women's health - DEADLIFT

STRENGTHENS

NEARLY EVERY MUSCLE IN THE BODY. AND THAT’S WHY I LOVE IT.

STARTING POSITION

Begin standing with a shorter barbell in an overhand position in front of your thighs, with hands slightly wider than your shoulders. Keep your chest lifted and your shoulders pulled back and down (A). Turn your feet outward to 11:00 and 1:00 and keep your knees unlocked (see inset). Throughout the exercise, maintain an arch in your lower back and contract your abs.

MOVEMENT

Keep your chest lifted high and bend your knees, allowing your hips to reach back as if sitting into a chair. Keep your arms in a dead hang, and allow the bar to slide down your legs (B). EASY

Pause at the bottom with the weight plates hovering just above the ground, your hips reaching back and your chest lifted up high.

Keeping your chest lifted, push into your heels, maintain a dead hang with your arms, and push up to the starting position (A). HARD

Your feet should be shoulder-width apart and toes turned outward slightly.

Why It’s Perfect for You

The Deadlift is one of the most revered and important exercises of all. When done properly, it strengthens the entire body in a highly functional way. It is a form of a squat, but because the weight is in front of your body, it works better for women than other squats. In this case, your “pulling” muscles hold the bar, whereas in a traditional squat, your “pushing” muscles hold the weight. Women are built for pulling, not pushing.