The Importance of the Deadlift – Even if you aren’t a Powerlifter
The deadlift as an exercise for the general population gets a bad rap. People often associate it with injury - seeing ridiculous compilations of one-in-a-million injuries and the like.
If it wasn’t already clear from the wording of the last couple sentences - this is a standpoint I strongly oppose.
The deadlift, for those of you who live under the proverbial rock, is an exercise which involves taking a loaded barbell from the floor to the hip, and then placing it back down again. The issue comes - as with any other exercise - with poor technique.
When executed correctly, however, the deadlift is a brilliant exercise both for strength and conditioning as well as general health.
It is an exercise that challenges almost the entire body - from the quads and hamstrings to the back and core. It is important for a balanced physique as well as overall joint health. Plus, it’s hard. The deadlift is a real mental challenge that demands the best of you no matter how you’re feeling on the day. It all comes back to that old adage of the bar does not care what’s happened in your day. 100 kilos is 100 kilos - and the deadlift is the perfect representation of that.
Are there other exercises you could do to challenge the same musculature? Sure. There’s always more than one way to skin a cat, I’m not ignorant to that fact. The deadlift, though, is absolutely the best ‘bang for your buck’ movement, so to speak. It challenges the most muscles in the shortest time, is the easiest to load, and subsequently the easiest to progress.
So, in short, make sure you’re doing some form of deadlifting in your training. No, you don’t have to max out - you don’t even need to be ‘strong’ at it. Just practise and perfect it and watch as your training improves exponentially.
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