logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2021
26m 32s

Ep. #819: Is Deadlifting Worth The Risk?

MIKE MATTHEWS
About this episode

I’ve churned through over 150,000 emails, social media comments and messages, and blog comments in the last 6 years.

And that means I’ve fielded a ton of questions.

As you can imagine, some questions pop up more often than others, and I thought it might be helpful to take a little time every month to choose a few and record and share my answers.

So, in this round, I answer the following question:

  • Are deadlifts worth the risk?

If you have a question you’d like me to answer, leave a comment below or if you want a faster response, send an email to mike@muscleforlife.com.


Timestamps

5:22 - Are deadlifts a risky or dangerous exercise for your average lifter or lifestyle bodybuilder?

10:52 - What’s the best alternative to the conventional deadlift? Rack pulls.

11:22 - Do deadlifts hurt your biceps?

15:56 - Is deadlifting especially difficult to recover from? Is 3 sets too much?

16:25 - What is CNS fatigue?

18:42 - Why should you deadlift? What are the benefits of deadlifting?

20:37 - Can deadlifts affect your hormones like testosterone?

24:18 - Do you need to deadlift? Are deadlifts required?


Mentioned on the Show:

My New Book Muscle For Life: https://muscleforlifebook.com/

Books by Mike Matthews: https://legionathletics.com/products/books/

Up next
Feb 2025
The Final Episode (For Now)
Yup—it’s true—after more than 10 years and nearly 1,200 episodes, I’ve decided to step away from the Muscle for Life podcast… at least for now.In this final episode, I share how I came to the decision to pause the pod, what’s next for me and Legion, and how I’ll continue creating ... Show More
25m 44s
Feb 2025
Ep. #1188: Q&A: Beating Bad Habits, Free-weight Leg Day, Legion Clear Protein, & More
In this episode, I discuss strategies to beat bad eating habits, my favorite free-weight exercises for leg day, upcoming developments with Legion Clear Protein, and more.As always, these questions come directly from my Instagram followers, who take advantage of my weekly Q&As in ... Show More
43m 29s
Feb 2025
Ep. #1187: Dr. Robert Waldinger on Happiness Lessons from Harvard Researchc
What’s the secret to living a long, happy life? How do relationships influence happiness and longevity? How does social connection impact stress and well-being? In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Robert Waldinger, director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development and author of ... Show More
57m 44s
Recommended Episodes
Mar 2023
2027: How to Improve Your Squat, Bench, and Deadlift Strength
In this episode Sal, Adam & Justin cover six steps to improving your strength in the big lifts. One of the single most effective things you can do to change the appearance of your body is to simply get stronger at the bench press, the squat, and the deadlift. (1:28) There are VER ... Show More
47m 44s
Apr 2022
384: Motivation Monday - How To Improve Form In The Gym, Should You Bulk Or Cut & Workout Intensity Vs. Consistency
➢DM us "Body Recomp" on IG @ColossusFit - 6 spots available ➢ Check out our youtube- www.colossusfitness.com ➢ Form playlist- https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8OM5ZzYjzbDZnI1iOWB64segChFuQOD7 Welcome to Motivation Monday, where every Monday we answer all of your questions and ... Show More
32m 53s
May 2023
#223 - Squat, Bench, Deadlift should they be in my program with Craig McDonald
What exercises should you include in your program? And should squat, bench, and deadlift be some of them?In our latest podcast episode, Craig and I discuss when we recommend these movements and when they might not be appropriate. Often, it depends on your goals. Give our most rec ... Show More
22m 45s
Jul 2023
515: Motivation Monday - Does Lifting Make You Too Bulky, How to Increase Calories After Dieting & New Macro Hacks
➢ DM us “Test Group“ to IG @colossusfitness apply for coaching (5 spots) for anyone looking up lose up to 20lbs of fat, and build up to 10lbs of lean muscle. ➢ Follow us on Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/colossusfit/?hl=en ➢ Follow us on Threads- https://www.threads.net/@co ... Show More
31m 28s
Jan 2022
#15 - Alpha Destiny - The Natural Limit Doesn't Exist
How to train naturally for maximum strength..📌 Watch Podcast With Video - https://youtu.be/8iV3nTc2C4g.TIMESTAMPS:The Alphadestiny method (0:11)What makes a sustainable program (3:03)When is variety good? (6:17)How much volume is optimal? (8:29)What should we monitor? (14:20)Don ... Show More
1h 32m
Oct 2023
537: Motivation Monday - Improve Grip Strength, Fix Muscle Imbalances & Squat Deeper?
➢DM “Real results” for coaching to IG @‌ColossusFit ➢ Follow us on IG - https://www.instagram.com/colossusfit/?hl=en ➢Last youtube video- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fows0HSkgZU ➢Squat form video- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbBxvzHwzFU ➢Hip mobility video- https://www.yo ... Show More
38m 12s
Feb 2021
#45 - How Important Is Failure & How Much Does Training Hard Matter? ft. Greg Nuckols
0:00 Intro 1:03 - How hard should you train? (Greg's answer) 4:19 - How important is failure for hypertrophy 13:55 - Is going to failure more risky or injurious? 26:53 - RPE for muscle growth: good or bad? 30:54 - Does it matter when you train to failure in a mesocycle? 34:45 - W ... Show More
49m 25s
Nov 2023
Strength Basics: The Deadlift and how it helps improve your BJJ
Parry Athletic The best training gear in the game and Get 20% OFF Discount Code: BULLETPROOF20 https://parryathletics.com/collections/new-arrivals Do you deadlift? Are you concerned you might hurt your back? There are many misconceptions around this cornerstone of strength, how i ... Show More
38m 26s
Dec 2022
#078 Resistance training for time efficiency, body composition, and maximum hypertrophy | Brad Schoenfeld, Ph.D.
Dr. Brad Schoenfeld is a professor at Lehman College in the Bronx, in New York City. His research primarily focuses on muscle adaptations to strength training, muscle hypertrophy. Publishing over 300 studies in the field of exercise and sports nutrition as a scientist, Brad began ... Show More
2h 4m