Squat, bench, deadlift: what powerlifting technique coaching covers

Powerlifting is a strength sport with three lifts: the squat, the bench press and the deadlift. In a competition you get three attempts at each and your best of each are added together to make your total.

But you do not need to compete to get a lot out of learning the lifts properly. Between them, the three big lifts train your legs, back, chest, shoulders, arms and grip. Learn them well and you have the backbone of almost any strength programme.

Why technique comes first

Good technique is not about looking tidy. It puts the work on the muscles that should be doing it, keeps the bar on an efficient path, and makes each rep feel the same as the last. That consistency is what lets you keep adding weight, week after week, without getting hurt.

When we coach a lift, we give you one or two things to focus on at a time. Ten instructions at once just leads to a stiff, confused lift.

The squat

The things we look at most often:

• Bracing. Taking a big breath and tightening your trunk before you go down, so your spine stays stable under the bar.
• Bar position. Where the bar sits on your back changes how you need to move. We find the position that suits your build.
• Depth. Squatting to a depth you can control, and working towards the competition standard if you want it.
• Knees and hips together. Letting your knees travel forward naturally and your hips sit back at the same time, so you stay balanced over your feet.

The bench press

• The set-up. Feet planted, shoulder blades pulled together and a stable upper back on the bench. A good bench press is mostly decided before the bar moves.
• Where the bar touches. Usually somewhere around the lower chest, depending on your arms and your arch.
• The bar path. Pressing up and slightly back towards your face, rather than straight up from where it touched.

The deadlift

• Conventional or sumo. Feet narrow with hands outside the legs, or feet wide with hands inside. Neither is cheating; we help you find which suits your body.
• Getting tight first. Pulling the slack out of the bar and setting your back before the weight leaves the floor.
• Finishing the lift. Standing tall with your hips through, without leaning back.

Do I need special kit?

Not to start. Flat trainers and comfortable clothes are fine. Lifting shoes, a belt and wrist wraps can help later on, and your coach will tell you if and when they would make a real difference.

Who it is for

Complete beginners, people who have lifted for years on their own and want a fresh pair of eyes, and anyone thinking about a first competition. If you can learn a lift well from the start, you never have to unlearn a bad habit.

Read more about our powerlifting technique coaching.