Deadlifting For Leg Strength?

The Deadlift is one of the best (and probably least recognized) leg exercises.

Consider the muscles involved when performing this movement.  You’re taking a bar that is happily resting on the floor and pulling it up to waist level.  Getting the bar off of the floor requires massive leg strength, namely in the hamstrings. 

Getting Into Position

While maintaining a tight (loaded) back meaning shoulders back, lats flexed, and chest up, you’re going to stand over the bar with feet at or just beyond hip width and the mid foot (roughly where the bow sits when you tie your shoe).  As you drop into the starting position you’re going to load your hamstrings, essentially feel the stretch in your hamstrings.  Once you’re at that point you’re ready to begin the pull.  Once you get the bar off of the floor, the muscle recruitment switches to hip drive.  This requires the use of your glutes!  Once you’re at the top you can either drop the bar (like in cross fit) or slowly descend the bar in a reverse motion of what’s described above and show gravity who is boss!

The Deadlift Philosophy

Go heavy.  The best thing you can do is go heavy. If you’re able to pull 135 pretty easily for say 12 reps then you need to start CHALLENGING yourself. A good motto to remember when trying to figure out when you should start going heavier is: “If I can do 8 (reps) increase the weight.”  Going heavy on deadlifts (while still maintaining proper form) will greatly improve other aspects of your weight lifting goals (Overall strength, muscle size, and mental toughness)

Incorporate heavier deadlifts on leg or back specific days or as part of any other strength training program, and you’ll notice improvements across the board!

You’ll find the deadlift and other variances in our workout generator.  If you’re looking at changing up your workout routines check it out!  Over 150 trillion free workout routines at your disposal, no excuses!

The best thing you can do is go heavy.