Barbell What kind of physique will DEADLIFTS ONLY build?

[Kozushi]

Dips are an interesting exercise. They are essentially a press if you think about it. I began doing them for the first time in my life a few months ago, only as a "variety" exercise, and like them. I sometimes do a few, bodyweight only, as a warmup before I do my presses, which are currently 1-arm, 2-leg pushups.

Would they be my ideal as a mate for the barbell deadlift in minimalist program? I still favor a one-armed press but, that said, I like the idea of dips paired with barbell deadlifts, and I will have to give that a try sometime. Thank you for the idea.

-S-

My thought was, while starting deadlifting being inspired by PTTP a few years back, that dips are almost exactly the completely reverse movement of deadlifts. Thus, they must be good for relaxing and stretching out the body in the opposite direction. By tensing these opposing strength chains through the body I suppose we're relaxing the deadlifting pulling chains of strength, and this has to be good. Also, as we know, we need the stabilizer muscles for any lift, so strengthening these stabilizers has to help with deadlifting.

Deadlifting is a big, freeweight pull, and dips are a big bodyweight push. Basically exactly opposite.

 

[Kozushi]

I don’t quite know what to make of dips. So I tried them and worked them as my pushing movement for Easy Strength for a few months in the fall. I liked them. I get now why bodybuilders like them. They filled in my chest a little in a way that other pushes haven’t, and when I got to benching, they helped with that too.

I think that the trap bar DL, dips and chins would make a fine Easy Strength Program.

Dips and chinups used to be all I did for decades in addition to judo and hiking, and they were quite sufficient for practical strength and appearance. I've gotten way farther with SF over the past 4 years, but if we're talking cheap workouts or something to add onto better workouts, these two moves are very good.

 

[watchnerd]

I think that the trap bar DL

I actually call it the "Farmer's Squat" because:

1. It's more up-down, quad dominant than it is a hip hinge
2. It's got the same grip as farmer's walk
3. Most people don't seem to do it from a dead stop on each rep, probably because it doesn't require the load-the-hamstrings setup of a conventional deadlift

But it's a great lift that is easy to do correctly, albeit requiring weird equipment.

 

[Trever]

Just wanted to let you know, I suffered with rotator cuff tendinitis for over 1.5 years and nothing was making any difference. I finally had a PRP treatment in that shoulder and within a few months it was as though I never had a problem.

 

[watchnerd]

Just wanted to let you know, I suffered with rotator cuff tendinitis for over 1.5 years and nothing was making any difference. I finally had a PRP treatment in that shoulder and within a few months it was as though I never had a problem.

What is PRP treatment? It looks like some kind of injection?

 

[Trever]

“Platelet Rich Plasma” it’s a type of Prolotherapy for healing soft tissue damage. They take some of your blood, then spin it in a centrifuge to separate the plasma. Then, using the syringe, they will “needle” the targeted tissue to do a little damage and cause inflammation and then inject the area with your plasma. This triggers your bodies own healing process and it has a boost with the plasma.
There’s different types of prolotherapy depending on the area and tissue.

It was recommended to me by a hospital tech that was giving me an MRI. He had been in a bad mountain biking accident and messed his shoulders up badly and was getting nowhere with months and months of physio. He finally tried PRP and it worked great for him.

 

[Chrisdavisjr]

Although he didn't deadlift exclusively, Bob Peoples is probably a good example of a body built primarily with deadlifts. Developing Physical Strength by Bob Peoples - www.oldtimestrongman.com

This guy was pulling 700+lbs back in the 1940s. Looks like his power came from his back and hips. No 'cosmetic muscle' here.

Edit: There's a nice little article here about the type of training Peoples used to perform, if anyone's interested.

 

[krg]

Really interesting article:

This section struck me -

On October 4 I went to Chattanooga YMCA for the Bob Hise show and warming up with 350 x 4, 450, 550, 610, 660 I finally made a new world record with 700 lbs. At this time I was lifting on normally filled lungs. However I than started lifting on empty lungs and with at round back — that is I would breath out to normal then do my dead lift. I feel this is much safer than following the customary advice of the experts to take a deep breath and than dead lift.

Breathing out you lessen the internal pressure and by lifting with a round back you lessen the leverage — all of which helps add many lbs. to your lift. I realize this style may not work well with everyone but in my case it seems ideal.

 

[watchnerd]

Although he didn't deadlift exclusively, Bob Peoples is probably a good example of a body built primarily with deadlifts. Developing Physical Strength by Bob Peoples - www.oldtimestrongman.com

This guy was pulling 700+lbs back in the 1940s. Looks like his power came from his back and hips. No 'cosmetic muscle' here.

Edit: There's a nice little article here about the type of training Peoples used to perform, if anyone's interested.

Is it just me, or did Peoples have nearly freakishly long arms?

His legs look super long too. Like NBA long.

 

[Chrisdavisjr]

Is it just me, or did Peoples have nearly freakishly long arms?

His legs look super long too. Like NBA long.

He did; very long limbs and a short torso.

 

[Steve Freides]

Really interesting article:

This section struck me -

On October 4 I went to Chattanooga YMCA for the Bob Hise show and warming up with 350 x 4, 450, 550, 610, 660 I finally made a new world record with 700 lbs. At this time I was lifting on normally filled lungs. However I than started lifting on empty lungs and with at round back — that is I would breath out to normal then do my dead lift. I feel this is much safer than following the customary advice of the experts to take a deep breath and than dead lift.

Breathing out you lessen the internal pressure and by lifting with a round back you lessen the leverage — all of which helps add many lbs. to your lift. I realize this style may not work well with everyone but in my case it seems ideal.

I think this is going to be highly individual.

I've been deadlifting for - well, it must be getting close to 20 years now - and I find I don't pay as much attention to a proper breath as I used to because it happens almost automatically. But, that said, everyone starting out _should_ pay attention to a proper breath, and let us say in the same breath (pun intended) that it's not the traditional "deep" breath where you're trying to fill your lungs with as much air as possible. You are looking to bring maximal internal pressure to your trunk - do what accomplishes that best. I believe one of Pavel's books mentions about 3/4 of your maximum air intake.

A bit of rough math for me - 50 deadlifts per week, let's call it 40 weeks per year, for 20 years. Roughly 40,000 reps between my mid-40's and mid-60's.

My own focus now is on a list of "get tight" things - feet, grip, and lately I've been playing with "long collar bones". And still I think about my breath, just less than I used to. It used to be my main focus.

One should breath "deep" - think about not maximum air intake, but visualize breathing into a deep location - your groin or at least your abdomen midway between your naval and your groin (the latter known as your dantian in tai chi and similar).

-S-

 

[krg]

One should breath "deep" - think about not maximum air intake, but visualize breathing into a deep location - your groin or at least your abdomen midway between your naval and your groin (the latter known as your dantian in tai chi and similar).

Much as I respect Bob Peoples' incredible achievements there is no way I would try and lift with empty lungs and a rounded back. I'll stick with 'get tight'.

I have to admit that I've never imagined my collar bones lengthening though....

 

[Steve Freides]

I have to admit that I've never imagined my collar bones lengthening though....

I first learned about this from, I think, Pavel T.'s Resilient DVD. Once you master it, it's a very powerful cue.

@Pavel Macek, I invite you to weigh in on this one, sir.

-S-

 

[Pavel Macek]

I first learned about this from, I think, Pavel T.'s Resilient DVD. Once you master it, it's a very powerful cue.

@Pavel Macek, I invite you to weigh in on this one, sir.

-S-

Thank you sir - you are far more experienced deadlifter than I am, so I will stay in this case in the background, take notes, and try your tips and cues.

 

[guardian7]

Shouldn't it be balanced with a push of some kind, like dips or something?

Yes, but most guys who start lifting but have not started DL or KB swings have been doing bench or curls and anterior focus, and/or have poor posture, so prioritizing the posterior chain makes sense for most people.

 

[guardian7]

I agree with Antti’s post. A high school coach long ago told me that Deadlifts build the “workin’ muscles,”, not the “showin’ off” muscles, and I’ve found this to be pretty true.

However, I also believe that Deadlifts can improve posture, and good posture is essential to a good physique.

This is my experience. The combination of KB press ladders and deadlift build a torso and posterior chain that helps posture. You just walk taller. As Steve F. says it is a great upper back builder. I would also recommend loaded carries to the OP. A seriously underrated exercise for postural and shoulder health. It teaches packing under load and works the stabilizing muscles of the spine.