Continued from Belly Fat Reducer: Good Mornings.
In Best Exercise to Lose Belly Fat, I have explained why you want to focus on exercises that engage large muscle groups, if you goal is to lose belly fat. And since leg muscles are the largest, we have been focusing on leg-centric exercises.
But I have also mentioned something else, i.e., adding compound movements to your workout. Enter the deadlift. This exercise does not just work large muscles, it requires virtually all muscle groups in your body to work together to perform the lift.
At the risk of sounding like a deadlift groupie – which I am not (okay, I lied. I am actually, but in a healthy, non-obsessive way) – I will say this: If you think the deadlift is something only bodybuilders and powerlifters should do, you are mistaken.
If you want to set your metabolism on fire, lose belly fat, and build your overall strength, you cannot afford not to do this movement.
Before you get started, read the eight commandments for performance and safety that you must follow to get the most out of this demanding exercise. They’re provided for your safety and deadlifting satisfaction.
1. Stand directly in front of a loaded barbell (the bar should actually touch your shins) with your feet a little wider than your hips.
2. Bend over and grasp the bar with an alternating or staggered grip (one hand pronated, the other supinated), spaced evenly just outside your knees.
3. Keep your arms straight, lower your hips toward the floor, keep your back flat and pull your abs in tight.
4. Inhale, hold your breath and, while keeping your arms straight, start the movement by pushing through the floor with your feet and legs. Don’t begin the deadlift by immediately raising your hips and lower back.
5. As you press through the floor and pull the bar upward, try to maintain a flat back with your chest up.
6. Keep the bar close to the body – so close that you even drag the bar along your legs toward the top.
7. Exhale at the top, standing up straight with the bar and pulling your shoulders back while thrusting your hips forward slightly as you squeeze your back, legs and glutes.
8. Don’t drop the bar, but rather lower it under control along the same path.
Training Note: Generally the weight you squat with will be similar to what you can handle in the deadlift, so use your squat weight as a starting point for the weight you choose for your deadlift warm-up and working sets, then modify the resistance as you become more familiar with the exercise.