Different Types of Deadlifts Workshop

You may find in your training plans, you have different types of Deadlifts. There lots and lots of different varieties of deadlifts, with it being such a versatile movement. There are progressions and regressions of each variation of a deadlift and this page/ workshop is the ideal place for you to get started with learning about the different variations/ their benefits/ main muscle groups biased etc. Different types of Deadlifts will be more beneficial for different people based on their individual goals/ what muscles groups they want to target more, for example; those with Lower Back Issues or hip mobility issues, but who still want to lift heavy loads may be best suited to Trap Bar Deadlifts or Sumo Deadlifts where the Lower Back sits in a fairly upright position and doesn’t go through as much range of motion.

The many different types of Deadlifts include:

Sumo

Conventional

Stiffed Leg/ Straight Leg Deadlifts (SLDLS)

Romanian Deadlifts (RDLs)

TrapBar Deadlifts

Paused Deadlifts

Deficit Deadlifts

Deficit RDLs and many more!

Use this online workshop to understand all the different variations, which muscle groups they work and how to perform them! Enjoy!

EPISODE 1 - The Differences between RDLS and SLDLs and How to do Both!

In episode 1, we look the SLDL vs the RDL

• The difference in the Knee Bend

• The differences in the set up

• SLDLs:
  starts from the floor, the most knee bend coming from the starting position at the floor (so you don’t hunch or round the back) to pick up the bar, then we keep the legs very nearly straight and stiff throughout as we descend.

• Try and get all the way down to the floor whilst maintaing a neutral spine and less knee bend than an RDL (so more hamstring focused and lower back focused)

• You are likely to feel some lower back activation in this movement. This isn’t anything to worry about providing you are doing the exercise with the correct form. With the SLDL you have more ROM than an RDL and you push down past the point where you can’t push your hips back anymore and beyond feeling that stretch in the hamstrings. Because you are taking it past this point, your hamstrings get no more benefit and your lower back takes more of the load. This may not be advisable if you have had lower back problems in the past, but I re iterate the ‘discomfort’ you feel in the lower back whilst performing this movement is likely DOMs and not pain if you doing it properly.

• The SLDL will place your hips higher than they would be in a full deadlift. The goal of the SLDL is to emphasize the hamstrings and glutes and to force the lifter into a difficult bottom position. Bending the knees too much defeats this purpose; keeping the knees locked does the same as it will usually prevent you from setting your back.

• Less knee flexion at the bottom, more knee extension at the top.

• At the bottom, make sure the plates land symmetrically at the same time and you don’t bounce off balance. While it looks a bit haphazard, the bounce actually reduces loading a bit when you're in the greatest amount of flexion, adding a measure of protection to the exercise. If you've got bumper plates, give the bounce a try, and you'll find that it only takes a few reps to become very precise and symmetrical with the bounce.

• If you don’t have bumper plates, make sure you place some larger 15kg or 20kg plates underneath your smaller plates so you aren’t putting your back through too much ROM at the bottom.

• The RDLs:

• More glute focused as there’s more knee bend

• Not as much range of motion - only going down to the point where you can’t push your hips back anymore and you feel that ‘stretch’ in your hamstrings. Any lower and you will start working the lower back - this becomes more of an SLDL than an RDL - important to know the difference.

• At some point, the hamstrings reach their full extension. Going farther down will require either bending the knees or flexing the lower back, neither of which should be allowed. From the bottom, the lifter will slide the bar back up the legs and return to the starting position. At no point during the RDL does the lifter set the bar down

• If you are wanting to bias hamstrings and lower back and want more range of motion - opt for the SLDL

• If you are wanting a more glute focused movement with less ROM - opt for the RDL.

• Greater knee flexion on the descent, less knee extension at the top

• Typically can lift more with an RDL as less ROM

Episode 2 - Conventional Deadlifts vs SLDLs

CONVENTIONAL DEADLIFTS:

• Starting position has lower hips and more knee bend. Movement throughout has more knee flexion and the knees bend more as the barbell travels past them.

• No ‘bounce’ at the bottom. There is ‘reset’ where you drive elbows down, set the hips, shoulders back etc.

• Typically Lift more form a Conventional Deadlift; more quad and lat engagement

  SLDLS

• More hamstring engagement

• Higher hips and less knee bend on the descent - keeping legs stiffer and nearly straight throughout.

• More of a bounce at the bottom, rather than a ‘reset’ and a ‘deadstop’.

EPISODE 3 - ALL ABOUT TRAP BAR DEADLIFTS - HOW TO DO/ BENEFITS/ MUSCLES WORKED

Trap Bar Deadlifts:

• Less range of motion other deadlift variation as handles are higher.

• The trap bar/ hex bar places some weight in front of you (as the bar goes all the way around) so places more emphasis on the quads, core, delts and traps and anterior muscles (muscles at the front of our body), hence the name ‘trap bar’.

• Requires less hip mobillity (hips don’t travel as far back).

• Can usually lift more as there is less range of motion.

• Ideal for those who maybe struggle with Lower back issues, hip mobility or maybe wish to lift heavier loads but struggle with full range of motion deadlifts