Dead lifts!

wellbert

You can stand on a box to do the pull ups/chin ups and help yourself with your legs. That's a great way to get started.

Some machines also assist.

I do both. I weigh way too much and my arms are far too long to do unassisted chin ups.

kassiebby1124

I'm another fan of dead lifts! Great exercise.

Before I did them, I practiced my form at home in front of a mirror and I used a broom! I also watched videos on the correct form and concentrated on how my body felt during the movement.

I have a broom!

SteAnnMui

I'm another fan of dead lifts! Great exercise.

Before I did them, I practiced my form at home in front of a mirror and I used a broom! I also watched videos on the correct form and concentrated on how my body felt during the movement.

I have a broom!

I just realized, I recognize you from 3FC! The weight lifting forum over there is dead though. That's why I'm checking out the MFP forums.

Woolooloo

My best advice is, for the love of God, keep you chest up and back flat/slightly arched. I'm a deadlifting machine these days, but back when I was starting out I didn't realize that I was rounding my back a little and I ended up herniating a disc. I'm very lucky that it healed itself after several months of diligent (self-enforced and self-prescribed) physical therapy. Don't do that to yourself! DON'T ROUND YOUR BACK!

Now that I've scared you, I will say that deadlifts are the best exercise I do, and I love them (almost as much as I love squatting ... but I don't think a love of squats is all that common). Go be a beast! Start light and get the form right, and then keep adding the weight on.

As someone currently recovering from a herniated disc due to deadlifts, this is good advice. My primary problem is I have overall lack of flexibility that prevents me from getting my deadlifts (and squats) all the way down. I am physically unable to get them down all the way without rounding my back. I'm personally staying away from deadlifts until I can increase my flexibility enough to use proper form. If you aren't sure if you are using proper form, please make sure you get someone to assist you because you really can hurt yourself. If you want a quick gauge of your flexibility, check your squat. If you can't get a good low bottom position (like me), you might not be flexible enough to do deadlifts either.

HeidiMightyRawr

Start off light and really focus on form. Once you have that sorted, then you can focus on upping the weight.

Keep your back straight, or slightly arched, not rounded. Keep the bar close to your shins, it makes it a lot easier to keep your back straight. Push through your heels.

Determinednoob

I have a question. If I start deadlifting, does it cancel out the need to do other muscle toning techniques or should I still do those, too?

You should do, at a minimum:
Deadlift
Full barbell squats
Overhead Press
Bench Press
Pull Ups/Chin ups

I agree minus the pull ups chin ups
you might not be able to do them yet.
those 4 will cover the basics

I disagree. You should be working on pull ups even if, (or especially!) you cannot do them. How will you get there? There are techniques, (pull up bands, negatives) that help with pull ups if you cannot yet do one.

I disagree as well and really think you should also do some bent over barbell rows. Then you have

Quad dominant leg - Squat
Ham\glute dominant leg - Deadlift
veritical push - Overhead press
horizontal push - Bench press
vertical pull - chinup\pullup
horizontal pull - rows

which is the basis of a full body routine

McBully4

Deadlift
Full barbell squats
Overhead Press
Bench Press

My wife and I both do a routine based off these four exercises

DixiedoesMFP

Wear pants! The bar should be brushing your shins and you hopefully won't scrape off skin this way!
I don't wear gloves. My grip was worse with them.

yoovie

♣ definitely keep the plates on other plates or a step or something until you move up to plates big enough to rest right on the floor.
♣ pick a spot on the ground to focus on so you can make sure not to keep lifting your chin and stuff.
♣ get weight lifting gloves if you're lifting really heavy (at least for me) because having that bar slipping out of your grip doesnt mean you cant lift the weight, it means your fingers are too sweaty to hold it there, this will make that fear go away.
♣ Try using an under over grip, my right palm faces me and my left palm faces out, i think this balances the bar from going wonky and it just feels more solid to me.
♣ when you look down, the bar should be the halfway point across the top of your feet
♣ Choose a weight that you can only pick up like 3 times to use as your max - then go to the 5-3-1 strength site http://strstd.com and put in your numbers two weeks in a row- after that it knows what you lifted and how much you will actually physically be able to lift next week
♣ Where shoes with minimal sole - even Converse chucks - and when you lift- press your heels into the floor to keep from rocking forward.
♣puff our your chest before you go upright again if you feel like your back is arching
♣ youre gonna smack your shins, and your knees. you'll LOVE the bruises.
♣ Snap your pelvis. Yup. Your pelvis, snap it forward to finish going upright.
♣ Revel in feeling your body work all of its parts together like one helluva sexy machine
♣ If you havent gotten NROLFW yet - get it

- im gonna stop or im going to make all of this sound like too much

♥ Just have fun

*all of the above is just my personal inner monologue

kassiebby1124

I disagree as well and really think you should also do some bent over barbell rows. Then you have

Quad dominant leg - Squat
Ham\glute dominant leg - Deadlift
veritical push - Overhead press
horizontal push - Bench press
vertical pull - chinup\pullup
horizontal pull - rows

which is the basis of a full body routine

For the barbell row, can I use free weights instead?

yoovie

Also take a before picture.

no seriously or you will kick yourself a million times!!!

and pic a picture of MFP too - its easier to keep in touch with lifters and watching each other get better if we can recognize you in this sea of millions as more than a blank username?

mamasmaltz3

Bump

Determinednoob

I disagree as well and really think you should also do some bent over barbell rows. Then you have

Quad dominant leg - Squat
Ham\glute dominant leg - Deadlift
veritical push - Overhead press
horizontal push - Bench press
vertical pull - chinup\pullup
horizontal pull - rows

which is the basis of a full body routine

For the barbell row, can I use free weights instead?

barbells are free weights. do you mean dumbbells? if so then yes, you could do db rows although i prefer barbells. i am not actually doing rows at this time and am instead doing power cleans.

kassiebby1124

I disagree as well and really think you should also do some bent over barbell rows. Then you have

Quad dominant leg - Squat
Ham\glute dominant leg - Deadlift
veritical push - Overhead press
horizontal push - Bench press
vertical pull - chinup\pullup
horizontal pull - rows

which is the basis of a full body routine

For the barbell row, can I use free weights instead?

barbells are free weights. do you mean dumbbells? if so then yes, you could do db rows although i prefer barbells. i am not actually doing rows at this time and am instead doing power cleans.

Oh, yeah I meant dumbbells (:

charliebrooke08

http://www.thestrengthguys.com/2012/08/12/pulling-the-slack-the-key-to-a-bigger-deadlift/

Deadlifts is one of the hardest forms to properly master and the easiest lifts to build a BAD form habit. Don't worry about weight at first. Take your time getting your form right. To prevent injury it's very important that you do not form a rounded back when pulling (cat back). Keep your back flat, push through your heels, and finish the lift by driving your hips forward. The site I linked is a little technical but watch the video at least.

yoovie

i JUST said that.

Plates559

Buy lifting gloves, the bar blisters my hands when I forget to wear them!

If you are getting blisters you are holding the bar wrong.

JNick77

http://www.thestrengthguys.com/2012/08/12/pulling-the-slack-the-key-to-a-bigger-deadlift/

Deadlifts is one of the hardest forms to properly master and the easiest lifts to build a BAD form habit. Don't worry about weight at first. Take your time getting your form right. To prevent injury it's very important that you do not form a rounded back when pulling (cat back). Keep your back flat, push through your heels, and finish the lift by driving your hips forward. The site I linked is a little technical but watch the video at least.

I'm usually suspect of those links so I read it and was pleasantly surprised by the info in there. I've only heard the "pull the slack out of your arms" from a couple strength coaches and it's very good advice.

The one thing that is missing is supporting exercises to help strengthen the muscles in the DL and help reduce injury risk. You really need to do exercises that focus on the hamstring (not leg curls) and lower back. Good Mornings or Romanian Deadlifts, Back Hyperextensions, Reverse Hyperextensions, Pull-Throughs, Glute Ham Raises are all very good and will also help support you in the Squat.

Snap your pelvis. Yup. Your pelvis, snap it forward to finish going upright.

This bare's further explanation I think. Don't over-extend your back, you should finish straight-up and down not leaned backwards placing extra torque on your back. I'm not saying the OP of that quote meant you should but I see how it might be misread by some as implying an over-extension; it's very bad on your back.

SoDamnHungry

Great advice, guys! Thanks a ton! I'll reread these and watch a few more videos before I start lifting. No need to rush and break anything...

yoovie

http://www.thestrengthguys.com/2012/08/12/pulling-the-slack-the-key-to-a-bigger-deadlift/

Deadlifts is one of the hardest forms to properly master and the easiest lifts to build a BAD form habit. Don't worry about weight at first. Take your time getting your form right. To prevent injury it's very important that you do not form a rounded back when pulling (cat back). Keep your back flat, push through your heels, and finish the lift by driving your hips forward. The site I linked is a little technical but watch the video at least.

I'm usually suspect of those links so I read it and was pleasantly surprised by the info in there. I've only heard the "pull the slack out of your arms" from a couple strength coaches and it's very good advice.

The one thing that is missing is supporting exercises to help strengthen the muscles in the DL and help reduce injury risk. You really need to do exercises that focus on the hamstring (not leg curls) and lower back. Good Mornings or Romanian Deadlifts, Back Hyperextensions, Reverse Hyperextensions, Pull-Throughs, Glute Ham Raises are all very good and will also help support you in the Squat.

Snap your pelvis. Yup. Your pelvis, snap it forward to finish going upright.

This bare's further explanation I think. Don't over-extend your back, you should finish straight-up and down not leaned backwards placing extra torque on your back. I'm not saying the OP of that quote meant you should but I see how it might be misread by some as implying an over-extension; it's very bad on your back.

I log into MFP every day with the hopes that my words will be filtered through a "for dummies" book just so people dont think I mean something I didnt say.

It just warms my heart to be told daily how sht my communication skills are.