Deadlifts

You should be doing deadlifts. There is no way around it, if deadlifts aren't a part of your weight lifting routine then you aren't living up to your full potential. It is widely considered to be the most effective exercise for building mass in bodybuilding.

Most newbies shrug off deadlifts because they are worried about getting injured or aren't willing to put in the effort to learn the deaflift. It is a compound exercise, which means it works multiple muscle groups. Obviously, deadlifts are great at turning backs into cheese shredders, but they also work the legs! You will find that, especially when you first start doing deadlifts, your quads and hamstrings will be sore the next day. They can even transform your glutes!

If you have decided to add bulk to your body via deadlifts, you need to learn the proper form in order to maximize their effectiveness and prevent injury. You should start by doing two warm-up sets with light weight in order to get your muscles ready to lift. This is a major cog in the anti-injury machine. You can try out some back and leg stretches as well.

1. Check your ego at the door. You want to use a light starting weight in order to prevent injury.

2. Place the bar at your feet and lift it while keeping your back completely straight, Your back should be straight for the entirety of this exercise, rounding means you either aren't trying hard enough or you are trying to do too much weight. Keep the bar as close to your shins as possible when lifting it.

3. Once you have lifted the barbell to waist level, you want to straighten your shoulders and pull them back slightly. This works the upper back extremely effectively.

4. When lowering the bar make sure to keep it as close to your legs and shins as possible, all the while keeping your back straight.

5. I recommend implementing this into a bulking routine with other compound lifts. Do some research to find the ones that will add the most mass for you.

If done right, you can see more gains from the deadlift than any other exercise. It truly is the cornerstone of any bulking routine. It will add weight in all the right places and your posture will be as straight as a steel plank. Just remember, keep your back straight!