The Deadlift, Non-Variation, and Other Random Musings

A few weeks ago, long-time Total Results client and friend Dr. Matt DiLorenzo shared with me a YouTube video of a man performing a bent-legged barbell deadlift in a gym. There were a few flaws in his form in terms of his hip positioning, which led to him being slightly off-balance, and a couple of subtle cues and corrections by a lifting coach helped the man to improve his execution of the exercise. This led me to think about deadlift exercises in general, something that I have not considered and have not performed in many years.

The bent-legged (or traditional) deadlift, in simplistic terms, involves squatting over a barbell that is on the floor and raising it until your knees and torso are straight. The deadlift involves all of the lower body musculature, as well as the latissimus dorsi (large back muscles), spinal erectors, abdominals, and forearms. It is a very large exercise, and can be a productive option for those of you that only have access to free weights. In my opinion, using a hexagonal or trap bar is superior to using a straight barbell because it is easier to keep your back straight and you won't have to worry about scraping the bar against your shins. Unfortunately, the effectiveness of the exercise will likely be limited by your grip strength and your lower back muscles, as both are likely to give out before the targeted muscles are thoroughly inroaded.

Another deadlift option is the stiff-legged deadlift, which mostly targets the hamstring muscles for the lower body. In many instances this exercise is performed with a straight barbell and a box or platform is used so that the attached weights do not hit the floor and impede your range of motion. The knees are to be kept with a slight bend so that they do not pop backward, and your lower back should be straight. You will lower the bar until you feel a slightly uncomfortable stretch in your hamstrings, and then raise the bar until your body is back in a vertical position. Just like with the traditional deadlift, however, you will probably find that your hands and lower back will fatigue more quickly than the intended musculature.

Fortunately, Total Results has machines that will target and develop those muscle groups in a safer and more effective way than performing either of the deadlift options. The Leg Press, Lumbar Extension, Pulldown, and Compound Row exercises will do a far better job of inroading the lower body, spinal erectors, and latissimus muscles, and the movement arm is much easier to control than a barbell. These machines also naturally lend themselves to using a slow speed of movement because that is how they were engineered. The Seated Leg Curl is a better choice than the stiff-legged deadlift, because the nature of the machine's design eliminates lower back fatigue as a limiting factor. Additionally, all of our machines are manufactured with a cam that varies the resistance throughout the range of motion based on leverage and your muscles' natural strength curve. You are stronger in some positions and weaker in others, so the cam allows strength to match resistance. A barbell will always provide the same resistance no matter where you are in the range of motion, and our machines made by MedX and Super Slow Systems will give you a more complete workout.

Another consequence of watching that deadlift video is that it caused me to ponder some typical gym behavior. I have not worked out in a commercial gym in over twenty years, but some of the behavior that I witnessed is indelibly seared in my memory. I suspect much of it still goes on at gyms all over the country. Many gym enthusiasts who weight train will do something different every time they workout. No doubt they are buying into fitness lore and myths that have been perpetuated for decades. When I first got into the exercise business it was the stuff that you found in the muscle magazines; now it's typically stuff that is put out on social media. The more things change, the more they stay the same. You often hear about the need for variety in exercise routines, as a way to "shock" the body into growth. In reality, exercise variety is quite overrated and not really necessary in order to produce tangible physical benefits. Ken Hutchins, the originator of the Total Results exercise protocol, even devoted an entire chapter about this in his book "Super Slow: The Ultimate Exercise Protocol", titled "The Need for Non-Variation in Exercise." Hutchins believes that too much variation is an obstacle to becoming more neurologically efficient, which means that you will not perform each exercise as effectively as you should and will diminish both the exercise stimulus and your progress. I believe that a little variety is useful; at Total Results we make sure to incorporate vertical and horizontal pushing and pulling exercises for both the upper and lower body in order to develop symmetrically and minimize any muscular imbalances. In fact, most of our twice per week clients will perform an A and a B routine each week, although this isn't done explicitly for the sake of variety. These clients are still at the point where they benefit more from coming twice per week instead of once, but performing the Leg Press and some other exercises every time can overtax their recovery ability. Performing an A routine (which typically contains the Leg Press and Lumbar Extension exercises) and a slightly less demanding B routine allows us to incorporate some smaller but very important exercises like the Calf Raise and Cervical Extension, while facilitating steady progress. Physiologically, you do not need variety; it is actually possible to do the same routine each time and still make improvements. Too much variety can also lead to haphazard record keeping and inadequate exercise intensity.

Now for a few random musings! I spent some time with former Total Results owner Tim Rankin a few weeks ago at former client Paul Logan's house. Many of you know that Tim and his wife Pam moved to Florida nearly four years ago, and they are doing great. We talked a little about exercise, and he shared a few stories about the headaches of working out at Planet Fitness (he definitely got spoiled by owning a private exercise facility for twenty years). One thing that he has grown to appreciate and misses the most about Total Results is all the movement that he performed every day when he was an instructor. We are up on our feet quite a bit throughout the day as we instruct clients, and there is a lot of bending, turning, and twisting in multiple planes of motion when we set up machines before workouts. Yes, we do sit at our desks but it is usually for very short stretches. Tim has successfully found other ways to incorporate low-level movement into his daily routine, but I think it underscores how important it is for us to get up and move during the day, especially if your work involves being at a desk and in front of a computer for long periods of time. The human body was designed to move, and if you are fortunate enough to be in good health it seems like a crime to not take advantage of it. Don't sit still. Time waits for no one!

You have the power to take control of your life and your health. Do not allow someone or something to stand in the way of having the body and the life that you have always wanted. Total Results can provide safer and more effective alternatives to the exercises available at the gym. We can craft a customized exercise routine that will stimulate lasting physical change without overtraining or causing injury, and we can provide the highest quality instruction and guidance about what to do when you are not in our studio. Become the best version of yourself with Total Results!