The deadlift is a fundamental exercise that most of us learn before turning 1 year of age, and that babies and toddlers use on a daily basis. An exercise we as adults also should be using daily, i.e when we pick things up from the floor, lift the shopping bag, vacuum cleaning, wiping tables, etc. It should be the primary reason to relearning deadlifting, secondly it’s the perfect exercise to improve your squat among other exercises.

To perform the deadlift exercise correctly and thereby build one of the fundamentals for optimized movement, ýour mobility and stability should be in order before any weight is added. Many see Olympic or world champion lifters and think that naturally that’s a perfect deadlift, but in fact what they see is a person trying their hardest to beat their personal record. Which rarely amounts to a deadlift performed as it should be.

The levels underneath are here to help you create the correct deadlift technique. the levels are categorized in 1-5, so forth you master level 1, before moving on to level 2. If you experience a differential in your right or left side underway, your primary focus should be to correct the imbalance, before trying to improve the exercise. And remember; Rome wasn’t built in a day, the first time you were learning deadlifting, it took almost a year.

Level 1

This program’s exercises will work towards increasing your mobility and stability in the hips and simultaneously help your nerve system to activate the proper work pattern. Therefore the exercises should be done back to back. The success criteria for moving on to level 2 are as follows:

  • That you while the performance of exercise 1 diaphragm breathing don’t feel hardship in breathing correctly, 3-5min.
  • That you while the performance of exercise 3 lying hip stability with core activation. Are leveled in height and after how far you can get your right and left static legs up. To recap; there shouldn’t be any imbalance between your right and left side.
  • That you daily and without warming up can complete a successful toe contact as shown in exercise 7.

Diaphragmatic breathing – complete the exercise by lying relaxed and by breathing. You should be feeling the hand on your stomach elevating up and down, meanwhile your hand on the breast has minimal movement or none at all. Repeat the breathing exercise for 3-5 min.

Muscle energy technique by back thighs  – Complete the exercise by leading your stretched leg  to maximum capacity, then press your back thigh against the strap for 7 seconds. Afterwards completely relax off your leg and stretch to maximum again. Repeat this procedure 3-5 times and swap your leg.

Lying hip stability. – complete the exercise as shown and start with the resting leg, as highly elevated as possible. Complete 6-8 repetitions for each leg.

Lying hip stability with core activation – complete the exercise as is shown, and start with the static active leg, as far stretched and high as possible – complete 6-8 repetitions for each leg.

Toe contact with toe lift –  complete the exercise with 6-8 repetitions. Try to reach as close to your toes as possible each repetition.

Toe contact with heel lift – complete the exercise with 6-8 repetitions. Try to reach as close to your toes as possible each repetition.

Toe contact – complete the exercise with 6-8 repetitions.

These program exercises are working towards increasing your stability in the cross from your shoulder to the opposite hip and meanwhile get your nerve system to activate the correct work pattern. Therefore the exercises should be done somewhat one after another, the success criteria for completing level 2 and whether or not you can move onwards to level 3 are as follows:

  • That you under 6 repetitions in completion of the exercises, with a tight elastic, are challenged in strength, don’t feel a difference between pull and lifts, or between your right and left side.
  • That you, under completion of those 6 repetitions, can keep your body totally stable, without shifts in your torso or your hips shifting backwards while doing the exercises. This is easier to register by keeping your head in leveled height, alternatively you can get someone to keep a hand on the top of your head.

High kneeling lift – first time performing this exercise, make sure to do maximum number of repetitions, stop when the quality of the exercise cannot be upheld, i.e. by the torso rotating or the hip shifting backwards, etc.  By now you know the difference in the right and left hand side. Perform 1-2 reps in the strong side, and 2-4 reps in the weaker side per workout, until your imbalance has been corrected. REMEMBER not to complete a single rep, where your body is not stable. If it continues to occur, loosen the elastic. Otherwise keep tightening the elastic as your strength increases. For some, just sitting in a high kneeling position, can be a workout in and out of itself, if this is the case, this is where you begin. If you don’t have any imbalances, your goal is to get the elastic as tight as possible, in order to challenge your strength.

High kneeling axe  – first time performing this exercise, make sure to do maximum number of repetitions, stop when the quality of the exercise cannot be upheld, i.e. by the torso rotating or the hip shifting backwards, etc.  By now you know the difference in the right and left hand side. Perform 1-2 reps in the strong side, and 2-4 reps in the weaker side per workout, until your imbalance has been corrected. REMEMBER not to complete a single rep, where your body is not stable. If it continues to occur, loosen the elastic. Otherwise keep tightening the elastic as your strength increases. For some, just sitting in a high kneeling position, can be a workout in and out of itself, if this is the case, this is where you begin. If you don’t have any imbalances, your goal is to get the elastic as tight as possible, in order to challenge your strength.

Jeg går ud fra “højtknælende økse” oversættes direkte, da jeg ikke har kunne slå øvelsen op.

Level 3

These program exercises are working towards bettering your deadlift pattern and simultaneously challenge your nerve system to activate the correct work pattern. Therefore the exercises should be done somewhat one after another, the success criteria for completing level 3 and whether or not you can move onwards to level 4 are as follows:

  • That you can complete 6 repetitions of exercise 1 – half deadlift with back control. For optimization, you can record yourself and compare.
  • That you can complete 6 repetitions for each leg of exercise 3 – one legged deadlift with control. Where your performances are the same on each side, meaning stable and in good balance, and that it looks similar to the one shown on the video. For optimization, you can record yourself and compare.

Half deadlift with hip control – complete 10 repetitions of the exercise as shown. The point of the exercise is learning how to lead your hips backwards while doing a deadlift. So that your knees won’t spring forward. If this happens, the elastic has to be so tight as to ‘tilt’ you forwards afterwards, and will cause loss of balance.

Half deadlift with back control in front. – Complete 10 repetitions of the exercise as shown, with a stick which has contact on the head, thorax and sacrum (between the buttocks) The intention of this exercise is to keep the 3 points of contact the sticks have, and that it’s the hips and not the arms that counter the force of the elastic, while completing a deadlift pattern. It’s crucial in a correct pattern, to shove the hips backwards as in the earlier exercise, so that the lower part of your legs are still in a vertical position

Half deadlift with back control from behind. – Complete 10 repetitions of the exercise as shown, with a stick which has contact on the head, thorax and sacrum (between the buttocks) The intention of this exercise is to keep the 3 points of contact the sticks have, and that it’s the hips and not the arms that counter the force of the elastic, while completing a deadlift pattern. It’s crucial in a correct pattern, to shove the hips backwards as in the earlier exercise, so that the lower part of your legs are still in a vertical position

Level 4

These program exercises are working towards bettering your deadlift pattern and simultaneously challenge your nerve system to activate the correct work pattern. Therefore the exercises should be done somewhat one after another, the success criteria for completing level 4 and whether or not you can move onwards to level 5 are as follows:

  • That you can complete 6 repetitions of exercise 2 – suitcase deadlift, where your performance is stable, without any rotations in the upper body, and that your deadlift position, is similar to what you build under level 3.

Half deadlift with rotation control – Complete 10 repetitions to each side of the exercise as shown, the elastic will try to pull you in a rotation, your purpose is to keep the upper body in a stable and horizontal position, while you complete the deadlift you’ve built in level 3.

Suitcase deadlift stability – Complete 10 repetitions to each side of the exercise as shown. Focus should be to hold the exercise pattern of the deadlift, including picking up the weight and placing it again, without there being any rotation in the back or hips. Remember to squeeze tight around the handle, even if the weight is light, because your stability activates optimally.

Level 5

These programme exercises work towards improving the last deadlifting details by challenging your nerve system to activate the correct work pattern. Therefore the exercises should be done somewhat one after another, the success criteria for being able to complete are as follows:

  • That you can complete 6 repetitions exercise 1 – one legged deadlift with stability, without a differential in right and left side in accordance to mobility and stability
  • That you can complete 6 repetitions exercise 2 – Kettlebell deadlift, with a correct execution of the deadlift. Where the lower lefts are kept vertical, the back is kept straight, and where the hips are doing the majority of the movement.

One legged deadlift stability.  –  Complete 10 repetitions to each side of the exercise as shown. Focus should be to hold the exercise pattern of the deadlift, including picking up the weight and placing it again, without there being any rotation in the back or hip . Remember to squeeze tight around the handle, even if the weight is light, because your stability activates optimally.

Now you’ve built a correct deadlift, and made sure the left and right side are working together to stabilize your deadlift. Furthermore you’ve built a safe and well-functioning fundament for other leg exercises like squatting and freestyle.

Deadlift with kettlebell – Complete 10 repetitions. Focus should be towards keeping the pattern, where the lower legs are kept vertical, the back is kept straight and where the hips are doing the majority of the movement.

Deadlift with a barbell – the grip on the barbell should be overhanded as shown, or staggered locked grip, with one overhand grip and one lower hand grip. This secures that the weight won’t slide out of the hand, remember to swap hands between each repetition.

Wide-standing deadlift.