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I read an Nerd Fitness article  and I learned good stuff.

Setup

As you know, there are several versions of deadlift that can match your training goals or your body type but the conventional deadlift is great for starting to learn the basics.

Attention : It’s important to do 1-2 sets warm-up with the barbell without weights. As with squat, this warm-up allows you to prepare joints and muscles.

• Adds weights and uses collars for safety

  If you’re a beginner, only use 2-26-4.6kg (5-10lbs) plates to make easy to adjust the weights on the barbell. When you have better understood the movement and how your body reacts you can use plates of 20kg (45lbs).

• Stand with your feet at the width of your hips

  The spacing of your feet is about 20-30cm (8-12 inches) and your toes are slightly outside about 5-10 degrees.

• Look at the ground

  Place your feet under the barbell so that the barbell almost touches your ankles. The barbell must be on the node of your laces

• Without moving the barbell or your hips

  Lean forward to take the barbell. Your legs are slightly bent. Your hands should be slightly outside your legs without touching them.

• Hold the barbell

  Move your hips down so your shins touch the barbell. Stop moving your hips when your shins touch the barbell. Squeeze your torso and keep your back straight to have your back in a neutral position.

• Your back in a neutral position

  Your back shouldn’t be rounded or hyper extends. If you feel like you don’t have your back in a neutral position, don’t hesitate to ask a friend or a gym’s member to make a video of you with a smartphone while you’re doing deadlift. This will allow you to correct your technique.

  In addition to your spine, uses the upper back’s muscles to help to lift your chest up (swagger).

  Your shoulders should be slightly in front of the barbell and your arms should be straight and perpendicular to the ground.

As each person has unique body, the person next to you will have a different starting position than you and this is normal. Think about it : if a person has long arms, will this person have exactly the same position as a person with short arms ? No.

Deadlift

• Ready to lift

  Be focus and squeeze all your body’s muscles

• Deep breathing

  Take a deep breath and keep your chest up with all your body squeezed ant put all the weight on your heels and on the ball of your feet.

  Imagine driving your feet through the ground.

Here are the important points in this part of the movement :

1. All the weight must be on your heels and on the ball of your feet. During the movement, you should be able to move your toes.

2. Your whole body moves slowly at the same speed. Your butt shouldn’t get up faster than your torso.

3. Be focused on directing your torso and putting the weight on your heels.

4. Your arms should stay straight during the movement. Your arms only serve to hold the barbell, not pull it.

5. The barbell stay in contact with all your body. The barbell is a few millimeters from your legs while your lift it. Powerlifters put socks on their shins and chalk or baby powder on their thighs to avoid cuts and scratches The barbell’s trajectory during the movement is a vertical straight line.

6. Squeeze your glutes. When the barbell goes over your knees, squeeze your glutes to move your hips forward.

7. When you stand, open your chest as if you’re proud (like a king/queen). Keep your spine in a neutral position (straight back) and all your body tight.

To lower the barbell

As with lifting the barbell, all your body needs to move at the same time.

Your body is always contracted, unlocks your hips and knees and lower the barbell by controlling the movement slowly.

If you unlocks your knees first, you’ll do weird movements that will force you to round your lower back.

Keep your body contracted until the barbell touches the ground. The majority of deadlift injuries appear during the descends of the barbell. People are so pleased to have lifted a heavy weight that they relax their bodies and lower the barbell with poor technique. It’s important to control movement with your contracted body throughout exercise.

Note

In deadlift the most risky moment is the eccentric part (descending the barbell). This is the part that will give you the most DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness).

That’s why several personal trainers advise their athletes to throw the barbell on the ground, especially for athletes who must be at 100 % for a competition in a few days.

Share this article if you think it can help someone you know. Thank you.

-Steph