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Fifteen deadlift alternatives to keep your hamstrings, glutes, and back strong even when the bar stays on the floor.
Every lifter goes through phases where the deadlift is a problem. Maybe the floor beats up your back, maybe your gym setup is terrible for pulling, or maybe your recovery cannot handle heavy pulls from the floor on top of everything else you are doing.
That does not mean your posterior chain has to get weaker. You can still train the same muscles and positions with smarter alternatives. Movements like trap bar pulls, RDLs, rack pulls, hip thrusts, and back extensions let you load the hamstrings, glutes, and spinal erectors hard without forcing a conventional barbell deadlift every week.
In this week’s guide, we break down the best deadlift alternatives, why they work, and how to plug them into your program so your pull gets stronger even on the days you are not pulling from the floor.
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