bogogo's picture
bogogo
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-1 deadlifts and bodybuilding?

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I still do them and have a pretty solid deadlift, but I wonder how effective it is compared to other things for building your back etc, what are your opinoins?

I see many guys who deadlift 800+ with back development not really impressive... so i'm curious Smile

necromega's picture

Deadlifts are life man.

Eagles 2013's picture

I am a huge fan of the deadlifts and think that it is one of, if not the best compound lifts for strength overall strength and size development. With that being said, it is also one of the most taxing on the body. For that reason I do them on my last lifting day of the week. I lift Monday-Friday with Saturday off and cardio on Sunday if I am able. For that reason, I save the deadlifts for Friday to give my body Saturday and Sunday to recover.

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r1ck22's picture

deadlifts always showed the most progression in overall strength and good feeling.

shaun1's picture

Back in my younger days I was all about deadlifts. 2 some times 3 days a week. I built my greatest strength and I gained the most weight and size I ever have put on by doing so. I loved deadlifts, I eat, breathed and shit deadliest but and I say but and a big but, I'm truly suffering from them now. They done a number on my back. They are a great core body exercise from which one can gain from if done properly. I wouldn't recommend doing them any more than once a week. Don't over do it and by no means do not Ego lift. Play it safe and smart. I'm sure one can benefit more from other back routines but I really enjoyed the deadlift routine and it helpped me grow bigger than I ever was. I love the 5 for 5 routine. Just be smart about it. What worked great for me might not work for someone else just saying.

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Immortaltech's picture

I don't usually do deadlifts often, I replace them with rackpulls, its just as good and i can focus more on my back, I noticed some great thickness.

stairmaster's picture

Deadlifts and basics like squats are as important as a good diet plan for me!

shaun1's picture

They were my go to for size and strength

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Dacky's picture

Can’t imagine life without deadlifting but I take your point. Training for pure aesthetics then I’d focus elsewhere! I don’t compete so I deadlift because it makes me happy :-)

press1's picture

I had a much better, bigger & thicker back when I concentrated on building a Big barbell row as opposed to deadlift. I much prefer doing deadlifts nowadays for the strength factor but nothing makes you look more developed and like a bodybuilder than BB rows. You have to think the back is actually being 'worked' and pulling & contracting in a plane rather than simply pulling in a fixed/locked position as in a deadlift. Look at Cailor woolam for example - Deadlifts 900lbs plus and barely looks like he trains....

giardap's picture

Rack deads are better imo. I find it allows you to focus on the back more by limiting range to reduce leg involvement. There is a big difference in the mind muscle conxn i find.

Single arm rows for me are by far the best for width
I havent discovered the trick for thickness properly yet but getting rear delts and traps sorted was a big step towards it

Makwa's picture

Rack deadlifts are what I do. My lower back gives out to quickly when doing deads so I don't get a good workout doing them anyway. Throw in some heavy T-bar rows with rack lifts and you can get a pretty solid back workout in.

giardap's picture

Cheers JB, ill give anything a go
Have you a link with examples by any chance? Im not familiar with the grip terminology!!!!

Sam I Am's picture

Guys with short legs and long arms have a leverage advantage. I did many when I was younger but no longer do them. Probably your best over all body developer imo. On the heavy sets I even feel them in my chest.

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Pale's picture

I like them and do them. I don't know that you need to be able to 800lbs tho. Injuring my arm doing them tho I am limiting myself to 405

Pale's picture

That is the beauty of deadlifts, what is impossible today might be possible in a couple weeks or a month. You will surprise yourself.

Eagles 2013's picture

So true. When I first started doing them years ago I was training with a guy who was big into power lifting and had me doing one set of 5 per week and adding 10 lbs every week. I obviously wasn't able to maintain that aggressive of a progressive load all year, but in 12 months I had gone from struggling to pull 225x5 to pulling 3 sets of 3 reps at 585.

My introduction to weight training was geared way more towards strength than aesthetics and has evolved over the years to a more aesthetic style approach. It was a good introduction to the lifestyle for me because it gave me a very solid strength base from which to build. The muscle mass was already there, it just needed some sculpting and "uncovering" from a layer of bodyfat

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Bearded_muscle's picture

Just takes time. By 21 yrs old I was able to hit 550 for reps natural, fast forward now and I wish I never pushed it because I have serious disk issues in my L5 from deadlifting. I don’t think it’s necessary and talking to other fitness guys for years it seems to be the biggest source of back injuries out there. If you’re looking for longevity and focusing on purely aesthetics it just isn’t worth it.

lethaltradeindustries's picture

then maybe switch up your routine. I do leg press monday, squats wednesday, deadlift friday. And I alternate light and heavy. Monday one week will be heavy leg press, light squat heavy deads. following week light leg press heavy squat light deads. I would also switch up the variotion of squats and deads weekly.