Barbell Pause Deadlift
The conventional deadlift with a stop just below the knees on the way up; the pause has to be held with a flat back before the lift goes on.
How to do it
Setup
Bar over the mid-foot, hip-width stance, grip just outside the legs, shins at the bar, back flat.
Steps
- Pull until the bar is just under the knees and freeze it there.
- Keep the shoulders over the bar and the lats tight through the pause.
- Finish to lockout, then lower in one smooth move.
Common mistakes
Bar drifting forward during the pause: squeeze the lats to keep it on the legs. Hips rising faster than the bar: the chest and hips arrive at the pause together. Letting the pause shrink to a stutter: count a full beat.
Breathing
Inhale at the bottom, exhale after lockout.
