CategoriesAssessment coaching Corrective Exercise Exercise Technique

Everyone NEEDS to Deadlift

Note from TG: If there was ever a blog title conceived specifically for this website, this is the one. Jason Bourne, an F-16 fighter jet, and a lumberjack punching a grizzly bear in the face while eating a bag of beef jerky could have steel cage match and it wouldn’t be as manly as this title.

My good friend (and Boston(ish)-based physical therapist) Andrew Millett wrote this fantastic guest post today. 

Fair warning: parts are a bit “heavy” with technical terms and verbiage, but there are still plenty of insights and suggestions (and videos!) that are applicable to everyone reading, because……

Everyone NEEDS to Deadlift

There are a few absolutes in this world.  Some of those absolutes are:

Gravity
The Earth is round
Humans need oxygen to survive.
The Human Body needs food and water to survive.

And I’m sure I am forgetting some others.1

Another absolute I could add to that list is that…Everyone NEEDS to Deadlift!

Now, that I’ve got your attention, finish reading this article before you decide to send your hate e-mail or hate mail if you are still living in the dark ages.

Let me clarify my point: Everyone needs to do some form of hip hinging in order to maintain good back and lower extremity health.

The movement of hip hinging is a vital component of everyday life.

Whether you want to lift up your kids without blowing out your back or you are trying to deadlift your car for reps, being able to hip hinge properly is an integral component to reducing injury risk as well as attaining a high level of performance.

What is “Hip Hinging?”

Hip Hinging is the ability of a person to maintain a neutral aligned spine while predominately loading the hips and having the primary movement come from the hips in an anterior to posterior direction.

For the visual learners, this is what it looks like:

 

As you can see from the video, we ideally want a neutral spine position and the majority of the movement comes from the hips moving in an anterior to posterior direction.  The knees remain in a soft knee position.  This means that the knees are not in a terminally extended (straight) position nor are they overly flexed (bent).

What movements use hip hinging?

The hip hinging move is used for a multitude of movements.  It can be used in the:

  • Deadlift
  • Good Mornings
  • Variations of the Glute Ham Raise
  • Certain Athletic Endeavors

For activities throughout your day, it could include:

  • Properly picking up your kids.
  • Lifting a heavy box from the floor to a different location.
  • Picking a pencil up off the floor.

The list is endless.  Being able to properly move through this movement pattern, whether it be for performance or daily life, is a NECESSITY!

How do I know if I can hip hinge?

Well, check out this video below for a quick and easy test to tell if you are hip hinging properly:

Place a broom, golf club, dowel, etc. on your back as shown in the video.  Place one hand on the top portion at your head and the other hand at your sacrum (tail bone).  Make sure to keep the three contact points between your head, thoracic spine (mid back), and sacrum.

Next, while maintaining “soft knees”, attempt to push your butt back like you are trying to tap the wall with it.

As you are doing this, you are going to need to counteract falling backwards by leaning your upper body/trunk anteriorly (forward).  Time and time again, I will see people attempt to do this movement with just pushing their hips backwards and then in turn, fall backwards or lose their balance.

Your hips should always be more superior than your knees.  If your hips are in line with your knees in the transverse plane, then you are squatting, not hip hinging.I can equate it going to an upscale club or lounge.

You walk up to the club and there is a line.  It is up to the “bouncer” aka the strength coach/physical therapist in this example, to let you past the velvet rope and into Club Hip Hinging.

Once your in the club, there is a VIP section.

In this example, that VIP section is the Deadlifting VIP.  If you aren’t on “the list,” then you aren’t making it into the “VIP” section.

For the physical therapists, strength and conditioning coaches, performance coaches, etc. who want to know if someone can perform hip hinging and/or deadlift variations, then screen your clients and patients.

Screening/Assessment

***Disclaimer*** If you are NOT a physical therapist, you need ask your client if you may put your hands on them to screen them.  Also, if someone has pain with any of these screens/assessments, structure your programming appropriately and refer out to a PT, sports chiropractor, etc.

Tell them you want to screen them so you can adjust their programming so it is customized for them.

99.9% of people won’t have a problem with this, but you need to look out for yourself and make sure your clients are fine with this.

First piece of information I would like to know is, what does their hip flexion motion look like.

Place your client on the ground and passively/gently move their hip through their available range of motion (ROM).

Then, we want to check and see if they have the passive straight leg raise (PSLR) mobility.  Gently raise their leg until you feel some resistance.

Per the Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA), we would like to see 80 degrees of the PSLR.  If the client doesn’t have 80 degrees, all is not lost.  We have to modify their training regimen.  We will get to that later in this post.

Next, if the client has 80 degrees of PSLR, we want to see if they can stabilize in that ROM.  Ask them to actively raise their leg, keeping the knee straight up in the air without letting the opposite leg come up off the ground/table.  We like to see 70 degrees of active straight leg raise (ASLR).

If they have 70 degrees of ASLR, then we can progress further in our assessment/screening.  If they do NOT have 70 degrees, have the client place their hands on the ground.  Then press into the ground with their hands and try again.

If their ASLR improves, then they have either a:

  • Core Stability Issue
  • Anterior Pelvic Tilt

What the pressing down into the ground/table does is activates the anterior core musculature and in turn, places the trunk in a more neutral position.

Since the hamstrings attach on the pelvis, if the pelvis is in an anterior pelvic tilt, this can cause the SLR to appear limited because it is starting in a stretched position.

If pressing down into the ground/table does NOT improve anything, then try these ASLR correctives:

Active-Straight Leg Correctives (via FunctionalMovement.com)

1) Active-Straight Leg Lowering to Bolster

2) Assisted Single Leg Lowering to Bolster

If there is an improvement in the ASLR, now, have the client stand up and tell them to bend over and touch their toes.

If the client can bend over and touch their toes with ease and without trying to blow a gasket or bouncing up and down, then this is another assessment check point that can tell us that they may potentially be able to deadlift/hip hinge.

The toe touch test comes from the SFMA.

What does the toe touch tells us?

We want to see if the client has the ability to posteriorly shift their hips when performing the toe touch.  This tells us that the client can get into their posterior chain to load their hips.  When watching someone perform the toe touch, find their greater trochanter (hip bone on the side of their hip region) and watch to see if that area moves backwards during the toe touch

In the first video below, you can see the person can shift their hips backwards.

 

In this next video, if the person doesn’t perform an adequate posterior weight shift, then they wont be able to touch their toes.

 

If your patient or client doesn’t have the ability to touch their toes, then try these correctives as recommended by FunctionalMovement.com.

This series of correctives is called the Toe Touch Progression.

First, place a 1/2 foam roller or a 10 lb plate underneath your client or patient’s toes as shown in the picture below.

Then, while maintaining the feet on the plates and the knees straight, instruct the person to bend over and gently try to touch their toes.

Perform 10 repetitions then switch to the heels elevated as shown below and perform 10 more repetitions.

You can also place a foam roller or a small ball between the person’s knees and instruct then to squeeze it during the toe touch.  When you instruct the person to squeeze the ball, it up-regulates inner core musculature and places the core/trunk in a better position to perform the toe touch.

Next, have the client perform the toe touch again.  If they can know touch their toes or it has improved as compared to before, then we know that this simple corrective has taught their brain/body to learn how to perform a posterior weight shift needed to perform hip hinging and/or deadlifting.

Now, their toe touch may have improved, but in a few hours or when they wake up tomorrow morning, it may be back to the way it was before the toe touch progression corrective.

With the body and the brain when we see a quick improvement such as this one with the toe touch, we are tapping into the Central Nervous System (CNS) and the brain.

It is “teaching” the brain/CNS a new way to move.

As Erson Religioso has mentioned on his website, Modern Manual Therapy, the brain/CNS is easily tricked, but it is difficult to convince.  What that means is that with the toe touch, we have opened a window to the CNS that has allowed for a chance or an improvement to the system, we want to do whatever we can to “keep that window open” through various correctives and behavior modification in our daily lives.

If the client’s toe touch hasn’t improved, then there may be something else from a mobility, stability, or motor control standpoint that a licensed healthcare practitioner may need to dig a little deeper to discover why the toe touch hasn’t improved.  Refer them to someone in your network, but we will go into more detail now on other ways to train this client even though their toe touch isn’t sufficient enough to deadlift from the floor.

Well, there are many options that you can provide your client to receive a great training effect.  The next few examples all work to help load the posterior chain musculature as well as helping to improve core/trunk stability.

Most of these exercises should be felt in the gluteal and hamstring musculature.

Cable Pull-Throughs

 

Key Points:
  • Sit back into hips.
  • Maintain a neutral spine; no rounding or extending of the lumbar spine/TL junction.
  • Make sure to extend through the hips at the end of the movement, NOT through lumbar hyper-extension.

Hip Thruster/Single Leg Hip Thruster

 

Key Points:
  • Start with upper back resting against a bench and hips/knees flexed.
  • Maintain a “neutral spine” or “ribs down” position.
  • Extend your hips upwards and squeeze butt at the top.
  • Finish with your knees, hips, shoulders, and ears in a straight line.

Barbell Supine Bridge

 

Key Points:
  • Place an airex pad or exercise mat over hips/under bar to provide some padding.
  • Maintain a neutral spine, “ribs down” position and drive hips to the sky.
  • Make sure not to try and lift too high by extending through the lumbar spine.

Elevated Kettlebell Deadlift

 

Key Points:
  • Stand directly over the kettlebell (KB).
  • Push your hips back like you are trying to touch your butt to the wall behind you.
  • Maintain a neutral spine position.
  • Grasp the KB, drive your heels through the floor, and lift up through your hips/legs.
  • Squeeze butt at the top.  Make sure to extend your hips and not your low back.  Imaginary line should be between your ears, shoulders. hips, knees, and ankles.

Once the client or patient demonstrates proper form with an elevated KB deadlift, eventually lower the elevation height to make the exercise more difficult and eventually perform off the floor as long as proper form is maintained.

Trap Bar Deadlift

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-sA3PG1kGY

 

Key Points:
  • Step into the trap bar/hex bar.
  • Push hips back like you are trying to touch your butt to the wall behind you.
  • Grasp handles and maintain a ribs down, neutral spine.
  • Imagine their are oranges in your armpits.  Try to squeeze them.
  • Drive through the heels and extend your hips.  Shoulders, hips and knees should be in a line at the top of the movement.
  • If the client/patient can’t demonstrate proper form with the Trap Bar DL from the floor, then you can place blocks or some other implement underneath the weights to elevate it so they can demonstrate proper form.

Rack Pulls

 

Key Points:
  • Step up to bar.  Push hips backwards and grasp bar.
  • Same points as mentioned above.
  • Can use pronated grip (palms facing you) OR mixed grip (one palm facing you, one facing away from you).

Once someone can demonstrate proper form with these movements, then you can start by progressing towards the floor.

If someone’s goal is to deadlift from the floor and they can do it with proper form and pain-free, then we’re on our way to hitting that goal.

If someone’s goal is to be able to pick-up their kids or move and feel better, then the exercise variations mentioned above are great ways to help with that.

CategoriesExercise Technique Program Design Strength Training

13 Ways to Improve Your Deadlift, FAST!

You could say I like to write about deadlifts. Well that, and zombies. Or zombies fighting ninjas. Or how adorable my cat is, which has nothing to do with zombies.

Oh, and speaking of cats……cats vs. zombies.

But mostly I like to write about deadlifts.2

In my latest article that went up on T-Nation today, I break down 13 quick-n-dirty tips that many people can incorporate TODAY and see immediate improvement in their lift.

Check it out and let me know what you think.

Continue Reading….

Categoriescoaching Exercise Technique

Trainer Critique Live 2: The Deadlift

I had an amazing time in NYC this past weekend.

I was invited back by the crew at Mark Fisher Fitness to participate in round #2 of their Motivation and Movement Lab. I, along with Mark Fisher, Michael Keeler, Harold Gibbons, Michael Littig, Steven Ledbetter, Pete Dupuis, and Artemis Scantalides spoke over the course of two days to a group of 80+ trainers, coaches, therapists, and gym owners from around the country on a variety of fitness-related topics ranging from business and behavioral change to program design and assessment.

What’s more…there were roughly 17,459 f-bombs dropped, 245 references to unicorns/dildos, and this Pulitzer Prize worthy picture.

It’s hard not to appreciate the sharp contrast and symmetry between the lighting, Jackie Chan’s facial expression, and my biceps.

Much like last year, I left the event feeling energized and thankful for being included in such an amazing event. I’m a better human being after having been immersed in the infectious MFF culture. Their passion and proclivity at helping every person pursue and amplify the best version of him or herself possible is unparalleled.

It’s quite an honor to see and be a part of it.

On that note: I got back into Boston somewhat late last night, and am in the throes of email purgatory. However, I do have something cool for you to check out.

Trainer Critique 2: The Deadlift

Last year, both Bret Contreras and Nick Tumminello were part of a video series hosted by ProShapeFitness.com called Trainer Critique “Live” I felt was pretty neat.

The premise was simple: the two of them watched a video of someone performing a lift (in this case, the squat) and they would each provide real-time, “live” feedback on what they saw.

HERE’s the link to the video.

For the second go-round, I was asked – alongside Jordan Syatt – to critique two different deadlifts. Here’s what transpired. Enjoy!

Jump to each critique section:
– Jordan Syatt critique 1: 0:56
– Jordan Syatt critique 2: 3:59
– Tony Gentilcore critique 1: 7:12
– Tony Gentilcore critique 2: 14:07

Categoriescoaching

What It Means to “Pull the Slack Out of the Bar”

In today’s brief video blog I discuss what a coach is really saying when he or she says to “pull the slack out of the bar.”

It’s a common cue, and one I feel tends to elicits looks like this from people receiving it:

A blank, emotionless void.

All kidding aside, it’s a cue that does hold a lot of weight (<– sick pun3) and accomplishes many things:

  • Teaches people to get and maintain tension.
  • Teaches people to get and maintain tension.
  • Teaches people to get and maintain tension.
  • Improves your Spanish.

But for real, it’s a good one.

What It Means to “Pull Slack Out of the Bar”

CategoriesExercise Technique Program Design

The Deadlift: Beginner Basics

I came across this comment yesterday on Twitter from a friend of mine who’s an accomplished trainer and someone I respect a lot:

How many articles can be written about the deadlift? And when writing, does the author ever say to self, “maybe I should wait on this one.”

I can’t say I disagree with his tone. I mean, I get it. There are metric shit-ton4 of deadlift articles out there, and I’ve helped contribute my fair share.

Sorry!

The way I see it: Michael Bay keeps making those god-awful Transformers movies due to popular demand. Deadlifts are popular. So, yeah, there’s the correlation.

Just run with it.

I’ll admit that there’s really nothing new to say about deadlifts (except that they’re not god-awful), and I can understand the degree of eye-rolling by some coaches when the internet is hijacked for a few days with a flood of articles and blog posts on the topic; not coincidentally all of which happen to coincide with the revamped re-release of a stellar resource like David Dellanave’s Off the Floor: A Manual for Deadlift Domination.

For what it’s worth: there are a lot of people who stink at deadlifting and are eager to learn how to perform them right and learn how to implement them into a well-structured, properly progressed program.

I like to think of myself – and this website – as a resource that helps point people in the direction of quality information. Information from friends/coaches I trust (and more often than not have a personal relationship with) and information I know will help many people.

I can do it in a way that’s non-douchy and provide unique, useful content – because I know what I’m talking about – as an adjunct to the material (like I will do below).

Or I can do one of two things:

1. Be annoying internet marketing guy

“HEY EVERYBODY BUY THIS MANUAL/DVD BECAUSE I SAID SO, AND BECAUSE I LIKE DEADLIFTS (even though I don’t train anyone in real life). AND BECAUSE I HAVE A TRIBAL TATTOO ON  MY ARM! “

2. Stay silent and rely on videos like this to educate people

 

I choose neither.

And on that note here’s some words I put together for you to read.

The Deadlift: Beginner Basics

The deadlift is a “simple” movement, and I’d argue the least technical of the “big 3” (squat, bench press, deadlift). Which isn’t to say it’s easy to perform nor doesn’t require some attention to detail. But for all intents and purposes we can describe the deadlift as follows (courtesy of renowned strength coach, Mark Rippetoe):

“Bar is on the ground. One bends over to pull the bar, with straight arms, off the floor and up the legs until the knees, hips, and shoulders are locked out.

And then you piss excellence all over the place.”

That last part was added by me.

Another perspective is that of Dan John:

Squat = maximal knee bend and maximal hip bend. In other words, the squat is a squat.

Deadlift = minimal knee bend and maximal hip bend. In other words, the deadlift is a hip hinge.

[NOTE: for some ideas on how to groove a solid hip hinge before adding an external load, check out THIS article on How to Hip Hinge Like a Boss.]

 

Benefits of the Deadlift

  1. It Gets You Stronger

Deadlifts have been around since the beginning of time. And while I can’t back that up with any scientific evidence, it’s true.

Of Note: I can’t tell you how many times I’ve trained at a gym other than my own and after a set of deadlifts someone will approach me and comment: “hey, that thing you’re doing. Is that, like, CrossFit?”

I’ve grown out of my hatin on CrossFit phase – I recognize the good it’s done with getting the masses excited to exercise, and better yet, lifting weights – so I generally just chuckle it off and inform the commentee that, “No, I’m not CrossFitting,” and that “No, CrossFit didn’t invent lifting weights.”

Anyways, deadlifts have been around for a while and there’s a reason why they’re a staple in every single successful strength-training program ever written, ever. (citation needed).

They work.

If strength is the goal, you need to incorporate movements that allow you to lift a bulldozer boatload of weight. Deadlifts fit that bill.

  1. It Builds Muscle

A funny thing happens when someone starts deadlifting consistently. They add muscle to their frame. More specifically they add muscle to the areas which can’t be scene by the mirror and are often most neglected – the posterior chain (glutes, hamstring, erectors).

Which serves as an appropriate segue to the next benefit…

  1. It Improves Performance

What kind of performance? I don’t know…any kind of performance.

Hitting a baseball or golf ball further, dunking a basketball, improving running efficiency (the more force you can develop and put into the ground, the more efficient you are at propelling yourself towards the finish line), the ability to walk down a flight of stairs and not break your hips in half, making yourself harder to kill, the bedroom (BOM CHICKA BOM BOM), it’s all fair game and part of the conversation.

One of the best explanations I’ve ever heard comes, again, from strength coach, Dan John. He was asked one time by an athlete of his “what muscle does (insert name of any exercise you want here) does this exercise work anyways?”

I don’t recall he was being asked about the deadlift, but his answer is fitting nonetheless:

“You know that muscle that allows you to jump really high, over the defending cornerback, to catch the football for the game winning touchdown? That muscle.”

Fuckin A.

In reality, however, we don’t have to correlate the deadlift to just athletic performance.

It carries many other “real life” benefits with it outside of the football field, baseball diamond, soccer pitch, or basketball court (to name a few).

Anything that requires a basic hip hinge pattern – while maintaining a neutral spine – can be labeled a deadlift.

Grandma bending over to pick up a potted plant? That’s a deadlift.

The random woman picking up her child at the local playground? A deadlift.

Franco Columbo moving his father’s car out of a cramped parking space in the documentary Pumping Iron? You guessed it, deadlift.

  1. It Makes You Bulletproof

Now just to be clear, that’s a metaphor. Deadlifts won’t actually make you bulletproof. Don’t be stupid. Bullets hurt. And will kill you.

Bulletproof in this context is just a more nerdy way of saying “prevent injuries.”

From an athlete’s perspective: Deadlifts will (hopefully, nothing is guaranteed) help prevent injuries like ACL tears as well as nagging injuries to the knees – like tendinitis (acute inflammation) and tendinosis (chronic inflammation or actual degeneration of soft tissue) – due to the fact the posterior chain is so heavily activated and strengthened.

From a non-athlete’s perspective: Deadlifts will help to “offset” many of the postural imbalances and dysfunctions that tend to manifest when forced to sit at a desk all day in front of a computer.

Think of what’s required in order to perform a deadlift: ample ankle dorsiflexion, hip extension, thoracic spine extension, and pelvic control, amongst other things…all of which tend to diminish when seated for long periods of time.

Plus, deadlifts help to address any pent up aggression that may spill over from work. I.e., they’re a much better alternative to stabbing your boss or annoying co-worker in the neck. Unless they deserve it.

In that case, stab away.

Note: video below doesn’t include any stabbing, but it’s hilarious nonetheless.

 

One last thing to consider is Wolff’s Law and Davis’s Law.

You can’t discount physics.

The former states that bone in a healthy person or animal will adapt to the loads it is placed under. The latter states the same thing, except with regards to soft tissue.

Deadlifting = strong bones + soft tissue. You need a minimal essential strain (MES) in order for tissue to adapt. Likewise, in order to strengthen tissue, you need to load it. Sorry, but your cute little leg extensions and leg curls all in the name of “being more spine friendly” aren’t going to get the job done.

Key Coaching Cues and The Importance of Getting (and Maintaining) Tension

David actually nailed all the key cues to use with regards to cleaning up deadlift technique in yesterday’s post.

To repeat:

These probably aren’t going to be groundbreaking, but time tends to prove out what works best, and these have been around for a while.

  • Chest up – let me read the writing on your shirt.
  • Pull the bar into your shins, you’re going to keep contact with your body through the entire pull.
  • Take the slack out of the bar by making it “clink”.
  • Pull your shoulder blades down into your back pockets.
  • Push the floor away, and stand up tall.
  • Optionally, if someone over-extends or arches, I like to explain that you want to try to cinch your ribs down to your pelvis. I don’t like “ribs down” as this never seems to make sense to people.

That’s it. I found that those five or six cues fix 99% of the issues I see.

Another component to consider – and one I feel is crucial – is the idea of getting and maintaining tension throughout a set. Many people lack the wherewithal to engage their lats from the start, and hence lack upper back stiffness. One of two things inevitably happens: they round their upper back or the hips shoot up first.

 

To counteract this I like to cue people to pretend as if they’re trying to squeeze an orange in their armpits. Research backs up the efficacy of using more external cueing when coaching clients, and this cue works like magic much of the time.

However, in the event that that doesn’t jive, a simple drill I’ll use is to attach a band to the barbell itself and the trainee/athlete must learn to pull the bar close to the body AND KEEP IT THERE the entire time.

 

The band will want to pull you forward, and the objective here is not to allow that. That thing you feel? Those are your lats.

Get More Juicy Information

That is no where near everything I’d like to cover with regards to the deadlift for beginners (the part where I explained the benefits is section of a treatise I’m writing for the Personal Trainer Development Center that I hope will serve as “go to” source on anything/everything deadlifts,” but hopefully it gives you some insight and “ammo” as to why it’s an excellent exercise to include in your training and that of others.

I’d encourage you to check out Off the Floor: A Manual for Deadlift Domination for more similar content in addition to a full manual, programs, a video library, and a bevy of other goodies.

It’s on SALE this week only and you can go HERE for more information.

CategoriesProgram Design Strength Training

Two Dudes Talking Deadlifts

My good friend and fellow colleague, David Dellanave5, was kind enough to sit down and talk deadlifts with me today.

Deadlifts? SQUIRREL!!!

He’s just released a revision of his amazing resource, Off the Floor: A Manual for Deadlift Domination today with all sorts of add-ons and bonuses that will, well, help anyone dominate their deadlift.

Specifically, though, his goal was to write a manual that could be handed to a beginner, and it would help them get started with a deadlifting-based strength program.

He succeeded.

Tony Gentilcore (TG): We’re both bald strength coaches who love to deadlift. We also both married up (for those who don’t know, David is married to Jen Sinkler making them one of the industry’s strongest – and most lovable – fitness couples). I think there’s a correlation there.

David Dellanave (DD):  Basically what people can learn from this is that the quickest route to a smart, hot wife is by shaving your head and deadlifting a lot.

TG: I think what I respect the most about you is that you don’t fluff anything and aren’t afraid to call BS when you see or hear it. What are some of the things happening currently in the industry that grinds your gears? Or, if we’re going the non PG-13 route, drives you bat fucking shit crazy?

DD: Oh. Dear. I wrote about this recently but I think one of the most fundamental issues, that goes beyond the specific things that it’s applied to, is that people can’t seem to think of things in anything but black and white terms. I called it the false dilemma problem.

Note from TG: Ooooo, I like that. I’m totally stealing that.

Either you’re full-on Paleo and you’re convinced that it’s the end all be all of human nutrition, or you’re IIFYM and it’s pop tarts for every meal.

Can we please just acknowledge that everything between and including the two extremes of any topic are probably going to be exactly right for someone?

A couple years ago errybody was all like “all the fish oil all the time!” A paper came out last month that discovered that the Inuit have specific genetic adaptations in fatty acid metabolism which could explain the benefits of fish oil IN THOSE PEOPLE. One of the study authors literally said, “The same diet may have different effects on different people.”

Turns out fish oil might not be so good for people with other genetic phenotypes.

Could it also be that for some people a high fat diet is going to work better, and for others a high carb diet is going to be more suitable? That’s a rhetorical question. Every time we investigate these things we end up finding out that the answer is “both” (and/or all of the above) more often than not.

I think the point is we get deep in the weeds on stupid mechanistic explanations and arguments while forgetting the big picture that it all varies from person to person and THAT is a fact.

TG: Men’s Health ran a story not too long ago titled “Normal-Sized Guys Who Are Freakishly Strong Tell You How They Did It,” which featured you. 1. Were you pissed they called you “normal sized? And 2. It is pretty impressive how strong you are (deadlifting 3x bodyweight in three different deadlift variations)…has relative strength always been a priority for you?

DD: I hung up the phone with Michael (<– MH author who wrote the article) and immediately considered going to Sam’s Club to buy food and steroids in bulk, but turns out they don’t sell steroids.

The truth is I just don’t have the nutritional stamina or discipline to eat big like you need to really grow. There’s a part of of me, like any meathead, that always wants to be just a little bit bigger, but it seems like when it really comes down to it, it’s not a big enough priority to actually pursue it. That’s something I talk about with clients often.

Is losing that last little bit of body fat really worth not having a couple drinks a week or enjoying a macaroni and cheese pizza? (The latter is something I would actually never condone because I’m Italian and I think words like pizza mean something.)

That being said, yes, relative strength has also been important to me. To me both the physique and capability of the lightweight strongman (say 180-200lbs) is the sweet spot of form and function and is one of the most versatile and useful tools you can carry with you every single day.

TG: Lets talk beginner deadlift basics. Do you have any criteria as a coach that people need to meet before they can start deadlifting? What about deadlift order or progressions? Do you prefer to start everyone off the same way (trap bar vs. sumo vs. conventional) or do you have a specific system you like to stick to?

DD: This is one area where I take a bit of a different approach than many. As far as I’m concerned, with only rare exceptions, everyone can deadlift from day ones – it’s just going to vary what kind of deadlift they do.

TG: Nope, I agree 100%!

So for some people that may look like a single kettlebell suitcase deadlift, with yoga blocks raising the handle up above knee height to raise the pick height. For others it might be a classic two-handed kettlebell deadlift from the floor, between the feet.

And others yet might even start with the barbell right away depending on how they move.

One of my favorite movements for people who might not move very well and have had some prior back issues is to use a high pick with two kettlebells, but offset the weights. If you give someone a single 8kg bell in a suitcase position, there’s a 8kg asymmetrical load, which isn’t insignificant, but it’s not a lot of load in general. So you give them a 16kg in one hand, and 8kg in the other hand.

The offset is still 8kg, but now you’ve got a total of 24kg. It’s almost certainly not more load than they deal with in daily life, but it’s creating more total overload and demand on the tissue, plus you get more of an “anchor” effect from the higher load. This is one of those cases where less weight is not always better, and in my experience this is a neat trick for better results.

That being said, the single biggest thing I’m looking for (besides being pain free) is the ability to maintain back position from top to bottom of the movement.

Lots of people can’t pull from the floor because if you watch their back position as they go down to meet the implement it changes. Likewise if it changes on the way up, but the problem starts at the bottom. If you can maintain that, we can progress. If not, we have to figure out how you can do that first before moving on.

TG: I always love listening to other coaches explain or articulate their approaches to coaching the deadlift. I know it’s a topic that entire books have been dedicated towards – you’ve written one (hint, hint, nudge, nudge) – but what are 2-3 of your “BIG ROCK” cues you feel carryover to most individuals?

DD: These probably aren’t going to be groundbreaking, but time tends to prove out what works best, and these have been around for a while.

  • Chest up – let me read the writing on your shirt.
  • Pull the bar into your shins, you’re going to keep contact with your body through the entire pull.
  • Take the slack out of the bar by making it “clink”.
  • Pull your shoulder blades down into your back pockets.
  • Push the floor away, and stand up tall.
  • Optionally, if someone over-extends or arches, I like to explain that you want to try to cinch your ribs down to your pelvis. I don’t like “ribs down” as this never seems to make sense to people.

That’s it. I found that those five or six cues fix 99% of the issues I see.

TG: For me, the best way to get better at the deadlift is to deadlift. A lot. That being said, we’d be remiss as coaches not to appreciate that accessory work plays a huge role in addressing/improving technique flaws in various portions of the lift. Can you elaborate?

DD: Agreed. Practice, practice, practice. Both for technique and volume overload.

But I’m also a big believer in upper back exercises to improve the ability to keep the spine stable so it moves at the fulcrum of the hips. Zerchers, front squats, and even specific upper back exercises like Bret wrote about in THIS great article.

One of the biggest reasons I think people fail at the upper end of deadlifts is because the back starts to flex or round and driving the hips forward harder just makes that problem worse right up until the moment you fail.

A more specific simple drill I really like for the common issue of letting the bar drift out away from the body is to setup bands on rack to pull the bar forward slightly. In that way you can practice generating a little more shoulder extension and tension with your lats to keep the bar in tight.

TG: Awesome stuff, I love using that drill too. What do you feel are the biggest faults in trainees who have issues off the floor, mid-range, at lockout?

DD: Off The Floor – Either you lack the mobility to be pulling off the floor in the first place (you can usually find out if this is the case by using biofeedback testing) or you’re just weak in that range. Personally I don’t think you can do better than deficit deadlifts to improve strength off the floor, but you ONLY need an inch and a half or two of deficit. A standard iron 25lb plate is the perfect thickness.

Mid-Range – I think this is where the glutes really come into play, and Bret’s favorite hip thrusts and glute bridges can help a lot. The caveat is always that if the back isn’t strong enough to keep the lever acting as a lever, it doesn’t matter how strong your glutes are.

Lockout – This is where you really see the back strength issue become the point of failure. When the back starts to round, you only have a certain range of motion before you get too close to end range and the body just shuts down power output. Driving the hips forward harder here just causes failure more quickly as you push the spine to end range. So this is where the upper back extensions and upper back rack pulls can help you both overload and learn to maintain back position through the finish of the pull.

TG: What would your cousin, Dellanavich, say to anyone who states the deadlift is bad or dangerous for their spine?

DD: In Russia, deadlift is not bad for back, back is for deadlift.

 

I’m so over beating the dead horse on this topic. The back pain statistics in the U.S. are absolutely outrageous, and the vast majority of these people certainly aren’t doing any deadlifts.

The point you’ve correctly made before is that doing crappy deadlifts is bad for your back. Using your body as it was intended to move and doing it against progressive resistance is exactly what keeps you healthy, not hurts you.

TG: I know you’re a big advocate of using biofeedback to compliment programming strategies. Do you have any new thoughts on this topic? How can people use this to better improve their deadlift performance?

DD: Biofeedback has been such an integral part of training for me and the people in my gym it’s hard to even know where to begin. Last year Jen basically won a powerlifting meet because she used biofeedback to decide how to change her stance during the meet.

Here’s my suggestion: use biofeedback to test a couple variations every time you deadlift. Go with the one that tests the best for 4 weeks, and see what happens. You’ll be pleasantly surprised.

For people who have pain or functional issues, biofeedback can be even more useful because it really allows you to see what you can and can’t do.

Go back to the mobility example earlier in this post. I find tons of people for whom deadlifting from the floor doesn’t test well, but raise the bar 2-3” and suddenly it tests great for them. Lo and behold, they usually have back pain now and then before, and after a few sessions of doing what tests best they have no problems at all.

TG: Okay, outside the box, but I have to ask: favorite movies you’ve seen this year?

DD: I should be asking you, so I’d know what to go see. I legit think I’ve only seen one movie in the theater this year and it was that crappy Amy Schumer one. Was Lone Survivor this year? That was pretty good.

TG: No, David. No it did not come out this year.

Off the Floor

For less than what it would cost you to hire a sub-par trainer for an hour here’s what you get with the revised version of Off the Floor:

All the goodies from before (Off the Floor manual, programs, video library, Biofeedback Training Guide, etc)

PLUS

– A new section in the beginning that sets the tone and an understanding for newer lifters.

– Entirely new section for beginners, to coach them through their first deadlifts and get them to feel confident pulling.

– Two guest articles from Dean Somerset and Tony G (<– THAT’s ME!) on deadlifting with disc hernations, and how deadlifts are horrible for you (not) respectively.

– Almost completely redone layout and formatting of the book to make it easier to print.

– Printed version available via Amazon.

ALL of that – and more – for a heavily discounted price (over half off) for this week only. If you’re not doing cartwheels down the sidewalk from sheer excitement I don’t know what to tell you.

Click HERE for more details.

CategoriesExercise Technique Program Design Strength Training

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Deadlifters – Part 2

In case you missed it, last week I shared a few thoughts on deadlifting. You can check out part one HERE.

In it, rather than regurgitate the same ol’ obvious things most people who write about deadlifts regurgitate (don’t round your back!, good deadlifters don’t “jerk” the bar off the ground, 2+2 = 4, water is wet, Kate Upton is hot, my cat is the cutest cat in the world) I opted to highlight a few things I feel most lifters overlook or aren’t aware of in the first place.

Things like:

– how the lats play a key role in pulling big weight off the floor.

– how to engage the lats more optimally.

– how paying closer attention to your setup may result in better performance.

– and what it really means to pull the slack out of the bar. I promise, despite the nefarious connotation, the explanation is completely PG rated.

– But seriously, my cat is off the charts cute.

Pretty much the best writing partner a person could ask for.

A photo posted by Tony Gentilcore (@tonygentilcore) on

As promised I wanted to continue my stream of thought and hit on a few more “habits” of highly effective deadlifters.

4. Think of 315 as 135.

Chad Wesley Smith of Juggernaut Strength hammered this point home a few weekends ago during a workshop he put on here in Boston at CrossFit Southie.

To paraphrase: You can’t be intimidated by the weight. You need to approach the bar on every set and show it who’s boss. Every time.

Like this monster.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4jO21-a2W0

 

Setting a little expectation management, though, if you’re training in a commercial gym and acting like this before a set of 225, you’re an a-hole. Lets calm down a little bit and put down the ammonia packets mmmm kay?

Many trainees will attack a lighter load and then turn into Bambi once the barbell hits a certain weight or threshold. Lighter loads will generally go up faster than heavier loads…..duh, I get it. However, this point does speak to something larger, and something that’s a bit more psychological in nature.

If you approach the barbell with a defeatist attitude – oh shit, oh shit, oh shit – before you even attempt the lift, how will you ever expect to improve, much less lift appreciable loads?

If you watch good (effective) deadlifters you’ll notice that every set looks the same. Regardless of whether there’s 135 lbs on the bar, 315, or 600 lbs, everything from the set up to the execution of the lift is exactly the same.

Which is why, flipping the coin, we could also make the argument that 135 lbs should be treated like 315. Getting good at deadlifting requires attention to detail and treating every set the same. Even the lights ones.

5. Don’t Just Think “Up.” Think “Back.”

The deadlift is nothing more than bending over and picking up a barbell off the ground, right?

Well, yes….but it’s a bit more complicated than that.

Many will view the deadlift as a pure up and down movement. Meaning, the barbell itself will move in a path that’s literally straight up and down.

Ehhhhhhhhhhhh, wrong.

23.7% wrong, at any rate (<—- trust me it’s science).

The deadlift is actually much more of a horizontal movement than people give it credit for. To quote my good friend, Dean Somerset:

“Deadlift drive comes from the hips when you start in flexion and move into extension. In other words, deadlift drive comes through hip drive. Driving your hips forward, coupled with vertical shins and a stable core, causes the torso to stand up vertically, pulling the weight with it.”

When people get into the mindset that deadlifitng is more of vertical movement they’ll often resort to initiating and finishing the movement with their lower back rather than their hips. Which, as you can guess, leads to some wonky habits of the rounded back nature (which we’d like to avoid as much as possible).

A cue I like to use to help initiate more of a horizontal vector is to tell people to think about “driving their sternum to the back wall.”

When they initiate the pull, they shouldn’t think up but rather……..BACK!

It sounds weird, but I like to describe this phenomenon by telling people that if they do it right – and think about pulling their sternum back – that they’d fall backwards if they decided to let go of the bar.

6. Deadlifts Don’t ALWAYS Need to be Max Effort, I’m Going to Shit My Spleen, Heavy.

Yes, you’ll need to train with max effort loads in order to improve your deadlift. To quote Ronnie Coleman, you’ll need to “lift some heavy ass weight.”

That’s pretty much a given.

But you DO NOT need to do it all the freakin time.

This is another point that Chad Wesley Smith touched on a few weeks ago. To paraphrase him (again): “I could care less about gym PRs. I want to PR when it counts.”

Understandably, most of the people reading this post aren’t competitive powerlifters like Chad, so how he trains and prepares (and peaks for a meet) is going to be drastically different from most of us.

But the message still resonates and reigns true for most trainees. You don’t need to train balls to the wall 100% of the time.

This is a tough pill to swallow for many people, especially in the shadow of CrossFit where training all out, to the point of exhaustion is not only encouraged but accepted as normal.

 

Don’t get me wrong: I LOVE when people train hard, and I think CrossFit has done some good in terms of getting more people excited to not run a treadmill.

However it’s also set a dangerous precedent in brainwashing people into thinking that a workout or training session is pointless if you don’t set a PR or come close to passing out.

NOTE: this doesn’t apply to every box or every Crossfit coach. So relax guy who’s inevitably going to shoot me an email saying I’m nothing but a CrossFit hater.

1. I actually have written a fair amount praising CrossFit. Like HERE. 

2. I also workout at a CrossFit 1-2x per week – albeit during “off” hours when I have the place to myself along with the other coaches.

3. Shut up.

More often than you think, training with SUB-maximal weight (60-85%) is going to be the best approach for most people, most of the time. Not only does it allow for ample opportunity to focus on and work on technique, but it also allows people to train the deadlift more often.

The best way to get better at deadlifitng is to deadlift. A lot.

If you’re someone who constantly trains with max-effort loads this is going to be hard to do because 1) you’re going to beat up your joints 2) you’ll fry your CNS and 3) this requires more recovery time.

Not every training session requires you to hate life. This is especially true when it comes to improving your deadlift. QUALITY reps are the key. Oh, this is weird…..it just so happens I have a deadlift specialization program that follows this mantra to a “t.”

You should check it out.

Pick Things Up

7. Pull & Push

The deadlift is a pulling dominant movement. But it also involves a fair amount of pushing.

Yep you heard me right, pushing.

Think of it like this: in order to pull an ungodly amount of weight off the floor (or for those less interested in ungodly amounts, a boatload or shit-ton) you need to generate a lot of force into the ground and push yourself away.

I’ve heard this best described as “trying to leave your heel print into the ground.”

It’s a subtle cue, but it works wonders and it’s something that effective deadlifters keep in the back of their mind all the time.

And there you have it. While not an exhaustive list of habits, I do feel the one’s highlighted in both parts of this article will help many of you reading dominate your deadlifts moving forward.

Got any of your own habits to share? Chime in below.

CategoriesExercise Technique Program Design Strength Training

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Deadlifters – Part 1

When I was a junior in college one of my professors had us read The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey.

Yeah, I didn’t read it.

But who actually reads in college anyways? I was too busy playing baseball, lifting weights, watching Party of Five, and not hanging out with girls because, well, I was watching Party of Five.

I mean, all I had to do was look at the title and I knew it was going to put me to sleep within five minutes of turning the cover. And besides, was this book going to add 5MPH to my fastball and get me drafted? Pffffft, I think not!

Fast forward five years.

Surprise! Nothing I read added 5MPH to my fastball. Professional baseball didn’t pan out and I was a year or two into my career as a personal trainer. I finally listened to my professor and read the book. And it was game changer.

I won’t bore you with the details – it’s a quick read – but The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People speaks to things like how to be more proactive, why it’s important to think about the future so that you can more concretely figure out what to make a reality, the value of the “win-win” mentality, seeking to understand shit before you open your mouth (<— that’s my own interpretation), and what it means to “sharpen the saw” (I.e., seek out activities like exercise, yoga, meditation, etc. to expedite mental focus), among a handful of others.

Needless to say it’s a book I recommend to a lot of people, and something who’s theme I’m going to rip off today.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Deadlifters

Being a massive human being helps (^^^^^^^^^), so I’ll just skip that one and try to focus on some less obvious points.

NOTE: What follows is more of a commentary on deadlift technique with the goal to lift a lot of weight. It’s not going to cater to CrossFit and more of the tap-n-go, bounce off the floor, (high) hinge deadlift.

NOTE II: Please don’t take this as a knock against CrossFit. It isn’t. I get that the tap-n-go approach is more relevant to the demands of a CrossFit class or competition, where high(er) reps are performed. I also recognize that there are some strong people who do CrossFit.

But if you’re a CrossFitter and you’re that easily butt-hurt over me poo-pooing a tap-n-go deadlift, I’ll ask you this: why is the exercise called a DEADlift?

NOTE III: Nothing I mention below is concrete and will apply to every lifter in every situation. While I feel much of what I have to say with resonate with a lot of people, I’m not that much of an egotistical asshat to think that it will apply to 100% of the lifting population. So take that for what it’s worth.

Anyways……..

1. Your Lats Are the Key (Point #1)

In order to move big weights (safely, and long-term) you need two things to happen: you need to place a premium on tension and alignment.

If either of the above are lacking you’re not going to be able to develop as much force.

To the former point (tension), the lats are kind of a big deal.

The latissismus dorsi (or “lats” in bro-talk) are a massive muscle, which, on top of playing a role in humeral extension, internal rotation, and adduction (blah, blah, blah), also has significant play in breathing patterns and more germane to this conversation spinal stability.

In short: get the lats to engage and garner TENSION during the setup of a deadlift, the more stable you’re going to be, and the less likely you’ll look like this:

To do this I like to use any one of the following cues:

1. Squeeze an orange in your armpits

2. Protect your armpits.

3. Phew…your armpits stink.

4. Put your shoulder blades in your back pocket.

All are fantastic external cues to help people get the lats to fire to provide more tension and thus, stability. Despite this, some people may still look at you as if you’re speaking Elvish when you tell then to “turn on” their lats.

Sometimes it’s beneficial to give them more tactile feedback or cues.

Band Lat Activation with Hip Hinge

Or what I like to call “TRICEPS”


Lat Activation (via Mike Robertson)

 

2. Your Lats Are the Key (Point #2)

Pigging back on the point above, your lats are what “connects” you to the bar. Yes, your hands are grabbing the bar, but it’s where your armpits (where the lats insert) are located – in relation to bar placement – that plays a huge role in deadlifting badassery.

I’m a fairly decent deadlifter. I’ve pulled 3x bodyweight….570 lbs at a bodyweight of 190. I’m no Andy Bolton, but not many people are.

For years I’ve set up with my shins as close to the bar as possible, and while it led to some success it also led to some pesky back issues.

Why?

When setting up as close as possible to the bar, think about what’s happening.

1. My shins are more vertical.

2. And because my shins are more vertical, my armpits are in front of the bar, creating an awkward line of pull I have to overcome.

This not only puts me in a mechanical disadvantage, but over time is going to make my lower back flip me the middle finger. And it has, many times.

In the past few months I’ve had to overhaul my setup so I’m a little further away from the bar in that my shins can translate forward a bit, which then allows me to get my armpits directly over the bar, which in turn puts me in a more mechanical ADvantage (which helps me garner more tension), which in turn makes my lower back happy.

FYI: the picture below doesn’t show that right before I pull, I’ll push my hips back a smidge

And no, I’m not squatting the deadlift…….;o)

3. Pulling Slack Out of the Bar

Running with the tension theme, another habit of highly effective deadlifters is learning how to take the slack out of the bar.

It’s important to leverage yourself against the weight when you’re setting up. Another way to think about it is to act as if you’re “pulling” yourself (against the bar) into proper position.

This is what it means to get the slack out of the bar or what I like to say instead “bending the bar before you pull it.”

NOTE: I was in the middle of filming a video of this last night when my camera puttered out. Damn you Droid!

Luckily CSP coach, Greg Robins, filmed a video not too long ago on this very concept:

That’s it for today. I’ll be posting part II of this article sometime soon. But in the meantime I want you to recognize the key theme of all the points listed above:

That the setup is very, very, VERY important.

Like almost as important as Bilbo giving Frodo Baggins the blade Sting when leaving Rivendell on his way to Mordor.

95% of the time any mistake or snafu in technique with the deadlift can be attributed to how someone sets up in the first place. Far too often trainees fail to put much thought into it and just haphazardly bend over and pick up the bar. And far too often people end up getting hurt and/or never making any progress.

Place more precedence on getting tension and watch your deadlift take off.

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 12/5/14

I’m in trouble.

I was perusing Netflix yesterday morning trying to find something quick to watch while I ate my eggs when I noticed the show Forensic Files was now available to stream.

Was started off as me thinking “Oh, I’ll watch like one or two episodes” (they’re 20 minutes each), turned into five, and I ended up getting zero work done yesterday.

I then came home from the gym last night and somehow convinced Lisa to watch two more episodes with me. And I just watched four more this morning.

I……..can’t……..look……..away.

I feel like Frank the Tank from the movie Old School – “once it hits your lips, it’s so good!!”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4quisonHOJE

The show is like crack. And, for the record: there are some messed up people out there!! As much as the show is impossible to turn away from, it also makes you want to lock all your doors, screw all your windows shut, turn off the lights, and huddle in the corner of your apartment.

Anyhoo – I managed to turn off the television without going so far as to throw it out the window, and now I’m finally sitting down to write this blog and then spend the rest of the morning writing some programs.

Lets get to this week’s list of stuff to read:

Four Ways to Band Up Your Deadlift – David Dellanave

Much like my affinity for dark documentary crime series, when it comes to anything written on deadlifts I’m like a moth drawn to a flame.

In this superb article Dave breaks down a few ways to add bands to your deadlift training, including one INGENIOUS way to implement when you’re stuck traveling and have little access to a gym let alone a barbell to do deadlifts with.

Also, just a reminder that Dave’s resource Off the Floor: A Manual For Deadlift Domination is on sale at HALF-OFF until TONIGHT (Friday 12/5) at midnight.

Unlike most other resources Dave’s approach takes a unique perspective in that he incorporates autoregulation, which is just a fancy term used to describe what it means to listen to what your body is telling you.

In addition, in the year since its first release Dave has used feedback to help develop three new programs for the manual as well as add a bunch of other cool stuff, including a little over an hour of new video coaching content.

It’s an excellent resource, I love it, and feel if you’re someone looking to add somer serious progress to your deadlift this is something you can’t pass up!

The Double Rep Method – Will Vatcher

I saw this article last week and admittedly almost rolled my eyes. But after reading it, I really liked the idea it proposed and am starting to experiment myself.

It’s BRUTAL!!!!  So if you’re looking for a change of pace in your program, at the mercy of sounding cliche, this may be exactly what you’re looking for!

The Bretzel and Bretzel 2.0 – Gray Cook

Fans of Gray Cook (and Brett Jones) will know this one as it’s an oldie-but-goodie. The Bretzel and Bretzel 2.0 are two drills we’ve been incorporating more and more into our pre-work and “corrective” work with a lot of our athletes and clients at Cressey Sports Performance.

They’re both excellent drills that hammer a lot of stuff at once. Bretzel 1.0 = anterior chain. Bretzel 2.0 = posterior chain.

Bonus Stuff

1. I, along with Jen Sinkler and Neghar Fonooni helped contribute to an article that was featured on Yahoo! Health recently on the Turkish Get-Up: The Full-Body Exercise That Absolutely Everyone Should Be Doing.

2. Now that we’re smack dab in the middle of the Holiday season it’s time for the majority of us to start thinking about the inevitable New Year’s resolution to lose some weight or firm up a bit.

Nutrition is generally the one bottleneck for most people because, lets be honest, most of us are stubborn. Everyone is set in the their ways, has their likes and dislikes (I’m sorry but gluten free bread tastes like sawdust sprinkled with sandpaper shavings), and most telling of all, people are confused as f*** as to what they should be eating.

There’s a lot of noise out there, and it’s no surprise that many are paralyzed or overthink what or how they should be eating (no carbs after 7PM!). And well, some people don’t do any thinking at all (chocolate comes from a plant. Plants are green. Chocolate is salad!).

The people over at Precision Nutrition are gearing up for their annual Lean Eating Program, which is pretty much the quintessential coaching-based nutrition support program out there.

I have many of my own clients use their services, and I know many, many fitness professionals who have also used Precision Nutrition to not only act as their coach, but to use it as a learning experience as well.

PN has just released their FREE Starter Kit which as a stand along thing is worth more than what most diet books try to sell you for whatever is they charge for useless (or to be less cynical: regurgitated) information.

For the men’s kit go HERE.

For the women’s kit go HERE.

Both kits offer their own unique content tailored to both men and women, and like said they’re both FREE. You don’t have much to lose. And hey, they may serve as the impetus to finally hold yourself accountable and make 2015 your most healthy year yet!

CategoriesExercise Technique

How to Improve Tension In the Deadlift

My former editor at T-Nation, Bryan Krahn, used to cringe sometimes when I sent him an article. It seemed every other article I sent him would hover around the topic of deadlifts.

Top Tips to Improve Your Deadlift

Deadlifts For Mass Gains

Deadlifts For Athletic Gains

How Deadlifts Can Spice Up Your Sex Life & Are Actually An Underrated Kitchen Condiment!

Which is Better: Deadlifts or Oxygen?

Every now and then I’d get a note back…

“Dude, enough with the deadlift articles! If I have to read another word on the hip hinge I’m going postal!”

I’d take the subtle hint and lay low on the deadlift content for a few months. But inevitably I’d revert back to my old ways.

As it happens, THREE of my articles (including four of Eric’s) made T-Nation’s list of 22 Most Popular Deadlift Articles.

I’m like, so popular.

I feel like I should pat myself on the back. It’s been a few months since I’ve written anything specific about the deadlift on this site. That’s right on par with Food Babe going a few days without fear mongering us to death and telling us drinking Pumpkin Spice will give us a third nipple or Carrie Bradshaw going more the five minutes without talking about shoes!

Alas, I’m Talking Bout Deadlifts Today

More to the point, I want to take a few moments to talk about TENSION!!!! Getting (and maintaining) tension throughout a set is one of the keys to solid deadlift technique. It’s the key to technique for A LOT of movements, but today I’m going to focus on the deadlift.

I’ve discussed this point in the past, but it bears repeating: One of the dead giveaways that someone lacks tension during their pull is if 1) their upper back rounds6 and 2) their hips come up too early.  Like this:

In both scenarios I’ll almost always attack lat activation/engagement and upper back tension.

With regards to the lats I’ll approach it in a few ways:

1. I’ll have the lifter assume their starting stance in the bottom position and then kinda poke a prod their armpits/lats and tell them to “get tight/stiff here.” That’s pretty easy. Hopefully they’re not too ticklish.

2. Once I have that, I’ll then tell them to “pretend like you’re squeezing an orange in your armpit during the entire rep and you’re trying to make orange juice.” Again this helps to fire the lats more effectively (external cues usually work a lot better than internal cues), which in turn helps transfer force more efficiently as well as provide a ton more spinal stability.

If neither of those two cues work, a simple drill I like to use is this:

Band Lat Activation w/ Hip Hinge

NOTE: with beginners with poor kinesthetic awareness, before I have them touch a barbell I’ll start them off with this drill so I can kill two bird with one stone. I’m getting to feel what it’s like to engage their lats WHILE grooving a hip hinge.

With regards to the upper back there’s a little more to things than just telling someone to “get your back tight!” Moreover, some lifters make the mistake of literally pinching their scapulae (shoulder blades) together in an effort to get “tight.”

This is wrong. And will actually work against you.

Instead I’ll tell trainees to “set their shoulders,” and to think about placing their shoulder blades in their back pocket. What this does is posteriorly tilt the scapulae (NOT retract). Retracting the shoulder blades makes your arms shorter which will make it harder to get to the bar.

Additionally, the preferred cue helps to elicit more upper back tension.

Watch this video to see what I mean: