SLDL's

The Mad Rapper

The Mad Rapper

The Mad Rapper

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I haven't trained since August last year at all, so the last three weeks I've just done cardio to begin to shed some unneeded cake retention.

Yesterday I started weights again, and as it's been a while I'm keeping the weight light and concentrating on slow movements with good form.

I've just got back from the gym now, having done legs. OMG! I did 4 sets of 12 reps of SLDL's with 40KG and I can now hardly walk! My lower back is QQing IRL! It must have been hilarious watching me try to walk down the street doing a bizarre Michael Jackson stylee walk ;)

Feels great to get back in the gym again though.
 
Err no. It's more of a leg exercise, in particular your hamstrings.

SLDL requires you to initiate the movement from the hips and 'only' the hips. Regular DLs do the erector spinae, but the focus is less on the hamstrings - the converse is true of SLDL, it's more hammies and less back.

Typically you use less weight on SLDLs as they are harder, in spite of being able to do 200kg DLs SLDLs are typically 1/2 of that for me at the moment for decent reps.
 
yeah I always believed they are hamstring exercises hence why they are done on the legs day, always leaves my hammy's aching like mad the next day! Cant say it does that much for the lower back though :P
 
I can't say I noticed it working my hamstrings especially - just my lower back. I thought the whole point of the exercise was that you kept your legs slightly bent at the knees, lowered the weight to the knee and straightened up in an almost deadlift-like movement from there?

I'll have a look and see if I can see an animated .gif on the web.

*Edit*

This is pretty much how I did them:

I didn't take the bar quite as far down, just below the knees but my form was pretty much identical otherwise. My legs are sore but my lowerback is far more sore.
 
Last edited:
The Mad Rapper said:
I can't say I noticed it working my hamstrings especially - just my lower back. I thought the whole point of the exercise was that you kept your legs slightly bent at the knees, lowered the weight to the knee and straightened up in an almost deadlift-like movement from there?

I'll have a look and see if I can see an animated .gif on the web.

*Edit*

This is pretty much how I did them:

I didn't take the bar quite as far down, just below the knees but my form was pretty much identical otherwise. My legs are sore but my lowerback is far more sore.
Click to expand...

The guy in that vid's not really doing proper SLDLs in my opinion, they are more like RDLs sort of.

The main target should be the hamstrings, all the erector spinae does is act as a synergist to the movement rather than an integral muscle group exercised. Though there will be a few stabiliser muscles used.

Edit: dammit bbspeed's link explains it perfectly (need to learn to read threads :o ). That's a good site if anyone wants info btw.
 
I usually do my SLDL's a lot slower than that bloke and think really hard about my hamstrings. Sounds weird but its the only way i can properly target them, if i feel it in my back i stop and sort out my technique....
 
bbspeed said:
should be more like this

http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Hamstrings/BBStraightLegDeadlift.html
Click to expand...


do not like that version at all, much prefer : http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Hamstrings/BBStrBackStrLegDeadlift.html

however, all links so far are working over the range of motion that is actually needed imo. there is no need to go to standing straight up (a la deadlift), from bottom of rep to about 45o is more than enough, keeping a constant strain during the set.


One of the reasons for feeling it in the back rather than the hams: poor form, this is mostly from incorrect thought of deadlifts. xDLs are definitely pulling movements, DLs should be thought of more as a pushing movement (sounds weird i know, but pushing your feet through the floor is how best to think of it).
 
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