deadlifts for legs or back?

[iCY]

i did deadlifts for the first time (using dumbells) and they seem to work my legs more. i was just wondering if this is a back or a leg exercise? if it is a back, what part of your back does it work??
thanks

[deltaman]

i use barbell and i cnat feel that my hams work. Its lower back ex.

[Mat-bb]

You're probably doing it wrong.

When you lift on your deadlift dont keep your back straight

[lamby]

You're probably doing it wrong.

When you lift on your deadlift dont keep your back straight

i thought your suppose to keep your back straight?

[akomabutisakama]

he has 11 post dont listen to him keep ur back straight or ull get hurt if it starts to bend lighten weight

the straighter your legs are the more ur hams work

[Mr-Mist]

Deadlifts are a leg exercise, primarily hitting your quad. You must keep your back straight at all times. If your back rounds, you leave yourself open for serious injury.

[JB20]

deadlifting hits all the areas of the back from the traps to the lower back

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exer...rbell+Deadlift

[BeSadTemporary]

legz nd lowa bak

[The Kurgan]

While deadlifts do use the lower back, the focus of the exercise is the legs. It's right up there with squats in the top compound exercises, in my opinion (it's also really safe to max out on). The key is to have good form (as always) and a strong back. If your back is strong, then you won't be getting much work on them from deadlifts.

I always make sure that I do five sets of deadlifts with reps pyramiding downwards from 7-3, with the weight increasing with each rep. But I'm more concerned with strength than your everyday bodybuilder, so I'd imagine most people with keep the reps higher and the weight lower.

[Madrasi]

Wow. Round your back? Deadlifts are primary quad exercises? This is bad!

Ok... Deadlifts are for your posterior chain mainly. So the muscles that get worked out are: Grip, Trapesius, Lattisimus Dorsi, some scapular and sub scapular muscles, spinal erectors (lower back), Hamstrings, Glutes.

Although the quads do help extend your knees from the beginning position, the lift is mainly brought up by pushing your hips forward, a motion which helps build the glutes and hammies. The straighter your legs, that is, the close your back is to parallel with the floor, the more hamstring involvement. That's why SLDLs work so well for the hammies. I would keep DLs on your back day but spread back day far away from leg day.

[AnimalOnly]

I can't believe there are people who think deadlifts are primarily for your legs...
Guys, do some research, and use proper form, remember to keep the bar close to your shins in a slow, controlled motion, you'll start seeing your spinal erectors getting huge. I promise you that deadlifts, while incorporating many different muscles, are mainly targeting the lower back. Look it up

[Mr-Mist]

Although the quads do help extend your knees from the beginning position, the lift is mainly brought up by pushing your hips forward, a motion which helps build the glutes and hammies. The straighter your legs, that is, the close your back is to parallel with the floor, the more hamstring involvement. That's why SLDLs work so well for the hammies. I would keep DLs on your back day but spread back day far away from leg day.

The hips are pushed forward during the motion for a squat as well. The movement of both squats and deadlifts are essentially the same, with the placement of weight being the only difference. How would it not primarily hit the quads?

Your lower back, traps, lats, grip and everything else that was mentioned in a previous post are used in deadlifts as well. However, the deadlift is meant to be a quad exercise with the back as a stabilizer. When you perform the movement you are extending your leg. When you squat down and then straight your legs you're working your quad. Why is this so hard to understand?

[eggy_wont_grow]

lets all just summarise that deads hit your leg muscles AND back muscles, and other mucles like traps, forearms and so forth. question answered.

got answered questions?

[mikeymontana]

Who cares what they hit?!



DO THEM WITH GOOD FORM.

thats all that matters.

[FreeBirdbulker]

For those that said Quads, I would like to see how you do your deadlifts. I think I would find that quite humorous.

Deadlifts work your lower back mainly, if you are not feeling it there, you are doing it wrong.

Stiff Legged Deads work your hamstrings(this includes dumbbels).

[ohashi]

People don't arch their back or bring back their shoulders at the top of the movement. Also, they have pussy legs. That's why they think it's a quad movement.

[MCanavan6]

Deadlifts are for legs stiff-legged deadlifts are for your lower back. Check out the exercise section to find out how to do these exercises properly.

[n2d]

I deadlift with my glutes not my quads.
It targets glutes and lower back.
Deadlift has the same motion as a squat where you try not to let the knees go over the toes... The back goes down lower, and the hips and lower back get more work, the quads get less.

Straight back stiff legged deadlifts are for hams...

[ohashi]

Deadlifts are for legs stiff-legged deadlifts are for your lower back. Check out the exercise section to find out how to do these exercises properly.

Stiff-legged deadlifts are for your hams; deadlifts are for your lower-back.

[iCY]

lol thanks for the replys but everyones confusing me =o dont know who to listen to o.o

from what i understand so far, they work both ur lower back and ur hamstrings. now im wondering if i should keep deadlifts on back day or leg day(3 days after my back day)

i workout mainly with dumbells/machines, so what would be the proper way to deadlift using dumbells? most people are saying that you shouldnt curve your back, does that include arching it forward?

thanks alot

[n2d]

You shouldn't curve your back. You can't deadlift properly with dumbells, they do not go heavy enough, and are harder to grip. If you are deadlifting with them, put them on a platform to get them up to a level at which you do not have to curve your back to pick them up.
Personally, I alternate every 5 day cycle.
First I will do a hip dominant leg day with deadlifts and some hypers and no squats, and do upper back only on back day.
Next I will do a quad dominant leg day, with heavy squats, and do whole back on back day and traps with shoulders.
Back and forth...

[VaSA]

i did deadlifts for the first time (using dumbells) and they seem to work my legs more. i was just wondering if this is a back or a leg exercise? if it is a back, what part of your back does it work??
thanks

Tried deadlift for the first time like 2 days ago and i didn't feel much pressure on my legs. You probably not doing it right!

[n2d]

Tried deadlift for the first time like 2 days ago and i didn't feel much pressure on my legs. You probably not doing it right!

Dumbell deads are more for legs, as the center of gravity of the wieght can go back further, and thus they are more like hack squats...

[AnimalOnly]

*sigh* Ask any competitive bodybuilder on the face of the earth whether deadlifts mainly target your lower back or legs. THey'll all say the same thing, your back! Use proper form people!

[musclegod]

Deadlifts are for the lower back muscles and the traps u morons
it doesnt work ur leg muscles