The Proper Form of Doing a Deadlift in 6 Steps and the Benefits of This Exercise
If you are looking to add a new exercise to your routine or want to learn how to properly deadlift, you have come to the right place! Deadlifts are a great way to build strength and can be done with a variety of weights.
Do not worry about bulking up. The deadlift is a great total body exercise where you can get the most bang for your bucks. Here is a quick guide on how to properly execute a deadlift.
Tired of skimming through all the ads and distractions throughout this article? You can sign up for the Tippy Toes Blog to read the same article but WITHOUT the annoyance. Sign up today ヽ(✿ﾟ▽ﾟ)ノBe fit forever.
Summary
Why Proper Form is Important
Like with any exercise, there are many benefits to doing a deadlift, but proper form is essential to reap these benefits.
Poor form can lead to injury, so it is important to take the time to learn the correct way to do this exercise.
Proper form is universal for all kinds of exercise. Remember how you were taught how to bike or how to swim. Poor form will not lead to the best performance.
Do not be afraid. The deadlift is one of, or the safest, strength/barbell exercises to do. Think about it. If you fail to lift with a proper form, all you need to do is drop the weight.
Strength exercises, especially with free weights, can be intimidating. That is understandable due to our common knowledge and association.
If you want to learn more, you should read The Barbell Prescription book[1] by Dr. Jonathan Sullivan and Andy Baker. The book is written for people over forty, but you can still get valuable gems. ~(￣▽￣)~*
Related post: Why I Exercise and Gain Weight?!?
The Benefits of Deadlifts
Overall, the benefits of doing a deadlift include increased strength, muscle growth, and improved cardiovascular health[2].
A deadlift also promotes good posture and can help students (or anyone at any age) with back pain.
Doing a deadlift also improves your quality of life. The movement is something we all do every day, i.e. picking something up from the floor.
So many muscles in your body get involved when you do a deadlift. Deadlift muscles worked include the legs, hips, glutes, upper and lower back, abs, and chest. Such a complete exercise!
How to Do a Barbell Deadlift
Although the exact setup for a deadlift will vary from person to person, here are some general guidelines:
Begin by standing hip-width apart, a little narrower than you use to. At the same time, your shins should be around 1 inch from the bar.
Keep your knees straight and hips high. Take the bar with straight arms, just slightly outside of your knees, and bring your shins to touch the bar at this point.
Next, you should be looking forward, pointing your chest in the same direction, and locking your spine into position.
The biggest part to point out here is you should not try to make your back vertical. Make the “bar path vertical – to lift the bar straight up over the middle of the foot.[1]”
Take a big breath in and crunch your abs, squeezing the bar in the process. You drag the bar up your legs, making sure to make contact the entire time.
Stand up straight as you reach the top, no moving the bar, no shrugging, no turning.
To lower the bar, kick your butts back like you are trying to close a door. Make sure the bar stays with your legs and eyes looking forward the whole time.
If you do a barbell deadlift correctly, the bar should end up right where it begins.
You might find the barbell deadlift too difficult or not suitable. No worries if that is the case.
There are plenty of alternatives such as sumo deadlift, Romanian deadlift, deadlift with dumbbells, and kettlebell deadlift.
Related post: How to Do a Pistol Squat
Common Mistakes When Doing a Deadlift
Now that you have gone through the basics of doing a deadlift. Here are some common mistakes you might encounter.
It is better to start out with a competent coach to spot you.
- Let the bar roll toward the front and not touching your legs → unnecessary back muscles movement
- Not looking forward the whole time → have curved back or failed to extend the back
- Failure to press toes down → lose midfoot pressure and stability during the exercise
- Forget to crunch your abs → will not have enough strength to lift a higher weight
- Breath at the top → might get light-headed due to heart rate fluctuations
- Compare forms → each person’s anatomy will determine the angles of the exercise. Do not bother when copying exactly what other people in the gym doing
What you see here are some common mistakes I see when working with people. It is not to scare you away from this exercise.
In fact, I hope that when seeing these, you feel more confident in your ability to give this exercise a try!
Are you nervous about not being able to keep up with a new exercise routine? Maybe adding deadlifts will throw you off? Take the quiz below to find which routine works best for you!
Will You Be Doing a Deadlift?
Strength training can be intimidating and scary. There is no doubt about it.
Consistency is key for this process. Once you get the groove, you will find that deadlifts are among the easiest exercises on Earth you can do at the gym.
If you are looking for a fitness professional to speed up the process, then I am here for you. I am an ACSM Certified Exercise Physiologist who spent 4 years going through an accredited university to learn all about exercise and how it affects your body.
