Breaking down the deadlifts..

An in-depth explanation into dead lift variations.

Most weight trainers have heard of the deadlift. It is truly a fantastic exercise and stands proudly alongside the squat, bench press and barbell clean as the greatest indicator of overall strength of any athlete.

However, many trainees can become confused with the various dead lift versions touted around within the weight room. Firstly there’s the regular dead lift, then there’s the sumo dead lift and even the stiff-legged dead lift and it doesn’t even stop there, the list goes on.

Explaining the difference.

Most of the dead lift varieties will work the similar portion of the body (lower back, traps, hamstrings and glutes), however, most of them require different performance techniques, so to save you any confusion, here they are!

1- Deadlift: Let’s start with the regular deadlift. This is performed with feet about shoulder width apart, hands holding the bar in either a power grip (one hand pronated, the other supinated) or a regular grip, using straps or not. The deadlift begins with the bar on the floor and the delts directly over the bar. Push initially with the quads and glutes, before letting the lower back and traps take you to lockout as you stand up. Please do not lean back excessively as you complete the concentric portion, there is no need and it can only be harmful.

2- Romanian Deadlift: This is my favourite hamstring exercise of all time. It simply exhausts every hamstring fiber involved in the hip extensor function. I prefer to take the loaded barbell off the power rack at knee level for this exercise. Start with a regular pronated grip and with the feet at shoulder width. Stick your chest out and retract your shoulder blades and initiate the movement by pushing the hips and glutes out and back. The knees will naturally bend very slightly (though once the bend has occurred, hold it rigid whilst the bar slowly descends) and the bar should be kept very close to the body (almost scraping down the thighs). If you are doing it correctly you will feel an immense stretch in the hamstrings once the bar reaches knee level. Most body builders will complete the movement once the bar just passes knee level (any further and the back begins to round and the movement is compromised)

3- Sumo Dealift: A version of the regular deadlift that can be done either off the floor, or off varying positions in the power rack (as can regular dead lifts). Place the stance wider than shoulder width (some power lifters will go extremely wide, almost until they are doing the splits) I recommend about 6-12 inches wider than shoulder width with each foot. Grasp your bar with the chosen grip with the hands inside the knees. This variation will incorporate more of the hip and glute area into the exercise, whilst still providing the back with a killer workout. Many taller weight trainers (myself included) favour the sumo stance over the regular one.

4- Stiff-Legged dead lift: This is the hamstring exercise I see performed incorrectly every time I enter the gym. Firstly, the legs should never be stiff, that is a real misconception. The legs should always be slightly bent. Therefore the correct name for the movement is “Semi-Stiff legged dead lifts”. The difference between the Romanian dead lift and the semi-stiff legged dead lift is the bar position. Whilst the barbell will remain glued to the legs during the Romanian dead lift, during the semi-stiff legged dead lift, the bar will be away from the shins, thus placing more stress on the lumbar erectors .Two Very similar movements, but nonetheless, technically different.

5- Dumbell Deadlift- The dumbbells can be used for any version of either of the above dead lifting variation. I love using the dumbbells for the Romanian dead lift. In my opinion they take some stress off the upper back and place more directly on the hamstrings.

Whilst many flock to the various weird and wonderful leg curling machines for hamstring training, those machines will never add the muscle mass that a good specialisation period on dead lifting variations will..

Don’t be one of those guys with great quads and weak lower back and hamstrings.

Do your dead lifts.

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