Introduction
Because of the remarkable benefits of deadlifts I went from fat to fit in under a year.
I couldn’t believe how simple it was.
And neither will you.
Along with pushups, squats, jumping rope and the elliptical, deadlifts are a powerful exercise to help you lose weight and get fit fast.
Like many people, I thought the deadlift was only for bodybuilders or powerlifters.
Boy, was I wrong.
The powerful deadlift is the best exercise you can do to get into shape — fast.
Even if you do not do heavy deadlifts.
The reason is that the deadlift works the major muscles of your upper and lower body.
This is how the deadlift transforms your body, boosts your mood, and even help rebuild your life.
Deadlifts keep you lean, strong and functional.
Best of all, my results are not special.
Believe it or not, even if you are over the age of 50, 60 or 70, you are not too old to start deadlifting.
Here are the the most important benefits of deadlifts:
1. Deadlifts Before and After Results
If you want real body transformation results, look no further than the deadlift.
Credit: https://hashimashi.com
2. Deadlifts are a Full Body Exercise
What is the most common weight lifting mistake?
Going to the gym to do dumbbell curls, or even worse, using a machine to do curls.
Are you going to spend 30 minutes to an hour a day to work only one muscle group?
Does that make sense?
You want to change your body, you want to get stronger, right?
Don’t focus on one muscle only.
To change your body, focus on the one exercise that targets and activates your entire body.
By now you know that is the deadlift, because the deadlift benefits your upper and lower body.
Unlike the squat which targets the leg muscles.
Related Posts:
How Deadlifts Change Your Body in 27 Ways
7 Deadlift Muscles Worked That Will Change Your Life
Deadlifting Can Even Boost Your Mood
The Best Exercise to Lose Weight
Romanian Deadlift Benefits
Benefits of Trap Bar Deadlifts
3. Deadlift to Get Rid of Your Belly Fat Fast
In one year, I took 18 inches off of my waist.Eat real food, start deadlifting and torch your fat.
You too can experience the benefits of deadlifts for fat loss, to transform from fat to fit.
No matter what shape you are in today.
4. Deadlifts Require a 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 weight lifting equipment and a good book on how to deadlift, squat and bench press, the basic powerlifting lifts.
5. Sculpt Your Entire Core
6. Build a Powerful Back
Related Posts:
7. Prevent Lower Back Pain
8. Strengthen Your Posterior Chain
9. Develop an Attractive Physique
10. Improve Your Grip Strength
11. Deadlifts Improve your Posture
12. Deadlift Benefits for Weight Loss
The deadlift is an intense full body exercise, so you will burn plenty of calories deadlifting.
Deadlift once a week, do push ups and jump rope every day, walk 10k steps a day, and eat real food.
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Eat real food daily
- Remember, you can never out train a bad diet. Avoid processed food and eat real food, it is that simple.
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Deadlift, jump rope, do squats if you can, and do the 100 pushups a day challenge.
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Walk/swim/bike/elliptical for 30 minutes 5 times a week.
13. Health Benefits of Deadlifts — Even Over 50
The truth is that you can deadlift and get into a better shape, no matter what your age is.
If you think that deadlifting over 50, 60 or 70 is not possible, watch the following videos.
Ric Flair was widely regarded as a great professional wrestler.1)wikipedia Watch Ric Flair Deadlift 400 pounds at the age of 67:
A Ric Flair Deadlift of 400 Pounds.
If you think Ric Flair’s deadlift is impressive, watch this 91 year old deadlift 286 pounds!
Recommended Reading:
78 Year Old Lady Starts Deadlifting and Regains Her Mobility
14. Benefits of Deadlifts for Females
Watch this video of HangTightWMarcie deadlifting 235 pounds.
Notice that she is lean and strong, not bulky.
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/
15. Benefits of Deadlifts are not Only for Athletes
Eat real food, add deadlifts, squats, and pushups, and your body will transform.
You will start to look like an athlete, even if you are not.
This transformation will happen over six months to a year, depending on how out of shape you are now.
Do not expect immediate results from the benefits of deadlifts.
Be patient, be consistent, think progress, not perfection.
Related Post:
Eat Real Food and Conquer Your Own Mount Kilimanjaro
16. Deadlifts Are 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 a gym, your garage or basement for 30 minutes, you can still deadlift.
- First, warm up for at least five minutes, either walking or on an elliptical.
- Then, start out with an Olympic size barbell and 5 pound bumper plates on either side.
- This is 55 pounds of weight.
- If this is too heavy, then start with dumbbells.
Proper Deadlift Form
- Read my review of the Starting Strength 5 step deadlift setup.
- This is a must and is not negotiable.
- This will help you make sense of the rest of this section on deadlift form.
- Keep your feet shoulder width, put your left hand and your right hand on the bar in an overhand position.
- Start out with an overhand grip.
- Keep your back straight and pick the weight up off the floor.
- Grasp the bar with a strong grip.
- Keep your hips below your shoulder.
- 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 will apply not only to the deadlift when picking up the weight, but to the squat as well.
- You must have a firm stable core to deadlift or squat.
- Take a deep breath and hold it to stabilize your 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 the bar going in a straight path down to the floor and up.
- Then lower the weight.
- Watch Mehdi from Stronglifts and learn how to do proper form deadlifts.
Recommended Reading:
How to Deadlift Basics — Learn to Use the 5 Step Deadlift Setup
17. Deadlifts are a Perfect Illustration of the SAID Principle
What is the SAID Principle?
The SAID principlesays that the human body adapts to imposed demands. In other words, given stressors on the human system, whether biomechanical or neurological, there will be a Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands (SAID)2)http://coachsci.sdsu.edu/csa/vol21/sale.htm.
For example, 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 the SAID Principle.
The SAID principle is a fundamental strength training concept.
Your body will respond to the imposed demands of the deadlift.
As well as any other progressive resistance training.
How to Implement the SAID Principle with Deadlifts
If 50 pounds is easy for you to deadlift, 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.
Even if you only do one set of 5 deadlifts every deadlift workout, you will keep getting stronger.
As always, make sure you focus on using great deadlift 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 deadlift weight 5 pounds every week.
At the end of a year, you can be deadlifting 250 pounds.
The benefits of deadlifts for runners and sprinters can have spectacular results.
Read how the deadlift helped Allyson Felix become a champion Olympic runner.
And how the Hugh Jackman deadlift can inspire you to start deadlifting.
Recommended Reading:
How the Powerful Overload Principle Explodes Your Fitness
18. The Deadlift – King of All Exercise
Fitness authorities know how to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time.
Bryan DiSanto of http://leanitup.com is a fat loss and muscle building expert.
See what he says 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.’
19. Benefits of Deadlifts for Males — Boost Your Testosterone
What is so important about testosterone?
If you are a man and have any interest in your health and sex, you should consider starting 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.
- Testosterone enables your body to build denser bones and prevent osteoporosis.
- Testosterone helps you build muscle mass.
- More muscles help you to 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.
20. Deadlift to Increase Your Testosterone
Before I started to deadlift, my testosterone was not in the normal range.
Low T or low testosterone is common for a man over 50.
My doctor recommended that I begin testosterone replacement therapy.
Instead, shortly after that check up I started Hashi Mashi.
I ditched the 3 common habits that make us fat.
I cut out processed food, made a regular schedule of 4 real meals a day, and started to walk 30 minutes a day.
When I lost enough weight and could bend down easier, I started to deadlift.
I 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 doctor was shocked.
He said that the benefits of deadlifts for testosterone were better than testosterone replacement therapy.
If you have low-T or low testosterone, consider the benefits of deadlifts for testosterone.
21. Proper Form Deadlifts are Safe
22. Strengthen Your Activities of Daily Living
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.
23. High-Intensity Cardiovascular Workout.
Deadlifts work your heart and help raise your VO2Max.
The 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.
24. Deadlifts are a Natural Mood Booster
25. Forget About Prozac, Start Deadlifting
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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.
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Train six days a week alternating between your upper body and lower body
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On lower body days, do squats and/or deadlifts.
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On upper body days, do pushups, shoulder presses, bench presses, pull ups/chin ups and dumbbell rows.
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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 important for your patients with treatment resistant depression.
26. Benefits of Deadlifts for Depression
27. 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.
28. 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.
29. Deadlift for Positive Thinking and a Better Life
There is way too much in the news these days about suicide.
Suicide is now the 10th leading cause of death in the USA. 3)http://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 simple gym in your garage, basement or extra room.
Get the right tools that you need to immediately start training.
If your psychiatrist recommends antidepressants or Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), you must try a nutrition and exercise plan first.
Start deadlifting 3 times a week.
Deadlift with light weights 3 to 4 days a week to perfect your deadlift form.
One day a week work on your heavy deadlifts.
Make sure that you are also getting in a 30 minute walk every day.
Accept your problems.
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 perfect solution for men and women.
Deadlifting helps you regain your composure and even rebuild your life.
You’ll feel stronger than ever, and deadlifting progressively heavier weight off the ground will improve your mental health.
Training, exercise, deadlifting, are all under your control.
As a result, you will imagine and feel that the same way you are getting physically stronger in the deadlift, so too will you get mentally stronger to lift the dead weight of suicidal ideation out of your mind.
If your suicidal ideation is a result of antidepressants, consider using Hashimashi’s SIGECAPS as an antidepressant alternative.
The only side effects from Hashimashi’s 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.
An Important Reminder:
Conclusion
The Deadlift Can Change Your Body, Mind and Life
What if I told you that the benefits of deadlifts are not just for gym rats, bodybuilders, powerlifters or young folk?
Lifting a seven foot 45 pound barbell with two 45 pound iron plates at each end off the floor looks and sounds intimidating, right?
How long have you used weight machines, treadmills and dumbbell curls but still find yourself to be overweight?
Imagine if you can get lean and strong without spending hours in the gym.
With every workout, you put on more muscle mass and blast away your belly fat.
Until you look and feel like an athlete.
But right now, that feels like an impossible dream, doesn’t it?
Your weight is higher than you want with no end in sight.
You’re a few days away from throwing in the notion of ever getting fit and giving up.
But, it doesn’t have to be this way:
Once you know the staggering advantages of the barbell deadlift, you will no longer be shy.
You will be ready to abandon the machines, go to the free weight area and tackle the deadlift, the king of all exercises.
References
| 1. | ↑ | wikipedia |
| 2. | ↑ | http://coachsci.sdsu.edu/csa/vol21/sale.htm |
| 3. | ↑ | http://triblive.com/usworld/world/13736000-74/suicide-now-the-10th-leading-cause-of-death-in-us-cdc-says |
I wholly concur and highly recommend deadlifting for 50+ year olds.
My story: Nearing my 50th birthday, and feeling my strength ebbing away as I lived a mostly non-physical lifestyle, I started lifting weights. I eased in, had some good runs, some down times, some aches and pains, and the occasional injury, but after a time it became lifestyle. As did clean eating (which I started taking seriously when I started plateauing in my weight work).
Today, I am 53+ years old, and I pulled a new PR of 365 lbs two weeks ago. I’ve set a goal of 405 lbs, and hope to pull that weight by the fall. Before lifting, my weight cycled from the 240s to the 270s. Today, I’m at 218, with body fat at probably around 15-17% or so.
Did I mention I have three herniated lumbar discs and a back surgery from 20+ years ago? I used to have back episodes every few months, each lasting up to a week. I’ve had one in the past 3 years, and it lasted a day.
Do it. Take your time, do it right, work on your form, educate yourself. It’s done wonders for me, it’ll do wonders for you. If I managed to, you certainly can.
Hi Shobha,
I do not think it is a good idea to include stiff legged deadlifts on your upper body workout day.
I think that will lead to over training.
How much time are you spending in the gym currently on any workout day?
I think 45min is more than enough, 15 min to make sure that you are warmed up and then a few sets of 5 reps or so for a few exercises, for example, what I did today was:
Warm up with 15 min of run/walk
Deadlift – 3 sets of 5 reps
Dumbell row – 3 sets of 5 reps
Lat pulldown – 3 sets of 6 reps
Then I ended off with 2 sets of ‘bicycle’ for stomach, some stretching and 50 jumping jacks.
That’s it, 45 min on the dot.
Today I was working back, so that is why I focused on deadlift, rows, and pulldown.
The deadlift is not a squat, which is why I do it for a back workout.
If you want to hear one of the premier experts on strength training discuss excellent deadlift form and say openly that the deadlift is not a squat, please check out the video that I posted yesterday in:
https://hashimashi.com/deadlift-shin-guards
It is worth 7 minutes or so of time to hear what he has to say about deadlifting.
I think that working one body part per workout is sufficient.
You need your muscles to rest in order to grow.
So, my view is to keep your weight workout under an hour and even better between 30 and 45min.
And better to focus your workout on a major body part rather than several.
And then give that major body part several days if not more to recover from your workout.
You also mentioned that you are trying for weight loss and fat loss.
When you are mainly focused on weight/fat loss, my experience is that what you eat, how much you eat and the type of food that you eat is much more important than how much you are working out.
In fact, when I first began Hashi Mashi, I rarely did any exercise and still was taking off tons of weight.
In total, I lost close to 100 lbs over a 10 month period.
The major change that I made to my diet was to not eat processed foods.
If the food came in a box with colorful marketing, I did not touch it.
My theory was that most doctors/nutritionists agree that we must increase our fruits and vegetables.
True, they disagree about protein/animal sources or not, but no one I recall says to not eat vegetables.
So, that is where I started, eat more vegetables, stop eating manufactured foods.
I am happy to do a Health History Consultation with you which I have attached.
All you have to do is go into your gmail account, click on google docs, click on start a new document, and under file click open and then click on upload.
Upload the Health History form which I have attached and then fill it out.
After you fill it out, all you have to do is to send it back to me and then we can schedule a time to speak and see what adjustments can be made to your daily menu/practices/exercises that can help you to achieve your body recomposition goals.
Weight loss alone will not change much in terms of body recomposition, but fat loss will, and then fat loss combined with strength training can really change the shape of your body, even a person’s face.
I hope this helps,
Hashi M.
Hi!
I wanted to know if I can include stiff leg deadlifts on upperbody workout days.
Usually I start with upper body weight training on monday, followed next day with lower body workout.
For lower body workout, now a days Iam doing sumo squat with dumbbell, jumping lunges, squat jumps, leg extension on machine. I find this schedule hectic, and not able to add deadlifts (with 10kg plates) with this session.
Iam doing upperbody, and lower body 2 days per week.
Please suggest if taking a day off from gym after leg day is better. Iam trying for weightloss, and fatloss as well.
Awaiting your valuable advice.
Thank you
When I was a college tennis player, I had a professor who was also one of the strength coaches for our school’s footbal and track teams. I asked him how, given the large volume of sprinting and cardio type of work we do on and off of the court, how could I increase my strength with this regimen.
He asked me to sign up for a PE class called intercollegiate weight training, and every tuesday and thursday morning he coached me in the deadlift, squat and incline bench press. For the first two weeks, my hands would shake after each workout, I was really tired, In less than a year, I went from deadlifting 135 pounds to nearly 405 lbs, squatting 245 pounds for 20 reps, and bench pressing on the incline for 200. I went in 160 pounds and 11% bodyfat and at the a year into it I was 180 pounds at 7% bodyfat. I became even faster on the court and maintained that speed and explosiveness well into my 30s on the court. As a caviat I will tell you that in high school I had six knee operations on my right knee, once was an acl staple and one other was a full ACL reconstruction. Proper form deadlifts, incremental increases in weight or reps, absolutely helped make my legs super strong and functional at a very high athletic level for nearly 2 decades.
I am 48 now and back on the deadlift squat and bench press routine, and I add a pulling exercise to compliment the bench press. I started at the lightest weight because of an achillees tear in the watershed area. For a few weeks I just repped it out at 135 to 175 on both squat and deads. Now I can easily increase the weight and the form (full squatting form) feels fantastic.
Keeping great form is the biggest key. Always exercise with the intentisy you have for that day (it will vary). Warming up on the bike is key for me to warm up those tendons, a little gentle stretching after that and the do deadlifts, squat, bench press and pulls. I do 30 reps of each exercise at light weights first then a few sets of fewer reps with heavier weights once I am warmed up.
I play competitive tennis still and the biggest challenge is not overdoing the deadlift and leaving my back super fatiqued. I have to strike a balance between increasing strength and performance on the court. But deadlifts very much improve or maintain powerful explosiveness in the legs, great balance and posture, and those are big keys to playing well and remaining pretty much injury free.
Oh yes, and women definitely enjoy the physique so that is an added benefit to being stronger all over.
It’s also nice to be able to pickup those old CRT big screen tvs with ease. You really do become a strongman after a bit of training in the deadlift.
Great article on deadlifts. Thank you
Hi William,
Thanks so much for sharing your deadlift and squat experience.
Glad to hear that you are back on the deadlift, squat and bench press routine.
How many days a week and time do you spend doing deadlifts and squats?
Thanks again for your inspiring story!
Rich
This article kicks ass! I used to be scared o deadlifts because I had loerr back pain (probably due to college), but since I actually started going heavier on then again my pin has completely gone just like that.
I recently published a similar article about the king of all exercises on my blog – check it out: http://www.eternalgreatness.com/deadlifts/
Hey Jamie,
Thanks for your comments and glad you enjoyed the article.
Deadlifts seem to have magical powers, helping your lower back pain, helping me to walk and get stronger after a torn medial meniscus as well as a weight loss of 75lbs.
I just posted another astonishing story of 78 year-old Grandmother Shriley Webb who can now get up from the floor, chair and climb stairs without assistance because of deadlifts.
I am going to check out your post on deadlifts as well.
Thanks again!
Hi! Iam 42 year old woman working out at a local gym for weightloss as well as fatloss.
I am doing deadlifts with light weight 10 kg plates, since 2 months twice a week.
Already iam seeing my tummy fat melting slowly, and i feel satisfied with my stamina.
Iam concentrating more on lowerbody, so doing deadlifts with stiff legs.
Please guide me if i have to start adding more weight to the barbell. Presently iam doing 4 sets of 10 counts.
My gosl is totally, fatloss and weightloss, and tummy muscles strengthening.
Thank you!
Shobha
Hi Shobha!
Glad you are here.
It is amazing how powerful deadlifts can be for a person’s health.
Did you see the new article I just posted about the 78-year-old grandmother who can now deadlift 245lbs?
It is here: https://hashimashi.com/deadlifting-benefits/
Two years ago she could barely walk, climb stairs or get off the floor.
Honestly her functional improvement is astonishing.
Regarding your routine, if you can do 4 sets of 10 now, with 10kg, since you are doing stiff legged deadlifts, you might want to consider doing more reps before moving up in weight.
Stiff legged deadlifts puts more stress on the lower back than regular, so you want your form to be great.
You can try 4 sets of 15 reps or even 20.
You also might want to wear a belt for lower back support. Here are some belts with high ratings:
http://amzn.to/226J2gt
If you do choose to increase weight, I would do that gradually, adding 2.5kg to 5kg max.
Start with 4 sets of 5 at your new weight to make sure that you can safely handle it and then work your way back up to 4 sets of 10 reps.
That might not sound like much, but the goal is fat loss and fitness, and you are already seeing results using 20kg of weight, so no point in jeopardizing your form and safety.
Re weight loss:
Can you tell me what your current diet looks like?
What did you grow up eating for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack and drink?
and what are your current meals like now?
When did you start deadlifting/training?
I am glad to help,
Rich
Hi Rich!
Thank you for the reply!
Iam doing deadlifts( stiff legs) since 2 months, 2 times a week with upperbody workout.
Currently my diet involves,
Preworkout meal-2 small bananas, and a cup of tea with sugar and milk.
Post workout- 1 cup of yoghurt, and a glass of cucumber+vegetable juice.
Lunch- 1 bowl of cooked oats.
Dinner- 3 small rotis( indian flat bread made of whole wheat flour, without yeast) + a bowl of cooked lentils+ cooked vegetable.
Snacks are like marie buisuits, or s cup of fruit.
In 7 months I could lose 15kgs, and 9 inches off my tummy. Working out 6 days a week at gym, 2 days upperbody, 2 days lower body weight training.
Currently, I am doing barbell chest press, squats, walking lunges, dumbbell double step ups on stairs, and other routine for biceps and triceps.
I want weightloss, and keen on reducing lowerbody, I mean thigh and glute size.
Should I continue deadlifts and barbell squats even while other exercises are changed in my weight training routine?
Please suggest me!
Thank you!
I dunno, I’m a woman and most of the things on your list about understanding what women want sound like stuff a shallow, boring, prissy woman would want. I’m not that way and I’m a woman who loves to work out. So……. I suppose if you want that kind of woman, go ahead and abide by those rules. Also, your woman saying she wouldn’t have given you a second glance if you hadn’t been in shape sounds pretty full of herself but hell, glad you’re happy.
Hi Jessica!
Thanks for your comments. What are the traits/habits that you look for in a partner, perhaps that list needs to be ammended. Also, are deadlifts part of your regular workout? Have I left out any other benefits that you think should be added to this list of deadlift benefits, for men or women?
Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
דדליפט יכול לשמש בתור עזרי הליכה
Thanks Yoni, right you are, deadlifts will definitely make you walk taller and stronger..!
Hi Bull, Thanks for the clarification under number 5 and I am going to correct it because I myself experienced what happens when the weight gets heavier and I have not held the breath…ouch….Thanks! Rich
The only thing I might add is that there are different styles of deadlifts. I typically do bent-leg deadlifts on back day and straight leg deadlifts (not the same as stiff leg or Romanian deadlifts) on leg day. I was significantly impressed watching the video of the 91-year-old guy doing a sumo deadlift of 130 kg/286 lbs. At age 60, I’m only deadlifting between 110 and 130 lbs, but I’m performing three sets shooting for 8 to 15 reps a set with 90 seconds rest between sets (I tried 60 seconds rest between sets but that didn’t allow me enough recovery time since the intensity of the lift has me puffing like a steam engine).
Hi James!
Thanks for sharing your knowledge. So far, I have just been doing regular deadlifts. Have never tried straight leg or romanian deadlift. I was also amazed by the 91 year old deadlifter, that did help to motivate me. I hope that I will still be deadlifting at age 60, kudos to you for staying fit no matter what. For me at this point I am doing sets of 5 reps. and going up in weight very gradually. How often do you workout? Do you alternate upper and lower body days? Thanks again, Rich
Yes, I have and am working on it now to focus on how to come out of depression with the benefits of deadlifts, squats, pushups and real food!
Have you ever considered creating an e-book or guest authoring on other blogs?
I have a blog centered on the same ideas you discuss and would really like to have you share some stories/information.
I know my viewers would value your work. If you’re even remotely interested, feel free to shoot me an e mail.
I am happy to share some stories. Thanks
Under number 5, the “Do NOT hold your breath, EVER” rule is total bullshit. To execute a large and heavy lift, you want to inhale deeply and hold that breath while squeezing your core and driving. You want to exhale when the ascension is complete. This goes for any power lift.
So in your experience, you are saying that the best practice is for example in the deadlift, to take a deep breath at the bottom and hold your breath as you are lifting?What I have been doing is taking the deep breath at the bottom, and exhaling through the lift.
Thanks for adding your opinion here. It flies in the face of what I have heard, but perhaps you are correct. I will do some more research on this point. If anyone else has some additional information regarding holding your breath on lifts, please add it.
I should add that I have had 2 occasions where I held breath and got headaches, one most recently with pushups and one years ago with an overhead press, so that plus conversations with trainers have led me to believe it is best practice to not hold your breath, but I am open to other views and what works for other people.
Thanks!
Also Hashi, Holding my breath will often cause me to have a nose bleed. Sometimes a pretty serious one (as in pouring down my nose). Thanks for this info though, Iv been doing isolation stuff for the past 6 months and its working great, If i add squats and dead lifts, will my athletic performance improve?
You will definitely build more overall muscle and power with squats and deadlifts. You will also have better strength, real strength as opposed to the effects of isolation exercises. That can no doubt help your overall athletic performance no matter what your sport. That is a good point about another danger of holding your breath, be careful of those nose bleeds!
That is another good point of the perils of holding your breath, nosebleeds, be careful! If your isolation exercises are working great, you should definitely benefit in terms of overall strength and athletic performance after you add in compound movements like squats and deadlifts, give it a few months to see the results. Keep us posted! Hashi
It’s a fluid movement. The core is engaged, its not a full bellied deep breath..you breath with the upper region, while keeping your core engaged.
So as you go down to pick the bar up, you are taking a nice breath in, but not allowing your rib cage to really expand.
As you progress in the lift, and are raising/straightening you are exhaling, audibly through your mouth..
It’s easier done or shown than said.
Believe it or not I find Pilates instructors are great at teaching breathing techniques.
I think that’s what *Bull was trying to explain. But everyone is quick to jump to the wrong conclusion.
Anyone who deadlifts, would hopefully understand, it’s a split second thing.
Inhaling as you go down, when you reach bottom, you should have enough air.
Grab the bar, hold the air nanoseconds, slowly, exhaling as you come up, ending with a final ‘woosh’ expelling the air.
If you expell too much, you become light headed.
So please don’t think you are holding your breaths like a deep sea diver, you are not.
Your core/abs are engaged, and working, and it’s a good practice to learn to breath properly with them that way.
Hi Fujii,
Thanks for your thoughtful comment, I had it in mind when doing squats and deadlifts early this morning.
Hashi
Totally agree with correct continuous breathing while doing any exercise. Your body is 1 massive piston….If it doesn’t compress properly it can’t extend properly. Your lungs are the same. If you hold your breathe when lifting heavy your lazy and your core/diaphragm is weak and in need of a lot of work.
If you pay attention to power lifters you’ll see that they never “hold” their breathe. Instead they control the release of oxygen. ( you may notice the loud grunts in the first sequence) If they expel too fast it will create a full loss of strength choking the muscles of oxygen….hence weight lifters passing out in their final technique to lift above their heads.
Hashi, I do have 1 question on your chosen technique. I’ve seen a lot of deadlifts go wrong with “overhand, underhand”. Including injuring myself at a young age with a bicep tear I would strongly suggest using overhand techniques. Personally I found my body developing to the underhand side more with that technique over balancing myself in the process. But everyone is different, that’s the beauty of training there are so many ways to improve and grow so long as your willing. So long as you don’t hold your breathe and die.
Hi Jay,
Thanks for your comment, especially the comparison of the body to a piston and your great explanation of the importance of continuous breathing. Also, regarding your suggestion of staying with the overhand technique, I am totally game, especially considering the bicep tear you experienced. Today actually was for squats, press and deadlift, so I went with the overhand on the deadlift. I already could barely walk from the squats, but I will keep trying overhand for now, and keep breathing…
Hi Jay,
Thanks for your comment and sharing your story of using overhand underhand. So far I am still feeling comfortable using my right hand for underhand on deadlifts that are more than 150 pounds, however I am going to make a conscious effort today to see how it feels with overhand. By the way, I wonder if you have any nutrition recommendations based on your own experiences and if you agree that the most powerful exercises for body transformation are squats and deadlifts. Personally I prefer pushups over bench press and would like your opinion on that as well. Thanks Jay for sharing your thoughts. Sincerely, Hashi
Hi Jay, thanks for your suggestion about staying with the overhand grip….Believe it or not, I have followed up on that , and so far, have only been lifting overhand…it is a bit harder to hold the grip, but that is okay, Id rather protect the biceps! Thanks, again
The old school held that holding your breath while deadlifting heavy weight increased the risk of getting a hernia. Not sure if that is backed by science, though.