Deadlifts have long been a staple exercise for anyone looking to build glutes. Traditionally meant to strengthen your back, a deadlift is a great for lifting big weights to shock your glutes into growth. Let's discuss each type of deadlift and discover the best deadlift to build glutes.
by CHLOE ALEXANDER on
October 13, 2021
Firstly, what is a deadlift?
If you’re not a regular at the gym, you might not be able to picture a deadlift in your mind’s eye. A deadlift is a compound lift that trains all of the muscles on your backside. It’s known to be one of the best exercises that will train your hamstrings, hips and glutes, and it’s a popular option for all trainers who are helping clients to work on glute growth. The muscles used when you deadlift can help you to strengthen the muscles in your bum as these are the primary muscles worked. Almost all of the weight load goes onto the glutes and hamstrings, and it’s a huge lift. Whether you use a heavy weight or high volumes, the deadlift is going to build, tone and increase the strength of your glutes.
Here is a video of a typical deadlift:
You may not think that there is enough variation in this movement for you, but there are a number of modifications that can be made to your deadlifts to get them working for you. So, if you’re looking to grow your glutes and make your butt a powerhouse of strength, here are several different methods for you to do it.
The Romanian Deadlift
“RDLs are one of, if not the most effective hamstring and glute exercises around,” says Darin Hulslander. This is one of the most popular options for targeted strengthening and butt building. It’s simple but popular, which is why it’s so highly thought of in the fitness world! The Romanian Deadlift is a movement that can help you to isolate your hamstrings and glutes, which allows you to load them with more and more weight as you get stronger. You can improve your mobility in your hips and spend time developing your hip hinge movement. Whether you deadlift the weight from the floor or use a squat rack, you have options.
Tip: make sure to squeeze your glutes on the way back up!
The Split-Stance Romanian Deadlift
A variation of the original Romanian Deadlift, the Split Stance is going to help you to target your glutes and and train your hamstrings more than ever. It’s definitely not the place to start if you’re a beginner, but it’s one way you can strengthen and add size to your glutes. It’s going to help you to balance better, too, as you are using a shorter split stance. This will help to stabilize those core and hip muscles and allow you to work extra hard on your balance and your form. This is still a compound exercise, however, and it can be done with higher volumes and heavy loads, so as you get better at it, you’re going to be able to lift more.
The Single Leg Deadlift
This is a great exercise to target your glutes and it’s an effective one with or without weights. This is an exercise that’s done while you balance on a single leg. If you want a nice, balancing element to the lift, the single leg deadlift is the way to go. Your glutes will work harder and engage more with this deadlift more than any other.
The Landmine Deadlift
This is a great variation on the deadlift if you want to target your glutes for training. If you’re a beginner to the fitness world, it’s the go-to lift for women. Why is it so good? Well, it’s the easiest variation to start off with. The barbell moves in a fixed path, and the weight will always follow a predefined path so you can’t get this wrong! This is a deadlift that is better for your spine and lower back, so if you’re having issues, you will find this a great one to start off with.
The Sumo Deadlift
The sumo stance is one that you might have seen on TV, and in this exercise it’s used to deadlift well. It’s a preferred option for athletes and lifters and for a very good reason. The sumo stance is a much easier lift for some as it provides added balance. More weight can be pulled up this way, and the right height, body type and build will help you to do it. The sumo deadlift is a friendly option for your back, too. If you’re having issues with your lower back and spine, the sumo deadlift will be a great option because you have a wide stance to start with. The sumo stance and foot placement will help you with your hip/knee angles. You can target your glutes to a bigger extent.
The Bulgarian Deadlift
Not the same as the Romanian Deadlift, the Bulgarian Deadlift is a deceptive one! It’s an effective exercise for training your glutes, but it’s more challenging one than the conventional deadlift. The weight is placed so that you are in a more awkward starting position. It takes some getting used to, and it’s performed on one leg! You rest one leg on an elevated surface situated behind you, and you perform the Bulgarian Deadlift on the other leg. You can do this from the floor, too. It’s a great option for working your glutes as it specifically targets your hamstrings and glutes. Your hips have to work harder in this position and it can help you to maintain your core balance and your posture while you’re working on it.
The Deficit Deadlift
This is a challenging deadlift variation and it’s done by standing on a platform up to four inches high. You have to elevate yourself compared to the barbell so that the path the barbell moves is longer with a deeper starting position. The best thing about the deficit deadlift is that it has a deeper starting position. It’s so deep (or low) that your glutes really do have to work harder to get that bar moving. It’s an advanced lift, so if you’re a beginner, don’t try this one first!
Authors
I’m Chloe – a body confidence writer here at House of Peach! I help women to feel fabulous in the body they’re in and feel amazing in gym wear – regardless of their body shape and type. Unleash Your Peach.
Firstly, what is a deadlift?
If you’re not a regular at the gym, you might not be able to picture a deadlift in your mind’s eye. A deadlift is a compound lift that trains all of the muscles on your backside. It’s known to be one of the best exercises that will train your hamstrings, hips and glutes, and it’s a popular option for all trainers who are helping clients to work on glute growth. The muscles used when you deadlift can help you to strengthen the muscles in your bum as these are the primary muscles worked. Almost all of the weight load goes onto the glutes and hamstrings, and it’s a huge lift. Whether you use a heavy weight or high volumes, the deadlift is going to build, tone and increase the strength of your glutes.
Here is a video of a typical deadlift:
You may not think that there is enough variation in this movement for you, but there are a number of modifications that can be made to your deadlifts to get them working for you. So, if you’re looking to grow your glutes and make your butt a powerhouse of strength, here are several different methods for you to do it.
The Romanian Deadlift
“RDLs are one of, if not the most effective hamstring and glute exercises around,” says Darin Hulslander. This is one of the most popular options for targeted strengthening and butt building. It’s simple but popular, which is why it’s so highly thought of in the fitness world! The Romanian Deadlift is a movement that can help you to isolate your hamstrings and glutes, which allows you to load them with more and more weight as you get stronger. You can improve your mobility in your hips and spend time developing your hip hinge movement. Whether you deadlift the weight from the floor or use a squat rack, you have options.
Tip: make sure to squeeze your glutes on the way back up!
The Split-Stance Romanian Deadlift
A variation of the original Romanian Deadlift, the Split Stance is going to help you to target your glutes and and train your hamstrings more than ever. It’s definitely not the place to start if you’re a beginner, but it’s one way you can strengthen and add size to your glutes. It’s going to help you to balance better, too, as you are using a shorter split stance. This will help to stabilize those core and hip muscles and allow you to work extra hard on your balance and your form. This is still a compound exercise, however, and it can be done with higher volumes and heavy loads, so as you get better at it, you’re going to be able to lift more.
The Single Leg Deadlift
This is a great exercise to target your glutes and it’s an effective one with or without weights. This is an exercise that’s done while you balance on a single leg. If you want a nice, balancing element to the lift, the single leg deadlift is the way to go. Your glutes will work harder and engage more with this deadlift more than any other.
The Landmine Deadlift
This is a great variation on the deadlift if you want to target your glutes for training. If you’re a beginner to the fitness world, it’s the go-to lift for women. Why is it so good? Well, it’s the easiest variation to start off with. The barbell moves in a fixed path, and the weight will always follow a predefined path so you can’t get this wrong! This is a deadlift that is better for your spine and lower back, so if you’re having issues, you will find this a great one to start off with.
The Sumo Deadlift
The sumo stance is one that you might have seen on TV, and in this exercise it’s used to deadlift well. It’s a preferred option for athletes and lifters and for a very good reason. The sumo stance is a much easier lift for some as it provides added balance. More weight can be pulled up this way, and the right height, body type and build will help you to do it. The sumo deadlift is a friendly option for your back, too. If you’re having issues with your lower back and spine, the sumo deadlift will be a great option because you have a wide stance to start with. The sumo stance and foot placement will help you with your hip/knee angles. You can target your glutes to a bigger extent.
The Bulgarian Deadlift
Not the same as the Romanian Deadlift, the Bulgarian Deadlift is a deceptive one! It’s an effective exercise for training your glutes, but it’s more challenging one than the conventional deadlift. The weight is placed so that you are in a more awkward starting position. It takes some getting used to, and it’s performed on one leg! You rest one leg on an elevated surface situated behind you, and you perform the Bulgarian Deadlift on the other leg. You can do this from the floor, too. It’s a great option for working your glutes as it specifically targets your hamstrings and glutes. Your hips have to work harder in this position and it can help you to maintain your core balance and your posture while you’re working on it.
The Deficit Deadlift
This is a challenging deadlift variation and it’s done by standing on a platform up to four inches high. You have to elevate yourself compared to the barbell so that the path the barbell moves is longer with a deeper starting position. The best thing about the deficit deadlift is that it has a deeper starting position. It’s so deep (or low) that your glutes really do have to work harder to get that bar moving. It’s an advanced lift, so if you’re a beginner, don’t try this one first!