The Amazing Benefits of Deadlifts

Ever wake up in the gym missing half your teeth right after doing a set of deadlifts with way too much weight on the bar? Being a show off isn't smart. Want proof? Check out how it worked for this guy:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eP9y4hFogUThe end result of this kind of mentality is injury or at least looking dumb. That's what happens when you don't have control over the weight you're moving in the gym. A lot of people believe that with heavy weight comes big muscles, but that's not always the case--especially when you're trying to lift weight that is way too heavy for you to move. All that will end up happening is a lower back strain (if you're lucky) or herniated disc (if you're less lucky), and who really wants that when it’s time to get up in the morning or react in a time of crisis. What good are we to our team members if someone goes down?The goal with the deadlift, like most things in the gym, is to lift that dead weight in an upward momentum that activates thousands of muscle fibers throughout your whole body. It stimulates both the lower and upper body by targeting the butt, upper thighs, hamstrings, lower, upper and middle back and even your traps. Some other benefits with the deadlift is that it helps strengthens the spine, which can improve posture and reduce lower back pain. And it also helps build strength in the core, which means your abs (which means gut, which means you suddenly care a lot more about this now than you did when you started this paragraph). It also reinforces the way your pelvis, abs, hips, and lower back work together while running. We know that matters less than abs, but great abs won't shave the aches and pain off your hips after a run with a misaligned midsection.[caption id="attachment_13015" align="alignnone" width="1000"]

Photo by Airman 1st Class Gabrielle Spradling, 460th Space Wing/Public Affairs[/caption]While doing a proper deadlift always be sure that you warm up your muscles by grabbing either an empty bar or a bar with low weight and perform a couple of sets to get the body used to the movement. Never just jump into an exercise with heavy weight (go back to the start of this article if you need another reminder why that is a bad thing).Here are some tips on how to properly do the Deadlift.

1. You can hold the bar with one palm facing inward and the other outboard (mixed grip) if you want to have a stronger grip on the bar.
2. Pull the bar to your mid-thighs and lock your hips and knees when going up.
3. Make sure when coming up, you push your chest out to help keep your back straight.
4. Hold control of the weight to prevent any injury to the lower back.
5. When coming down, move your hips back while bending your knees.
6. Complete 10-15 reps to help get the best hypertrophy for your muscle.
7. Do 10-15 reps 3 to 4 times to get the best out of this workout.

Deadlifts are not only for males. A handful of women still believe that by doing heavy compound deadlifts will make them bulky, but it actually won't. The female anatomy won't develop like a man unless training is combined with anabolic steroids. Bottomline: A woman can develop the glutes of a fitness model if they deadlift regularly.There are plenty of benefits of deadlifts. The results and outcomes will be more obvious next time you are in a difficult situation. It can also help you improve other lifts, as they recruit a multitude of muscle groups. Whether it be a 15-mile hike while carrying a 90lb pack, or carrying a buddy in a sticky situation, anything that you may need in your daily life that may require that extra push will be easier with more deadlifts in your workouts.For more fitness articles, click here.