deadlifts

[muscledog95]

When people say deadlifts work the back are they talking about the lower back? I dont see how it would hit your lats.


thanks

 

[sysopt]

The erectors are hit the hardest, but it does the whole back.

 

[needsize]

If you dont think they hit the lats, try this experiment, see how much you can pull down or chin in a workout where you don't deadlift. Next week, do heavy deadlifts first, then chin. When I first started deadlifting I went from chinning my bodyweight plus a 45lb plate for sets, to barely being able to chin my own weight. Nothing fucks over your entire back like deadlifts.

 

[Belial]

They don't hit the lats particularly hard. The lats are used primarily for shoulder adduction/extension and scapular adduction/depression.

Deads hit primarily the following:

Quads
Hammies
Glutes
Lower back (spinal erectors)
Traps
Rhomboids

Forearms, delts, and biceps are also worked isometrically on the grip.

Your suffering chins would be due to strain on the forearm, the biceps, the rhomboids, overall body fatigue, etc. After I deadlift I can hardly drag my sorry ass to the car, let alone do some chins.

 

[BodybuildingUniverse]

Your back will thicken up although I agree the lats themselves arent hit that hard directly. BUT, pair them up with some barbell rows and wella! - big ole back!

 

[KillerLoop]

Did deads out of the rack today and felt it in my lats. I always tense my lats real hard to keep my back straight and it seems to recruit them for me.

 

[gymtime]

So just to clarify, you want to keep your back arched while doing deads, not bowed, correct?

 

[BodybuildingUniverse]

Keep it arched as best you can (the weight will certainly fight you on this) and try not to round it on the way up. Lots of backs hurt with a round back. Try to treat the deadlift as a squat of sorts with your arm serving as hooks.

Hope this helps.

 

[gymtime]

OK cool, that's what I thought. Although I have seen some guys bend completely over on their deads as if they're picking something up. Just watching that is painful.

 

[Robboe]

Yeah, lats are stabilisers.

Don't do deads expecting a good lat workout compared to chins for instance.