In an interview with Shape, Dr. Osborn discussed the importance of building up functional strength and how one exercise in the gym can help accomplish that goal.
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Deadlifts can build strength and stability, creating improvement in the body’s physical physique and function. Deadlifts are a highly effective strength training exercise that helps strengthen multiple muscle groups that include the back, hips, quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes. Similar to walking or bending over to pick something up, deadlifts use a hinging motion that people do every day.
Dr. Brett Osborn says deadlifts are one exercise he swears by.
"Deadlifts are one of my favorite exercises," says Dr. Brett Osborn, Board-Certified Neurosurgeon and holder of the USPA Florida State deadlifting record. "They stress the entire musculoskeletal system and get you used to something difficult, namely hoisting a weighted bar off the floor from the standing position. No machines, no pulleys, no cams, just you versus the weight," he explains.
Deadlifts can provide benefits such as improved posture, an increase in overall life quality and a decrease in the risk of injury. They not only target various muscle groups, but promote overall muscle growth, increase energy and toned physique.
Below are a list of primary muscles the deadlift benefits:
- Erector Spinae (Lower Back)
- Gluteus Maximus (Buttocks)
- Quadricep (Front Thighs)
- Hamstring (Back Thighs)
- Adductors (Inner Thighs)
- Latissimus Dorsi (Lats)
- Trapezius (Upper Back)
- Rhomboids (Upper Back)
- Abdominals (Core)
To target specific muscles groups, there are different variations of deadlifts to do:
- Sumo deadlift
- Stiff-legged deadlift
- Romanian deadlifts
- Rack pulls
- Trap bar deadlift
- Deficit deadlifts
The full version of this article originally appeared in Shape on November 9, 2023 and was written by Rachel MacPherson, BA, CPT.
