The single most important exercise for the rest of your life: If you could only do one exercise the rest of your life what would it be and why would you choose it? Of course, an exercise physiologist and a general practitioner may have a difference of opinion and both might have some proven research. With a degree in Kinesiology, several fitness certifications, and keeping up to date with proven research I already had my 7 most important exercises. The problem was how do you choose just one? I graded several exercises using the following categories: 1. Most muscles engaged. 2. Functionality- movements we do in everyday life. 3. Most joints moved or stabilized. 4. Longevity- movements that would keep us stronger longer in our later years. 5. Injury prevention. 6. Increased mobility. When using proper form, winning in every category, the winner is the conventional barbell deadlift. There are several muscles used in a deadlfit from primary, secondary, synergists, and stabilizers. Check out the three images below to get an idea of all the muscles that are involved: We essentially deadlift to sit down, stand up and to lift anything off the ground making it extremely functional. The joints moved or stabilized range all the way from your big toe to the base of your skull. Most of our lives we are in a flexed position and sitting at a desk which puts more emphasis on anterior chain muscles that get tight and our posture diminishes with age. Good news is the deadlift is a posterior chain exercise that strengthens your back, corrects posture, and overall leg strength. Although deadlifts put compression, shear, and torque forces on the spine, if performed properly and with the right weight, deadlifts help prevent back injuries. They strengthen back muscles and also leg muscles that will help you keep stress off your back. Compound exercises produce a greater hormonal response for strength gains, hypertrophy, max calorie expenditure, and natural endorphins. From our plush lifestyles and occupations needing limited movements, our hamstrings and glutes get tight and deadlifts can not only strengthen those muscles but increase flexibility in the posterior chain. Although I didn’t use this category to grade the most important exercise, deadlifts also give an aesthetically pleasing back side and keeps the glutes tight and lifted! Proper Technique for Conventional Deadlifts: 1. Stand with the bar above the center of your feet – your stance should be hip-shoulder-width apart. 2. Bend through your knees until your shins hit the bar which must remain above the middle of your feet. Shoulder-blades directly over the bar. 3. Grab the bar slightly outside of your thighs with an overhand or mixed grip so your arms are vertical to the floor. 4. Inhale during the downward-eccentric phase and keep the inhaled in until half of the subsequent upward-concentric phase has been reached. 5. Lift your chest and put your shoulders back & down, head in line with rest of your spine. 6. Keep spine neutral with the natural arch sticking your but back and weight centered on your feet to slightly on your heels. 7. As you stand up with the weight, your hips and shoulders should ascend together with your head looking forward and not downward. 8. Pull - keep the bar close to your body, extend the hips forward. Do not lean back (hyper-extend) at the top. 9. Return the barbell keeping the barbell as close to your body (center of gravity) during the downward phase. 10. Repeat Common Errors While Performing Deadlifts: 1. Using too much weight. A common mistake many lifters make is rounding your back to pull the weight up. 2. Not keeping the back neutral in a natural position can cause lower back injury, herniated disks, strain ligaments, and sprain tendons. 3. Bouncing at the bottom of the movement. Do not jerk the weight. Not only can this cause you to lose proper form and lead to injury but it also takes the resistance off the muscle and will diminish the exercise effectiveness. 4. Hips rise before shoulders. This means you are using your back rather than your legs. Reduce weight until you can perform the lift correctly. 5. Inhalation and exhalation. If performed inversely or premature (early) expiration during the concentric-upward phase. Get with a certified personal trainer to watch your form and help guide you through the deadlift and the many variations of the deadlift. It is good to get a program going for reps, sets, days, and the weight that is right for you. Trainers can also help you work around your injuries and give you modifications to keep you functional, strong, and your gluteus maximus perky!
Posted on: Thu, 18 Sep 2014 22:13:46 +0000
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