[dropcap]D[/dropcap]eadlifts are a great way of gaining muscle, but just as important is the proper deadlift technique. If you don’t understand the correct way to deadlift – or if you think you’re too fucking hard to abide by it – you’re gonna be heading to Hell, bud. The truth is that deadlift mistakes are not annoying – they’re stupid. If you keep on making them even after 5 years of deadlifting, you’re an idiot.
Naturally, if you’re a beginner, we’re willing to forgive you. As long as you’re prepared to change your technique, that is. You know, if you’re sick of gaining injuries and you’re really not sure that that “experienced” deadlifter you work out alongside is giving you correct advice, we’re on your side.
But if you’re one of those who has never abided by the proper deadlift techniques and instead keeps on trucking away, trapped in your own ignorance causing yourself injury after injury, we’ve got no sympathy for you.
Doing Deadlifts Top-Down
If you do each and every rep top-down like you would a bench press or squat, you’re doing it all wrong. This is a deadlift, man, and the clue is in the name: DEAD. You start from the floor, not from the top.
Wearing Gloves
One of the reasons we deadlift is to improve our grip. How are you supposed to improve grip if you’re wearing gloves? It devalues the whole idea, and your gloves just add inches to the bar. If you think wearing gloves will prevent callus formation, you’ve got it wrong. To ward off callus formation, you should first of all grip the bar correctly by gripping it close to your fingers.
Rolling Your Shoulders
Jesus, dude, are you trying to annihilate your own shoulders here? If you roll your shoulders at the top of your deadlifts, you’re on a highway to hell.
Standing Way Too Wide
When we squat, we stand wide.
BUT THIS IS NOT SQUATS.
Far too many deadlifters stand with their legs wide apart, which is completely incorrect. A wide stance just means your legs will be in the way every time you rep. A narrow stance is where it’s at.
Hitting Your Knees
If you see an experienced deadlifter hit his knees on the way down, he might tell you that it’s all part of the process. Pain for pleasure and all that bullshit.
Hitting your knees is wrong (and yes, it fucking hurts). Guys hit their knees because they break their knees too early on the way down. To avoid this nasty occurrence, you should hold of bending your legs until your bar is level with your knees.
