Weight Lifting: Deadlift Warmup Routine

[Coach Huld]

Another Squat University video, this time with three moves to really power up your Deadlift!



Let's go through it:
Reps and Sets:
"20 REPS!??!?! 3 SETS!?!? This is a warmup!!" Yup. It's rough! But anything Aaron speaks to is always backed up with research. 20 reps SUUUUUCKS, especially if you're a powerlifting fan, but it really makes the difference.

1 - Squat Style KB Swings:
I'm a huge fan of the classic hip hinge KB Swings, and have tended to be dismissive of the Squat Swing, but as a warm-up, the squat style is a great way to get things fired up without requiring as much work on the hip hinge. If you haven't done Swings before, the key is using the legs and hips to drive the KB, not the arms or shoulders. Pull your shoulders back and down, keep your spine neutral, engage your core, and use the force of the squat/ hips to push the KB.

2 - Single Leg Glute Bridge:
Pretty simple! I use banded glute bridges with shoulders on a BOSU ball a lot, but single leg bridges are an important variation to keep in your repertoire as - like Aaron says in the video - it highlights imbalances you might not notice when always using square-stance two legged exercises.
This is exactly why in PT sessions I usually try to have at LEAST one movement where you work one side at a time, whether it's leg work, arms, whatever.

I often do slow-rep sets of single leg bridges in my own warm-ups, doing eight reps with a 5-second drop from the top instead of 20 steady reps. Probably takes about the same amount of time, if not a bit longer, but really hits the target!

3 - Bent-Over KB Shrugs:
This is probably the trickiest one! Really roll the shoulders forward, and then pull them back. This takes a lot of practice to get right, but I think it's probably also the most overlooked type of warmup for deadlifts there is.


Questions? Comments? Have you tried them? Did you find them helpful? Did you struggle with them? Did any of them surprise you?