Deadlifting requires some technical precision. This applies not only to the lift itself, but also to returning the barbell. Many tend to bend their knees too quickly when lowering.
VERTICAL LINE
The negative phase of the deadlift, where you move the bar back to the floor, is more or less the mirror image of the positive phase, the lift. As with lifting, when lowering, the bar should move in a vertical line, as close to your body as possible, just in front of your legs. Vertical is the shortest way down and the safest for your lower back. You should then land the barbell over your midfoot again, the starting position for your next rep. Your shoulder blade is then directly above the bar and your shoulders slightly in front of it.
COMMON MISTAKE
From the knees up, the deadlift is a pure hip exercise. This means that when lifting, you should focus on bringing your hips forward, rather than just pulling the bar up. The negative phase is more or less opposite to the positive, which means that when lowering you have to move your hips backwards. And that’s where things often go wrong. Instead of a ‘hip hinge’ movement, one immediately drops to the knees (as if it were a squat), which can then look like this:
Note that the bar cannot go down completely vertically, otherwise it will bump into the knees. As a result, it gets removed from the body, resulting in unnecessary (and potentially dangerous) strain on the lower back. In addition, this comes at the expense of tension on the glutes and hamstrings, two of the target muscles of the deadlift. In short: don’t do it.
HOW TO DO IT
- The negative phase of the deadlift begins with unlocking your knees and hips. After all, in the lock-out they have to be stretched (without leaning back, your lower back arching excessively, or whatever);
- Lower the bar by moving your hips back. So don’t drop to your knees right away! Try to imagine someone standing behind you with a rope around your waist and pulling it back as you lower the weight;
- Do not bend your knees until the bar is just past it;
- Hold the bar close to your body and lower it to the starting position, over the middle of your feet.
ADDITIONAL POINTS OF ATTENTION
- Lower the barbell in a controlled manner, but not overly slowly. The deadlift is not an exercise for slow negatives; that would be too taxing on your back. In principle, lowering is slightly faster than lifting;
- Be sure not to drop the barbell. For optimal muscle growth, you should perform the full range of motion (ROM) and not drop the weight prematurely. If you feel that urge, you may be deadlifting too hard;
- Keep your back in a neutral position throughout the negative phase: straight, with a small, natural curve in your lower back. So no unnatural concave and certainly no curvature.
The negative phase of the deadlift: back with those hips! (Stronglifts)