Dead Lift with Dumbbells, how do you do it?

pondee629

First, I'm 61 years of age and everything I learned, (remember) about working out comes from the 70s. Some/most/all of that information is wrong, outdated, passé, has been updated, "we don't do that, that way anymore". I still remember that from the spring season of my High School Freshman year, when drinking water during an exercise workout was strictly forbidden, to the Fall season of my Sophomore year where such drinking was encouraged, if not mandatory. But I digress.

Do you do Deadlifts with straight legs or squatting? I know you are to keep your back straight and bend from the hips and not the waist. The FitnessBlender folks do deadlifts with straight (or nearly straight) legs and a flat back. I have done them this way and find that the base of my spine is what gets tired and sore. Sore as in working out sore not ouch I hurt myself sore. I find that 20-30 pounds a hand is my max at this now. I can lower the dumbbells to the floor with this method keeping my back straight. However, I was always taught to lift with my legs and this bending at the hips with a straight back seems wrong.

I have also seen pictures and videos of deadlifts performed with the legs squatting more and the flat back at a 45* angle to the floor. This seems capable of a heavier lift. It also seems more "correct", lifting more with your legs than back.

Am I looking at two variations of the deadlift? Is one right and the other less right (or wrong and less wrong)?

Thank you for your kind explanations.

AllanMisner

A deadlift with dumbbells works like this:
1) Grab the two dumbbells from the rack and set your feet at shoulder width.
2) Holding the dumbbells by your side, squat down until the dumbbells are about 6 - 8 inches from the ground (no need to go all the way to the floor), your head and chest should be upright and facing straight forward. Then raise back up. You should feel this in your buttocks and hamstrings (posterior chain).
Note: Since the dumbbells are beside you, you won’t activate them or the back nearly as much as you would with a bar, which you’d bring up along the front of the leg. As such, the dumbbell version of the deadlift is safer for the back (IMO).
3) Complete 5 - 12 repetitions.

The straight leg version is really an entirely different exercise. This version works the buttocks, hamstrings and lower back. For my clients, I avoid this exercise (there are safer ways to work these muscles).

Everybody has a slightly different movement pattern based on the length of limbs, mobility and position of the feet. So don’t lose too much sleep if you see the movement looking different on youtube. As long as your back is supported (aka strong, engaged core), you should be able to do this exercise safely with dumbbells or a bar.

Hit me up if you have additional questions.

Allan Misner
NASM Certified Personal Trainer (Corrective Exercise Specialist, Fitness Nutrition Specialist)
Host of the 40+ Fitness Podcast

usmcmp

There are actually many different types of deadlift.

• Conventional
• Sumo
• Stiff Leg
• Romanian
• American
• Trap bar

You can also do all of those deficit, snatch grip or as a rack pull.

I think this could help you: http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2014/10/07/strength-training-101-the-deadlift/

usmcmp

Stiff leg with dumbbells: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdqU4GKN0lc

Conventional with dumbbells: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6t6f-FWjLA

tulips_and_tea

AllanMisner wrote: »

A deadlift with dumbbells works like this:
1) Grab the two dumbbells from the rack and set your feet at shoulder width.
2) Holding the dumbbells by your side, squat down until the dumbbells are about 6 - 8 inches from the ground (no need to go all the way to the floor), your head and chest should be upright and facing straight forward. Then raise back up. You should feel this in your buttocks and hamstrings (posterior chain).
Note: Since the dumbbells are beside you, you won’t activate them or the back nearly as much as you would with a bar, which you’d bring up along the front of the leg. As such, the dumbbell version of the deadlift is safer for the back (IMO).
3) Complete 5 - 12 repetitions.

The straight leg version is really an entirely different exercise. This version works the buttocks, hamstrings and lower back. For my clients, I avoid this exercise (there are safer ways to work these muscles).

Everybody has a slightly different movement pattern based on the length of limbs, mobility and position of the feet. So don’t lose too much sleep if you see the movement looking different on youtube. As long as your back is supported (aka strong, engaged core), you should be able to do this exercise safely with dumbbells or a bar.

Hit me up if you have additional questions.

Allan Misner
NASM Certified Personal Trainer (Corrective Exercise Specialist, Fitness Nutrition Specialist)
Host of the 40+ Fitness Podcast

Thank you for this! I do deadlifts with dumbbells so this is helpful as far as correcting my form. One question please, is it bad to lower the weights all the way to the floor? Because that's what I've been doing. Sometimes I feel it more in my lower back than my legs so now I'm thinking I've been doing them wrong.

pondee629

BZAH10 wrote: »

AllanMisner wrote: »

A deadlift with dumbbells works like this:
1) Grab the two dumbbells from the rack and set your feet at shoulder width.
2) Holding the dumbbells by your side, squat down until the dumbbells are about 6 - 8 inches from the ground (no need to go all the way to the floor), your head and chest should be upright and facing straight forward. Then raise back up. You should feel this in your buttocks and hamstrings (posterior chain).
Note: Since the dumbbells are beside you, you won’t activate them or the back nearly as much as you would with a bar, which you’d bring up along the front of the leg. As such, the dumbbell version of the deadlift is safer for the back (IMO).
3) Complete 5 - 12 repetitions.

The straight leg version is really an entirely different exercise. This version works the buttocks, hamstrings and lower back. For my clients, I avoid this exercise (there are safer ways to work these muscles).

Everybody has a slightly different movement pattern based on the length of limbs, mobility and position of the feet. So don’t lose too much sleep if you see the movement looking different on youtube. As long as your back is supported (aka strong, engaged core), you should be able to do this exercise safely with dumbbells or a bar.

Hit me up if you have additional questions.

Allan Misner
NASM Certified Personal Trainer (Corrective Exercise Specialist, Fitness Nutrition Specialist)
Host of the 40+ Fitness Podcast

Thank you for this! I do deadlifts with dumbbells so this is helpful as far as correcting my form. One question please, is it bad to lower the weights all the way to the floor? Because that's what I've been doing. Sometimes I feel it more in my lower back than my legs so now I'm thinking I've been doing them wrong.

This. The FitnessBlender form, with dumbbells, has the dumbbells held in front of my thighs, much like if they were attached with a bar, hinge at the hips, straight back, straight (or almost straight) legs, lower weights to floor and stand back up, keeping back straight. Thus, it is more of a lower back exercise than a lower body exercise. I should be squatting more?

Should the dumbbells be kept at my side or can/may they be held in front of my thighs? Remember, deadlift is completely foreign to me. ALWAYS taught to lift with my legs keeping my back upright.

Thanks for your help.

htimpaired

I actually do the straight leg with dumbells, I haven't had a problem but I try to be very mindful that I engage my core so I don't hurt my back. I also like single leg dead lifts.

AllanMisner

BZAH10 wrote: »

Thank you for this! I do deadlifts with dumbbells so this is helpful as far as correcting my form. One question please, is it bad to lower the weights all the way to the floor? Because that's what I've been doing. Sometimes I feel it more in my lower back than my legs so now I'm thinking I've been doing them wrong.

When you get that low, you’re likely putting more pressure on your lower back. This isn’t a problem at moderate weight, but at higher weight it might be. I do the mechanics similar to what would happen with a bar (which with 45 lb plates will be about 8 inches off the floor).

Allan Misner
NASM Certified Personal Trainer (Corrective Exercise Specialist, Fitness Nutrition Specialist)
Host of the 40+ Fitness Podcast

AllanMisner

pondee629 wrote: »

This. The FitnessBlender form, with dumbbells, has the dumbbells held in front of my thighs, much like if they were attached with a bar, hinge at the hips, straight back, straight (or almost straight) legs, lower weights to floor and stand back up, keeping back straight. Thus, it is more of a lower back exercise than a lower body exercise. I should be squatting more?

Should the dumbbells be kept at my side or can/may they be held in front of my thighs? Remember, deadlift is completely foreign to me. ALWAYS taught to lift with my legs keeping my back upright.

Thanks for your help.

I prefer to do them at the side to reduce back stress. Realize that I’ll only use dumbbells when there is an issue with the lower back. The front side does work the posterior chain a bit better, but at some risk with higher weights. The other issue with dumbbells in the front is that you have to hold the weights further out from your body than you would with a bar. Since I work with older people, avoiding injury is job number 1.

Allan Misner
NASM Certified Personal Trainer (Corrective Exercise Specialist, Fitness Nutrition Specialist)
Host of the 40+ Fitness Podcast

ETA, yes you should be using your legs more than your back. The depth of your “squat” will be dependent on the length of your limbs.

tulips_and_tea

Thank you again for the response. Very helpful. I'm going to try that.

pondee629

AllanMisner wrote: »

pondee629 wrote: »

This. The FitnessBlender form, with dumbbells, has the dumbbells held in front of my thighs, much like if they were attached with a bar, hinge at the hips, straight back, straight (or almost straight) legs, lower weights to floor and stand back up, keeping back straight. Thus, it is more of a lower back exercise than a lower body exercise. I should be squatting more?

Should the dumbbells be kept at my side or can/may they be held in front of my thighs? Remember, deadlift is completely foreign to me. ALWAYS taught to lift with my legs keeping my back upright.

Thanks for your help.

I prefer to do them at the side to reduce back stress. Realize that I’ll only use dumbbells when there is an issue with the lower back. The front side does work the posterior chain a bit better, but at some risk with higher weights. The other issue with dumbbells in the front is that you have to hold the weights further out from your body than you would with a bar. Since I work with older people, avoiding injury is job number 1.

Allan Misner
NASM Certified Personal Trainer (Corrective Exercise Specialist, Fitness Nutrition Specialist)
Host of the 40+ Fitness Podcast

ETA, yes you should be using your legs more than your back. The depth of your “squat” will be dependent on the length of your limbs.

Thank you. How does the Dead Lift differ from a weighted squat?
I use Dumbbells because that is what I have. Is this a problem?
ETA?

yayamom3

I have the same question regarding dead lift vs weighted squat.

ForecasterJason

After reading through the first few posts in this thread, I too am wondering what is the difference between a dumbbell deadlift and a dumbbell squat (if the dumbbell deadlift is done with the weights at the side).

Cherimoose

ForecasterJason wrote: »

After reading through the first few posts in this thread, I too am wondering what is the difference between a dumbbell deadlift and a dumbbell squat (if the dumbbell deadlift is done with the weights at the side).

With the DB deadlift - like with the barbell deadlift - the weight travels in the front of the knees, which makes you lean over more, which works your lower back more (more hamstrings too.. but the lower back is usually the weakest link in the chain). With DB squats (DBs by your side or between your knees), you don't have to lean over as much, so the back doesn't work as much.

If you're already doing Romanian deadlifts or stiff-leg deadlifts, then i'd complement it with DB squats (any variation). Lunges complement both of them.

pondee629

usmcmp:

So the straight leg deadlift uses significantly lower weight? The heavier weight is used in the conventional deadlift employing more leg?


Thanks