Dead lifts

I’ve never fancied deadlifts.

It’s a great functional exercise. It’s also technically demanding. And activates a lot of major muscle groups.

But I think a bigger reason for its growing popularity may be the fact that it’s very photogenic. Or that it gives a strong ego boost due to high weights and personal records.

But deadlifts are also tough to get right. When the form is messed up, you’re at a higher risk of injuries. 

Simply put, it doesn’t quite match up in terms of a risk:reward ratio. 

For a professional, it’s a great exercise. Even a necessity. 

But for most folks chasing fitness, longevity, even aesthetics, there are better alternatives. Ones that give almost as good gains as a deadlift, but with much lower risk. 

Some variants of it, the trap bar deadlift, or sumo or Romanian deadlifts, work almost as well with a lesser risk.

As posted on LinkedIn.