Open Hips, Not Over Arch

Finish the lift right; don't injure yourself! A common problem for many deadlifters occurs at the end of the exercise. Yes, we absolutely want to finish the lift by standing up with the weight; but, unfortunately, some people illustrate its completeness by over emphasizing "open hips." A finished deadlift happens when the body is in alignment, from head to heel, and the hips are open, without a present crease (the picture on the left). It's when people take the openness too far and arch their back excessively (the picture on the right). When we have too much of an arch, a few things can take place, both leading to possible injury: it can overload parts of the spine, and it has the potential to cause misalignment of the hips. So, instead of leaning back a few extra inches, know that once you're upright and you have open hips, the lift has been successfully executed!