Training Tips - Deadlifts

This page is dedicated to those who love the deadlift.

Training Tip #37

One of the best mental cues to help you drive your feet through the ground on the deadlift is to visualize making a footprint with your heel on the floor as you begin to pull the weight off the floor.

This should not be confused with the poem "Footprints in the Sand", but it could be just as helpful.

Training Tip #35 - Deadlift

Your shins should be in the vertical position prior to moving the weight on your deadlift. If your shins have too much of a forward angle, it will force your shoulders to go over the bar and prevent you from pulling the bar back into your body at a 45 degree angle. (See Training Tip #7).

Training Tip #33 - Sumo Deadlift

When setting up for the sumo deadlift, ensure that your feet are NOT too wide.

If you cannot jump out of your bottom position, you need to tighten up your stance.

Training Tip #25 - Deadlift

When setting up for the deadlift, never let your shoulders drift too far over the barbell.

Doing so will force you to pull the bar up, as opposed to the optimal 45 degree angle which was explained in Training Tip #7.

Shoulders are too far over the bar.

Rather, you should start your set-up by having your shoulders behind the barbell.

Shoulders behind the bar

Note: This is a very hard habit to break for offensive and defensive linemen.

Why?

Take a guess ...

Training Tip #23 - Deadlift

When performing the Deadlift, never start the movement by trying to pull the bar off the floor with your arms.

Rather, you should take advantage of Newton's 3rd Law and initiate the movement by pushing your feet through the ground - which will force your lower body to become heavily involved.

Even if your arms are as big as the guy's below, they will never be strong enough to pull massive weight on their own.

"For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction"

- Newton's 3rd Law of Motion

Training Tip #7 - Deadlift

When performing a deadlift, visualize that you are trying to pull the barbell back at you at a 45 degree angle, as opposed to pulling it straight off the ground.

This will force you to keep your shoulders behind the bar on your set-up, as well as make you put more emphasis on driving your feet through the ground as you start your movement.