With the exception of perhaps the bench press, no other lift seems to have garnered a more dedicated ride-or-die fan base than the deadlift. It’s considered an obsession among some people that you can’t take your training seriously unless you’re deadlifting.
Frankly, we call it BS.
The truth is, unless you Only The goal is to become very good barbell There is absolutely no reason to do only deadlifts Prioritize barbell deadlifts.
Breaking it down, it’s a high-intensity “hinge” movement that works your hamstrings, glutes, back, and grips. What’s the biggest advantage of hinges with a barbell? Adding weight is easy and a barbell is 10 pennies.
There’s nothing inherently dangerous about barbell deadlifts when done right, but for most people, there are plenty of reasons to move the hinges, bends, and lifts elsewhere. Individual requirements, from limb length to injury history, dictate which deadlift variation governs programming. Peer pressure from Instagram powerlifters.
With that in mind, here are six barbell deadlift alternatives you can incorporate into your workout. You don’t follow the crowd, you do. Dare I say, some of these deadlift alternatives might be even better…
6 Best Alternatives to Barbell Deadlifts
trap bar deadlift
Designed specifically to keep weightlifters with lower back injuries from lifting heavy objects off the floor, the hex bar or “trap” bar design allows the trainee to take steps. inside of the center of gravity. Compared to a barbell deadlift where you use your shins to keep the position just behind the weight, this allows you to drop your hips lower and use a huge amount of quad drive, greatly reducing the strain on your lower back. .
Neutral grip handles give you a stronger grip on the bar while significantly reducing strain on your arms and shoulders.
Great for carries, jumps, and most deadlift variations you can think of, such as keeping your hips high and bringing the emphasis back to your glutes and hamstrings.
dumbbell deadlift
Basically copy and paste all the benefits I mentioned for trap bar deadlifts and greatly increase flexibility in your range of motion.
With two weights that can be freely manipulated in space, the Dumbbell Deadlift allows you to find and utilize the most effective, pain-free range of motion for your physiology. For the ultimate quad burn, you can stand behind the resistance, in the middle of your body, or even lower the dumbbell behind your body. Dumbbells may be the most versatile and accessible item on this list.
However, it wasn’t all clear skies and personal bests. One of the biggest drawbacks of dumbbell deadlifts is that they are relatively large.joint range of motion‘. Starting on the floor and squeezing the dumbbell handles will give you a much lower pickup than a barbell. This can be a problem for some trainees who struggle to create (or even reach) tension in this position. This problem can be quickly alleviated by lowering the bell to a lower block or bench, or replacing the dumbbells with kettlebells, which can be lifted a little more to the same effect.
mine deadlift
“Landmine” training is a great tool for everyone from beginners to those dealing with injuries and limitations, to athletes looking to unlock the unique potential of the sport of barbell.
The mine deadlift “locks” you in a fairly linear range of motion, much like a resistance machine, but also gives you plenty of freedom to find a comfortable position for your anatomy. . By lifting from different angles, such as directly in front of, behind, or to the side of the bar, you can create different stimuli and target different muscles.
Gripping the thick, spinning ends of a barbell can be difficult, especially for people who are short or have relatively untrained grip strength, but it’s not something that lifting straps can’t solve.
punching bag deadlift
It’s a true test of ‘functional’ strength that has a huge impact on your daily work. The inherent ‘unliftable’ fact of the punching bag stems from the fact that despite the best techniques and lifting tips in the world, no two repetitions are ever the same.
The rippling dynamic nature of moving sand in loosely packed bags means that each rep puts up a fight, while the brim-packed bag rolls, is impossible to grab and rocks. A rigid nature like the brings its own set of difficulties.
As with other entries on this list, the freedom to attack the Rift from different angles is the real magic here. But what makes sandbags unique (beyond the fact that each set feels like carrying a sack of angry alligators) is that once you put the bag on your lap, you’re very close to manipulating it. It is possible. It gives your body incredible tactile cues to create a powerful, spine-protective corrective posture.
Getting the most out of the punching bag deadlift involves more than just lifting off the floor and doing touch-and-gos like sumo wrestlers do. No, take your time wrapping before you put the bag up.
tire flip
Ironically, the behemoth-man lift is probably one of the most accessible, low-skilled and achievable ways to safely train nearly every muscle in your body. .
Just like a mine deadlift, big enough tires keep you in a “lever-like” range of motion and effortlessly steer you in the right direction so you can focus all your energy on pushing off the floor.
Pressing your body hard against the tire wall, keeping your arms straight against the rubber, dropping your chin to the top of the tire, these are all purely accidental, but some of the best safety features you can incorporate. fitness equipment fitness.
If you do a full tire flip, you eliminate the eccentric or descending portion of the lift. Great for safely developing power and athleticism. Before the ‘clean’, stop at the halfway point and sit back on the ground in control to return to the eccentric position, working your big hamstrings and dump truck-like glutes in the process.
heavy kettlebell swing
Newton’s second law of motion is “F = ma”, or “equal to the product of force, mass, and acceleration.”
nice. What does that mean for us tin-throwing Luddites?This means that you can make something “heavier” by lifting it. Faster.
Hey science.
Admittedly, it’s not that simple. Simply “running faster” definitely follows the law of diminishing returns. Otherwise, boxers would have deltoids the size of the Death Star, and high jumpers would have legs like tree trunks.But it is true that it can greatly enhance muscle work. Harder by moving them Faster.
That’s where the kettlebell swing comes in.
The epitome of the hinge pattern, the kettlebell swing lights up your butt chain faster than an Englishman’s barbecue at the first glimpse of the sun. You may not be able to swing close to your deadlift personal record, but those who can swing can swing hard or swing fast.
Heavy kettlebell swings utilize the same muscle groups as the garden deadlift, but can be done with much lighter weights.That being said, the key here is to go heavy. With lightweight kettlebells, it’s easy to become lazy. Through movement, the bell becomes the most important role. Choosing a kettlebell forces you to accelerate from your hips. That way you’ll have a bouncy glutes, athletic hamstrings, and the grip of a silverback his gorilla.
