5 Tips to Get Better At Deadlifting Heavy Weights

If you want to build brutal and raw strength, you need to deadlift. It is one of the few exercises where you need to initiate the movement from a bottom-dead position. A majority of people consider deadlifts too simple and just approach the bar, bend over, and lift it. But deadlifts are actually the most technical lift in conventional resistance training. Here, are 5 tips promoted by reputable strength coaches and some from own experience that will help you deadlift the heaviest of weights. Before Deadlifting, Learn This: Hip Hinging © Gaspari Hip hinging is the foundation of your deadlift. Just stop bending over and lifting the load with your lower back! Check out our guide on how to hip hinge . For those of you who know how to hip hinge, read ahead to hit some deadlift personal records. Tip1: Calm down Approach the barbell with a calm mind. The Deadlift is not an exercise, it is a lift and you have to perform it like an art. If you attempt it with a clouldy mind, you're never going to lift as heavy as you can. Thus, there should only be one thought in your head- ‘i have to lift the bar off the floor'. Tip 2: Right stance © YouTube Different coaches and athletes recommend different foot stances. I recommend to experiment with a variety of stances and find out which is the most comfortable for you while making the lift. If you're experiencing excessive strain in your groin, hips or lower back, it is time to reevaluate your stance. Tip 3: Maintain A Straight Line Between The Shoulder Joint, Wrist And The Barbell For an efficient lift-off, the shoulder joint, wrist and the barbell should be in a straight line. If the bar is too forward (ahead of the shoulder joint) or behind the shoulder joint, you will first need to compensate for it, wasting energy in the process. Tip 4: Engage Your Lats © Tnation Hardly anyone emphasizes the importance of lat engagement in a deadlift. Tighter the lats, greater the thoracic spine stability, and more effective the force transfer. Press the barbell against your shin using your lat muscles. Ever did cable pullovers? Just repeat the same movement here and you will engage your lats. Tip 5: Load Your Hamstrings And Press Against The Ground Tighten your hamstrings every time before executing a rep on the deadlift. This prepares the central nervous system to engage the hamstring muscles during the lift (more muscles used = strength to lift more). To do this, explosively shoot your hips up and then down. Next, while lifting the barbell, don't just think of pulling it upwards, press downwards with your feet as if you were doing a leg press. Phew! That is a lot of technique work in a lift you considered too simple and not to mention there's much more to this lift. Start applying these tips steadily and you will see yourself growing into an ace deadlifter! Reference Credits: Dr. Mike Zordos, Dr. Layne Norton, Coach Aman Duggal Yash Sharma is a former national level Football player, now a Strength Coach, Nutritionist and Natural Bodybuilder. He also runs a YouTube Channel Yash Sharma Fitness via which he aims to educate all the fitness enthusiasts to maximize their gains by methods that are backed by science and applicable easily. Connect with him on YouTube, YashSharmaFitness@gmail.com, Facebook and Instagram.