How the Deadlift got so popular

Before going on to the blog, this is actually my first one Have you ever wondered, why the Deadlift is called like that? , almost all of us who have been training consistently know what this exercise is, but most of us don't know where it comes from, how it became so popular, and the wide benefits it has. So in this video, I will be sharing everything from the history, its function, and last but not least how to perform it.

I. History of the Deadlift:

The deadlift is one of the oldest and most fundamental exercises in strength training and has been practiced for centuries. Its history can be traced back to ancient civilizations, where it was used as a test of strength and power. Even though thre is not enough evidence, is clear to say that this particular movement was actually very commo amongst the civilizations in which manual and hard working labor was a day to day task, and lifting heavy objects, specially in construction sites was very common, That brings us to the main question at the start of this video, which is why its called like that? Well, basically because it what the name says, lifting something from the floor, more significantly, something that is rather dead or, well, that is not alive….

Ancient Times:

In ancient times, lifting heavy objects was a common task for daily life and also a way to demonstrate physical prowess. There are records of weightlifting competitions in ancient Egypt and Greece, where athletes would lift heavy stones or other objects off the ground. While these lifts were not exactly the same as the modern deadlift, they involved similar movements and muscles. Evidence from this is when, in the Greek Island of Thera, archeologists found a big boulder with the inscription of it, reading: “Eumastas, the son of Critobulus, lifted me from the ground”, and also a similar one with Bybon, where there also found a stone with the imprint: “Bybon, son of Phola, has lifted me over his head with one hand.” Unlike Eumastas’ tale, historians tend to believe this as a little more factual, stating that Bybon most likely lifted the stone with two hands and held it overhead with one.

Middle Ages:

In the Middle Ages, strength contests were popular among soldiers and knights as a way to demonstrate their physical abilities and prepare for battle. Lifting heavy stones, barrels, or other objects was a common activity in these contests. Again, while these lifts were not exactly the same as the modern deadlift, they involved similar movements and muscles. Maybe who knows, they used different types of barbells and dumbbells? God only knows…

19th Century:

In the 19th century, strength sports began to gain popularity, and formalized rules and competitions were developed. Strongmen and circus performers would demonstrate their strength by lifting heavy objects, including barbells, dumbbells, and people, like for example the Silver Dollar Lift. The deadlift, as we know it today, began to take shape during this time. The first actual evidence of a feat of strength with a similar movement pattern was that of the British Strongman Thomas Topham, for this type of movement, Topham would stand on a platform and loop a harness around his upper back/neck, then lift an astounding amount of weight below him, and some records say that he lifted well above 1800 pounds! Hopefully, he ate his pre-workout beforehand! Also, another early adoption of the Deadlift was the Silver Dollar lift, as mentioned earlier, is basically a device used back between the 1800s and 1900s, created by George Barker Windship, its mechanics was that people stand on an elevated box and grab a bar attached to weight on a string, then stand up with it.

20th Century:

In the early 20th century, we can already mention the pioneer of the Deadlift, AKA the father of the Deadlift, in which is the German strength pioneer, Hermann Goerner. He did everything like clean and jerk 330 lbs, wrestling an elephant, and most importantly, deadlifting 793 lbs!, and yes, he did lift almost the same weight with ONE HAND! (727lbs).

Now for the 1930s to 1940s, another strength pioneer known as Mark Berry, who was a champion weight lifter in 1925, was the first promoter of the Squats! By this time, these 2 exercises were starting to get popular in the US, which now was part of competitions amongst athletes. So the deadlift was included as one of the three lifts in powerlifting competitions, along with the squat and bench press. This helped to standardize the technique and rules for the deadlift and contributed to its popularity as a strength exercise. The deadlift has been a staple in powerlifting competitions ever since.

Today:

Today, the deadlift is practiced by athletes and fitness enthusiasts all over the world. It is considered one of the most important exercises for building strength and muscle mass and is included in most strength training programs. The deadlift has also been popularized by strongman competitions, where athletes lift incredibly heavy weights, often over 1000 pounds. This example can be honored to Andy Bolton, which in 2006 became the first man to hit the 1k pound mark in the deadlift!, and thats not all, then, Benedikt Mangusson, has the record for the heaviest raw deadlift at 1015 lbs! Amazing lift with an awesome name. Yes, Eddie, you count too even though you had straps!

Throughout its history, the deadlift has been used as a test of strength and a way to build physical power. Its origins can be traced back to ancient times when lifting heavy objects was a part of daily life and a way to demonstrate physical prowess. Over the centuries, the deadlift has evolved into the exercise we know today, and it continues to be one of the most important and popular exercises in strength training.

II. Funtions and Benefits:

There so many types of deadlifts, like the Conventional, which we are talking about in this video, but there's also many variations like the trap bar, sumo, RDL, Stiff leg, Rack Pulls, and single leg deadlifts (Show them one by one), so for this reason, lets talk a little bit of anatomy, which I will use this awesome app called VB Site, which is an anatomy app that you can see everything of the human anatomy, and for the deadlift, the main muscles we target are the following:

1. Hamstrings: This are the muscles in the rear part of your thighs, which most of us dont train them enough and cause some discomfort in your knees and hips if they are poorly trainer, which the deadlift fixes this!

2. Posterior chain: Because of the main starting position, its part of the exercise to embrace your core and keep a neural back position, and because we also use our arms, than the posterior chain will have a strength benefit from this exercise, and if performed correctly, can alo have a positive impact!

3. Glutes; Being the biggest muscle in out body, training our glutes its important, as because one of its biggest functions is to hold your upper body while walking, and the deadlift helps us with a good posture and better glute strength.

4. Quadriceps; Even though its not primordarily targeted, still it is, and depending which type of deadlift, we can target them! This helps with knee health and strength!

Other functions of this exercise is stabilizing your body, fixing imbalances and also making sure in your technique, strengthening your lower back, also to avoid any pain associated with your lifestyle!Now for the benefits, theres so many studies already mentioning the benefits of this exercise, and Ill focus in the best benefit for every human body system.

So know you know everything about the deadlift! And if you want personalized training,check out my website, go to personal training to sign up!