Now after squats I believe that deadlifts are one of the best exercises you can be performing in the gym. You may ask why? Deadlifts recruit so many different muscles. The explosive phrase coming from the legs, mainly through the hamstrings which are often a muscle group neglected. Then your recruiting all core muscles and upper back with your traps also coming into play, again an area neglected. Then there is the grip which is all coming from forearms. This is why deadlifts are a must to achieve an all round great body.
Deadlifts have always been in my programme but recently I've been suffering with a bit of lower back pain and posture generated issues. I usually perform deadlifts at the end of my back routine as a post exhaustion exercise, performing 100 reps in as few sets as possible. This burns out my whole posterior chain however, the only problem is you don't achieve the strength gains from this exercise. With the change to my split, with me now including a pull day in my routine, additional to my back routine I have added deadlifts to the beginning of the workout and wow, how I've missed them.
Due to me not going heavy on deadlifts for a while I haven't just dived in and gone as heavy as I can, as quickly as possible, I have built it up slowly. I've adopted the pyramid way of training, therefore working all rep ranges with the main attention paid to the top of the pyramid, when I'm working in the strength based reps ranges. Using the remainder of the pyramid more as a pre exhaustion for the the rest of my workout.
I worked up to 210kg for 3 reps as seen in the photo. Points to note is explode at the beginning of the movement, use the power house that are your legs. Keep the bar as close to your shins and body as possible. Keep that back straight!!! Use your core to aid this, keep it tight. I find holding my breath till the top of the moment helps. A slight pause at the top, then lower the weight under control, again keeping back straight and feel the stretch in your hamstrings. This lowering phase under control requires so much more strength than just dropping the weight, so use it!!! Also you'll feel greater weight transferred to the lats on lowering the weight, as oppose to full concentration on the erector spinal. I am just one in general for performing all my reps slow, unless the muscle is really exhausted and I'm trying to push it that little further. Lastly don't be afraid of the movement and weight. As long as you're doing the right form and your always in control, there shouldn't be a problem. Start light and build yourself up.
The day after I first done this routine my back was on fire for the next few days, a bit like leg DOMS. I hadn't felt like this for a long time!! So start including deadlifts into your routine. I targeted my inner back with close pull downs, rear delts and traps after this, which is an area I'm lacking. It was one of the best workouts I've had in a long while, coming just before I jet out to Oman to visit a friend where I'm going to rest mostly, I'm sure I'll get a few workouts in from my room.
So start DEADLIFTING!!!!!!
Jack
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