dThe eadlift is one of the best exercises for building full-body strength. However, not everyone can or should perform this exercise. Fortunately, there are many effective deadlift alternatives.
summaryDoes this exercise replace the deadlift? We're here to help. If traditional deadlifts don't suit your body or you have limited equipment, pair the moves below into your workout.
Deadlift muscles work
Before looking at the best alternatives, it's helpful to know which muscles deadlifts work. This will help you know which muscles should be activated when performing the deadlift alternate exercise.
According to the American Council on Exercise (ACE), deadlifts primarily target the posterior chain muscles at the back of the body. These include:
- glutes (buttocks)
- Hamstrings (back of thighs)
- Erector spinae (deep back muscles)
- mid back muscles
- rhomboid (shoulder muscle)
- Trapezius (upper back muscle)
You'll also train all your core muscles to stabilize your torso, especially your obliques (the muscles on the sides of your torso) and transversus abdominis (the deepest abdominal muscles that run from your ribs to your pelvis).
And, of course, you use your forearm flexors to help you grip the bar.
Pros and Cons of Deadlifts – Why You Need an Alternative
Deadlifts are a versatile exercise with many benefits. It helps build full-body strength and especially improves leg, back, core and grip strength. This also applies to everyday life, as it makes activities such as picking up heavy boxes from the floor easier.
Another benefit of deadlifts is that they build muscle. Deadlifts are generally classified as a lower body exercise, but because deadlifts are so effective at strengthening the muscles of the lats, rhomboids, and traps, we often include them in back-focused exercises.
Building a strong deadlift can also improve your athletic performance by strengthening the muscles that support running, jumping, and other athletic movements. The ability to produce more force in the weight room can make you faster and more explosive on the field or court.
However, deadlifts are not suitable for many bodies. People with a history of back pain should avoid this exercise. Additionally, tall people often have difficulty deadlifting from a strong and efficient position. The same is true for people with limited hip mobility or a history of lower body injuries. Deadlifts are technically complex and can be intimidating to someone new to the gym.
Thankfully you don't have Deadlifting to reap the benefits of deadlifting. Many people believe that other deadlift variations are much better suited to their bodies. And even if deadlifts aren't possible, you can use other alternatives to build strength and muscle in your legs, hips, and back.
Best Deadlift Alternatives
1. Good morning with a punching bag
The Good Morning is a hip hinge exercise that can be used in place of the deadlift. Straighten your arms and place your weight on your upper body instead of your lower body. This will force your core and lower back to work harder to prevent you from falling forward.
You can have a great morning with a barbell on your back, but this isn't for everyone. You may be better off using a sandbag (or other weight, such as a dumbbell) in front of your chest because it is easier to learn and requires less upper body movement.
- Stand upright with your feet hip-width apart. Place the sandbag directly in front of your feet.
- Bend your knees slightly, straighten your arms, and extend your hips back until you can grasp the handles of the punching bag.
- Push your legs firmly into the floor and bring the punching bag up to your chest. This will cause the bag to float up and you can shoot your arms around it.
- Finish with a tall, upright stance and pull your bag tightly to your chest.
- Start your good morning reps by slightly bending your knees and leaning your hips back.
- Continue reaching until you feel a large stretch in your hamstrings. Keep your chest high and don't let your torso fall to the floor.
- Complete the repetition by pushing your legs firmly into the floor and returning to an upright position.
- At the end of the set, lean your hips back, release your arms, and carefully return the sandbag to the floor.
2. 45 degree back extension
Many people think of the 45-degree back extension machine as a lower back exercise, but it can actually be used to build significant strength and muscle mass in the hamstrings and glutes.
The key to making this an effective deadlift alternative is to focus on bending at the hips, not the lower back, and to minimize movement in the spine. You should place support pads under your hips and use a smaller range of motion.
- Set the 45-degree back extension machine so that the top of the support pad is under your hips.
- Start in plank position with a straight line from your shoulders to your hips, knees, and heels. Look down at the floor.
- Bend your back and step forward. Allow your torso to move toward the floor without arching your back. Continue to hold the hinge until you feel a significant stretch in your hamstrings.
- Finish the repetition by pressing your thighs into the support pad and squeezing your buttocks.
- Return to the starting position and do not hyperextend your lower back at the top point.
3. Hip thrust
Hip thrusts use many of the same lower body muscles as deadlifts. Although it uses a different movement pattern (not a hip hinge), it can be a good alternative if deadlifts are uncomfortable.
- Set up a barbell with bumper plates in front of the bench. Place foam pads around the bar for comfort.
- Sit as high as you can on the bench and roll the barbell into your hip crease. You may need to pull your legs closer to your body before starting your set.
- Begin the movement with your feet on the floor and your hips against the bar.
- Move your hips up until your body is in a tabletop position and your hips are fully extended. Look ahead of you the whole time.
- Finish the repetition by slowly lowering the bar to the floor.
4. Leg curl using exercise slider
If you're wondering if there are bodyweight alternatives to deadlifts, look no further. Leg curls target the hamstrings, but in a different way than deadlifts. Instead of using your hamstrings to extend your hips, you use your hamstrings to bend your knees. Despite these differences, if you want to target your legs, you can use leg curls instead of deadlifts.
One way to make leg curls more like a full body exercise (e.g. deadlifts) is to use exercise sliders instead of machines. Although machines allow you to use more weight, leg curls with sliders require you to extend your hips and engage your core muscles along with your hamstrings. You can experiment with both options to see what works best for you.
- Exercise: Lie on your back with your knees bent and heels in the middle of the slider.
- Lift your hips off the floor, but do not hyperextend your lower back.
- Slowly push your feet outward from your body while straightening your legs.
- Once your legs are straight, bend your feet back to the starting position. For an added challenge, keep your butt off the floor for this part.
5. Straight arm pulldown with hip hinge
Can you build back muscles without deadlifts? One downside to replacing your lower body exercise with deadlifts is that you won't gain as much back muscle mass. However, straight arm pulldowns with a hip hinge can help by training your back muscles similarly to how they work during a deadlift.
- Install the cable pulley in the highest position and attach a rope or straight bar to it.
- Grab the bar with both hands shoulder-width apart.
- Take a few steps back from the machine, hinge at your hips, bend your knees slightly, and extend your hips back. Feel your hamstrings stretching. Maintain this hinge position throughout the entire set.
- Pull the bar down in a sweeping motion toward your legs. Straighten your arms and feel your upper and middle back muscles working.
- After pulling the bar toward your legs, slowly return the bar to the front starting position to complete the repetition. Always keep your arms as straight as possible.
Tips to Prevent Injuries
The best way to reduce your risk of injury when performing the deadlift alternatives above is to take your time. Don't rush to lift the heaviest weight possible for dozens of repetitions. Give your body enough time to adapt to the stress of training instead of overloading too quickly, too quickly.
It's also a good idea to warm up before starting these movements. Start by doing a few minutes of cardio and/or movement training to get your body temperature up and your joints moving. Then perform a few ramp-up sets with lighter weights before reaching your heaviest working weight.
Finally, it is important to recognize that pain and injury are complex and there is rarely just one cause. Factors outside the gym, such as sleep, nutrition, stress, and environment can all increase your risk of injury.
Taking ample time to rest, recover, and relax is one of the best things you can do to reduce your risk of injury during exercise.