The Five Phases of DEADLIFT Mastery

Develop strong legs

Sly Anderson demonstrates perfect start position for conventional deadlift. He will use leg power
to break the 766 pound bar from floor to his knees. Weak-legged lifters might assume this
position but at takeoff allow the tailbone to shoot upward to put weak legs in a more
advantageous push position. Problematic, the weak-legged lifter makes a devil's bargain and
takes the easy start in return for an excruciating, spine-killing finish. Great deadlifters embrace
the hard start in return for the easy finish. Note vertical shins that allow for straight up pull.
Key Technical Points
To build a superior deadlift build superior leg strength.
Deadlift technical flaws are related to weak legs in relation to back.
Weak legs send a signal to brain, "we need help!"
The brain responds: "allow the hips to rise."
High hips places legs in better push position.
High hips decrease the thigh push stroke.
This is "avoidance compensation."
The solution is to develop leg power.
 Weak legs place increased stress on the spinal column.
The lower back is used as the prime mover instead of the legs.
The perfect deadlift is a muscular relay race.
Legs start the pull, lower back takes over, upper back completes the
lift.
Good deadlifters trade the hard start for the easy finish.
Bad deadlifters take the easy start in return for the excruciating finish.
Good deadlifter contort body to accommodate straight line upward
pull.
Bad deadlifters make barbell conform to their out-of-position body.
When completing the perfect deadlift, everything "arrives at once."
Imperfect deadlifts lock out legs first.
Spine then derricks out-of-position payload poundage into place.
The kettlebell Sumo deadlift
Key Technical Points
Think of the kettlebell and barbell Sumo deadlift as a "reverse squat."
Assume your squat stance with a kettlebell placed between feet.
Squat down - don't bend over - arms hang straight down.
Grasp kettlebell with both hands.
Inhale on descent, exhale on ascent.
Come erect with limp arms, upright torso.
Lockout completely.
Descend with ever-increasing muscle tension.
Touch the floor lightly with bell bottom - do not loose muscle tension.
The instant bell touches floor, reverse direction.
Come erect and lockout fully.
No bouncing the bell off the floor at the turnaround.
Observe all squat rules: erect torso, knees over ankles, knees forced
 out
The Sumo deadlift

Ed "King" Coan: the greatest powerlifter of all time. Ed pulls straight up to break the bar from
floor. Coan deadlifted 901 weighing 219; pound-for-pound the greatest powerlift of all time. I
was his competition coach for a decade.
Key Technical Points
Place barbell loaded to 135 pounds at your feet, vertical shins touch
bar.
Squat down - don't bend over; grip barbell between thighs; narrow
grip.
Do NOT set hips high - this causes "spinal derricking."
Knees over ankles; shoulders over bar - not in front.
Tense entire body - break bar from floor using leg power alone.
Do not let the tailbone shoot up at takeoff.
Bar is pulled upward in a straight line; everything "arrives at once."
Inhale while descending.
 Weight plates lightly touch floor; when plates touch begin upward pull
on next rep.
The conventional deadlift

Gene "The Machine" Bell has embraced the difficult start and is now in perfect position to reap
the reward of an easy finish. Bell, world champion and world record holder, has pulled the 800 +
bar from floor to knees using leg power. He now simply drives his hips forward to finish the lift.
In a perfect deadlift, sumo or conventional, shoulders never get in front of the bar: the ‘over-
under' hand grip improves grip strength by 30%. Bell, as does every great deadlifter, pulls the bar
upward in a straight line and contorts his body to accommodate the straight-line pull. Bad
deadlifters make the bar contort to their out-of-position body.
Key Technical Points:
Place barbell loaded to 135 (or more) at your feet.
Stance width is 8-12 inches between heels, no more.
Squat down with vertical shins.
Grasp barbell with hands slightly outside legs using over/under grip.
Shins and torso are as vertical as possible.
Optimally, the torso and shins maintain position; only the femurs
move.
Pull barbell upward in a straight line.
Everything locks out simultaneously.
Improper deadlift locks legs out first, then the torso is derricked erect.
Inhale on the descent: load more tension as bar approaches floor.
Olympic plates touch lightly and evenly on floor.
Begin the upward pull the instant the plates touch.
Squat down; don't bend over on subsequent repetitions.