How should I place my feet? What type of grip should I use? Should I flex my hip or my knee? Should I point my fingers forwards or outwards? We could mention dozens of questions we’ve received, related to the deadlift. Deadlift exercises can be performed in several different ways, but all of them have one thing in common: they all require a lot of technique in order to perform them correctly.
The most important thing is: before you lift a lot of weight, you need to master the exercise.
Deadlift step by step
- Place your feet hip-width apart and put the bar over the centre of your feet.
- Hold the bar at shoulder-width.
- Flex your hip (bring your buttocks back) and don’t bend your knees. You’re not doing a squat.
- Keep your arms fully extended.
- Push your feet hard onto the floor and squeeze the bar.
- Keep the bar close to the shins so the weight doesn’t move forward.
- Stand up by pulling your hips forward and squeezing your buttocks.
- Lower the bar slowly, without dropping it.
The reason the deadlift is such a popular strength exercise, is because it activates your hamstrings, glutes, and back muscles in a very efficient way. Deadlift exercises can be performed with barbell weights or a kettlebell. The most important thing is to make sure that you adopt the correct posture in each phase of the exercise before you start adding weight. Once you’ve mastered the different techniques, it’s best to vary the exercise. Aim for more dynamic and less monotonous workouts.
If you’re not sure how to perform a deadlift exercise correctly, do not hesitate to ask one of our personal trainers or physical therapists for help.
This blog is written by our personal trainers.
