How To Do Dead Lifts With Free Weights Video

Dead lifts target hamstrings up to lower back. Learn how to work out your lower body in this exercise video from a professional fitness trainer.

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Practice movement before doing with weights
Square feet with hips
Keep slight bend in knees
Don't go lower than knees with dumbbells

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Carol Childers has been a physical fitness trainer for twenty three years. She is experienced in yoga, pilates, sports conditioning, core strength training and nutrition. She currently works with clients all over the country.

Deadlifts target the hamstrings, which insert into the low back, not an exercise for everybody. In fact, make sure you get form down before you add any resistance into the movement. We're going to square our feet right with the hips. Some people need a wider stance, some people like a closer stance. But as long as those joints line up, then the muscle is going to be able to fire towards the belly, which is the goal. It's to light up that hamstring as much as possible when we hit peak contraction. Bend in the knees just like you ergonomically would at work or children, anything you're going to pick up, push back your weight in the heels and bring your weight so you can get into starting position. I'm going to have a slight bend in my knee joint on the way down and on the way up, pushing the hips back, inhale, leaving a nice, cervical posture. We don't want the weights to go any lower. They may be just below the knee. There's no sense in coming down here. You can see then I start ruining my posture. I lose neutral posture. One of the biggest mistakes with deadlifts is losing neutral posture. That's why it's not an exercise for everybody. So if you can't maintain neutral posture, then the exercise is not for you especially with weight. There's a lot going on there. Inhale and exhale up. We feel a squeeze right here where the hamstring and the glute meet, 10 to 15 reps, three sets.

How to Do Dead Lifts With Free Weights Video

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