Deadlifts

[FitnessBrat]

Any of you ladies deadlift?

[ROCKILLER]

I was just talking to my girl about this last night. She used to go to a gym when she was younger before she had a job and college and all. Now she works out at home and I tell her it would be good for her to lift weights. She says she doesnt want big muscles like I do but I was actually showing her deads yesterday and how if you do them a certain way they really hit the glutes/hams.

[xxxkazxxx]

Originally Posted by FitnessBrat

Any of you ladies deadlift?

Sure do FB. They are my favourite. & I always do them in the corner with my arse against the wall. I have a HUGE fear of my pants splitting. No-one needs to see that!

[FitnessBrat]

Originally Posted by xxxkazxxx

Sure do FB. They are my favourite. & I always do them in the corner with my arse against the wall. I have a HUGE fear of my pants splitting. No-one needs to see that!

Traditional, off the floor deads, right? That's cool. I don't do them right now, but I think I'm gonna start.

[xxxkazxxx]

Originally Posted by FitnessBrat

Traditional, off the floor deads, right? That's cool. I don't do them right now, but I think I'm gonna start.

Ummmmmm. Now i'm gonna get confused, cause I didnt know there was any other kind of deadlifts than the ones I do. But I'm up for some education

I just did a google search for some images. Will help to say I don't use a box or any rack machine? Just me, the floor & the barbell.

[beefcake]

Are you talking about stiff legged or bent legged deads? I'm sure most women are more into the stiff leg ones.

[xxxkazxxx]

Originally Posted by beefcake

Are you talking about stiff legged or bent legged deads? I'm sure most women are more into the stiff leg ones.

I don't bend my knees. What are the advantages of bent legged DL's?

[beefcake]

Originally Posted by xxxkazxxx

I don't bend my knees. What are the advantages of bent legged DL's?

Bending your knees is for more emphasis on your lats and lower back. Keeping a slight bend in the knees, as in stiff legged, puts more emphasis on the glutes and hams.

[xxxkazxxx]

Originally Posted by beefcake

Bending your knees is for more emphasis on your lats and lower back. Keeping a slight bend in the knees, as in stiff legged, puts more emphasis on the glutes and hams.

So does that mean its okay to do Stiff legged DL's on Ham days, and Bent legged one's on back day?

[redsquirrel]

Yes, and yes.

Bent legged ones are more for people who want to add mass around their core and back. I've never done them...mostly men do them. Stiff legged ones are great for hams and glutes.

[FitnessBrat]

Right, most women don't do bent legged ones for back, that's why I was curious if anyone here does. I do stiff legged for hams/glutes as well. Actually there aren't even many men in my gym that do bent legged deads!

[xxxkazxxx]

So bent legged ones, you bend your knees, and what i have read by doing google search is that you place your hands further apart to target the back area?

I sometimes do bent over rows, it sounds pretty much like that. I bend at the knees, and adjust my arm width to wherever i wish to target and pull. Is it the same sort of thing?

[fog_hat1981]

Hope this helps - the website in the following link is also a good place to see other exercises - they are organized by the muscle groups they target.

Standard Deadlift -

http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/...BDeadlift.html

Stiff Legged Deadlift (for Glutes/Hams etc) -

http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/...gDeadlift.html

Bent Over Rows -

http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/...ntOverRow.html

[redsquirrel]

Originally Posted by xxxkazxxx

So bent legged ones, you bend your knees, and what i have read by doing google search is that you place your hands further apart to target the back area?

I sometimes do bent over rows, it sounds pretty much like that. I bend at the knees, and adjust my arm width to wherever i wish to target and pull. Is it the same sort of thing?

Again, kaz- only men do bent deads....The only women who do them on a continuous basis are female power lifters...And only because that's one of their events in power lifting. It can really add thickness to the midsection, and I don't think you want that. Bent over rows w/ BB or Db are just fine for adding some depth to the back.

[dreamgirl]

I do dead lifts with straight legs on a box... they make my legs soooo sore the next day.

[TankGirl]

i am not a powerlifter, but i do traditional deadlifts...
and i also do stiff legged deads.
i want to strengthen up my lower back...it doesn't just hit the lower back, but the glutes and the quads and the hammies too.
they are a really underrated exercise for women, in my opinion.
i love em.

[redsquirrel]

Originally Posted by TankGirl

i am not a powerlifter, but i do traditional deadlifts...
and i also do stiff legged deads.
i want to strengthen up my lower back...it doesn't just hit the lower back, but the glutes and the quads and the hammies too.
they are a really underrated exercise for women, in my opinion.
i love em.

IMHO, if you are not a powerlifter, you should NOT be doing standard dead lifts. They will for sure give you a thicker midsection, and an overall broader appearance to your physique; which I don't think any woman wants. Standard deads put serious strain on the nervous system, and a female's body....especially if you're not a power lifter

Stiff legged deads are just fine for strengthening your lower back if you're doing them correctly.

[TankGirl]

Standard deads put serious strain on the nervous system, and a female's body....especially if you're not a power lifter

i wasn't aware of this...
how does it strain the nervous system?

[redsquirrel]

Because you're using so many muscles in the body at once. You have core muscles, back muscles and leg muscles all being used at the same time.

Any workout will tax the nervous system. I've always adhered to the school of thought not to do 2 major bodyparts during the same workout...because your recovery chances and time is seriously diminished because you have now abused 2 major muscle groups. When you do a major, and a secondary, your recovery time is much less.

[TankGirl]

oh well.
i guess my body will just have to get used to the strain then, won't it!
its only once every two weeks i do traditional deads (i alternate them with stiff legged deads)