Deadlift on straight legs: execution technique * Run

The deadlift on straight legs is a favorite exercise for most athletes. Also widely used in various sports disciplines. The deadlift is a basic barbell movement that uses virtually all muscle groups in the human body.

Most of the load falls on the muscle tissue of the legs, namely the back upper thigh (buttocks), lower back and strengthens the back straighteners.

The exercise is performed on not completely straight legs, but slightly bent. This is done in order not to overload the lower back or knee joints and not get injured. Also, such movements require a certain stretch.

Deadlift on straight legs - execution technique

If you follow the correct execution technique, then the deadlift on straight legs becomes not only a safe exercise, but also a key one in building muscle mass in the legs, buttocks and lower back.

Before you start training with heavy weights, you need to practice the bar technique, for the standard concept of muscle work:

The first step is to take the correct stance, your legs should be in a position wider than your shoulders. In this case, the feet should be located directly under the bar of the bar. It is necessary to tilt the pelvis back, while bending the knees a little, so that this is visually almost invisible.

After that, you need to grab the bar with a wide grip (so that the palms are farther from the feet) and begin to straighten without bending your back and thereby lifting the bar. At the final stage, when the athlete is fully straightened, you need to move the body a little, bending back in the lower back, straighten the pectoral muscles and throw back the shoulders.

As soon as the person has taken the main position, it is necessary to inhale and tilt, taking the pelvis back. As soon as the barbell pancakes touched the floor, you can unbend back, while exhaling smoothly.
You need to take a short pause and repeat the movement again and so on in the required amount per approach.

It is important that the bar moves in a vertical plane, parallel to the legs.

Varieties of exercise

In addition to the standard deadlift on straight legs, there are also several variations of this exercise. All of them are mostly aimed at approximately the same muscle groups, however, there are differences in the load and work of certain muscle groups of the body.

Dumbbell Single Leg Deadlift

This type of deadlift is more difficult than the classic version due to the fact that the exercise essentially needs to be performed on one leg, also with the second back.

The main advantages of such an exercise over its traditional counterpart are:

Accuracy of working out certain muscles of the thighs and buttocks.
The ability to correct the shape of the buttocks.
Huge pressure.
Development of body balance and coordination.
Strengthening the knee joints.
An increase in the length of the hamstrings.

This deadlift requires a certain technique to avoid injury or inappropriate performance.

Before starting a heavy weight workout, you should practice with small dumbbells:

Legs need to be set shoulder-width apart or wider, in one hand you need to take a kettlebell and hold it arbitrarily in front of the thigh.
You need to lift one leg and take it back, ideally if the stretch allows you to bend it so that you get a straight line. At the same time, the weight should be tilted towards the floor.
After holding in this position, you should straighten to the original stance (all these 3 steps are 1 repetition).

Wide leg stance deadlift

This subspecies is also called sumo deadlift. It is a basic strength exercise that is widely used in disciplines such as powerlifting, bodybuilding, and crossfit. The main muscle groups involved in this type of pull are the quads, glutes, and thighs.

The movement in this subspecies is much faster and easier than in the standard version, however, it requires a certain stretch:

The legs should be set wider than the shoulders, the socks should be turned, and the back should be straight throughout the exercise.
You should do an almost full squat and take the bar, which in turn should be located as close to the shins as possible. The knees should be bent about 90 degrees. The head in this position must be kept straight and looking forward.
To tear the barbell off the floor, you should unbend your knees while getting up from the floor of the squat. At that moment, when the bar is already slightly raised, it is necessary to move the pelvis forward.
Approximately in the middle of the thigh, you need to straighten the lower back as much as possible and push the pelvis forward. As soon as the athlete is fully straightened, this will be counted as 1 repetition.

Basic mistakes of beginners

Depending on the type of deadlift, the main mistakes of beginners in such exercises are distinguished.

With the classic deadlift on straight legs, the main mistakes are:

The roundness of the back when bending down and straightening.
The movement of the bar is not parallel to the surface of the legs.
Look at the floor, although you must constantly look forward.
The knees are too bent or not at all.
The feet are located at different distances from the bar.

The main mistakes when pulling on one leg and kettlebells are:

Rounding of the back during lifting and bending.
During the tilt, the pelvis is in its original position and does not tilt back slightly.
Breathing too fast or holding it.

During the execution of the deadlift with a wide stance, the following mistakes are most often made:

The legs are too far apart.
The bar is far from the lower leg.
The back is rounded during the exercise.

Recommendations for implementation

Key recommendations for any deadlift:

You need to try to avoid standard and other mistakes.
Use special webbing and athletic belts whenever possible.
You should choose the right shoes for these exercises, usually any sneakers with very thin soles.
Before starting a workout, you need to warm up the body well and stretch.

All sub-types of deadlifts are widely used in bodybuilding, powerlifting and crossfit, as well as in other sports disciplines. This is one of the most effective exercises for building muscle in the legs, buttocks and lower back.

Such training should be carried out carefully, avoiding all sorts of mistakes, since the load on the back during the deadlift is colossal and improper exercise can lead to serious injuries.