Baseline Functional Fitness

How to Deadlift - part 3: THE KETTLEBELL DEADLIFT

Step 1: Place a kettlebell on the ground and step forwards so that it is in between your feet.

Step 2: Hip Hinge and (keeping your back straight) hold on to the kettlebell. Your hamstrings should be 'loaded up' at this stage i.e. You should feel them stretching

Step 3: Hold on to the kettlebell - don't pick it up with your arms, let's your arms hang straight through the whole movement.

Step 4: Keeping your shoulders squeezed back to maintain spine position, drive your hips forwards until you reach the top position. Go all the way until your knees and hips are completely locked out.

Note: the weight should go up in a straight line from bottom to top. In the second video the weight is too far away from my feet, this will cause you to lift with your BACK not your LEGS. No good!

Note : knees are bent slightly but they don't come forward at all.

Step 5: Hinge back down and place the weight back on the ground in the same way as you picked it up.

Step 6: Once you get the hang of it, start to increase the weight.

Start with a weight that is light, somewhere between the 6-12kg mark and get confident with the movement, then bump up the weight as you go.

Do roughly 3 sets of 8 reps, increasing the weight if needed.

This is the final step before moving on to a proper barbell Deadlift so master this and you'll be well on your way to deadlifting likes boss!

How to Deadlift: THE HIP HINGE - part 2

First example = BAD

Second example = GOOD!

Once you have completed your wall touches (part 1 vid), move on to hip hinging off the wall.

1. Get a stick/dowel/broomstick etc. and line it up in the middle of your back with 3 points of contact:
- the back of your head
- in between your shoulder blades
- your tailbone

2. Hinge back (focus on pushing hips and bum back until you feel tension in your hamstrings), keeping ALL 3 points of contact with the stick.

3. Use the stick as feedback.
- If it comes off your head or tailbone then you are rounding your spine too much. Remember, we want a neutral spine, no rounding.
- If it comes away from in between the shoulder blades, you are bending your knees too much, and not pushing your hips back enough. - notice how in the first video my knees come forwards - THIS IS NO GOOD! - If you are hip hinging correctly your knees may bend a bit but they shouldn't come forward at all.

Do 3 sets of 10+ reps of this to really get yourself understanding the movement.

We're almost there for an all out deadlift. Mastering a hip hinge is KEY to mastering a deadlift so get good at this!

Once you have it down, remove the stick and replicate the movement with the same posture, see how you go!

How to Deadlift: THE HIP HINGE - part 1

The hip hinge is a fundamental movement and is the base movement of a deadlift. Mastering this movement is 🔑to mastering a deadlift.

1. Feet at shoulder width, standing with back facing the wall
2. Keeping your back straight (neutral) through the whole movement, push your hips back until your bottom touches the wall.
3. Drive back to standing position

Notes: Keep your legs as straight as possible as you hinge backwards - all movement should be coming from your hips.
If you are performing the movement correctly you will feel a slight tension in your hamstrings and your weight will go into your heels as you hinge backwards.

Do 3 sets of at least 10 hinges to get used to the movement. Not very physically taxing, but this movement is crucial moving forward.

What do you call a broken elevator???

A DEADLIFT...

Deadlifts are such a great functional exercise! They have so many benefits wherever you're at with your exercise!
These include:
- building leg strength and power
- bulletproofing your core!!
- improving hip power/ hip drive
- master the art of picking up things off the ground 👌🏼

Deadlifts aren't just for gym junkies, this is an exercise that everyone can and should do! It just takes a bit of work to build up to it.

More to come on how to build your way up to your first deadlift with great technique! 👌🏼👌🏼