Bench Press

As with any lift, proper starting position is imperative in performing the exercise correctly and the bench press is no different. When you lie on the bench, make sure your butt, upper back, and head are all in good contact with the pad. Line up your eyes with the bar and make sure your neck is positioned neutrally to prevent injury.

Under no circumstance should you keep your feet up in the air or on the bench as I often see. This causes you to not only prevent you from using leg drive, but you also lose most of your stability. These are both necessary to execute the lift properly and allow you to progressively lift more weight.

It is always best to get a hand off as this will allow you to stay tight while unracking the bar, but if you don’t have a training partner or someone to help, there is a technique to doing this on your own.

To maintain tension, you want to pull the bar off the rack using your back and lat muscles rather than pressing up and over the hooks. This allows you to keep your shoulders back and your shoulder blades tight together.

 

Squat

Start by stepping under a barbell (supported in a squat rack), setting a firm foundation by flexing your core, and preparing to lift the barbell out of the rack.

Situate your feet in your squatting stance. If you aren’t sure, start by placing your feet just wider than your hips and turning your toes outward slightly.

Squat down by unlocking your knees and hips simultaneously and slowly sitting straight down. Keep your chest up, but allow your torso to lean forward as needed. Sink down until your hips drop below your knees, and then push through the floor to stand back up. 

 

Deadlift

Stand with your mid-foot under the bar. Your shins shouldn’t touch it yet. Put your heels hip-width apart.

Bend over without bending your legs. Grip the bar narrow, about shoulder-width apart.

Drop into position by bending your knees until your shins touch the bar. Do NOT let the bar move away from your mid-foot. If it moves, start from scratch with step one

Straighten your back by raising you chest. Do not change your position – keep the bar over your mid-foot, your shins against the bar, and your hips where they are.

Take a big breath, hold it and stand up with the weight. Keep the bar in contact with your legs while you pull. Don’t shrug or lean back at the top. Lock your hips and knees.