Barbell Deadlift

Starting position:

Take a stance with your feet shoulder-width apart or a little closer to each other, with toes forward with no rotation. Bend forward, make a half squat, and grab the barbell using a mixed grip (one overhand and the other underhand). Your thighs are almost parallel with the floor with your body weight resting on your heels. Your crus(lower legs) point perpendicular down to the floor throughout the entire movement. Fix your body core by contracting your abdominal and back muscles.

Exercise:

From the starting position, move by pulling up and extending your hip joints while not changing the bend of your spine. Keep the barbell as close to your legs as you can throughout the entire movement. When you have raised the barbell past your knee level, also start contracting your glutes in addition to your hamstrings by pushing your pelvis forward (extension at the hip joint). Your knees remain in the direction of your toes throughout the entire movement. Complete the movement until you are straightened up, maintaining your pelvis in a neutral position, firming up your body core and not overbending your spine at the waist. Inhale in the starting position then hold your breath while fixing your body core during the lift. Exhale in the upper position, inhale again, and fix your body core when moving back to the starting position.

Note:

Make sure you have the correct body posture, fixing your body core, keeping your pelvis in a neutral position and eliminating lordotic swayback at the waist. Your shoulder blades point down and towards each other. Keep your knees in the direction of your toes throughout the entire movement and make sure your knees do not swing sideways when you are overcoming the resistance. Keep your crus perpendicular to the ground throughout the entire movement. Keep your heels on the ground throughout. Do not overestimate your abilities when choosing the weight. Avoid moving your arms up (involving your trapezius muscles) as only the hands are used to hold the weight. Take account of your breathing while performing this movement as this is not a dynamic exercise.

Recommendation:

Stand with your side to a mirror to watch if your technique is correct. When choosing the weight, put much emphasis on mastering the perfect technique. If you do the exercise incorrectly, lower back injuries may occur and that is why it is important to use your correctlyactivated internal stabilization system.

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Barbell deadlift is one of the three powerlifting exercises (along with squat and bench press) and a compound movement strengthening whole lower part of the body.

Many muscles are involved in the movement: lower back, abdominal muscles, almost all leg muscles, gluteus and forearms.

Beginners and people with lower back problems should be extremely cautious with every form of deadlift. While it is true that it can solve lower back problems by strengthening the surrounding muscles, deadlift can also damage the back, especially (but not only) if wrong technique is applied.

There are two possible grips: overhand grip and mixed grip (one hand overhand and the other hand underhand).

Stand as close to the barbell as possible. Grab the barbell using shoulder-width grip. Start the movement by squeezing your gluteus muscles and pushing your legs against the ground.

Only your legs/gluteus should be working in the first phase. Keep your back straight!

As soon as you lift the barbell a little from the ground straighten your posture together with stretching your legs. The knees and hips work in the same time (or more precisely the quadriceps and lower back muscles do).

Squeeze your shoulder-blades together and stick out your chest at the end of the lifting movement.

Lower the barbell slowly, using the same technique. Always stay as close to the bar as possible (on the way up and on the way down). The barbell must be very close to your center of gravity. This will minimize the possible damage to your back and joints.

Breathing is important: fill your lungs with the air before you start the movement. This will increase your intra-abdominal pressure and ultimately your power. Breathe out as you are lifting the barbell.