Deadlift: Techniques to Develop Quadriceps, Glutes and Back
Common Deadlift Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
When we think of developing the quadriceps, glutes and back, we think of the squat but also the deadlift.
Too often in weight rooms this movement is practiced with poor technique…
I wanted to write an article on this polyarticular movement which is certainly very interesting but which can be responsible for herniated discs when it is poorly executed.
First point to clarify: Shoes...
In a previous article, I told you about the advantages of weightlifting shoes :
During the Clean and Jerk (CJ) or Snatch: They allow you to project the shins forward and facilitate the positioning of the body above the bar which improves the movement
During the Deadlift (SDT): They allow you to load the back of the foot (heels). To lift a heavy weight, you should NOT be leaning too far forward.
I therefore advise you to have several pairs of shoes in your gym to maximize your chances of success and obtain correct positioning.
SDT shoes should not have a heel height at the back and have flat soles.
The high strap helps support the ankle and the tarsal strap "compresses" this joint in order to stiffen and stabilize the foot.
BASIC TECHNIQUE
Standing, facing the bar, legs apart hip-width apart, back well fixed, flat or slightly arched
Bend your legs to bring your thighs horizontal. (this position varies depending on the flexibility of the ankles and the morphology of each individual, for example: short femurs and short arms, the thighs will be horizontal; long femurs and long arms, the pelvis will be higher and obviously the thighs will be a little higher than horizontal).
Grasp the bar with your arms outstretched, your hands in pronation (with a spacing a little wider than shoulder width) or in a mixed grip (by reversing the grip of one of the hands: one hand in pronation, the other in supination, which prevents the bar from slipping away, it allows you to lift much heavier loads.)
Pull your shoulders back so as to bring your shoulder blades closer to your spine and keep them in this position throughout the execution of the movement.
Bad position Good position
Inhale, hold your breath, contract your abdominal muscles and lumbar region. Before lifting the bar, shift your body weight onto your heels and lift it by straightening your legs and letting it slide along your shins. Always keep your body weight backwards. With this technique, your body will act as a "counterweight" and you will promote a continuous increase in the load with excellent Leg/Trunk coordination.
When the bar reaches your knees, straighten your torso completely, finishing the extension of your lower limbs.
At the end of the movement, maintain the extension of your body for two seconds with your shoulders pulled back, then put the bar back down, keeping your abdominal muscles and lumbar region rigid.
During the entire execution of the movement, it is imperative to never round your back !
This exercise works all the muscles of the body and particularly the development of the spinal, sacro-lumbar and trapezius muscles but also, depending on your morphology, the glutes and quadriceps.
In Power-Lifting competitions, the following are practiced in this order: The squat, the bench press and the deadlift (classic or sumo type described below).
Whatever the movement, as soon as it is performed with a heavy load, it is imperative to perform a "block":
We will block the trunk by coordinating several actions
Take a deep breath and block your breathing. This respiratory blockage will have the effect of opening the ribs, spreading the rib cage and by direct incidence creating a point of fixation at the level of the D4 vertebra in extension.
By contracting the abdominal strap, we stiffen the stomach by pressure on the strength belt that you will have tightened well beforehand. This will increase intra-abdominal pressure and therefore create another fixation point at the lumbar level in L3.
Finally, by arching the lower back through an isometric contraction of the lumbar muscles, the lower spine is placed in extension.
These three simultaneous actions, which are called "blocking", have the function of preventing rounding of the back or spinal flexion, and therefore the risk of disc herniation...
Important note: by increasing intra-abdominal pressure, you increase the general blood pressure in the body, which can thus create the famous "water hammer" when exhaling.
SUMO STYLE DEADLIFT
For people with stiff adductors or weak glutes, avoid heavy movements and favor light loads to strengthen your weak points and avoid risks
Stiffness of the adductors leads to a lack of opening of the knees and reveals compensations…
Compensations => bad technique => risk of injury…
The correct execution
Standing, facing the bar, legs slightly apart, feet facing outwards, knees always in line with the toes. (It is especially important to avoid turning the knees in, otherwise chronic tendinopathy in the patellar tendon can occur) :
Bend your legs to bring your thighs horizontal. Grasp the bar, arms outstretched, hands in pronation or mixed grip, heels shoulder-width apart or a little wider.
Inhale and perform the "block" described above. Straighten your legs while straightening your torso to find yourself in a vertical position, shoulders pulled back. Exhale at the end of the movement while keeping your pelvis in anteversion and without releasing your back support...
Put the bar back on the ground while holding your breath, without ever rounding your back.
Unlike the classic SDT, this exercise works the adductors and glutes more intensely than the back, because it is less inclined at the start.
In order not to traumatize the hip joint, the adductor muscles as well as the lumbar region, this movement must be performed with the greatest caution.
I hope that these few notions will help you in the realization of your movements. Do not forget that the best movements, if they are poorly executed, bring you more harm than good.
