One of the most important aspects of an effective exercise routine is learning the basic principles of the gym, such as learning how to deadlift properly. Regardless of whether you are learning how to lose weight or build muscle, this exercise will play a key role.
For some reason this exercise is often overlooked and relegated to the scrap heap of workout routines. Certain people even believe it to be dangerous.
There is not a shred of evidence which states that you should not do this exercise or that it will cause physical damage.
Getting yourself on to the right road comes from learning the correct techniques. It's silly to go in to any exercise before you truly know what you're doing - particularly one where you will be lifting close to your body weight, if not more. These steps should be applied:
* Set your feet at shoulder width.
* Take a 20 degree bend in your knees.
* Hinge your back forward slightly.
* Keep the back flat during this phase.
* With an overhand grip, take a shoulder-width hold of the bar.
* The loaded barbell will rise with you as you begin pushing upwards. Be sure to go through your heels, not your toes.
* As you begin to rise up, bring your hips forward to align your body in to one straight line.
* At the top of the move, your lower back should be slightly extended, chest out proud.
The eight steps above depict the perfect deadlift form. It is hugely beneficial to spend a little bit of time getting yourself familiar with these steps with just a barbell before trying to hit any big numbers. Good form always defeats heavy weights.
Let's look at some aspects of the move in a bit more detail now.
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.
When you begin to lift the weight, focus on pushing with all your force going through the heels. Many people mistakenly stand on the balls of their feet and end up falling forwards during the rep.
Learning the ins and outs of how to deadlift can be tricky for many people, but you now know the basic principles of the move. While many tips on how to lose weight or put on size can often be quite vague, the principles above will help you to get the most out of the biggest exercise in the gym.
For some reason this exercise is often overlooked and relegated to the scrap heap of workout routines. Certain people even believe it to be dangerous.
There is not a shred of evidence which states that you should not do this exercise or that it will cause physical damage.
Getting yourself on to the right road comes from learning the correct techniques. It's silly to go in to any exercise before you truly know what you're doing - particularly one where you will be lifting close to your body weight, if not more. These steps should be applied:
* Set your feet at shoulder width.
* Take a 20 degree bend in your knees.
* Hinge your back forward slightly.
* Keep the back flat during this phase.
* With an overhand grip, take a shoulder-width hold of the bar.
* The loaded barbell will rise with you as you begin pushing upwards. Be sure to go through your heels, not your toes.
* As you begin to rise up, bring your hips forward to align your body in to one straight line.
* At the top of the move, your lower back should be slightly extended, chest out proud.
The eight steps above depict the perfect deadlift form. It is hugely beneficial to spend a little bit of time getting yourself familiar with these steps with just a barbell before trying to hit any big numbers. Good form always defeats heavy weights.
Let's look at some aspects of the move in a bit more detail now.
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.
When you begin to lift the weight, focus on pushing with all your force going through the heels. Many people mistakenly stand on the balls of their feet and end up falling forwards during the rep.
Learning the ins and outs of how to deadlift can be tricky for many people, but you now know the basic principles of the move. While many tips on how to lose weight or put on size can often be quite vague, the principles above will help you to get the most out of the biggest exercise in the gym.
About the Author:
Next step: You can learn the exact strategy demonstrating how to deadlift as well as crucial, simple tips showing you how to lose weight straight from Russ Howe PTI, the UK's most watched source of personal training information online.
