New lifters often lower the bar very slowly when deadlifting. Avoid the common mistake of lowering the bar too slowly or letting go of it. Instead, lower it quickly but under control: bend at the hips, then the knees, and keep the bar close to your body. This method will make your deadlift more efficient and effective.
Starting Strength Coach and owner of Hygieia Strength and Conditioning Shaun Pang gives detailed tips on setting up an optimal pulling position on every deadlift rep.
Letting go of the bar from the lockout position during a deadlift doesn't complete the rep. To properly finish the rep, you must bring the bar down to the floor in a controlled manner. Zohar Yermiyahu, SSC, shows the correct method for returning the bar to the ground after the final deadlift rep.
Our instructional 5-step setup for the deadlift is well known because it works every time. Starting Strength Coach Steve Ross goes into greater detail here, covering the hows and whys of each step to help you get it right.
Starting Strength Coach John Dowdy shows you how to sumo deadlift the Starting Strength way.
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