How to Do a Proper Dead Lift

Dead Lift Instructional Video by cross fit instructor Adam lerner of A4 Fitness Los Angeles.

The dead lift is an essential part of your weight-lifting regimen. It is an exercise that works several different muscle groups: while it directly targets your glutes, hamstrings, and lower back, it also works the quads, abs, upper back, arms, forearms, and shoulders. This lift must be executed properly in order to benefit from it – if you have poor form, you could disrupt your posture or even throw out your back.

To begin, you’ll want to make sure that you have the right amount of weight on the bar. If you are unsure how much you should start with, try lifting the bar plus five pounds on each side. If you need more weight, add another five pound weight on both sides. Continue in this manner until you’ve got the right amount.

Next, place the balls of your feet directly under the bar. Line the bar up with the joints in your toes, to be exact. This will allow you to lift the bar safely past your knees as you perform the dead lift. Your feet should be shoulder width apart, and parallel to each other. If you prefer, you may point your toes slightly outward for more balance.

The typical grips for dead lifts are the overhand grip, with the palms of your hands facing your body, or the hook grip, where the thumb is locked underneath the fingers. For beginners, we suggest that you use a mixed grip instead: place one hand over the bar and the other hand underneath, so that your palms face opposite directions. We recommend this grip because the bar will have a tendency to slip out of your hands with an overhand grip. A mixed grip allows one hand to maintain its grasp of the bar should it begin to loosen from the other. (Warning: Do not use an underhand grip, as it could rupture your bicep and nearby tendons.)

The starting position is called the setup. With the knees slightly bent and your hands gripping the bar outside of your legs, hinge forward with your hips. Your thighs should be parallel to the floor, and your lower legs should be nearly vertical. The angle between your feet and your calves should be about ninety degrees. With the bar near your shins, keep your head and eyes facing forward. Your chest should be out and your back flat.

Let a breath drop in. Then, keeping the bar close to the body, exhale and straighten your legs. Push the floor away from you with your heels and bring the weight up past your knees. Maintain a tight core throughout the lift, and thrust your hips into alignment with your feet. This is called the lockout position. Pause for a moment and breathe again.

Maintaining a straight back, hinge forward at your hips and allow your knees to bend. Set the bar down. That counts as one rep; make sure to do an appropriate number dead lift reps according to the weight and how many you want in your set. Make sure to always perform a proper dead lift in order to avoid injuries throughout your workout regimen.