It has recently come to my attention that some gyms are starting to ban certain exercises from there facilities. A friend recently posted a picture on Facebook of a sign posted in a gym which read, “No Deadlifting! First time offense will result in termination of membership.” After seeing the picture, I decided to do a little research and found that a number of facilities where doing this. Not only where they banning deadlifts, but they were banning a number of exercises too!

Exercise and lifting weights does come with a certain risk of injury, but so does crossing the street. If you cross the street before looking both ways, you are probably going to get hit by a car. The same thing goes for exercising. If you don’t use proper form or you use too heavy a weight, you will get hurt.

Deadlifts have been proven time and time again as one of the most beneficial exercises you can do. Aside from being a great mass building exercise, it’s one of the few exercises that will strengthen all major muscle groups. It’s also a great core exercise as it helps build stability while strengthening the muscles responsible for correct posture. Ever pick something off the floor? Then you just did a deadlift! Proving that it even has real life applications!

The Deadlift isn’t a dangerous exercise. It’s actually one of the few where you don’t have to worry about getting crushed or dropping a weight on yourself! Even in its simplicity, it’s not the kind of exercise you want to max out right away. It’s a compound exercise with multiple muscles working together, which can make it awkward at first, so take it slow. If you take the time to truly learn this exercise, you will see how much of a difference it can make in your workouts.

-Scott