All About Deadlift: Deadlift Workout, Benefits & Deadlift Variations

‘All About Deadlift: Deadlift Workout, Benefits & Deadlift Variations’ – Monica May

Deadlift is one of those exercises you have to include in your workout routine.

Similar to the squats, they are old-school exercises that work amazing.

Whether it comes to building muscles, burning fat, or just getting stronger overall, deadlift will do the trick.

Targeting the posterior chain, deadlifts work on engaging so many large muscle groups.

In fact, when you deadlift your body will engage most of the muscles on the backside of the body from your calves, to your hamstrings and glutes, all the way up to the upper back and traps.

Especially since there are so many variations of this exercise that will challenge and push your body to it’s limits and give you amazing results.

And today, we’re learning all about it!

From the countless benefits to the many variations and a guide to how to nail the perfect deadlift – I have it all!

Let’s jump right into it!

Deadlift Benefits

This single exercise provides so many benefits.

As I mentioned before, deadlifts will target the posterior chain, which actually refers to all the muscles on the backside of the body from the back of your head all the way down to your heels.

One of the most important things for us girls is that deadlifts actually target the booty which helps it grow bigger and stronger.

Deadlifts also help develop explosive strength, which refers to how quickly you can reach peak levels of force in a muscle.

It improves your rate of force development which means you’ll be able to run faster, jump higher, throw farther, and perform at a higher level in any type of athletic endeavor.

Because the deadlift is a large compound movement that begins from a dead-stop position, it is extremely effective at improving overall explosiveness.

Deadlift Variations

There are so many types of deadlift workout variations, and they all target different parts of the body.

In my workout program RADIATE I have many more supersets and variations that include deadlift, so make sure to check it out right now!

I’m listing my favorite ones right now!

Straight Legs Deadlift

This is for me a traditional way to do a deadlift.

Whether you decide to do it with a kettlebell, dumbbells, or a barbell, the form is the same.

This deadlift variation targets mainly the hamstring muscles.

Here’s how to do it right:

• Stand with your feet a little bit closer than shoulder-width apart.
  Your toes are out.
  Your knees are not bent, they stay straight throughout the whole movement.
• Start bending at your hips and as you lower your weights in front of you, make sure to keep your back straight.
• Lower it as far as you can without bending your knees or without curling your back – it should be straight throughout the whole movement.
• Keep the weights close to your body throughout and avoid jerky movements – keep it slow and controlled.
• Once you reach your maximum, slowly straighten back up.

Bent Legs Deadlift
(Romanian Deadlift)

This is another traditional and well-known deadlift variation.

You can also use a kettlebell, dumbells, or a barbell.

Since this one mainly targets the glutes and side booty, I often add a booty bend around my calves to make sure I activate my glutes even more.

Here’s how to do it right:

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
  Your toes are out.
  Your knees are slightly bent, they stay bent throughout the whole movement.
• Start bending at your hips and as you lower your weights in front of you, make sure to keep your back straight.
• Lower it as far as you can without bending your back, extending the back of your legs and glutes.
• Keep the weights close to your body throughout and avoid jerky movements – keep it slow and controlled.
• Once you reach your maximum, slowly straighten back up.
  Squeeze your glutes to finish the movement.

Good Mornings

The good mornings are an amazing deadlift workout variation targeting the posterior chain at its core.

It’s usually done with a barbell, but since I exercise at home, I often do it with a kettlebell in the front rack position.

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your weight placed on your shoulders behind your head.Stand upright, brace your core and pull your shoulders back.

• Start hinging forwards from your hips, not your waist, allowing a slight bend in your knees but keeping your back flat.Lean forwards until you feel a slight stretch in your hamstrings before going back up to the starting position.

Staggered Stance Deadlift

• Keep the bulk of your weight in your lead leg.The back one is just for stability.

• Start hinging back by getting your butt back, back straight and chest proud.Your standing leg is slightly bent.Your shoulders pinched back and stable, as with any other deadlift variation.

• Once you reach your maximum, start going back up.

Single-Leg Deadlift

The single-leg deadlift is a hip-hinge movement that strengthens the back, core, and legs. 

It requires stability since it’s done by lifting one leg off the ground and extending it out behind you.

That being said, take it slow, and start freehanded to get a sense of the movement before picking up weights.

• Start by standing with your feet hip-width apart.Hold a weight in your hands down in front of you.

• Start leaning forward, shifting your weight onto one leg while your other leg engages and starts to extend straight behind you.

• Lift your extended leg and pitch your body forward.Your arms should be hanging straight down, holding onto the weight.Keep a slight bend in your standing leg and hold in this position for a second before going back up.

• Slowly bring in your extended leg and return to starting position.

Sumo Deadlift

The sumo deadlift is a deadlift workout that’s usually done with a barbell.

It’s also one that’s done to the ground and is one of the most complex weightlifting movements.

• Start with a barbell on the ground.Your feet should be wider than shoulder-width apart, and your toes pointed out.

• Reach for the bar while you bend your knees and stick your butt back.Lean back and drop your butt down, while making sure you keep your back straight and chest up.

• Stand up driving through your heels. To put it back down, stick your butt back and bend your legs.

Suitcase Deadlift

The suitcase deadlift variation is an amazing exercise for the legs and glutes.

It’s usually done with two dumbbells or two kettlebells, but you can experiment with other equipment too.

Here’s how to perform it right:

• Start with two dumbbells on the ground, sitting just outside your feet.Your feet should be shoulder-width apart.

• Squat down to pick them up, with your back straight and chest up, sticking your butt back.

• Stand up as you are picking the dumbbells to the starting position.

• Repeat for as many times as you want.

Notes

Nail The Perfect Weight

You should always start with a lighter weight – even if you’re planning on dead-lifting with 500 lbs afterward.

Especially if you are doing it for the first time, start light and get the movement right.

Once you get into the movement you can increase your weight.

Also, always pick up weights that will challenge you, but not crush you.

This means you should be able to do your reps without having your form compromised.

Always Warm-Up

Most injuries happen because of not warming up properly.

That’s why you have to make sure to always warm-up before you start working out, especially before lifting heavy weights on your deadlift.

Reps And Sets

I always like to work out avoiding fixed reps, so I usually do interval workout.

This means instead of doing an exact number of reps, I do as many reps as possible in a time frame of let’s say 30 seconds.

You can learn more about it in my all-in-one workout program.

Deadlift Workout

I don’t do split training very often, and I usually would do a full-body workout including deadlift variations.

Since deadlift is a low-intensity movement, I like to pair it with fast and explosive workouts to make sure I get my heart rate up.

I also like to do it on my booty training, since it’s a perfect way to both target and activate the glute muscles.

Here’s an example of how I include deadlift in my everyday workout routine.
 

Now Let’s Get Working!

Include at least one of these deadlift variations in your next training session.

Let me know which is your favorite one, and what deadlift variation works best for you, by commenting in the section below – I would love to know!

Also, if you like it, don’t forget to share it with your friends!

Till next time, babe!
xoxo,