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Comment by agumonkey | Hacker News Reader

Very subjective opinion: there's something special about deadlift methinks. I used to be an runner and doing all kinds of sports. My health went low, and there's a particular sensation about finally being able to carry more than your own weight off the ground and stand up. No other workout exercises give this (pushups, planks, situps, pullups, you name it) It's probably a very primitve neural pathway and balancing need.. I don't know.

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It's because it literally targets your whole body. The weight is pulling down your arms, which itself is pulling down your back and shoulders. And since you are carrying the weight, it's putting compressive forces on your legs via gravity. Even your neck muscles will hurt if you position your head the wrong way. XD

One of my personal best gym moments is when I deadlifted about 25% more than my bodyweight, which I was not able to repeat since.

Try again! (to hit that PR)

Some weeks you'll have the right combo, some weeks you won't. But my general approach is to work toward a PR of some sort every 6 weeks or so. I don't always get there, but, I keep trying!

Thanks! Appreciate the digital push. :-) I'm just nursing a tennis elbow right now, so I'll probably try again before or by end of July.

Understood - I have that problem too which unfortunately limits the heavy stuff sometimes.

Is that a goal of yours to hit or exceed that? I’m nearing 3x my bodyweight in DL which I attribute to simply following a program that starts with linear progression then moves to more wave based strength training like 531. I can share more if you’re interested, but it depends on your goals.

Appreciate the offer! I'm actually just lifting for health right now, so most of my goals are to "lift heavier than last week" XD My only specific goal right now is to do more than one slow and proper pull-up. That DL PR, by the way, was also done raw (no straps or belts), so I was thinking I can do more when I do it with straps (or Versa Gripps) later after my tennis elbow heals.

I'd avoid straps or belts until you're at least around ~400lb so you develop your grip and core strength. If you think you need a belt, you could try lifting with a trap (hex bar). That's what I switched to recently and it's more comfortable as someone tall and turning 40.

I've been working out kind of regularly for almost 2 years but I had never done deaflifts. Last couple of weeks I've incorporated them, and yeah, I agree with you. I guess it also feels like a very useful movement outside of the gym as well, and you have to concentrate on your whole body. It feels awesome.

It has easily become my favorite exercise, specially because I could start from my bodyweight, now it's up to 1.3 times. So I really recommend it if you didn't do those before

yeah there's an utility aspect, and everyday you benefit from having strong legs and core stability.

i'm trying to expand to new exercises that train this aspect, any kind of weight manipulation (similar to grocery bags or moving furniture up and down)

Don't squats have the same thing? (Weighted squats of course, not the instagram variety)

You can generally deadlift a bit more than your squat, and it uses the arms more

I don't remember my numbers from the last time I tried but I think my squat was higher. I naturally have "soccer player" thighs and lady wrists. I guess I should ride a bike or something :).

Squats don't work your grip, and I'd say deadlifts work your back quite a bit more than squats.

Squats and deadlifts are the most effective exercises for strength training, as they involve a large amount of muscle mass, and therefore allow you to lift heavy weights.

I started doing Stronglifts 5x5 (very simple to follow and can be done totally free with the app or spreadsheet) and six months in I can’t believe how much stronger I’ve become. I haven’t noticed a huge difference visually so my poor ego is the only thing suffering.

Increases in strength usually go hand-in-hand with increases in bodyweight. I did Starting Strength, and gained 10kg in a few weeks. Some of it was fat obviously, but mostly it was muscle. Even though I didn't perceive myself much different everyone else did notice. Also I had to buy new clothes.

On a somewhat prominent /fit/ness forum, they consider the pinnacle of lifting to be 4/3/2/1 plates for the big 4 lifts. The bar is 45 lb. Each plate is 45 lb. This equates to

405 lbs for deadlift

315 lbs for squat

225 lbs for bench press

135 lbs for overhead press

If you can do these weights for these exercises, you are in the top 1% for strength.

Perhaps top 1% among lifters? Among the general populations I am certain that these numbers would put you way beyond the 0.01%.

One other question, since I don’t know what forum you are referring to: are these 1 rep maximums? Or for a set of 5? 8?

this would be 1 rep max I would assume. Not many people in the world are capable of any of those lifts for 1 rep, let alone many.

Although with that said 225lb for bench is not that much for a man who lifts but most people likely don't lift. Its probably top 0.01% for women.

I used to due weightless squats and for some reason I'd say they don't trigger the same feeling. Maybe it's the added weight, maybe it's the arm involvement and posture.

That component of "hanging on for dear life" with deadlifts hits a little bit differently than squats...

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