1. Use a close grip just outside shoulder-width, ensuring wrists remain straight and firm.

2. Position the barbell on the upper back, choosing either:

3. High-bar position: Bar rests above the posterior deltoids at the base of the neck (on the upper trapezius).

4. Low-bar position: Bar lies across the posterior deltoid, in the middle of the trapezius.

5. Lift the elbows up and back to create a muscular “shelf” for bar stability.

6. Chest up and out, lifting the sternum to maintain thoracic extension.

7. Head in a neutral or slightly upward tilt to maintain spinal alignment

8. Extend the hips and knees to lift the bar off the rack.

9. Take 1–2 steps back for stability.

10. Set feet shoulder-width apart, with toes slightly pointed outward (10–30°) to accommodate hip mobility.

11. Maintain a flat back, elbows high, and chest up and out throughout the descent.

12. Begin the movement by flexing both the hips and knees simultaneously.

13. The torso angle should remain relatively constant, avoiding excessive forward lean.

14. Keep heels in full contact with the floor.

15. Knees should track in line with the feet – avoid valgus collapse (knees caving inward).

16. Continue descent until the thighs are parallel to the floor (or deeper based on mobility and training goals).

17. Avoid going lower if The trunk begins to flex or round.

18. The heels lift from the floor

19. Maintain a flat back, elbows high, and chest up and out as you drive upward

20. Extend the hips and knees simultaneously to generate power.

21. Maintain a consistent torso angle – avoid tipping forward.

22. Keep heels flat and knees aligned with the toes.

23. Continue upward until fully extended in the starting standing position.

• Brace your core like you’re about to be punched.”

• Fix: Use the Valsalva maneuver — deep breath into the belly before descending, then hold during the rep.

• Cue: “Push the knees out — track over toes.”

• Fix: Activate glutes and externally rotate the hips slightly during descent.

• Cue: “Chest up — lock ribcage to pelvis.”

• Fix: Strengthen thoracic extensors, practice tempo squats, and reduce depth slightly until lumbar control improves.

• Cue: “Chest and hips rise together.”

• Fix: Practice pause squats at the bottom to train control, and reduce load while reinforcing simultaneous upward drive.

• In both lifts, the hips shoot up faster than the chest, especially at the start. This causes the lift to become more of a hip hinge than a coordinated pull.

• The upper back rounds slightly during the lift. This indicates a lack of tension in the lats and thoracic spine at setup.

• Bracing is inconsistent — there’s little sign of a deep breath or Valsalva maneuver before initiating the pull, resulting in a soft, unstable trunk.

• At the top of the lift, hips aren't fully extended and the glutes aren’t engaged properly. The finish looks incomplete.
  
  

• Focus on synchronising hip and shoulder movement. Use the cue: “Push the floor away with your legs” to avoid early hip rise.

• Pull the chest up, lock the spine into a flat or slightly arched position, and engage the lats before lifting (“pull the slack out of the bar”).

• Take a deep belly breath before the lift, hold it, and brace the core to increase spinal stability (Valsalva maneuver).

• At the top, fully extend the hips, stand tall, and squeeze the glutes. Avoid leaning back or cutting the movement short.
  

• Hips and shoulders rise together, maintaining a constant torso angle — ideal coordination.

• No early hip shooting, indicating balanced drive from both lower and upper body.

• The bar moves in a straight vertical line, close to the body throughout.

• There’s no swing or forward drift, showing strong control and balance.

• At the top, the athlete fully extends the hips and knees with a controlled squeeze of the glutes.

• No overextension or leaning back — the lift ends in a neutral, upright posture.

• The descent is controlled and initiated with a hip hinge, followed by a knee bend.

• Bar remains close to the body and is returned to the floor smoothly without bounce.

  
  

• Feet: Hip-width apart, toes slightly turned out.

• Bar: Over the midfoot, close to the shins.

• Hips: Positioned lower than the shoulders.

• Grip: Hands outside the knees, using a hook grip.

• Arms: Elbows fully extended.

• Shoulders: Slightly in front of the bar.

• Back: Neutral spine with lumbar curve maintained.

• Tension: Take up slack — feel tension on the bar before initiating the lift.

First Pull

• Movement: Begin by forcefully extending the hips and knees.

• Bar Path: Keep the bar close to the shins.

• Body Coordination: Shoulders and hips rise at the same time, maintaining a consistent torso angle.

• Arms: Remain extended; avoid early arm pull.

Transition Phase

• Knees: As the bar passes the knees, re-bend the knees slightly.

• Weight Shift: Shift weight forward toward the midfoot while keeping the heels down.

• Bar Contact: Bar makes contact with the mid-thigh.

Second Pull (Triple Extension)

• Explosive Movement: Violently extend the hips, knees, and ankles.

• Bar Path: Keep the bar close to the torso.

• Shrug: As the lower body finishes extending, shrug the shoulders rapidly.

• Cue: “Jump, shrug, pull.”

Pull Under & Catch Phase

• Elbows: Flex the elbows and begin pulling under the bar as shoulders reach peak elevation.

• Pull Under: Rotate arms under the bar and pull the body down into the catch position.

• Catch Position: Bar is received on the front of the shoulders, in a partial squat with elbows high and chest up.

Recovery

• Stand up to full hip and knee extension to complete the lift.

• Feet may be slightly too wide or unevenly placed — affects balance and pull mechanics.

• Hips not properly set — either too high (like a stiff-leg deadlift) or too low (like a squat), making it harder to generate force.

• Shoulders not over the bar — torso is too upright or rounded.

• Back not fully neutral — lumbar curve appears compromised in moments.

• No visible tension on the bar — lacks tight setup before initiating the pull.

2. First Pull

• Hips rise faster than shoulders, causing the torso to tip forward.

• Elbows bend early, reducing the effectiveness of force transfer from the lower body.

• Bar path drifts away from the body, increasing inefficiency and lowering power output.

3. Transition & Second Pull

• No clear scoop or transition — athlete misses the re-bend of the knees to prepare for the explosive second pull.

• Lacks triple extension — hips, knees, and ankles are not fully extended.

• Minimal or no shoulder shrug, indicating poor upper body engagement.

• Timing is off between lower and upper body movement.

4. Pull Under & Catch

• Elbows are slow to rotate under the bar, resulting in poor catch mechanics.

• Catch position is low or unstable, often received too soft or too rigid.

• Feet may not move out for a stable base, making the catch harder to absorb.

5. Overall Issues

• Movement looks disconnected between phases (pull, transition, and catch).

• Lack of explosiveness during second pull.

• Timing and bar control need improvement.

• Receiving position lacks confidence and front-rack structure (low elbows, poor wrist angle).

Issue: Hips too high/low, back not fully neutral, lack of bar tension
Fix:

• Set hips just below shoulders, feet hip-width apart

• Ensure shoulders are slightly over the bar, not behind

• Engage the lats and brace the core before pulling

• Pull the slack out of the bar before initiating
  Cues:

• “Chest up, back flat”

• “Pull yourself into position”

• “Tighten up before lift-off”

2. First Pull

Issue: Hips rise faster than shoulders, early arm bend, bar drifts forward
Fix:

• Push the ground away with your feet

• Keep the torso angle constant as the bar rises

• Maintain full arm extension during this phase
  Cues:

• “Push, don’t yank”

• “Legs drive the bar — arms stay long”

3. Scoop & Second Pull

Issue: No visible transition, weak triple extension, minimal shrug
Fix:

• After passing the knees, re-bend the knees and sweep the bar into the thighs

• Forcefully extend hips, knees, and ankles (triple extension)

• Finish with a strong shoulder shrug
  Cues:

• “Jump and shrug”

• “Explode up”

• “Brush the thighs, then fly”

4. Pull Under & Catch Phase

Issue: Slow elbow rotation, poor front-rack positioning, unstable catch
Fix:

• Pull yourself under the bar after full extension

• Rotate elbows quickly under the bar, catching high with elbows forward

• Receive the bar in a partial squat with feet slightly wider
  Cues:

• “Fast elbows”

• “Pull under, don’t drop under”

• “Catch strong, not soft”

5. Overall Technical Focus

• Improve phase-to-phase fluidity — each stage should flow into the next

• Emphasise timing and coordination — especially triple extension and catch

• Build confidence and explosiveness with lighter loads and pauses at key positions

• Feet are correctly placed hip-width apart.

• Bar is positioned over the midfoot, close to the shins — solid base.

• Hips are set just below the shoulders, showing proper pulling posture.

• Shoulders are slightly in front of the bar, with chest up and back flat.

• The athlete displays visible tension on the bar before initiating the lift.

This reflects an efficient and athletic starting posture.

2. First Pull

• The bar is lifted smoothly with the hips and shoulders rising together, maintaining torso angle.

• Arms remain straight, and the bar stays close to the body.

• The athlete keeps the bar path controlled with minimal forward drift.

Demonstrates improved coordination, control, and posture during the initial lift.

3. Transition & Second Pull

• Clear knee re-bend and shift into the scoop position.

• Weight remains over the midfoot with heels down.

• Athlete achieves full triple extension — hips, knees, and ankles are violently extended.

• Aggressive shoulder shrug occurs immediately after extension.

Explosiveness and phase timing have greatly improved.

4. Pull Under & Catch

• Athlete pulls under the bar effectively — elbows rotate quickly.

• The bar is received high on the front delts in a quarter squat.

• Feet reposition slightly wider for a more stable catch base.

• Elbows are high, with chest up — strong front rack position.

Confident and well-timed catch mechanics.

5. Recovery

• The athlete stands tall smoothly to complete the lift with full hip and knee extension.

• The lift ends balanced and upright, showing good control and positioning.