27+ Amazing Benefits of Deadlifts to Explode Your Fitness

2. Deadlift Benefits are for Females Too

Video Credit: HangTightWMarcie Video ‘Female Deadlifts 235 pounds'

Here is an excellent post about the main benefits of deadlifts for females: http://fitgirlsdiary.com/deadlift-a-must-do-exercise-for-women-how-to-do-it-right/

3. A Life Saving Benefit of Deadlifts for Males — Increase Your Testosterone

Men who have any interest in their health and sex life should start a deadlift program.  As we age, our testosterone decreases, as well as our  interest in sex, and the ability to perform.  Living a longer life also becomes more difficult.

What is so important about testosterone?:

• Testosterone enables your body to build denser bones and prevent osteoporosis.
• Testosterone helps you build muscle mass.
• More muscle growth helps you prevent diabetes, which is critical for good health.
• Testosterone helps you prevent impotence.
• An active sex life is healthy and helps to prevent heart attack and stroke.
• Higher testosterone levels are important for weight control, energy, confidence, and ambition.
• Testosterone stimulates the male organs to develop and is what makes a man, a man.
• Weight lifting has a bigger effect on testosterone than almost any other exercise.
• A man must keep his testosterone levels in the normal range because of its importance to male health.
• The more muscles that you use, the bigger the impact that your workout will have on testosterone.
• Testosterone is beneficial to your body, your mental health and your spirit.

Improving your testosterone levels will have a positive impact on your health.  Stop squeezing hand grips and start doing deadlifts.

A Testosterone Boosting Testimonial

Before I started to deadlift, my testosterone was not in the normal range. Low T or low testosterone is common for men over 50.  My doctor recommended that I begin testosterone replacement therapy immediately.

Instead, shortly after that check up I created Hashi Mashi Plan™ and ditched the 3 common habits that make you fat.

I cut out processed food, ate 4 real meals a day, and walked 30 minutes a day.

When I lost enough weight and could bend down easier, I started to deadlift.  I also started to squat, do pushups and began walking or using an elliptical 30 to 60 minutes daily.  Ten months later my testosterone had doubled and was in normal range.

My doctor asked if I had been taking testosterone replacement therapy.

I told him that I switched from processed to real food and started to deadlift.  The increase in testosterone shocked the doctor.  He said that the deadlift exercise benefits for testosterone were better than testosterone replacement therapy.  If you have low-T or low testosterone, consider the benefits of deadlifts for testosterone.

4. Benefits of Deadlifts for Older Men and Women over '29'

Deadlifts transform your entire body and creates fantastic results for men and women. But you could never imagine an ‘older' man or woman deadlifting, can you?

The truth is that you can get leaner and stronger, no matter what your age is.  If you think deadlifting over 50 is impossible, you must watch Shirley Webb deadlifting 245 pounds at age 78 and inspiring Mike and Dan Chen of The CheNews.

5. The King of All Exercise

Fitness authorities know how to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time.  Bryan DiSanto of https://leanitup.com is a personal trainer, fat loss and muscle building expert.  Look at what he writes about the benefits of deadlifts:

’In the weightlifting realm, deadlifts reign king. Deadlifts and squats are far and away the best all-around exercises that exists. They build an all-around powerful, muscular, shredded physique faster than any other exercise. It’s cheating the weight-lifting system.  Deadlifts are equally beneficial for women. Deadlifts shred body fat, and build muscle all over your body.’

When you find the best, forget the rest.

The conventional deadlift works more of your muscles than any other movement, even the fearsome squat. Such a large number of muscles worked forces your entire body to grow. A consistent training program will change your body like no other weight training exercise.  

Add a slab of overall muscle all around your body like a suit of armor with the awesome benefits of deadlifts.

Related Posts:
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7. Stop Dieting and Start Deadlifting to Lose Weight

But deadlifts are not just for muscles building purposes only. Stop dieting and start deadlifting for weight loss. The deadlift is an intense full body exercise, so you will burn plenty of calories. But, the real benefits of deadlifts for weight loss begin after your workout.

As your body packs on muscle, your metabolism will rise and your weight loss will accelerate.

Deadlift once a week, do push ups and jumping jacks or jump rope every day, walk 10k steps a day, and eat real food. Here is a simple formula courtesy of the Hashi Mashi Diet and Exercise Plan™  for weight loss and amazing body transformation results:

• Eat real food daily
• Remember, you can never out train a bad diet.
• Avoid processed food and eat real food, it is that simple.
• Deadlift, jump rope, do squats if you can, and do the 100 pushups a day challenge.
• Walk/swim/bike/elliptical for 30 minutes 5 times a week.

Barbell deadlifts require the engagement of many large muscle groups. This gives you a much better return on investment than single joint exercises like dumbbell/barbell bicep curls.

You probably know that the fattest country in the world is the USA and If you need to lose weight, look no further than the deadlift.

Recommended reading:

The Best Diet to Lose Weight Fast — Secrets You Already Know

Just Eat Real Food – The Secret Sauce for Weight Loss

8. Get Rid of Your Belly Fat – Fast

Losing weight is not enough to transform your physique from fat to fit. Many people who lose weight, are still not fit and in shape. You need to get rid of the belly fat to look and feel better than ever.

Six years ago I had a 50+ inch waist and there was no way to suck in that gut. I did what many guys do, wear extra large shirts and sweaters to hide the out of control belly. I had no idea back then that deadlifts can help you lose belly fat fast.

But, when I started to deadlift, the fat burning process kicked into high gear.

I could see the difference the same day from doing a deadlift workout. In one year, I took 18 inches off of my waist.

You too will experience the benefits of deadlifts for fat loss, to get rid of your belly fat and transform from fat to fit. Start pulling weights off the floor, follow the Hashi Mashi Plan™ and torch your fat.  No matter what age or shape you are in today. 

9. Develop an Attractive Physique

I have heard from women that physical appearance is more important to women than men believe.  I thought that women were not as fixated on physical attraction as men are.  But, I was wrong.  Women are as attracted to physical appearance as men.  A key benefit of deadlifts for men and women is to look more attractive besides feeling better than ever. 

Do not believe that women could care less if your belly is hanging over your belt.  Women want you to look stronger than them, they are not craving theman who is also a size zero.  Therefore, a significant benefit of deadlifts for men is to help you transform your physique. 

Change your body from a skinny teenager, flabby adult male, dad or grandpa bod, into a more muscular man.  Start deadlifting and attract (or keep the attraction of) the love of your life.

10. Look Like an Athlete

Eat real food, add deadlifts, squats, and pushups, and your body will transform. This transformation will happen over six months to a year, depending on how out of shape you are now.

If you eat and train like an athlete, you will start to look like an athlete.

Do not expect immediate results from the benefits of deadlifts.  Be patient, be consistent, think progress, not perfection.

11. Great for Busy People

How much time do you have during the day to do a workout?  You commute to your office, help your kids with homework and have errands.  You’re busy and have little free time.  But, if you can get to your gym or home gym for 30 minutes, you can deadlift for body transformation.

• Warm up for at least five minutes, either walking or on an elliptical.
• Start out with an Olympic size barbell and 10 pound bumper plates on either side.
• This is 65 pounds of weight.
• If this is too heavy, then start with dumbbells.
• Starting position – keep your feet a bit narrower than shoulder width.
• Start out with a double overhand grip or mixed grip.
• Keep your back straight and never round your back.
• Grab the bar with a strong grip.
• Keep your hips and knees below your shoulders, do not hunch your back.
• Take a deep breath at the top and tighten your core.
• Hold a full breath into your abdominal to create more stability in your core.
• This applies to squats and deadlifts to create a firm stable core.
• Hold your breath and keep your body tight
• If you do not hold your breath, you might relax your body too much.
• I did that and immediately felt lower back pain, that was not good.
• Use the power in your hips, legs and posterior chain to lift the weight, not your back.
• Think of doing a standing leg press and when the bar gets close to your knees, drive your hips forward.
• Keep moving the bar in a straight path, up from and back down to the floor.

How to Deadlift – Stronglifts

How To Deadlift: Mehdi From StrongLifts Deadlifts 451lb (2.7x BW)

12. Strengthen Your Posterior Chain

From the soles of your feet, to top of your head, the deadlift will build a phenomenal posterior chain. 

13. Sculpt Your Core

The benefits of deadlifts sculpts your obliques, upper abs, lower abs, and transverse abdominis. The transverse abdominis is your inner abs. Of course, you must eat real food as well. You will not find your abs while having french fries every day.  So, do not make the mistake of thinking that deadlifting alone will build a better body.  

It is true that few exercises can beat the benefits of deadlifts. But, the negative effects of processed food will always win over weight training or most other exercise, and you will remain fat. Remember – you can never out train a bad diet.

You need a total approach; eating real food, cardio and strength training.  Think real food like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins, nuts and beans.  Eat well, do pushups, squats, jump rope and deadlift to change your body.

Related Posts:

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14. Build a Spectacular Back

Never dead lift with your lower back. Or a rounded back. Lifting with a rounded back is a sure way to lower back pain. Lifting with proper form will help you build a powerful back. How you set up is critical for proper form, so be sure to use the 5 point setup.

Do you think that your back is not strong enough to deadlift?  Then, read about Lamar Gant who became a great powerlifter despite having scoliosis of the back.

On the contrary, deadlifts are great for your back, not dangerous for your back, as long as you use proper form. The safest way to lift, is to engage your posterior chain, your hamstrings and your gluteal muscles. You engage your hamstrings and glutes in a proper setup position.  

The deadlift is more of a leg press push, hip drive and pull/drag up your shins than a lift.  As soon as you pass your knees, you drive your hips forward to stand tall.  Keep your core tight, chest up, back neutral, and drag the bar.

Drag and pull the bar straight up, against your shins and over your knees.  This way, you engage your upper back, and not your lower back.  

15. Prevent Lower Back Pain

Practicing proper form strengthens your back and prevents lower back pain.   But, never load up the bar with the largest one rep max weight you can handle.  Never attempt to do a heavy deadlift, if you are not yet up to the task.  Do not ruin your lower back, because you feel like showing off. 

Increase the weight you lift gradually and reap the many rewards of deadlifts.

16. Strengthen Your Grip

Before deadlifts, I did not have good grip strength.   Since beginning deadlifting, my grip strength has improved.  It is impressive when you can open up a jar of spaghetti sauce for your wife.  She can do it herself, but she wants to see you do it.  

Stronglifts.com recommends using the overhand grip for your deadlifts until you get to heavier weights. Then, use the mixed grip where one hand is overhand and the other is underhand. Because of a bout with tennis elbow, I am using mixed grip.  

Bodybuilder, personal trainer and journalist Dave Robson says that deadlifting with bare hands will skyrocket your grip strength.  And that it is not uncommon to be able to work up to 300 plus pounds without using deadlift wraps or gloves.

17. Walk Tall Again – Improve your Posture

The deadlift builds core stability and targets the major muscle groups responsible for correct posture.  Correct deadlifting technique enables you to hold your back straight in daily activities.  The deadlift also strengthens all the muscles of your waist, back side, hips and lower back. Core strength is important to maintain your balance, whether in sport or daily life.  

Deadlifts will help you walk taller, with better posture and more confidence.  

Do several months of consistent deadlifting and tell me if you do not feel the difference.  Always lift with a neutral, flat and straight back. This means to never hunch your back like a cat or arch your back.  Proper deadlift form helps your posture. 

Poor posture is not attractive.  Start to fix your posture with the benefits of deadlifts.

18. The Classic Model of Progressive Resistance Training

Milo of Croton was a 6th-century BC Greek wrestler. To achieve his legendary strength, Milo began lifting a young bull.  He continued to do this every day, and as the bull grew in size, Milo gained strength to match. This story of Milo illustrates progressive resistance training and the SAID Principle.

What is the SAID Principle?

The SAID principle states that the human body adapts to imposed demands. For given stressors on the human system, biomechanical or neurological, there will be a Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands¹⁾https://coachsci.sdsu.edu/csa/vol21/sale.htm.

The SAID principle is a fundamental strength training concept. Your body will respond to the imposed demands of increasing the weight you lift.  You will get progressively stronger just like Milo of Croton.

How to Use The SAID Principle to Reap The Benefits of Deadlifts

If 50 pounds is easy for you to lift, great.  Go home and come back two days later.  Do the same deadlift workout the next time.  Five minutes for your warm up as mentioned above, but this time, add another five pounds to the bar.  This is where fractional plates are handy, 2.5 pounds on either side of the bar.

Even if you could go up twenty pounds in weight, don’t.  It is much more effective to go up in weight 5 – 10 pounds a week.  Gradually increase the weight you are lifting to see the best results.  Even if you only do one set of 5 deadlifts every workout, you will keep getting stronger.

As always, make sure you focus on using great form.  Imagine if you rely on deadlifts for your main strength exercise, for an entire year.  A 15 to 30 minute workout every other day, with weekends off.  Increase your weight 5 pounds every week.  At the end of a year, you can be deadlifting 250 pounds.

The benefits of deadlifts for runners, sprinters and even actors can have spectacular results. Read how Allyson Felix won gold as an Olympic runner and How Hugh Jackman Got Ripped For His Role in The Wolverine.

19. Proper Form Deadlifts are Safe

Squats put you at risk because you bear the weight on your shoulders.  The biggest risk of deadlifts is when your back is not straight.  Unlike squats, you are not at risk to have the weight fall on top of you.  If your forearms or back give out you can immediately drop the weight. 

Deadlifting is risk-free and safe to perform.   If your form is correct, you will not stress any of the major joints. There are many aspects to learn, from gripping the bar, how to hip hinge and a full range of motion. For more details please read How to Lift Like a Boss,39 Best Tips for Beginners and How to Stop Hurting Your Shins to perfect your form.

20. Strengthen Your Activities of Daily Living

Another key advantage of deadlifting is that it has real life application.  Deadlifts will help you lift heavy objects in real life, a true functional benefit.  For example, the ability to lift heavy furniture or luggage, while avoiding injury. Start doing deadlifts and impress your friends, or your wife.

You might even impress your mother-in-law the next time you load her suitcase in the car.

21. High-Intensity Cardiovascular Workout

Deadlifts work your heart and help raise your VO2Max. Your VO2Max is your body’s ability to transport and use oxygen during exercise.  This is an indicator of your level of cardiovascular fitness.  An unknown benefit of deadlifting is the development of cardiorespiratory fitness.  Deadlifts will tax your cardiorespiratory system if done with enough intensity.

This has positive ramifications for cardiovascular health.  High-intensity deadlifts workout your entire body.  Next time you do a few sets of deadlifts with even only 5 repetitions, you will feel the workout intensity.

22. Natural Mood Booster

Lift to boost your mood. The deadlift is a natural mood stabilizer.  This applies to people who suffer from depression, and to those who do not. A shocking 26 percent of adults over 20 have depression. This figure translates to 57.7 million people and is higher today in 2018.  If you are of the 26 percent who struggles with depression, start the Hashi Mashi Plan™ to manage your depression without drugs.

Some people think they have no options other than taking antidepressants. I know, I thought that too. It is urgent to spread the word to all those who suffer from depression and all those who care about their friend and loved ones who are struggling with depression. There is another way to help depression and reduce suicidal ideation.

The Hashi Mashi Diet and Exercise Plan™ can change your life.

There is no guarantee that you will not need medications, you must defer to your doctor.  But, there is a good chance that you will be able to manage your depression without antidepressants.

If the only side effect of the benefits of deadlifts are a leaner and stronger body, what can you lose?

23. Forget About Prozac

Instead of using Prozac, Zoloft et al. to treat depression, why not first try the Hashi Mashi Plan™?

• Maximize real food and reduce processed foods.
• Establish a schedule of 3 real food meals and a snack every day.
• Take a 30 minute to hour walk with friends/family or by yourself, get moving.
• Train six days a week alternating between your upper body and lower body
• On lower body days, do squats and/or deadlifts.
• On upper body days, do pushups, shoulder presses, bench presses, pull ups/chin ups and dumbbell rows.
• Once a week, take a break, spend time with family and/or friends, eat whatever you want (within reason.)

Please share this information with doctors and medical professionals. They can help their patients treat depression without antidepressants. This is especially important for people with treatment resistant depression.

Related Post:

7 Ways SIGECAPS Treats Depression Better Than Antidepressant Drugs

24. Benefits of Deadlifts for Treatment-Resistant Depression

Here are two reasons why deadlifting can help treatment-resistant depression. First, the body strength used for deadlifts raises your levels of testosterone and endorphins. The more testosterone and endorphins you have, the better you will feel.

The second reason is metaphorical, inspirational and motivational.  When you hoist heavy weight, you can better handle the stresses of life.  As you can handle the stress of the physical weight, so too can you handle the stressors that weigh you down. You will have more confidence, inspiration and motivation. 

You will be able to overcome the challenges that you are facing in your life.  Deadlifts have this special effect of giving a person a sense of power.  Greater confidence is something that is missing from anyone mired in depression.

Read my book Crossing the Bridge from Depression to Life for more information how to fight depression without antidepressants and rebuild your life.

Dave Robson added the following two unique benefits of deadlifts:

25. A Classic Measure Of Overall Strength

The deadlift is a true measure of strength, because deadlifts use most muscle groups of your body.  As a result, deadlifts are a better test of full body muscle strength.

26. Special Appeal

Deadlifts have a special appeal.  Picking a weight off the floor, has a special primordial appeal.  Deadlifting is like ripping a gigantic tree out of the ground.  Standing and holding the massive weight also promotes a feeling of immense power.

27. Deadlift for Positive Thinking and a Better Life

Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the USA. ²⁾https://triblive.com/usworld/world/13736000-74/suicide-now-the-10th-leading-cause-of-death-in-us-cdc-says  Deadlifts are a great way to prevent suicidal ideation and suicide.  Before checking into a hospital, pick up a gym membership or make a home gym.

Get the right tools that you need for squats and deadlifts. If your psychiatrist recommends antidepressants or Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), appeal to your doctor to let you try the Hashi Mashi Plan™ first.

Depression or suicidal ideation will not fix the issue upsetting you.

Of course, whatever you can do to rectify a situation, do it. But, many times, depression and suicidal ideation are the results of circumstances beyond your control.  For example, you might feel suicidal because of a broken relationship. Or you might contemplate suicide after divorce, family estrangement or job loss.

Male suicide is a silent epidemic and deadlifts are the perfect solution for men and women as well.  The mental health benefits of deadlifts helps you regain your composure and even rebuild your life.  You’ll feel stronger than ever, as heaving progressively heavier weight off the ground will improve your mental and physical fitness.

Just as you get physically stronger, so too will you get mentally stronger. The deadlift will help you lift the dead weight of suicidal ideation out of your mind.

If your suicidal ideation is a result of antidepressants, consider using theNew SIGECAPS as an antidepressant alternative.  The only side effects from theNew SIGECAPS is you will get leaner and stronger faster than you ever thought possible. You will just feel too good to consider suicide an option.

28. Small Area and Basic Weightlifting Equipment

If you want to get back into shape and only have time for one strength training exercise, let it be the deadlift.  All you need is some basic weightlifting equipment and gear like the following to get started:

1. 7 Foot Olympic Barbell
2. Premium Bumper Plates
3. Olympic Fractional Plate Set
4. Quick Release Collars
5. Nike Metcon 4 Weightlifting Shoes – Never Squat or Deadlift Without the Right Shoes.
6. Protect Your Shins With Deadlift Socks
7. Pants for Additional Leg Protection
8. Powerlifting Belts for Deadlifts and Squats – My current favorite which is great for beginners is the KLA single prong 10mm 4 inches wide belt. Quicker to get on or off than a double prong belt, sturdy, supportive and comfortable.
9. Dead Wedge Jack
10. Humane Shok-Lok Deadlift Mat – Don't make too much noise deadlifting or you could end up with a meshuganah neighbor/fellow gym goer weightlifter like this one:

And last but not least, a good book on how to do the deadlift, squat and bench press, the basic powerlifting lifts.

You can use either a conventional straight bar or a hex bar. Read this post for more detailed information on the benefits of using a hex bar.

See more details at the suggested tools for mind and body fitness page here.

An Important Warning:

The deadlift requires that you practice the best form possible. You must warm up before a workout. This means to run, walk or do the elliptical for at least 5 minutes.  Most critical, you must keep your back neutral straight once you lift.

Never ever arch or slouch, you must keep your core tight and back neutral. For this reason, it is important to continue learning how to deadlift with the best form possible. An excellent resource is the classic barbell training book Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe. Starting Strength will help reduce your fear of deadlifts, squats, and bench presses.  

You must learn to train safe and Starting Strength is a great place to begin strength training.  You can also read 15 Ways to Stop Scraping Your Shins,  How to Deadlift Like a Boss, and 39 Best Deadlift Tips for Beginners to perfect your form.

Recommended Reading:

How to Deadlift Basics — Learn to Use the 5 Step Setup

Conclusion

How long have you used weight machines and the treadmill, but are still overweight? Imagine if you can get lean and strong without spending hours in the gym. With every workout, you build muscle and lose fat.

But right now, that feels like an impossible dream, doesn’t it?

But, what if I told you that the fitness benefits of deadlifts are not just for bodybuilders or young people?

Once you know the staggering advantages of deadlifts, you will no longer be shy.  You will abandon the machines and tackle free weights and the ‘King of All Exercises'.

When I was desperate to get into shape, my first thought was a low carb diet and a ton of cardio. I spent many years wasting time doing plenty of both.  But I did not experience body transformation until I started to deadlift.  Deadlifts are the most powerful weight training exercise to add to your fitness toolbox.

Your go to exercise to lose weight, build muscle and get fit is the deadlift. This powerful multi-joint exercise will develop your entire body. And gives you functional strength for real daily life activities.  Deadlifting will also enhance your athletic performance as well as avoid injuries.

Even if you are over the age of 50, you can get fitter, get stronger and look better, with the powerful benefits of deadlifts.

The bottom line is that the Incredible Benefits of Deadlifts Can Change Your Body, Mind and Life.  In this article, I include what I believe to be the most important benefits of deadlifts.  What do you think are the greatest benefits of deadlifts?

Read Next: How to Deadlift Like a Boss In 5 Simple Steps or How to Lose 20 pounds in 3 Months if you need to lose weight.

Next: Read my personal account of the 27 Sensational Ways How Deadlifts Change Your Body.