The deadlift is a staple in the strength and conditioning world. This article is going to examine an alternative exercise to the deadlift. For most people, this exercise is a more effective and useful substitute.
Let's go back about two years...
I used to be a huge advocate of the Deadlift for its total body strength improvement and honestly, I still am. The one issue with the traditional deadlift though is the fact that it does not train the full range of motion in the hip hinge. I gained a lot of strength deadlifting but I became stiff and restricted. I had tightness and pain in my lower back after playing basketball and often needed excessively long warmups just to play! I took the time to learn and improve my knowledge base and now I am passing it on to you!
Take a look at the video above and take note of the hip flexion. Then watch the video below and compare.
The goal is to be able to get your abs to the level of your hips. For example, this would mean abs to the bench if you are using one.
So why is the Seated Goodmorning more beneficial to most people compared to traditional Deadlifts?
There are a couple of reasons...
Firstly, the Seated Goodmorning has a significantly reduced risk of injury to the low back compared to deadlifts. Without getting into too much technical explanation, there are simply fewer things that can go wrong with the Seated Goodmorning. It's more of an isolated exercise for the lower back rather than a compound lift like the deadlift. There is less coaching needed as a result.
Secondly, the Seated Goodmorning trains full range of motion. The hips and groin move through full range while performing this exercise. It is a true strength through the length of exercise. To read more about why strength through length sign up as a member and read our post on Strength through Length.
Or, check out these posts for more information on how to implement the Seated Goodmorning into your program today!
Final Thought:
I do believe deadlifts are vital to improving strength and performance but I believe they should only be done when they have been earned, with proper mobility and strength. Progressing on the Seated Goodmorning first will lead to better long term improvement and injury prevention!
Thank you for reading!
-Matt