If I Were A Deadlift

Posted byLori Posted onNovember 10, 2010 Comments10

If I were a Deadlift: An ode to the strong

(*edited to add: I “posted” this Wednesday (yesterday), only to find out, today, that it was in my Drafts folder the entire time…)

Deadlifts can be one of the strongest lifts that you can preform. That’s right, you. And it will make you feel strong. The Deadlift is the most basic act in all of the weighted lifts. The Deadlift is literally just picking something up from off the ground, and  is the start for almost every lift you can perform.

One lady that rocks Deadlifts, picking up more than double her body weight, is Christine from Munchies, Muscles, and Mischief. Not only does she demonstrate that Ladies Lift Too, but she does it with heavy weight. Seriously, it’s crazy watching her video. And that is how you do a Deadlift…

Barbell Deadlift Bodybuilding.com

Deadlifts build back strength. Deadlifts work your back, legs, and forearms, not to mention your hamstrings, quadriceps, and glutes. Deadlifts teach you to keep your lower back straight and strong against a load, such as lifting heavy objects from the floor.

But why does the Deadlifts have such a bad reputation: improper technique. Doing the exercise right is incredibly important…

What’s a Deadlift? Starting in a stabilized bent-over position, lifting a weighted barbell from the ground, with both hands, until your body is fully extended. The lift comes from pushing with your heels and bringing your hips forward, not by pulling with your lower back.

Key things to think about when doing a Deadlift:

  • The bar should be at about mid-shin level (usually at this height when plates are added to the barbell).
  • Shoulders should be directly over the bar, not leaning forward or backward.
  • Bar should be touching or very close to your shins. Keep the bar close to the body through the entire lift. The closer the bar, the less stress on your lower back & the more weight you can Deadlift.

  • Keep your torso and abdominals tight. This will help stabilize your body, protecting your lower back.
  • Take a deep breath in, filling your diaphragm, right before the lift- this creates a “lift” in the body and chest (which is what you want!).
  • Chest up, back and abs tight, shoulder blades down and back.
  • Look forward through the entire lift.
  • Push with your heels to lift the weight.

Homework: I want you to try out the deadlift. Go to your gym, your living room, or even your place of work. Find something relatively heavy and try it. You can use a barbell, your cat, brother, or a filled water bottle. Anything. Just don’t get hurt because I don’t yet have insurance for personal training… πŸ˜‰

I’m working on increasing my PR for the Deadlift… fun times await me and that heavy bar… πŸ˜‰

You will be rewarded with cookies… tomorrow. πŸ˜‰

Ooey, gooey, and delicious

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

(see the cool little “badge” I made for Kate for her great November Gratitude Nuggets? I made that! hehe)

November 9th Gratitude: I am grateful for cookies. See above. Warm, delicious, comforting, fun to create, and even more amazing to eat.

November 10th Gratitude: I am grateful for weightlifting being introduced into my life. Weightlifting has brought me a new sense of what is strong, powerful, and me. I am constantly being challenged physically and mentally with weights, in a way I never thought possible. πŸ™‚

November 11th Gratitude: Veterans. Today, honor those who served and gave their lives.

ο»ΏSome people follow their dreams, others hunt them down and beat them mercilessly into submission.  –Neil Kendall

That’s my kind of workout… πŸ˜‰

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10 People reacted on this

  1. Holy crap, thanks very much for posting this! It is gonna be so helpful when I order wheatgrass at the grocery store! Very Amazing!

  2. I like to do one leg deadlifts ; ) I used to be scared to do deadlifts because I felt I would do them wrong, but they are a great exercise!!

  3. I did deadlifts today…wow. I am already sore and looking forward to my rest day tomorrow! Great tutorial, you PR DL beast, you!
    .-= Katie´s last blog ..Its all soggy though =-.

  4. My cat is for sure heavy enough for deadlifting HAHA!
    I know deadlifting has a bad reputation and so I’m hesitant in doing them but I’ve done them before and it is fun and you do feel pretty powerful, like you said:)
    Thanks for all the tips , I’ll have to try them again!

    Now , as for those cookies..yum!!!

    Can’t wait to see what kind they are:)

  5. Ok so, deadlifts are great and all (actually, my hammies are still sore from some I did on Tuesday), but COOKIES! COOOOOKIES! πŸ˜€
    .-= Amber Shea @Almost Vegan´s last blog ..105degrees- L1-W3-D4- seafood- crackers- falafel =-.

  6. Well darn it! Just posted a comment and everything went down and it got lost. Thank you and cookiemonstress for being inspirational about this. I’m going to have to ask my husband to show me how and make sure I don’t break myself (he claims ‘lifting heavy objects’ as his specialty and he really means ‘heavy’!)

    You’re going to be so popular – personal training with cookies…

    Sorry if I don’t comment much next few days – been asked to be ‘more present’ when I’m at my folks and not out running around – running out of time this visit.

    love
    Ela
    .-= Ela´s last blog ..Farmers Market and an Old Find- Salad Kicks- Where to Get a Decent Knife =-.

  7. Deadlifts are one of the best exercises!!!! Great tutorial on them!!

    those cookies look mouth watering!
    .-= Laury @thefitnessdish´s last blog ..Thirsty Wheatgrass Thursday =-.

  8. LOVE me a good deadlift day! I’m calling my PR half of a 32″ CRT Flat Screen TV. Functional fitness! πŸ™‚ Also amazing: Sumo Deadlift. BEASTY!
    .-= Anne´s last blog ..10 Minute Simple Meditation =-.

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