More words of wisdom from Jim Wendler...
The Deadlift (Mon)
To figure out the best stance for your deadlift, pretend you’re about to perform a vertical jump. Get your feet and body into position. Now, look down and move your feet in slightly. This is your starting position. This varies from lifter to lifter, but I’ve found this to be an optimal starting point.
• Your toes should be pointed slightly outward.
• Don’t deadlift with your weight on the balls of your feet. This is an injury waiting to happen. Your weight should be on the middle of your foot or toward the rear.
• Start with the bar just in front of your shins, but not touching them. Once you reach down and grab the bar, your shins will meet it.
• Your upper back should be pulled together with your shoulders over the bar.
Your lower back should be arched or held static in whatever position you’re in. I don’t deadlift with a perfectly arched back, but it’s not rounded either, and it won’t round during the lift.
• Your hands should be placed just outside your feet – wide enough to allow you to get your hips through at the top of the lift. You’ll have to experiment with this.
• Most people deadlift with a mixed grip. One hand is supinated (like you’re doing curls), and the other is pronated (palm facing toward you). Using a double overhand grip (both hands pronated) is fine, but using straps is not. Choosing which hand to supinate is a matter of personal preference.
• Before lifting the bar, fill your diaphragm (not your chest) with air.
• Begin the ascent by easing pressure into the bar. Do not jerk the bar off the ground. This is how you tear a bicep or hurt your back. The best way to do this is to squeeze the bar hard with your hands and squeeze your butt.
I try to keep my eyes focused on a point on the ground about 15 feet in front of me.
• Before the bar is lifted, I always think, “Butt down, chest up.”
• The first movement of the deadlift should be initiated with the legs, not the back. This is why it’s imperative to have strong quads to deadlift.
• Once the bar begins moving up your shins, start pulling back and onto your heels. Don’t let the bar come out in front of you. Keep it close to your body at all times. It should touch your thighs on the way up.
• Once the bar passes your knees, push your hips through to complete the lift. At this point you should be standing erect (not back), and your knees should be locked.
There are two options for doing multiple reps with the deadlift. You can either touch-and-go the reps (slight bounce off the floor), or you can do dead stop deadlifts. For these, you’ll reset for each rep. I’ve done both, and both work. The downside to touch-and-go is that when you build up momentum, you can bounce too hard and lose your tightness. If you’re strong enough to hold your position and you have the control to do it, this option will work for you. The dead stop option is good for most people, but make sure you reset perfectly each time. The beginning portion of the lift is where most back injuries will occur. In this regard, the touch-and-go style is a little safer. I dislike touch & go. CMax
The Military Press (Tues)
Most lifters like taking a grip just outside the shoulders. I grip about an inch and a half outside the knurling of a power bar – which puts my grip about thumb’s length from the smooth part of the bar. This will ensure shoulder safety and stability.
• I always use a false grip where my thumbs aren’t wrapped around the bar. This is personal preference, but it seems like the bar path tracks better overhead when I do this. This grip can be dangerous, however, so use caution.
• I begin the press by lifting my chin up, and I try to just miss it when the bar goes up. I don’t want the bar bowing out any more than it has to.
As the bar is pressed overhead, bring your head and chest through. Don’t push the bar back.
• Bring the bar back down in the same motion.
• Each rep should start with the bar on your shoulders. Don’t perform half reps. Your body was designed to move through a full range of motion, so do it.
• Keep your lower back arched and your chest up throughout the entire lift.
• The positioning of your feet is determined by your comfort level. I take a narrow (less than shoulder width) stance, but this isn’t a requirement.
• You don’t use leg drive to push the bar overhead, but try to keep your legs strong and taut through the entire movement.
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