Bret Contreras Says Deadlifts are Hamstring Dominant????

[BlazingAirMAx]

When Bret Contreras did his emg studies, he concluded that hamstrings are the top contributors in the conventional style deadlift while other sources including ExRx state the glutes are the target musle. Could it be the Glute Guy has stronger hamstrings than his glutes causing his hamstrings to perform the hip extension when it should be the glutes?

[robertscott]

Run for the hills! A discrepancy!

does it matter? They'll strengthen the whole posterior chain. I dare say due to individual differences in levers some may get more glute, others more hamstring, but meh, I don't really understand why anyone would care...

[Jungledoc]

Doesn't a sprinter want both?

[commodiusvicus]

As robertscott says, couldn't individuals differ? Specifically, i'm thinking the amount you have to bend your knees would be a significant factor. Somebody who can't touch their toes is going to have a lot less knee flexion (and therefore hamstring involvement) than somebody who can do that yoga pose where your head is between your knees, right?

[BlazingAirMAx]

Doesn't a sprinter want both?

Yes, but the glutes should always dominant. The hamstrings will quickly tire if they dominant hip extension.

[BlazingAirMAx]

As robertscott says, couldn't individuals differ? Specifically, i'm thinking the amount you have to bend your knees would be a significant factor. Somebody who can't touch their toes is going to have a lot less knee flexion (and therefore hamstring involvement) than somebody who can do that yoga pose where your head is between your knees, right?

Possibly put the glutes are designed to be the major playor during hip extension. I don't want my hamstrings to ever due what my glutes should because of the strain factor of having my hamstrings compensate for the glutes.

[Oscar_Actuary]

do glute thrusts

But asking what the DL hits is not the same thing as asking what part of your anatomy will dominate in a spring or DL. Ex, your DL levers may hit the hamies more, that doesnt mean you'll hit the hammies more when you sprint You may understad that and this just gets tangled becasue that what typing does. Anyway, glute thrusts.

[BlazingAirMAx]

do glute thrusts

But asking what the DL hits is not the same thing as asking what part of your anatomy will dominate in a spring or DL. Ex, your DL levers may hit the hamies more, that doesnt mean you'll hit the hammies more when you sprint You may understad that and this just gets tangled becasue that what typing does. Anyway, glute thrusts.

Great Point!

[Kenny Croxdale]

When Bret Contreras did his emg studies, he concluded that hamstrings are the top contributors in the conventional style deadlift while other sources including ExRx state the glutes are the target musle. Could it be the Glute Guy has stronger hamstrings than his glutes causing his hamstrings to perform the hip extension when it should be the glutes?

I question if Contreras put it quit that way.

Exactly which Contreras article did you extrapolate that information from? Please post the article.

Kenny Croxdale

[stuward]

Typically Contreras tends to compare different exercises agains a target muscle. For instance, deadhang chin ups are effective ab exercises but that doesn't mean the abs are the prime mover or even the main reason for doing them. Likewise, in his testing of hamstrings, he found that deadlifts are an effective means of training hamstrings but that doesn't say anything about the involvement of the glutes.

If I have the right one, I think this is the hamstring article: http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_art ... ements&cr=" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

In my opinion, you need to train quads, hamstrings and glutes in a balanced manner in order to prevent injuries. A common injury in sprinters is the hamstring pull. That probably comes from quad dominant training. Doing some deadlifts once in a while would be a good thing.

[tyciol]

Contreras does'n't clarify important things in his claims/studies, like with the 'chins for abs' claim, we don't know if he was even comparing it to a weighted crunch. If hanging with your BW was more challenging on the abs than a BW crunch it says nothing for the effectiveness of weighted things.

[stuward]

Contreras does'n't clarify important things in his claims/studies, like with the 'chins for abs' claim, we don't know if he was even comparing it to a weighted crunch. If hanging with your BW was more challenging on the abs than a BW crunch it says nothing for the effectiveness of weighted things.

I think that's an unfair criticism. Read the article and take it at face value. I picked one little part out but you appear to be trying to extrapolate what he said from my comment. Here's the article. http://www.t-nation.com/testosterone-ma ... -exercises" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Jungledoc]

Contreras does'n't clarify important things in his claims/studies, like with the 'chins for abs' claim, we don't know if he was even comparing it to a weighted crunch. If hanging with your BW was more challenging on the abs than a BW crunch it says nothing for the effectiveness of weighted things.

We know exactly what he was comparing it to, those of us who have read the article.

[Stephen Johnson]

It was explained to me once upon a time that the sequence of involvement of muscles in the deadlift is hamstrings at the start, glutes during midrange and quads at the top. I'd be curious to know if this is the case.

From my personal experience, intense deadlifting sessions make my hamstrings sore, especially near where they insert at the pelvic bone. DOMS for my glutes and quads on the other hand are minimal.

[Matt Z]

I would think that hamstring involvement would be greater when the knees are relatively straight (middle-lockout) and less when the knees are more bent (coming off the floor).