Prepare Your Deadlift
The DEADLIFT is probably the best movement across the board for developing full-body strength and power. It’s important to prepare your body properly in the warm-up to be ready to move any weight off the floor. Here are a few key things you can focus on prior to and during your lifts.
Most importantly, if we do not set up our spine correctly and create enough tension around it to pull the weight off the floor, we are opening ourselves up for potential injury and time off in the gym and we all know you don’t want to miss out on those potential burpees the following day’s..
We always yell, take a moment, take you your time to set yourself up properly! What are we asking you to do?
Step up to the bar as if you are about to JUMP. Naturally, your feet should end up about hip width apart, and your feet slightly angled outwards (approx. 5-10 degrees).
Look down – the bar should be over the middle of your feet.
Without moving the bar, or your hips, bend over and grab the bar. Your legs should still be mostly straight at this point. Your grip width will be slightly outside of your legs, but not so close that they touch.
Now that you’re holding onto the bar (but not moving it), move your hips down, bending your knees. While you do this, your shins will come forward until they touch the bar Stop moving your hips down when your shins touch the bar.
Press your chest out and flex! As you do this, your back will flatten, and your spine should go into a neutral spine position.
Create tension through your midsection, and use breathing as a tool (think fill my belly), and brace your abs hard.
Pick the bar up off the ground (It helps to think “press DOWN into the floor! all of your weight should be on your heels and midfoot).
Continue pressing down with your legs until the barbell passes your knees, then thrust your hips forward until you are standing up.
Your arms should stay straight the entire time.
The bar should stay in contact with your body the entire time
As you are pulling, you should be squeezing your butt like you’re pinching a 20 between your cheeks.
At the top, do not hyperextend and lean back! You want to keep your spine neutral and everything tight.
Okay! You got the weight off the ground and finished the movement. But now what!?
Unlock your hips and slowly move your hips back until the bar lowers past your knees, then bend your knees and slowly lower the bar to set it down (make sure you unlock them at the same time.
Don’t unlock your knees first, as it will possibly round your lower back. Don’t lose tightness until you let go of the bar. This is extremely important – a large amount of deadlift injuries come from people getting super excited about making a lift, losing tightness, and then putting the bar down wrong.
All went well? Give yourself a high five Legend!
