dead lifts

[Pacmanjay]

Deadlifts are a great exercise. I honestly think that if you were only going to do one exercise, it should be deadlifts because it helps develop full body strength quickly. Just remember to start light and get the form right so you don't hurt yourself

here are some articles that explain all the finer points



mastering the deadlift
http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_...eadlift_part_i

precision pulling
http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_...cision_pulling

actually if there was one exercise that would work the whole body the best, that would be a clean and jerk. it involves motion of squatting, curling, pressing, deadlifting, and more. works the legs (quads and hamstrings), biceps, shoulders, lower back, etc. not to mention a 10-12 rep routine will work conditioning.

[Pacmanjay]

deadlifts do not affect power. it is a strength-building lift that works the hamstrings, glutes, and erector spinae (lower back). It should not work the lower back in the sense of giving it a "killer workout". if your lower back is sore, chances are you are doing the deadlift wrong. your erector spinae should only be working isometrically in that you are consciously keeping your back straight, with a slight backwards arch. That being said, you will need to start light and make sure you have a full-body routine in place, so that your back is strong. if you haven't done many pulldowns/pullups or seated/bent rows, it will be hard to maintain the isometric hold of the back muscles to keep your form solid. the deadlift is full-body in the sense that just holding the weight adds to the challenge, and when done properly, your heart rate will be high upon finishing a set of DL's.

also, don't be confused by "power lifting" exerceises and true power. power lifting is a sport that has nothing to do with developing power. the lifts in this sport traditionally were bench press, back squat, and deadlift, though curls were recently added.

true power is defined as strength over time. Its great to have the capacity to deadlift 300 pounds with perfect form, but it will not help the power of your uppercut.

The type of power exercises that can help punching power (producing strength at high speeds) include snatches, power cleans, push jerks, push cleans, clean and press, clean and jerks, hang cleans, kettlebell swings, kettebell cleans, kb snatches, etc, and plyometrics like jump squats. You should not begin a power regiment until you have accomplished the basics in strength training. deadlifts and squats are perfect for basic strength and conditioning.

finally, be very, very careful with the deadlift. i am a cscs (certified strength and conditioning specialist) and a personal trainer and I see 85-90% of the people in my gym doing deadifts inproperly, most often with too much weight to keep their backs straight. stay away from cross-fit type workouts, like the "300 workout" that have you doing too much weight for too many reps that encourage you to sacrifice form. improper deadlift technique can lead straight to herniated discs or other back injuries that will hinder your boxing career and/or just make your life miserable in general...

great post. mind elaborating on the lifts that can actually improve power? I know olympics lifts (snatch, clean & jerk) are good, but I don't know how to do them and you can't learn them by yourself. Also you can't really do them properly unless your gym has a olympic lifting platform and bumper plates. Are those other variations of olympic lifts doable in a fitness center with out a olympic lifting platform? Got any link to a page with description or pictures for them? How about push presses? Are they good for power?

[MarkScott]

Good for power because it works the large muscles--probably doesn't help with speed

http://www.amazon.com/Joe-Gans-Biogr...e=UTF8&s=books