Health & Wellness
The Only 7 Deadlift Alternative You Need To Do To Protect Your Back
What is a deadlift exercise?
The exercise where you lift heavy weights using both of your arms up to the waist is known as the deadlift. It is called a “deadlift” because the weight is immovable and we have to lift it. Earlier it was called a “dead weight lift” and later it became “deadlift.”
Deadlifts have many benefits, like improving posture, back muscle strengthening, correcting the muscles, and building muscles around the spine that protect the spine. But these days, due to the increasing craze of deadlifting, people are lifting too much weight, which is causing injury instead of relief in the back. There are some workouts you can do pre-and post-deadlift that neutralize the load on your body.
Workouts to do with deadlifts:
1. Romanian deadlift
To begin, stand with the bar or weight in your hands rather than on the floor. Slowly reduce the weight with a tiny bend in your knees, a bend in your hips, and a straight back. Lower until you feel a tiny stretch in your hamstrings—normally just past your knees—then press your hips forward and utilize your hamstrings to propel yourself back up to standing.
2. Hip thrust
Lie down on your back with your arms by your sides, knees bent, and feet placed on the ground. Form a straight line from your knees to your shoulders by squeezing your glutes, pressing thru your heels, and driving your hips up. At the height of the maneuver, hold on for a second before slowly lowering.
3. Glute-ham raises/Nordic curls
Begin on your knees, with a pad or cushion beneath your knees for support, and have a workout partner hold your lower legs or ankles in position on the floor. Your knees should be parallel to your feet and ankles. Arms by sides, shoulders, and hips pre-tensioned Maintain a straight line from your knees to your head as you slowly drop yourself to the ground. Squeeze your hamstrings to return your body to its starting posture while maintaining proper alignment. Your shoulders should end up squarely above your hips at the end of each repetition.
Do you still feel pain or some discomfort after doing it? Then you probably need to look for some exercise to replace deadlifts. You should know that you should find alternatives for deadlift when your back hurts.
7 best deadlift alternatives
1. Pistol squats
Place your weight on your right leg and elevate your left leg slightly in front of you.
Begin the action with your hips, seating back while keeping your right knee from caving in and your chest raised.
Lower your thigh as far as you can, but stop when it is parallel to the ground.
Return to the starting position by pushing through the foot.
Benefits: This is a good substitute for deadlift as this requires more strength and helps to challenge balance and unilateral strength.
2. Kettlebell swings
Hinge at the hips and lean down slightly while holding the kettlebell handles with both hands.
Pull the kettlebell back between your legs and pull your hips forward, pushing the kettlebell up to chest level with the force generated. Maintain a straight back during the movement.
Allow the kettlebell to fall back through your legs, hunching at the hips.
Rep the motion.
3 sets of 10–12 repetitions
Benefits: This uses hip-hinge movement. This regards it as an alternative to the deadlift.
3. Cable pull through
Stand up with two hands on the rope between your legs. Remove the weight from the rack by taking a few steps out.
Allow the cable to pass through your legs until you feel a pull in your hamstrings. Hinge at the waist and push your hips back toward the machine. Maintain a neutral spine and a lifted chest.
Squeeze your glutes at the top and return to the beginning.
Benefits: This gives less stress on the back as compared to deadlift, so if you want an alternative to deadlift because of back pain then this is something you must try.
4. Single-leg Romanian deadlift
In each hand, grip a dumbbell.
Put your weight into your right leg while maintaining a straight spine and a straightforward look.
Begin by hunching at the waist and keeping your right knee supple.
Hinge forward and up and back with your left leg until your body creates a straight line from head to toe.
Throughout the movement, make sure your hips are square to the ground and that your chest is proud. Dumbbells should be dangled in front of you.
Rep from the beginning.
Benefits: This is a safe deadlift alternative as it helps to challenge your posture and balance.
You can check out this video to follow some of the deadlift alternative exercises 
5. Barbell hip thrust
Push your hips up toward the sky while keeping your core engaged and tightening your glutes by driving through your heels.
When you get to the top, take a moment to pause and then return to the beginning.
Benefit: You’ll work your glutes and hamstrings harder, but your lower back will remain relatively unaffected, so it is a good deadlift alternative for back pain.
6. Lying hamstring curl with band
Secure your band to a solid surface.
Lie down on your stomach in front of the band with your legs outstretched, the band twisted taut around one ankle.
Inhale and raise your foot, bending your knee and stopping when your lower leg is perpendicular to the ground.
Exhale and return your foot to the ground slowly.
Benefit: This exercise will strengthen your hamstrings without putting too much strain on your back, so this is a deadlift alternative at home.
7. Glute bridge
Inhale and elevate your hips toward the ceiling by pushing through all four corners of your feet, using your core, glutes, and hamstrings.
Slowly return to the beginning after pausing at the top.
Benefit: It works the posterior chain, but it’s a lot easier to do than a deadlift and is considered a safe deadlift alternative.
You can do many more. Yoga asana can also help to build good posture and spine health. Just make sure to understand your body’s limits. And getting a professional in the beginner period is a must.
Related Article: 10 back exercises for women to tone their back