Why is my deadlift not improving?

Deadlift is one of the most important exercises because it effectively works your upper and lower body simultaneously. However, there are a few things that you may be doing wrong which will hinder you from improving your deadlift gradually.

There are very few exercises that you can do to work your whole body at one go, which makes the deadlift a very popular and effective exercise. This is because it not only helps you to build muscle throughout your body, but also helps you to improve on your body posture. Yes, that’s right! For sure, doing deadlifts will enable you to have a well- toned body and physique which will give you so much confidence with your body. However, it is also important to note that you will only be able to gain from deadlifts only if you do it the right way.

There are various reasons that hinder you from improving your deadlift. This includes using the wrong technique, not focusing on the right form, not eating the right foods and even following a wrong workout routine. Deadlift is a very effective exercise and guarantees you results when it comes to upper and lower body strength. However, you may not be able to see the results that you expect if you make some of these mistakes when you do this exercise.

Reasons why your deadlift is not improving

Wrong body posture and technique

Well, this is the most important thing to consider whenever you do any type of exercise including the deadlift. This is because you risk getting a spinal injury if you don’t have the right body posture whenever you do a deadlift. In addition to this, you’ll also be wasting a lot of time because your body won’t be able to gain from the exercise as effectively as it would have if you do it the right way.

Therefore, you should be very careful whenever you do a deadlift and ensure that your back is always straight when you lift the weights. It is always recommended that you should always do a deadlift with the company of an experienced person or gym trainer especially if you are a beginner. This is because they can help you maintain a straight back and supervise you every time you exercise to ensure that you are doing it the right way.

You are following a wrong workout routine

Unfortunately, doing exercises without a proper workout routine is as good as doing nothing at all. You’ll not be able to improve your deadlift if you keep on doing the same number of sets and reps every single week. This is because it will reach a point that your body muscles will get used to the exercise which lead to stagnation in muscle growth.

You are required to follow a workout routine that consists of a different variation in the number of sets of reps that you are supposed to do throughout the week. This will enable you to improve your deadlift as weeks go by because you will always be drawing out new stimuli from your body. Below is a proper workout routine that you can follow to improve your deadlift.

Week	Days	Workout	Sets	Reps
1	Monday	Deadlift	4	4
	Friday	Deadlift	10	1
2	Monday	Deadlift	5	3
	Friday	Deadlift	8	2
3	Monday	Deadlift	3	2
	Friday	Deadlift	6	3
4	Monday	Deadlift	1	1
	Friday	Deadlift	1	5

You are on the wrong diet

This is also another very important thing to consider if you intend to gain from your deadlift and improve on it. You can’t be able to improve your deadlift if you don’t eat the right foods. This is because your body muscles won’t have the necessary nutrients to rebuild the worn-out muscle tissues after every workout session. In addition to this, your body will also suffer from fatigue if you don’t eat enough food.

Therefore, you are required to eat foods that are high in protein so that it can help give you energy whenever you head to the gym to do deadlifts. Protein contains all the necessary amino acids that your body will require to repair all the worn-out muscles during each of your deadlift sessions. It is also important to note that you shouldn’t starve yourself even if you are trying to lose weight for a deadlift competition. In addition to this, you should also have enough carb intake in order to maintain a great balance in your diet.

How to properly execute a deadlift

You should always ensure that you have the right body posture to properly execute deadlift and gain from it. There are two types of deadlifts that you can do which includes the conventional deadlift and the sumo deadlift. When it comes to the conventional deadlift, you are supposed to put your feet underneath the barbell and ensure that you spread your legs as wide as your shoulder width. Once you have done this, you should take a deep breath and then sit backwards as you stretch your hands to the barbell bar.

One hand should be on top of the bar while the other hand should be underneath the bar so that you can be able to properly lift the barbell. This technique also allows you to have proper grip when you carry the barbell. After you have done this, you are required to look at something that is directly in front of you or do this exercise in front of a mirror so that you can look at yourself. At first, this may sound like an easily negligible step however it isn’t. This is because it helps you to tuck your chin which enables you to have a straight back when you lift the barbell.

The moment you have gone through all those steps successfully, you are required to lift the barbell with your chest tall so that you can fully engage your lower body muscles. This will enable you to maintain the necessary tension that you are required to have when lifting the weight making this exercise very effective. Once you have lifted the barbell, you should fully lock it in this position and then thrust your hips towards the barbell.

Remember not to hyper- extend your lower back as you may risk getting an injury. After thrusting your hips, you should lock your lift and pull your shoulders back then slowly drop the barbell back to the floor. The same concept applies to the sumo deadlift however, in this exercise you are supposed to spread your legs as wide as possible and angle them outwards.

Conclusion

Without doubt, deadlift is one of the most common exercises. Especially if you are looking for a specific exercise that will effectively work your upper and lower body at the same time. However, it’s important to note that you will only be able to gain from it and improve your deadlift only if you do it right.

FAQs

How much weight should I carry during deadlift for a beginner?

You are required to lift at least a 15lbs weight barbell if you are doing deadlifts for the first time. It is also important to note that you are required to do sets of two and take 30 second rest intervals.

Should I focus on doing only one type of deadlift or I should be doing both?

It is recommended that you alternate between the conventional deadlift and the sumo deadlift so that you can improve your deadlift.