The Deadlift: The King of Strength (and Why You Should Learn It From a Pro)

A quick origin story (and why it matters)

Before “deadlift” was a gym hashtag, it was the “health lift”—popularized in the mid-1800s by physician-strongman George Barker Windship, who used a heavy strap-and-platform device to demonstrate brutally simple, full-body strength. That era helped launch organized weightlifting in the U.S. and cemented the hip hinge as a test of real-world power. Stark Center+1

Why people deadlift

Because it trains what life demands: picking heavy stuff up safely.

• Total posterior-chain strength (glutes, hamstrings, spinal erectors, lats) with high muscle activation shown across deadlift variations. PMC

• Back resilience & function: Programs including deadlifts can reduce pain and improve function in people with mechanical low back pain (for the right candidates and with proper progression). Human Kinetics Journals+1

• Performance carryover: Learning to create intra-abdominal pressure and brace increases force transfer in heavy lifting—and belts, when used well, raise IAP further. Stronger by Science

Why strongmen & powerlifters deadlift

• It’s the purest test of raw pull strength—a max effort from the floor to lockout decides meets and wins events.

• It’s specific: atlas stones, farmer carries, truck pulls—everything rewards a vicious hip hinge, straps, and bracing skill built on deadlifts.

• It’s measurable and progressive: load, variation, and setup can be tuned to the athlete and the event.

(And yes, injury risk in powerlifting is low per training hour compared to many sports—roughly 1.0–4.4 injuries per 1,000 hours—with the low back, shoulder, and elbow most commonly affected. Coaching and form are non-negotiable. ) British Journal of Sports Medicine+1

Strongman Training with the Axle Deadlift

Technique that keeps you strong and safe

(Conventional barbell deadlift — sumo and trap-bar notes included where it matters.)

Setup

• Feet hip-to-shoulder width, mid-foot under the bar; shins ~1–2" from the knurl.

• Grip: double-overhand, hook, or mixed; squeeze the bar like it owes you money.

• Hinge back (don’t squat down to it). Set a neutral spine, chest tall, lats tight (“squeeze oranges in your armpits”). Brace before you pull. PubMed+1

The Brace (your built-in weight belt)

• Big breath 360° around your trunk, expand into your belt (or your hands/obliques if beltless), then contract the abdominal wall to create pressure. Hold through the hardest portion; exhale under control after lockout. Stronger by Science

The Pull

• Think “push the floor away”: knees and hips extend together; the bar drags up your shins and thighs (straight bar path).

• Keep shoulders just over or slightly in front of the bar off the floor; don’t jerk it.

• Lockout by squeezing glutes hard; ribs down, no hyperextending the low back. NSCA

Lowering

• Hips back first (hinge), bar stays close, then bend the knees once it passes them. Control the descent. NSCA

Variation notes

• Sumo: wider stance, more upright torso, often friendlier on some backs/hips.

• Trap bar: neutral grip, more knee bend—often easiest hinge to learn and very “athlete-friendly.”

• RDL: hinge pattern with less knee bend; massive hamstring and glute loading. ACE Fitness

The Romanian Deadlift (RDL)

Red flags & quick fixes (coach’s eye)

• Rounded low back → reset to a true hip hinge; elevate the plates (blocks/deficit opposite) until you own neutral. PMC

• Bar drifts forward → pull the slack out, pin lats down, shave your shins with the knurl. Squat University

• Early hips shoot up → think “legs drive the floor,” keep shoulders over bar until it clears the knees. NSCA

• Breath leaks mid-pull → re-cue bracing; belt can help you feel 360° pressure. Stronger by Science

Science snapshot: what the research actually says

• High posterior-chain activation across deadlift variants (glutes/hamstrings/erectors/lat involvement). PMC

• Technique matters for spine load: neutral-spine hinging and smart bracing reduce shear while maintaining stiffness and force transfer. PubMed

• Low back pain & deadlifts: When appropriately selected and progressed, deadlift-inclusive programs improve pain and function, though they’re not universally superior to other exercise options—meaning screening and coaching decide who benefits. Human Kinetics Journals+1

• Risk context: Powerlifting injury incidence sits around 1–4.4/1,000 training hours (comparable to or lower than many field sports). Strongman shows higher rates—another reason to perfect your hinge under a coach. British Journal of Sports Medicine+1

Programming 101 (how I build your pull)

• Novice (learn the hinge)

  • Trap-bar deadlift 3×5 @ easy-moderate

  • RDL 3×8–10

  • Core “anti-movement” work (McGill Big 3) & carries

• Intermediate (build strength & armor)

  • Conventional or sumo 4–5×3–5 (one top set, back-offs)

  • Targeted accessories: rows, hip thrusts, hamstring curls, back extensions

  • Grip: farmer carries, holds, and hook-grip exposure

• Strongman/Powerlifting prep

  • Periodized heavy singles, speed pulls, and event-specific hinge work

  • Variations: pause deadlifts, deficits/blocks to fix sticking points

  • Belt, straps, and stance customized to your leverages & meet demands

The Trap Bar Deadlift

Read this before you go rip a max

• The deadlift is simple, not easy. The difference between “bulletproof” and “beat-up” is setup, brace, and bar path—and that’s exactly what a coach gives you.

• If you’ve had back pain, you might still be a candidate—but you need screening, load management, and tight technique. Don’t guess. Human Kinetics Journals+1

Ready to learn it the right way?

I’ll teach you the hinge from the ground up, build your brace, and custom-fit your stance, grip, and variation so you get stronger, safer, faster. Whether you’re chasing a PR, prepping for HYROX/strongman, or just want a back that laughs at life’s heavy lifts—book a deadlift technique session at Gorilla Strong and let’s go to work.

Ready to get started? Click here!

References (selected)

• Todd J. “Strength is Health”: George Barker Windship… Iron Game History. (Historical context). Stark Center

• Physical Culture Study. The Health Lift & the history of the deadlift. (Historical context). Physical Culture Study

• Martín-Fuentes I, et al. Electromyographic activity in deadlift exercise… (Posterior-chain activation). PMC

• Fischer SC, et al. Exercise programs including deadlifts for low back pain. J Sport Rehabil. 2021. Human Kinetics Journals

• Berglund L, et al. Which low back pain patients benefit from deadlifts? 2015. (Candidate selection). PubMed

• McGill SM. Exercises for the torso performed standing. (Spine load, technique). PubMed

• Aasa U, et al. Injuries in weightlifting and powerlifting: systematic review. (Injury incidence). British Journal of Sports Medicine

• Tung MJY, et al. Injuries in weightlifting and powerlifting: updated review (2024). (Current incidence/regions). PMC

• Stronger By Science. Comprehensive Core Training Guide (IAP & belts). Stronger by Science