Deadlifts are a popular exercise in the strength community and are one of the best exercises to strengthen the posterior chain and develop strong hamstrings and back. In today’s times, it has been noticed that the risk of doing a deadlift is far greater than the reward you get from it. Therefore in this article, we will go over the best deadlift alternatives to build muscle and strength effectively and efficiently.

Before we begin we need to understand what muscles do the deadlift work. According to studies the deadlift primarily works the posterior chain which includes the back muscles, hamstrings, and glutes. Now that we are equipped with this information we can find exercises that work the posterior chain in a similar or better way.

Best Deadlift alternatives

1. Trap bar deadlift
2. Romanian deadlift
3. Hip thrusts
4. Glute bridge
5. Hamstring curls
6. Hyperextensions
7. Good mornings

Trap bar deadlift

Trap bar deadlift works the same muscles as the deadlift and also engages the quads making it a great alternative to the deadlift. It is your best bet to train with a trap bar if you have issues with the normal deadlift. The reason why this is great is because it allows the individual to lift more weights and helps align the center of gravity whereas in the normal deadlift, you have to balance it.

Pro tip: Perform heavy sets with the trap bar for best results.

How to:

• Stand inside the trap bar
• Hinge from the hips and grab the handles
• Brace your core
• Bend your knees and push away the floor

Romanian Deadlift

The Romanian deadlift is one the best deadlift alternatives as it has the same movement pattern and also engages the posterior chain with emphasis on the hamstring and glutes. This exercise is a great way to build thick and strong legs. You can perform this exercise with dumbbells and barbells. The choice is yours.

Pro tip: Think about thrusting from the hips rather than pulling from the back. Use lifting straps to do more weight and reps.

How to:

• Stand 1 inch away from the bar with your feet slightly narrower than shoulder width
• Hinge from the hips and grab the bar
• Perform a deadlift
• Hing from the hips and descend the bar slowly till you feel a stretch in your hamstrings
• Pull the bar up and repeat

Hip thrusts

Hip thrust works the glutes and the hamstrings with the main focus on the glutes. This exercise is great for helping the normal deadlift if you suffer from a poor lockout in the deadlift. Hip thrust are a relatively safe exercise until you try to jerk the weight which can lead to injury in the lower back.

Pro tip: Do not jerk the weight. Use pads so that the bar does not dig into your hip crease. Use platforms if you are using plates smaller in diameter

How to:

• Roll the bar into your hip crease
• Plant your feet into the ground and push upwards with your hips
• Adjust if needed and do not jerk the weight

Glute bridge

Glute bridges target the glutes and the hamstrings just like the hip thrusts. The main advantage of a glute bridge is that it requires less equipment or no equipment at all. This exercise is a safer alternative for deadlifts since it is performed with no weight or very light weights.

Pro tip: This is a great warm-up exercise for the deadlift and the squats.

How to:

• Lay on the ground
• Plant your feet into the ground and push your hips up

Hamstring curls

Hamstring curls are a great exercise to target the hamstrings. It is the best exercise to train the hamstring and help you build massive legs. The reason why this is one of the best alternatives to deadlift is because it isolates the main muscle worked during the deadlift. This exercise can also be performed with a resistance band.

Pro tip: Contraction is key in this exercise use a lighter weight and try to feel your hamstrings

How to:

• Lay on the hamstring curl machine
• Curl the weight up
• Pause for a second and release it slowly
• Do not rush your reps

Hyperextensions

Hyperextensions work the lower back, hamstring, and glutes with the main focus on the lower back. Hyperextensions are one of the safer deadlift alternatives and can be performed almost on any bench. You can hold weights in your hand if bodyweight hyperextensions are too easy for you.

Pro tip: Try not to bend your legs when performing hyperextensions.

How to:

• Set the pad height on the machine
• Straighten your legs and hinge from the hips
• Pull yourself up using your back and repeat

Good mornings

Good Mornings works the same muscles that are worked in the hyperextensions which are the lower back, glutes, and hamstrings with emphasis on the hamstring and glutes. This exercise also activates the core to some extent to balance the weight. This exercise can also be performed with the help of resistance bands.

Pro tip: Think of hinging from the hips rather than putting the shoulders down

How to:

• Get under the bar into a squat stance
• Hinge from the hip does not lead with the shoulders
• Go down till you feel a stretch in your hamstrings
• Pull hack up by thrusting your hips forward

What are some safer deadlift alternatives?

Some widely known safer deadlift alternatives are the good mornings, Hyperextensions, reverse hyperextensions, and Romanian deadlifts. These exercises are safer to perform as you cannot use too much weight on these exercises and are also harder to mess up.

Deadlift alternatives at home for strengthening the lower back

Exercises such as the good mornings, glute bridge, and RDLs can be performed at home since they require less equipment and can be performed with a pair of dumbbells or just a resistance band.

The verdict on alternatives for deadlift

The deadlift is a great exercise for strength and conditioning but it is not as efficient as other exercises to build a ton of muscle. Deadlifts are very taxing on the body and if they are performed in improper form can lead to injuries.

You don’t need to do deadlifts to build muscle but you do need to strengthen and condition your body if you compete in any strength sports. If you hate deadlifts with a passion try some of the recommendations and leave a comment below if you’d like to.

FAQs on alternatives to deadlifts

Q1. What muscles do deadlift alternatives target?

Ans. Deadlift alternatives target the posterior chain and the forearms for grips.

Q2. Why should I consider deadlift alternatives?

Ans. You should consider deadlift alternatives if you have pain while doing deadlifts or are just bored of doing deadlifts and want a change.

Q3. Can deadlift alternatives help increase my deadlift?

Ans. Yes, the deadlift alternatives can help increase deadlifts if you incorporate these into your training routine properly and do these exercises with the right technique.

Q4. How do I choose the right exercise for me?

Ans. To choose the right exercise for you, you need to consider your weak points first and then choose exercises accordingly.

Q5. Do I need to do deadlifts?

Ans. If you are well into your fitness journey as a bodybuilder you do not need to do deadlifts to build muscle. But if you are just starting out working on the deadlift is crucial to have a good base for lifting.