The deadlift is a fundamental pulling movement that belongs to the “big three” strength exercises, alongside the squat and bench press. As a compound lift, it engages multiple muscle groups, making it a highly effective exercise for building functional strength and stability through the hinge movement pattern—something we use frequently in daily life. Mastering and enhancing your deadlift technique not only helps you lift heavier and continue progressing toward your fitness goals but also reduces the risk of injury, improves everyday functionality, and aids in rehabilitation, particularly for lower back pain.
Given that the deadlift involves multiple muscle groups and is often performed with heavy weights, many lifters encounter challenges in advancing their performance. There’s also the risk of performing the deadlift incorrectly, which can lead to injury. Some individuals experience discomfort or strain while deadlifting and seek to correct potential form mistakes that may be contributing to the problem.
Improving your deadlift technique involves learning proper form and building strength in areas that may be limiting your progress. Below are some key strategies to help you address potential issues in your deadlift technique and continue making gains. These insights are provided by Jarrod Nobbe, MS, a specialist in sports performance, head weightlifting coach for the Athletic Lab Weightlifting team, and a consultant for Garage Gym Reviews.
Understand Proper Deadlift Form
Before diving into specific techniques, it’s crucial to understand how to perform a proper deadlift. The additional tips provided here can be applied to refine your form and ensure safe progression as you advance in your lifting journey.
Breathe Into Your Abdomen
Proper breathing and bracing are essential for protecting your spine during a deadlift. Breathing laterally into your abdomen helps maintain stability and prevents spinal flexion or extension, particularly at the start of the movement when lifting the bar off the floor. Imagine your core as a sealed soda can—difficult to crush because it’s full of pressure. To practice this:
- Take a deep breath into your abdomen, pushing your sides out laterally.
- Stiffen your abdominal muscles while standing, then drop into your deadlift stance and drive your feet into the floor.
Nobbe suggests visualizing a balloon in your belly. As you brace for the lift, imagine filling that balloon with air to stabilize your torso. As the bar starts moving, exhale slowly through your mouth, as if gently releasing the air from the balloon.
Take the Slack Out of the Barbell
One often overlooked aspect of the deadlift is setting up correctly from the start. The weight plates on the barbell, when resting on the ground, create a small gap between the bar and the top of the hole in the plate. Before pulling, eliminate this slack by connecting the bar to the plate at the top of the hole. This technique ensures that you start in a solid position, helping to keep the bar close to your body and creating the necessary tension for lifting heavy weights. To do this:
- Stand with the barbell in front of you.
- Roll the barbell toward you until it’s almost touching your shins.
- Grasp the bar with an overhand or mixed grip.
- Engage your glutes and hamstrings, lower your hips, and raise your upper body with your chest high.
- Lift the bar until you hear the barbell and plates connect, removing the slack.
Engage Your Lats
Engaging your latissimus dorsi (lats) before lifting can significantly improve your deadlift technique. While the lats aren’t the primary movers during the deadlift, they play a critical role in reducing spinal and hip extension demands. By engaging your lats, you create a tighter center of mass and a smaller movement, making it easier to lift the weight. Here’s how:
- Take the slack out of the barbell.
- Flatten your back and engage your lats by contracting the muscles around your shoulder blades.
- Pull your scapula back and down, locking your elbows, and position your armpits over the bar.
To help engage your lats, incorporate lat isolation exercises into your routine before deadlifting. Building a connection with your lats takes practice but can lead to more efficient lifts.
Screw Your Feet Into the Floor
Properly anchoring your lower body is crucial for a safe and effective deadlift. If you experience lower back strain during or after deadlifting, this tip can help. By turning your femurs outward in your hip sockets and “screwing” your feet into the floor, you engage your glutes and prevent your knees and thighs from misaligning, which could shift the load to your lower back. To do this:
- Rotate your hips slightly outward, engaging your glutes and outer thighs.
- Imagine spreading the floor apart between your feet to create tension.
- Maintain this tension throughout the lift.
Use Your Whole Foot
Nobbe emphasizes the importance of maintaining balance by using your “whole foot the whole time.” A fully flat foot provides better balance and efficiency during the lift.
Push Your Hips Back
A common mistake in deadlifting is allowing the hips to rise before moving the barbell, leading to lower back strain. By taking the slack out of the bar and engaging your lats, you should be in the optimal position to lift the bar as your hips rise. Keeping your hips close to the bar is crucial for maximizing power. To improve your technique:
- Push your hips back and down as you sit into your stance.
- Keep the bar close to your shins and extend your hips at the top, contracting your glutes.
- Lower the bar by hinging at your hips, keeping your chest up and a slight bend in your knees.
Push The Floor Away
Although the deadlift is considered a “pull” movement, it requires significant leg drive, especially in the initial phase. Nobbe suggests using the cue “push the floor away” to focus on driving through the floor with your lower body.
Use Deadlift Training Variations
Incorporating variations into your deadlift training can address weaknesses and improve technique. Nobbe recommends tempos, pauses, controlled eccentrics, and partial block lifts to help overcome sticking points. These variations allow you to push through weak areas and improve your overall lift. Additionally, using bands and chains can enhance speed and lockout ability.
Incorporate Supporting Accessory Exercises
Focusing solely on deadlifts isn’t always the best approach to improving your technique and strength. Nobbe advises incorporating accessory movements that target specific muscle groups, such as:
- Glutes and hamstrings: Barbell good mornings, stiff-legged deadlifts, hip thrusts.
- Back strength: Cable rows, barbell rows, back extensions.
- Grip strength: Farmer’s carries, dead hangs, pull-ups.
Train with Intent
Training with intent and focus is essential for progress. Nobbe stresses the importance of being mentally and physically present during each session. Establishing your intent during warm-up sets prepares you for the more challenging sets later in your workout.
Conclusion
Deadlifts are a cornerstone of strength training, offering numerous benefits such as improved functionality, injury prevention, and back rehabilitation. Mastering the deadlift and continuously refining your technique will help you lift heavier weights safely and efficiently. While the techniques outlined above can aid your progress, consider seeking guidance from a personal trainer or strength coach for personalized assistance. Additionally, remember to fuel your body, stay hydrated, and prioritize rest for optimal results.
