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Honoring the Dead

© Matt Danielson

...And no, I'm not going to crack any jokes about any muscle-moviestar wannabe's career. I'm lamer than that: I'm going to talk about the plain, ol' Deadlift. The Ultimate power exercise. And why am I doing this? I mean, could something possibly GET more simple than that? Pick up a heavy weight, and put it back down on the floor again, not using even the simplest machine or trendy intensity-enhancing technique. BOOORING, right? Yeah, well, I have to admit that it's not anything you'll find actively advocated by any chic and PC Personal Trainer, and it's an exercise so basic you just can't do very much else but just grab the damn bar and do the lift like millions of people have done over time. Not much left for creativity. It's also strenuous, taxing and demands your full focus to avoid breaking your spine. It makes you sweat. In fact, the only thing that actually speaks in its favor is that it produces tremendous results, both strength- and volume-wise.

There are three ways of performing a Deadlift - Classic, Sumo or Stiff-legged. Personally, I do NOT recommend the stiff-legged version to anybody, as I consider the risk of injury being too high. And as a friend of mine pointed out in the gym, as we watched a person performing a perfectly fine stiff-legged Deadlift: That's pretty much exactly how every ergonomy-instructor will tell you NOT to lift something! Besides, nine out of ten people in the gym rounds his/her back at some point in the movement, setting you up for major trouble later on. Another crucial detail is that this version also requires great flexibility of the hamstring muscles. All kinds of Deadlifts require flexibility, but if your Hams are shortened, well, not the strongest will and dedication will keep you from rounding your back. You should also keep your hands even. Use wrist straps rather than a "mixed" grip, as in one hand pronated and one supinated. The best is of course not to use straps either, but for most of us it's a matter of working out way there.

The classic Deadlift is what I use myself, and advocate first and foremost. Like a Squat, it's such a basic movement, yet it takes so much time and effort to perfect the form. And it's only when you're 100% home with the form that you'll be able to seriously start putting on the plates! Not only will it make you stronger, but it's also important from a safety standpoint that you get the movement right in your mind and body before anything else. The basic starting-positioning is vital.

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