Deadlift – A 9-year old can lift you, and then some. Your Turn.
Recently, a nine-year-old, a child really, just deadlifted double his weight, 230 pounds. He broke the record for his age and weight class.
How much is 230 pounds?
- 33 gallons of milk or
- 46 bags of flour or
- 56 packages of sugar or
- A grown man holding four gallons of milk
Yep, a lot. Yep, Impressive.
(Wait umm, what is a deadlift?)
In simple terms, you bend over, hold the barbell, & stand up.
Simple, right?
- Not so quick, this one movement engages a plethora of muscles, not to mention your nervous system lights up like an illuminated Griswald Christmas tree.
- They call this a complex movement as it requires strength in your grip, core, legs, butt, lower back, & upper back.
More importantly, this kid-wonder brings awareness to a movement called “deadlift.”
Should you incorporate it into your workout?
- ThePTC calls it the best exercise of all time and gives 55 reasons.
- Not only useful in life, but it also strengthens the muscles you use every day. – Oxygen Mag
- It is a hinge & pull movement. It is two of six foundational movements (the other four – squat, lunge, push, carry) to incorporate in your strength training.
Heavy vs. Light (Either way, don’t overdo it!)
- Heavy weight, a great start, is one set of five to eight reps. The 5×5 lifting style only ever uses one set with five reps of challenging weight.
- If you prefer lighter weights, then up to three sets and up to twelve reps are plenty.
Last note – Proper Form Always
Lauren Eisberg has an easy read on deadlifting with the correct form, or Google it.