Day 20: Why Women Should Deadlift

Day 20

"Why Women Should Deadlift"

WOD 130420

Treadmill Run Tabata @ 12.0 incline | 5.0-6.0 speed

Deadlifts 5-5-3-3-2-2-2

Pull Ups (assisted if necessary) 5x5

Weighted Sit Ups 3x10

Cashout:

2000 meter row For Time

** A tabata is basically 8 rounds of 20 seconds work/10 seconds rest. While the treadmill is going wait til 0:30 seconds on the timer to jump on the treadmill and run for 20 seconds, til the timer hits 0:50, then rest til 1:00. Run til 1:20, rest til 1:30. Run til 1:50, rest til 2:00. And so on. You should be done around 4:30. Deadlifts should be done at a low to moderate weight if you're doing it for the first time. So please, watch videos, as for tips around the gym, and keep your ego at the door before you're carried out the door in a stretcher. "cashout" means the last workout of the day! Just get it done and get to stretching after.**

Review.

• Last 10 days. Push, push, PUSH! You can do it!
• Keep the apartment, condo, house, room clean for the last ten days! You can do it!
• Last two weeks of temptation and cheat day resistance. Primal or Zone... You can last 10 more days!
• Tell a friend so they can try it with you if you decide to do it again, hehe. You all can do it!

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Why Women Should Deadlift

 

 

Kristel & Abigail deadlifting over bodyweight at 155# tonight

I'm writing this article because of how impressed I was with ALL the girls that came to deadlift at the box for yesterday's WOD. The fact that NONE of them had deadlifted before, yet with our teaching, performed all sets of deadlifts with great technique and challenging weight. Deadlifting is such an important exercise, not only to my fitness programming, but to all fitness. Why I personally like the deadlifts:

• Deadlifts increases metabolism. When you elevate your metabolism, it burns fat much more efficiently. So basically... the more body fat you lose by doing them, the better you look and feel.
• Deadlifts gives women them CURVES. Women don't gain muscle mass like men (unless your Annie Thorisdottir), but they do get curvy when doing the deadlifts because they use all the major muscle groups of the lower body as well as the stabilizer muscles. I believe it can use up to 75% of the body's muscles! Woo!
• Deadlifts can add strength to your current program. Since this exercise uses all the lower body muscle groups, incorporating deadlifts in your current strength training can bring new PRs sooner than you think!

I only see a select few women who deadlift and those women are either trainers or just bigger than me in general haha. I wished more girls (and guys smh) did the deadlift so they can stop complaining that they don't know why their ass isn't getting tighter or they don't see results. This exercise has it all damnit! Here's another link on a step by step instruction on how to deadlift, FortisFitness - How To Deadlift

Anyway, the following blogs explain the deadlift benefits, deadlift techniques, and why women should deadlift from a female herself. Amazing job to Kristel and Abigail, and the rest of the ladies that threw down tonight to hang with the guys for today's WOD! It was definitely an awesome experience having everyone throw down together. I hope any ladies reading this blog or know a girl that needs to step their weightlifting/weight loss programming up learn from this one. Come by the box to get a quick lesson on how to get that buh-dunk right!

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(Article by Lori Steel of ProBodybuilding.com)

Deadlifting – Why Every Woman (and Man) Should Do It

The deadlift is a core exercise for developing mass and thickness throughout the back as well as overall upper body size and strength.  From a bodybuilding perspective, deadlifting is a compound exercise that engages not only the back muscles, but also the shoulders, trapezius muscles (traps), and the legs.  Heavy deadlifting will also build forearm and grip strength.  However, many people – women especially – do not incorporate deadlifting into their training program.  Deadlifting is very taxing on the body and can lead to physical fatigue rather quickly, so many beginning lifters tend to shy away from it and ultimately never incorporate it into their training program.  It can also be quite mentally challenging.  These are the things that make it such a great exercise.

I think that a lot of women fear that deadlifting will cause them to develop a thick midsection and look “blocky.”  It is also perceived by many women to be a dangerous exercise that can lead to back injury.  While it is certainly important to learn proper form to avoid injury, this is the case with all exercises.  And while it does strengthen the lower back and may increase thickness through the back and upper body, it does not widen the waist.  I believe that incorporating deadlifting as part of regular, consistent back training will benefit any woman’s fitness/training program.  Deadlifting, as a matter of fact, is a critical exercise to build core strength and help prevent injuries to all of the upper body muscles.

Deadlifts build back strength

When performing the exercise, your back works to stay straight while the weight of the bar tries to bend it.  The positioning of your back during this movement will make it stronger.

Deadlifts build leg strength

The first part of the exercise – bringing your hips forward for leverage and driving through your legs will strengthen your hamstrings and glutes.  Finishing the lift and straightening your knees will strengthen your quads.

Deadlifts build grip strength

When you perform heavy deadlifts, you need to grip the barbell hard so it does not drop or roll out of your hands. Grip and forearm strength are an important elements of deadlifting; there are not many exercises that will train this area of your arms like deadlifts will.

The back is a complex structure consisting of many muscles that support the upper body and drive basic functions like walking and running.  For bodybuilding purposes, training is usually focused on the upper, middle, and lower latissimus dorsi (lats, the largest back muscle), trapezius muscles (which make up part of the upper back and traps), and rhomboids (which make up part of the middle back).  A thick, well-shaped back is a fundamental element of any winning physique and requires a variety of exercises to fully develop.  Several varieties of deadlifts can and should be incorporated into anyone’s back training program:

Conventional Deadlift:

Deadlifting consists of bending over from a standing position, picking up a barbell from the floor, and bringing it to resting around your hip level.  Stand behind a barbell that is placed on the floor in front of you.  Place your hands about shoulder width apart, lift the bar by standing up and using your legs and hips for leverage while keeping your chest up to help keep your back from rounding during the lift.  In this exercise, “conventional” refers to your stance/position during the lift, which is with your hands placed on the bar outside of your legs.

Sumo Deadlift:

This variation is used by some people to reduce stress on the lower back.  It is also a very popular stance for powerlifters who use equipment to deadlift heavy weight (briefs, squat suits, wraps).  The difference between the sumo and conventional styles is primarily the foot positioning and grip.  When lifting sumo, place your feet wider with your grip in-between your legs.  Your hands should be more towards the center of the bar. Sumo deadlifts engage the glutes, hamstrings, and hip flexors more than conventional deadlifting.

Straight Leg Deadlift (SLDL):

Also known as stiff-leg deadlifts, this is a great exercise to build hamstring and glutes.  It is performed similar to the conventional deadlift except the legs are kept straight.  When the back stays straight as well, the hamstrings and glutes become the focus of the exercise.  The Romanian deadlift is a very similar variation of the SLDL that further isolates the glutes and hams by keeping the barbell in contact with the legs at all times.

A thick, well-developed back is a fundamental element of any winning physique and requires a variety of exercises to fully develop.  To achieve this, deadlifts should be a fundamental exercise included in a back training program.  While training approaches can be quite variable depending on the goal (strength/size/tone), a thorough back workout that incorporates deadlifts might be structured in the following manner: conventional deadlift (4 sets); wide-grip lat pulldowns (3 sets); low row (3 sets); close-grip lat pulldowns (3 sets); t-bar upper back row (3 sets).  This is just one example – the options are almost limitless when it comes to training your back!

There are so many exercises that can be selected to train the back muscles, and deadlifting is a good compound movement to engage many of them.  For additional benefits, SLDLs can be incorporated into a separate lower body/leg training day.  Rack deadlifts are also another great option.  The rack deadlift is a partial version of the deadlift that focuses on the upper portion of the lift.  For this exercise, you deadlift from a rack with pins set so that the bar is located at, just above, or just below your knees.  This is an excellent option for beginners to learn the basics of the exercise without using a full range of motion and can also be performed more easily by people who have experienced back injuries and may be reluctant to pull the weight from the floor.  It is also a popular exercise with powerlifters to train the upper portion of the deadlift with heavier weight than they may be able to lift from the floor.

Dumbbells (DBs) can be used as an alternative to the barbell deadlifts to mix up your training routine.  Dumbbell presses allow for a full range of motion and engage the core for stability and balance.  However, it can be more difficult to maintain proper form when using DBs instead of a barbell.  This is especially true when deadlifting.  DBs can often end up too far in front of you or too close to you when deadlifting, which can compromise the position and angle of your back.  While it can be productive to mix up your training routine and dumbbell deadlifts are a good option, keep in mind that the weight used for dumbbell deadlifts will likely be less than barbell deadlifts.  Be sure not to compromise your form.

Your grip selection for deadlifting can affect how comfortably you lift the weight and how much weight you can lift.  It can also help to prevent injury if you are lifting heavy weight.  The most common grips are overhand and over/underhand.  In the overhand grip, both palms of the hands face the floor, and your thumbs are placed underneath the bar.  It can be difficult to hold on to heavy weight with an overhand grip, though, so an over/under grip is used more often when deadlifting heavy.  With an over/under grip, one hand is supinated (palm facing the ceiling, in an underhand grip), and the other hand is pronated (palm towards the floor).  This can help prevent the bar from slipping.

It is unfortunate that deadlifts have a reputation for being a dangerous exercise that can cause injuries because it is such a good compound movement for building strength and ultimately preventing injury.  However, understanding the mechanics of the lift and maintaining proper form is critical, or injuries can occur.  One of the most common mistakes is rounding your back during the lift.  This can increase your risk of spinal disc injuries and hernias.  The most common mistakes that lead to injury when performing deadlifts include:

Rounding/Bending Your Back

This can increase pressure on your spine and contribute to back strain/injury.  To keep your back straight, it helps to lead the lift with your head and chest (looking upwards while you lift).

Rolling Your Shoulders

There should be no shrugging during a deadlift; it is improper form and can lead to shoulder/trap injuries.  Focus on moving the weight with your hips, legs, and back.
Over-extending Your Back at the Top of the Lift.  This can be as bad as rounding your back during the lift.  Once you are upright with the weight and your hips and knees are locked, there is no need to arch yourself backwards at the top and hyper-extend your back.

Training deadlifts primarily for strength and power requires a somewhat different approach than training for overall muscularity and thickness.  The deadlift is one of the three exercises performed in powerlifting competitions (along with squat and bench press).  While bodybuilding and general chest training focuses on overall muscle development through isolation exercises, powerlifting focuses more on technique, and exercises are more specific to achieving higher numbers, whether performing the lifts raw (no supportive briefs or suits) or with equipment.  Deadlifts are a major component of strength training for powerlifters and are performed with several variations at least once, if not twice per week.

Regardless of your goals, deadlifting should be a very important component of your training program.  Women especially should not shy away from deadlifting.  The benefits of deadlifting and back training in general can be seen throughout all of the upper body, both aesthetically and in terms of overall thickness, strength, and conditioning.  For bodybuilders especially, the importance of back thickness, width, development, and overall shape cannot be understated.  Deadlifting is a critical exercise that is well worth investing the time and effort to learn proper form and technique – the work you put into your deadlift will pay of in your numbers and your physique! 

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(Article by Nia Shanks from MuscleStrength.com)

Why Women Should Deadlift

Deadlifts. They are by far one of the best exercises for producing overall strength. But even more than that, they can even help you improve your physical appearance too. So, before we get into the meat of this article, I want to explain why women in particular should do deadlifts on a regular, consistent basis.

There are several reasons why women should incorporate deadlifts into their programs. One of the most important reasons I think deadlifting is important for women is that it allows them to realize their true strength potential. It never fails; anytime I train women and get them to pull a heavy triple on the deadlift (after building up to that level, of course), they absolutely love it. Something just seems to click in their minds when they rip a heavy weight off the floor.

Unfortunately women are still taught to believe that they can’t get strong, and that they should only lift tinydumbbells coated in pretty pink or other pastel colors. They are taught to believe that if they lift anything heavier than 10 pounds that they will become muscle-bound beasty freaks. Those are blatant misconceptions, and women need to know the truth.

Once women can get past that false mentality of lifting heavy weights and actually push themselves, the results are amazing. I have seen this time and time again with myself and my other female clients, and those who follow Fat Loss Detour. Most recently my Mom started to train for push/pull meets (the total of the bench press and deadlift). After only a couple months of training, she pulled 235 pounds!

Well, after that first meet she got the powerlifting bug and wanted to do more. In her quest to get better and pull more weight, she also decided that she wanted to lose some fat and get into a lower weight class. At her first meet she was in the 148 pound weight class, and she wanted to get into the 132 pound weight class.

Her powerlifting and weight loss journey included a heavy dose of deadlifting, which not only helped her increase her strength, but it allowed her to lose body fat as well. Deadlifting is a great exercise to use even if your only goal is to lose weight and look better. The reason is because it stimulates a lot of muscle which helps to jack up your fat burning metabolism and build muscle. Leg extensions, leg curls, and the inner and outer thigh machines could never compare to a heavy set of deadlifts.

Deadlifts will allow you to build muscle in your upper and lower back, glutes, and hamstrings. Why waste your time with useless exercises when you can get such amazing results with a single one?

Long story short: if you want to transform your body and/or get stronger, then you should be deadlifting. Period.

Okay, now that you know why you should be deadlifting, let’s get into how to deadlift properly.

Something I have noticed the past couple of years when it comes to teaching women to deadlift is that the learning curve is usually smaller if they start with sumo deadlifts. Now, this doesn’t always apply to everyone. Some people just have the biomechanics that make traditional deadlifts easier/more comfortable. Some people learn quicker when using a trap bar. Ultimately you need to do what works best for you and your body type, but quite often sumo is the way to go if you have never deadlifted before.

Watch this quick video to get the main training cues for the sumo deadlift.

The main points from the video are:

• Have your feet wider than shoulder-width apart.
• Set up very close to the bar; I prefer to have my shins touching the bar.
• Point your feet out at about 45 degree angles.
• Force your chest out to maintain the arch in your lower back.
• Do not try to “squat” the weight up. Your hips are higher on the sumo deadlift than a squat.
• Keep the bar close to your body the entire time – it should run up your shins and then up your thighs.
• Near the top of the movement, push your hips forward to lock it out.

Now that you know how to deadlift, you should also know that I don’t recommend that you perform more than five reps in a set if you are a beginner. Since the deadlift recruits a lot of muscles, your smaller and weaker muscles tend to give out before your larger, stronger muscles. If your weaker muscles are giving out and you keep pulling for more reps, you could be setting yourself up for injury.

How can you start to include deadlifts in your current program? Simple – just start to include them one to two times a week. If you are a beginner, then deadlifting twice a week could be the way to go, that way your body can start to adapt to the movement pattern, and your strength levels will increase at a fast rate.

Once again, if you are a beginner then I would recommend that you perform three to four sets of five repetitions with the sumo deadlifts. Just remember – make sure every repetition is perfect; sloppy reps won’t benefit you at all.

So start deadlifting and watch your strength levels soar, and your body transform.