Which statement best describes how the hips and shoulders move in a Deadlift?

• A. Hips and shoulders rise at the same time.
• B. Hips rise before shoulders.
• C. Shoulders rise before hips.
• D. Hips stay down.

Answer: (A)

In a deadlift, the movement hinges as you stand up, so the hips and shoulders rise together. This keeps the torso in a relatively fixed angle and the bar close to your body as you extend through the hips and knees, which is why the hips and shoulders move up at the same rate. If the hips rose before the shoulders, you’d lose that synchronized hinge and the bar path would drift, increasing strain on the back. If the shoulders rose before the hips, the torso would lift without full hip extension, again changing the bar path and spine position. And if the hips stayed down, you couldn’t fully stand up.