Deadlift proper form

{{whyLabel}}: High-intensity strength training puts significant stress on the cardiovascular system and spine.

{{howLabel}}:

• Consult a sports physician or GP to rule out pre-existing disc issues or heart conditions.
• Discuss your intent to start a heavy lifting program.
• Get clearance for high-pressure maneuvers like the Valsalva technique.

{{doneWhenLabel}}: You have professional medical clearance to start heavy resistance training.

{{whyLabel}}: Running shoes with soft cushions create instability and tilt your weight forward, increasing back strain.

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• Choose shoes with a hard, flat sole (e.g., minimalist shoes, classic canvas sneakers, or dedicated lifting shoes).
• Ensure the sole is thin to keep your center of gravity close to the floor.
• Alternatively, practice barefoot if your gym allows it for maximum stability.

{{doneWhenLabel}}: You have a pair of stable, non-compressible shoes ready for your first session.

{{whyLabel}}: Tight hamstrings often cause the lower back to round (lumbar flexion) when reaching for the bar.

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• Lie on your back and perform an 'Active Leg Raise'.
• Lift one leg as high as possible while keeping the other flat on the floor.
• If you cannot reach 70-80 degrees, focus on dynamic mobility drills before lifting.

{{doneWhenLabel}}: You have identified your current range of motion and potential tight spots.

{{whyLabel}}: The deadlift is a hinge, not a squat; mistaking the two leads to poor leverage and back pain.

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• Stand 10cm away from a wall, facing away.
• Push your hips back until your glutes touch the wall while keeping your shins vertical.
• Gradually move further from the wall to increase the hinge depth.

{{doneWhenLabel}}: You can touch the wall with your glutes without bending your knees excessively or rounding your back.

{{whyLabel}}: Hip rotation stability is crucial for maintaining a neutral pelvis during the pull.

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• Stand on one leg, hinge forward into a single-leg RDL position.
• Rotate your hips open to the side, then rotate them closed toward the floor.
• Perform 2 sets of 8 reps per side to prime the hip stabilizers.

{{doneWhenLabel}}: You feel increased control and 'openness' in your hip joints.

{{whyLabel}}: If the bar starts too far forward, it creates a massive lever arm that pulls on your lower back.

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• Approach the bar so it is exactly over your mid-foot (about 1 inch from your shins).
• Set your feet hip-width apart with toes pointed slightly outward.
• Do not move the bar once it is positioned over the mid-foot.

{{doneWhenLabel}}: The bar is bisecting your foot perfectly when viewed from above.

{{whyLabel}}: Proper grip width prevents your knees from caving in and keeps the bar path vertical.

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• Bend at the hips and grip the bar just outside your shins using a double overhand grip.
• Drop your shins forward until they touch the bar, but do not push the bar forward.
• Shove your knees out slightly so they touch your inner arms.

{{doneWhenLabel}}: You are in a stable 'wedge' position with shins touching the bar.

{{whyLabel}}: Intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) acts as an internal 'airbag' that supports your spine from the inside.

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• Take a deep breath into your belly (not chest).
• Hold the breath and brace your core as if someone is about to punch you.
• Maintain this pressure throughout the entire upward movement of the lift.

{{doneWhenLabel}}: You can maintain a rigid torso under tension while holding your breath.

{{whyLabel}}: Tight lats keep the bar close to your body and prevent the upper back from rounding.

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• Imagine you have oranges in your armpits and you are trying to make juice.
• Pull your shoulder blades down toward your back pockets (depression, not retraction).
• This 'protects your armpits' and locks the bar against your shins.

{{doneWhenLabel}}: Your upper back feels rigid and the bar is pulled tight against your legs.

{{whyLabel}}: Jerking the bar off the floor causes a sudden load spike that often leads to form breakdown and injury.

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• Before the lift, pull upward on the bar just enough to hear the 'click' of the bar hitting the plates.
• Apply about 10-20% of the weight's force to create total body tension.
• Your body should feel like a loaded spring before the actual pull begins.

{{doneWhenLabel}}: You hear the metal-on-metal click and feel tension in your hamstrings before the plates leave the floor.

{{whyLabel}}: Thinking of the deadlift as a 'pull' often leads to using the back; thinking of it as a 'push' engages the powerful legs.

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• Initiate the movement by driving your feet hard into the floor, like a leg press.
• Keep the bar in contact with your shins the entire time.
• Maintain the same back angle until the bar passes your knees.

{{doneWhenLabel}}: The bar rises in a perfectly vertical line without drifting forward.

{{whyLabel}}: Hyperextending at the top or dropping the weight improperly are common causes of facet joint pain.

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• Stand tall and squeeze your glutes to finish the lift; do not lean back.
• To lower, hinge at the hips first until the bar clears the knees.
• Once past the knees, bend your legs to place the bar back on the floor.

{{doneWhenLabel}}: You have completed a full rep with a controlled, neutral-spine descent.

{{whyLabel}}: Jumping straight to heavy weights prevents the nervous system from 'greasing the groove' of proper form.

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• Set 1: 5-8 reps with 40% of working weight.
• Set 2: 3-5 reps with 60%.
• Set 3: 1-2 reps with 80%.
• Rest 2-3 minutes before your main working sets.

{{doneWhenLabel}}: You have completed 3 progressively heavier sets without fatigue.

{{whyLabel}}: You cannot feel every form breakdown; visual evidence is the best tool for injury prevention.

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• Place your phone at hip height, exactly 90 degrees to your side.
• Record a set of 5 reps.
• Check: Is the bar path vertical? Does the lower back round? Do the hips shoot up first?

{{doneWhenLabel}}: You have reviewed your footage and identified one technical cue to improve.

{{whyLabel}}: High-volume deadlifting (e.g., 3x12) often leads to fatigue-induced form breakdown.

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• Perform deadlifts once or twice a week.
• Focus on low reps (3-5) to prioritize technical perfection over metabolic stress.
• Rest at least 3-5 minutes between heavy sets to ensure full recovery.

{{doneWhenLabel}}: You have completed your first official training session with a set rep/set scheme.

{{whyLabel}}: Strength is built by gradual adaptation; adding too much weight too fast is the primary cause of injury.

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• Add exactly 2.5kg (5lbs) to the bar each week if all reps were performed with perfect form.
• If form breaks down, do not increase the weight; repeat the weight next session.
• Use 'Micro-plates' (0.5kg) if 2.5kg jumps become too difficult.

{{doneWhenLabel}}: You have successfully increased your lift weight over 4 consecutive weeks with stable form.

{{whyLabel}}: Tight hip flexors from sitting can pull the pelvis into an anterior tilt, causing lower back pain post-deadlift.

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• Place one knee on a wall or bench, other foot forward in a lunge.
• Squeeze your glute on the back leg to stretch the hip flexor.
• Hold for 2 minutes per side after every deadlift session.

{{doneWhenLabel}}: You have completed the stretch and feel reduced tension in the front of your hips.

{{whyLabel}}: This book provides the definitive biomechanical analysis of the deadlift to deepen your understanding.

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• Focus specifically on the 'Deadlift' chapter.
• Study the diagrams on moment arms and the 5-step setup process.
• Apply the 'Master Cue' (vertical bar path) to your next session.

{{doneWhenLabel}}: You have read the deadlift chapter and can explain the physics of the lift.