So I know you're already
thinking, how in the heck can a person do deadlifts
in a seated position?
Easy! You just need
something to sit down on...
But first, what's
the point of doing deadlifts in a seated position?
Well, this is an especially useful exercise when
you want to directly train the lower back for the
top half of the deadlift. If you have trouble with
the lockout portion, this is a great exercise to
work at.
This seated version
takes the legs ALMOST completely out of the exercise
(notice the almost - you need your legs for stability
and isometric push), basically leaving your lower
back to foot the bill when bringing the barbell
up from the floor.
I use this one when
I want to hit a heavy lower back movement but my
legs are too trashed or I'm feeling tired and not
up for full deadlifts. Like I mentioned, it's also
great for targeting the upper half of the deadlift,
especially if you don't have a rack to work with.
It directly works the lower back.
You'll need a sturdy
bench for this exercise.
Load up a barbell
just in front of the END of that bench then sit
on the very END of the bench. Start moderate but
feel free to work up to some heavy weights with
this one as you're able to.
Now here's the trick.
Step over the bar and roll it in under your legs.
Lean forward and grab
the bar with an overhand grip (or mixed or whatever
your preference).
Now pull the bar up
into the upright seated position. As you begin the
pull, tighten your entire core area - solidify your
abs and push your feet down into the ground hard
to brace your body.
Keep your lower back
arched to protect your spine and keep looking forward.
Here's the final position.
Note the bar is coming up under your legs and under
the bench.
This exercise allows
you to really focus on training the lower back effectively
while not having overload your entire body with
full-on deadlifts.
It's a good one! Don't
be shy to use grip assistance when you get into
the heavier weights. Personally, I use 1
Ton Hooks for this purpose. Those things work
like a charm for heavy gripping exercises.
