How to deadlift and squat with good form

Teach: How to deadlift and squat with good form

What to say

Good deadlift and squat form comes down to two things you can learn with light weight: a braced, neutral back and a steady push through the whole foot. For a deadlift, hinge at the hips with the bar over your midfoot and push the floor away. For a squat, sit down between your heels with knees tracking over your toes. Start light, film yourself, and ask a qualified coach how to progress.

What to show, in order

1. Warm up with five minutes of easy movement and a few bodyweight squats.
2. Learn each pattern with light weight: a kettlebell or dumbbell held at the chest for squats, and a light kettlebell for deadlifts.
3. Before each rep, take a breath into your belly and brace your midsection as if about to be poked.
4. Deadlift: feet hip-width, bar over the middle of your feet, hinge back at the hips, grip just outside your legs, chest up, then push the floor away until you stand tall.
5. Lower a deadlift by pushing your hips back first and keeping the weight close to your legs.
6. Squat: feet about shoulder-width, sit down and slightly back, knees following your toes, to a depth you can hold with a flat back.
7. Film a set from the side and check your back stays neutral, not rounded.
8. Stay light until every rep of every set looks the same, and ask a qualified coach before going heavier.

When to stop and call a professional

• Sharp pain, pain that shoots down a leg, or numbness: stop and see a doctor or physical therapist.
• You have had a back injury, surgery, or a heart condition: get clearance and ideally a coach before lifting heavy.
• You want to lift heavy: book a few sessions with a qualified coach to check your form.

The check question

Ask: Where should the bar sit at the start of a deadlift? Answer: Over the middle of your feet

From EveryManKnows. General information, not professional advice.