If you’re reading this, you’re probably one of the rare species of lifters that still perform the deadlift. Hats off to you for that.
Then you must also know that deadlifting is pretty hard on your body and that you need to maximize all your physical and mental resources to be able to lift heavy loads off the ground.
In this article, we’ll focus on the mental side of things. You’ll learn a neat mental cue to increase your deadlift that you’ll have to remind yourself about during the SET-UP position of the deadlift. For a strong and explosive deadlift, the set-up position and the take-off are VERY IMPORTANT.
Also, if you never paid attention to what you think about during the deadlift in order to generate maximum power, then this mental cue will take care of that and will surely help you lift more weight!
So here it is. First, have a good look at the diagram below.
Looks pretty simple. right? It is, but it can be tricky to master since it requires timing. So, you’ll have to practice and get used to it.
To make it simpler, here’s a step-by-step guide on how to execute this mental cue during the deadlift.
1. Approach the bar and get into your deadlift set-up position (just like in the image above).
2. Take a big breath and hold it into your abs.
3. Tighten up your whole your body.
This is where the mental cue comes in.
4. RIGHT BEFORE you start moving up, prepare to move up by pulling your chest up AND pushing the floor down with your feet, SIMULTANEOUSLY. You have to visualize yourself doing this.
5. Once you’re ready to break off the floor, move up while still thinking about pulling your chest up and pushing the floor down until you stand straight with your chest out.
6. Put the bar back down.
The mental cue comes into play in steps number 4 and 5; the part where you lift the weight up basically. You’ll be astonished by how much easier the whole lift becomes just by following this simple mental cue. It really is all in the mind.
But why does this work so well? The answer is Science.
You may have noticed from the picture above that there are two forces in opposite directions as a result of the mental cue. Now, although the forces are acting in opposite direction, they are NOT going against each other. Instead, they are actually helping each other in order to make the movement easier.
Here’s the science. The two forces actually form sort of a force couple, which in Physics, is a pair of forces acting in opposite directions that help each other produce rotation. Let’s take a look at an example.
Look at the illustration below where forces are applied to a red stick. On the left diagram, there is only one force on one side (pulling motion only) while on the right diagram, there are two opposing forces (push and pull).
Which stick apparently moves farther from its original position, the right or left? Obviously, it’s the right one with the force couple, because both forces help/complement each other move the stick in the same direction of rotation. The same way, visualizing the push and pull mental cue during deadlifts will enable you to produce a stronger force.
Hopefully, it makes much more sense to you now, as to why this mental cue works so well. Don’t take our word for it, go try it for yourself and you’ll be surprised by how much stronger you will feel! And do let us know in the comments how it went for you.
What’s the fun in getting stronger and better alone? If you liked this post, go ahead and share it with your friends. Let’s get stronger together!
