso and find that my lower back really feels it when I go traditional from the ground.

I do them now and then but no longer focus on them like I used to.

I hope someone can answer this question.

I’m 6’2" and conventional pulling is putting a huge strain on my back. Will going sumo alleviate this problem?

[quote]themonthofjun wrote:
I hope someone can answer this question.

I’m 6’2" and conventional pulling is putting a huge strain on my back. Will going sumo alleviate this problem? [/quote]

A little bit. More work is done with the hamstrings throughout the lift. The glutes work with the legs more to initiate the movement. It’s good to switch up stances - A sumo stance can loosen up your hip flexors, and of course it hits different muscles.

[quote]themonthofjun wrote:
I hope someone can answer this question.

I’m 6’2" and conventional pulling is putting a huge strain on my back. Will going sumo alleviate this problem? [/quote]

Another possibility is to do conventional DLs but do them more like a clean pull. This works the legs and upper back while being easier on the lower back.

There are so many factors that can result in this, it’s practically ridiculous to speculate. But I’ll guarantee it has nothing to do simply with your height.

But you can start a new thread for that.

-Matt

[quote]Matt McGorry wrote:
There are so many factors that can result in this, it’s practically ridiculous to speculate. But I’ll guarantee it has nothing to do simply with your height.

But you can start a new thread for that.

-Matt[/quote]

Ok. I posed this question after an ill fated dl day. A callus that had healed was starting to get “sanded down” and it felt like the nerve ending was exposed or something - i couldn’nt finish all reps and all sets before the damn thing got ripped apart. Anyways today it (my back) feels like I had my form compromised (just as I thought then). But thanks for clearing out those questions y’all.

[quote]FightinIrish26 wrote:

I think everyone should deadlift simply because what exercise is more realistic than picking a heavy thing up off the ground? You gotta move a couch, you deadlift it. You gotta pick up a big rock in the yard, you deadlift it. You load a desk into a pickup truck, you gotta deadlift it up there. Can’t ask for more than that out of a single exercise.[/quote]

I fully agree.

I love deadlifts for this reason.

Personally, I’m doing Sumo Deads followed by Straight Leg Deadlifts. Hurts so good I love it!

AD

I used deadlifts to correct a problem I had with a weak lower back, that used to always give me fits/cause me pain.

It took a few weeks of soreness to get to the point where I think I can do them well…but it was worth it. Not only is the back problem gone…but because it is gone, I can do other lifts more effectively, and it is adding some good mass/strength to my back.

I now do them 2x per week…one day, I do the basic/standard deadlift, and the other, stiff leg ones.

I say go for it, and see what results you get…

You should try them , I’m not tall but I have started deadlifting about 2 or 3 weeks ago , now I am lifting about 150kilos which is exactly twice my body weight for many reps. and I still haven’t maxed out in doing a 100% effort till you fail set.

It put beyond noticeable mass in my back forearms and traps.
as well as I can jump like 50% higher now.

and guess what? I just started doing squats yesterday(I work out seriously for maybe a year or to total depending on what you take as a workout)

[quote]Malevolence wrote:
FightingScott wrote:

I don’t think deadlifts are that great for making your back bigger. Stronger…yes. Bigger…no.

Would you elaborate on this a bit?[/quote]

The main back muscle worked in deadlifts is the erector spinae. It’s a strong muscle that runs the length of your back, but isn’t that big of a bodybuilding trophy muscle surface area wise when compared to the traps or the lats.

Building the erector spinae is great for overall back fitness and “core” (sorry) strength but if you want to get your back big for a show rowing variations, pull-ups, and pullovers are all better uses of time for building big backs when compared to the deadlift.

Sure the deadlift requires some contraction of those muscles, but rowing, pull-ups, pullovers, olympic lifts, shrugs, and over back flexing exercises are better for packing on back muscle.

The deadlift is still a worthy exercise for building show-worthy hamstrings.

If you disagree please tell me because that must mean there’s something I’m missing.

[quote]FightingScott wrote:
Malevolence wrote:
FightingScott wrote:

I don’t think deadlifts are that great for making your back bigger. Stronger…yes. Bigger…no.

Would you elaborate on this a bit?

The main back muscle worked in deadlifts is the erector spinae. It’s a strong muscle that runs the length of your back, but isn’t that big of a bodybuilding trophy muscle surface area wise when compared to the traps or the lats.

Building the erector spinae is great for overall back fitness and “core” (sorry) strength but if you want to get your back big for a show rowing variations, pull-ups, and pullovers are all better uses of time for building big backs when compared to the deadlift.

Sure the deadlift requires some contraction of those muscles, but rowing, pull-ups, pullovers, olympic lifts, shrugs, and over back flexing exercises are better for packing on back muscle.

The deadlift is still a worthy exercise for building show-worthy hamstrings.

If you disagree please tell me because that must mean there’s something I’m missing. [/quote]

It could be said that the deadlift is the exercise that builds the base that allows you to go heavier on all the other back exercises. The ones that require bending over, anyway. Or even standing straight - as in curls.

That’s a very valid point. I don’t want to take anything away from the deadlift but the deadlift itself does not put on slabs of visible back muscle. It’s still a good exercise.

[quote]cormac wrote:
Deadlift heavy, without straps or gloves. You’ll build mass and increase your work capacity n-fold.[/quote]

What do gloves have to do with strength and work capacity?

[quote]FightingScott wrote:
Malevolence wrote:
FightingScott wrote:

I don’t think deadlifts are that great for making your back bigger. Stronger…yes. Bigger…no.

Would you elaborate on this a bit?

The main back muscle worked in deadlifts is the erector spinae. It’s a strong muscle that runs the length of your back, but isn’t that big of a bodybuilding trophy muscle surface area wise when compared to the traps or the lats.

Building the erector spinae is great for overall back fitness and “core” (sorry) strength but if you want to get your back big for a show rowing variations, pull-ups, and pullovers are all better uses of time for building big backs when compared to the deadlift.

Sure the deadlift requires some contraction of those muscles, but rowing, pull-ups, pullovers, olympic lifts, shrugs, and over back flexing exercises are better for packing on back muscle.

The deadlift is still a worthy exercise for building show-worthy hamstrings.

If you disagree please tell me because that must mean there’s something I’m missing. [/quote]

Oh, I wasn’t doubting your knowledge, just curious to hear the fleshed out info.

[quote]bluepulse wrote:
cormac wrote:
Deadlift heavy, without straps or gloves. You’ll build mass and increase your work capacity n-fold.

What do gloves have to do with strength and work capacity?

[/quote]

The prevent you from getting blistery, lumberjack manly-hands.