Deadlifts and the glutes

[Baldr]

Coach,

I just re-read the deadlift section in SS:BBT and I'm not sure on one thing; at the top, right when the bar passes the knees, should you squeeze your asscheeks, as if you were pinching a coin between them, to finish the movement to lockout?

Thanks.

[Mark Rippetoe]

No, we never consciously squeeze our asscheeks in the weight room. It's not a valuable biomechanical cue, and it might get misinterpreted by the guys on the next platform.

[Baldr]

Thanks for clearing that up.

I remember doing research and the reading deadlifting articles that stressed actively squeezing the glutes, such as this one:

As you reach lockout, imagine pinching something between your buttcheeks at the top to lock the weight out. This glute activation helps to prevent you from leaning back to finish the movement (lumbar hyperextension) and stopping short (can lead to hamstring dominance and a host of problems). At lockout, your scapulae are back and down (not shrugged up) and you're standing tall.

http://www.t-nation.com/readArticle.do?id=1588392

It feels much more natural for me to not do any sort of squeezing for any exercise. Squeezing leads to losing back extension, which I don't like.

[Mark Rippetoe]

That cue wouldn't work for me either.