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In 2016, I set out on a journey to become stronger, and my teammates from Catch22 Dragon Boat team introduced me to barbell training. I immersed myself in a lifting community (friends from Catch22 NYC Dragon Boat and Squats & Science) and online content (YouTube and Instagram) to get started and continue learning.
What are the big three lifts? The big three (squat, bench, deadlift) is known as a means to gain superhuman strength via compound movements that simultaneously engage multiple muscle groups. Although the squat targets the legs, bench press targets the chest, and deadlift targets the back, all three lifts work the entire body.
I’m sharing all the lessons I’ve learned over the years so you can get started and continue building strength through the basics of the back squat, bench press, and deadlift.
Table of Contents
What Is A Back Squat?
The squat overloads the entire body and strengthens the lower body the most, such as quads, hamstrings, and glutes.
Two Styles Of Back Squats
- High-Bar Squats – The barbell is placed high up on the traps, and the torso is more upright in high-bar squats than low-bar squats. It’s best for the overall development of strength in quads and glutes. It’s more common to see Olympic-style weightlifters and athletes practice high-bar over low-bar.
- Low-Bar Squats – The barbell is placed lower down on rear delts, and the torso is more leaned forward in low-bar than high-bar squats. It’s best to leverage the lower back and glutes to add additional strength to lift the maximum weight in competition. It’s more common to see powerlifters practice low-bar over high-bar.
How To Back Squat
- Grip the barbell symmetrically by using the knurl marks on the bar to guide. Hands placed right outside shoulder-width is the most narrow grip to help engage and stabilize the upper back. A narrow grip puts more pressure on your shoulders than a wide grip. Therefore individuals with a lack of shoulder mobility or injured shoulders tend to find a wider grip more comfortable.
- Step up and get under the bar. Deciding on high-bar or low-bar squatting will dictate the placement of the bar. Create and maintain tension in your upper body by pinching your shoulder blades together and pointing the shoulder blades down to engage the lats. Make sure the bar sits above the mid-foot to set yourself up for unracking.
- Inhale and push the air down the diaphragm to create pressure in the core and stabilize the weight, then unrack the bar.
- Walk out the bar just far enough where the rack won’t hit the bar during the movement and exhale.
- Set up by finding a stable foundation where the weight of the bar is directly above the mid-foot. Weight is distributed evenly between three points of the foot – heel, big toe, and pinky toe. Inhale to keep the core tight, lats engaged, and glutes squeezed.
- Keep the chest and shoulders open and the back neutral as you descend until thighs break parallel to the floor.
- Ascend by driving your hips up and forward while leveraging the core to keep the chest open and engaging the quads, glutes, then hamstrings until your knees lockout and exhale.
- Complete the reps for that set, then rack the bar.
What Is A Bench Press?
The bench press is a full-body, compound lift that strengthens the upper body the most, like the chest, shoulders, and triceps.
How To Bench Press
- Lay down with your head, shoulders, buttocks on the bench, and your eyes directly under the bar.
- Grip the barbell symmetrically by using the knurl marks on the bar to guide. The width of your grip depends on personal preference. Just make sure it’s wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Create and maintain tension throughout the body by squeezing your shoulder blades and pointing them downward to engage the lats. Contract the glutes and plant your feet on the ground to actively find stability. The arched back, often used by powerlifters, assists in anchoring at the shoulders, glutes, and feet to increase full-body tension and decrease the range of motion through which the bar moves.
- Unrack the bar and bring it to a position stacked above your shoulders without losing the tension. Inhale to stabilize the core.
- Use the tension to control the descent and make sure the elbows and wrists are stacked directly under the bar.
- Once the bar has touched the chest, use the full-body tension, and drive your legs into the floor to press the bar into the starting position. Exhale when you’ve finished the movement.
- Complete the reps for that set, then rack the bar.
What Is A Deadlift?
Lastly, the deadlift is another compound lift that strengthens the muscles in the posterior chain the most, like hamstrings, glutes, erector spinae, traps, and rear delts.
Two Styles Of Deadlifting
- Conventional Deadlift – Placing your feet hip-width apart and placed within the hands recruits more erector spinae muscles.
- Sumo Deadlift – Placing your feet wider than the hands recruits more quad muscles, often used by powerlifters.
How To Deadlift
- Walk to the middle of the bar and set up your foot position based on the style.
- Grip the barbell with hands shoulder-width apart. Make sure your grip is symmetric by using the knurl marks on the bar to guide.
- Pull the slack out of the bar by creating tension throughout the body. Pack the lats by pretending like you’re showing your armpits to someone in front of you, hinge at the hips to activate the lower body, and distribute the weight evenly throughout the feet. Your shins should be touching the bar at this point. Inhale and push the air down the diaphragm to create pressure in the core.
- Push your heels and drive the floor away. The bar will rise along your shins and knees for the most efficient bar path as your hips move into the bar. Lockout the knees and shoulders once the bar is at the top.
- Release the bar and exhale.
Continue Your Education
This article is an introduction to basic concepts and techniques.
A post for additional resources to continue your education is coming soon!
Related Questions
What are the results of the big three lifts? Training squat, bench, and deadlift not only develops the specific lifts but strengthens your body in so many ways – major muscle groups, stabilizing muscles, bone density, joint health, and mental toughness.
Are the big three lifts enough? Ultimately, it depends on what you’re trying to achieve through your fitness journey.
- Some powerlifters do the big three and little else, and others add accessories.
- Other athletes incorporate the big three to develop strength for another sport, or so they can feel good in their body.
- In both cases, accessory exercises are optional but recommended to address strength imbalances and prevent injury for longevity.
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