“There is no easy way to do a deadlift. Not involving actually picking up the bar. Which explains their lack of popularity in gyms around the world.” – Mark Rippetoe
With our Breakthrough Barbell Club about to begin prepping for the upcoming in-house Powerlifting Meet, I though it might be a good time to share some simple secrets of success for the big lift that closes the completion, the deadlift. Simply put, the deadlift is one of the most beneficial lifts you can include in your training for building posterior chain strength, abs of steel and an iron grip. It is technically, physically and spiritually demanding and as such, it gets a bad rap sometimes. Even the most prudent lifters, who avoid taking unnecessary risks, often hit plateaus; unable to crack the code to make the lift stronger. When I talk about my love for deadlifting with trainees, friends and colleagues, I hear all sorts of curious things. The closer my own deadlift gets to triple my bodyweight (almost there!) the more vehement their comments, like “Isn’t that really bad for your back?”
Generally speaking, hinging at the hip to hoist something heavy isn’t inherently dangerous. We’re talking about a very powerful, fundamental human movement pattern here, my friends! Unfortunately, it’s how a person goes about executing a deadlift that might actually be dangerous. And then there are some tried and true ways of making what a lifter might already be doing fairly safely wither lighter loads, even safer and stronger with heavier ones. So let’s get to it; whether it’s a kettlebell, barbell, log… or any other such implement that needs raising up, here are three proven tactics to help give you a stronger, safer deadlift!
1. Practice a Rock Solid Setup
At Breakthrough, we are avid proponents of the concept that the technique in setting up for a lift is as important as the technique of the lift itself. We often say; “your setup is your first rep.” A casual setup is not only weak, it can lead to injury! Whether you choose a conventional or sumo stance, the bar should cross directly over the center of your feet. For kettlebells, if you extended a line from the handle, it should run right through the center of the feet. If you’re a Sumo puller, your feet should be slightly wider than your shoulders with the toes turned out a bit (no more than 45 degrees). Although a very wide stance might feel stronger for some, it carries considerable risk of injury and has much less carryover to other sports and activities. A coach or training partner can help you find this ideal stance for you personally, such that your arms then grip the bar parallel to each other, just inside your knees but without touching them. Conventional lifters use a narrower-than-shoulder-width stance with a slight turnout of the toes, arms parallel to each other on the outside of the legs. Once again, avoid too much friction between the arms and the legs; we want it to feel like a well oiled machine when we lift! With the proper stance set, actively “pull” yourself down to the weight with your hip flexors, keeping your shins near vertical. If you apathetically bend over, shoot your knees forward and round your back to grip the implement, even in your setup, you might be making a rounded back part of your dead lift ritual and that’s just plain risky. Along with this idea of pulling yourself down to the weight, you also want to “Preload” your body with a power breath to brace your abs and set a lower back that is “locked” in a neutral position. A good coach can help you understand the technique of “packing” your stomach with air in the setup. All of these latter details (the ones apart from the barbell grip positions described) apply to deadlifting a kettlebell, hex bar, or even a sandbag as well as a barbell.
2. Create “Long Arms”
Biceps tendons are vulnerable tissues, and tears are not terrific. I have friends who have described the experience like this; “I started to pull and suddenly it felt like the inside of my arm just snapped and rolled up into my biceps like a window shade!” Yikes! How does this happen? Well, the amount of weight one can deadlift off the floor is usually much greater than the amount of weight one can curl with just the biceps. If the elbows bend while under a maximal deadlifting load then you are effectively trying to curl your deadlift weight with just your biceps. Those smaller muscles and connective tissues are just not designed for that kind of work. Even taking the risk of injury out of the equation, a bent arm on a deadlift means you just end up lifting the bar higher than necessary and leaking valuable energy out of your hard-working joints. So, when deadlifting, lock those elbows and tense those triceps to make a plank out of each arm; it’s safer and it’s stronger.
3. “Plank” the Lockout
One of the strangest things I see in powerlifting competitions, is athletes “over lifting” their deadlifts. What do I mean by this? The deadlift is going well, the bar is almost locked out, the lifter shoots their hips forward… and also suddenly shrugs their shoulders and arches their back. This effectively lifts the bar higher than it had to go to count for a successful lift, and risks a back injury in the process! As the bar gets past the knees, we do indeed want to use a strong hip drive, much like the technique of a kettlebell swing, to initiate the lockout. At the top of a deadlift or swing a lifter should stand as tall as they possibly can, with a big, proud chest, a pelvis pushed slightly forward, but no leaning back! Extending the spine under load is just a recipe for a few doctor’s office visits. The ears, shoulders, hips, knees and ankles should be stacked up in a nice straight line. There are no bonus points for lifting the bar higher than the other lifters. Also, this standing plank should be tight! To quote world record holder, Andy Bolton, “Without tightness, you cannot have strength. All the best lifers get tighter than the average lifters. Simple as that.”
And there you have it. A handful of easy-to-remember cues to help make your deadlifts feel strong and stay safe. Happy lifting!