| Hey there, Here, hold still while I duct tape these CRUCIAL DEADLIFT ANSWERS to your face. Don't worry, though—they're reversed so you can read them. Golly. So pushy. "Should I breathe in and out throughout each rep?" No. This isn't only physiologically wrong, it's also basically impossible to do as you get stronger. Instead, use the Valsalva maneuver, which involves forcefully breathing out against a closed windpipe. This traps air in your lungs and creates pressure inside your abdomen, which stabilizes your torso, allowing you to lift more weight and probably reduce the risk of injury as well. An important caveat: The Valsalva maneuver increases your blood pressure more than continuous breathing. Studies show that this isn't inherently dangerous, and holding your breath is instinctive when lifting heavy weights, but if you're hypertensive or have a preexisting heart condition, talk with your doctor before using the Valsalva maneuver. Furthermore, if you use the technique and experience chest pain, dizziness, or other side effects, stop using it and talk with your doctor. "What type of grip should I use?" When you're new to deadlifting, a double overhand grip (both palms facing down) works well, but as the weights get heavier, the bar begins to slip out of your hands in the middle of your sets. A common workaround is the "mixed grip," which involves alternating one of your hands so it's palm-up. This allows you to maintain a strong grip on the bar with heavy weights, but it also has downsides: 1. It causes you to turn toward your palm-down hand, and this makes it harder to keep the bar close to your body. 2. It places additional strain on the biceps of your palm-up arm. You can make the mixed grip safer by alternating your palm-up hand every workout or even set, but I'd rather you just use a double-overhand grip with lifting straps instead. The final type of deadlift grip you can use is the hook grip, which is a variation of the double-overhand grip where you wrap your fingers over your thumbs instead of vice versa. This grip is virtually as secure as straps and also avoids the mixed grip's snags, but it's very uncomfortable at first. If you stick with it, however, the pain subsides, and it's likely better for training your grip than using straps. "Can I bounce the weight off the floor with each rep?" The "tap-and-go transition" of maintaining tension as you tap the weights to the floor and immediately begin the next rep is fine for warming up, but I recommend the "stop-and-go" method for your hard sets. With this technique, you fully release the weight to the ground and reset your bottom position—including your breath—before starting the next rep. This is tougher than tap-and-go, but that's good, and it's safer as well. Also: If you want to learn more about the grammar of getting fitter, leaner, and stronger faster than you ever thought possible, check out one of my bestselling books: For men trying to gain their first 25 pounds of muscle: ⇒ https://legionathletics.com/products/books/bigger-leaner-stronger/ For women trying to gain their first 15 pounds of muscle or lose the same amount of fat: ⇒ https://legionathletics.com/products/books/thinner-leaner-stronger/ For advanced lifters trying to reach their genetic potential for muscle and strength: ⇒ https://legionathletics.com/products/books/beyond-bigger-leaner-stronger/ Go for it! Mike | 
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