Biceps hamstring and deadlifts with straight legs: diabolical pairing

You can have a powerful deadlift (sumo or conventional, it doesn't matter). You can show off quads of steel thanks to the weightlifting. You can also have diamonds - sculpted calves - even at rest.

Ma if your hamstrings are even just a little bit behind, rest assured that a feast of straight-legged deadlifts will put you back in line.

The starting point: the deadlift

Fantastic movement, able to train everything and (if you want) also to revive the spirits, thanks to the quantity of cast iron discs that you can load on the balance wheel. The deadlift is one of the best - if not the best - exercises for train the rear chain.

Look for a pattern that shows the muscles involved in the deadlift - you'll see a human body completely colored red.

La straight-legged variant ("Variant" so to speak, because it almost becomes another exercise) puts the focus of the movement on the glutes and hamstrings.

The muscles involved

• Hamstring muscles (hamstring primarily)
• Buttocks (especially the large buttocks)

In the deadlift with straight legs, the thigh muscles do the bulk of the work.

PS: they are called "with straight legs", but a minimum of knee flexion will allow you to work better with your buttocks.

I SAID "A MINIMUM".

Deadlift with straight legs: the big warning

Everything is in the distribution of forces. During the movement it is crucial to maintain the natural curves of the back, to avoid that the cutting forces that arise when we bend forward put our beloved spine at risk. Therefore:

• Natural neck (not hyperextended)
• Hump ​​absolutely prohibited
• No flattened lumbar ...
• ... indeed, maintain a good lumbar lordosis

Therefore, if you cannot naturally maintain these curves (if you have back pain or hernias, for example) you must avoid this exercise.

Performing the deadlift with straight legs

Very similar to the deadlift, the execution of this exercise differs in one key element: the starting position of the hip, which is much higher. In this way, already in the setup phase (ie when you grab the bar) you will feel the hamstrings "pulling".

Well: that's your goal.

Typically, to target the work of these muscles, you can start the movement from the low supports of a rack and - above all - use significantly less weight than what we use for regular deadlifts.

Tricks for excellent execution

• Do you do long series (as it should be)? Breathe regularly, with each repetition. Do short series for the force? Do the Valsalva maneuver uphill.
• There is no need to extend your torso to the maximum, on the contrary: constant tension brings greater benefits (and a lower risk of accident).
• But you have to do it, to keep the tension constant. If anything, aim to rest in the final repetitions of the series.
• Chest out, shoulder blades contracted but not exaggeratedly.
• The weight goes on the whole foot.
• Focus on your glutes.
• La pinch (made with three fingers) is that of the deadlift: wide enough so that the legs do not get in the way.
• It all comes down to proper weight management. If that's too much, reduce the ROM to half-dead. If it is too little attention: it means that you are not working properly with the hamstrings.
• Sets and reps: the straight leg deadlift goes best with long sets (even 12/15 reps) or pyramid sets.

How do I know if I am doing straight leg deadlifts right?

Easy: the next day walking will be more complex.

 

We have activated a lot of discounts on Amazon: from 30 to 70% on all sports categories! It's all on our dedicated channel ????
SUBSCRIBE HERE TO THE TELEGRAM CHANNEL