The deadlift is one of the best exercises for both the power and strength athlete as well as the recovering patient in rehab. Not only can the lift be progressively overloaded for a proper training/rehab stimulus, but most importantly, it gives individuals the confidence that they CAN, in fact, lift heavy objects off the floor and combats the notion that "the back is inherently fragile". I mean, if the back was so fragile could it withstand the forces from a world-record 501kg (1104.5lbs) deadlift set by Hafpor Julius Bjornsson, better known as "The Mountain" from the Game of Thrones!?
Yes, we are all not built like a strongman, but that doesn't mean that our inherent anatomy precludes us from picking up heavy objects off the floor aka deadlifting. Every individual can and should be able to bend over and pick up an object off the floor. Think about how many times you have help move furniture, open a garage door, or help a buddy lift an object.
Failing to warm up properly before deadlifting is the biggest mistake one can make in the gym, especially when lifting heavier loads. Injuries happen when our body tissues are not prepared for the loads applied to them. In this video, we're going to go over deadlift warmup essentials to make sure you are prepared and ready to lift some furniture with a friend and hit a new PR in the gym!
When it comes to deadlift warmup essentials, we must prepare our bodies to handle the stresses placed on it. In particular, the 3 essentials to any deadlift warmup must include:
- Segmental mobility and exposure to end ranges of flexion/extension
- Nerve mobility and exposure to end ranges of nerve excursion/tension
- An active warmup to expose the muscles, tendons, ligaments, and fascia to progressive loads!
