Do you mind if we tell you about The Cult of The Deadlift? It is our belief that the deadlift is the best exercise ever. We do not discriminate when it comes to the deadlift, we like sumo, conventional, and even the trap bar. This is not simply because you can move a lot of weight but for more important reasons such as the carryover to sports, overall strength gains, functionality, and not to mention it just makes you look like a badass. As avid members of The Deadlift Cult we even devote a full month of celebration, we call it Deadcember.
For a well-rounded exercise program there are main movements that should be incorporated into every workout program. The program can vary depending on the athlete or client as well as their sport or lifestyle. However, the program should always include a push, pull, squat, hinge, carry, anti-rotation, and anti-flexion exercise. The deadlift serves as a great exercise to fill the hinge portion of your program. The conventional deadlift along with multiple variations can be used to load the hips. You can fill your program with conventional, sumo, or trap bar for a core lift. If you find yourself needing to fill the assistance lifts spot with a hinge the Romanian deadlifts and single leg RDL’s are always an option. Thus giving you versatility of how you can add deadlifts to your program.
At this point you might be asking yourself, how can deadlifts help me in my sport? As the famous Tubbs would say “It’s all in the hips.” The deadlift teaches the athlete how to effectively load the hips. Why is this important? The hips are where the power comes from for jumping and sprinting. Obviously by effectively learning to load the hips, this allows your hips to create more power as well as strength thus creating better athletic performance.
Next, comes the functionality of the deadlift. How does this carryover to real life you ask. Think about the scenario of helping a friend move while having to pick up their heavy boxes off the floor. You’re basically deadlifting your buddy’s movie collection that no doubt has a classic movie like Happy Gilmore in it. Do you think the chest press machine at your local Planet Fitness or the leg extension has the same carryover? Now let’s examine how the carryover applies to the elderly population, where the ability to pick things off the floor presents a greater challenge. If they are able to perform a hinge with ample mobility it will make aspects of their life much easier, while allowing for a higher quality of life.
The deadlift is considered one of the top exercises to determine an individual’s overall strength. It works the whole body from head to toe. As well as being one of the only exercises to truly target the hip hinge movement pattern. As you gain the motor control to properly deadlift you will begin to be able to move some heavy weight. In doing so this allows you to gain more mass, as well as the more weight that begins to pile onto your bar the bigger of a badass you look in the weight room.
As an added bonus the deadlift is one of the most effective ways to target the posterior chain or the backside. Let’s be honest here, we all like to have a good looking backside for our significant other or if you’re single that hottie you’ve been eyeing in the gym. This just might be the reason Sir Mix-A-Lot wrote a song about the backside. Anyways back to it, the dead lift is one of the few exercises that allows us to really build the glutes. The glutes play a major role in the overall lockout of the exercise.
Now knowing the benefits of deadlifting why would you ever steer clear of this fantastic exercise? Now get out there and start deadlifting some kilos.
For those that would like to join The Cult of The Deadlift, the initiation ceremony is called Deadcember. This means you deadlift Monday through Friday. Along with this you are required to enjoy Little Debbie treats post workout to make them gainz.