Deadlift for women: options and technique for correct execution, main mistakes, contraindications

Girls have long ceased to be afraid to perform basic exercises and consider them traditionally masculine. The development of fitness and the popularization of bodybuilding have proven that performing complex multi-joint exercises with a barbell does not make girls masculine, but, on the contrary, gives the silhouette a sporty and feminine look. Of course, everything has its limits. One of the “three pillars” of the base is the deadlift, which came to the gym from weightlifting. As for the effect of cravings on the female body, let's take a closer look.

The benefits of deadlift exercise for girls

Like squats, deadlifts develop leg muscles, namely the glutes and quadriceps. Using the right weight and range of motion, you can give your buttocks and hips rounded and feminine shapes.
The deadlift is an energy-consuming exercise, as it involves most of the muscle groups of the body. Thanks to this, metabolism accelerates, more energy is consumed, the body becomes toned and more prominent.
Basic exercises strengthen muscles and ligaments, making other exercises easier to perform and the muscles respond better to the load.
The body as a whole becomes more resilient.

Difference between deadlift and deadlift

The purpose of the deadlift exercise was described above, but it is completely similar to that for the deadlift. What is the difference between them?

Most athletes often confuse these exercises and, speaking about one type, describe the technique of performing another. The reason for this confusion is not only that in both types of exercise the final position of the athlete with the barbell is the same, but also the influence of foreign literature, where the deadlift is called the classic deadlift.

The difference between these exercises is simple: the deadlift is performed from an initial position in which the athlete’s legs are bent at the knees by a significant amount. In the case of deadlifts, the knees are straight (in reality they are bent by 1-3o). This difference in the initial phase of the exercise leads to different techniques for performing it and, as a consequence, different muscle groups that are involved in the work.

Disadvantages for girls

In addition to the lower body, the deadlift primarily targets the latissimus dorsi muscles. When working with heavy weights, especially when the amplitude of movement is small - the pelvis at the lowest point is above the knees, the back works harder than the legs. Therefore, this fact is worth taking into account.
The lower back is subjected to heavy load, which must be stabilized by the abdominal and back muscles. But, despite stabilization, the heavy weight of the load negatively affects the lumbar region, so over time pain may be felt and even spinal diseases may develop. And an athletic belt is not the answer.
In addition to the back muscles, with a heavy load, the quadriceps develop greatly, and this can significantly affect the appearance. Sometimes, one basic exercise is not enough to work out the buttocks, so additional exercises come to the rescue. Or similar exercises are selected, but without emphasis on the latissimus muscles and quadriceps. We'll talk more about this below.
The reproductive system is also at risk, which can negatively affect the functions of the pelvic organs. It is also not recommended to perform the exercise during menstruation.

Recommendations

If, when performing any type of deadlift, a feeling of discomfort occurs, the lower back, knees and hip joints begin to hurt, the training should be stopped immediately. People who have problems with the musculoskeletal system need to approach this type of training with caution. The same applies to varicose veins, chronic fatigue and other diseases.

The lumbar region is subjected to the greatest load when performing deadlifts. Therefore, you cannot violate the recommended technique. For lower back pain, such exercises are generally contraindicated.

Particular attention is paid to breathing when performing deadlifts. When tense, you need to inhale. When relaxing, exhale. The breathing technique should be brought to automaticity.

Any deadlift exercise with dumbbells or a barbell for girls is traumatic. Therefore, the technique should be followed with special attention. In some cases, it is better to wear a belt to be on the safe side.

Deadlift technique for girls

Let's consider a version of the classic deadlift with a barbell:

Place the barbell on the floor. Place your feet in the center of the bar, hip-width apart, bend your knees, tilt your torso with your back straight, and grab the bar with an overhand grip, placing your palms shoulder-width apart.
Next, lift the bar off the floor and rise up, straightening your knees and not rounding your spine.
Starting position – standing, arms freely lowered with the barbell.
Inhale: Bend your torso, pushing your pelvis back and bending your knees until the bar touches the floor. The body weight is transferred to the heels. Don’t try to squat as low as possible; the main movement here is tilting.
Exhale: use the strength of your back muscles to lift the barbell off the floor and at the same time straighten your knees using the efforts of your extensor muscles. At the top point, fully straighten your joints without bending backwards.

Effectiveness factors

The most important factor that determines how effective the deadlift will be is the execution technique. The videos will help you understand the main points of this exercise, but ideally it is better to seek help from a professional instructor. A specialist will help you understand all the important nuances and develop the technique. Having mastered the rules of performing deadlifts, in the future you will be able to successfully practice on your own. This is extremely important, as performing the deadlift incorrectly can lead to serious injury. Among the gross mistakes that beginners usually make are the following:

back bending. Throughout the entire execution process, the back should remain straight. Bending is the path to sprains, dislocations of the vertebrae and the formation of an intervertebral hernia;
falling back. At the top point you cannot lean back. This creates an increased load on the lower back, which can cause pinched nerves, the formation of hernias, and compression fractures;
different grip. This feature is characteristic of the sumo technique. But you shouldn’t use it too often, as it causes over-tension of the shoulder joints and biceps ligaments.

People with dysfunctions of the musculoskeletal system, scoliosis, intervertebral hernias, compressions, protrusions, problems with joints, heart, and blood vessels should not engage in deadlifting.

Deadlift technique options for girls

For those who have flexible muscles in the back of the thighs, you can perform deadlifts on a hill, thereby increasing the amplitude and lowering the thighs parallel to the floor. Therefore, the leg muscles will be the first to start working. This means that the buttocks will develop better from this exercise.

But not only the classic version will allow you to achieve beautiful shapes, let's look at some variations.

Romanian deadlift for girls

If you choose from the list of proposed exercises for girls, I would advise you to choose the Romanian deadlift for the reason that the exercise develops the back surface of the body, including the hamstrings and glutes, not including the quadriceps. This is a great exercise that harmonizes with squats and can be performed with either a barbell or dumbbells.

Lift the barbell from the floor with a flat back or remove it from the racks, grasping the bar from above, shoulder width apart.
Place your feet hip-width apart and hold the barbell loosely in straight arms.
As you inhale, tilt your torso forward while simultaneously moving your pelvis back, slightly bending your knees. Place your body weight on your heels, feeling the stretch in your hamstrings. It is important not to confuse bending over with squats.
As you exhale, use your buttocks and lower back to straighten your torso and straighten up completely.

Read more about the Romanian deadlift →

Dumbbell deadlift for women

This option is performed similarly to the barbell exercise. But the load with dumbbells significantly relieves the pressure on the lumbar region. The correct weight and amplitude will help strengthen the leg muscles without developing the lats as much as the barbell.

Sumo style deadlift

There is also a sumo-style option - wide foot placement. In this option, the adductor muscles of the thigh and gluteal muscles are subjected to the greatest load. Of course, every exercise has its disadvantages. It is this option that greatly develops the adductor surfaces of the thigh, and this is also undesirable for women. Therefore, it is best to alternate options.

What is the danger?

Exercise will cause harm, not benefit, if you make two main mistakes:

Do not follow the deadlift technique for girls.
Do not perform preliminary preparation (warm-up) of muscles.

Violation of execution technique

Whatever option you choose to perform the exercise (and there are several varieties), it is important to know how to properly perform deadlifts for girls so that the load falls on the desired muscles, and not on the lower back.

No rounded back! It should be straight and slightly tense.

With this position of the back, the entire load when straightening the body will go to the muscles of the legs and buttocks, which is what we need.
If you round your back, you will transfer the entire load to your lower back. Even if you don’t feel pain in the gym, you definitely can’t avoid microtraumas.

An improperly performed deadlift, in which all the stress is placed on the back rather than on the legs and buttocks, causes a sprain. This damages the vertebrae. As a result of this, they become loose, which subsequently leads to the appearance of hernias, prolapse of vertebrae, protrusions and other problems with the spine.

Warming up is required!

Remember the following rule: before performing this exercise, you must warm up and warm up your muscles!

Warm-up can be anything:

You can start with a treadmill, exercise bike, or jumping rope. 10 - 12 minutes is enough.
Then you need to perform stretching exercises, paying special attention to the muscles of the buttocks, hamstrings, lower back, shoulder girdle and neck.
After this, it is necessary to perform a targeted warm-up with a gradual increase in load. Your trainer should calculate the working weight for you, taking into account your level of training, your own weight and the anatomical structure of your body.

The first approach is 5 repetitions with the bar without weights.
The second approach is 5 repetitions with 50% of the load weight of your maximum weight.
The third approach is 3 repetitions with a 75% load.
The fourth approach is 2 repetitions with a 90% load.
The main approach is up to 10 repetitions with the working weight of the day.

Thus, sympaty.net advises girls to start doing deadlifts under the supervision of a professional trainer in order to properly study the technique. It’s not worth mindlessly loading the barbell with weights to increase the load and make the exercise more effective.

Recommendations: how to do deadlifts correctly for girls

Select the weight of the load relative to your physical capabilities and goals. If you are not going to set a women's deadlift record, work with a light weight and with sufficient amplitude - lowering your pelvis to the level of your knees.
Work in 12-15 repetitions for 3-4 sets.
Alternate exercise options, for example, do the classic version one week, and sumo the second. This way the muscles will develop harmoniously, without “extra” accents.
It is enough to perform the deadlift once a week, combining it with squats and other leg exercises. Read more about leg exercises for girls in the gym →
If deadlifts cause discomfort in the lower back, replace the option with Romanian deadlifts with dumbbells.

Common Mistakes

If the exercise is performed using the correct technique, it will not cause any harm. The most important thing is to follow all the necessary rules.

However, beginners often make some mistakes that can cause injury:

Neglecting warm-up. Any workout should begin with a warm-up - this is the rule! Initially, minimal weight is used to prepare the muscles and joints. Only after this can you increase the load.
The technique of performing deadlifts on straight legs with a barbell for girls involves the use of significant weight. However, it should not be excessive. Take the weight so that you can perform 3-4 sets of 15-20 reps. In this case, tension should be felt in the muscles, but not pain.
Slouching and a rounded lower back are the main violations when performing deadlifts of any kind. If you can’t keep your back straight and your shoulder blades brought together, then you need to reduce the weight. It might be worth replacing the barbell with dumbbells.
Another violation is the removal of the shoulders back and a strong arch at the top of the lower back. This is very dangerous for your back. Pulling your shoulders back is associated with injuries to joints, ligaments and muscles. Therefore, at the top point you need to stand straight, bringing your shoulder blades together. The knees should also be straight.
When performing deadlifts, you should not bend your elbows. They should always remain straight, hanging down under the weight of the barbell or dumbbells. Only the hands and shoulders should work.
Sudden movements when performing traction exercises are prohibited! All movements must be smooth. Sudden jumps are fraught with injury.

At what stage of the exercise do the buttocks work?

From a physiological point of view, the gluteal muscles contract throughout the entire exercise, but the load placed on them is uneven. So, in the initial stage, the quadriceps are mainly involved. When other muscles begin to connect, the load on the butt muscles increases.

The deadlift for the buttocks maximally loads the latter in the final phase of the exercise, that is, when the bar approaches waist level. It is important to remember this and strain your buttocks as much as possible at the final stage. If you do not pay due attention to what has been said, then the load is redistributed in favor of the back muscles, which is undesirable not only from an aesthetic point of view (a girl wants to pump up her butt, not her back), but also from a safety point of view (any additional load on the spine is harmful ).

Options[edit | edit code]

Bend your legs as you lower the weight, or keep them almost straight throughout the exercise. The latter option more actively engages the posterior thigh muscles.

By changing the position of your legs, you can vary your range of motion. Narrow foot placement increases range of motion. You will have to lean forward more, which will place more stress on the lumbar intervertebral discs and lower back muscles. Wide stance of the legs reduces the range of motion, allowing you to keep your back straighter throughout the exercise.

Free weights or machines?

There are more and more deadlift machines available. If you don't have one, you can do this exercise on a Smith machine. It is much easier to work on the simulator, since the trajectory of movement is set and you do not need to keep the weight in balance. This reduces the risk of injury and poor technique due to fatigue. Therefore, it is safer for beginners to exercise on the simulator.

deadlift options