Deadlifts overrated

T

TREBOR

Elite Member
Anyone else think deads are overrated as a back builder,i dropped them over a year ago as the only thing that was growing from them was my obliques,routine now is based around different types of rowing,pulldowns and cable work,my back development is better now than it was while including deads.


Yet reading around different training boards you see deads been recommended as the miracale exercise for back development,as an example read a thread were a lad was asking for suggestions on how to work his lats and he was told off several people to start doing deads.


An argument you often hear for doing deads is that powerlifters have big backs and they only deadlift but there are plenty of examples of lads who are pulling some pretty impressive poundages yet have poor back development and it seems that most of the powerlifting lads also include direct Back work in the form of heavy rowing or chins as strong lats are important for benching.


Whats everyones thoughts anyone else dropped deadlifting has it affected your back development.
 
most PL'ers also do chins from what ive seen. Deads for me work my traps, glutes, legs and lower back. Never has it ever worked my lats. Only since really going to absolute failure on wide grip chins (slightly wider than shoulder width) has my back come on, quite quickly too i may add


I love deadlifting almost as i do squatting, but for BB'ing there are more suitable exercises. Hypers work my lower back more than deads so im doing those now vs all out deaflifting as i have weak parts of my chain
 
I think deads are good myself but only as part of a well structured back workout.


for me, the problem with deads is that you can adjust the way in which you lift too easily to play to any shortcommings (if that makes sense??).


id never say deads were the best and only back exercise but i would say they should be included.
 
Carn't get the p1ssing quote think to work.


Eddie agree with you,the lats have next to no involvement in a deadlift,its mainly erectors glutes hams,traps do some of the work but for me lower back gets worked from squatting,overhead pressing and bentover rowing,traps get hit from overhead pressing,shrugs and rows.


Andy 'but i would say they should be included' often see that type of comment why do you think they should be included?


erekose i used to have the same problem if i deadlifted first used to leave me knacked to do justice to the rest of the session,ended up doing them last.
 
i really enjoy deadlifts, i'd say its my favourite exercise and after coming back from not being able to do them and squats for nearly 8 months the growth and strenght increase i got from doing them both was great.


i dont think its needed at all though, a muscle can be worked in many ways, but in terms of a good all over exercise that will promote all over growth its pretty hard to beat.


i'd suggest everyone to deadlift in their 1st 2-3 years of training.


deads, chins, rows is all thats needed in this time frame imo for bringing your back development up, thats when you change things around, once it no longer works.
 
Agree with what your saying Bid D it works a lot of muscle groups and will help you grow as a whole,my point is simply its not that great of a back exercise as a lot try to make out,bentover rows and chins will build more size than deads will imo.
 
TREBOR said:
Anyone else think deads are overrated as a back builder,i dropped them over a year ago as the only thing that was growing from them was my obliques,routine now is based around different types of rowing,pulldowns and cable work,my back development is better now than it was while including deads.

Yet reading around different training boards you see deads been recommended as the miracale exercise for back development,as an example read a thread were a lad was asking for suggestions on how to work his lats and he was told off several people to start doing deads.


An argument you often hear for doing deads is that powerlifters have big backs and they only deadlift but there are plenty of examples of lads who are pulling some pretty impressive poundages yet have poor back development and it seems that most of the powerlifting lads also include direct Back work in the form of heavy rowing or chins as strong lats are important for benching.


Whats everyones thoughts anyone else dropped deadlifting has it affected your back development.
Click to expand...

Agree.


Like you said it thickens things you dont want thickened.
 
One of my fav exercises although I don't do them every back session anymore. I find that my traps get out of proportion.
 
Slightly overated, btu way over emphasised IMHO.


I'd also agree you can build back easly with other things like DB rows, BB rows, Cable Rows, Seated Rows and Lat Pull Downs etc
 
i class deadlift as an exersise for core and legs mainly but when i first incorporated them into my routine i had serious DOMS in my arms and back so thay must be doing some part of the upper back that you cant hit with chins and rows
 
I use them every now and then to mix up a back session, however normally my back days have a rowing exercise, chins, and rear delts in them.
 
i dropped them loooong time ago and never looked back.


my back is growing at a good rate and i haven't had any injuries so i'm sticking with this.


most under rated is any bent rowing with a barbell
 
My hamstring's burn when I deadlift. Also my traps take a hammering.


But I'm not convinced Im doing them properly.


As to how much difference they make to my back development, I cant be sure TBH.


But I do realy like them as a movement.
 
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I like them as a full body lift, i get more leg development off deadlifts than i ever got from squats.


I like them for thickening the spinal erectors which i think are really important in having a nice back.
 
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