The barbell deadlift is classically thought of as a leg builder, but don’t forget it’s also one of the superior back exercises.
If you want that wide, thick, powerful look, deadlifts need to be in your game plan.
Because this is such a key mass builder for the body, you’ll want to perform it early on in your workout routine, devoting as much effort to it as possible.
Do it later on in the workout and you simply won’t have the juice left to lift heavy and maximize your gains.
Good form on this move is a must, so if you aren’t quite sure how to do it using good form, be sure to get help in person from a trained professional. Sometimes with a technical exercise like this, having that in person assistance is key.
I recommend that you perform a variety of rep ranges on this exercise, ranging from your 2 rep max all the way to 10 reps. You should deadlift at least once per week for 5 total sets as it's one of the most important compound exercises for total body mass!
execution
- 1Set up the loaded barbell in front of you
- 2Stand behind the bar, so that it is at about the middle of your feet
- 3Bend over with your torso straight and head looking forward
- 4Grab the bar with an overhand shoulder width grip, while squatting down slightly, but keeping the hips above the knees (!)
- 5Lift the barbell up, extending the body
- 6Do NOT overextend up top, but aim for a good contraction in the back musculature
- 7Go down slowly, until the bar slightly touches the ground (Don’t rest at the bottom!)
