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Ok, before I get into deadlifts, in last Wednesday’s Hump Day Pump Day I mentioned wall-sits and planks as an option for an easy at-home “Suffer Session”.

I took the time to shoot this quick breakdown so go check out this video of the wall-sit/plank workout! I promise you’ll learn something and get much more out of each exercise. Plus, my beautiful 1 year old daughter just may make her YouTube debut— only one way to find out:

Ok, now, back to the topic at hand.

Deadlifts. Deadlifts. Deadlifts.

In case you didn’t know, deadlifts often get a bad rap and just may be one of the most polarizing lifts in the fitness industry.

Personally, I love them. BUT, you have to approach them correctly and of course, do them correctly. Allow me to explain:

1. ) Deadlifts ARE NOT a back exercise so please stop doing them on ‘‘back day’’.

   They’re a full body movement with the primary targeted muscle group being your legs.

2. ) Deadlifts can be— in my humble, professional opinion— one of, if not the, best exercises you can do to measure true, full body strength.

   If, and only if, you follow my directions below.

3. ) Stop using the traditional bar, Hex bar deadlifts are where it’s at.

   So much safer this way and easier to activate the proper muscle groups.

4. ) There are also so many other variations:

   • 🇷🇴Romanian deadlifts.

   • 🤼‍♂️Sumo deadlifts.

   • 💼Suitcase deadlifts.

   • 💣Kettlebell deadlifts.

   • 📝The list goes on and on.

The trick, to do any variation of the deadlift correctly, along with ensuring you’re actually engaging the targeted muscles is to approach each lift like this:

• Tell yourself, “I’m not pulling, I’m pushing”. Instead of pulling the weight up, think about pushing the earth away. Almost as if you’re doing an inverted ‘‘leg press’’, pushing the floor away (through your heels) from you as you stand with the weight.

• Do not jerk the weight off the floor. Right before you lift, lean back on your heels while also simultaneously keeping your chest up and out, and maintaining a flat back, slowly fully extend your arms until there’s tension in your arms. Then complete the lift, again, driving through your heels.

• As you rep it out, maintain proper form (listed above)— weight on your heels, chest up and out, flat back, abs drawn in— and do not lean forward. No matter the type of deadlift you’re doing, do not lean forward, your hips should always shift back and stay back during the movement (except at the top).

• Lastly, while keeping proper form and banging out more reps, keep the tension. Meaning, as you lower the weight to the floor, just tap the floor so you keep the tension in your arms and body. Believe it or not, setting the weight back down to ‘rest’ makes it harder to lift again.

Follow these simple steps and you’ll get the most out of your deadlifts, building a much stronger YOU. Now, with all of that said, if you have some serious injuries and have been instructed not to deadlift, then you probably shouldn’t, especially if you don’t have a fitness professional there with you to help ensure you maintain correct form.

So, are they worth the risk? I would say that’s a different answer for everybody based on injuries, range of motion, and ability! Seek a fitness professional’s advice!

This was one of the many times I won Best Personal Trainer, but only the second photo shoot, they also did a cool interview, click the link to check it out, and don’t you dare hesitate if you need help in the gym!

And please never forget:

Deadlifts are NOT a back exercise. Do them on leg day or full body day😎💪🏽

Much love mi gente,

- Mike O’Hara

PS

Let me know if you want to see an instructional video on deadlifts next week by replying directly to this email!

Have feedback? Have any questions? Don’t be shy!

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