Admittedly, this seems a bit strange to say given we have two HANDS to grab onto the barbell with. However the LATS are a key player in “connecting” us to the barbell during deadlifts. It ensures more full-body tension, but also hands us a slight biomechanical advantage via scapular posterior tilt. Ensuring the lats are engaged also helps with preventing the barbell from drifting away from the body. Not only does this make things harder from a leverage standpoint, it can be injurious to the back as well.
How To Deadlift
With the barbell on the floor, stand with your feet shoulder width apart and your toes just under the bar. Bend at the legs and keep your back in a straight line. Grip the bar with either an overhand grip (palms facing back towards your body) or a mixed grip (one hand over, one hand facing out.) Keep your head up and your back straight as you drive through your legs, with your chest pointing up. Fully extend your legs and pull the bar up. It should rise near your shins and pass over your knees as you straighten your legs and press your hips forward.
Benefits Of Deadlifting
As all no-excuses athletes know, deadlifting is a fantastic exercise for building frightening grip, power and mass. Because they’re generally your heaviest lift and a compound that use lots of muscles, so can help gain muscle when performed correctly. Deadlifting builds core stability and gripping strength, develops cardio (if done at high intensity) and builds the following muscle groups:
Back – such as your erectors and lats. Gluteus maximus and glutes. Legs – most of the deadlift is done with your legs, building power in almost every muscle in your lower body. Arms – all muscles in your arm are contracted during deadlifting. Your forearms gain special benefit from the monstrous grip you’ll build. Shoulders – build big traps with heavy deadlifts.
Do more
This is hands down one of my favorite accessory “pull-up builder” exercises (and upper back exercises in general). If someone is looking to conquer their first pull-up I’d be more inclined to include one of these exercises as part of EVERY training session aiming for 2-4 sets of 5-15 repetitions
Nevertheless, given many people have lost access to their regular gyms due to COVID-19 and have been regulated to training mostly at home these two programs couldn’t come at a better time.
A healthy diet can help mitigate or buffer one from these types of effects as it sets the stage for a beneficial gut microbiome and less inflammation, both of which are tied to mood, anxiety, depression and even sleep.
Moreover, you also have the option of purchasing both the Ultimate Pull-Up Program & the Ultimate Push-Up Program at a heavily discounted price. I think one of the biggest mistakes I see most people make with their pull-up/chin-up programming is that they simply don’t train the pattern enough. However, this approach only works well for those who can already perform 3-5 pull-ups and are looking to level up that number.
If you can’t even perform one this would be a daunting prospect to say the least. That said, I think staying cognizant of total VOLUME is an often overlooked component of pull-up progress.
Moreover, you also have the option of purchasing both the Ultimate Pull-Up Program & the Ultimate Push-Up Program at a heavily discounted price.
Ultimate Pull-Up Program & Ultimate Push-Up Program
I think one of the biggest mistakes I see most people make with their pull-up/chin-up programming is that they simply don’t train the pattern enough. However, this approach only works well for those who can already perform 3-5 pull-ups and are looking to level up that number. If you can’t even perform one this would be a daunting prospect to say the least. That said, I think staying cognizant of total VOLUME is an often overlooked component of pull-up progress. Moreover, you also have the option of purchasing both the Ultimate Pull-Up Program & the Ultimate Push-Up Program at a heavily discounted price.
I think one of the biggest mistakes I see most people make with their pull-up/chin-up programming is that they simply don’t train the pattern enough. However, this approach only works well for those who can already perform 3-5 pull-ups and are looking to level up that number. If you can’t even perform one this would be a daunting prospect to say the least.
That said, I think staying cognizant of total VOLUME is an often overlooked component of pull-up progress. Moreover, you also have the option of purchasing both the Ultimate Pull-Up Program & the Ultimate Push-Up Program at a heavily discounted price.
