Old School Training Series
Varieties
of Deadlifting
by
John Grimek (1962)
In
spite of some opposition to the deadlift by a few authorities in the past, the
deadlift is still one of the finest exercises for any barbell man to include in
his training. But the name "deadlift" has a strange, ominous ring to
all who are not familiar with weight training, although many comedians have
kicked it around here and there and gotten some laughs with it. In spite of its
name being the butt of an occasional joke there are many varieties of this
exercise that exert tremendous influence upon the body when employed regularly,
either as a muscle and strength developer or a remedial exercise.
Art Weige, who was a very good deadlifter for a tall man,
lifting a heavy weight in the old York gym.
For
some reason the importance of this exercise over the years has been overlooked,
and today only a small proportion of all weight lifters include this movement
regularly in their training. The few who employ it do so primarily as a back
strengthener and conditioner. Many bodybuilders have the impression that it has
no particular value for them. This conclusion is wholly unjustified. Those who share
this conclusion are foolishly depriving themselves of a fine exercise. However,
when this exercise, the regular deadlift, is used faithfully it has exceptional
merits in keeping the back strong and the spine flexible . . . something we all
need.
Steve Reeves, with his long arms and wide shoulders
doing one of his favorite forms of deadlifting
holding the rim of each plate.
Actually
the deadlift is one of the oldest exercises known in body culture. At one time
this exercise appeared in all training courses, most of which proclaimed it to
be the finest all-round exercise for the body, putting greater emphasis on it
as a back conditioner and overall power builder. And even today among the
better informed this opinion still exists; only actual lifting movements are
comparable. When this exercise is worked regularly it serves to develop those
two cable-like muscles, the erector spinea, that run along each side of the
spine (from the head down to the hips) better than any other exercise except,
and I repeat, the quick lifting movements. All these movements and exercises,
such as the deadlift, serve to develop and strengthen the entire back. This is
important since this is the region where weakness is first felt by most
persons. Yet this region can be kept strong and flexible throughout life with
proper training, and especially with some of the exercises mentioned here.
Tommy Kono illustrates the isometric deadlift on the power rack.
The
real truth of the matter is that very few people give their backs any
consideration. It is only when they get "laid up" with a backache
that they begin to realize the necessity of keeping the back strong and
flexible. Exercise is always thought of by the uninitiated as a means to fight
off accumulated weight to which most of us are so easily susceptible in this
society, but exercise is just as important in keeping the muscles toned up and
strong so they can oppose the pull of gravity upon the body. Once the muscles
lose their tonicity they are subjected to many injuries, and the muscles of the
back seem to be the most prone to injury when we choose to allow them to
weaken. This weakness is reflected in the numerous cases of ruptured disks we
so frequently hear about these days. But if the muscles along the spine and
sides were kept strong such back conditions would be much less frequent. And
when there is weakness in the lower back the pressure between the vertebrae is
increased, thus breaking down the disks and resulting in what is commonly known
as a "ruptured disk." Confinement with traction usually follows,
augmented by heat, massage and medication. When improvement fails, surgery is
often called for, with varying results.
Ron Lacy, Mr. America 1957, shown doing the stiff legged deadlift from the floor.
Most
people are unaware that the spinal column is made up of approximately 33
vertebrae and arranged in such a way as to provide maximum bending movement in
all these segments except the coccyx region. Each vertebra is bound and kept in
place by strong ligaments. Through this column passes the spinal cord, the
nervous system of the body, with nerves passing through this column to every
section of the body. Any subluxation of the spine can cause pain, making any
movement very uncomfortable. Strengthening the muscles in and around this area
will help to keep the back in better condition and thus prevent future
backache. As pointed out earlier this can be accomplished with the deadlift
variations given herein, all of which work these muscles and will safeguard you
from back miseries.
140 pounder, Art Neiss, lifting 460 at Muscle Beach, Santa Monica, California.
Naturally
the question of body proportions and structure governs anyone's ability to
perform a commendable deadlift. A fellow with proportionately long arms,
regardless of height, will always outlift the shorter armed fellow if both are
of approximately the same strength (and determination). His longer arms allow
him to get into a better position to pull on the weight; neither does he have
to lift the weight as high, but just barely above the knees. For a time many
were of the opinion that fellows with shorter legs and longer upper bodies
would make the ideal deadlifters. I always doubted this. Instead I felt that a
man with longer legs and a shorter back would be better suited for lifting
heavier poundages in this lift. My reason for this conclusion, and you'll
probably agree with me if you analyze the movement, is that most of the lifting
is done with the legs, and a shorter back with longer legs permits a better
position to be assumed for making a heavy deadlift. And because the torso is
shorter less strain is placed on the back in straightening up. A fine example
of this was the featherweight lifter John Terry. At a bodyweight of slightly
over 130 pounds he deadlifted around
600. Terry wasn't a tall man by any means - around 5'2" - but his legs
were long for his height, as were his arms. His arm span equaled that of the
average 5'10" man, and when he completed the deadlift the weight was only
an inch or two above his knees.
In
fact, most men with longer backs are more flexible than those who are shorter
in this region. This explains why so many longer legged fellows are unable to
touch their toes (unless they have unusually long arms) as the shorter men can
do. Many long legged men are unable to lower the weight past their toes in the
stiff legged deadlift, while those with longer torsos can do this without too
much trouble. Consequently, body mechanics do help to make it easier for one
individual to do the stiff legged deadlift, while another finds the regular
style of deadlifting easier and more appropriate.
Left: Harry Johnson, Mr. America 1959, uses a high bench for stiff legged deadlifts.
Right: George Shandor does the exercise with a low bench.
Right: George Shandor does the exercise with a low bench.
Some
bodybuilding authorities in the past had the opinion that too much stretching
and stiff legged deadlifting help to overstretch the spine and the ligaments
that bind the vertebrae. Personally, I don't think this is a serious as it may
sound. Actually, all the muscles, tendons, and ligaments become stronger with
use, and if this is ever overdone an injury is likely to result, not merely an
overstretching of these parts. Nevertheless, there is no point in overdoing any
exercise. The object of regulated training should be towards the improvement of
the body, and not to injure or debilitate it!
O.B. Smith of Kansas City
regular deadlifting for power with over 550 pounds.
Let
us analyze some of the methods of deadlifting exercises and learn which muscles
such exercises activate.
Regular
Deadlift: in this lift the back, legs and hips bear the brunt of the movement.
Also activated are the shoulders, trapezius, biceps, abdomen and the grip.
Stiff
Legged Deadlift: All the muscles mentioned in the previous lift, plus the
buttocks and all the muscles located on the rear of the legs from the buttocks
down to the heels.
Bendover
or Good Morning Exercise: This one is similar to the stiff legged variety so
far as similar muscles are concerned, but less weight is used to accomplish
this. Because the weight is held on the shoulders behind the neck the leverage
is vastly increased. Certain individuals prefer this variety to the stiff
legged deadlift. Both are good developing exercises.
Deadlift
by Holding Rims of Plates: A fine novelty of the regular deadlift that requires
strong fingers and an exceptional arm span. Affects almost the same muscles as
the regular deadlift, though the latissimus dorsi is involved somewhat. Grip
and arm span remain a big factor in this lift.
Straddle
Deadlift: Some men can do more in this variety than in the regular deadlift.
You begin in exactly the same way as you would in doing the straddle
(Jefferson) lift, except the weight is lowered until it touches the floor and
the back is rounded. Although the upper and lower sections are strongly
involved, the legs and trapezius are vigorously involved.
Isometric
Deadlift: All muscles as described above in all varieties.
Now,
which exercises among this group should you do? That's entirely up to you and
what you wish to accomplish. You may have noticed that most lifters use either
the regular deadlift, the straddle type of deadlift, and isometric pulls for
power building. Bodybuilders, on the other hand, favor the stiff legged variety
because it reacts favorably upon the muscles and is an excellent conditioner.
In any case, if you want to keep your back strong, flexible and free from
annoying misery, now and in the future, this is the time to start and continue
to exercise your back regularly.
Gene Neil, first man in North Carolina to deadlift 700 pounds.
It's
always a good idea to finish off your deadlifting with an extra strong pull on
the power rack, or to handle a weight that is near your limit. However, and I
want to emphasize this point, always warm up your back before attempting
anything that is near your limit. The powerful muscles of the back respond
best, for bodybuilding purposes, when 8-10 repetitions are used, even more in
some cases. But for strengthening purposes and building overall power, 1 to 5
reps with limit poundages and repeated for 3 or more sets should be used.
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