You're Already Deadlifting — Just Do It Right

The deadlift is one of my favorite movements on the list of 7, mostly because you're already doing it constantly and probably don't realize it. Lifting one end of a couch? Deadlift. Picking up a heavy box off the floor? Deadlift. The only question is whether you're doing it in a way that protects your back or wrecks it.

The one rule that matters most: keep your back straight and hinge from the hips, not the spine. Done well, the deadlift is a whole-body exercise that challenges you physically and mentally, and it pays you back with a stronger low back, better bone density, more stable blood sugar, and real protection against the kind of injuries that happen from "just picking something up wrong."

You don't need a barbell to start practicing this pattern. A milk crate loaded with rocks or books works just as well, and honestly mirrors real life better than a barbell does. Load it enough to challenge you for 25 reps, start light, and focus on engaging your core from the very bottom of the lift, before you start pulling.

This pattern gets progressively loaded as you move through the workout program's later phases. Visit the Deadlift page for more on the mechanics, and don't wait until you're forced to "pick something up wrong" to start practicing it properly.