Deadlifts force your abdominal muscles to contract to support and stabilize your spine throughout the lift. They also work your posterior core (low back and spinal erectors), contributing to a strong core overall.
However, you’d need direct training for defined abs.
As a personal trainer, I’ll explain specifically how deadlifts can help your abs, which variations are better, and some specific ab exercises to take your core to the next level.
Table of Contents
What Ab Muscles Are Used In The Deadlift?
The ab muscles used in the deadlift are:
- Rectus abdominis: The front ab muscles you see in a six-pack
- Obliques: Ab muscles on the sides of your body
- Transverse abdominis: Located beside the internal obliques and primarily used for stabilization
While the abs are worked during the deadlift, they aren’t the main core muscle being targeted. The erector spinae is the most active core muscle during the deadlift. You mainly use the posterior chain (back) to lift the weight up against gravity.
When deadlifting, you’ll take a deep breath and squeeze your core as hard as possible to generate intra-abdominal pressure. This pressure creates stability around your hips and spine, increasing the amount of force you can generate from maximally recruiting other muscle groups.
When you brace your abs properly, you can lift more weight on the barbell deadlift and increase muscular strength.
Curious about what other muscles do deadlifts work? Check out my full article.
Deadlift Benefits for Abs
How deadlifts work your abs will have several benefits for athletic performance, general health, and well-being. The main benefits include:
- Improved core stability: The more you deadlift, the more stable and strong your abs must be to support the weight. Studies show that increased core stability leads to better athletic performance, which translates to many disciplines, such as sports and martial arts.
- Injury prevention: Research also shows that exercises that promote core stability, like the deadlift, also help prevent injuries.
- Activates more ab muscles at once: Exercises that brace your core work just about every muscle in your midsection, including your rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, and internal and external obliques.
For more information, check out my article on The 9 Best Ab Exercises For Powerlifters.
Best Deadlift Variations for Abs
I’ve usually gotten the best results by incorporating variations into my workout routine rather than just doing conventional deadlifts. These exercises will train your abs and other muscles from different angles to provide well-rounded strength.
- Best Overall: Deficit Deadlift. Deficit deadlifts increase the range of motion (ROM), so your core will be active longer throughout each rep. To do them, you’d stand on one or two 45-lb plates or a plyometric box about 1-3 inches off the ground while deadlifting.
- Best for Obliques: Jefferson Deadlift. This variation has you lifting with one foot in front of the bar and one foot behind it. Your core will be turned at a slight angle where your obliques will be bracing more.
- Best Dumbbell: Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift (RDL). Even without a barbell, you can still deadlift and work your abs. For this exercise, you’d hold the dumbbells in front of you and lower your upper body while pushing your hips back until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings.
- Best for Overloading: Rack Pull. Rack pulls decrease the ROM and focus on the top portion of the lift. They allow you to load up the bar with more weight, and your abs will have to brace harder.
- Best Kettlebell: Kettlebell Deadlift. This one allows you to lift lighter weights while still bracing your abs throughout. You’d hold the kettlebells in front of you or to the sides and lower your body until you feel a stretch in the glutes and thighs.
Check out my article: Do Squats and Deadlifts Thicken Your Waist?
Should You Be Doing More Core Work, or Are Deadlifts Enough?
To answer this, we must look at your overall fitness goals.
- If your goal is strength: Strength athletes who want to improve at a specific lift should do more of that lift. In this case, you’d want to deadlift more than train your core to focus on all the muscles involved in the lift.
- If your goal is aesthetics: Those who want defined and aesthetic abs can benefit from direct core work that hits individual muscles from different angles. Plus, you should monitor activity and nutrition to maintain a low enough body fat percentage so your abs are visible.
- If you simply want an enjoyable workout: Those looking to achieve general fitness and an enjoyable training session can do a mix. You can focus on ab exercises you enjoy and will stick with long term.
Learning to breathe properly in the deadlift is a skill you can learn, so read the full post for more details.
What Kind Of Core Exercises Should You Do?
Here are a few of my favorite core exercises you can try, which help complement the deadlift:
Plank
- Lie prone on the floor with your elbows and feet supporting you. Hold your brace / “engage your core” and hold for time. If this is too hard, you can be on your knees. If this is too easy, then you can get a partner to add some weight on your back.
Single Arm Farmer Carry
- Hold a weight that is moderately challenging on one arm. Squeeze the weight, hold your brace / “engage your core,” and walk while staying upright. Repeat this on the opposite side. Progress with more weight, or walk for more distance.
Ab Wheel
- Use an ab roller and perform ab rollouts. You can do this on your knees or feet, with the latter being more difficult. Again, hold your brace and “engage your core.”
What about squats do they strengthen the core? Read the full post.
FAQ
How Do I Know If You Have a Strong or Weak Core?
You may have a weak core if you have difficulty maintaining a stable back throughout your deadlift. However, you could also just need to refine your technique and training. You can drop some weight and continue practicing to get better.
Can Deadlifts Reduce Belly Fat?
Deadlifting alone won’t reduce belly fat. However, incorporating them into a well-rounded fitness program targeting fat loss will help. Losing body fat requires eating in a calorie deficit and being more active.
Can You Get A Six Pack Just From Deadlifting?
Just doing deadlifts won’t get you a six-pack. You need to reduce your body fat when you don’t have visible abs. That includes eating in a caloric deficit and increasing activity. As you lose weight and fat and continue to strengthen on several compound movements, you’ll start seeing your abs.
About The Author
Clifton Pho's most notable achievement is winning the 2017 IPF Classic World Championships in the Junior 66kg class whilst setting an Open World Record Deadlift. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Chiropractic.
References
Tayashiki, K., Kanehisa, H., Miyamota, N. (2018). Does intraabdominal pressure have a causal effect on muscle strength of hip and knee joint? Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 1-6.
Akuthota V, Ferreiro A, Moore T, Fredericson M. Core Stability Exercise Principles. Current Sports Medicine Reports. 2008 Jan;7(1):39–44.
Huxel Bliven KC, Anderson BE. Core Stability Training for Injury Prevention. Sports Health: A Multidisciplinary Approach [Internet]. 2013 Mar 25;5(6):514–22. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3806175/
Maeo S, Takahashi T, Takai Y, Kanehisa H. Trunk Muscle Activities During Abdominal Bracing: Comparison Among Muscles and Exercises. Journal of Sports Science & Medicine [Internet]. 2013 Sep 1;12(3):467–74. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3772590/
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