How to Do Dead Lift Leg Exercises

"ALICE MONSAERT: This is called the deadlift and it's going to really target the hamstrings and the glutes. We're going to begin on top of the step, usually in the center of the step, hip distance apart with the feet, knees are always soft. Shoulders need to remain back and tight; really avoid rounding the shoulders forward as you do this exercise and I'll show you a side view in a moment. So soft knees. I'm going to take my hands close to my thighs; actually, I'm going to touch the thighs and go down just past the top of the knees. Now, a lot of times, you'll see people in a deadlift try and reach all the way forward down to the step, but what that does is take the spine out of alignment and puts a lot of excess pressure on the low back. So if you look at a deadlift from the side, the knees are soft, the movement comes from here, which is the hip joint, and you're going to slide your hands down to about knee level, a little bit below, and then use the glutes and the hamstrings to pull yourself back up. So I'm going to add some external resistance with my hand weights and perform for you a deadlift. Soft knees, shoulders back; again, avoid rounding the back, very very important. So you're keeping that neutral spine, reaching forward. If you have really good hamstring flexibility, you could go a little bit past your knees. But if I go much further, you're going to see my back round, so I really want you to keep the back straight and in line, and feel those glutes contract and shorten on the way up out of the deadlift. That'll bring your glutes back up where you want them for those hot legs."