Are Deadlifts Worth the Risk?

One of the single best exercises for building strength is the Deadlift.  One day I was scrolling through the depth of the internet and came across this question on this site called Facebook.  

Here’s what the question asked.  “Deadlifts…..worth the risk or not?”  

To which the meathead in me immediately replied, “YES! Obviously.” But, the coach in me had to take a step back and reply, “It depends.” 

It's an ambiguous response I know but, here me out. 

One of the biggest mistakes that guys make when they are trying to get stronger is just swiping someone else’s program thinking that, “if it worked for XYZ celebrity or elite athlete, it will work for me.”  Unfortunately, what’s missing is context.  That guy’s program was written with his goals, injury history, and training history in mind, not yours.  It would almost be like reading a novel taking place in the 1800’s without any idea of what was going on during that point in history. You might be able to get through it but you would leave a lot of understanding on the table. 

Back to the deadlift. 

Is the deadlift (or any exercise) worth the risk? It depends on you.  The deadlift is a fine exercise that is debatably the single best exercise for building herculean, whole body, strength but, for some it comes with too high of a price tag to add into your program.  Either it costs too much time to learn, takes too much of a toll on your nervous system, or structurally it's too hard on the body/joints.  

I am a huge fan of the deadlift personally, and I think the time spent learning it and practicing it is time well spent if your goal is to build strength.  However, if you don’t have the equipment, time, or proper technique nailed down then it may not be worth the risk to you.  That same line of thinking should be applied to any exercise in your program. 

Risks vs benefits my friend.  

This is why I personally don’t barbell back squat. The risks outweigh the benefits but, that’s a story for another day.