# Deadlifts - Leg or Back exercise?



## Damo69 (Mar 2, 2014)

Just wondering what's your thoughts on deadlifts hitting back or legs? I've found that normal barbell deadlifts hit my quads more than lower back & romanian deads hamstrings then lower back. On my training logs it's down as a back exercise, but surely it's more of leg exercise?


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## ashmo (Jul 1, 2011)

Back.


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## Dan94 (Dec 29, 2013)

Back, but I'd say its more of a full body exercise to some extent..


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## Bataz (Jan 21, 2014)

Back, hamstrings, quads, glutes, traps, abs.


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## nWo (Mar 25, 2014)

Your back should tire before your legs, therefore I'd say it's predominantly a back exercise with legs involved.


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## JR8908 (Aug 17, 2012)

It's both, it's not really possible to say its one or the other, the movement itself works probably more muscles than any other. It hits all the posterior chain from top to bottom and also the quads during the beginning phase of the movement.

IMO it's the best movement for hamstring and glute development, the glutes play a major role in locking out the hips as they are responsible for hip extension.

The hamstrings are hit all the way through the movement as well as the lower back. The upper back becomes more involved near lock out and the lats take a hammering as well as the traps, rhomboids etc.

In a nutshell like I previously mentioned, it's a massive posterior chain movement from top to bottom.


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## Ken Hutchinson (May 29, 2009)

Just read this on the subject

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/get_it_right_the_deadlift


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## Huntingground (Jan 10, 2010)

Ken Hutchinson said:


> Just read this on the subject
> 
> http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/get_it_right_the_deadlift


Great read, enjoyed it.


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## Jason88 (Mar 24, 2013)

Currently doing the 5/3/1 program and he places deadlifts on lower day, in the upper lower split.

Ideally id do upper/lower/off/ upper/lower/off/off

But on upper days i do chins and rows,doing deads the next day doesnt seem right so i do upper/off/lower(deads)/off/upper/lower(squats)/off


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## Kristina (Apr 12, 2014)

Back.



Ken Hutchinson said:


> Just read this on the subject
> 
> http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/get_it_right_the_deadlift


Nice!

"get acquainted with mean old Mr. Deadlift". Boom.


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## Ash1981 (Jun 16, 2009)

Who directly trains hamstrings if deads are in your program?


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## Cronus (Jun 5, 2012)

Both


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## Big Man 123 (Aug 1, 2013)

Both.


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## gearchange (Mar 19, 2010)

It's definitely both. But usually done on back day as opposed to leg day.


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## andyhuggins (Nov 21, 2008)

Ken Hutchinson said:


> Just read this on the subject
> 
> http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/get_it_right_the_deadlift


Great read mate :thumb:


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## Sway12 (Oct 29, 2013)

Primarily lower back. I never feel deads in my upper or mid back.

I feel it in hams, low back, traps (has made them grow alot)


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## dtlv (Jul 24, 2009)

Primarily spinal erectors, but also all the posterior chain of the upper and lower body plus glutes, core and forearms. The exact degree to which muscles will be stimulated the most largely varies with variations in technique, especially when it comes to how deep you go at the lowest point - watch people deadlift at a gym and you'll see a lot of variation as to how far people drop into the hole with their hips, and that largely accounts for the varying degree to which people feel it in the legs. A second variable is length of arms and legs relative to torso length - that's a structural factor that, to a point, influences where deads hit hardest.


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## Sega (Mar 18, 2014)

Back day for me.

If i was doing them on legs day i no i wouldn't get 100% out of my squats or deadlifts which ever i was doing second.


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## RowRow (Nov 17, 2011)

I use them on back day as I can then tie it in to other work.

But I get a lot of leg recruitment. Hence I do them on a Monday two days before and after a leg day


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## Damo69 (Mar 2, 2014)

I guess there's a lot of different factors to take into consideration and everyone has there own way of doing things . I put mine in on my leg days as can't do alot else due to injury and certainly know I've trained legs after and the next two days too.


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## Wallace86 (Jan 20, 2013)

Back


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## Ash1981 (Jun 16, 2009)

This lad at work who's a monster uses them for legs

He says some odd things though, like drink a pint of guinness


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## graham58 (Apr 7, 2013)

Bataz said:


> Back, hamstrings, quads, glutes, traps, abs.


x2


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## Lotte (Feb 10, 2014)

I suppose it's variable depending on which type you do? I did stiff legged DL's on Friday and my hamstrings have never taken such a beating in my life


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## JR8908 (Aug 17, 2012)

dtlv said:


> Primarily spinal erectors, but also all the posterior chain of the upper and lower body plus glutes, core and forearms. The exact degree to which muscles will be stimulated the most largely varies with variations in technique, especially when it comes to how deep you go at the lowest point - watch people deadlift at a gym and you'll see a lot of variation as to how far people drop into the hole with their hips, and that largely accounts for the varying degree to which people feel it in the legs. A second variable is length of arms and legs relative to torso length - that's a structural factor that, to a point, influences where deads hit hardest.


Great point about technique bringing other muscles into play. Some of the guys who drop deep into the deadlift with a lot of knee bend recruit the legs a lot more.

You see a lot of guys (including myself) who do more of a Romanian deadlift with little knee bend. Konstantin konstantinovs springs to mind with this technique. Definately a lot more focus there in the hams and spinal erectors.


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## jonnym4 (May 8, 2011)

I use them as a lower body exercise but it involves your full posterior chain. It also allows me to get some form of pulling in each day.


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