This is why I say deadlifts are basically useless

[CT_Muscle]

The same people too lazy to deadlift are the same ones that can't  squat because of a mysterious knee injury.

Or just WEAK

[Primemuscle]

Hyperextensions with added weight (barbell behind the neck or deadlift off the floor) help a great deal in isolation. Also focusses much more on the lowerback rather than including the glutes if done correctly. Worth a try, imo they give a better pump/feeling of soreness than any other (lower)back exercise.

Yeah, I like doing hyperextensions and with added weight they are great. I hold a plate to my chest while doing them. This machine looks like an interesting take on hypers. There isn't one of this type at the gym I go to.

[FREAKgeek]

That's more of a glute ham raise

[dseiler]

Do you want to BE strong or do you want to LOOK strong?

Isn't that what's really at the heart of this debate?

[Sokolsky]

That's more of a glute ham raise

I disagree. (Also with the picture).

It's entirely possible to almost exclusively work the lower back on these, so long as you emphasize leading with your upperbody, and not pulling yourself up by your legs/pushing against the machine with your legs. If done correctly, your legs are basically fixed in place and won't play a significant part in the movement. In the same way that you can isolate the lowerback doing 'goodmornings' by leading with your upperback instead of pushing your hips forward (sort of say).

I'm not sure whether my explanation is clear enough. But they work for me.

[FREAKgeek]

I disagree. (Also with the picture).

It's entirely possible to almost exclusively work the lower back on these, so long as you emphasize leading with your upperbody, and not pulling yourself up by your legs/pushing against the machine with your legs. If done correctly, your legs are basically fixed in place and won't play a significant part in the movement. In the same way that you can isolate the lowerback doing 'goodmornings' by leading with your upperback instead of pushing your hips forward (sort of say).

I'm not sure whether my explanation is clear enough. But they work for me.

I understand the subtleties, boss. Not really arguing either way.

[SF1900]

Do you want to BE strong or do you want to LOOK strong?

Isn't that what's really at the heart of this debate?

Well, at the heart of the debate should be the question: "What are your fitness goals?" These fitness goals may have something to do with looking strong or being strong, or both, or neither (though, I don't think the answer is "neither." It will most likely be a combination of both and on a continuum). In other words, you can't ask such a dichotomous question because its hardly ever "be strong" or "look strong" with nothing in-between.

[SF1900]

Or just WEAK

What would being weak have to do with it? MOST people, not all, don't start off squatting 800 pounds. Most people have to start somewhere. If people never lifted a weight because they were weak, then they wouldn't do any exercises, since all lifts require the person to usually start at a lower weight when they first begin.

[drkaje]

What about functional fitness, SF1900?

[SF1900]

What about functional fitness, SF1900?

What about it?

I am not a certified personal trainer. I am just someone who likes to lift weights. Any answer I give will probably be incorrect from a scientific perspective. All I have are my personal experiences. Thus, I cannot accurately assert that deadlifts are superior to other exercises when it comes to functional fitness or any other related activity. My anecdotal evidence obviously comes with some biases (all personal experiences do).

I don't deadlift, and I have helped plenty of friends (and moved myself) move furniture and various items, etc. I never had a problem with any functionally related activities because I don't deadlift. However, I should also add that there was a time when I deadlifted ALL the time, so maybe I already built my "core."   I don't have a clue. I did back the other day and my workout looked like this:

Wide Grip Chins
Barbell rows (underhand)
T-bar rows
Incline dumbbell rows
Pullovers
Behind the back lat pulldowns
Hyper-extensions.

[Al Doggity]

All gauges of strength are subjective. She credits deadlifting for her new ability to walk and move around properly. To anyone in such a predicament that would be profoundly useful and significant.

Of course it would be significant. It's great that her fitness routine has helped her and I admitted my title for this thread was an exaggeration . I don't agree that all gauges of strength are subjective (which isn't what I said about the deadlift nor does it really make sense, but I'll go with it). If you are strong on bench press, you are strong on almost all chest/ tricep exercises. If you are strong on squats, you are strong on almost all leg exercises. If someone feels that the deadlift helps them, I would never try to convince them not to do it. The point of this thread is that deadlifts have a reputation as the king of all exercises, but I think that is a myth. I think if you look at them objectively, as opposed to just repeating what you've read or heard, you see that they really aren't the all-encompassing workout so many people claim they are.

[Al Doggity]

Do you want to BE strong or do you want to LOOK strong?

Isn't that what's really at the heart of this debate?

No. I think most serious lifters want to be strong and look strong. The debate has been "what is the real value of deadlifts?"

[Al Doggity]

[Primemuscle]

What would being weak have to do with it? MOST people, not all, don't start off squatting 800 pounds. Most people have to start somewhere. If people never lifted a weight because they were weak, then they wouldn't do any exercises, since all lifts require the person to usually start at a lower weight when they first begin.

Heck, when I first started doing squats, I could have used a pulley assist instead of resistance.  ! Ever do body weight squats using good form and high reps? One can really get a good pump from these.

[chaos]

I deadlifted today.

[NickEdge779]

I never got anything out of deadlifts so I never do them. I get plenty of lower back work from doing heavy barbell rows. Barbell rows are my favorite exercise for thickening your lower back, lower lats(if done underhand), and traps.

[chaos]

I never got anything out of deadlifts so I never do them. I get plenty of lower back work from doing heavy barbell rows. Barbell rows are my favorite exercise for thickening your lower back, lower lats(if done underhand), and traps.

Humping the air like a epileptic in a dance club barbell rows are super safe and effective for low back strength.

[Ropo]

What's your point? Look, I can do the same thing. I can post videos of people with poor deadlifting form. What exactly does it prove? Your videos don't prove that those exercises are not effective. 

You are asking for a point in totally pointless thread, which is proving just a fact that only few in this forum has mental capacity needed to build muscles by lifting weights. Most of these idiots are just those, who can't do even the simplest exercise with the good form and ROM. Point? If you need one, try this: If you need  to ask if deadlift is good exercise, it is obvious that a. you are an idiot and b. you have never done it right. If you say it is useless, it is obvious you are an idiot 

[Sokolsky]

Ropo laying down some truth 

[rocket]

It'd be hard to imagine that someone who was actually strong in deadlifts saying they were useless

[FREAKgeek]

Of course it would be significant. It's great that her fitness routine has helped her and I admitted my title for this thread was an exaggeration . I don't agree that all gauges of strength are subjective (which isn't what I said about the deadlift nor does it really make sense, but I'll go with it). If you are strong on bench press, you are strong on almost all chest/ tricep exercises. If you are strong on squats, you are strong on almost all leg exercises. If someone feels that the deadlift helps them, I would never try to convince them not to do it. The point of this thread is that deadlifts have a reputation as the king of all exercises, but I think that is a myth. I think if you look at them objectively, as opposed to just repeating what you've read or heard, you see that they really aren't the all-encompassing workout so many people claim they are.

You can find a problem with any one exercise, one exercise will never take the place of all. There is also the question of what your goals are and what to accomplish, highly variable. I think you'll agree.

[Donny]

Deadlifts are a great exercise and a lot of Old time Bodybuilders did these compound lifts but later itīs wise to use variety and sculpt your Physique....

"you cannot build a good physique with just a few Basic movements. It is impossible. Just think for a moment. How can an individual build a balanced physique when typically his workout routine includes 15 sets of bench press, 10 sets of squats , only 5 sets of shoulder presses, even less back movements,and probably no forearm,calf,and abdominal work at all?
Itīs no wonderour gyms are full of physical monstrosities- men who have unsightly "bunched up  upper bodies, heavy hips and "turnip thighs".

V Gironda "The wild Physique"

[SF1900]

You are asking for a point in totally pointless thread, which is proving just a fact that only few in this forum has mental capacity needed to build muscles by lifting weights. Most of these idiots are just those, who can't do even the simplest exercise with the good form and ROM. Point? If you need one, try this: If you need  to ask if deadlift is good exercise, it is obvious that a. you are an idiot and b. you have never done it right. If you say it is useless, it is obvious you are an idiot 

The OP never said the deadlift was useless. And I never said that either.

The OP was challenging the idea that the deadlift is superior to other exercises, and that similar results can be achieved by doing other back exercises.

[FREAKgeek]

. If you are strong on bench press, you are strong on almost all chest/ tricep exercises. If you are strong on squats, you are strong on almost all leg exercises.

The whole question of exercise carryover - it may it may not. All I did was leg press and got good at, went back to squats I was weaker. Another time all I did for a couple of months was dips and then went back to the bench it didn't fare well either. Don't underestimate neurological adaptation. You are what you train for.

[Donny]

Yeah, I like doing hyperextensions and with added weight they are great. I hold a plate to my chest while doing them. This machine looks like an interesting take on hypers. There isn't one of this type at the gym I go to.

we use this type of bench in the Gym. Works great for us "Old Boys"...