The deadlift can often be overlooked when putting together a gym routine, but it’s truly a one-move wonder – and essential for building up the muscle groups you need to get stronger on the bike.
By targeting your glutes and hamstrings, you’ll become more stable and powerful in the saddle. It’s a move that can seem intimidating at first—often because of the weight involved—but once you get the correct form down, you’re good to go.
When you’re first starting out, you should just use the bar (no weight!) until you master the technique. Remember to keep you core engaged and think about keeping your back flat as you bend from the hips.
A common mistake is to hunch your shoulders, which puts stress on all the wrong places. When done correctly, deadlifts can actually help improve your posture. And you’ll know when you’re doing them right when you feel it in your glutes. Then you can start adding weight as you’re more comfortable.
Deadlifts are typically done using a higher weight than what you might be used to with other exercises, so once you get that form down, don’t be afraid to put some plates on. Video courtesy of our American sister title Bicycling.
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