3 Tips for Performing the Dead Lift

The dead lift is an essential lift that must be included as part of any strength training regimen. The reason for this is the fact that it incorporates more muscles than just about any other lift, enabling you to lift a greater amount of weight than with most other lifts. Because the dead lift allows you to lift a considerable amount of weight, it is important that you understand the proper way to perform this lift.

I want to provide you with three simple tips that will help to guarantee you're using proper form so you can get the full muscle and strength building benefits of dead lifting, without compromising your personal safety by risking injury.

Tip #1: Start with the Bar Close to Your Shins

The number one cause of dead lifting injuries is the rounding of the back while lifting the bar from the ground. Many times this could be avoided by simply understanding the proper placement of the bar before initiating the lift. The bar should be an inch or two away from your shins. Any more than than and you'll have to lean too far over to grip the bar, which will cause you to round your back and greatly increase your risk of injury.

Tip #2: Lift From Your Heels

While it can seem natural to use the balls of your feet to stabilize your body, the proper way to initiate the lifting movement is by pressing up from your heels using the hamstrings and posterior chain. This will allow you to lift heavier weights and also keep your back erect.

Tip #3: Lower the Bar in a Quick and Controlled Manner

Beginners to dead lifting are notorious for trying to lower the bar slowly. I don't know if they are worried about making too much noise or if they think slowly lowering the bar is beneficial in some manner, but this isn't the right way to lower the bar when dead lifting. The right way to lower the bar is in a quick and controlled manner. It should be lowered fast enough to not require much energy to support the load, but not so fast that you can't maintain control of the bar. Lowering the bar too slowly prematurely exhausts your muscles and prevents you from performing the maximum number of reps - and it can also hurt your lower back.

The dead lift can be an intimidating lift, but it doesn't have to be. These three tips will eliminate much of the risk with performing this exercise and give you good idea of how to properly perform this essential lift.

For more information to help you build muscle, lose fat and dead lift more weight, check out Craig's inspirational articles on RippedOut.com or get a copy of his book, Ripped Out.

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