Deadlift for back muscles: how to, muscles worked, benefits

How to do deadlift for back muscles? (Photo via Alora Griffiths/Unsplash)
How to do deadlift for back muscles? (Photo via Alora Griffiths/Unsplash)

Have you considered doing a deadlift for your back muscles? Well, deadlifts are one of the compound exercises that target several muscle groups in the lower body.

Some of the muscle groups include glutes, hamstrings, quads, hamstrings, and even the lower back. It’s an excellent exercise that helps with building size and strength of the lower body.


How to deadlift for back muscles?

Deadlift (Photo via Anastase Maragos/Unsplash)
Deadlift (Photo via Anastase Maragos/Unsplash)

Before diving deeper into the deadlift for back muscles, here are the steps that you should follow to perform the deadlift.

To perform a deadlift for the back, follow these steps:

1) Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and the barbell on the floor in front of you.

2) Go down in a squat and hold the bar using an overhand grip, and keep your hands wider than shoulder-width.

3) Keep your back straight and chest up, and lift the bar off the floor by straightening your legs and driving your hips forward.

4) Your arms should be extended and your shoulders should be pulled backwards during the movement.

5) Pause briefly at the top of the lift, then slowly lower the bar back down to the floor.

6) Repeat for the desired number of reps.


Do deadlifts work back muscles?

Deadlift (Photo via Anastase Maragos/Unsplash)
Deadlift (Photo via Anastase Maragos/Unsplash)

As you’ll notice, most of the exercise involves the movement of your lower body, so where do the back muscles plug-in during this exercise?

During deadlifts, the back muscles contract isometrically to ensure the spine maintains a neutral position. Furthermore, the lower back muscles engage during the exercise and provide the required strength to keep your upper body stable during the exercise.

However, to ensure that the deadlift for back muscles is working, you need to perform the exercise using the proper form. Without it, you’ll not be able to maximize the benefits.

The best way to begin doing a deadlift for back muscles is to use a lightweight, correct your form, and move to heavier weights as you become stronger.


How to target the lower back with deadlifts?

To specifically do a deadlift for lower back muscles during the deadlift, you can also try variations such as the Romanian deadlift or the stiff-legged deadlift. These exercises emphasize the eccentric (lowering) phase of the lift, which can help to strengthen the lower back muscles and improve your overall lifting mechanics.


What is a roundback deadlift?

Deadlift for back muscles (Photo via Victor Freitas/Unsplash)
Deadlift for back muscles (Photo via Victor Freitas/Unsplash)

Usually, deadlifts for back muscles or deadlifts, in general, require you to keep your back straight. A rounded back can result in spinal or muscle injuries, and that will prevent you from doing any exercise at all.

But there is a roundback deadlift variation in which the lifter intentionally keeps the upper back rounded. This is a technique that is mostly used by powerlifters to target certain specific muscle groups and to lift heavier weights.

It's important to note that a roundback deadlift can put excessive stress on the spine and increase the risk of injury, especially if proper form is not maintained. In general, a neutral spine position is recommended during deadlifts and other heavy lifting exercises to protect the back and prevent injury.

If you're interested in incorporating the roundback deadlift into your training, it's important to do so gradually and under the guidance of a qualified coach or trainer. You should also ensure that you have good mobility and flexibility in your spine and hips before attempting this technique.

Always start with a lighter weight and focus on using proper form and technique, and consider working your way up to heavier weights with progressive overload as your form improves and your strength increases.


What are the benefits of deadlift?

An important aspect of knowing the deadlift for back muscles is to know the benefits of the same. The more you understand the benefits, the more you’ll know why it’s an important exercise for the list.

Here are some of the benefits of deadlift:

It helps with building strength and adding muscle mass to the lower body.

Deadlifts help with improving posture and balance since the core muscles engage for stability during the exercise.

You can improve grip strength during the exercise since you’ll have to hold a heavy barbell along with added weights.

Deadlifts are high-intensity exercises that can raise your head rate and boost your cardiovascular health.

The exercise is a weight-bearing exercise that results in improved bone density and reduces the risk of osteoporosis.

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