How to start with deadlifts?

imchardo RemoveThis @live.com writes:

> Ok, so I hear you guys....deadlifts and squats are tremendously
> beneficial exercises and, to prevent injury, proper technique is
> critical. That right?

Proper form is critical, but it is not that difficult to learn.

> Well, I'm game. I'm interested in getting stronger and feeling
> healthier. So how do I get started with those lifts? Must I. find a
> trainer to show me the right way, or can I research it and do it
> carefully on my own?

You can absolutely learn to deadlift and squat on your own. In fact,
it's not even that difficult. You can learn most of what you need to
know watching Dan John prepare people for the Olympic lifts.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6529481301858251744

He starts by teaching how to do deep goblet squats, which is a great
exercise in itself, and is an excellent training lift for any of the
squat movements.

Check out danjohn.org for more free information.

For deadlifting the best explanation of what you need to do that I have
read is in Pavel Tsatsouline's Power To The People. It's almost more of
a pamphlet than a book, but it is a pretty good read if you want to
deadlift.

On the bright side deadlifting is not really very difficult. It's quite
a bit more straightforward than squatting. Most of the stuff that Dan
John covers in his Olympic lift training applies perfectly. You want to
keep your weight on your heels, you need to keep your chest out and your
elbows locked. You need to pretend like you are pushing your feet
through the floor. At the top squeeze your glutes hard to finish. To
lower the weight concentrate on pushing your butt back instead of
bending over.

Start light and take some video of your form. If your lower back is
rounding or your shoulders aren't back, then you need to fix it.

> Everyone's gonna say get a trainer, huh? But how did you guys do it?
> How did you get started?

I would be surprised if any of the regulars here learned to squat or
deadlift from a trainer.

Jason
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Hobbes writes:

> In article
> ,
> imchardo.RemoveThis@live.com wrote:
>
>> Ok, so I hear you guys....deadlifts and squats are tremendously
>> beneficial exercises and, to prevent injury, proper technique is
>> critical. That right?
>>
>> Well, I'm game. I'm interested in getting stronger and feeling
>> healthier. So how do I get started with those lifts? Must I find a
>> trainer to show me the right way, or can I research it and do it
>> carefully on my own?
>>
>> Everyone's gonna say get a trainer, huh? But how did you guys do it?
>> How did you get started?
>
> Your chances of getting a trainer that actually knows the nuances of
> the deadlift are slim to none.
>
> Start deadlifting. Build basic strength and then worry about the
> nuances of tecnhique. During the base phase you worry about a few
> things:
>
> 1. Keep your back flat
>
> 2. Keep the bar tight to your base of support
>
> 3. Keep the resistance used moderate - heavy enough that you can't
> cheat one and two, but light enough that you can focus on learning.
>
> For assistance I suggest doing front squat using a classic clean grip.
> If your back rounds you'll get instant feedback. Add in a press
> movement and possibly a row or pull and you've got the basics of a
> great routine.

I'd recommend that you listen to Hobbes. This advice is golden.

Jason
 >> Stay informed about: How to start with deadlifts? 

Thanks Keith and Jason! That was really helpful and encouraging too -
far better news than I expected....

I'll start slowly and give it a try.

Rich
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On May 16, 2:27 pm, "Steve Freides" wrote:
>
> I learned from the book Jason mentions - great stuff. The book includes
> a press, the barbell side press, but the book rightly says that the
> deadlift is by far the most important part of the program.
>
> -S-http://www.kbnj.com

Yep, I've seen a bunch about it in the archive, mostly from you .
I'll grab a copy next time I'm ordering something from Amazon. Thank
you for the advice.

Dude, on a side note, you've got to be one of the most prolific
posters on Usenet. Seems like I can barely even poke my head into a
group without seeing a post from Steve Freides.....
 >> Stay informed about: How to start with deadlifts? 

Dnia 2008-05-16 imchardo.TakeThisOut@live.com napisa³(a):
> Ok, so I hear you guys....deadlifts and squats are tremendously
> beneficial exercises and, to prevent injury, proper technique is
> critical. That right?
>
> Well, I'm game. I'm interested in getting stronger and feeling
> healthier. So how do I get started with those lifts? Must I find a
> trainer to show me the right way, or can I research it and do it
> carefully on my own?
>
> Everyone's gonna say get a trainer, huh? But how did you guys do it?
> How did you get started?

I read some descriptions in MFW archive, loaded the bar some (not much)
and simply started. Deadlift is one of the easier lifts to learn.

--
Andrzej Rosa 1127R
 >> Stay informed about: How to start with deadlifts? 

Andrzej Rosa wrote

>> How did you get started?

> I read some descriptions in MFW archive, loaded the bar some (not
> much)
> and simply started. Deadlift is one of the easier lifts to learn.

.... which is why it's a better choice than the squat for someone who
hasn't done either, IMHO.

I learned from the book Jason mentions - great stuff. The book includes
a press, the barbell side press, but the book rightly says that the
deadlift is by far the most important part of the program.

-S-
http://www.kbnj.com
 >> Stay informed about: How to start with deadlifts? 

Dnia 2008-05-16 Hobbes napisa³(a):
[...]
> For assistance I suggest doing front squat using a classic clean grip.
> If your back rounds you'll get instant feedback. Add in a press movement
> and possibly a row or pull and you've got the basics of a great routine.

I doubt that the OP has the needed range of motion for clean grip front
squat. Most people do not have it.

--
Andrzej Rosa 1127R
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In article ,
Andrzej Rosa wrote:

> Dnia 2008-05-16 Hobbes napisa³(a):
> [...]
> > For assistance I suggest doing front squat using a classic clean grip.
> > If your back rounds you'll get instant feedback. Add in a press movement
> > and possibly a row or pull and you've got the basics of a great routine.
>
> I doubt that the OP has the needed range of motion for clean grip front
> squat. Most people do not have it.

Yeah, that is true. But if they start using it and simply go as low as
they can before the bar starts to slide off their shoulders it is a
great way to develop good form.

--
Keith
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wrote in message

> On May 16, 2:27 pm, "Steve Freides" wrote:
>>
>> I learned from the book Jason mentions - great stuff. The book
>> includes
>> a press, the barbell side press, but the book rightly says that the
>> deadlift is by far the most important part of the program.
>>
>> -S-http://www.kbnj.com
>
> Yep, I've seen a bunch about it in the archive, mostly from you .
> I'll grab a copy next time I'm ordering something from Amazon. Thank
> you for the advice.
>
> Dude, on a side note, you've got to be one of the most prolific
> posters on Usenet. Seems like I can barely even poke my head into a
> group without seeing a post from Steve Freides.....

I have never been person with only one interest or even one career
focus, and I enjoy Usenet, e.g., the classical guitar newsgroup is a
"wild and wooly" place much like mfw. I make my living partly from work
with computers, partly from teaching music, partly from playing music,
and now partly from personal training individual and small groups and
also leading kettlebell and similar workshops. That's a lot of things
to keep up with - not to mention I've a volunteer swimming teacher at my
local YMCA for 10+ years, was a very active member of our local bike
club for a long time - and the list goes on. My regular usenet group
includes this one, the classical guitar group, the electric bass group,
the swimming group, and once in a while rec.bicycles.racing. I also
occasionally visit the upright bass forums on talkbass.com, and I also
regularly participate in Bryce Lane message board and the DragonDoor
forum.

Dare I ask where else you might have found me?

-S-
http://www.kbnj.com
 >> Stay informed about: How to start with deadlifts? 

On May 19, 7:52 am, "Steve Freides" wrote:
>
> And people wonder why they get killfilled ...
>

(Sigh)...Just pullin' your leg, Steve. I saw you on
alt.guitar.beginner and I think also on rec.sport.swimming.

There's a distinctly unpleasant bully on alt.guitar.beginner that you
dismantled very effectively. It was a lot of fun to read

Didn't mean to get off on the wrong foot with you and the rest of the
group. My sense of humor is sometimes inappropriate....
 >> Stay informed about: How to start with deadlifts? 

wrote in message

.....> Didn't mean to get off on the wrong foot with you and the rest of the
> group. My sense of humor is sometimes inappropriate....

Actually it's pretty tame for this group
 >> Stay informed about: How to start with deadlifts? 

On May 19, 8:55 am, "Steve Freides" wrote:
>
> This email you're using isn't the same as the one to which I responded a
> few minutes ago - that one was gmail -but it is the same email you
> originally posted with - doesn't give me a warm, fuzzy feeling ...
>

Steve, I would be concerned if I DID give you a warm, fuzzy feeling.
I'm not trolling, but if you're more comfortable with me in your
killfile, that's cool....
 >> Stay informed about: How to start with deadlifts? 

On May 19, 8:59 am, "Zen Cohen" wrote:
> wrote in message
>
> ....> Didn't mean to get off on the wrong foot with you and the rest of the
>
> > group. My sense of humor is sometimes inappropriate....
>
> Actually it's pretty tame for this group

That's kinda what I thought....
 >> Stay informed about: How to start with deadlifts?