Courtesy of Joe Roark
ADDITIONAL BACK EXERCISES AND LIFTS
Note: Check out the "shoulder stand" lift/exercise later on in this one.
An exercise for involving the spinal muscles in a similar manner to the two hands dead lift with straight legs and arched back, is to hold a barbell back of the neck and go through the same movements.
Round the back as much as possible as you slowly bend forward and return, but at the finish of each uplift be sure to assume a fully erect posture with the shoulders brought well back and down. Use an amount of weight that will enable you to perform from 10 to 15 repetitions without undue effort. The poundage should be approximately one-third the amount you use in the stiff-legged deadlift.
This exercise is sometimes called the "good morning exercise."
The lift known as the "shoulder stand" is seldom seen nowadays, but used to be quite popular as a demonstration of back strength and balance. It is an excellent developer of the whole chain of the back, haunch and leg muscles which extend the spinal column and the hip joints.
In the preliminary to this lift, the performer while lying on his back pulls over a barbell from behind his head, presses it to arms' length, bends his legs far enough to allow him to place the bell on the soles of his feet, and then presses the barbell with his feet until his legs are straight. The "shoulder stand" proper is then performed by raising the hips as high as possible (until the body is supported only on the back of the head, neck and shoulders) while maintaining the barbell balanced on the feet.
The hands may at first press down on the floor to assist in balancing, but at the conclusion of the lift should be held against the sides.
A light bell should be employed until proficiency in balance has been gained, after which the weight may be increased rapidly.
As an exercise, the shoulder stand should be practiced with a barbell that is light enough to permit from 8 to 10 repetitions (raising and lowerings of the body) being performed.
In lifts or exercises like this, in which the bell may accidentally be dropped, one should have, if available, an assistant who can catch the bell until such time as the performer has the balance thoroughly under control.
Back in 1917, Antone Matysek . . .
. . . of Baltimore, weighing 170 pounds, did a shoulder stand with a 278 pound barbell on his feet.
A year later, W. B. Hobert . . .
. . . of Jackson, Mississippi, did 293 pounds at a bodyweight of 158 pounds.
In 1930, Ed Zercher . . .
. . . of St. Louis, Mo., weighing 152 pounds, did 289 pounds.
The old-time German professional, Arthur Saxon, must have been very capable in this lift, as he frequently performed it with one of his two brothers, each of whom weighed about 170 pounds, sitting on a heavy barbell. Just what Saxon raised as a record weight, I do not know, but I should estimate that at a bodyweight of 200 pounds he was capable of doing a shoulder stand with about 380 pounds on his feet.
The regular "two hands dead lift" is, of course, the best-known lift for testing the strength of the extensor muscles of the back and hips. The poundage-possibility in this lift tends to bear, on the average, a uniform ratio to that in the two hands clean with barbell, although there are, as would be supposed, rather wide individual variations among different lifters.
The ratio of the dead lift to the two hands clean is, on the average, about 1.76. That is, if you can "clean" with two hands a barbell weighing 200 pounds, you should be able to raise about 1.76 x 200, or 352 pounds, and so on.
However, in certain lifters who are relatively unskilled in the clean and very strong in the dead lift, as high as 2.0, or even more.
The former German professional, Hermann Goerner, for many years held the world's record in the two hands dead lift, with 300 kilos (661.4 pounds). This weight was lifted in the approved continental or French style, with the feet apart, bar grasped with the backs of both hands to the front, and the bell lifted to the erect finishing position without resting the bar on the thighs on the way up.
Presumably, in this lift, Goerner used 45-centimeter (17-3/4 inch diameter) discs on the barbell. Goerner's best two hands clean was 160 kilos (352.74 pounds); therefore, the ratio of his dead lift to his clean was 1.875.
Ernest Cadine . . .
. . . the former French professional strong-man, in 1925, weighing 200 pounds, did a correct two hands deadlift with 280 kilos (617.3 pounds). Cadine's best two hands clean, at that time, was 150 kilos (330.7 pounds). Thus the ratio of his dead lift to his clean was 1.867, or almost the same as Goerner's.
In January, 1926, Charles Rigoulot . . .
. . . who defeated Cadine for the professional world's title, surpassed Cadine's dead lift slightly by doing 282 kilos, or 621.7 pounds. Rigoulot's best two hands clean, at that stage, was about 365 pounds. Thus his dead lift / clean ration was 1.703.
Obviously Rigoulot, although strong in the dead lift, was decidedly relatively better in the two hands clean than either Goerner or Cadine. In 1929, at which time Rigoulot had increased his record in the two hands clean (and jerk) to over 400 pounds, it is quite possible that he could raise in the dead lift at least 675 pounds, although this presumed ability was, so far as I know, never demonstrated.
John Davis . . .
. . . the present world's heavyweight amateur champion lifter, once did a two hands dead lift of 700 pounds without special training. this was in good ratio to his two hands clean (without jerk) of 405 pounds.
It should be noted, however, that in the dead lift, colored lifters, as a class, have an advantage over white lifters, by reason of having relatively longer arms even in relation to their longer legs. Hence, with the barbell handle at a given height from the floor, a colored lifter, in picking up the bell, has to bend his back and legs less than a white man of the same stature.
1949, eh.
Accordingly, for given bodyweight, or weight per inch pf height, an equally-skilled colored lifter can, or should, raise a greater poundage in the dead lift than a white lifter.
John Terry [the first Black American weightlifter to represent the U.S. at the Summer Olympics] . . .
. . . in the featherweight class, who was at his best in 1938, did a relatively tremendous dead lift of 600 pounds while weighing only 132 pounds. This lift was markedly out of proportion to his two hands clean (and jerk), which was only 275 pounds. Probably the relatively long arms, short torso, and long legs in colored lifters are of more advantage in the dead lift than in the clean (and snatch); and perhaps if John Davis specialized for a while in the dead lift, he might have set a new record of around 750 pounds.
During recent years interest in the two hands dead lift has been heightened by the phenomenal performances in it made by Bob Peoples, of Chattanooga, Tenn.
On October 4th, 1947, Peoples, while weighing only 181 pounds (at a height of 69 inches), did a dead lift of 699 pounds. On March 21st, 1948, at Detroit, this record was increased to 704 pounds, and in the fall of 1948, at Chattanooga, to 719 pounds. In doing the latter poundage, Peoples weighed about 190 pounds.
This is the present world's heavyweight record, although the man who made it is but little heavier than a light-heavyweight.
Peoples in making his lifts uses a hooked (thumb-lock) grip, with the backs of both hands facing forward. Presumably he stands fully erect at the completion of the lift (otherwise the lift would not be good), although in every photograph of him that I have seen he is never quite erect and has his shoulders very much "rounded" by the terrific pull of the weight. Perhaps someone who officiates at Peoples' record attempts can inform us as to whether Peoples really does straighten up fully and bring his shoulders back and down as prescribed by the official rules.
Note: Peoples used a round-back deadlift style:
In photos of Peoples, note his broad, deep chest and good-sized waist. Full development of the lower back muscles simply demands that the waist be of ample breadth and so be in proper proportion to the chest and hips. No body-builder having a wasp-like waist, which seems to be the fashion in certain circles, would have a ghost of a chance of approaching Peoples' record in the dead lift, or, for that matter, of making a creditable bent press or side press Assuredly, a trim waist, free of surplus fat, is desirable; but in striving for it, one should not overlook the equal importance of harmonious development of the loin muscles.
William Boone . . .
. . . of Shreveport, La., has done a two hands dead lift with 700 pounds, on a
1-1/16th-inch bar using reversed grips. Boone is a huge fellow, 71 inches in height and weighing around 260 pounds.
Using the overhand grip (knuckles of both hands facing the front), his best mark is 650 pounds. He has also squatted with 575 pounds, two-arm jerked 400 pounds from the shoulders, and assertedly made a bent press of 315 pounds.
Boone makes a practice of accustoming his body to heavier poundages in the dead lift by standing in a hole 8 to 10 inches deep. This lowers his body to a level where the barbell handle, at the start of the dead lift, is only an inch or two below his knees. In this lowered position, which of course requires less bending over, Boone has grasped and straightened up with 920 pounds. His ambition is to lift 1,000 pounds "in the hole" and to increase proportionately his poundage in the regular dead lift.
In a previous chapter, the two hands swing with dumbbells was prescribed as an effective lower back and leg exercise. Naturally, the lifters who hold records in the regular two hands swing lift are representative examples of lower back strength.
For a number of years Hermann Goerner held the world's record in the two dumbbells swing with 224.5 pounds. This record was made in London, England, on July 16, 1927. Several years earlier, when Goerner was even stronger, he swung a 50-kilo (110.25 pound) kettlebell in each hand four times consecutively without letting the weights touch the ground.
Goerner also did a correct one arm swing (French style) with 92.5 kilos or 203.9 pounds.
The late Ronald Walker, former heavyweight champion lifter of England, surpassed Goerner's record in the two dumbbells swing by 1/2 pound, when he set the present world's record of 225 pounds. This was relatively one of the best lifts Walker ever made, and was especially meritorious in comparison to his two hands deadlift, which, so far as I know, was not over 550 pounds.
Charles Rigoulot could probably have made a high record in the two dumbbells swing if he had tried, as in 1932 he did a right hand swing of 99.5 kilos or 219.4 pounds (the present world's record); and a well-trained lifter should be capable of swinging with two dumbbells simultaneously about the same poundage as with his stronger arm separately.
Rigoulot
Deriaz
The two hands clean (and jerk) with dumbbells is almost as effective as a back developer as the two dumbbells swing. In this lift (the clean and jerk with dumbbells), the record is held by Rigoulot 133.5 kilos (294.3 pounds). However, many years earlier the Swiss professional lifter, Emile Deriaz
cleaned (only) two dumbbells weighing together 308.6 pounds, and also did 288.8 pounds all the way overhead. Arthur Saxon's best mark in this style was 288.5 pounds.
All these lifters were renowned for their BACK STRENGTH.
The mere act of sustaining a pair of heavy dumbbells at arms' length overhead brings the whole chain of spinal muscles into vigorous action. This action is necessitated in keeping the spinal column upright and steady as the heavy bells are being balanced so far above the "hinging" point of the lower back.
Holding a heavy weight similarly overhead with one hand is also very effective for developing the spinal muscles on the side on which the weight is being held. To be as effective as the two hands lift or support, however, the one hand lift should be practiced equally with both the right and the left hand.
Arthur Saxon, as a result of specializing on the right hand bent press, had exceedingly strong spinal muscles on the right side. As there was no discernible inferiority in those of his left side, the latter must have owed their development to Saxon's practice of other back tests, as there is no record of his ever having made a bent press with his left arm.
Josef Steinbach . . .
. . . the herculean Viennese lifter, demonstrated colossal power and control of the back muscles when he raised in the two hands continental jerk with dumbbells (taking the bells to the shoulders in several movements) a 171-pound dumbbell in each hand.
His fellow citizen, Karl Swoboda . . .
. . . similarly perpetuated his fame as a strongman by jerking from the shoulders (twice in succession) a barbell weighing 200 kilos (440.9 pounds), after it had been placed at Swoboda's shoulders by two other lifters.
Here is a good movement (using either a barbell or a dumbbell) for exercising the loin muscles in conjunction with the external oblique muscles of the sides.
Use from 30 to 50 pounds as a commencing poundage, according to your strength. First, stand with your feet about 15 inches apart, the toes pointing half-way outwards. Then, while holding the weight (barbell or dumbbell) at arms' length overhead with your right hand, bend forward and touch your right foot with your left hand. Straighten up, and repeat.
In bending forward, bend the left knee a little, but keep the right leg straight.
After performing the movement from 5 to 10 times with the bell in the right hand, rest a moment and then do an equal number of repetitions with the bell in the left hand. In the latter movement you will, of course, touch your right hand to your left foot, and will bend the right knee, keeping the left leg straight.
Needless to say, the weight should be watched constantly while it is aloft, in order to preserve the balance.
A simple, yet efficacious movement, specifically for the erector spinae muscles, is to bend forward at the hips until the body is nearly parallel to the floor, and then, maintaining the trunk in this position, to alternately bend and straighten the lumbar section of the spine.
Of course, sot start with, the spine must be flexible, and the control may take a while to learn; but once learned, the movement will bring about a more thorough fatiguing of the loins, absolutely without strain, than any exercise I know of. It will also develop the back endurance required when the body must be bent forward for prolonged periods, and in gardening and similar manual occupations.
An old-time exhibition feat and test of back strength was to make a "bridge" by holding the body rigid with the shoulders on one support and the heels on another, and then to bear the weight of one or more persons standing on the body. This test may be practiced occasionally as a supplementary exercise, by stretching one's body between two chairs. To support in this manner one person in the middle of your body is, because of the leverage induced, equivalent to supporting two persons if one stands on your chest and the other on your lower legs.
A modification of this test that makes it much more difficult is to let only the back of the head and neck, but not the shoulders, form the upper end of the bridge. In this position the test becomes dependent upon the neck strength of the performer.
Other movements with weights, both regular lifts and exercises, should be prescribed as developers of the loin and buttock muscles. Sufficient have been given, however, to encourage the reader to develop these muscles to a high degree.
The fact previously stated -- that weight-lifters have the strongest loins of any class of athlete -- implies the best sport to follow to strengthen that part of the body. One need not, however, practice the regular competition lifts if not desirous of becoming a weight-lifter; simple back exercises with weights, such as those prescribed in this and previous articles, will, if practiced diligently, bring wonderful results.
Enjoy Your Lifting!
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