I'm crazy;) it was 39cm, now it's 40cm. I had a training session on Monday and my arms still hurt. Well, maybe it was also due to the fact that I gave a week of complete rest. Or something else;) But in general, the French bench press rules!

Click to expand...

Nothing surprising, this is a temporary effect. Sometimes the next day my bicep inflates 1cm, but then deflates back.
Why do muscles hurt:

After an athlete starts training after a break of more than 50 days, muscle pain often occurs. What does it mean? Contrary to the generally accepted point of view, this has nothing to do with the formation of lactic acid in the muscles. This has been well demonstrated over the past 10 years. They deliberately forced people to do eccentric exercises, that is, to stretch their muscles. For example, they forced people to run down the mountain. A person runs down a mountain 800 meters long 5-6 times, quite steep. Then he comes to the laboratory, where they take a biopsy and see what happens to the muscles. Immediately after training, the muscles do not hurt very much, but under a microscope you can see that there are burst myofibrils, that they are simply torn. In the following days, biopsies continue to be taken. It is observed that what has burst begins to gradually lose its shape, lysosomes form nearby and begin to destroy these remnants. And fragments of molecules have many charges, radicals. Water joins the radicals, it is also polarized, and as a result, the water becomes bound, and there is not enough water in the cell. Additional water enters, as a result the cell begins to grow in size, and turgor appears. The muscle seems to be full. What do athletes call this? Muscle congestion and some other words they say... In short, the cell membranes are very stretched, and pain receptors sit on the membranes, a person feels pain. And then, within 3-4 days, what is destroyed is completely destroyed, only amino acids remain. Free radicals gradually disappear and the pain begins to go away. The negative effect of this only manifests itself in the fact that what is destroyed must be created anew.

The reason for this phenomenon is as follows. In an untrained person, the muscle fibers contain myofibrils of different lengths. There are short ones and there are long ones. Therefore, during eccentric exercises, the short ones tear. And if you exercise regularly, the myofibrils inside the CF become all the same length. Of course, new myofibrils are formed, all different, both short and long. But with regular training, the short ones are torn all the time, so there are few of them, and severe pain no longer occurs, it stops altogether. Whether there is lactic acid or not, it doesn’t matter. Pain is always the destruction of muscle fibers or something more terrible: injuries, for example, muscle fiber ruptures.

Deadlift I have never been held in high esteem by beginners; it is too difficult and dangerous an exercise. It so happened that the priority for novice athletes has always been the chest and biceps. Few people understood that without strong legs and back you can’t build up your biceps, and doing isolation exercises alone won’t achieve serious results.

As a rule, when doing heavy standing biceps curls, beginners get the feeling that they simply do not have enough biceps strength, but in reality they simply find it difficult to keep their body in balance, since the strength of their back and legs is not enough. By performing deadlifts, you will not only add mass to these muscles, but also make them much stronger. well and strong legs and the back is the base, without which you simply cannot build up. An inflated back becomes a powerful support for the muscles of the shoulder girdle, which allows them to exert stronger muscle effort. The legs have the same function. They serve as a support. In addition, having a small personal weight, and working weights will be small. Well, which muscle groups provide the most mass? That's right, legs and back!

The deadlift is exactly the exercise that shocks these two muscle groups. Others similar exercises simply doesn't exist. This is why the deadlift takes the athlete to his main goal- a large mass of major muscle groups.

When representatives of sports science began to study the effect of deadlifts on growth muscle mass, we were quite surprised. Since the total weight gain did not fit into the principle of simply adding the growth of two muscle groups. Scientific research has proven that deadlifting causes a record synthesis of testosterone and growth hormone in the body - the main anabolic hormones. From this it follows that deadlifts increase the mass of not only the back and legs, but also the entire muscle mass.

Indeed, if we consider the deadlift from the point of view of kinesiology, it turns out that this exercise consists of as many as 8 movements. These include leg presses, back extensions, leg curls, abdominal crunches, wrist curls, calf raises, rows and shrugs. Quite an impressive list.

Deadlifts feel much heavier than bench presses and squats. This is not at all explained by the fact that almost all muscles are involved in the work. According to scientists, the matter is completely different. For example, when you bench press a barbell, at the start pectoral muscles stretch, allowing them to contract more fully. In the deadlift there is no such preliminary stretching. Hence the whole difficulty of this exercise.

However, as much as deadlift is useful, it is just as dangerous. This exercise requires strict adherence to execution technique. It should also be noted that if you have had lower back injuries in the past, then avoid deadlifting. The thing is that it significantly overloads the lower back, which can only aggravate the injury or lead to its recurrence. In addition, beginners should not immediately jump into deadlifts. The first thing you need to do is strengthen your lower back and... Only after a course of such exercises can you gradually begin deadlifting, starting with small working weights and honing your technique to perfection.

First, you need to understand two fundamental principles: the first is a straight back, and the second is to keep the barbell as close to your legs as possible. The closer it is, the safer the movement will be. It is clear that sliding the bar along the shins is very painful. Therefore, professionals recommend wearing high woolen socks or bandaging your knees and shins.

In general, deadlift - best exercise for pumping up overall muscle mass. This exercise is included in the training plans of all professional bodybuilders. Are you doing deadlifts? The answer to this question will be a true indicator of your motivation. If so, then you are most likely in the right mindset and have a clear vision of your goals. If not, then you probably just don’t understand the meaning of this exercise.

Video on the topic: "Performing deadlifts - high-repetition training"

In this article, I will tell you about a useless exercise for training the back muscles, but the paradox is that this exercise is used by many people as #1 - the deadlift.

One of the most useless exercises for training the back muscles!

It’s just an ancient exercise that’s also ineffective (in terms of back training).

However, many men (and even girls) still use this exercise to this day.

In my opinion, this is a mistake. And now, I will try to explain to you why.

The fact is that deadlift is a very energy-intensive exercise! VERY.

It is very heavy (strength), and if performed properly, it takes all your strength, to such an extent that after it you can’t train your back normally (namely, the necessary parts of it, with other necessary exercises) ...

This is the first point that is very important for you to understand now.

And now the most important thing. Deadlifts don’t do a damn thing in terms of developing the necessary areas of the back (in terms of the back, only the extensors of the back muscles, the pillars, and nothing more are developed).

So it turns out that many people do deadlifts at the beginning of training and thereby:

• They don't train required areas the back as it should (namely, the latissimus dorsi muscles in width and thickness), and, in fact, only the lower back (pillars, extensors) are trained.
• This exercise takes all their strength and energy (and subsequent exercises will not be as effective as they could be - in terms of back training, accordingly, the necessary areas of the back will not receive the proper load, therefore, there will be no further growth of the back either, or there will be but ineffective, not as it could be).

The result is that the back (the latissimus dorsi muscles) does not develop at all or does not develop properly (as it could develop if a person did everything mentally, as it should).

That is why it is not wise (from my point of view) to perform deadlifts, especially as the first exercise, as so many people do due to lack of knowledge.

In the article: I said that if you do a deadlift, it is best at the very end of the workout - the last exercise.

But in general, this question (to do / not to do) is completely individual.

Personally, I don't do this exercise at all. For many years.

Ask yourself a question. What is your goal? Do you want a cool back or what?

If your goal is a massive, wide back, then deadlifting will not help you with this.

It develops the pillars (lower back, extensors), rather than the width and thickness of the back muscles.

It is the well-developed width and thickness of the back muscles that gives our back an impressionable appearance. Understand?

Therefore, the emphasis should be placed on these areas, and not on the pillars (lower back).

Very often they say that the deadlift is a cool exercise, a strength exercise, it trains mega cool everything, and you should definitely use it. But for us (in bodybuilding) it’s important not to lift as much weight as possible, it’s important for us to pump up a specific muscle.

But the deadlift pumps the muscle (back, namely the areas we need) very poorly.

Research and experiments (on this matter) ...

There have long been studies (experiments) on the topic: which exercises are better/worse.

In short, without going into details, measurements were taken of the electrical activity of muscles during work (performing a particular exercise) - this is an indicator of intensity muscle contraction, on the basis of which a conclusion is made about which exercise is effective/less effective, etc.

Here are the results the deadlift showed:

biceps - 25.5 / lats 68.7

For comparison, here are other back exercises and their indicators.

For the width of the back muscles, the best ones are...

Pull-ups wide grip(regular grip)

• biceps - 65.8 / latissimus dorsi - 151.0

Wide grip pull-ups with weights

• biceps – 145 / latissimus dorsi – 167

Reverse grip pull-ups with weights

• biceps - 205.0 / latissimus dorsi - 159.0

Draw your own conclusions. By the way, regarding the last exercise (pull-ups with a reverse grip), we see very strong (good) indicators for both muscle groups (i.e., both BICEPS and BACK (at the same time) develop well), so I recommend taking a closer look at this exercise, because in In this case, we can, so to speak, in one fell swoop - two birds with one stone.

That is, this exercise can greatly relieve your training program. You will no longer need to do countless biceps exercises if you train your back correctly. This is very important/relevant for straight people (people who don’t use doping).

For back thickness, the best ones are...

Bent-over barbell row with a regular grip:

biceps – 75.7 / lats – 140.0

Bent-over barbell row with reverse grip:

biceps – 132.0 / lats – 146.0

One-arm dumbbell row:

biceps – 85.1 / lats – 143.0

I presented data (indicators) from research (testing) which exercises are better/worse, draw your own conclusions, I won’t convince anyone or prove anything = I won’t.

I'm just providing information, and what you do with it is up to you!

You can get the most current and complete information, based on the latest scientific data regarding muscle building (for both men and girls), in my courses:

for men

for girls/women

Congratulations, administrator.

What is the deadlift for? Types of deadlifts. Common mistakes. Choice of equipment. Which is better: barbell or dumbbells? How to replace deadlifts. Deadlift- one of those exercises that load a large number of muscles. So, when performing the classic version, the muscles of the back and legs are pumped. Also, the benefit of this exercise is that it helps to quickly build muscle mass. It is also suitable for weight loss.

Classic version: how to do it

To complete the exercise you need:

1. stand so that the bar is above your foot. Legs - shoulder width apart;
2. perform a partial squat (up to an angle of 45°) and grab the barbell with a comfortable grip. Should be taken at shoulder width;
3. take a deep breath and begin to lift the projectile, keeping your back straight;
4. begin to lower again after the body has already straightened. The lower back is not rounded.

Common mistakes

The deadlift is performed with weight (usually a barbell), so it should be performed with extreme caution. Increasing the weight too quickly, poor warm-up and sudden movements during exercise can lead to a torn lower back. Often the cause of pain is rounding the back while lifting weights. Another cause of pain in lumbar region the grip may become incorrect. It is better to use a classic grip or straps.

If the exercise is done correctly, but severe pain does not disappear, you need to take a photo of the spine and visit an orthopedist. If you have problems with the spine, traction is contraindicated - for example, with scoliosis.

Deadlift (on straight legs)

This exercise requires flexibility, but is suitable for beginner athletes for whom other deadlift options are currently too heavy. This type of exercise is considered ideal for girls: with less load on the spine, it makes it possible to pump up the hips and buttocks separately.

Deadlifts specifically target the gluteus maximus, hips, and back flexion muscles.

To perform the exercise correctly, you need:

1. place your feet narrower than your shoulders. The location of the socks is not important: they can be either parallel or slightly turned out;
2. bring your shoulder blades together, you need to look in front of you. The buttocks are slightly pulled back, which causes a slight arch in the lower back;
3. monitor your breathing: exhale - on the rise, inhale, respectively, is done when the torso is lowered;
4. keep your legs straight. During execution, it is allowed to bend your knees slightly;
5. take the barbell - for example, with an overhand grip. Hands - shoulder width apart;
6. begin to slowly lower the bar. The movement should be directed downwards, the reference point is the middle of the feet: the bar should fall towards them;
7. make sure that the pelvis is pulled back more and more, the lower the bar is;
8. go as low as the stretch allows. Beginners rarely lower the weight below the knee, but with hard training you can stretch the muscles enough to touch the floor with the weights. Moreover, the greater their weight, the easier it is to perform deadlifts;
9. returning to the starting position, feel how the muscles of the lower back and the back of the thigh work;
10. bring your shoulder blades together in the starting position.

Romanian deadlift

It is often confused with deadlifts, but these exercises are different, although the technique for performing them is very similar. Both exercises allow you to pump up your buttocks and make your legs slimmer, which is important for girls.

The main differences between the Romanian version are:

• pelvic position. It is pulled back at the beginning of the movement, and when lifting it, on the contrary, you need to move it forward, squeezing your buttocks;
• touching the floor - or rather, lack thereof. If, when performing the straight leg variation, ideally the plates should touch the floor, then the Romanian deadlift assumes that the lowest point is the middle of the shin.

How long you need to perform this exercise, that is, the standards, depend on the goal.

Target	Number of repetitions	Number of approaches	Optimal weight (from the maximum weight that can be lifted at a time)
Increasing the volume of the buttocks and hamstrings		4-5	70-80%
Improving the relief of the buttocks and posterior thighs	12-20	Depends on the athlete's endurance	50-60%

Sumo deadlift for the pros

Unlike the options described above, this type of deadlift is more complex than the classic one, so only experienced athletes can include it in training. Also, “sumo” is ideal for those who are tall: unlike the “classic”, this exercise makes it possible to increase the weight lifted and reduce the range of motion.

As for the muscles worked, when performing sumo, the muscles of the inner thigh are primarily involved. The load on the buttocks remains, but it is less. In classic traction, the load is distributed in reverse.

The deadlift is done in the same way as the traditional version, but with a different position of the legs: they are spaced wider than the shoulders, and the hips should be turned outward. Actually, this deadlift got its name due to the fact that the initial position is similar to the stance of a sumo wrestler.

To perform a stand, you need:

1. warm up by doing a warm-up;
2. take the starting position;
3. take the bar. The back is straight, but when lifting the barbell it bends slightly in the lumbar region. In this case, the grip can be anything, but the classic one is preferable, since it is the least dangerous;
4. descend. The body should be slightly bent, but the back should be straight and the chest should be directed forward. At correct execution the thighs are parallel to the floor;
5. straighten with effort, the movement is even sharp, the pelvis begins to push forward from the moment the bar is above the knees. At the same moment, it is advisable to bring your shoulder blades together.

The number of repetitions depends on the result the athlete achieves. So, if you want to increase your strength characteristics, it is enough to do three approaches, each with four lifts. “Sumo” should be performed in conjunction with other exercises; if it is the final one in the workout, four approaches should be performed, with the last one using less weight, but with 10-12 repetitions.

If you need to build muscle, then you need to do at least eight repetitions at a time, and it is recommended to gradually increase their number to twelve. When it becomes easy to lift the barbell twelve times, this is an indicator that it’s time to work with heavier weights.

On one leg

Performing deadlifts on one leg has a lot of advantages: it allows you to specifically work the back of the thigh and gluteus maximus muscles, prevents buttock asymmetry, develops coordination and flexibility, and stabilizes knee-joint. In addition, this exercise is a way out for those who want to train their legs, including their buttocks, but for some reason cannot do squats and also have back problems.

The deadlift is not considered very difficult, so even beginners can try it.

1. You need to pick up dumbbells (you should start with small weights) and extend your arms so that the dumbbells are at hip level. One leg is pulled back slightly.
2. As you exhale, you need to move your body forward, while the front leg bends slightly at the knee, and the back leg lifts off the floor and rises higher, the lower the body goes.
3. When the body is parallel to the floor, you need to stay in this position for a few seconds, and then, at the entrance, take the starting position again.

The exercise is performed both with weights and dumbbells, and with a barbell. If you want to use weights for only one arm, you can use the lower block of the simulator.

• the back should be perfectly straight throughout the entire exercise;
• you need to look in front of you;
• lingering at the lowest point, you should forcefully squeeze your buttocks;
• you need to lower yourself at least to parallel with the floor, and if possible, a little lower;
• the heel of the leg being pulled back should stretch upward;
• beginners should try to perform deadlifts without weight, improving coordination, and only after the technique has been worked out, move on to working with weight;
• it is important to monitor your breathing: exhale when the body lowers, inhale when rising;
• 4-5 approaches are enough, but they will bring results if there are at least 15 repetitions in each (their number is gradually increased to 20).

Barbell or dumbbells?

Deadlifts can be performed with either a barbell or dumbbells. The last option is suitable for those who cannot lift heavy weights: beginners, men after injury, girls. You can also use dumbbells or kettlebells if training is carried out at home: not everyone has a barbell; dumbbells are more versatile in this regard.

However, not all types of deadlifts are appropriate to perform with dumbbells. They are ideal for Romanian and deadlifts, as well as single-leg variations, but for more complex variations - classic and sumo - you will still need a barbell.

And one more option - with elastic bands. It is better to take a rubber band for fitness. You need to stand in the middle of the tourniquet with both feet so that it is under the arch of your foot, and hold the ends firmly in your hands (you can wrap it once). The tighter the tourniquet, the greater the load, but in any case it will be less than with a barbell.

The technique of execution does not depend on the projectile; in any case, it remains the same.

Equipment

When performing deadlifts with a barbell, it makes sense to purchase a trap bar. Handles for lifting the barbell will make the exercise easier for those who have mobility problems: you won’t have to bend over much, so the risk of spinal distortion is reduced. It is also easier to lift weights with such a bar, since the athlete is in the center of gravity. But you can get by with a regular barbell.

Those who perform deadlifts with significant weights should purchase an athletic belt, which will make training safer. It fixes the spine and also forces the muscles being worked to contract even more. It should be put on so that it is in the center of the navel, and tightened tightly enough - but so that you can take a deep breath.

It is also contraindicated for those who have hernias.

As for shoes, when working with light weight, regular sneakers will be enough. When performing professional deadlifts, you should purchase special shoes that secure the ankle. Such shoes should be durable and made of genuine leather. Another one important detail- sole: it should be ribbed to prevent slipping (especially important for sumo deadlifts).

Replacing Deadlifts

If it is painful or difficult to do deadlifts even with a small weight, you should first pump up the muscles in another way.

The following exercises can replace deadlifts altogether:

• (both regular and reverse);
• leg press;
• moving your legs back with weights;
• Exercises on a leg curl machine.

Although these exercises are good alternatives, they will not completely replace deadlifting.

The world record for deadlift is 457.5 kilograms. But you don’t have to achieve the same results as masters of sports: even doing deadlifts with minimal load, you can make your body beautiful and athletic.

Which is better, deadlift or squat - basics and relationship

Before we talk about which exercise is better - the basic deadlift or the squat, a little detail about each of them. Let's start with the deadlift.

What you need to know about the deadlift?

I’ll say right away that the deadlift is my favorite exercise, however, I do not deny that it is one of the most risky and may well cause injury, for example, a herniated disc. However, if you dream of building a new and strong body, then after some preparation it is the deadlift that will help you achieve your goal.

Not everyone can afford to do deadlifts, and this is the main feature of the exercise. Only athletes with a truly strong muscle corset can treat themselves to such luxury. If there are problems with the corset, then even perfectly correct technique and relatively light weights will lead to injury. Having a strong muscle corset, even athletes who do not observe the subtleties of technical performance, working with exorbitant weights, will not get injured, and this says a lot. Before you start working on deadlifts, you need to take care of pumping up your back and not vice versa.

Safe, correct deadlift technique involves squeezing your shoulder blades together and pulling your head back. With a competitive opposite squat, you need to release your shoulders and shoulder blades, but do not slouch or hunch your back, which is much more difficult than with retracted shoulder blades, but your arms become longer and you can pull more weights. It’s really better to start working on the exercise this way, with your shoulder blades retracted - following a proven algorithm, but if over time you try to repeat the exercise the way representatives of the world elite do, even with a slightly non-classical technique, it won’t be wrong. Moreover, perhaps new execution options will help you feel more comfortable.

Of course, I don’t encourage you to forget about technique and do deadlifts the way bodybuilding gurus do. I just want to say that technology is relative, but only in the case when you can afford to experiment without fear for your health, that is, having a powerful base. Beginners in the first few years will need to follow step by step instructions and do not violate the algorithm for performing the exercises and only after the body is prepared to try to introduce something new into the exercise.

Many people believe that regularly performing deadlifts leads to a larger waist. As a person who personal experience I checked this, I hasten to answer you - it is not true. At one time, when my best sumo deadlift performance was 225 kilograms, I decided to check whether the deadlift would really affect the width of my waist. For six months I did the exercise, as a result I was able to increase the figure to 250 kilograms. As for the waist, after measurements it turned out that it had not increased.

Summarizing all of the above about deadlifts, we note the following:

1. Beginning athletes should do the exercise only with light weights and only after six months or a year of active work in the gym on exercises aimed at strengthening the muscular corset.
2. At first, you need to work only following the traditional technique of performing the deadlift, and only after a year has passed, experiments are allowed.
3. Sumo-style deadlifts help you lift heavier weights, but you'll need to try them out in practice to understand how well this option works for you.
4. Deadlifts do not promote a wider waist.
5. Deadlifts cannot be performed by thin guys with weak backs and novice athletes due to the high risk of injury.

To start working on their core, skinny guys will need to gain mass without farming, sticking to proper nutrition and following a training regimen. Effective program can be considered only if it brings results - it will contribute to the growth of muscle mass.

Barbell Squats - Basics

Squats with a barbell in strength sports are considered a basic exercise. It can be found in the training program for athletes in almost any sport. Skiers, sprinters, wrestlers and even track and field athletes do squats with a barbell. In every sport where you need to be fast, jumping and strong, barbell squats are truly a necessity.

Squats are considered one of the most suitable exercises for gaining mass and strength throughout the body. Naturally, the main load falls on the lower part of the body - the legs and back.

During squats, several muscle groups and joints work at once, so the exercise is considered multi-joint. The work involves the knee, hip, and ankle joints, acting in concert. Different variations of the exercise help to shift the load on certain muscles in the lower body, but each of them in one way or another involves the quadriceps. The hamstrings and calf muscles act as stabilizers during barbell squats; the abdominal muscles and back extensors also work.

The benefits of squats include the following:

• exercise promotes enhanced functioning of the endocrine system, which leads to the release of testosterone;
• correct squats create a general strengthening effect;
• the exercise is available in different variations;
• Squats are easy to perform and do not require years of experience.

Now that you know what a deadlift is and why squats are performed, you can return to the question of what is better - a squat or a deadlift.

Relationship between exercises

I would like to note right away that it is impossible to single out the best of these two exercises. They are interconnected and inseparable, except that in some cases they can be replaced by alternative ones. So, to understand the similarities between the exercises, let’s start with the biomechanical essence. Deadlifts and squats turn out to be identical from a biomechanical point of view. In both versions, the basis of the exercise is bending and straightening the knees. The only difference is that when performing squats, the barbell is mostly held on the back, and during deadlifts, it is held in the hands. This is the fundamental factor regarding the involvement of the leg and back muscles in work.

When performing a deadlift, the result is 60% dependent on the back and the remaining 40% on the legs, while in squats the opposite is true. From this it is worth concluding that both legs and back play a decisive role in both exercises to one degree or another. Thus, by working on your legs, you can increase your deadlift performance, and vice versa, by training your back during the deadlift, you can increase your performance during squats.

It is very important to understand this relationship and accept that without squats with a barbell you will not be able to pull much and, conversely, without a deadlift, you are unlikely to handle serious weights during squats, since your back simply will not be ready for this.

Traditionally, the difference between squats and deadlifts should be 15% in favor of the latter. That is, if you can deadlift 200 kilograms, then you can squat 170 kilograms. But these are averages.

For athletes whose leg or back muscles are behind in development, the imbalance can be corrected by varying the percentage difference between the deadlift and squat weights. So, for example, if you deadlift 200 kilograms, and can squat 140 kilograms, then it is clear that your legs are lagging behind and in order to improve your deadlift you need to focus on your legs, actively working on your squats.

The same is true with squats. If you can squat with the same weight as you can pull, then the back in this case is lagging behind. It will be possible to increase your performance only by working on your deadlift, strengthening your back, and reducing the emphasis on squats. The larger and more noticeable the imbalance, the more attention will need to be focused on developing the lagging muscles through squats or deadlifts.

In conclusion, we note that the deadlift and squat are interrelated exercises that will help develop strength and power and make the body harmonious. Beginning athletes tend to have weaker legs than their backs, so they need to focus on squats.

Experienced athletes are allowed to work on increasing the performance of their legs and back by performing exercises one at a time. Remember one thing - if there are no serious contraindications, then you cannot ignore the deadlift while working on squats and vice versa. This will only lead to worse results and injuries. Do the exercises together or don’t do any of them, since they are one whole and choosing which is better, deadlifting or squatting, in this case is incorrect.