Lifting Guidelines
Technique
Lifters often need to lift a bar or dumbbells off the floor before getting into the starting position for an exercise (e.g., bent-over row, biceps curl, dumbbell flat or incline bench press or fly, upright row, barbell lying triceps extension, stiff-leg deadlift). To avoid excessive strain on the low back, athletes need to place the body in the correct position to lift the weight safely and effectively. Athletes can do this by following these guidelines:
Use the correct stance in relation to the bar or dumbbells and properly grasp the bar or dumbbell handles.
Place the feet between hip- and shoulder-width apart.
Squat down behind the bar or between the dumbbells.
If lifting a bar, position the bar close to the shins and over the balls of the feet, and grasp the bar with a closed grip that is shoulder-width (or slightly wider) apart.
If lifting dumbbells, stand directly between them and grasp the handles with a closed grip and a neutral arm or hand position.
Position the arms outside the knees with the elbows extended.
Before lifting a weight off the floor, athletes must place their body in the correct preparatory position. The following guidelines also describe how the body should be positioned immediately before the first repetition of a power exercise (e.g., snatch, power clean).
- The back is flat or slightly arched.
- The trapezius is relaxed and slightly stretched, the chest is held up and out, and the scapulae are held together.
- The head is in line with the spine or slightly hyperextended.
- Body weight is balanced between the middle and balls of the feet, but the heels are in contact with the floor.
- The shoulders are over or slightly in front of the bar.
- The eyes are focused straight ahead or slightly upward.
Weight Belts
The use of a weight belt can contribute to injury-free training. The decision on whether to use a belt should be based on the type of exercise and the relative load being lifted. Weight belts are most appropriate in the following situations:
During exercises that place stress on the low back (e.g., back squat, front squat, deadlift)
During sets in which near-maximal or maximal loads are being used
The use of a weight belt in these situations may reduce the risk of injuries to the low back—but only when combined with correct exercise technique and proper spotting. Note that some people may have increased blood pressure as a result of wearing a weight belt. Elevated blood pressure is associated with dizziness and fatigue and could result in headaches, fainting, or injury. Additionally, people with hypertension or any preexisting cardiovascular condition should not wear a weight belt because doing so might lead to a heart attack or stroke.
GENERAL SAFETY SUGGESTIONS
Athletes should follow these guidelines to ensure safe exercise technique:
• Perform power and explosive exercises in an area that is clean, dry, flat, well marked, and free of obstacles and people (e.g., on a lifting platform). This guideline also applies to other complex nonpower exercises such as the lunge, deadlift, and step-up. If a repetition in a power or explosive exercise cannot be completed, the athlete should push forward on the bar to move the body backward and then let the bar fall to the floor. Athletes should not attempt to “save” a missed or failed repetition for this type of exercise.
• Check to see if there is sufficient floor-to-ceiling space before performing exercises that finish with the bar overhead. Athletes should use a bar with revolving sleeves, especially for the power and explosive exercises.
• For the front squat and back squat, use a squat or power rack with the supporting pins or hooks set to position the bar at armpit height. This setting should also be used when the preferred method for an exercise is to begin or end with the bar at shoulder height (rather than begin or end with the bar on the floor).
• When lifting the bar up and out of the supporting pins or hooks of a squat or power rack in preparation for an exercise, always step backward at the beginning of the set and step forward at the end of the set. The athlete should not walk backward to return the bar to the rack. This is a good safety practice that reduces the potential for a misstep when fatigued.
• When using free weights, always use collars and locks to secure the weight plates on the bar.
• For machine exercises, be sure to fully insert the selectorized pin or key (usually L or T shaped) into the weight stack.
• A spotter should assist for safety during free weight exercises.
Snatch-Grip Hand Placement
The snatch-grip hand placement on the bar is wider than it is for other exercises. To help an athlete estimate the proper width of the grip, have the athlete extend an arm laterally and parallel to the floor; then measure the distance from the edge of the knuckles of that arm (the athlete should clench the fist) to the outside edge of the opposite shoulder (see figure 6.1). Alternatively, the lifter’s grip width can be estimated by measuring the elbow-to-elbow distance when the upper arms are abducted directly out from the sides and parallel to the floor (see figure 6.2). This distance is the space between the hands when they are grasping the bar. If necessary, this spacing can be modified depending on shoulder flexibility and arm length. In this grip, the hands face backward in a pronated position.
