The width of your stance vary slightly. Some prefer a shoulder-width stance, and some prefer to have their feet a bit narrower. Some prefer to have their toes pointing straight forward, and others prefer to have their toes pointed out ever so slightly. Experiment with your stance and find what feels most comfortable and strongest for you.
Stand close enough to the bar so your shins are a few inches from the bar.
To get into position, push your hips back while keeping them level. At the same time, lower your upper body towards the floor to grab the bar.
Your elbows will be outside of your knees when you grip the bar. You’ll have a slight bend in your knees at the start and throughout the entire motion.
Turn your elbow in like you’re trying to break the barbell in half. This will engage your lats and create a tight and straight upper back.
Before pulling the weight from the floor, pull the slack out of the bar. This is a technique that is hardly noticeable, but plays an important role in a strong deadlift. Here’s how you do this.
Although a barbell is made out of steel, there is some give to the bar.
When you place plates onto each side of the barbell, there is some space between the barbell and the plates on the bar.
This very small gap between bar and the plates on the bar creates a lack of tensions or slack when you pull the bar.
You can fix this by keeping your entire body tight, and pulling up on the bar (without lifting the bar off the floor yet), before actually lifting the weight from the floor. When you pull up on the bar before lifting it, you eliminate that space between the bar and the plates on the bar. Full body tension is important for a strong and safe lift.
To pull the weight off the floor, push your feet through the floor and push your hips forward.
When lowering the weight, push your hips back first and lower the bar straight down.
BREATHING: Inhale before pulling the bar off the floor. Hold your breath during the exercise and exhale once the weight has been lowered back to the floor.
