One of the most important exercises to master, especially as a woman!
By Cheryl Coppa
As with any exercise movement, it is only as good as your form and breathing. So if you are putting in the time, let’s make sure you get it right so you can reap all the benefits!
It’s an exercise that does take practice to master, and it’s an exercise that you will find in just about every fitness training across the world. It’s also a motion that you use in everyday life! So let’s master this skill so you can transfer it to your daily movements to live strong and injury-free.
“As you master the form and use heavier weights, this exercise is amazing for building strong muscles, bones, and posture, and great for fat burn, strength, and hormone balance!”
The Deadlift!
There’s something primal about this exercise. In a world full of machines and gadgets, the Deadlift reminds us of the simple power of human strength. It’s you against the weight, of raw strength against gravity.
This exercise works the entire back side of your body. Living in a modern-day push world or slouching world, it’s very important to work the back side of your body.
As you master the form and use heavier weights, this exercise is amazing for building strong muscles, bones, and posture, and great for fat burn, strength, and hormone balance!
This is also one of the most practical exercises! A movement that will serve you in real life. Things include loading the dishwasher, oven, and dryer, and even moving/lifting something heavy.
An exercise that also addresses all your postural muscles, so this is going to keep you tall and strong! You will even notice better posture overall.
The benefits only come with proper form so let’s go over them so you can put them into practice.
The form cues I’m going to go over are for The Romanian Deadlift (RDL), this is the most common Deadlift we do in our training at Ola Ka Ola.
The biggest learning curve is getting that hinge motion down and keeping a flat back through the entirety of the exercise. Getting this down will save your lower back, core, spine, and pelvic floor In so many different everyday movements. Move better, feel better, and live better!
Take a look at this video to practice getting your body into the right position and there is even a drill in here to help you master that hinge motion.
Your Set Up and Movement
Start even with no weights in your hands, make a fist, and have imaginary weights.
Set up
Feet, hip distance apart, maybe even slightly wider.
Shoulders back, and keep them back.
Knees soft (slightly bent).
Knuckles connected to your legs the whole time.
Keep your spine in line with your neck the whole time (so don’t look forward/up, kinking your neck up) - a good drill is in the video to know and feel what this means.
Now hinge. Think of being karate-chopped at the hip. Or even envision you are closing a door with your booty.
When you come back to the starting position keep your stance neutral - don’t push your hips too far forward. Start and stop in the same position.
Now add your breathing to the movement. Inhale on the way down and exhale on the way up. A good rule of thumb with any exercise is always exhaling when working against gravity.
On another note, it’s not about how low to the ground you get your weights. It’s not a stretching exercise, it is a strength exercise.
If you keep proper form through the entirety of the exercise (shoulders back and knees soft ), you should not be able to go lower than mid-shin.
If you have a hard time hinging, this means you have tight muscles and tension in your pelvis. There are some stretches in the video to address that. Better yet, we have a program you can layer in with your regular training to keep your core and pelvic floor functioning at its best.
In fitness, it always comes back to the core unit (the core and pelvic floor) crucial for strength and injury prevention.
See you in class!
About Cheryl Coppa