Let’s Get Weird and Try One-Handed Deadlift.
At the Lifehacker Fitness Challenge, we did a lot of different exercises, from barbell lifts to endurance sports , yoga and more. However, this month is going to be special: we’re going to do a few climbs that you’ve probably never tried.
I’ve spent a lot of time in the gym over the past few months studying all-around lifting , a sport involving lifts that most people have either forgotten or never heard of, or are too shy. try. For example, there are many one-arm lifts that were used in the very early Olympics but went out of style.
I found that I really enjoy coming up with a new elevator. Some take weeks or months to master it, as well as a lot of thought, analysis and practice. We’ll stay away from them and focus on things that most people can learn with just a little practice. Or at least you will have fun trying.
So, this month we will be trying a new unusual exercise every week. First, one-handed deadlift.
The video above is a video I filmed when r / griptraining announced a competition for this lift. You can read their rules here , they are no worse than others. (They required a hook grip, which means you put your thumb under your fingers. For our purposes, you can grab the weight any way you want.) Basically, you just need to grab the bar with one hand and keep it under control as you stand up from straight knees.
As far as our challenge goes, I don’t care if you use a full-length barbell, although it’s fun and I highly recommend it. If this sounds too intimidating and you want to try this exercise with a large dumbbell or kettlebell, do it – the point is to experiment and have fun. If you did pick up the barbell, here are my tips:
- Consider sitting with a barbell, as I do in the video above , or standing with a barbell in front of you, as in a regular deadlift. Your choice.
- Before starting the exercise, check the balance of the bar by placing your other hand under the raising arm. Raise the barbell an inch off the ground and see if it tilts to one side or the other. If so, adjust your hand position and try again.
- The more you lift the weight, the better you will be able to hold the barbell. If possible, choose a center knurled plank (this is a textured pattern scratched into the metal). You can use chalk . Try crocheting.
- Place your free hand on your knee and push with that hand, lifting the barbell off the ground.
- If it is difficult to hold a standard barbell, try the Olympic barbell for women. It is made slightly thinner than the male bar, especially so that people with smaller hands can better grip it.
Again, we’re just having fun here, so play around and see what you can raise and how. Maybe this is a workout bar. Or maybe you have great grip strength and are about to do a massive lift once you master the technique. Anyway, show us! If you are on Instagram, feel free to post a video andtag @lifehackerdotcom .