Newton’s First Two Laws Applied to the Deadlift
Deadlift 7 min ReadWhy should physics matter when you’re trying to pull a new deadlift PR? Because the bar on the floor…
In If You Could Only Do One Exercise, we picked the single strength exercise that gives you the most health, strength, posture and real-life carryover. The answer was the deadlift. So what if you could do two? Do you keep the deadlift and add one, or start over with two new exercises?
The short version
- Pick one pull and one push so every major muscle group gets trained.
- Pull: the deadlift. It trains more muscle than any other single lift, especially the whole back side of your body.
- Push: the incline dumbbell press. It sits between the bench press and overhead press, so it covers chest, shoulders and triceps.
- Still missing: direct quad and upper-back work. The three-exercise version adds them.
Why a push and a pull
Most of your joints move in two opposite directions, and each direction has its own set of muscles. In the gym we group them as pushing and pulling. With only two exercises, you’ll get the most complete body coverage by choosing one of each.
| Exercise | Main muscles | |
|---|---|---|
| Pull | Conventional deadlift | Glutes, hamstrings, back, traps, forearms (quads lightly) |
| Push | Incline dumbbell press | Chest, front shoulders, triceps |
The pull: the deadlift
We’re keeping the deadlift from the one-exercise article for the same reason: it works more muscle than any other single compound lift. It hits everything along the back of your body, from your calves and hamstrings to your glutes, back and traps, plus your grip and, lightly, your quads.
New to it? Start with The Serious Guide to the Conventional Deadlift and the 5 best exercises to learn the deadlift.
The push: the incline dumbbell press
Now we need a push for the chest, shoulders and triceps. The overhead press trains shoulders and triceps but not much chest. The bench press trains chest and triceps but less shoulder. The incline dumbbell press meets in the middle, somewhere between a horizontal and a vertical press, and the dumbbells make each arm work on its own, which builds shoulder stability too.
Coach’s tip
Set the bench to about 30 degrees. Lower the dumbbells to the sides of your chest with elbows slightly tucked, then press up and slightly together. Keep your shoulder blades pinned back on the bench.
A simple two-exercise workout
| Day | Deadlift | Incline dumbbell press |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | 3 sets of 5 (moderate-heavy) | 3 sets of 8–10 |
| Day 2 | 2 sets of 5 (lighter, perfect form) | 3 sets of 10–12 |
| Day 3 | 3 sets of 5 (add a little weight) | 4 sets of 8 |
Rest two to three minutes between deadlift sets and 90 seconds between press sets. Add a small amount of weight each week while every rep stays clean.
What’s missing?
Between the deadlift and the incline press you’ll hit most of your muscles, but not all of them. Your quads could use more direct work, and your upper back and biceps get little pulling from the front. That’s what the third exercise fixes: If You Could Only Do Three Exercises.
Frequently asked questions
Can you build muscle with just two exercises?
Yes, especially as a beginner. A deadlift and a press, trained hard and progressed consistently, will build real strength and muscle. More exercises let you balance the body and progress longer.
Why not the squat instead of the deadlift?
The squat is a great choice too, but the deadlift trains more of the back and grip, so it covers more ground when you only get one lower-body lift.
Is a two-exercise workout enough?
It’s enough to make progress when you’re short on time. For long-term results, use a full program.
Want more than two?
You probably have time for more than two exercises. Our free Seriously Strong Beginner Program shows you which exercises to do to cover everything. Ready for more? Try the 12-week Intermediate Program, or the Advanced Program, which trains the deadlift, squat, bench and overhead press hard once a week each.
Want a coach to build a program around the time you actually have? Book a free strategy session at our Tallahassee, St. Petersburg or Tampa gym.