How to Deadlift - Conventional

Context

Audience: Moderately experienced gym-goers looking to improve their form for conventional deadlift.

Style Guide: AP Style

Steps

Setup:

  1. Position feet under the bar so it rests against your ankle/lower shin.
  2. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
  3. Maintain a neutral, flat back by:
    • Tucking your lats by squeezing an imaginary orange under your armpit.
    • Inhaling into your lower rib cage and holding until the top of the movement.
    • Bend at your hips and sit into the movement.
  4. Grip the bar with a “mixed grip” (one hand over and one under).

Cue: Imagine a string from the top of your head to the floor. Follow the path of that string when you sit into the set-up.

Movement:

  1. Derive power by pressing your heels through the floor as you begin to straighten your legs to lift the bar.
  2. Begin to exhale slowly when you have lifted the bar off the floor.
  3. Lock your knees at the top of the movement.

Cue: When you straighten your legs and upper body, consider them moving together as one unit, instead of as two individual movements.

Return or Deload the Bar:

  1. Return the bar to the floor by unlocking your knees and bending at your hips. a. Note: Do not inhale or exhale during this portion to maintain a neutral back.
  2. Sit into the descending movement until the bar reaches the floor.

Cue: Follow the same unified path down that your body did going up to maintain control and ensure safety.