Elite Physique The New Science of Building a Better Body

DEADLIFT VARIATIONS
DEADLIFTS
You won’t find a better exercise for building strength and mass in the extensor chain.
The deadlift helps young athletes become better athletes and power athletes become
more powerful. Moreover, the variations give you many ways to get stronger without
increasing the risk of injury.
I recommend the double-overhand grip for deadlifts. Some athletes prefer the mixed
grip, usually because it allows them to train with the heaviest possible loads. They’re
right about the effect of a mixed grip; that’s why competitive powerlifters use it. But for
strength and conditioning, when the goal is to develop a range of qualities that translate
to better performance, the mixed grip has two major drawbacks. First, there’s the risk
of muscle imbalances. Over time, the shoulder on the overhand side can lose some of
its ability to externally rotate, while the forearm on that side can lose range of motion
in supination. Second, the biceps on the underhand side absorbs excessive stress
due to the near-maximal loads typically lifted with a mixed grip. And of course that
stress is uneven, since the biceps on the overhand side isn’t challenged in the same
way. That’s why I recommend using the double-overhand grip 100 percent of the time.
MUSCLES WORKED:
glutes
hamstrings
quadriceps
extensors of the lower and middle back
latissimus dorsi
trapezius
stabilizing muscles of the core and hips
biceps
gripping muscles of the forearms
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