# Does Deadlift is essential to build a big back ?



## Professorx (Mar 24, 2013)

Hi mates how r u 

I got a problem, I have a large back but something missing. I don't have a deep back with balls of muscles like on this photo (ronnie winklaar) :

I do lot of horizontal pulling, rowing etc... I'm think about dead lift that I dont do.



thanks you brozzz


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## Dux (Nov 29, 2011)

Real thickness just takes time, lots and lots of time. If you've a decent amount of muscle in your back, being lean will help make it look bigger because they'll be more profound.

Deads will help, I'm not sure whether they're "essential" or not though.


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## animal adam (Sep 1, 2010)

Like dux said, thickness like that just takes time mate. If you have a big back then your doing something right so just keep at it and it will come.

Deadlifts help but are not essential for a big back.


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## WilsonR6 (Feb 14, 2012)

Do deadlifts mate they are the daddy of all exercises

My favourite exercise, and my back seems to be a damn sight bigger than my front


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## Heath (Mar 3, 2011)

Could try rack pulls done with a back-shrug at the top, i.e. you pull your delts back, chest out and tense your upper back.


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## kingdale (Nov 2, 2010)

Used to hate deads now they are one of my favourite exercises would definitely get started on them. Whats the point in training if you dont have a decent squat and deadlift.


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## Heath (Mar 3, 2011)

kingdale said:


> Whats the point in training if you dont have a decent squat and deadlift.


Said no bodybuilder ever


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## paulandabbi (Mar 13, 2013)

Deadlifts help build your bodys strength so when you do the back workout you can lift more weight equalling a bigger back. Might be wrong but thats my theory.


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## The Cheese (Sep 22, 2012)

No exercise is "essential".

But some are more efficient at building muscle than others. Dead-lifts are one of those.

If there's a health reason for not dead-lifting then it's not the end of the world not doing them. But if you don't have them in your routine, simply because you've never tried them or when you did, just found them a little bit too difficult, then it might be worth giving them a go.

For me, they're one of the big compound exercises which gives the biggest bang for your buck.


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## F.M.J (Mar 23, 2009)

Deadlifts are an awesome exercise IMO. Just dont pass out after a heavy one lol.


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## dondoyb (Apr 6, 2013)

row like something is chasing you


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## BettySwallocks (Aug 1, 2012)

I'd probably give up lifting if I couldn't deadlift its the exercise that I look forward to and work towards all week, everything else is just a bonus.


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## Guest (Apr 6, 2013)

doing deads has corrected my posture


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## ClarkyBoy (Sep 24, 2012)

I struggle with deads due to lower back issues and sciatica, I have tried everything but deads seems to be the one exercise that really flares it up. Wish I could do them more often, but just not worth it for me. Luckily still have a reasonable back.


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## eezy1 (Dec 14, 2010)

people love the dead so much because its the lift they can move the most weight on i think. more ego than anything


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## Irishtoonfan (Feb 14, 2013)

ClarkyBoy said:


> I struggle with deads due to lower back issues and sciatica, I have tried everything but deads seems to be the one exercise that really flares it up. Wish I could do them more often, but just not worth it for me. Luckily still have a reasonable back.


I used to be the same pal. Give light rack pulls a go but volume work helped me alot


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## ClarkyBoy (Sep 24, 2012)

Irishtoonfan said:


> I used to be the same pal. Give light rack pulls a go but volume work helped me alot


Cheers mate, that's what the manager of my gym suggested as well.


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## MRSTRONG (Apr 18, 2009)

I built a big back from rowing movements .

The big balls you point are would be a row or pull not deadlift .

The back is hard to hit properly I woukd say cg pulldown a machine heavy single arm row and a low cable row all low rep heavy sets to build big dense muscle then add in hypertrophy style training to it


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## Irishtoonfan (Feb 14, 2013)

ClarkyBoy said:


> Cheers mate, that's what the manager of my gym suggested as well.


Yea man it will really help you out. Just take it slowly and you will really notice yourself progress in couple months time.


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## MRSTRONG (Apr 18, 2009)

Irishtoonfan said:


> Yea man it will really help you out. Just take it slowly and you will really notice yourself progress in couple months time.


So whats the mechanics behind rack pulls buikding a big back ?


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## ellisrimmer (Sep 9, 2012)

BettySwallocks said:


> I'd probably give up lifting if I couldn't deadlift its the exercise that I look forward to and work towards all week, everything else is just a bonus.


It's the only one I particularly dislike!


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## strongmanmatt (Sep 30, 2011)

ewen said:


> I built a big back from rowing movements .
> 
> The big balls you point are would be a row or pull not deadlift .
> 
> The back is hard to hit properly I woukd say cg pulldown a machine heavy single arm row and a low cable row all low rep heavy sets to build big dense muscle then add in hypertrophy style training to it


I couldn't agree more, with Ewen.

Yes Yes, and Simply Yes.


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## bobbydrake (Nov 19, 2012)

I do enjoy the deadlift - as someone else said it is the exercise I can lift the most weight on. What about T-Bar rows for your back too?


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## L11 (Jan 21, 2011)

I enjoy doing the deadlift, mainly because it expends a ridiculous amount of energy BUT.. My back hasn't changed much since doing them, granted I only lift 110kg for 10 reps, but I still haven't seen a slight difference...


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## Fitness4Life (Mar 15, 2013)

ewen said:


> The big balls you point are would be a row or pull not deadlift


I'm trying to make sense of what you wrote here, could someone or yourself clarify ?


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## Breda (May 2, 2011)

bobbydrake said:


> I do enjoy the deadlift - as someone else said it is the exercise I can lift the most weight on. What about T-Bar rows for your back too?


Close grip T bar rows, low reps... Love em


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## MRSTRONG (Apr 18, 2009)

Fitness4Life said:


> I'm trying to make sense of what you wrote here, could someone or yourself clarify ?


Rowing movements make a big back not deads .


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## Breda (May 2, 2011)

Fitness4Life said:


> I'm trying to make sense of what you wrote here, could someone or yourself clarify ?


I'm assumin he means the muscles you are alluding to would have been given greater stimulus by a row or pull and not the dead lift


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## Adz (Jan 29, 2008)

ellisrimmer said:


> It's the only one I particularly dislike!


Yep I hate doing them too, my worst exercise.


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## dtlv (Jul 24, 2009)

Professorx said:


> Hi mates how r u
> 
> I got a problem, I have a large back but something missing. I don't have a deep back with balls of muscles like on this photo (ronnie winklaar) :
> 
> ...


The area you highlight is the mid-traps, and heavy deadlifts are good for that area, as well as the upper traps and spinal erectors. If you start from a low position they help build the traps and glutes to a degree too. Definitely a great bang for your buck exercise, but not essential - no exercise is essential as there is always more than one option to hit any muscle.

As others say mid trsp thickness just takes time, but if you want to focus a bit more on that area try rack pulls, highpulls, powercleans or hangcleans, or do some bent over rows with a scapular rotation at the top. Incline or prone shrugs also work the area very well.


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## Aggression (Apr 13, 2009)

Deads, or shin rack pulls as i prefer, are just like the squat an exercise more than the sum of its parts. Multi joint movement, that brings most of the body into play and causes an abundance of overload and stress, especially on the cns when going moderate>heavy (i like 5-10reps). Apart from the stress it brings to muscle, the big payback is the hormonal response it gives you after you've finished. Essential i think.


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## shinobi_85 (Feb 20, 2011)

i think they will help with the spinal erectors and complete the back a bit more especially lower down which can be helpful if u have high inserting lats


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## Muscle Supermkt (Nov 28, 2012)

Excellent exercise. The heavier weight you're lifting is why it's such a good exercise - what other exercise can you overload your back muscles with such high weight? 90kg on a cale assisted lat pulldown, or 180kg on a deadlift. I know what I'd prefer


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## 36-26 (Jun 30, 2009)

ewen said:


> So whats the mechanics behind rack pulls buikding a big back ?


Actually I've seen in a EMG tested study that a Rack Pull activates the lats more than any Row beaten only by narrow grip chin ups and wide grip pull ups. They didn't test deadlift but I presume it would be similar seeing as a rack pull is a partial deadlift


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## Bear2012 (Jan 19, 2012)

I have mine spine fused from breaking it and still do the deadlifts. I practise very strict form but could never imagine not doing deadlift. Plus its training the whole body and its great for a physical and mental challenge....do em!


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## MattGriff (Aug 21, 2012)

I don't do many rows, never have gone mad with them and I have a very large back.

People do not quite understand human biomechanics; there are multiple forces that can stimulate growth: Compression, tension, shear to name a few and these all vary depending on the nature of the movement.

The point in the picture is the lower traps which play a huge role in keeping the shoulder blades stable, now every time you deadlift and keep your back tight (I.E deadlift correctly) a huge amount of stress is transferred through the traps, especially the lower area.

Just because you cannot visualize a muscle directly contracting it does not mean it is not load bearing at multiple angles during the lift and thus receiving stimulus.


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## solidcecil (Mar 8, 2012)

I think they help build a good back but not necessarily essential.


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## bailey-bose (Dec 30, 2011)

I use deadlifts in my leg workout

i think there more for legs than back


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## Bear2012 (Jan 19, 2012)

bailey-bose said:


> I use deadlifts in my leg workout
> 
> i think there more for legs than back


Think that depends on what type you are doing. Stiff legged and Romanian defo put more stress on lower back and standard/conv more on the legs and traps.

I tried both on Sat after reading this thread and the standard/conv I found strange to do and felt it really in my traps where as my mate who always does them tried stiff legged and said he felt it really in his back/lumber region.

Horses for courses really I guess


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