How To Deadlift For Beginners

By Arnold Sylvester


When it comes to fitness, most people are a little bit overwhelmed at the sheer confusion surrounding certain exercises and their benefits. Learning how to deadlift should be a priority for anyone with serious ambitions inside the gym, such is the great power it holds.

Many trainers unfairly believe that this exercise is dangerous and certain gyms even ban users from performing it.

This is ludicrous, of course, as it remains the king of gym based strength exercises. The issue lies with teaching people how to do it properly.

It would be foolish to walk in to this exercise without first knowing the proper technique. The same could be said for any move, naturally, but it's particularly true when you will be able to handle big, heavy loads. These tips will set you on your way:

* Set your feet at shoulder width.

* Take a 20 degree bend in your knees.

* Hinge forwards at the waist as you lower yourself to pick up the bar.

* Keep the back flat during this phase.

* Maximize your strength by gripping with an alternate grip in either hand.

* Push through the heels as you raise the load.

* Your hips will move back in line and you'll end up in a straight line by the time you reach the top of the repetition.

* Push your shoulders back and your chest out when you reach the top portion of the rep, standing tall and proud.

Wading into a power move like this is not advisable unless you have nailed the technique. The eight steps above will help you to do that, ensuring you progress at an accelerated rate and you remove any danger from the exercise, too.

There are several items on the list which can be a little bit more in depth to help you get the most from each point.

The first of which is the bend in your knees. Many people mistakenly sit into this exercise in the same way they would for a barbell squat. It's not the same exercise, and doesn't require the same bend in the knee.

You can take care of the common mistake of arching the back by focusing on pushing your chest out at the top of every repetition. Before too long, the moment your back arches you will feel it and you will correct it. It becomes second nature. This is key when handling bigger loads on the bar.

As you drive the weight up, imagine you are trying to push the earth from underneath your feet. At the same time, imagine a rope is pulling you by the hair to stand up straight. This will ensure the perfect form is achieved.

Now that you know how to deadlift with correct technique, you should take some time to practice these principles at home before you go to the gym. This removes confusion from the equation and ensures you can push yourself hard in your next training session. While it is true that learning how to lose weight or build muscle have become needlessly confusing affairs for most people, the age old principles like this still remain as important today as they were twenty five years ago.




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