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<\/a> that works and strengthens the entire body, the deadlift offers the most value for each repetition.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIn this post, we'll cover:<\/p>\n
When it comes to full-body movements, nothing beats the deadlift. The exercise does an excellent job of training your entire posterior chain<\/a> (calves, hamstrings, glutes, lower and upper back, and traps), as well as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The deadlift also builds whole-body strength, improves our posture, and makes us more functional and athletic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Plus, despite what you may have heard about the deadlift, this powerlifting exercise is incredibly safe<\/a> so long as you perform it with proper technique. With that in mind, here are your three must-follow steps for nailing the perfect method:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here’s what you need to focus on if you want to build real deadlifting strength:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The most important thing you need to remember when it comes to deadlift set-up is that you should align yourself to the barbell rather than aligning it to yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This set-up might sound counterintuitive, but it makes the entire set-up much smoother and more streamlined. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, place the barbell on your preferred spot for deadlifting and position your mid-foot under the bar. When looking down, the bar should be directly over the middle of your feet. There should be about one to 1.5 inches of distance between your shins and the bar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Also, point your toes slightly outward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once you’ve aligned your feet, it’s time to bend forward and grab the bar just outside your shins. It would help if you also kept your knees unlocked but not bent at this point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Don’t worry about keeping your back in a neutral position just yet. We’ll smooth this out in the following steps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Also, make sure that you don’t shift the position of the barbell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once you’ve aligned your feet and your hands are on the bar, it’s time to bring your shins to the barbell. Again, don’t move the barbell – move your body toward it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once your shins are in contact with the bar, your hips will be at the right height for your specific anatomy and level of flexibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once you’ve finished the first three steps, you’ll be at the correct position, but your back will be rounded. This is why step four is so vital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From this position, squeeze your chest out and bring your shoulder blades as far back as you can. This will flatten your back and squeeze the bar against your shins. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Also, straighten your arms and push your knees against your elbows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Again, while squeezing your chest out, you mustn’t move the barbell back or forward. Only adjust your body to its position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This step might feel a bit uncomfortable and awkward at first because the barbell will be in contact with your shins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The goal here is to lift the bar in a perfectly straight line from the bottom to the top. To finish the lift, squeeze your glutes and drive them forward as you simultaneously engage your back muscles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the top position, your hips and knees should be fully extended.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once you’re at the top position, push your butt back as you’re lowering the bar and start bending your knees once the bar reaches your lower thighs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The deadlift is a great exercise, but it’s also demanding, and it often takes longer for us to recover<\/a> from it. So, performing the classic variation more than once per week might not be ideal for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But, nothing is to say that you can’t incorporate different variations of the exercise to increase the frequency and exposure to the movement pattern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here are two ideas:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With this variation, the bar is elevated off the ground (usually at knee level), and you’re performing the top half of the exercise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The variation is great because it builds your upper back strength while keeping your legs out of the movement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Romanian deadlift is an excellent exercise to perform with the conventional deadlift as it does a great job of emphasizing your rear thigh muscles (hamstrings) and glutes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The primary difference is that you’re performing this exercise with almost fully straightened legs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Weight belts are incredibly useful<\/a> pieces of equipment because they offer safety, increase intra-abdominal pressure, decrease the risk of injury, and boost our performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
