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How important is the deadlift?

  • How do I do it?

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • I do them sometimes.

    Votes: 6 27.3%
  • Can't grow your back without them.

    Votes: 16 72.7%

  • Total voters
    22
Vince thought a lot of exceedingly odd things.

His focus was aesthetics, which for me, is quite the opposite of exceedingly odd. E.g. not growing the glutes and instead actually hitting the quads ; growing the lower part of the chest by working the chest properly on dips and bench.

That being said, I can't incorporate many of his suggestions because the knees and shoulders don't appreciate them ;)
 
What muscles does the deadlift work?

Most would be better of worrying more about the flab they are carrying around their guts than the very minor amount that deadlifts may thicken your waist.

I don't think my waist has increased at all since I started doing deads.
 
I hate putting pressure on my spine, I only dead like 100kg for reps, just to keep the o'l lower back fit.
 
Most would be better of worrying more about the flab they are carrying around their guts than the very minor amount that deadlifts may thicken your waist.

I don't think my waist has increased at all since I started doing deads.

Bingo, the fat is what makes my waist diameter bigger, the small amount DLs will thicken the erectors and glutes is insignificant until BF drops to under 8%, not even noticeable to the eye.
 
Ah no worries, it seems that maybe there are no 'required lifts' that everyone would agree on...so many people are quick to point out that squats, deadlifts and bench are not essential...is anything essential?


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I find it's usually the opposite -- people being quick to declare that squat, bench and deadlift are absolutely essential (often to the exclusion of almost all else). Somewhere between the guys who've got it all figured out and know that squat, bench and deadlift are the only exercises that matter, and the guys who've got it all figured out and know that squat, bench and deadlift aren't even worth learning, is the truth.
 
My erectors and abdominals have gotten quite sizeable over the years and are visible even through my (somewhat high) bodyfat.

That said, I still have a "V taper" because my shoulders and lats also got much bigger. If you have problems with the size of your waist, it's probably not the deadlifts.

Personally, it's not that the big three are all that matters, its that it's all that I find interesting. So for me? Yes, the deadlift is essential. For everyone else, I donno, what's your goal?
 
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Don't think it's essential, and I have a love/hate relationship with it.

For my size my dead lift is pretty weak and I have never done dead lifts up till about 3 years ago when I got back into training after a few years off.

I am on a mission to get to a 200kg dead lift, something I am sure I will achieve very shortly, last week went from 180kg to 195kg, won't be testing it again for a few months, and I am guessing I will smash through the 200 easily in about February or March next year all things going well.

Essential no, beneficial definitely, tough definitely.

I don't think any exercise is 100% essential, but I must admit to me at this stage in my training the big four (press/bench/dead lift/squat) are very important to MY training.
 
This is for the benefit of programming for my wife - to avoid thickening up the waist/lower back, would you suggest that I keep her going with RDLs, rather than conventional deads?

She already has a good lower back from dancing (which I can only guess is from being dipped all the time, or south african genetics).

To be honest mate - you have to be smashing some heavy deads for years for it to "thicken" up the waist area - she will be fine doing con deads - is it purely from a fitness point of view or is she looking at competing in PLing or BBing?
 
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Deadlifts do not thicken the waist.

Years of heavy deads/PLing style squats etc will thicken the waist/hip area/glute area.

Where do you think the strength comes from these exercises? Glutes/hips/abs/hamstrings/obliques.

From a bodybuilding point of view - over developing these muscle groups can have a carry on affect in the aesthetics and symmetry of a physique. The goal of a bodybuilder is to create a V-taper.

Deadlifts are still very important in overall development and building a base but you do tend to find from a bodybuilding point of view alot will shy away from them once they have built their base and are more advanced in lifting.
 
To be honest mate - you have to be smashing some heavy deads for years for it to "thicken" up the waist area - she will be fine doing con deads - is it purely from a fitness point of view or is she looking at competing in PLing or BBing?

Oh okay - at the moment it's more fitness/getting into great shape, but the intention is to give it a crack in the future (BB).
 
Years of heavy deads/PLing style squats etc will thicken the waist/hip area/glute area.

Where do you think the strength comes from these exercises? Glutes/hips/abs/hamstrings/obliques.

From a bodybuilding point of view - over developing these muscle groups can have a carry on affect in the aesthetics and symmetry of a physique. The goal of a bodybuilder is to create a V-taper.

Deadlifts are still very important in overall development and building a base but you do tend to find from a bodybuilding point of view alot will shy away from them once they have built their base and are more advanced in lifting.

Im not saying they are essential for a bodybuilding point of view, of course doing heavy deadlifts while smashing large quantities of anabolic steroids will cause significant hypertrophy in the muscles associated with a large blocky waist, although it pales in comparison to the GH gut of alot of top bodybuilders.

Drugs aside however, heavy deadlifting and squatting do not thicken the waist or destroy the V-taper, whilst you may not have the smallest waist you could achieve like the classic bodybuilders Darkoz and Silverback jack off too, heavy deadlifting doesnt cause the waist to somehow become massive and chunky.

Just have a look at our resident world champ Scott, and other natty top level bodybuilders/powerlifters like nathan wallace, and my mate boyd buffier (placed second to nathan this year).
 
Im not saying they are essential for a bodybuilding point of view, of course doing heavy deadlifts while smashing large quantities of anabolic steroids will cause significant hypertrophy in the muscles associated with a large blocky waist, although it pales in comparison to the GH gut of alot of top bodybuilders.

Drugs aside however, heavy deadlifting and squatting do not thicken the waist or destroy the V-taper, whilst you may not have the smallest waist you could achieve like the classic bodybuilders Darkoz and Silverback jack off too, heavy deadlifting doesnt cause the waist to somehow become massive and chunky.

Just have a look at our resident world champ Scott, and other natty top level bodybuilders/powerlifters like nathan wallace, and my mate boyd buffier (placed second to nathan this year).

Gironda was right and wrong.

I agree with you (not the jacking off bit).
I dont believe the deadlift alone will have much impact, thickening of the muscles will happen all over the body.
It's essentially a pulling exercise, the back is hit hard.
The shoulders are hit well.
The hip is hit hard.
The grip is hit hard.

The lumber region (front and back) is not doing much of mechanical work here, but it needs to be strong.
How you get that strong is tricky.

Deadlifts make you awesome and they make your back super thick.

The traditional looking bodybiulder aren't really suited to this power exercise.
 
Goosey - would you go so far as to say that you only really need deadlifts and weighted pullups/chins to build a thick and wide back?
 
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