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ALBANY, GA -- You may have heard to lift in the legs and not the back but what does that mean?  Correct form when picking things up or putting things on a shelf can prevent back pain and as the saying goes, lifting in the legs is key. Including deadlifts in your workout routine helps you do this correctly, without injury.

Deadlifts are functional exercises that work multiple muscles and mimic everyday movements.  They target everything from the shoulder blades down.

A bar is the only equipment needed.  As with adding any new exercise, start off with light weights so your deadlift form is correct and you're working the right muscles.  Start with a barbell on the ground and attach weights according to your strength and fitness level

1.   Stand with feet under hips, shoulder width apart

2.   Squat down and grasp bar

3.   Lower hips so thighs are parallel to the floor

4.   Flatten back and look straight ahead

5.   Stand up lifting the bar

6.   Lower the bar back down

7.   Repeat

Deadlifts alone aren’t enough.  They should be added to a workout routine to ensure all muscles are worked evenly.

“If you did nothing but dead lifts you would make hamstrings and gluts very strong but quads muscles up the front would become weak,” said fitness coach Kris Morrill.