The dumbbell or kettlebell deadlift is pointless if you don't also introduce single-limb variations. Have you ever tried the one-arm variation instead of the one-legged variation? Two legs on the floor, but a single kettlebell, in one hand, held to one side of the body. This is the suitcase deadlift, and in many ways it trains the same qualities as a single leg deadlift.
The difference is that you can carry this exercise a lot more and have a lot more fun with it.
The benefits of the suitcase deadlift
Why do we do single leg exercises? It is easy to develop single leg strength, although it is not everything. They also help improve our stability, and not just because they build one- sided strength . It is about developing the ability to activate the muscles of the trunk that prevent our hips from turning or moving in a coordinated effort.
Our bodies find stability and strength from one side to the other. Our obliques on the left side turn on to prevent us from bending over when we are holding something heavy on the right side of our body. We create a force against the ground from our right foot to flex our left side.
These crossover patterns should be automatic and we should have control and strength on each side to stabilize the other, but this is not always the case. The suitcase deadlift makes it intuitive to improve this quality.
It's not that easy to lean or turn to the side when you're lifting a heavy weight off the ground with just one hand. You instinctively fight him.
Should you introduce it into your training routine?
Although it may seem like a recovery exercise, or something that beginners should practice before training heavy barbell deadlifts; It is also equally necessary for more experienced weightlifters in their general training routines.
We always tend to develop a tendency to use one side of our body in movement more than the other. And while some of it is part of being human, too much of it is part of a problem that can hurt you.
You can practice a sport in which you use almost exclusively one side of your body. Or you could be a busy professional who performs repetitive tasks over and over again.
Repeating the same movements over and over on one side will cause problems with some persistent injuries, aches and pains. Exercises like the suitcase deadlift can keep you healthy or help rehabilitate damage that has already been done.
What muscles are involved?
The movement itself trains hamstrings, quadriceps, buttocks and even back muscles, helping you to grasp and hold the kettlebell.
But the real advantage of adding them to your workouts is that they develop control and anti-rotation strength of the trunk .
The deep trunk muscles that stabilize the spine, pelvis, and hips, such as the transversus abdominis, the psoas major, and even the pelvic floor muscles, to name a few, can really get stressed out by this exercise and train harder than usual. They would do it with any exercise where you have weights of the same size on both hands.
How to make a suitcase deadlift?
- Place a dumbbell or kettlebell on the side of one of your ankles.
- Bend over and squat in a similar fashion to preparing for a barbell deadlift. You will need to squat lower and stand taller than you would be in a conventional deadlift with a loaded barbell because the kettlebell is not as high off the ground and is set to the side.
- Inhale deeply, filling your entire abdominal cavity and expanding and pressurizing not only your belly, but also the sides of your torso and lower back with air.
- Lean back and think about digging your feet and ankles into the ground while standing, making sure your hips don't shoot before your chest and shoulders do.
- While standing, focus on letting your shoulders relax and sag, but avoid letting the side of the torso with the weight lean lower than the opposite side.
- You want your hips to stay square and even all the time.
- Fight the temptation to let your torso bend to the side of the weight while standing.
- Focus on engaging your core to keep your hips square and not allowing yourself to twist or bend to one side at all.
- Exhale hard at the top, hug yourself again, and crouch in the same way to ring the bell on the floor before getting back up.
Add variation
One of the best ways to turn things around would be to use a barbell instead of a dumbbell or kettlebell. Many people think of using a barbell when doing suitcase deadlifts, but it should be viewed as a progression from using a bell. With a bar, you not only have to shoot your trunk to stabilize and avoid twisting and turning, but you will also need to stabilize the bar to prevent it from tipping forward or backward in your hand.
This requires a great deal of focus on engaging your shoulders, back, and forearms to stabilize the bar itself, and if you can't fix your hips and pelvis in place first, using a bar defeats the purpose of the exercise.
